Mad About Shanghai

An Article to Share: A Hundred Apps Bloom in China as Millions Bank on Their Phones

China has really come a long way in terms of digital.

Because of banking red tapes, high level of fraud / cyber crimes and differing consumption patterns in provinces and areas to name a few, as early as ten years ago,  many spectators around the world have speculated that digital and ecommerce would never succeed in China.

Today, digital is very much part of the everyday lives of the metropolitan Chinese. They have progress with such speed that despite such a big territory and customer base they have put to shame my more advanced countries.

Gone are the copy cat days of old. They are showing the world how to do it.

I share with you one article from Bloomberg:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-19/wechat-baidu-and-alibaba-help-chinese-embrace-digital-banking

Universities in China : Peking University

Peking University or "Beida" or 北大 is one of the oldest and finest universities in China.

Established in 1898, in addition to rich traditions, the university is known for their blend of traditional architecture with modern infrastructure.

My friend, J, who moved to Beijing some time back, and unofficially my "Beijing correspondence" contributed these photos:

F1 Chinese Grand Prix (10-12 April 2015) - Race Day

 

 

 

 

Photos from Mercedes Benz.

Shanghai TEFL 2014: Overcoming Obstacles through Better Teaching

On October 25, 2014, ELS Language Center Shanghai will be hosting an all-day event of presentations, workshops, and panel discussions for Shanghai's English-language educational community.

Shanghai does not have many opportunities for teachers to share their expertise and develop within their profession. This event will give the community of professional English educators a chance to meet others within the field and enhance their awareness of the current state of teaching English as a foreign language in China.

At TEFL Shanghai 2014, they hope to provide a forum for second language educators to gain insight into the challenges Chinese learners face and ways to overcome these obstacles. We will discuss ways to negotiate the pitfalls common in the English as a Foreign Language classroom, as well as how to incorporate new strategies and materials into lessons.

They are currently seeking presenters for the following:

Poster Presentations

Posters should be around 60 x 90 cm and present information on one aspect of English teaching and/or second language acquisition. Font size should be no smaller than 24 point and posters should be easily readable from the distance of one meter. Posters should include visuals, such as charts, graphs, pictures, and illustrations. Presenters are expected to not only submit their work, but also to be available during conference break times to answer questions and engage in informal conversations about their posters.

To submit a poster, please fill out an application form. In addition, attach a short summary (100 – 150 words) describing the information you wish to present.

Workshops

Workshops should be related to teaching strategies and resources. Topics could include teaching certain skills, like reading, writing, pronunciation, or grammar. They could also concentrate on integrating specific teaching methodologies like participatory language teaching or project-based learning. In addition, workshops could focus on how to adapt various materials, such as electronic media or music to the classroom. The workshop should include audience participation and discussion. Tasks should be designed to encourage participants to actively engage in activities and increase their awareness of the subject matter through collaboration. Workshops will last for 45 minutes.

To submit a proposal, please fill out an application form. In addition, attach a brief plan for the workshop. The plan should be at least 300 words and include objectives, a summary of the topic, and a brief outline of how the time will be used.

Papers

Papers should center on an issue related to second language education or acquisition. Topics could include a summary of an important issue in the field of TEFL, analyses of data, or research findings. At the conference, a 20-30 minute summary of the paper will be presented along with a question and answer session.

Proposals received by September 15th will receive priority consideration. 

Would you like to find out more or volunteer to help ?

There will be hosting an information session and for those interested in attending, volunteering, or presenting. The event will take place on Thursday, August 21st from 7-9 pm at the ELS Language Center on Anfu Rd. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

Please RSVP by sending and email to [email protected].

Asia's Top Cities For Real Estate

Happy New Year!

Here is the first blog post of 2014 if you fancy investing in property in Shanghai.

Heavy Pollution in Shanghai

The pollution index shot through the roof yesterday ：

Air Pollution in China

It's only a matter of time. Unhealthy air levels in main cities in China.

Look at this.

Top 10 Most Desirable Countries For Expats

I saw his on The Straits Times, the main English newspaper in Singapore.

Accrording to this survey from 7000 respondents, China is the most desirable country for expats beating even Germany.

Different people have dfferent reasons for picking certain countries as their No.1.

These are the reasons why I would pick China :

Pro business climate : The Chinese are the most entrepreneurial and business driven people in the world

Market size : Most populous country in the world

Good testing ground : Still many new markets to try out new marketing concepts and business strategies

Talent Pool : There are plenty of smart people you can hire or work with in China and work with them.

Diversity : One country, many cultures

Costs : You are still able to run a business at low costs and yet have access to a huge market. Like what s businessman said before "One fifth the costs, five times the market"

Learning experience: Lots of ideas and concepts you can learn and bring back to the western world

Lunar New Year Fireworks 2013

Let the fireworks begin!

In celebration of the Lunar New Year, especially during the countdown, one can hear the sound of  fireworks cooking off for hours even in the suburban areas. Yes, this is how the Chinese like to celebrate.

Some of these fireworks are improvised and homemade too.

(Photos from Regine)

The City Brand Rankings

I share with you this chart from OglivyPR and PublicAffairsAsia.

Apparently, the two organisations polled a pool of respondents to rank 16 Asian cities in terms of their positive brand attributes. Respondents were asked questions on transport, infrastructure, political stability, crime rate, economic growth, culture, environment, sanitation and healthcare, amongst others to derive the ranking.

Shanghai actually topped Seoul and Osaka in this survey.

Any thoughts on this ranking? Do you agree? I wonder why Taipei is excluded.

Survey chart by: OglivyPR and PublicAffairsAsia