【生日QA問答大集合】Susie會講美國口音?我會幾種語言?

Susie Woo English 戴舒萱
18 Jun 202219:43

Summary

TLDRIn this engaging video, Susie celebrates her birthday by answering over 1,000 Instagram questions, offering advice to university students on discovering their interests and talents. She emphasizes the importance of trying various activities and finding personal motivation. Susie shares her love for learning, her experiences with language learning, and her cultural experiences in Taiwan and Malaysia. She also discusses her life in Brighton, UK, her views on career paths, and her plans to write a book, all while showcasing her ability to switch between British and American accents.

Takeaways

  • 🎉 Susie celebrated her birthday by answering over 1,000 questions on Instagram, showing her engagement with her audience.
  • 🧐 Susie advises university students to explore various interests and not to be pressured by others' expectations when finding their talents.
  • 🔍 She emphasizes the importance of trying different things to discover one's natural talent and to avoid the misconception of a single 'perfect' career path.
  • 💡 Susie suggests that careers should evolve with personal growth and that it's common to change careers multiple times in a lifetime.
  • 🤔 She believes that self-awareness is key to identifying one's strengths and interests, and that enjoying what you do is as important as being good at it.
  • 🌐 Susie values adaptability and being a generalist, suggesting that being good at many things is valuable in a changing world.
  • 📚 She expresses a deep love for studying and misses the university experience, even considering redoing some A-levels.
  • 🏠 Susie currently lives in Brighton, UK, and enjoys the rainy weather and coastal environment.
  • 🗣️ She can switch between UK and US accents and attributes her ability to watching a lot of US TV growing up.
  • 🏫 Susie's Mandarin is maintained through regular lessons and conversation, highlighting the importance of practice to keep a language fresh.
  • 📚 She has a desire to write a book, possibly in Chinese, and is open to ideas from her audience for the book's content.

Q & A

  • What is the main theme of Susie's birthday video?

    -The main theme of Susie's birthday video is answering questions from her Instagram followers about topics such as finding one's interests and talents, her study experience, and her personal life.

  • What advice does Susie give to university students who are confused about their future?

    -Susie advises university students to try as many things as they can, not to do things just because someone else wants them to, and to let go of the idea of there being one true path for them in life.

  • How does Susie suggest finding one's natural talent?

    -Susie suggests finding one's natural talent by trying out different things and giving them a chance to grow, and by trusting one's own motivation rather than doing something just because someone else wants them to.

  • What does Susie think about the idea of having one dream career?

    -Susie believes that the idea of having one dream career is false and outdated, and that it's more ideal to try out different things throughout life and allow one's career to ebb and flow with personal changes.

  • How does Susie describe her study experience at university?

    -Susie describes her study experience as flexible, self-motivated, and self-directed, with a sense of independence and not too much responsibility. She misses studying and enjoys the process of learning.

  • What is Susie's view on the TOEIC exam for English language proficiency?

    -Susie believes that while the TOEIC exam can be useful as a starting point, it should not be seen as the sole measure of one's English language ability. She emphasizes the importance of using the language in real life to gain confidence and mastery.

  • Can Susie switch between the UK and US accents?

    -Yes, Susie can switch between the UK and US accents freely, attributing her ability to watching a lot of US TV growing up and speaking to her cat in an American accent.

  • How many languages does Susie speak, and which ones are they?

    -Susie speaks English with a standard southern British accent, and she has some proficiency in Chinese, German, French, and Norwegian, although she admits she is not a polyglot and her speaking skills in French are not as strong.

  • What impact did Taiwan have on Susie's life?

    -Taiwan had a life-changing impact on Susie, mainly due to the genuine and welcoming people she met there, which made her feel at home and had a lasting positive effect on her.

  • What is Susie's opinion on practicing an English accent?

    -Susie suggests practicing an English accent by speaking words out loud to oneself to associate the word with its sound, and by finding someone to converse with in a relaxed setting to help the accent naturally seep in.

  • How does Susie keep up her Mandarin skills while living in the UK?

    -Susie keeps up her Mandarin skills by having Chinese lessons a couple of times a week, going through news texts, and engaging in conversations about current events and specific questions.

