Interviews Archives

From Italy to Mongolia in a Fiat Panda

April 25, 2019 - Written by SDC 3 Comments

The heroine of this adventure.

Today we republish this old, great interview!

Pietro contacted me a couple of weeks ago because he’s playing with the idea of moving to China. In one of the emails that we exchanged he told me that last year he traveled from Italy to Mongolia by Fiat Panda.

Wait, wait…

…in Mongolia with a Panda?

I got curious and asked him some more questions. He even wrote a short book about its adventure (you can download the pdf of the book here but is only in Italian).

This interview is the result of our discussion (don’t blame Pietro for the English, I translated from Italian both my question and his answers). [Read more…]

How to Teach English in China as a Non-Native Speaker – An Interview With Luca

April 19, 2019 - Written by SDC 10 Comments

Today we’re interviewing Luca Stanga, who has a rather interesting story to tell us since he teaches English in China on a work visa, which shows that such an objective is not impossible for those who aren’t born into an English-speaking country so long as they have the right skills!

Luca, what work do you do in China and when did you get there?

I work at an English private school for children in Xi’an. The school is a franchise run by the company Education First. I work in the afternoons and on weekends since in the mornings the students attend public school. My work can be subdivided into three areas: lesson planning, teaching and extra activities to promote the institute.

Planning lessons takes time and imagination, but supplementary material is provided and you can always ask for advice from colleagues or the director of studies. There are about 12 to 14 students in a class, and in my case, the ages vary between 3 and 10 years old. Since the students are so young, each class is assigned a Chinese national teacher who gives support.

I’ve been working here for six months and am very happy with the professional experience that I’m developing, also thanks to the fact both the director and vice-director are professionals in their field and know their trade well. My contract expires in September but I’m thinking about signing on for another year because there are many elements of this company that I consider to be positive.

How did you find this job, and what is your educational background? [Read more…]

Working as a Classical Dance Teacher in China – An Interview with Gessica

November 22, 2018 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

Today we’re interviewing Gessica Cipriano, a classical dance teacher in Jishou, a city located in Hunan Province.

If you’d like to learn more about Gessica and her adventures in China, take a look at her YouTube channel.

Working in a Chinese university

Gessica, first of all thanks for agreeing to answer my questions. Many people ask us how to find a job in China, so let’s start there. How did you get them to take you on as a classical dance teacher at a Chinese university?

Since 2015 I traveled throughout the United States and a little bit in Germany to learn what type of work opportunities can be found abroad in my field, and I dreamed a lot about these two possible destinations. I never actually thought of China and knew nothing about it.

In Spring of 2017, the university’s own international office saw my professional profile online and contacted me about the classical dance teacher position that was open, asking me if I was interested in applying.

Originally I didn’t think I’d want to consider the offer, because even though I’m inclined to traveling and moving around, I never considered Asia, other than a far off fantasy of Japan, but only as a tourist.

However I believe that China literally “called” me in some inexplicable metaphysical way, because, despite my rational side’s unwillingness to accept the idea, my subconscious began suddenly experiencing sleepless nights, almost unwitting daydreams and fantasies about this far off and mysterious world.

So, during yet another sleepless night, I started looking online for more information about this University, in Jishou in Hunan Province. There wasn’t much information available, but despite that I decided to start the application process. [Read more…]

Teaching Physical Education in Shenzhen, China: Interview with Claudio Piani

April 20, 2018 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

Today we’ll interview Claudio Piani, who teaches physical education in the city of Shenzhen. You can follow Claudio’s adventures on his blog, Piani per la Cina (?).

If you’re interested in finding a job in China as a teacher (not just for physical education) I think you’ll find this interview extremely interesting!

Finding work in China as a teacher

Claudio, first of all thanks for agreeing to respond to my questions. Let’s get started right away: what gave you the idea to move to and work in China?

Hello to all the readers of “Taste of China” and thank you Furio for this motivating interview. I came up with the idea of moving to China to work about two years ago for various reasons. In 2014 I resigned from my job as a sporting operator in Milan to take an overland trip through Asia and Oceania.

The “pilgrimage” unexpectedly lasted for more than two years, in which I had the good fortune to cross China twice, first from north to south (Autumn 2014) and then from West to East (Summer 2016), causing me to fall in love with it.

It was actually during this period that I got the idea to move there to work, supported in part by the Chinese passion for basketball, the sport I taught in Italy.

How did you find a job? Did you use a specific website? An agency? Personal contacts? [Read more…]

Discover new Chinese learning Tools with Mandarin Weekly: Interview with the Founder Reuven Lerner

February 2, 2018 - Written by SDC 2 Comments

Today we interview Reuven Lerner, founder of Mandarin Weekly, a website (and weekly newsletter) that provides you the last news and tools for learning Chinese online.

