'Your Mandarin's better than mine': American teen in Singapore gets called 'AI' for fluent Chinese
An American who grew up in Singapore speaks Mandarin so fluently that some have compared her to artificial intelligence.
Beeland (Bee) Rogers, 17, graduated from Nanyang Girls' High School in 2025 and is now studying at a boarding school in the United Kingdom.
The daughter of multi-millionaire Jim Rogers, 83, Bee has also built a reputation as a high achiever with a strong interest in the Chinese language.
Captioned "average third culture kid," a video posted by @beerogers on Oct 28 on TikTok had garnered 240,000 views, 13,100 reactions, and 783 comments at press time.
Local roots
Bee recalled her childhood in Singapore: "I know I don't look like it, but I always went to a local school, cried over the PSLE, ate kaya toast for breakfast, and always got bubble tea after school."
Her family moved to Singapore to immerse her in a Chinese-speaking environment, where she developed a passion for the language and culture.
She now shares her experiences on TikTok with her 46.1k followers.
"I'm on school holidays now, so I'm back in Singapore", said Bee, adding, "I have a place in both of these worlds (Singapore and the UK) though I don't entirely fit in either".
"I used to just be an American living in Singapore, but now I'm an American living in Singapore who goes to school in the UK", Bee explained.
Bee's mandarin skills impress online
Netizens have praised Bee's language skills online
"You speak better Mandarin than 99 percent of Singaporeans", one wrote, while another suggested she "join a local Mandarin channel" and would be a local sensation.
"I've learned Chinese since 5 and I still read the English translation", a user commented, reflecting on her own experiences with the language.
Some viewers were so impressed by her fluency that they jokingly likened her to artificial intelligence. "She's AI trained in Singapore", one wrote.
"Travelling and living in different parts of the world widens your view and broadens your mind", one user wrote, commending Bee's global exposure.
Others encouraged her to continue sharing her passion for the language.