Outlines

00:00

🎂 Susie's Birthday Q&A on Finding Passion and Career Advice

Susie celebrates her birthday by answering questions from her Instagram followers. She advises university students to explore various interests and not to be swayed by others' expectations. She emphasizes the importance of self-motivation and the evolving nature of careers, suggesting that it's outdated to stick to one career path throughout life. Susie also discusses the combination of enjoying and being good at something as key to pursuing it as a career. She encourages adaptability and trusting one's instincts when trying new things.

05:01

📚 Susie's Love for Learning and Language Experiences

Susie expresses her fondness for studying and her experience at the University of Leeds, highlighting the benefits of self-directed learning. She considers redoing some A-levels to continue her educational journey. Susie also shares her views on the TOEIC exam, suggesting that while it's a good starting point, language learning should be an immersive experience. She demonstrates her ability to switch between UK and US accents and discusses her experiences with learning multiple languages, including Chinese, German, French, and Norwegian.

10:02

🌏 Susie's Travel Memories and Cultural Insights

Susie recounts her experiences living in Australia as a toddler, though she doesn't remember it due to her young age. She shares her positive experiences in Taiwan, where she felt welcomed and at home, and her trip to Malaysia during Ramadan, which exposed her to the warm hospitality of the Malaysian people. Susie also discusses her standard southern British accent and how it's taught in schools, as well as her recommendations for books that have influenced her.

15:03

🏡 Susie's Life Philosophy and Future Plans

Susie talks about what brings her contentment in life, including being around people she likes, doing meaningful work, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She shares her travel experiences in Hong Kong and her thoughts on British holidays like Thanksgiving. Susie also expresses her desire to write a book and learn Cantonese. She reflects on her happiness and shares her first love experience from her school days. Lastly, she discusses her plans to explain British and American cultural jokes and her favorite holiday destinations in the UK.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Natural Talent

Natural talent refers to an innate ability or skill that a person possesses without formal training or learning. In the context of the video, Susie emphasizes the importance of exploring various activities to discover one's natural talents, rather than pursuing something solely because of external pressures. She suggests that trying different things and allowing them to grow can lead to the realization of one's inherent skills.

💡Career Path

A career path is the trajectory of professional development and job opportunities that a person may follow throughout their working life. Susie challenges the traditional notion of having a single career path, highlighting that it's becoming more common for individuals to change careers multiple times. She encourages the idea of an evolving career that adapts to personal growth and interests.

💡Motivation

Motivation is the internal drive that prompts individuals to take action or achieve goals. In the video, Susie stresses the importance of finding personal motivation for trying new things, rather than doing so because of parental expectations. She implies that self-motivation is key to discovering one's interests and talents.

💡Generalist

A generalist is someone who has a broad range of skills and knowledge across various areas, as opposed to specializing in one specific field. Susie mentions that being a generalist can be valuable, as it allows for adaptability and the ability to perform diverse tasks. She suggests that expertise in a single area is not the only path to success.

💡Adaptability

Adaptability is the ability to adjust and respond effectively to new conditions or changes. Susie identifies adaptability as a crucial skill for the future, implying that being able to change and grow with evolving circumstances is essential for personal and professional success.

💡Study Experience

Study experience encompasses the personal journey and educational process that an individual undergoes, including their feelings and learning methods. Susie shares her positive study experience, highlighting the flexibility and self-motivation involved in arranging one's own study time. She expresses a longing for the independence and learning opportunities provided by university.

💡TOEIC Exam

The TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) is a standardized test that measures the English language ability of non-native speakers in a professional context. Susie discusses the usefulness of English proficiency tests like TOEIC, while also cautioning that they should be seen as a starting point and not a complete measure of one's language skills.

💡Accent

An accent refers to a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, typically associated with a particular geographical region or social group. Susie talks about her ability to switch between UK and US accents, attributing her skill to exposure to American TV shows and her playful conversations with her sister and cat.

💡Multilingualism

Multilingualism is the ability to speak multiple languages fluently. Susie discusses her language skills, mentioning that she can 'kind of' speak Chinese, German, and French, and learned Norwegian at university. She positions herself as someone who understands multiple languages but does not claim to be a polyglot.

💡Cultural Influence

Cultural influence refers to the impact that one culture has on another, often through exposure or interaction. Susie describes Taiwan as life-changing due to the genuine and welcoming nature of its people, which had a profound effect on her personal experience and perspective.

💡Contentment

Contentment is a state of satisfaction and happiness with one's life or circumstances. Susie shares her views on achieving contentment, emphasizing the importance of surrounding oneself with liked ones, engaging in meaningful activities, exercising, eating well, and practicing meditation.

