农历 nóng lì：The traditional Chinese calendar; the lunar calendar
元宵节 yuán xiāo jié：The Lantern Festival
正月 zhēng yuè：The first month of the lunar year
月圆 yuè yuán： full moon
五福 wǔ fú ：five blessings (longevity, wealth, health, love of virtue, and natural death)
鸿运 hóng yùn：good luck; great blessing
圆满 yuán mǎn：satisfactory; perfect
连连 lián lián：repeatedly;again and again; one after another
今天是2024年2月4日星期六，农历正月十五。
在中国农历正月是元月，古代称夜为“宵”，所以是一年中第一个月圆之夜。正月十五名为“元宵节”也叫“上元节”。正月十五，祝你五福临门，鸿运当头、事事圆满、好运连连！

“龙”年中国话（“ lóng ” nián zhōng guó huà）

The Lantern Festival 龙年元宵节

Episode 1 of The Travel Podcast deals with my TAIWAN trip! A unique location in East Asia, I hope you can learn a bit more about this place after listening to my podcast :)

The Travel Podcast

Taiwan! - Episode 2

Mona and I discuss my theory that students of ANY language should read Haruki Murakami's novels.

Starting at 17:26, I explain the following vocabulary from the episode:

to get a feel for (something)
on the one hand; on the other hand
down to earth

As always, a full transcript of the episode can be found at www.american-idiom.com

Brentoni's English Podcast

013 - Why Language Learners Should Read Haruki Murakami

Kolmannessa jaksossa puhun siitä, miten oppia suomen kieltä tehokkaasti. 

Tässä vinkkini:
1. Motivaatio - Miksi haluat opiskella suomea?
2. Opiskelutapa - Miten opiskella tehokkaasti?
3. Tavoitteet - Mitkä ovat kielelliset tavoitteesi ja miten pääset eteenpäin?
4. Aika - Miten kauan kestää oppia suomea?

Easy suomi Anna-Marian kanssa

Easy suomi: 3.jakso Miten oppia kieltä?

Eine Kurzgeschichte zum Anhören. =) Viel Spaß dabei. 

Kurze Hörgeschichten 

Die Kraft der Farben

Jenna and Max are at a cozy café when suddenly Max gets an email.

Max (staring at his phone, confused):
Hey, Jenna, this guy I’m working with just said, “Give me a shout.” What does that even mean?

Jenna (stirring her coffee):
It just means to contact him.

Max (frowning):
Wait… but “shout” means to yell. So, does he want me to yell his name?

Jenna (laughs):
No, no! He’s not asking you to actually shout. It just means to message him, call him—basically, let him know when you need something.

Max (nodding slowly):
Okay… so, if I say “I’ll give you a shout,” it means I’ll call you?

Jenna (approving):
Exactly! Or text, or email—whatever works.

Max (thinking hard):
Hmm… but what if I really do shout your name? Like—HEY, JENNA!

[SFX: Café customers turning to stare]

Jenna (covering her face, whispering):
Okay, maybe don’t do that in public…

Max (grinning):
Got it. So, if I’m stuck on my project later, I can just say, “Jenna, I’ll give you a shout?”

Jenna (thumbs up):
Now you’re getting it!

Max (pauses, tilting head):
Wait… I have to ask—how do you know all these phrases so well? It’s like English just clicks for you.

Jenna (shrugging, playfully):
Well, let’s just say I found the cheat code.

Max (leaning in, curious):
Cheat code? What, like a secret trick?

Jenna (grinning):
Kinda! I trained with English Teacher Smith on iTalki. It wasn’t just lessons—it was real conversation, real corrections, and now, boom! English feels natural.

Max (raising an eyebrow, impressed):
That actually sounds pretty smart.

Jenna (pulls out phone, taps screen):
Here, see? Just click the profile, book a speaking lesson, and you’ll be talking like a pro in no time.

Max (smirking, clicking on phone):
Alright… I’ll give Teacher Smith a shout then.
(books lesson)

LEARN BY LISTENING

Here's How To Give Me A Shout Without Shouting

Building a strong professional network is no longer optional. It's a powerful tool that can open doors to new opportunities, provide valuable insights, and accelerate your career growth. But simply collecting business cards isn't enough. Here are the top 10 best practices for effective professional networking:

1.Develop a compelling elevator pitch (highlight your value).
2.Actively listen and engage in conversations (build genuine connections).
3.Attend industry events and online communities (expand your network).
4.Leverage your network for informational interviews (explore career paths).
5.Provide value to your network (support, referrals, introductions).
6.Follow up with new connections (solidify relationships).
7.Maintain a strong online presence (professional profile and social media activity).
8.Nurture existing relationships (stay in touch and offer support).
9.Be strategic with your networking efforts (focus on relevant connections).
10.Uphold professional etiquette (be respectful, reliable, trustworthy).