Summer is a time for vacations, barbeques with friends, and enjoying the sunshine outdoors. Another thing that summer is known for is free time. Kids are out of school, teachers get a long break, and there are long stretches where there is little to do. And while you can fill your time with the activities above, you can also use your free time for volunteer work. While there are many ways to give back to society, one of the best ways to make an impact is volunteering with non-profit organizations that often have more to do than they can do alone. Anything can be done, from using your professional teaching or technical skills or even just lending a hand with distribution or chopping vegetables. All it really takes is a willing heart and an open mind to start making the world around you a slightly better place to live. If you are looking for a place to volunteer, below we have listed some of the charities that are operate in Xi’an.

While cities are nice, with all the cafes, restaurants, and shopping malls you might desire, during the summer months, the city becomes a bit unbearable due to the heat, mugginess, and general lack of patience that comes with it. What you need sometimes is an escape. Luckily, the mountains surrounding the city offer a variety of refuges, from camping sites to hiking trails, mountain inns and mountain springs. While getting out can be a bit difficult without transportation, it is possible.

has become a massive marketing opportunity for those with products to sell. There are thousands upon thousands of different WeChat shops that sell everything from imported foods to electronics and more. This has also provided an avenue for smaller foreign-run businesses to promote their goods to a wider audience across China.

So you’ve found out that you’re having a baby. What do you do next?
This question can be a difficult one, even when a language barrier is not present, but when living in a country that is not your home country, it can seem like an insurmountable task to prepare for the birth of your little one.
There is plenty of advice out there about what you should do, much of it conflicting, so we are for the most part going to steer clear of all the little tidbits of wisdom that are often passed around and focus instead on the major steps and where you can get them done.

The law in any country can be difficult to understand, so it’s not unusual that people who are living and working in China are often unaware of the benefits that they are entitled to while working here. This is especially true for foreigners, as there are fewer resources to let them know the exact laws and how they are applied. This is often compounded by the fact that some unscrupulous companies deliberately hide some of this information from their employees so that they will have fewer out of pocket expenses.
However, as foreign employees, those working in China are required to abide by the same laws and are also entitled to most of the benefits of their Chinese counterparts (there are some exceptions, such as National Health Insurance, etc.). So, we’ve put together a rundown of some of the benefits that you, as an employee working legally in China, are entitled to.
NOTE: We are not lawyers, and cannot speak to the actual application and interpretation of the law. If you are seeking advice on legal matters or similar issues, contact a lawyer.