Blend Inn

Why Do You Sound More Boring in English?

Let me ask you a question. And this might sound a little bit mean, but… are you more boring when you speak English?
Seriously. Think about the person you are when you speak Chinese. Maybe you’re funny. Maybe you’re sarcastic. Maybe you’re dramatic. Maybe you’re the person at the dinner table who always has a story to tell. Someone says something ridiculous, and immediately you have a reaction.
「真的假的？」「太扯了吧。」「你有事吗？」「我就知道。」「拜托，他最好是。」
You don’t need to think. You don’t need to prepare. The words just come out. You know exactly when to interrupt. You know how to make a joke. You know how to exaggerate a story just enough to make it funny.
And then someone starts speaking English to you.
“Really?”
“Oh.”
“That’s good.”
“I think so.”
“Maybe.”
“Very interesting.”
What happened? Where did that funny, interesting person go?
Same person. Same brain. Same personality. But somehow, completely different energy.
And I know this feeling very, very well. When I first moved to the U.S., I remember feeling like I was a less interesting version of myself. In Chinese, I could joke around. I could tease people. I could tell stories. I could be sarcastic.
But in English, sometimes I would have a joke in my head. I knew exactly what I wanted to say. Then I had to figure out how to say it in English. And by the time I finally found the words, the conversation had already moved on.
Everyone was laughing about something else, and I was still mentally translating my brilliant joke from thirty seconds ago.
Too late. The moment was gone.
So today, I want to talk about something that I don’t think we talk about enough in language learning. Why do so many smart, funny, interesting people become kind of boring when they speak a second language?
And more importantly, how do you get your personality back?

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从 Tim Tam 到 Vegemite，超市里藏着的澳洲文化，带你逛 Woolies 和 Coles，看懂澳洲人的零食与日常

今天这一集，我想带大家去一个地方。

不是歌剧院，不是 Bondi Beach，也不是大堡礁。

而是澳洲最能看出当地生活的地方：超市。

如果你第一次来澳洲，走进 Woolworths 或 Coles，你可能会有一种很奇妙的感觉。你会看到很多你从来没看过的品牌，很多饼干、饮料、零食、早餐麦片、调味料。包装看起来有点复古，名字听起来也有点奇怪。

然后你可能会一边推着推车，一边 Google：这是什么？这个澳洲人真的会吃吗？这个可以买回去送人吗？还有这个黑黑黏黏的 Vegemite，到底是什么东西？

我搬来澳洲以前，其实一直有一个印象。我觉得澳洲好像没有那么明显的饮食文化。

日本有寿司、拉面、抹茶；韩国有泡菜、烤肉、炸鸡；意大利有披萨、意大利面；美国有牛排、汉堡、三明治。那澳洲呢？袋鼠肉吗？牛排吗？好像也不是。

可是搬来澳洲生活一阵子之后，我慢慢发现，其实澳洲不是没有饮食文化。只是澳洲的饮食文化，很多不是藏在高级餐厅里，而是藏在超市里，藏在 Woolworths 和 Coles 的货架上，也藏在很多澳洲人从小吃到大的饼干、早餐、饮料和零食里。

所以今天这一集，我想带大家逛一次澳洲超市。

不讲那些观光客常买的东西，我们来讲澳洲人真的会吃的东西。有些很好吃，有些很有故事，有些是澳洲人从小吃到大，但是外国人完全不能理解。

如果你以后来澳洲玩，这一集也可以当作你的超市购物清单。

准备好了吗？那我们开始吧。
� 本期的知识卡片我们整理在下面啦：
�� 澳洲超市寻宝记知识卡片
① Tim Tam：澳洲经典巧克力夹心饼干
Tim Tam is Australia's most famous chocolate biscuit.
Tim Tam 是澳洲最有名的巧克力饼干。
② Tim Tam Slam：Tim Tam 吸管吃法（把饼干当吸管吸热饮）
Use a Tim Tam as a straw.
③ Shapes：澳洲经典咸味饼干
Shapes are popular savoury crackers in Australia.
④ Bundaberg Ginger Beer：澳洲姜汁汽水（无酒精）
Ginger Beer is non-alcoholic.
⑤ Vegemite：澳洲国民酵母抹酱
Vegemite is made from yeast extract.
⑥ ANZAC Biscuits：澳洲军团纪念饼干（一战历史相关）
ANZAC biscuits are part of Australian history.
⑦ Weet-Bix：澳洲经典早餐麦片饼
Many Australians grew up eating Weet-Bix.
⑧ Fairy Bread：澳洲儿童派对经典点心（白吐司+黄油+彩色糖针）
Fairy Bread is a popular party snack.
⑨ Chicken Salt：澳洲特色鸡盐调味粉（常撒在薯条上）
Chicken Salt makes fries taste better.
⑩ Sausage Sizzle：澳洲社区烤香肠活动（常用于学校、教会、慈善募款）
A sausage sizzle is a popular community fundraiser.
⑪ Democracy Sausage：民主香肠（投票日买的烤香肠）
Many Australians enjoy a democracy sausage after voting.
⑫ Red Rock Deli：澳洲人气薯片品牌
Red Rock Deli makes premium potato chips.
⑬ The Natural Confectionery Company：澳洲经典水果软糖品牌
These fruit lollies are loved by both kids and adults.
⑭ Cobs Popcorn：澳洲人气爆米花品牌
Cobs Popcorn is perfect for movie night.
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澳洲的一项禁令，让我重新思考这个问题。

Let me ask you a question.
How old do you think a child should be before they’re allowed to have social media?
Thirteen? Fifteen? Sixteen?
Or maybe you don’t think there should be an age limit at all.
Honestly, a few years ago, I probably wouldn’t have had a good answer either. But recently, I’ve been thinking about this question a lot.

