Shadowing Practice: Is travel overrated? | Intermediate @Lazy-Chinese - Learn English Speaking with Video

I used to know someone.

I didn't like him.

Well, he. One day, he said on WeChat, Huh.

Now, if you want to see how good a person is, don't look at what his job is.

Don't look at what school he went to.

but how many countries he has been to.

Hi, everyone.

I'm very happy today.

Why? Because we can chat with Su Qing.

You should have heard of Su Qing from Lazy Chinese.

You have watched many videos of Lazy Chinese, right? Okay.

Now please let Su Qing say hello to us.

Hello everyone, I'm Su Qing.

I'm from Lazy Chinese.

If you don't know, hum, I want.

Ha ha ha. Now go and watch Lazy Chinese.

Okay. Okay.

So what are we going to talk about today?

Let's talk about travel.

and here and here.

about traveling.

Why do we want to talk about travel?

Because before, I had a video I said wow in the video.

I saw him traveling here.

traveling here.

They traveled a lot.

So I thought wow, he travels a lot.

I didn't travel a lot.

So I think um.

I really envy his life.

and I also want to travel.

But Su Qing said, um.

Really? If you travel a lot, it means um you know more, and think better.

Really? So, um.

we think this is very interesting.

so today we're talking about traveling.

Okay, so now I want to ask Su Qing.

why do you think that traveling a lot may be good, but maybe not so good sometimes.

Yes, you have this feeling.

Yes. Because I know many people who travel a lot.

I think some people may know more things, while others may not.

Yes, I think traveling is a good way to know about the outside world.

But there are many other ways.

There are many other ways to read books or watch movies.

and many more.

Well, then I also think that when I travel, if I don't know the culture of this country, if I go to this country, I still don't know much about it.

Yes, yes. So I think when I travel, sometimes I feel like why I'm here.

Ha ha. Yes.

I want to go home and read books.

Yes. Last year, I went to Europe for a long time.

for seven weeks.

The first week, the second week, the third week, I was happy.

But slowly, I felt that I really wanted to read at home.

Yes, and then I also felt that because in some countries, I don't know their culture.

So I think if I go, I still don't know their culture.

I still need to read books.

Maybe learn their language.

Yes. Travel is a um.

If you have money, everyone can travel.

But I think not everyone can be quiet quietly read books and spend a lot of time learning languages.

Uh-huh. I think I feel the same way as you now.

Because now, this year and last year, Sometimes I think I have time now.

because our work can be done here.

or here. and here, but Sometimes, I think many times.

Do I want to travel?

And where do I go?

I don't seem to want to go to this place very much.

because I don't know the culture of this place, their people, and their history.

But recently, I'm very interested in history.

So I read a lot of history books.

So I really want to The history of this city was like this.

The history of this city was like this.

So because I read books first, so I know that it has this.

knowledge and history.

So I think, well, I want to go here.

So this is my feeling now.

So last year and this year, I didn't travel a lot.

And I also felt that I should travel.

He said why I want to travel.

Yes, I want to travel.

Why should I travel?

Yeah. But now I have this feeling.

So I feel the same as you.

嗯 Sometimes you feel like you've traveled to that place, but you don't know why.

Or you travel.

after traveling, and then you feel like I don't seem to have learned much.

Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

So when I graduated from college, four years of college, and then graduated.

I thought I had money I can go here.

and go there. And at this time, because at that time I thought that I traveled.

I was very good.

But now I think I went there, but I didn't know much about the country.

I don't know now.

So I think When I traveled, what was I doing?

I was taking photos.

Taking photos.

So maybe now our feelings about traveling is different from the feeling before.

Uh-huh. Yes.

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Many people think traveling is cool.

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but I think there are many other things that are cool.

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Yeah. Yeah.

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I used to know someone.

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I didn't like him.

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He One day, he said on WeChat.

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Chinese people use WeChat.

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He said on WeChat, hum.

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Now, if you want to see how good a person is, don't look at what his job is.

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Don't look at what school he went to.

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but how many countries he has been to.

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He has been to many countries, right?

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Yes, he has been to.

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Yes, he has been to many countries.

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Because his parents are rich.

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I think I don't think he is very good.

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OK, you can do this thing because you have money.

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Um. You're right, ha ha ha.

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You, you, um.

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Your parents are very powerful, okay.

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But you are not good.

