Recorded Sunday November 26, 2023
On this episode, I have fellow expat Alyssa Brown joining me to talk about her life here in China and some of the things that she’s learned over the past few years, particularly as she is about to celebrate her fifth anniversary in the country.
Alyssa is an English teacher and a small business owner here in Beijing. She is the owner of Brownie Bites, a business she runs in her spare time when she’s not teaching. She is known for her baked goods, many of which you can’t find very easily here in the country. In this episode we talk a little bit about what it’s been like to run a business while working a full time job, and some of the things she’s learned from the experience, and what she’s learned about China, the language and the people in her time here.
Find Alyssa through the “Sweet Cravings” WeChat group!
Timestamps:
0:00 – Expat life in China, baking, and language learning.
4:05 – Baking, grandmothers, and cultural influences.
8:32 – Chinese food and cultural differences between China and the US.
14:19 – Beijing food and language learning experiences.
19:39 – Learning Chinese language and culture.
30:37 – Living in different parts of Beijing and job history during the pandemic.
35:16 – Teaching, living in Beijing, and job transitions during the pandemic.
40:10 – Life as an expat in Beijing, China.
43:45 – Adopting pets, pandemic experiences.
51:13 – Pandemic’s impact on education and baking business.
57:54 – Pet adoption and expat life in China.
1:03:19 – Moving to Spain or Italy, visa difficulties for Chinese people.
1:07:41 – Traveling to the UK and China.
1:09:35 – Traveling in China, cultural experiences, and food.
1:13:26 – Travel plans and preferences in China.
1:17:12 – Traveling in China, including visa requirements and recommended destinations.
1:25:37 – Family sizes, moving away, and cultural immersion.
1:28:52 – Teaching, family, and career paths.
1:33:02 – Education, career choices, and entrepreneurship in China.
1:39:19 – Chinese desserts and baking limitations.
1:44:29 – Baking and Starbucks in China.
1:48:44 – Baking, fitness, and mindful eating.
1:54:37 – Baking and running a business in China.
2:01:10 – Baking and starting a private group.