Chinese Learning Series – Classes 5 to 10 Welcome back! In this part of our series, we’ll cover Classes 5 to 10, focusing on practical topics like shopping, transport, weather, time, family, and hobbies. Class 5: Shopping and Money 这个多少钱？ (Zhè ge duōshǎo qián?) – How much is this? 太贵了 (tài guì le) – Too expensive 便宜一点 (piányi...

Ever booked a hotel in China, rolled in with your suitcase all excited, only to hear that dreaded line: “Sorry, we’re not qualified to accept foreigners”? Yeah… me too. Awful. It’s been repeated so often it might as well be part of the hotel’s welcome script when a foreigner walks in. And the reason they give? “According to the law…” Well,...

While the weather has been a little unpredictable of late, when the sun does shine and you’re looking for a spot of alfresco dining or drinking, there is no shortage of stunning rooftops and terraces here in Beijing. To kick off this series, we're going to take a look at some of the rooftops and terraces situated around the Sanlitun and Gongti area, so grab your sunglasses and go...

Chinese Learning – Class 3: Ordering Food and Drinks Food is a big part of life in China. In this class, let’s learn how to order food and drinks. 🍜 Key Phrases 我要… (wǒ yào…) – I want… 请给我菜单 (qǐng gěi wǒ càidān) – Please give me the menu 一杯水 (yì bēi shuǐ) – A glass of water 一碗米饭 (yì wǎn mǐfàn)...

China can open doors, but it doesn’t promise an easy path. A lot of people arrive with expectations of instant jobs and fast money. The truth is different, and the reality hits quickly if you don’t prepare. Expectation 1: “I’ll get a monthly job quickly.” Most foreigners discover that monthly jobs aren’t as common as they imagined. Only a small number...