Highlights

Susie shares her birthday with an Instagram Q&A session, expressing her happiness in engaging with over 1,000 people.

Advice for university students on discovering their interests and talents through diverse experiences and self-motivation.

The debunking of the 'one true career path' myth, encouraging adaptability and change throughout one's professional life.

Insight on the importance of enjoying what you're good at, rather than just being good at it, for long-term commitment and expertise.

The value of being a generalist and the adaptability it brings in a changing world.

Susie's personal study experience, highlighting the benefits of self-motivation and the joy of learning.

Her fond memories of university life in Leeds and the sense of independence it provided.

Susie's consideration of redoing A-levels in biology and chemistry to continue her passion for learning.

Her residence in Brighton and its rainy, seaside climate, contrasting with the experience in Leeds.

Thoughts on the TOEIC exam as a useful tool for English language learning, with a caveat about real-life application.

Susie's ability to switch between UK and US accents, influenced by American TV shows.

Her multilingual abilities, including Chinese, German, French, and Norwegian, and the importance of practice.

The life-changing impact of Taiwan on Susie, emphasizing the genuine and welcoming nature of its people.

Susie's visit to Hong Kong and the British-like atmosphere she experienced there.

Her non-traditional Thanksgiving experience with an American friend, highlighting cultural exchange.

Plans for a potential fan party in Taiwan, emphasizing a relaxed and intimate gathering.

Tips for practicing an English accent, including self-practice and finding conversation partners.

Susie's method for maintaining her Mandarin skills in the UK through regular lessons and engagement.

Reflections on contentment in life, attributing it to the company of liked ones, meaningful activities, and self-care.

Susie's experience in Malaysia during Ramadan, emphasizing cultural immersion and hospitality.

Her standard southern British accent and its accessibility for English learners.

Recommendations for three favorite books that have impacted Susie's life and worldview.

Susie's aspirations to write a book, possibly in Chinese, and her openness to ideas from her audience.

Her interest in learning Cantonese and the steps she has taken to begin the language learning journey.

Susie's current state of happiness and contentment, looking forward to future endeavors.

Cultural expressions in British English, such as 'get in the bin', as examples of colloquial cursing.

Her experiences and recommendations for holiday destinations within the UK, including Brighton and Cornwall.

Transcripts

play00:00

Hi everyone

play00:00

I'm Susie.

play00:02

Today is my birthday,

play00:03

Over 1,000 people asked me a question on Instagram,

play00:06

so I'm really happy to be able to answer your questions today.

play00:14

Do you have any advice

play00:15

for university students who are confused about their future

play00:18

How do you find out what your interests and talents are?

play00:23

Alright, how to find your natural talent.

play00:26

I think, first of all, you have to try as many things as you can

play00:28

and give them a chance to grow,

play00:30

and not do it because someone else wants you to do it.

play00:33

If your parent wants you to do something,

play00:36

that's pretty much, most people know,

play00:38

is the worst reason to do it,

play00:39

because you have to find your own motivation, right?

play00:42

In terms of how to find out what is the thing for you,

play00:45

what are you good at,

play00:46

I think pretty much it's a false idea

play00:49

that there's your dream career,

play00:51

the one job that's going to be perfect for you.

play00:55

Ideally, I guess,

play00:56

we kind of want our careers to just ebb and flow

play00:59

and change as we change,

play01:01

like if you can just be trying out different things throughout your life,

play01:04

find a way to make that possible,

play01:06

I think that would be ideal.

play01:07

So I think let go of the idea of

play01:09

“there must be one true path for me”.

play01:12

To be honest,

play01:13

I think it's kind of outdated that we just have one career

play01:15

throughout our whole lives.

play01:16

People our age tend to swap and change careers

play01:19

like four or five times throughout their life.

play01:21

But in terms of finding what you're actually good at,

play01:23

you probably already have a hunch.

play01:25

I'm guessing you're not completely unsure.

play01:28

There's probably one or two things

play01:30

that you happened to be a little bit better at a school.

play01:32

Or that you tried a few times and thought

play01:33

‘I actually quite enjoy this

play01:35

and I'm relatively good at it'.

play01:36

I mean, there needs to be the combination of the two, right?

play01:38

That you're not just good at it,

play01:40

but you enjoy it a bit as well.