I discovered Mandarin Weekly years ago, while I was researching new Chinese learning tools for updating our articles on “Free Resources to Learn Chinese Online“. I’m a subscriber since then.

But let’s get started!

About Mandarin Weekly

Reuven, thank you for accepting this interview. Can you tell us something about your background and how you got into Chinese language?

I have been a software consultant with my own business since 1995. Over the last decade, most of my work has been as a trainer, going to high-tech companies and teaching their programmers the tools and technologies that I know well – Python, Git, and data science. (If you don’t know what those are, that’s fine!).

About five years ago, a training company based in China asked me to come and teach some courses at their clients’ offices. The courses went well, and I’ve been traveling to China 3-5 times each year ever since. I mostly go to Beijing and Shanghai, but was fortunate enough to go to Nanjing about two years ago, too.

Before my first trip, I asked several friends what I should expect. Two of them said that I should learn some Chinese. That, of course, sounded like crazy talk – after all, we know that Chinese is impossible to learn, right? The friends told me that the language isn’t so bad, and that learning at least a few words would be useful. [Read more…]

Expat Psychology: Interview with Paula

January 18, 2016 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

In today’s interview, we chat with Paula Vexlir, a clinical psychologist and founder of the website ExpatPsi, an online platform for psychological support and information for Spanish-speaking expats.

What is ExpatPsi?

Hi Paula, thank you for accepting to do this interview. Can you explain to our readers a bit about what ExpatPsi is and the services you offer?

Thank you for inviting me. ExpatPsi was the result of many years of work helping expats and immigrants. I am a clinical psychologist and around 2002, I started to specialize in this field. I started to notice issues that repeated and faced with the lack of literature on the subject, I began research to evaluate the differences in the immigration of Spanish speakers.

ExpatPsi has three important aspects. One is its online psychology sessions so that people living outside of their country of origin can access a space in their native language with someone who understands their specific problem well. The second is a blog on which I share information, tools, theories, etc. with the end goal of helping through preventative care. Last of all, this year I also started to create courses and books to be able to help more people.

[Read more…]

The first Chinese Newspaper Simplified: Interview with Sean of The Chairman’s Bao

December 7, 2015 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

Click here and get 15% of on all subscription plans
using our exclusive discount code “sdctcb1523”!

Today we interview Sean McGibney, Chief Marketing Officer of The Chairman’s Bao, a website dedicated to people that want to learn Chinese we discovered the past month.

Sean, thank you for accepting this interview. What is The Chairman’s Bao and in what way is different from the hundreds of websites that focus on Chinese learning?

We set out with one simple aim in creating The Chairman’s Bao (TCB) – to create engaging, informative and interesting levelled content for those who learn Chinese. It offers a great sense of achievement to be able to read news in a target language, but the nature of Chinese makes it extremely difficult for non-native speakers to read newspapers. Add into the mix a gap in intermediate to advanced resources for learning Chinese and TCB was born!

How and when was your online newspaper born?

In reality TCB was a couple of years in the planning but the website launched back in January 2015. It has been a rollercoaster 10 months but one that has also been greatly rewarding for all involved.

Let’s suppose I’m studying Chinese and I end up on your website for the first time. How can I make the most of it?

We start writing articles at HSK 3, so ideally users will already have a solid knowledge of beginner’s Chinese. Upon signing up to the website, you not only have access to our full back catalogue of articles, but also a whole host of interactive features such as a live dictionary that scrolls as you read, intelligent flashcard system, audio for every article, and much more.

Everybody finds the study style that best suits them and the site is easily adaptable to individual or group learning. In essence, sign up to the website, ensure you try out all of the features and find out what works best for you! [Read more…]

Start a business in China: Interview with Wei Hsu of INS Global Consulting

November 2, 2015 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

Today we interview Wei Hsu, Managing Director of INS Global Consulting, a Shanghai-based firm that helps foreign companies and individuals to develop their business in China, handle Visa procedures, payroll management, recruitment and much more.

In this interview, we’ll focus on what you need to know in order to start a business in China.

Wei, first of all, thank you for accepting this interview. If you want to operate in China, you need a legal entity. What is the difference between the most common types of legal entities in China, Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE), Joint-Venture (JV) and Representative Office (RO)?

A WFOE can be owned by foreign parties or offshore companies. It is an independent legal structure that offers a control of operations and a physical presence. You are the sole investor of the company so costs are not shared with your Chinese partner like in a JV. However, as an owner, you are able to choose a business strategy and are responsible for the processing of sales, the local logistics and management of staff.

There is also an important fact to take into consideration: it is not possible to set up a WFOE in every sector. The Foreign Investment Catalogue provided by the Chinese Government lists all restricted sectors as well as those for which investment is encouraged, prohibited or simply permitted.

