So here's my predicament, wondering what you guys would do.
I started learning Mandarin a good 15+ years ago, gotten to the point where my S.O. and I speak Mandarin daily, have worked in a fully Mandarin work environment, can read books on geopolitics, economics etc, and understand 95+% of all the words, but I'd still have some trouble listening to podcasts etc. with no (Mandarin) subtitles. I do occasionally watch Mandarin content (with Mandarin subtitles) and then understand pretty much all of it, except for slang words.
In about 2-3 years time, I'm planning to move to Taiwan and get a job there. I think with my current level I could pull it off, but I'd definitely be 'that slow foreigner', so there is still room for improvement.
The thing is, me being me, I've had the tendency to get distracted and learn other languages, dabbled in quite a few. In several of them I'm conversant, and travelled to Mexico without speaking any English - even had drinks with a bunch of Argentinians, and only spoke Spanish.
My Italian and Portuguese are at slightly lower levels, but I feel that getting to that level is within reach. I love both languages and their cultures, and what's more, I'd be able to use it at the job I currently have. I won't be necessary at all, but there's plenty of Italian and Portuguese colleagues I could use it with, who would surely appreciate it.
So I love all three languages equally and would equally enjoy focusing more on Mandarin, or spending some time with Italian or Portuguese. Both also have value for me, but one is more immediate, for the other one, the necessity to study is a bit further off.
Would you guys focus on getting to C2 in Mandarin and having a language that you're really good at, or add in Portuguese/Italian? For these, I'd be doing it just for the hell of it, mostly just to have another language under my belt. I'm conversational in both and can comfortably read a book (my understanding won't be complete, but enough for me to enjoy it). I have no long term plans for Portuguese or Italian, and don't even need to get very good at it, it's just cute for holidays and chatting with people.
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