play01:41

Because you could be amazing at something,

play01:42

but if you don't enjoy it,

play01:43

you're never going to take it as far as

play01:45

it needs to go in order to be an expert.

play01:48

To be honest even that I think is a silly idea,

play01:51

that we all need to be experts in something.

play01:53

You can totally be a generalist

play01:54

and you're still useful,

play01:55

being able to do lots of different things.

play01:57

Yeah like being adaptable to change,

play01:59

that's going to be one of the most useful skills to have in the future.

play02:01

Trust your gut, as they say.

play02:03

It sounds a bit cliche,

play02:04

but trust that feeling that you have of

play02:07

‘I want to try that just because I'm interested

play02:09

and it seems like it's going to be fun.'

play02:10

Usually, those impulses do lead to something, I find.

play02:13

How was your study experience?

play02:16

My study experience.

play02:19

Yeah, pretty good.

play02:20

I really miss studying.

play02:21

I love it.

play02:23

I think it's pretty flexible.

play02:24

You're self-motivated, self-directed.

play02:27

You arrange your own study time, right?

play02:29

I just find that very freeing.

play02:31

I really enjoy

play02:32

studying and I miss university so much.

play02:34

I went back to Leeds,

play02:35

where I went to university, a couple of weeks ago,

play02:38

and just walking around the buildings,

play02:39

you know, the library

play02:41

and just the sense of independence

play02:43

but also not too much responsibility.

play02:46

Yeah and I do really enjoy just learning, just that process of

play02:49

Ohh mind expansion.

play02:51

It's just so nice.

play02:52

So I need to get back and do more of that.

play02:54

I've actually been thinking that I'm going to redo some A-levels,

play02:57

biology and chemistry,

play02:59

that's possibly something I'm going to do.

play03:01

So yeah, that's how much I love studying.

play03:04

Where does Susie live in the UK?

play03:05

I live in Brighton.

play03:07

What do you think about taking the TOEIC exam?

play03:10

Any advice?

play03:12

Okay

play03:12

taking the TOEIC exam.

play03:14

I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking English tests.

play03:16

They can be really useful

play03:17

because they've pre-selected the words and terms and phrases

play03:20

that are going to be most likely useful for you.

play03:23

But just bear in mind

play03:24

that these tests have been created by someone

play03:26

to try and make sense of the messy chaotic world that is

play03:30

real life and English in its true form.

play03:32

So you can take it as a basis,

play03:34

a starting point,

play03:35

but don't think it's going to make you really good at speaking,

play03:38

that you're not going to have any communication issues when you get here.

play03:41

Language is like a living, breathing thing,

play03:43

so you've got to be in there,

play03:45

using it in your life

play03:46

to really start to feel like you've got a confidence and a grasp of it.

play03:50

Can you switch between the UK accent and the US accent freely?

play03:54

Yes, I totally can.

play03:56

And you know how I know that?

play03:58

It's because,

play04:00

let me introduce you to someone.

play04:01

If you don't know him already,

play04:03

this is my cat.

play04:04

He's kind of angry, like all the time,

play04:06

but I always speak to him in an American accent.

play04:09

You're not looking very pretty, honey.

play04:10

Can you look a bit more pretty for the camera?

play04:12

He was actually my tenth birthday present.

play04:15

And so, there you go, you can go back to sleep now.

play04:19

Yeah, I got him for my tenth birthday and for some reason,

play04:21

I always just talked to him in an American accent.

play04:23

We watch so much US TV here.

play04:25

When I was young, my diet was like Friends and The Simpsons.

play04:29

So yeah, the American accent is relatively easy.

play04:32

I find it way easier to do like the valley girl accent,

play04:35

probably because I watched a lot of 90210 growing up.

play04:40

I mean I'm not saying that it's perfect,

play04:41

but it's pretty like a fun and easy one to do for me, so yeah.

play04:48

Also, me and my sister,

play04:49

we always talk in American accents to each other.

play04:52

I think we just find it really entertaining and funny

play04:55

because you know we've seen so much on TV.

play04:58

It's like a type of person that you see on TV,

play05:00

but we've never actually met in our real lives.

play05:02

I haven't lived in the US for very long.

play05:05

So

play05:06

yeah, it's almost like an unusual, funny thing for us

play05:10

because we've seen it on TV,

play05:11

but we don't actually know anyone that speaks like that.

play05:14

How many languages do you speak?

play05:16

"Yes" is a difficult word in this context.

