Can you become fluent in Chinese without teachers, classes, or even Chinese speakers around you? For Serbian software engineer Marko Javoanovic, the answer is “yes” by focusing on “fluency now”.

In this episode, Marko shares how he started learning Japanese out of a love for anime but quickly pivoted to Chinese when he realized there were far more Chinese people than Japanese in his hometown of Novi Sad, Serbia. What began as a curiosity turned into a disciplined daily habit that transformed not only his language skills but also his friendships and worldview.

Marko dives into how he built real working fluency from scratch using English-language resources like Mandarin Companion, YoYo Chinese, and extensive listening and how that foundation led to translating live at a visa interview, making friends over baozi, and becoming part of his local Chinese community.

His story includes:

• Why he stopped obsessing over flashcards and HSK levels

• How “fluency now” helped him understand without translating

• Why tones matter more than you think (like mixing up “food” with “video”)

• The emotional reward of using Chinese to truly connect

This episode is a roadmap for any Chinese learner, especially those going it alone.

Links from the episode:

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

• Little Chinese Everywhere | YouTube

• Do you have a story to share? Reach out to us