It was in China, that Dutch-American Elisabeth Koch finally got an opportunity to pursue her dream of being a successful milliner. "Wearing a hat is often seen as an icebreaker. Not only do you get a lot of compliments, but also attention as you would find more people wanting to talk to you," she says. [Read more]

Kari Kveseth, Norwegian, is her country's first counselor for science in China, acting as a bridge builder between sciences of Norway and China. She cooperates with ministries in both countries as well as with other agencies and institutions of science and higher education in China. [Read more]

Ines Brunn, German, runs a fix-gear bicycle shop in Beijing, in which customers can design the main items, picks the colors and parts. "What we can do at the very least is to get people to look at a bicycle, hop on and try it for themselves." [Read more] 

Ola Zdazrska, from Poland, landed in Beijing five years ago and operates Fishbowl club, a speed-dating business. "There are plenty of fish in the sea, especially in Beijing. The biggest difference in Beijing compared to other cities in Europe is that more women speed date than men. Chinese men are too shy," she says. [Read more] 

Li-Lian Ahlskog-Hou, Swedish, is studying for her master's degree in Beijing. "I feel there are some culture-related things I understand more than the average foreigner here, but I don't really get a sense of national pride for China," she says.  [Read more] 

 Caroline Watson is Hong Kong-born British and has a vision of helping the many migrant women relocating to Beijing. Watson set up a free acting workshop called Hua Dan, which is China's first nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering migrant women through acting. [Read more]

Beijing Cervantes Institute director Inma Gonzalez Puy wants more Chinese people to understand Spanish and appreciate her native culture. In 2006, the Spanish government founded the Institute. "Learning Spanish helps students find a more satisfactory job," she says. [Read more] 

University lecturer Alicia Noel finds dragon boat racing as a good way to connect with local culture. Noel has been part of the Beijing International Dragon Boat Team for three years and has traveled to various parts of China to compete. [Read more]

Lexie Morris, Briton, 25. The Cambridge graduate now runs a cupcakes shop in Beijing, the place provides her with a source of inspiration somehow lacking elsewhere. It's a real boiling pot of ideas. [Read more] 

Isabel Branch, Briton, senior instructor at a Tianjin Polo club. Used to be a teenage champion at the Cowdray Park Polo Club, one of the leading polo venues in the UK. Branch likes to bring the game down to earth a little and show Chinese how to enjoy polo by teaching Chinese youngsters how to play the "royal game". [Read more] 

When you deal with Charlotte MacInnis you get two cultures for the price of one. MacInnis lives a hybrid existence in which one minute she can be Chinese and the next minute American, having been born in Michigan but spending almost two-thirds of her 30 years in China. [Read more]