A JV can exist in two forms: the Equity Joint Venture (EJV) where profits are proportionate to each partner‘s shares and the Cooperative Joint Venture (CJV) where profits are allocated according to the terms of the venture contract. A JV is usually considered with a local company having a complementary commercial and technical know-how. [Read more…]

Living in rural ethnic China: Interview with Gaetan of Traval Cathay

July 16, 2015 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

In the streets of Lushi

Today we’ll discuss with Gaetan Green, the founder of Travel Cathay, a website dedicated to the off-the-beaten path places in China. If you’re interested on travel tips, history and traditions of Chinese remote areas, I advice you to check Gaetan’s website!

Gaetan, first of all thank for accepting to talk with me. When and why you ended up in China?

Thank you for having me on Sapore di Cina.

Well, I ended up in China during my first trip around the world in 2001. After traveling for three months through the country, I decided to come back for more. Once back home, I decided to study Chinese at university and then moved to Chongqing to deepen my knowledge of language in 2003. I lived in China on and off since then. [Read more…]

Studying in China with a scholarship from the Confucius Institute: An interview with Chiara Romano

December 8, 2014 - Written by SDC 10 Comments

The beachfront of Qinhuangdao

In today’s interview we’ll be talking with Chiara Romano, who is 22 years old and since last August has lived in Qinhuangdao, where she is studying Chinese thanks to a scholarship from the Confucius Institute.

What is necessary to obtain a scholarship

Chiara, what are the minimum requirements to obtain a scholarship from the Confucius Institute?

Hi Furio! Getting a scholarship from the Confucius Institute (which is actually promoted by Hanban, the “head office” of the Confucius Institutes worldwide) isn’t too difficult. First of all you have to choose what sort of experience you’re looking for: there are various scholarships, offering periods of study between six months and a year, as well as scholarships to graduate both with a three year degree or teaching degree in China, or still other scholarships centered on the teaching of Chinese.

All in all there are a lot of possibilities! To apply for any of these scholarships you must be between the ages of 16 and 35 and must pass the HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, Knowledge of Chinese Language for Foreginers Test) exam and the HSKK (similar to the first one, without having to write Chinese characters).

Each scholarship requires different levels of mastery over the language, but as for the annual scholarship, the one that I received, you must as a minimum pass the HSK3 exam with at least 180 points and the HSKK成绩 (in other words the elementery level) with at least 60 points. [Read more…]

Life on Nanchang Lu, Shanghai – Interview with Fiona Reilly

November 24, 2014 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

Today I’ve the honor to interview Fiona, the soul of Life on Nanchang Lu, the place where you shall go if you want to learn more about food – especially street food, – in Shanghai.

Food

Fiona, you define yourself as a Foodie, Writer, Photographer and Expert dumpling taster. I want to start with the most important question: What is, in your opinion, the best dumpling’s fanguanr of Shanghai?

I have a soft spot for The Humble Room at 601 Nanchang Lu. Now it’s opposite the bright and shiny IAPM Mall so it looks even more humble, but it has some of the very tastiest (and cheapest) xiaolongbao in the city.

In your series about Shanghai Street Food, you list 36 different kind of street foods. Let’s say I’m in Shanghai only for a day and my goal is to learn as much as I can about the topic. Where should I go and what would you suggest me to taste?

The great thing about street food is that you can begin your education at any time of day! [Read more…]

Living in Xinjiang: Interview with Josh, founder of FarWestChina

July 21, 2014 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

Today we’re going to talk with Josh Summers, the founder of Far West China, as far as I know the best website dedicated to Xinjiang, one of less known and most beautiful provinces of China.

Josh, thank you for accepting to answer to some questions for SDC. You arrived in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, in 2006. How did you end up there?

My pleasure! I’m honored to chat. Our arrival in Xinjiang back in 2006 is a long story that can be summed up in pretty much one word: “accident”. Seriously, who in their right mind travels halfway across the world to a place they can barely find on a map, much less properly pronounce? People who don’t know what they’re getting into, that’s who.

That’s not even the craziest part. Once we arrived in Urumqi in 2006 we only stayed there for two days. Our ultimate destination was Karamay, an even smaller and more remote town about four hours deep in the desert. We did it party out of a sense of adventure but mostly because a trusted friend convinced us it was a good idea. Ha! [Read more…]

Interview with Olle Linge, Hacking Chinese’s founder

June 23, 2014 - Written by SDC 1 Comment

After almost a year we come back with our interviews to the superstars of Mandarin language, that this those people that not only are studying Mandarin but, through the internet, contribute to the always growing community of Chinese learners with their own wisdom.