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Yeah. Yes. Because I seem to know someone who He is similar to the person you mentioned.

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Because they think that going to many countries means I'm great, and then I want you to think the same way.

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So I said, wow, going to many countries I'm very good, so he thinks I'm very good.

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So he told me, um.

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I think it's boring to go here in China.

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It's boring. If I have time, I go there to ski.

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or go to this country.

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I think Wow, really.

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At first, I thought it was cool and good, but then I think You have been to many countries.

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Maybe you think about it more, or you may think differently from us.

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Sometimes I think, um, it's just one issue.

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But he thinks one, two, three, four, maybe you think differently.

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But after we chatted, I think um I think this is what I think about mine.

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mine is very small.

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I think he should think about this, But he thinks smaller, I think, ha ha.

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This is different.

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You travel a lot, and it's different from this.

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You travel a lot.

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but your ideas are not very powerful.

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Ha ha, right?

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Yes, yes, um, um, um, um.

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So sometimes, maybe most of the time you travel a lot, you really you can think better and more.

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But it's not always like that.

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Not necessarily.

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Yes. Yes. But when I didn't go to many countries before, I haven't been to many countries now.

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Yes. I really wanted to go to many countries before.

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Yes. Yeah. But I didn't have money, time or money before.

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Chinese people without money it's very difficult to go to many countries, right?

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It's even harder.

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So I remember asking my students, what countries have you been to?

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He said, I've been to this country.

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this country and this country.

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Then he asked me, And you, Suqing?

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what countries have you been to?

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I said, Oh, I haven't been to any other countries.

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Then I felt It's embarrassing, right?

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I haven't been to any other countries.

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Yeah, yeah.

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So now I think if someone says I haven't been to any other country.

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but if he has read many books, and knows a lot of things, and he has learned many languages, I still think he is cool.

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Uh-huh. Hm, traveling at home.

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travel in books.

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Yes, this is also traveling.

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Yes, yes, yes.

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Okay. I have another question.

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Because our time is not time.

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our time. we can think about how to use this time.

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and we can also work in different places.

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So maybe many people say, Wow, your job is great.

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because you can work in this place.

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Have you ever thought about I work while traveling in this place.

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It's called旅居.

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Right, it's called旅居, right?

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traveling and working in this place.

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Have you tried this kind of life?

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or have you ever thought about such a life?

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Yes. I actually sometimes when I go to other countries, Yes.

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sometimes I go to Japan, or the UK.

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I have worked while traveling.

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but um I don't do a lot of work.

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Maybe I will have classes every day.

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I think two hours.

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very little work.

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Yes. Because I think if I travel, and then I have to work, then I think I've spent a lot of money here.

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Ha ha. I should go outside to see things in this country.

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I can work in Australia.

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I can do it in Australia.

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So, yes. Uh-huh.

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Okay. You just said you went to European countries and also to the UK.

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and the UK.

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Now I understand.

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It's different.

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Because it's very cheap in China.

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Right? Because when I travel in China, I may go to this city live.

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I think it's similar to the cost in Guangzhou.

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But if you travel, it's very expensive.

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So, if you go there, if you don't travel, and you have a job, it may be a little bit for a long time, it may be difficult.

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Yes, I think.

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if I had a lot of money, I can.

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but I don't have much money now.

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So, I go to a country.

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to lazy Chinese.

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Ha ha. Video.

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Yes, yes, yes, you watch the video.

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maybe I have a little more money.

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I think so.

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because I don't have much money.

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So I go to a new country.

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I still want to I spent a lot of money.

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the air ticket is expensive, and hotels are expensive.

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I want to see more things in this country.

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Yes, so. Uh, now.

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I haven't really been in one country for a long time.

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and travel while working.

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not yet. Hmm.

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But you also want to, right?

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The life I want.

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I think. I really want to.

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I really want to.

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Where to go?

221

Let me think.

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I think. Maybe I will go to Japan or Taiwan.

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because I think these two places are more comfortable.

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So I'm thinking, can I work in Japan or Taiwan and travel.

225

Then, My boyfriend also likes Japan and Taiwan.

226

So it's possible that we do this.

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So you can stay in this place longer.

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and learn more about the culture of this place.

229

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

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Yes. Because myself, I've tried this kind of living abroad twice before, in China.

231

Because it seems that many people like me, When you are working, people ask you, if you really have time in the future and you have money, what would you do?