play05:20

I would say I can kind of speak Chinese.

play05:22

I can kind of speak German.

play05:25

I can understand German relatively well.

play05:27

I learned it up until age 18.

play05:30

Same with French.

play05:31

French not so much, my speaking is pretty bad.

play05:35

And I also learned Norwegian at university.

play05:37

I did a module in that.

play05:38

So not loads.

play05:39

I'm not like one of those polyglots.

play05:41

How Taiwan influenced your life?

play05:45

Taiwan was actually quite life-changing for me,

play05:48

mainly because of the people.

play05:50

And I'm not just saying this to be like ‘Oh, I love you guys.',

play05:54

but I do love you guys.

play05:57

Yeah, I just found that people were so genuine and welcoming,

play06:01

and they're just, you know,

play06:04

just the chances are if you meet someone from Taiwan,

play06:08

they're probably going to be really nice.

play06:09

That's just in my experience.

play06:11

I'm sure there are horrible people that live in Taiwan,

play06:13

but I haven't met any.

play06:15

So yeah, I don't know how everyone got to be so nice

play06:18

but I just really appreciated it.

play06:20

They made me feel at home.

play06:22

Have you ever been to Hong Kong?

play06:24

Yes! I went to Hong Kong for a week,

play06:26

and it was really, really cool.

play06:28

Because I crossed the border after having lived in Shanghai for ten months,

play06:32

and I was like,

play06:34

it's like England!

play06:35

You've got the red buses.

play06:37

People dress and talk slightly differently.

play06:40

The fashion seemed a bit more British.

play06:42

And just little things that I noticed,

play06:45

they reminded me of home.

play06:46

So I thought that was really nice.

play06:47

Is Brighton very cold and wet in winter?

play06:53

I will probably go to Brighton next year for a year.

play06:56

Oh, cool!

play06:57

Yeah, welcome to Brighton if you're coming!

play06:59

Yeah,

play07:01

it tends to be pretty rainy in Brighton

play07:02

because we're by the sea,

play07:03

so there's actually more rain here

play07:05

than there is in Leeds, for example,

play07:06

which is up north but it's between kind of some hills,

play07:09

which sort of protects it from the rain a bit more.

play07:11

The winters can be pretty miserable.

play07:12

I kind of like the rain myself.

play07:14

I don't like when it's really cold,

play07:16

but I do like when it's just raining

play07:18

and you can stay inside and be cosy.

play07:19

So yes,

play07:20

it does get cold and rainy here.

play07:22

Do British people celebrate thanksgiving?

play07:24

No.

play07:25

Pretty much we don't,

play07:27

because that's just an American holiday.

play07:28

Unless you happen to know someone who's American

play07:30

and then you might go to their house, maybe they invite you round.

play07:33

So I have celebrated it once before

play07:35

because I had an American friend.

play07:36

And so she made all the yams with marshmallows on top

play07:41

and some other dishes that were really nice.

play07:43

I think she made s'mores as well.

play07:45

S'mores, you know, it's like biscuits

play07:47

and then chocolate and marshmallow in the middle.

play07:48

Really good!

play07:49

Do you consider back to Taiwan to hold a fan party?

play07:53

Yeah, the idea has floated around a bit.

play07:55

People saying that I should do that.

play07:57

I don't know.

play07:57

I'd like to

play07:58

but it would have to be more relaxed,

play08:00

not me giving a formal lecture.

play08:02

I think that would be maybe a little bit intimidating.

play08:05

We can start small.

play08:07

For the subscribers of English with Susie,

play08:09

we're gonna do a little coffee event in London,

play08:11

just a little meeting,

play08:12

getting to know each other kind of thing,

play08:14

so not like loads of people.

play08:16

How to practise my English accent?

play08:19

Practise on your own.

play08:20

That's how I learn Chinese.

play08:21

So you can probably hear the way I'm speaking,

play08:23

when I read out loud,

play08:24

I kind of exaggerate the tones a bit,

play08:27

like

play08:29

How do you practice your English accent?

play08:32

Because I'm trying to remind myself of

play08:33

how does this word sound when I say it out loud?

play08:36

And I'm trying to associate that character with this sound,

play08:39

which is quite difficult to do,

play08:42

a lot of memory is needed.

play08:44

So yes, it's the same with English,

play08:45

when you see a word,

play08:46

just try and say it out loud to yourself.

play08:48

So it's like, okay, word, sound.

