Update - New Video up on our YouTube Channel

Hello everyone!

183:798970707 (Patrick Bennett) — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 06:16:48 GMT

Excited about 2023!

Welcome back guys. Sandy and I have been busy over the last year in Shenzhen. Things are opening up and it looks like 2023 will be very exciting in China. Keep checking here for updates.

ABC News Article

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 10:51:48 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

We were interviewed by ABC News last week. Check out the article.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/coronavirus-cases-rise-pats-china-hunker/story?id=69199847

Coronavirus

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 18:53:21 GMT

Coronavirus

We left China on January 25th for Istanbul and spent a week there, we got back to China on February 3rd. While in Istanbul we decided to buy some N95 and 3M masks to bring back. When we messaged a friend, who is the director of the largest hospital in Yinchuan, they begged us to bring masks back. So we ended up carrying 830 masks back. We bought two large duffel bags and filled them with all the masks. It was a long trip back, as we had a long layover in Kazakhstan, and finally got back last Monday afternoon.

We were checked at the airport, a checkpoint on the highway and the gate of our community for fever. Luckily I am a prepper and have plenty of food stored in the house. We had to buy a few fresh vegetables, but otherwise we are set to stay in the apartment for the next two weeks. Overall the situation in Yinchuan is good in regards to the virus. People are able to go out during the day, but are required to wear masks. I have to say that everything here is being handled well. Hopefully, this will start to ease up and end soon.

Different Chinese Schools

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 08:51:17 GMT

Schools in China - photo below is my old high school - Number 2 High School Yinchuan

I have worked at every kind of school in China in one form or another. There are four main kinds of schools here:

Kindergartens - If a kindergarten can hire a foreigner - it is a privately owned school. These have students from age 2-7. Kids arrive around 8am and stay until 6pm. Most classes will have 20-30 students with 4 teachers. These are year round schools, so don't expect a summer vacation. I currently work for the largest kindergarten in Ningxia - XYX Boys and Girls International Kindergarten.
International Schools - these are elementary to high schools, that have an outside company contract foreign teachers to the school. You technically work for the private company, not the school directly. This are the most desired kind of schools for foreigners, as they are more of what we have in mind as being a traditional school. You work 7am to 6pm. Summers are usually off, with a longer winter holiday as well. However, more and more of these private companies are reducing the summer and winter holidays and having the foreign teachers help with recruiting or teaching extra classes during these times. I think that in the next 5-10 years, summer vacation for foreigners will be a thing of the past. I worked for the International Department of Number 2 High School for my first two years in China. I also taught at Hongsipu Number 1 High School. And I also work part time for International Department of Number 9 High School in Yinchuan currently.
Training Schools - most foreigners are not familiar with these kinds of schools. But they are the most common in China. Competition is fierce for students here. So parents will enroll kids as young as 3 years old in extra after school classes for English and other subjects. Training schools are usually open from the afternoons to evenings during the week, and all day on the weekends. If you work at one of these schools your schedule will be something like this - Wednesday to Friday - 4pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 8pm. Off on Monday and Tuesday. I have worked for Aston English Training School and several other smaller schools in Yinchuan and Guangdong.
Universities - These seem like a great pick. But are the lowest paying option for you in China. If you earn $1300 a month you are in the high pay bracket. Because they are government funded, they cannot afford to pay their teachers as much as the other three kinds of private schools. However the plus side is that you will have summers and winter holidays off, and usually only work 15-25 hours per week. I have done a few lecture classes at Ningxia University.

Regardless of which school you choose, you need to make sure you have a good contract. Make sure your hours and responsibilities are clearly written down. Otherwise you could find yourself dancing in a costume on stage in front of thousands of people.

