Hello and welcome!

This week covers some of the APPs you need to survive in China, how to find an English teaching job, and my own first impressions of being back in the classroom. There’s also a look at a classic sci-fi novel, daily commutes in Beijing, and reflections on the presence of AI in education.

Oh, AND SNOW. IN BEIJING. IN MARCH!

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This Week’s Videos

1. 📱 10 Apps You Need to Live in China – A checklist of the apps you need in China. Watch here
2. 💼 Five Ways to Find an English Teaching Job – Looking at ways to find a job in China and around the world. Watch here
3. 🎓 First Impressions of Teaching in China (Again) – Thoughts on AI in the classroom and what has changed. Watch here
4. 📖 A Canticle for Leibowitz – Looking at a classic novel that got me into languages so many years ago. Watch here
5. 🚲 Riding to School – A look at Changping in the NorthWest of Beijing and my daily commute to university. Watch here
6. ❄️ Snow in Beijing? In March? – A rare mid-March snowfall in the city. Watch here

10 Apps You Need to Live in China

Whether visiting or moving to China, certain apps make daily life easier. The APPs are:

• Alipay – Primary mobile payment app for transactions, utilities, ride-hailing, and bike rentals.
• WeChat – Essential for messaging, social networking, and mobile payments.
• Hello Bike – Bike-sharing service, integrated with Alipay for quick rentals.
• Taobao – Largest online shopping platform for everyday goods and affordable products.
• Jingdong (JD.com) – Alternative to Taobao, known for faster delivery and quality assurance.
• Pleco – The go-to Chinese dictionary app with handwriting and OCR features.
• Translation Apps – Necessary for navigating signs, menus, and conversations (Google Translate, Baidu Translate).
• Banking Apps – Used for managing finances and online transactions, varies by bank.
• Tax Apps – Required for filing tax returns and checking deductions, varies by region.
• VPN (Astrill) – The most reliable VPN for accessing Western websites and apps.
• Fliggy – A flight and hotel booking platform widely used in China.

📌 Download the cheat sheet here: Click here

📹 Watch here: YouTube Link

Five Ways to Find an English Teaching Job

For those looking to teach English, there are several ways to find a job:

1. Recruiters – Platforms like TeachAway and Footprints connect teachers with schools.
2. Dave’s ESL Café – A popular job board with discussions from experienced teachers.
3. Wikipedia Research – Search for universities or schools in your target city and check their websites for job openings.
4. Networking – Friends or family might have connections.
5. Going in person – Traveling to the country, exploring schools, and applying directly.

📹 Watch here: YouTube Link

First Impressions of Teaching in China (Again)

Returning to the classroom raises new questions about AI and education. While students are told not to rely on AI for their work, schools and administrators are using the same technology for efficiency.

Should AI be banned or integrated into lessons? This video looks at how technology is shaping and affecting the modern ESL classroom.

📹 Watch here: YouTube Link

A Canticle for Leibowitz

This post-apocalyptic novel tells the story of a world rebuilding after a nuclear holocaust, where monks preserve knowledge in Latin.

I originally read this book in high school and it stood out to me for its use of the Latin language to preserve humanity's knowledge base. It makes me wonder: which languages WOULD survive in a post-apocalyptic world?

📹 Watch here: YouTube Link

Riding to School

Taking a look at my daily commute to university in Changping, Beijing using Alipay’s HelloBike. This video captures what the ride looks like, particularly the apparently very expensive houses that reside within the red walls of the Rose Garden villa compound.

The video ends with a look inside the campus and a typical university classroom in China.

📹 Watch here: YouTube Link

Snow in Beijing? In March?

Beijing doesn’t usually get a lot of snow in general these days, but to see it in the middle of March?! Wow. Standing outside of HuJiaLou Station, I managed to capture a look at this rather rare event on Saturday, which just so happened to be the Ides of March.

Funnily enough, after years in Beijing, it becomes easier to tell the difference between smog and real weather changes. But snow like this? New to me.

📹 Watch here: YouTube Link

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For language learning support, contact stevenslanguagechannel@gmail.com.

Best,

Steve