Limitless Laowai Expat Life, Business Strategy, Personal Development & Cultural Adjustment In China | Learn Chinese

Train them while they're young! Can you imagine host Ally's sweet 10-week-old Margie Rose armed with a Press Pass...? Well, she totally rocked it—while strapped to her mama—so that Limitless could capture insightful sound bites from vendors, attendees, panelists and organizers of the second annual Community Center Shanghai Forum for Expat Service Providers. Tune in to hear about a couple of the big challenges facing expats and what's being done about them. // Send your comments, questions and suggests to ally@limitlesslaowai.com. // An extra big thanks to our producer Tim Schaufert for compiling these sound bites into one awesome show. You rock, buddy! Want to tell him yourself? Email tim@limitlesslaowai.com.

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night gripped by fear? What about your move to China… were there or are there any facets of the transition that unnerve you? In this week’s wrap up Pete puts on his therapist’s hat and coaches Ally through some of the unanticipated, and unwelcome fears that have been cropping up in her life. It’s rare for Limitless to focus solely on the topic of fear but we figure, if we’re experiencing some of these unsettling emotions, maybe some of you are too, and it’s worth diving into and uncovering some resources that maybe we don’t realize are closer and more accessible than we think. // Send questions, comments and anything else to ally@limitlesslaowai.com or pete@limitlesslaowai.com.

Three years after their move to China, 12-year-old Kaylie and 14-year-old Alexia are so settled in their life here, that they can hardly imagine going back home. While capturing their take on life abroad, we chatted about everything. Tune in to hear more on travel opportunities, school friendships and workload, what it means to be a third culture kid, the chances to foster a globally-minded empathy and what has caused them such tremendous personal growth throughout the years. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

Twenty years ago, China wasn't the China we know today. Just ask'serial' entrepreneur Sam Goodman! Author of "Where East Eats West:The Street Smarts Guide to Business in China", Sam is no rookiewhen it comes understanding China's entrepreneur scene. In fact, hehas successfully navigated the ebbs and flows of buildingbusinesses across multiple industries for over 20 years and in thisinterview with Limitless host, Pete Rogers, he shares the corevalues that have allowed him to achieve impact in all of theseareas. Want a primer on the business culture of China? Stick aroundto hear about it from a guy who knows. // Connect with Sam onLinkedIn. //A special thanks to this episode's sponsors, ConcordiaInternational School Shanghai; discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org, and China BusinessCast. Subscribe at www.chinabusinesscast.com.

Six-year-old Abi and big brother, eight-year-old Joe, never imagined moving to China from England. Yet, while Ally was interviewing them in their living room, she would have never guessed that less than one year ago their family was finishing up a school year and preparing for their first overseas adventure. What did they think China would be like? How close were their preconceived notions to their new reality? What was it like to transition to a different school? Tune in to hear their take on life abroad. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

Pete and Ally are back this week with another weekly wrap up. Hear what Pete’s been up to during his two weeks away, some of his favorite interviews so far and what’s coming down the pipeline for him. Also, Ally shares some recent stats, the two series they just launched and the impact they’re already having around the globe. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org // Send your questions, comments and anything else to ally@limitlesslaowai.com or pete@limitlesslaowai.com.

Physical, mental and emotional health are critical for a balanced life abroad. Ally's guest on this show, Laurie Grey, assumes you all know the apparent obstacles like pollution, food sources, etc. But in her year in China, Laurie has identified a couple of surprising, hidden challenges that jeopardize our well-being. What are they and how can you tackle them? Tune in to find out! // Connect with Laurie on wechat @lauriebgrey. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org. // Suggest a topic, send your comments, submit your questions to ally@limitlesslaowai.com.

Most TCK, or, Third Culture Kids, can't quite put a finger on exactly what that term means. But not so with 10-year-old Isabelle Kristensson. Born of European parents, Isabelle spent a couple of years in Shanghai a few years back, then moved to California. She loved her school, the community and life in America, but not long after their move she longed for another overseas adventure and jumped at the chance to move back to Shanghai. What is it about expat life that has her coming back for more, and how is it that she feel so at home wherever life as a TCK takes her? Tune in to find out! // Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

It's undeniable that life overseas can be hectic. There are many small, daily challenges in the adjustment process and beyond that add up and keep us more worn out than many would like to admit or even realize. Ally's guest Jill Burns, owner of Shanghai Fitness 443 and registered dietician, argues that our overall well-being hangs in the balance of our physical, emotional and spiritual health; when one leg crumbles, it's not uncommon for the other two to come crashing down as well. Why are these important to upkeep as a whole, how to do we prioritize them in our lives, and where can we go for help? Tune in to find out. // Connect with Jill by email at shanghaifitness443@yahoo.com // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

Expat life affects every member of the family—from those of us required to make all the tough decisions, to those who simply come along for the wild ride. Hear what life is like in China from two five year olds, Brie who was born in Shanghai, and Khloe who moved overseas at the ripe age of one. Ally took them aside while the girls' families were playing on a playground last week to get their take on life abroad. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