Your salary in China

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 14:55:03 GMT

Your salary and a bit of reality

Let's say you get a 20,000 yuan a month contract at a school in a tier 3 city, plus a free apartment. This means you will be earning 8-10 times the average salary of most Chinese people. I know some of the teachers at my school earn 1500-2500 yuan per month. If you eat at the western restaurants often and go out and party at KTV each night, you will burn through your income in no time. Sandy and I go out about twice a month. Usually we spend about 150 yuan on dinner. That is splurging for us. You can go out to a noodle or dumpling shop and eat very cheaply though. My point is that you will be in the upper 1% of people here. Make sure you understand this and do your best to save while you are here.

TEFL/TESOL

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 13:19:50 GMT

TEFL/TESOL

We highly recommend getting a TEFL or TESOL certificate. These are teaching courses that can be done in a classroom environment or online. We recommend doing a 120 hour course at least. The more the better. With these certificates you can negotiate a highly salary. We have found that teachers get 1000-1500 yuan more a month with a TEFL/TESOL certificate. The online classes can be finished in a couple weeks. We recommend ITT International TEFL and TESOL. https://internationaltefltesol.com/

Sensitive Topic

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 12:49:20 GMT

Sensitive Topic

I try to be as honest as possible in everything I do. So I wanted to post something about this topic. Hiring practices. Working in China is very different from working in the USA or other western countries. Because China is a very homogeneous society, they rarely get to mix with other races. So there will be a definite difference in how some races will be treated and viewed here. The darker the skin, the less money you will be paid - regardless of your education and experience. This is a fact of life in China. If you see a post for native English speakers at a school that pays 20,000 to 25,000 yuan a month, and you are not white, you will not get the high end of the salary range. There is nothing that can be done about this. If this is something that truly bothers you, maybe working in China isn't for you.

Travel website

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 16:40:10 GMT

A recommendation

I travel a lot for work and pleasure. But I only book using https://www.trip.com/ . I have found them to be the cheapest travel website out there. I have booked a round trip flight from Yinchuan, China to Seattle, USA for $397 through them. If you need a flight, hotel, train or other travel services, I highly recommend using them.

Passport

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 12:48:48 GMT

Hold onto your passport

Your passport is absolutely the most important thing you have. It will have your Chinese visa and residence permit inside. So you cannot lose this while you are in China. I have spoken with a few teachers that have said their schools hold onto their passport. Do not do this. You should always have your passport with you, or locked away in your apartment. Also, make at least 2 color copies and keep those separate. And email yourself a copy of your passport photo page, as well as your visa and residence permit pages. This is very important. The only time you would not have your passport is if you renew your visa for a second year and they submit it to the Chinese government for processing. They will give you a receipt that you need to keep in order to pick up your passport. This process usually takes about 2 weeks. So, make sure you hold onto your passport!

Non Native English Teachers

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 08:43:33 GMT

Can you teach in China?

I get this question all the time. So I wanted to post about it and clear some things up. If you are from one of the blue colored countries on the map above you meet the first requirement to teach English in China. USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Many people have argued this point with me, but I will say this. I have not see a single Chinese government post anywhere that states non natives can teach English in China. So, I cannot accept any non native applicants for any schools that we work with. In the future I hope to have more schools in other countries such as: Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, etc. Once this happens, we can work with non native applicants.

Cost of Living in China

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 08:26:51 GMT

Cost of Living in CHina

One of the best parts about living in China is the cost of living. Nearly everything is much cheaper than in the West. Unless you are buying a foreign product of course. The first thing you no longer have to worry about is rent. A nice apartment in my city runs about $350 a month. That includes rent, utilities and building fees. This is a huge burden off your shoulders. After that you biggest expense is food. And of course if you cook and eat at home you will save a lot more. Check out this shopping video for more information - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G0ceGoiaQE

Eating out in restaurants can be fun and actually cheap as well, if you find the right places. Here is a video of a a meal at a Chinese barbecue place - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_4-h0XKa0k

And here is another Chinese breakfast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf-W1lpyrkE

As you can see it is possible to really eat on the cheap here.