play08:50

This is how I say this word.

play08:52

And connect it all together.

play08:54

Yeah, if you can do that by yourself,

play08:55

that's going to be really useful.

play08:56

And besides that, you've got to find someone to talk to, right?

play08:59

That could be a teacher,

play09:00

or that could be a friend,

play09:02

anyone that you can find who's willing to just chat,

play09:05

who you feel comfortable with.

play09:06

If you're in a relaxed kind of place,

play09:07

then the accent will just slowly seep in

play09:10

and you'll go to sleep,

play09:12

process that, learn it

play09:13

and then over time,

play09:14

you'll start speaking with that accent.

play09:15

How do you manage to keep up your Mandarin in the UK?

play09:20

Good question.

play09:21

It's difficult.

play09:22

At the start, I thought, it's fine, you know,

play09:24

I don't need to be in wherever to speak Chinese.

play09:28

I can just do it by myself.

play09:29

And then I found actually, I need to be speaking it a lot more

play09:32

because sometimes

play09:33

my mouth changes to this really English way,

play09:36

sounds really British and I'm like,

play09:38

no!

play09:41

So I have lessons.

play09:42

I do have Chinese lessons a couple times a week

play09:44

and I really enjoy it

play09:45

just because I like speaking Chinese.

play09:47

And we go through sort of news texts.

play09:49

We talk about what's been going on.

play09:50

Sometimes a bit of chit-chat.

play09:51

Sometimes I'll have more specific questions

play09:54

and we do like translation type stuff.

play09:56

Only recently, I've started having lessons

play09:57

because I got to that point of

play09:59

I'm actually struggling to keep this going

play10:01

in a way that I feel like I'm not losing it.

play10:03

Have you been to Australia?

play10:05

Yes

play10:06

but unfortunately I don't remember it

play10:08

because I was like aged one,

play10:10

and we came back just before I started school.

play10:12

So I started from primary school in Brighton.

play10:15

But before that, I was living in Australia

play10:16

because my parents moved there,

play10:18

which the more I think about it, the more I think it's really mean.

play10:21

They took me on a really long plane journey

play10:23

when I was less than one year old!

play10:26

That's quite,

play10:27

I think that's going to be too stressful for a baby,

play10:29

but whatever.

play10:31

How to feel content with life?

play10:34

How to feel content?

play10:37

For me,

play10:38

what has made by far the biggest difference to how I feel,

play10:43

is being around people that I like.

play10:46

You know, if you've got close friends

play10:48

that you feel comfortable around,

play10:50

that you can be yourself with,

play10:51

it just makes such a difference to everything about how you feel.

play10:55

Second of all,

play10:57

what you're doing needs to be of value to you.

play11:00

Whether it's studying, it's work,

play11:03

if you feel like there's a sense of,

play11:04

okay, I'm doing what I wanted to do.

play11:06

This is part of my plan

play11:09

and it's leading somewhere that's good.

play11:11

All of those things, like your life in context,

play11:13

I think is really important to feel at peace.

play11:16

And if you're still struggling besides those things,

play11:19

like you've got everything else sorted, right?

play11:21

You've got friends and family.

play11:23

You've got a few people around you that you feel comfortable with,

play11:25

who you can just socialise with

play11:27

and feel natural.

play11:29

You've got work or study

play11:30

or something that you're engaged with

play11:32

that feels meaningful to you.

play11:33

And then the other things that make a person feel good,

play11:37

exercise, really really important.

play11:39

For me, if I don't exercise,

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I feel like crap.

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Eating well,

play11:43

of course, don't fill yourself full of junk food.

play11:46

That's going to feel rubbish.

play11:48

And then, meditation.

play11:51

Makes such a difference!

play11:52

Have you ever been to Malaysia?

play11:53

Yes!

play11:54

The reason I went to Malaysia is because

play11:56

I have a Malay friend who invited me

play11:59

and a couple of other friends who we made in Taiwan.

play12:01

All four of us met in Taiwan,

play12:03

and then this Malaysian friend invited us for Ramadan,

play12:06

for a whole month.

play12:07

So we did Ramadan in Malaysia

play12:09

and we travelled around

play12:11

because, in Muslim culture,

play12:12

there's something in the script that says

play12:13

you have to allow other Muslims into your home as guests.

play12:17

You can't turn away a traveller,

play12:20

something like that.

