Most foreigners who come to China don’t speak much Mandarin, if any, when they arrive. If you are one of them, you probably wonder how well you will be able to get by with English in Beijing. After all, Beijing is a capital city with a big foreign population, right? … read more
When you are coming to Beijing you probably want to know about the people you will encounter here. In a recent post I shared 10 things learned about the Chinese. I now turn the attention to my fellow Beijing expats and explore the different types of expats you find here. … read more
Being an expat trailing spouse can have its perks but it also has its challenges, especially if you are giving up your job to follow your spouse abroad. I have done this twice, about 10 years apart, and I can tell you it can put a strain on your self … read more
We love to eat. And fortunately, my husband loves to cook. Even before we moved to China, he cooked many Chinese dishes at home – really tasty! Now in China, it is even easier than before, with easy access to cheap local ingredients. We found great authentic Chinese recipes in … read more
Having access to quality healthcare is always on top of mind when moving to a foreign country, if not on yours, it will be on your parents, friends or other loved ones who want you to be safe. Lets look at healthcare for foreigners in Beijing. Doctors and hospitals As … read more
After spending some time as a Westerner in China, both living in Beijing and traveling around the country, you can’t help but notice some things peculiar to Chinese people. Below are my top ten things I learned about the Chinese. This post often generalizes for the sake of brevity. Of … read more
Do you love to read? Can’t imagine a relaxing evening without a book in your hands? You might wonder how easy it is to get English language books in Beijing. Well, there are a few steps you can take to make access to books easier. E-books are the way to … read more
Learning Chinese is not easy – but it is quite doable I think. So don’t worry, I don’t want to discourage you – quite the contrary, I want to encourage everyone moving to China to learn at least some Mandarin. So what makes it difficult to learn Chinese? Well, pretty … read more
As a foreigner in Beijing with less than fluent Mandarin skills, I depend a lot on Chinese English dictionary apps on my smartphone. These apps are great for quickly looking up a word or refreshing my memory on the correct pronunciation. Often they are more than just digital dictionaries and … read more
Cooking authentic Chinese food at home is a great and tasty way to immerse in the local culture. And with the right tools, ingredients and recipes, and maybe some hands-on instructions, Chinese cooking is not difficult. As a Beijing expat you may think, eating out Chinese is so convenient and … read more