I always tell people that you can spend as little or as much as you want. Many expats here will go out to a foreign restaurant or bar nearly every night and spend $75 to $100, eating and drinking. You will end up with nothing at the end of the month if you do this. Be smart and live like a local. Save you money as much as possible.

Different Chinese People

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 08:00:49 GMT

56 different Chinese ethnic groups

Did you know that there are 56 different Chinese ethnic groups? When most people think of Chinese people they think of Han Chinese. Han make up 92% of the population of China. But there are 55 other groups. For example, my wife Sandy is Hui. Hui Chinese are the largest group of Muslims in China. But there are 9 other Muslim groups in China. Hui generally live in NIngxia (our home province) and Gansu. Ningxia has a mix of about 30% Hui and 70% Han Chinese.

How to live in China

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 16:03:57 GMT

How to live in China

This is a very important post. Because most people have a hard time adjusting to life in China. The best tip I can give to anyone wanting to live in China is.....grow a thick skin and adapt. It sounds like a joke, but it is absolutely the truth. If you can't handle your water not working in your apartment for a few days, or having people call you fat to your face, or adjust to the Chinese lifestyle as much as possible, you will get eaten alive here. And guess what? No one cares how you feel.
I came to China as a 41 year old man, who didn't speak a single word of Chinese and didn't know a single person in the country. If I can make it in China, anyone can. In my first 3 months in here, my electricity didn't work for a total of 18 days, and when it did work, there were major power surges, causing my rice cooker and tea kettle to explode. My water didn't work for a total of 16 days. I didn't know how to pay my utilities but luckily met a great Chinese teacher who helped me. And I didn't get paid for 3 months. Because I didn't know how to speak Chinese I ended up walking everywhere. The good part about this was I learned how to get around the city.
I also was an idiot and only brought an American Express card, thinking I would be able to use it anywhere and withdraw cash from any ATM (You know the commercials - "Don't leave home without it"). Of course, this wasn't the case. My card was useless at all but two hotel/restaurants in the city. These were both 10-15 km away. A long walk for dinner. And every time I tried to pull cash out, my card was locked by my bank. So I was stuck with only the cash I brought with me when I first came to China. This forced me to drastically ration my money and eat simple at home. However, I feel this made me learn how to shop and eat cheaply. I was also lucky to have two other Canadian teachers that helped me adjust. Thank you to Mary and Allan.
This next part is about the negative expats who live in China. If anyone asks me what I dislike about China - it is these foreigners. They can make life here miserable. They are the ones that give foreigners in China a bad name. And honestly the vast majority (90%) of expats living here fall into the group. I will use a former coworker as an example. He had lived in China for a year before coming to my old school. He was someone who never had a real job in his life prior to China and felt entitled to everything. Another major issue was his complaining. He would complain nonstop about life here and the people. Even speaking negatively about Chinese people in front of a Chinese friend of mine who he thought didn't speak English. If you are someone like this - just stay home. We have plenty of your kind in China.
Try to come here with an open mind and like I said a thick skin. Adapt and I promise you the world will open up for you. The potential opportunities here are endless. You can earn as much money as you want, travel as much as you want, and explore China. This is truly a gift that many people forget once they have lived here for a while. I credit China with starting my life over. I came here as a simple high school teacher, and since I have been here I have completed my master's degree, PhD and started my own business. I met my wife Sandy here, and now we work together. The photo above is me on my third trip to Hong Kong, a fantastic city.

Shopping list for China

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 09:36:19 GMT

What you need to bring to China

I came to China with 2 large duffel bags and a backpack. I sold just about everything else I owned. My first year was great, but there were a few little comforts that would have made life easier.

This is a rough list of what I recommend you bring to China. Don't forget you need at least a years worth of everything. Taobao.com is a great website and you can find almost anything on there, but it will run you sometimes 1000% more for certain western items.

