Esperanto in Practice: A Monastery Visit in Xi’an
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From the blog’s origin era (2009–2014), kept as lived proof of the method. This 2012 video records a real Esperanto conversation during my travels in China.
I made it to Xi’an and, through a contact in the Esperanto community, met Miaohui at his Buddhist monastery outside the city. He gave me a tour of its halls and statues, then we sat down to talk about the monastery and Buddhism in Esperanto. English subtitles are available through the video controls.
Esperanto as a Useful Language When Travelling
This was never meant as a video about Esperanto grammar. I used the language to meet someone, ask questions and learn about a place I would not otherwise have seen in the same way.
I had already spent weeks using Esperanto at events and with people I met while travelling. That does not prove that every city has an active community, or that Esperanto is the right project for every learner. It does show one practical use: a shared language can connect people who would otherwise have no obvious language in common.
One route into that network is Pasporta Servo, the Esperanto hospitality service. Local associations and event listings are another. Check the current host profile, event details and safety arrangements rather than assuming an old listing is still active.
Finding Today’s Esperanto Community
Esperanto still has an international community, but precise speaker totals are difficult to establish and I would not hang your decision on a dramatic number. Look at whether you can find people, events and material that fit your own goal.
For structured lessons, dictionaries and community resources, start with lernu! and the Universal Esperanto Association. Both are more useful today than the stale software, radio and forum links that appeared in the original version of this post.
My day with Miaohui remains the point of the article: Esperanto was useful because I used it with another person. The language mattered, but the conversation and the visit were the real experience.
A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away with a native speaker for at least 15 minutes with the “Fluent in 3 Months” method. All it takes is 90 days. Tap this link to find out more.
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