Laugh and Learn Cantonese with Outcasts 853

Mixed Asian Media - November 12, 2024

By Naturally MonaLisa

Paji and Iasmin (pronounced Yasmin) are many people’s favorite Cantonese teachers. They have 132K followers on Instagram, where the duo is known as “Outcasts 853.” Some of their videos (like the water video) have millions of views. They also have a popular podcast, and they offer beginner and intermediate Cantonese courses online. But behind the fame, they are just two best friends who’ve known each other since kindergarten and grew up in Macau together. 

I speak Cantonese myself and I have been their long-time fan. I recently had the opportunity to speak with them to learn more about how they started their online presence and their mission of teaching and sharing the Cantonese language and culture around the world.

*THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR CLARITY AND LENGTH.

Naturally MonaLisa: Why is it important for you to use your platforms to teach Cantonese and share Cantonese culture?

Paji: In the beginning, we were creating content for just us and our friends to catch up. We were initially going for a mixed-Asian niche for our content, but then we realized a lot of people resonated with our Cantonese content, so we decided to stick with that. Many of our followers have lost touch with their Cantonese culture so they appreciate learning that from us. Also, both of us didn’t want to lose our Cantonese. If you don’t use it, you kind of lose it. So we started creating Cantonese content to keep up with our Cantonese. We were relearning and recalling Cantonese while posting content for our followers.

Iasmin: Cantonese is home to me. I may not look Chinese, but I grew up in Macau and I feel very much connected with the Cantonese culture. We live so far away from home, so creating Cantonese content is one way for us to feel connected to our roots and retouch our Cantonese skills. Also, I believe the fact that we are mixed-Asians gives hope to many foreigners who are interested in Cantonese. People may see us and think, “These foreigners can speak Cantonese, so if they can do it then so can I!”

You use acting and comedy to teach Cantonese vocabulary and culture. Why do you think that’s effective?

P: For me, I tend to remember jokes and things that I resonate with. For instance, I always remember the goofy stuff that happens during recess in school, but not the stuff that I learned in class. So that’s why we make content that’s funny and light-hearted. I’m inspired by skits from Key & Peele so that’s why I like to do skits and imagine a Cantonese version of popular movie scenes.

I: I also believe comedy makes learning Cantonese less intimidating. Chinese characters, expressions and tones can be intimidating for beginners learning Cantonese. A lot of people learn Cantonese the traditional way such as writing and copying Chinese characters over and over again. That’s boring and not encouraging. So we want to be creative when teaching Cantonese.

You’re both mixed Asians who have lived in many places. How do you find your confidence and identity despite not seemingly fitting in anywhere?

P: I have learned to be adaptable in any environment. This is why we are called “Outcasts” — we don’t belong anywhere because of norms, but we can blend in anywhere because we are adaptable. I noticed that people have a different stereotype about me in different places. I’m mixed Filipino and Sri Lankan, and in Macau people assume I’m a cleaner. Then when I visit the Philippines people see me as a “privileged city girl.” And then when I moved to America, people here tell me, “You are so lucky and special!”

I: Growing up, my mom wanted me to be exposed to different cultures and be adaptable. In terms of identity, I feel like it took me a while to find an identity because it’s very hard to pinpoint what to identify with. But now that I’m close to 30, I take pride in being different.

Tell me about the beginner and intermediate Cantonese courses that you have developed.

P: Many followers told us if we develop a Cantonese course they would take it. They even call us their “favorite Cantonese teachers.” So we teamed up with some people to create a Cantonese course for beginners. The course is very accessible and it offers exercises, quizzes, and videos. The course also offers writing sheets to help people learn characters. The course is not subscription-based, but rather you pay a one-time fee and you have access to the course forever.

Recently, many of our learners asked for a more challenging course because they already know the basics. So we just developed an intermediate course that offers more conversational practice. In it, we speak mainly Cantonese to help learners get used to the accent and pace of the language, and subtitles are included.

What advice do you have for those who have been learning Cantonese for years and still struggle to go past the beginner’s level?

I: Learning a language requires that you immerse yourself in the language. You should incorporate everything that you do on a daily basis with Cantonese. One tip for you is to watch Disney movies in Cantonese. Their dialogue is easier to understand and more informal compared to news reports, which use formal Cantonese. Also, don’t be afraid to say something wrong in Cantonese. You can only learn from your mistakes.

P: Don’t get discouraged! It takes time to learn a different language. Take advantage of all the resources online such as podcasts or YouTube videos. Another tip is to find the Cantonese version of a TV show or movie that you like. Practice speaking with your love ones and friends, and be OK with embarrassing yourself. Finally, have fun learning Cantonese!

Follow Paji and Iasmin — or “Outcasts 853” — on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. You can also listen to their podcast on Spotify and all major podcast platforms. Finally, if you’re interested in taking their Cantonese courses, you can join the waitlist on their website.