Deodorant - these can run you as much as $12 USD each if purchased in China online. And in over 4 years of being in China, I have not seen a single store sell deodorant in any city.
Soap/Dental items - there are plenty of western brands available, but once again these are expensive. Chinese brands just don't work for me, I prefer bars of Irish Spring in the shower - so I stock up on about 15-20 bars on every trip back home. I don't like the toothpaste in China. They have the same brands as in the west. But the flavors just don't work for me. Dental floss is expensive here too.
Makeup/Personal Items - Razors, makeup, tampons, etc. These are very expensive and difficult to find in China. Bring what you need and then some.
Clothing/shoes - I am a big guy - 6'3, 245lbs. I cannot buy any clothes in China. They are all too small for me. So, I need to buy plenty to last until my next shopping trip back home. Shoes, socks, underwear, t-shirts, polo shirts, jeans, slacks, coats, hats and gloves, etc. Make sure you have more than enough.
Medicine - there are plenty of drug stores here in China, but they don't sell over the counter medication like back home. Tylenol, aspirin, cough syrup, allergy medication, cough drops, pepto bismol, tums, etc are all next to impossible to find here. Pack enough to last. Vitamins and other supplements are insanely expensive as well.
Documents - this goes without saying, but don't forget your paperwork. Passport, original diploma, medical paperwork, etc. Make color hard copies as well as electronic copies and send yourself an email with everything.
Phones/Tablets/Laptop - Make sure your phone is unlocked or it will not work when you put in your Chinese sim card. You can buy a Chinese phone here for $120 on up. But it will take some time to install all the necessary apps. Also don't forget to bring a couple universal power adapters for your western devices. I recommend at least 3.
VPN - this is one of the most important things you will need to have setup prior to your arrival in China. We recommend using ExpressVPN . You can use our link to ExpressVPN to register and download the application. Using our link will get you 30 days for free. Make sure it is on all of your devices. Or you will not be able to access 80% of the Internet once you are in China. This includes - Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia.
WeChat - You absolutely need to install WeChat and setup an account on your phone. Do this before you come to China. Once you arrive in China, your school will help you setup a Chinese phone number and bank account. Link these to your WeChat account, so you can pay using WeChat pay. Everyone in China uses WeChat - airlines, hotels, restaurants, shops and even street vendors. It is the one application you cannot live without here.
Cash/Credit Cards - You will not get your first pay check for about 4-6 weeks after you arrive. So you will need money until you get paid. I recommend bringing at least 7000 to 10,000 yuan (approx $1000 to $1500 USD) in cash with you. Also, bring a credit/debit card with you. Visa and MasterCard, but not American Express. Make sure you let your banks know that you will be in China, so they do not lock your card when you try to use it here.
Foods/drinks - packs of taco seasoning, dry Lipton soups, and whatever else you may want to enjoy while you are here. Many foods here will not satisfy your cravings.

As I said above this is a rough list of what you need to bring with you to China. Please plan according to your needs and wants. If you have any questions feel free to contact me here . Also check out my YouTube Video explaining what you need to bring , as I may have left something off this list.

Welcome to our first blog

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 08:02:02 GMT

Our first blog! Welcome to Yinchuan.

Welcome to Yinchuan! Yinchuan is the capital of Ningxia province. Located approximately 800 miles west of Beijing. We feel Yinchuan is the best city for foreigners in China. It has a low cost of living, great food and a fantastic mix of culture between Han and Hui Chinese. Approximately 30% of Yinchuan is Muslim and you will see beautiful mosques all through the city and the province of Ningxia. The photo above is part of the famous Yellow River which flows through the city. There are plenty of western restaurants and hotels and shops in the city:

Kempinski Hotel Yinchuan
Holiday Inn Yinchuan International Trade Centre
Burger King
Pizza Hut
Domino's Pizza
KFC
Starbucks
Metro

As of last week, Yinchuan also has a high speed train available, linking us to Xian in under 3 hours and the rest of China.