American brothers Will and Mark Ingram, their younger sister Dagny and of course mom and dad have been living in Shanghai for four years. Will who is 14 loves sports, his school and his friends. 11-year-old Mark does too, but he lights up when he talks about the performing arts. This week, I had the privilege to sit with Will and Mark in their living room. Both boys were polite, cheerful and excited to share their China journey with you. Stick around to find out how they adjusted to life in China, what they love and don’t love about living here and what words of wisdom they can share for those of you looking to hear a kid’s take on life abroad. // A special thanks to this episode’s sponsor Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

What can you learn from a man who has met three presidents of the US, a king, and an emperor and has impacted over one million people with his seminars? Plenty! Limitless co-host Pete Rogers traveled to Hong Kong to sit down with Robert White, who frankly, is an extraordinary man. In this interview, Pete and Robert explore what it means to truly pay attention to your life, getting out of a victim mentality, the importance of intention and why investing in yourself should be your highest priority, even when you're busy. // For more on Robert, visit www.extraordinarypeople.com. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

Not unlike other nations, China's largest cities are categorized in tiers. Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou among others are considered first tier and are presumably the easiest for laowai like us to acclimate to. But what about 2nd and 3rd tier? What challenges do expats face there and what resources are available to help? Stick around with relo expert, Adam McWhirter to find out. // Connect with Adam at a.mcwhirter@maxxelli.net. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.com.

It's not always easy to be on the tenancy side of a rental deal in China. Oftentimes, foreigners and their landlords feel differently about the other's share of responsibility. In this episode, relo expert, Adam McWhirter shares what you should and shouldn't ask of your landlord before and after you sign on the dotted line. Whether you're working with a management company to help or navigating this complicated relationship alone, this episode has great tips for tenancy management. // Connect with Adam at a.mcwhirter@maxxelli.net. // A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.com.

Most Chinese learners fly right by the basics of greetings and introduction but they’re important to master. If you don’t know the difference between 你贵姓 and 你叫什么名字 or if you’ve never heard those phrases before, this show is for you. Also, if you think there’s a proper way to say ‘good afternoon’ or ‘good evening’ in Chinese, tune in and you may be surprised. // A special thanks to this show's sponsor Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org. Hello 你好How are you? 你好吗？I’m great, you? 很好，你呢？Long time no see 好久不见What’s your last name? 你贵姓?My last name is…我姓…What’s your name? 你叫什么名字？My name is… 我叫…Where are you from? 你是哪国人？Where are you from? 你是哪国家的(人)?I’m from… 我是… 人。Good morning. 早上好Goodbye 再见／拜拜  

If your students or children are into the performing arts at any level, then this interview is for you. I spoke with Carol Quinn, a mom in Shenzhen and enthusiastic supporter of the Beauville Arts program in Hong Kong. In this spotlight interview, you'll hear details on the week-long program itself, the transformation the kids go through to put on a professional performance in just six days and which type of child would really thrive in the Beauville environment. Enjoy the show! // Connect with Carol by phone 15818522145 or on Wechat. Find more online at  www.beauvillearts.com.hk and connect with the Project Director, Dicky Tong on Wechat at TongDicky. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

Inevitably, life in China as an expat changes you. No matter which stage of the expat journey you're in, this heart-felt interview with Ruth Stevenson will speak to you. If you're brand new and still reeling from the shock of the move, her recount of the first few months may hit home. Conversely you may be feeling well-adjusted to life abroad or even closing out your time here, yet hearing Ruth's story of her first China expat experience, her repatriation home to the US, and adjusting to her second time in China will undoubtedly help you reflect on your time as a China expat and how you've changed. // For more, check out www.limitlesslaowai.com/ruthstevenson and connect with Ruth on wechat search R. Stevenson. // A special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Concordia International School Shanghai. Learn more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

This week we talk about two important things. The first is a month-long calendar of awesome, free events designed to help you be physically, mentally and emotionally well while living in Shanghai. And secondly, we remember an expat mama who passed away this week on Monday, April 4, 2016. / / Connect with Ally by email at ally@limitlesslaowai.com. A special thanks to this episode's sponsor Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

Have you ever heard the term Hybrid-Chinese? Ally hadn't until she met Jill Tang, the founder of CareerXFactor, a job search platform for returning Chinese. According to Jill the Hybrid-Chinese, are Chinese who were born and grew up in China and then went overseas for education or work for a long enough that to completely change their way of thinking, their values and even culture. It sounds a lot like what expats experience when they move to China and then go home and discover that not only has their home changed, people have moved on, but also they've changed as well. What is the competitive advantage of these returning Hybrid-Chinese? And what are their shortcomings? How does local HR treat this subset of Chinese? Tune in to find out. / / Connect with Jill at www.careerxfactor.com or by email at jill.tang@careerxfactor.com. A special thanks to this episode's sponsor Concordia International School Shanghai. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org.

Learn the art of stress-free living. I mean, really, who doesn't need that! In this show, my guest Cyrille Jegu teaches us the Getting Things Done method of being meaningfully engaged with whatever you do. GTD Founder, David Allen, says "Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them" so get your pen and paper ready because Cyrille take a deep dive, and I mean deep, into how we need to capture, clarify, organize, reflect and engage every bit of info that comes our way. // For more, check out www.limitlesslaowai.com/gtd. Connect with Cyrille by email at cyrillejegu@me.com. And a special thanks to this episode's sponsors Concordia International School Shanghai and China Business Cast. Discover more at www.concordiashanghai.org and www.chinabusinesscast.com.