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So, over the past week or two, we’ve focused a lot on World Cup soccer. And this World Cup has a lot of big names. Brazil. Argentina. France. Germany. Spain. We all know these countries.
But this year, there are also a few names that made people stop and say: Wait… what country is that? Cape Verde? Curaçao?
Where are they? Are they in Africa? Europe? The Caribbean? Are they even countries?
And honestly, I love this. Because this is one of the best parts of the World Cup.
It makes us notice places we usually don’t talk about.
Cape Verde has only about half a million people. Curaçao has only about 150,000 people.
That is tiny. That is not the population of a football giant. That is smaller than many cities in the world.
But somehow, they are now on the same stage as football powerhouses like Spain, Germany, Uruguay, and Ecuador.
And suddenly, the whole world is asking: Who are these people? Where are these places? And why are their stories so interesting?

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今天这集，我想聊一个最近几年我越来越有感触的主题。

不知道大家有没有发现。好像英文母语者好像常常感觉活得比较松弛。
不是因为他们比较有钱。也不是因为他们没有压力。
而是当事情不如预期的时候，他们常常会脱口而出一些很有趣但也很有哲理的话。

像是：
Let it be.
It is what it is.
Go with the flow.

这些大家应该都听过。

Let it be，大概就是顺其自然。
It is what it is，就是接受现实。
Go with the flow，则是顺着水流走，不要一直逆流而上。

听起来是不是很佛系？
但其实除了刚刚讲的几个常见的表达以外，我今天想讲讲十个英文里面我觉得更有意思且更高级的松弛心态表达。
它们不只是英文。它们背后其实是一套面对压力、焦虑和不确定性的思维方式。

� 本期的知识卡片我们整理在下面啦：
�️ 心态一：允许自己不完美（Self-Compassion）
1. I am only human.
字面翻译：我只是个人。
内涵延伸：我不是机器，也不是神。会累、会有情绪、会犯错，允许自己不完美，懂得自我同理。
生活例句：“I forgot to send that report. I’m only human.”（我忘了寄那份报告。我也是人啊，别太苛责自己。）

2. Give yourself some grace.
字面翻译：给自己一些恩典。
内涵延伸：即便自己做得不够好，也愿意接纳和包容当下的自己，不要对自己过于苛刻。
生活例句：“You’ve been working nonstop for months. Give yourself some grace.”（你已经连续工作好几个月了，对自己温柔一点，别一直逼自己。）

�️ 心态二：专注当下，不预支焦虑（Focus on the Present）
3. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
字面翻译：到了桥头再过桥。
内涵延伸：类似于“船到桥头自然直”。吐槽那些事情还没发生就提前焦虑、在脑海里演练最坏剧本的行为。
生活例句：“The company hasn’t even announced layoffs. Let’s cross that bridge when we get there.”（公司甚至还没宣布裁员呢。别提前恐慌，等真遇到了再说。）

4. Don’t borrow trouble.
字面翻译：不要去借麻烦。
内涵延伸：拒绝预支焦虑。明天的烦恼明天再操心，不要把未来的不确定性提前借到现在来折磨自己。
生活例句：“Your test results won’t be ready until next week. Don’t borrow trouble.”（检查报告下周才出来，现在先别瞎琢磨，别预支焦虑。）

5. Control the controllables.
字面翻译：掌控你能掌控的。
内涵延伸：把精力和注意力从无法控制的外界（天气、对手、市场）收回来，只专注在自己能决定的态度和行动上。
生活例句：“The market is crashing, but all I can do is control the controllables.”（市场在暴跌，但我能做的只有做好自己的投资策略，尽人事听天命。）

�️ 心态三：拉长维度，顺应无常（Embrace Uncertainty）
6. Let the dust settle.
字面翻译：让灰尘落下来。
内涵延伸：先冷静一下，等局势明朗了再做决定。在信息爆炸或刚发生冲突时，成熟的表现往往是“以静制动”。
生活例句：“The company just announced a major restructuring. Let’s let the dust settle before we panic.”（公司刚宣布重组，先别急着恐慌，等尘埃落定、看清局势再说。）

7. Sleep on it.
字面翻译：在上面睡一觉。
内涵延伸：睡一觉再说。相信时间本身就是解决方案的一部分，不要在情绪冲动或疲惫时做重大决定。
生活例句：“You’ve got a big job offer. Sleep on it before making a decision.”（拿到了一个很重要的 Offer。别急，先睡一觉，明天清醒了再决定。）

8. Let the chips fall where they may.
字面翻译：让筹码随处落下吧。
内涵延伸：完美主义者的解药。我已经尽了最大的努力，剩下的结果如何，那便如何，坦然接受。
生活例句：“The applications are submitted. Let the chips fall where they may.”（申请都已经提交上去了。尽人事，听天命，看结果吧。）

9. Pick your battles.
字面翻译：选择你的战场。
内涵延伸：人的精力是有限的，不是每件事都值得你掀起一场战争。学会对无谓的争论、琐碎的小事断舍离。
生活例句：“My daughter insists on wearing mismatched socks. I’m picking my battles.”（女儿坚持要穿颜色不一样的袜子。算了，这不值得大动干戈，这局我不打。）

10. 英语母语者超爱用的外来语
Que Sera, Sera (西班牙语) ️Whatever will be, will be.（该发生的总会发生。接受未来不可控的无常）
C’est la vie (法语) ️That’s life.（这就是生活。带着一点小幽默，接受当下并不完美的事实）

� 扫描下方二维码，关注公众号【Blend Inn】，获取节目文字版知识卡片 / 全英文故事双语文稿，加入听友群，随时互动哦~