New Hobbies and Things to Do in China

One of the great benefits of being an English teacher with English 1 is that your job comes with regular days off, annual leave, and national holidays to explore. These free days provide the perfect opportunity to take up new hobbies and discover exciting things to do in China.

Not only will this make your stay in China more enjoyable and memorable, but it will also increase your chances of meeting local people who share your interests and having meaningful interactions with them. Plus, learning a new skill gives you something unique to show off to friends and family back home!

One obvious skill you can pick up while in China is the Chinese language. There’s no better or faster way to learn a language than by being completely immersed in it—so why not take full advantage of that while you're here? Learning Chinese may seem daunting and even impossible at first, particularly when faced with its complex characters and tones. However, the good news is that Chinese grammar is relatively straightforward.

As you may already know, studying a new language is excellent for the brain. Research has shown that while English language perception primarily uses the left side of the brain, processing Chinese also requires the right temporal lobe—most likely to differentiate tones. Furthermore, the act of writing Chinese characters activates neural activity in the brain’s spatial memory. In general, learning a new language has also been shown to delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. An added bonus? Studying a new language can actually make you a better English teacher. When you think about it, that’s a lot to gain—and very little to lose.

So, how and where can you begin learning Chinese? In larger cities, there are many Mandarin schools specifically for foreigners. You’ll also find students or professionals who offer one-to-one tutoring at affordable rates. Depending on where you live, you may even meet people from other countries who are happy to teach you other languages. For instance, I had a Japanese friend in Shanghai who tutored me in Japanese for a time.

Aside from learning new languages, there are hundreds of other things to do in China. As China’s economy continues to develop, there is a growing trend and interest in do-it-yourself classes. Many cities are seeing a rise in small private studios offering affordable sessions in pottery, baking, oil painting, flower arranging, and more. Ask your local friends for recommendations—or simply visit www.dianping.com (China’s equivalent of Groupon), select your city, and type in “DIY” to explore what’s available.

Virtual online classes are also becoming increasingly popular. Many shops on Taobao and WeChat now sell pre-packaged materials along with instructions for various handicrafts, including leatherwork, doll-making, bags, clothing, and more. Most of these instructions are in Chinese, making it the perfect opportunity to partner with a local friend for some language and cultural exchange while learning a new skill.

Good luck, and enjoy discovering new hobbies in China!

There’s always something new to try here—from extreme sports to the relaxing art of calligraphy. If you’re ready to start a new adventure, apply now. And if you’d like to learn more about activities in China, check out our teacher events page.