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if you don't need to work.

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So at that time, I thought, wow, I want to travel and work.

234

I want to travel and work at the same time.

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Well, then, Finally, I can do it.

236

Then I went to Yunnan, because it's very famous.

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Dali, Yunnan, which is a famous place.

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right? Then I went there.

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I rented a house for a month.

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and everything was ready.

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Then I sat here I thought, what will I do tomorrow?

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Why did I come here?

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What should I do in this month?

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There was no feeling of I can do this.

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I can do anything.

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I don't have that feeling.

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Then suddenly I feel like I don't know what I should do.

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It seems that If you haven't done this thing, or you haven't traveled, you think wow, it's beautiful there.

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and then you go there, you feel like I need to have a purpose.

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Goal, goal.

251

Uh-huh. or me.

252

Why do I want to come here?

253

to learn something.

254

or I really want to travel.

255

I'm curious about this place.

256

I think this might be better.

257

for your trip.

258

So When I traveled to another place for the second time, I thought I had a goal in this place.

259

Maybe when I do this, and then I can do something else.

260

Uh-huh. But now I don't seem to have a special desire.

261

Now I really want to read books.

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Reading at home.

263

Yes, I think after traveling for a long time, um.

264

I really want to live an ordinary life.

265

Ha ha ha. Yes, yes, um.

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Because I think ordinary life is also good.

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I love my job and hobbies.

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So, um, Yes.

269

I know now that I can't go for too long.

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maybe four weeks is okay.

271

but if it's longer, Hmm, ah.

272

more than four weeks, I will feel a little too long and a little tired.

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I think two weeks.

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I think I'll want to go home after two weeks.

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So, you said you traveled a lot last year, Have you traveled a lot this year?

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Or do you not want to travel this year?

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I want to travel.

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I want to travel.

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Yes, yes, yes, but not for a long time.

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I'm going back to China for four weeks this year.

281

Yes, and then.

282

Are you going back to China?

283

During the New Year?

284

No, no, no, not during the New Year.

285

After the New Year.

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Yes, I will go back to China for four weeks.

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and then maybe go to another place, but I don't know where to go yet.

288

Hum. So, um, why do you want to I want to stay at home during this time.

289

and then I want to travel.

290

Why do you want to travel?

291

or do you think there are new things?

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or do you think Um.

293

Why? I think um I will travel for a long time.

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because I really like traveling.

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Yes. So maybe every every three or four months, I feel like I don't want to be in Australia anymore.

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I want to go to a new country.

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I want to go to China to eat delicious food.

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Yes, I want to go to Spain.

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So I really like traveling.

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But after traveling for too long, I feel like I haven't learned anything new.

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or become a better person.

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So no. I think for me now, it's just me.

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I don't want to think.

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I go to this place, and then I might have many new ideas.

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and then I might become a new person.

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No, it's not like that.

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Yeah. Maybe you can't see it after traveling a lot, but it's in your brain.

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Possibly, it's not that I go to this place and then I suddenly feel that I'm a new person now.

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But maybe I go to many places, And then, ah.

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I gradually become a new person.

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But I will I don't think there is a place that can make me a new person.

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Hmm. Well, before you travel, did you think I want to know about this place first, and then I know.

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and then I go.

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or just go without thinking?

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and then I go.

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and go to this place.

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You talk to the people there.

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and then you see, and then you learn about them.

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I now find that if I know something about this country, such as the UK, um, Spain and France, maybe I know a little bit.

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and Japan. because I study their language.

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then I might know a little bit.

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When I travel, I will find it very interesting.

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because I can understand many things.

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and I can speak their language.

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Yes. But for some countries, I really don't know their language.

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I don't know the stories of this country.

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Yeah. So when I go, I still don't know.

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So for some countries, if I I like it, I like their culture very much, I might learn their language.

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or watch their movies.

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But not all countries will I learn.

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So for some countries, yes, I will learn something from them.

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if I like it.

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but I won't learn about many countries.

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Yeah. I think to understand a country, if you know their language, how do you want to know a little bit of their language?

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or you really study it seriously.

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really study it seriously.

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Not just a little bit.

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No, no, I mean.

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Hello, thank you.

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Not this. I might spend five or ten years or ten years to learn it.

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So it's not just a little bit.

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If it's just a little bit, I can learn a little bit from all countries.