play12:21

So we just got hosted for this whole month,

play12:23

travelling around Malaysia,

play12:25

around all of his friends and family and relatives,

play12:27

and we ate so much delicious food.

play12:30

People were so friendly

play12:32

and really relaxed.

play12:33

I've never met such relaxed people in my life.

play12:35

I would totally go back.

play12:37

I really want to go to Borneo

play12:38

and see some of the wildlife there.

play12:39

That would be amazing.

play12:40

What kind of English accent do you have?

play12:43

Good question.

play12:44

I have what you could call a standard southern British accent.

play12:48

I don't have an upper-class accent,

play12:51

and I don't have a working-class accent.

play12:54

Somewhere in the middle.

play12:55

I guess you could say middle-class.

play12:57

In terms of the accent that you're usually taught at school,

play13:00

it's relatively similar.

play13:02

RP, right?

play13:03

Received Pronunciation,

play13:04

which is actually an accent that doesn't really exist.

play13:07

It's like the official English but no one really speaks like that.

play13:10

As far as English learning goes, my accent is pretty standard.

play13:14

Yeah, so you're going to have no kind of issues,

play13:17

you're not going to find someone who

play13:18

finds you difficult to understand or whatever.

play13:19

How do you express in English that a person is 小氣?

play13:23

Stingy! Stingy bugger!

play13:25

Can you recommend three of your favourite books?

play13:29

Okay. I really liked Northern Lights.

play13:32

That was one of my favourite books growing up.

play13:35

The Northern Lights, it's called His Dark Materials trilogy.

play13:38

They're probably my favourite books ever.

play13:43

The vibe is kind of similar to Harry Potter,

play13:45

where it's a little bit magical,

play13:47

but yeah, written really really well

play13:50

and just really engaging.

play13:51

So I'd recommend you read those.

play13:53

I've just looked up and found my other favourite books.

play13:56

I read them this year, so they're more fresh in my mind.

play13:58

The first one is Four Thousand Weeks.

play14:01

It's kind of like musings about life and what is the meaning of it all,

play14:04

like your guys' questions.

play14:06

He talks about life's problems in such a way that makes you think,

play14:10

yeah, it's so true.

play14:11

Why do we do that?

play14:13

Why are we always busy rushing?

play14:15

You know, what is the point?

play14:17

So it's quite interesting and really well-written as well.

play14:21

And then another one which I just finished reading

play14:23

is called The Almanack of Naval Ravikant.

play14:26

Yeah, this book is so powerful.

play14:27

Written really simply,

play14:29

straight to the point of just like how to do this,

play14:32

you know, how to get rich,

play14:33

how to be happy,

play14:35

all the key ideas but from a place

play14:37

where you can tell this guy is really wise,

play14:39

so it's quite an easy read,

play14:40

so I recommend that one as well,

play14:42

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant.

play14:44

Your favourite male actor?

play14:48

Yeah, previously my favourite actor was probably Colin Firth.

play14:53

I did like him.

play14:54

Ryan, what was his name?

play14:56

Ryan Gosling, in The Notebook.

play14:57

That was quite good.

play15:00

I'm not a massive fan of Hugh Grant, to be honest.

play15:02

I find him kind of annoying.

play15:04

I like Will Smith, as well.

play15:06

I do, you know, I really liked him,

play15:07

maybe before he punched someone on stage,

play15:10

but I think he's a really good actor and quite funny.

play15:12

I thought Jim Carrey was really funny,

play15:14

and Ben Affleck,

play15:15

I'm also a fan of Ben Affleck.

play15:17

The UK has left the EU, right?

play15:19

Yes, the UK has left the EU.

play15:22

Can you teach me how to

play15:23

curse someone or something in a British style,

play15:27

such as ‘stupid bloody machine'?

play15:29

Okay. There's one that I quite enjoy recently,

play15:30

which is ‘get in the bin'.

play15:32

If you don't like someone or something,

play15:33

you can say ‘It can just get in the bin.'

play15:36

Are you considering writing a book?

play15:38

Yes! I do want to write a book.

play15:39

That's one of my life goals.

play15:41

And I kind of want to write it in Chinese,

play15:43

which would require a very good proofreader,

play15:46

but I think we can find one of those.

play15:48

So if you have specific ideas of

play15:50

what you'd like to hear me write about in a book,

play15:53

that would be great to get me thinking so I can start writing this book,

play15:56

and I kind of want to start it soon, like maybe this year.

