#107 Paul Jorgenson on How to Make Difficult Languages Easy

#107 Paul Jorgenson on How to Make Difficult Languages Easy

Author: Fluent in 3 Months July 11, 2022 Duration: 32:57

Creator of the immensely popular YouTube channel LangFocus, Paul Jorgenson, joins Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy to talk about building a Youtube channel around a passion for languages, living abroad, and language dabbling.

Paul also shares his secrets for effective time management as he balances family life with his life as a creator and language learner by using non-negotiable routines.

Featured Resources

Patreon Extended Episode

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to extended episodes and loads more content. Here’s what you’ll hear in the long-form episode:

  • How to learn languages with different writing systems without apps
  • Tips for overcoming stress and burnout
  • Benny and Shannon’s strategies for speaking multiple languages without mixing them up
  • Paul’s language survival resources
  • Paul’s ideal day of language learning
  • Advice for a complete beginner to language learning

Learn more and access this bonus content on Patreon.

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:
Learning languages with few accessible resources

  • Strategies for making “difficult” languages easy to learn
  • Moving to Japan and living in Japanese
  • Dabbling in dozens of languages as a Youtube creator in order to create content
  • Building a YouTube channel around an interest in languages
  • Crowdsourcing audio samples of different languages
  • How Paul’s language learning strategies have changed as tech has improved
  • Being a public figure as an introvert
  • Time management and the importance of non-negotiable routines as a content creator, language learner, and parent
  • Being a role model and inspiration in the language community

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy


There’s a certain magic that happens when you step off a plane and try to order a meal in a language you’re still fumbling through, or when a simple conversation with a stranger on a train opens up an entirely new perspective. Language & Travel Hacking, from the team behind Fluent in 3 Months, lives in those messy, authentic, and profoundly rewarding moments. Host Benny Lewis, a nomadic polyglot and best-selling author, doesn’t just theorize from a studio; he records from the road, sharing raw, real-time experiences and the practical strategies that actually work when you’re navigating a foreign market or building confidence in a new tongue. Each episode feels like a candid chat with a well-traveled friend who’s made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. You’ll hear the sounds of street markets and train stations in the background as Benny breaks down the psychology of language learning, offers actionable tips for picking up phrases quickly, and discusses how travel itself can be the ultimate classroom. This podcast is built on the idea that fluency and cultural connection aren’t distant goals reserved for the gifted, but accessible skills you can hack through smart, intentional practice. It’s for anyone who believes that the deepest way to explore a place is through its language, and that every journey is an opportunity to reshape how you see the world-and yourself. Tune in for honest stories and tangible advice that will change how you approach your next adventure, whether it’s across the globe or right in your own neighborhood.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 271

Language & Travel Hacking
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