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But I think learning a language is a serious and difficult thing.

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So, um, it must be.

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I really like this country.

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and I really like their culture.

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Then I said okay.

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I will spend five years or ten years to learn it.

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Yeah. So being serious is a long preparation.

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and then seriously learn about this country.

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Yes, yes, yes.

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Yes yes yes.

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Now I'm also learning Spanish.

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very slowly.

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And I think um, maybe like you, After learning this language, and learn about its culture.

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Yes, I might want to go to this country.

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it makes you feel like you have a connection with it.

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Yes, there is a link.

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Yes yes yes yes.

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Yes, so. the country I most want to go to now is Japan and Spain.

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And Spanish-speaking countries, Mexico, or Colombia.

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I really want to go.

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because I think I know a little bit about their culture.

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If I don't know, I would feel I don't know about this country.

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So I, um, I don't feel like I really want to go.

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Yeah. I remember some I, uh, students who learn Chinese.

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Because he studies Chinese, so he is interested in China.

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So when he came to China for a trip, and we chatted.

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I think um.

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he learned this language and he was really interested in China.

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He really wanted to know a lot about China.

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I think wow, such a trip is cool.

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So you can really enjoy more.

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and enjoy his language, enjoy his culture, and history.

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I think um This is what I want.

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my Spanish is good.

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Yes, it is.

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Of course. Come on.

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Okay, so This is today.

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Su Qing and I we shared our feelings about traveling and our thoughts on traveling.

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How about you? Do you think traveling is good?

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or you travel by yourself?

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What do you think?

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It's okay. So tell us in the comments.

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Okay, thank you, Su Qing.

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Su Qing, see you in the next video. Bye.

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Goodbye. There are more videos on bulletbullet Chinese dot com.

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There are also many series of videos.

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series, series, series.

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There are series from zero to one, There are also series about father and son.

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There are also game series.

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Play games, play games.

393

Play games, you see.

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I play games.

395

There are also HSK story series.

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There are many short stories about HSK.

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Little stories, little stories.

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There are also stories about peppers and radishes.

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If you want to see more videos, You can go to Bolabola Chinese dot com to watch. Thank you.

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Context & Background

In the video titled "Is travel overrated?", the speaker delves into the concept of travel and its perceived value in learning and personal growth. The discussion features Su Qing, who shares her insights on traveling extensively versus acquiring knowledge through other means like reading or watching films. The dynamic between the two speakers highlights different perspectives on how travel can enrich our understanding of the world, but also emphasizes that it's not the only pathway to learning. This context is particularly engaging for English learners as it addresses a relatable topic while also providing authentic language use.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

"I used to know someone." This phrase is great for starting stories or personal anecdotes.
"I think this is very interesting." A useful expression for sharing your opinions in discussions.
"Why do you think...?" This phrase invites others to share their thoughts, making conversations more interactive.
"I want to travel." A common desire that many can relate to, making it a good conversation starter.
"I want to go home and read books." This illustrates a preference for alternative ways of learning, enriching vocabulary around hobbies and choices.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively enhance your English speaking practice using this video, consider the following shadowing steps:

Listen and Understand: First, watch the video without subtitles. Focus on the speakers' pronunciation and intonation. This step helps with familiarizing yourself with natural speech patterns.
Segment the Content: Break down the transcript into manageable parts. Each section should be a few sentences long. For example, focus on one opinion shared about travel at a time.
Practice Shadowspeak: Start repeating after the speaker immediately after they finish a phrase. This technique, known as shadow speech, helps in mimicking their speech rhythm and pronunciation. Start slowly, then gradually increase your speed.
Record Yourself: Use your smartphone or computer to record your attempts. Compare your pronunciation with the original to identify areas for improvement.
Engage in Daily Practice: Incorporate these phrases into daily conversations and use them in different contexts. This could involve discussing travel with friends or describing your own experiences. Frequent practice helps solidify new vocabulary and phrases.

By incorporating these strategies into your routine, you can effectively use shadowing to prepare for tests like the IELTS, enhancing both your fluency and confidence in speaking. Remember, the more you practice, the more natural English will feel!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true	used to know
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	has been · have watched · you've traveled
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	people who travel · someone who He · Yunnan, which is
Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain	may be · may know · may think

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: Is travel overrated? | Intermediate @Lazy-Chinese - Learn English Speaking with Video

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