Today we’ll talk with Olle Linge, a 30 years old Swedish guy that spent the last seven years learning Chinese (and how to teach it). Olle is the founder & soul of Hacking Chinese, one of my favorite website that focus on Chinese learning. But, as usual, we aren’t going to talk about how to learn Chinese…

Introducing Hacking Chinese

Olle, Hacking Chinese isn’t a simple blog. Sure, the foundation of the website are your articles. However what impresses me the most is the community of people you built: the ones that comment on your articles, the ones that discuss or ask you for advice on Twitter or, why not, the ones that participate to the challenges you propose. When did you start Hacking Chinese and why? What was your initial goal? [Read more…]

Enter the Mantis: Interview with Will, a traditional kung fu practitioner

June 16, 2014 - Written by Cristiano Mei 2 Comments

My name is Cristiano and I’ve been living and working in China for ten years. In my spare time I love writing and outdoor exercise (PM 2.5 permitting).

I met Will Wain-Williams three years ago, and we immediately became friends. Will is a vigorous martial artist, as well as a tea expert. One of our favorite pastime was spending long hours sipping Chinese tea while discussing about travels or, sometimes, bitching about China.

Will runs Monkey Steals Peach, a website full of information on China, where he talks about his experience with traditional kung fu and his passion for Chinese tea.

Today, in this first article I publish for SDC, I’ll interview him. [Read more…]

Discovering Taiwan: Interview with Teresa

April 7, 2014 - Written by SDC Leave a Comment

Today we discuss with Teresa Pisanò who, after living for five years in Shanghai, in 2011 moved to Taipei, where she still lives.

Teresa, you told me that you studied at the Department of Oriental Language and Culture of University of Venice, which I believe is the most prestigious department in Italy, when it comes down to Oriental languages. I know it because I receive many inquires from students of Chinese language that would like to move to China but don’t know how to realize their dream. When did you arrive to China and, most important, how were you able to arrive to China and stay here five years?

The first time I went to China was in 2001. I was doing an internship at Beijing Languages and Culture University and, during that period, I spent some days in Shanghai. I liked Shanghai so much that in 2004 I decided to go back with my husband, that at the time was my boyfriend. We arrived without a job, without a place where to stay and without a return ticket. I guess we were lucky because in a few time we were able to make new friends, find an apartment and even a job. Personally I’ve worked in a architectural firm and, later, as a language teacher. [Read more…]

Teaching Chinese to white devils: Interview to Luna

June 3, 2013 - Written by SDC 2 Comments

Click here to discover what Chinese courses
that we recommend at the moment!

I have been thinking for a long time on the topic of my first article about Chinese learning. Finally I decided to make an interview to one of the first Chinese people I meet in Beijing. I’m talking about Luna, a Chinese language and culture teacher.

She has taught mandarin in several schools, including the Ecuador’s Confucius Institute of Quito and Guayaquil. She has also collaborated with the European Science and Technology Fellowship Programme, which brought 58 European researchers to China during the period 2009-2012, and contributed on the elaboration of some HSK exams.

At the moment she is working as a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy, teaching an unconventional Chinese course that exploits Chinese movies to learn the Chinese language and culture. [Read more…]

Interview with John Pasden, the founder of Sinosplice and AllSet Learning

May 13, 2013 - Written by SDC 5 Comments

While I was editing the interview that I did with Julien, the founder of Marco Polo Project, I was fascinated by the problems one needs to solve in order to grow an online project to the point of having enough human and economic resources for investing even more on software and content development and create a great product.

Hence I asked to myself:

“Who else was able to realize something amazing on the field of online Chinese learning?”

And I thought about John Pasden. A couple of days after I contacted him. John was kind enough to accept to answer to a few questions. This is the result of our conversation! [Read more…]

What’s Marco Polo Project? Interview with the founder Julien Leyre

April 8, 2013 - Written by SDC 2 Comments

World is small. And the internet is even smaller.

In early February I joined the Hacking Chinese Characters Challenge.

One of the rules decided by the guy that proposed the challenge, Olle Linge from Hacking Chinese (check it, it’s one of the best resources out there to learn Chinese), was that we had to connect via email with the two people that joined the challenge before and after us.

This is how I got in touch with Julien Leyre who, after we introduced ourselves and our goals with Chinese language, followed up with this email: [Read more…]

Interview to Marta, who is 16 years old and is studying in a Chinese high-school

December 10, 2012 - Written by SDC 7 Comments

At the Chinese Great Wall (Marta is on the right side, in the foreground).

Anatomy of an interview

At the end of November I received the following email:

Hey,

I’m Marta, I’m almost seventeen and this year I live in Nanjing, I study in a Chinese high-school, I have a Chinese mom and sister (I mean, they host me at their house), I live the life and follow the rules of a traditional Chinese adolescent.

When I arrived here I thought that I knew everything about China. But after only a week I understood how wrong I was.

So I began to read a lot, till I also found your blog. Now I’m trying to open myself to all these new experiences and forget what I knew about China from Italy.

My answer was quite predictable: [Read more…]