Both me and Lydia are language teachers working in New Zealand. These videos are designed for people interested in Chinese and English language, or both, and New Zealand or China. 

In this video Lydia tells us about her travel and food plans this year while she is here in the country. This is a deeper dive into New Zealand stuff than usual. If you have visited any of these places before, or tried any of this food, leave a comment and let us know what it was like. 

01:00 North Island places she wants to visit

07:10 South Island places she wants to visit

13:26 What she wants to do

27:43 Food she wants to eat

Does a young attractive teacher actually help you learn faster? I get Lydia's thoughts on this question.. and I give my own two cents. Both me and Lydia are language teachers working from New Zealand.

Special thanks goes to ChatGPT for translating Chinese captions.

Lydia arrived in New Zealand only a few months ago and works as a Chinese teacher here. We sat down to talk about some of her first impressions and thoughts being here so far. 

00:00 Introduction

00:36 Lydia’s self introduction

01:16 What she knew before coming to NZ

03:42 Friends and family thoughts about going NZ

10:11 First Impressions in NZ

17:01 Dealing with NZ food

18:39 The bad stuff shopping and busses

23:36 What she wish she brought from China

27:39 What does she miss

00:00 Introduction

01:23 Why working holiday?

02:43 Why New Zealand?

04:55 Is New Zealand as she imagined? 

06:25 What are the negatives?

09:53 Do you need a car?

11:53 Saving money and work conditions

14:51 Would Andrea want to live here?

16:00 Language/English in New Zealand

Xiao Wen is an experienced Chinese ethnic and folk dance teacher in Beijing. She joins me in this video to discuss language learning, teaching dance online during covid, and life in Beijing. 

00:00 Introduction

02:06 Xiao Wen’s language learning tips

07:20 Xiao Wen short introduction

09:39 Coca Cola chicken wings

14:46 Xiao Wen’s post-grad dance show

22:48 Difficulty teaching dance online

30:13 Chinese ethnic and folk dance

34:01 Bossy Chinese parents

This Chinese English bilingual conversation with Elaine is all about movie stuff.. check the time stamps below for topics etc.

00:00 Do you research before watching films?

01:31 The Barbie movie

04:22 The Barbie doll

06:29 Are you a Marvel fan?

09:21 Favourite Marvel film/character?

10:36 Where do you sit at the cinema?

11:13 What do you eat at the cinema?

12:21 VIP Movie theatres in China

15:18 DC Marvel and easter eggs

18:34 Do you watch movies alone?

21:17 Elaine film recommendation

21:57 One Piece TV series

This bilingual Chinese and English chat with Elaine for language learners and bilinguals covers a lot of things to know before going to New Zealand to visit or travel.

00:00 Introduction

01:48 What does Elaine miss about China?

07:27 Lower your expectations

09:19 Primary school homework

14:36 What will Elaine miss about NZ?

21:15 What will Elaine do in her final weeks?

22:22 Anything she regrets not doing?

24:58 What should people prepare before coming Nz?

27:52 How important is English?

A few days late, but this Halloween bilingual Chinese English chat with Elaine for language learners covers the names of some common Halloween characters (and some new ones), some random questions, and some useful idioms. 

00:00 Introduction

02:47 Common Halloween characters

03:58 Newer Halloween characters 

06:23 Dating a Halloween character

07:46 Young vs old vampire

10:04 How do vampires find a drink 

13:45 Stuck in an elevator question 

15:24 Halloween idioms

15:46 “as white as a ghost”

17:00 “ghost town”

18:33 “working the graveyard shift”

19:15 “dig your own grave”

21:11 “night owl”

21:50 “over my dead body”

23:03 “as blind as a bat”

This is a bilingual Chinese and English chat with Elaine about what we do in the mornings and whether or not they’re different. Join us if you’re learning English or Mandarin or both.. or just interested in China or New Zealand or morning coffees or chatting or languages.

00:00 Introduction

02:07 Pyjamas

04:10 Waking up

08:01 Beds, pillows, teddy bears

10:05 The 8-hour rule

11:08 Sleep apps

12:38 Sleeping in

13:30 Getting out of bed

14:39 First things first

16:39 Breakfast

17:07 Toast, spreads, Chinese food

19:35 Most important meal

20:27 Cereals

22:16 Eating on the run in China

22:46 Elaine’s breakfast style

24:48 Coffee coffee coffee