play15:59

Are you interested in learning Cantonese?

play16:03

Or do you already know the language?

play16:05

I do really want to learn Cantonese.

play16:07

I did start for a little bit.

play16:09

I was using this app for a couple of weeks,

play16:11

maybe a month,

play16:12

and I was really enjoying it.

play16:13

I should go back to that.

play16:14

Yes, I do want to learn Cantonese.

play16:16

Are you happy?

play16:18

Yeah, I think I'm pretty happy these days.

play16:21

I'm quite at peace.

play16:23

I was thinking the other day

play16:24

this is quite a good period of my life,

play16:26

just you know, things are working out quite well.

play16:28

I feel relaxed and happy

play16:30

and looking forward to the future in the next couple of years.

play16:33

So yes,

play16:34

I think I am happy.

play16:35

What kind of person was Susie's first love?

play16:39

Yeah, I'm someone who tends to have one fixed focus.

play16:43

So in primary school,

play16:44

there was this one boy that I really fancied.

play16:47

In the UK, we say ‘fancy',

play16:49

which means ‘like' in a cute way.

play16:51

Yeah, and I used to draw, you know,

play16:54

hearts, draw pictures of us together in my diary,

play16:57

from being born together,

play16:59

and then going through our lives,

play17:01

and then getting married and having children,

play17:03

and then our graves next to each other.

play17:05

My friend found that in my diary and it was kind of weird.

play17:09

Yeah, and then in secondary school,

play17:10

it was the same process again,

play17:12

just chose one person and I was just like ‘I love you',

play17:14

but I would never say anything.

play17:15

If we were near each other, I'd be like.

play17:19

And if they ask if the guy said something to me, I'd be like,

play17:23

just really scared.

play17:25

Have you been learning Chinese since you were a kid?

play17:28

How many years have you been learning Chinese?

play17:30

I started learning Chinese when I was 18.

play17:32

I never knew anything about it before that,

play17:34

and that's because I chose it for my university degree at the University of Leeds.

play17:38

I hope Susie will combine British and American culture

play17:41

when teaching us English.

play17:43

A good way is to explain the jokes

play17:46

of British and American talk shows and comedies.

play17:51

I often don't understand these culturally related jokes.

play17:56

Yeah, I'd really like to explain more of these kinds of jokes to you.

play17:59

We had an interesting question in the community the other day

play18:02

where someone said

play18:03

‘What is the meaning of this?',

play18:05

like it was related to a type of crisps

play18:07

and it was a pun,

play18:08

and they didn't understand the joke, and I thought

play18:09

‘Oh, this is so interesting to explain.'

play18:11

You have to be familiar with the British slang

play18:13

and familiar with this brand of crisps.

play18:15

Otherwise, you won't know what's going on.

play18:16

So yeah, I'll definitely try and make more videos like that

play18:18

to share with you what people mean

play18:20

when they make these kinds of everyday-life-type jokes,

play18:23

things where you actually really need to

play18:24

understand the culture to get it.

play18:25

In one of your videos,

play18:26

you talked about the best places to live in.

play18:28

What are some of the places in the UK

play18:30

that you or people you know like to go on holiday?

play18:32

Brighton would be one of those places because it's by the sea.

play18:35

Other popular holiday destinations in the UK

play18:38

would be Cornwall, Scotland, definitely.

play18:41

Maybe Wales if you like hiking,

play18:43

Cambridge

play18:44

because it's a very traditional, beautiful place.

play18:46

London, obviously.

play18:47

The Lake District is really popular.

play18:49

Maybe Bath.

play18:50

Bath is a really lovely city.

play18:51

And Devon.

play18:52

Sometimes people go for countryside

play18:54

kind of farmhouse stays

play18:56

in somewhere like Devon or Dorset.

play18:58

Alright! There are so many more questions

play18:59

and I really want to answer more of them,

play19:01

but I just, you know, my energy has now gone.

play19:05

So I'm gonna have to go

play19:06

and I'll probably have another coffee,

play19:07

but I would love to do this again if you enjoyed this video.

play19:10

If you would like me to do it again,

play19:12

please give me a thumbs up.

play19:13

Otherwise, I'll think,

play19:14

nah, you didn't like it.

play19:16

Let's not do that again.

play19:17

Thank you so much for all of your questions!

play19:19

Thanks for watching. I'm Susie

play19:20

and I'll see you next time!

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