Biking for Beginners 8 tips from a former NOOB

Just a little over a year ago, I had just visited the hospital (for reasons we shall not discuss here). Long story short, the doctor told me I “needed more exercise.” I needed to do something, but the big question was: what?
One of my friends in Xi’an suggested biking, so I started riding in February of 2021. Just over a year later, I have lost more than 10kg, have completed dozens of 100km+ rides, and have conquered steep climbs around Xi’an. Just this past April, I rode my 7,000th kilometer and 45,000th meter of elevation (that’s more than 5 Mount Everests!). So how did this happen?

A Bike Ride for Beginners Qinzhen Mipi

The weather is getting warmer, the trees are starting to turn the city green again, and the cherry blossoms will be blooming soon. After a long lockdown, there is no better time to get out of the city and smell the flowers. Or, better yet, eat some fresh noodles!.
But if you are like me and became “well-rounded” during lockdown (and I’m not talking about upskilling), ingesting a carb bomb might not be your first choice. However, physical activity will cancel out any carbs. As such, I recommend an easy beginner-level bike ride for those looking for something different.
Qinzhen offers the perfect escape from the city: about 25-30km (depending on your route) of flat, paved roads from the city center and mostly with bike lanes. At your destination awaits rice noodles. But don’t let this humble dish fool you – this is no ordinary fare even by Xi’an standards – these rice noodles have a history as long as the city of Xi’an itself!

Finding Help Should be Easier:MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN CHINA

Good mental health helps us to effectively deal with stress, made good decisions, and relate positively to others. It can be as simple as a better night’s sleep, or it can be more complicated.
However, mental health is too frequently neglected, at least in part because it is often difficult to discuss openly. The reasons for this are many, including the shame and fear of being labelled “if I’m seen getting help” (stigma), a feeling that “nothing will help me” (hopelessness), or thinking “my problem isn’t that bad” (downplay/denial).

Studying Abroad for an Undergraduate Degree: an insider perspective and tips from a college counselor

Are you a Chinese student who wants to study abroad for an undergraduate degree? Or perhaps you are a foreign teacher in Xi’an who has students looking to study abroad? Or perhaps you are a family with a third-culture child who you want to send to abroad for school? No matter who you are, I hope you find something useful in this article.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Well, the answer lies in the simple fact that if your team works well together, everything – both work stuff AND life stuff (having time to enjoy with your family?)- becomes easier. When it is easier to reach your professional goals, your personal goals should become easier to reach too. There are some key differences between teams in different cultures, and we will save intercultural communication for a future article. Here, we are going to talk about the problems that ALL teams have (to some degree), including YOUR team.

Rural Murals: Country Art on the Way to Lantian

In China, it is inevitable that, at some point, you will find yourself taking the “scenic” route. In this case, we were cycling with some SHIT (Shaanxi Hills International Team) enthusiasts to Zhu Guo Si (祝国寺) along the national road (国道) 210 and couldn’t help but admire the many hundreds of murals along the way (a huge shout out to Marcus and Zerary who waited for all of these photos).
While fresh air came in puffs (punctuated with the odor of manure), we wound our way through villages. There are a wide variety of political slogans, some of which you may recognize around Xi’an. We have even provided pinyin and English translations, in the event you develop a case of culturally-appropriated patriotism.