After embarking on ten trips to China in 2012, we thought we would share some tips on how we easily communicate back to the U.S. from China. The ability to Skype, get email, and even Facebook, can make the difference between being productive and in touch and feeling homesick. We utilize a combination of hardware and software/apps to make sure that we are always in touch with each other, our clients and our girls at all times when traveling in China.

Hazz Design China Communication Tools

  • China Cell Phone – we keep a dedicated China cell phone with rechargeable minutes. Our contact in China charges it for us just before we arrive or whenever minutes run low and it is billed directly to our credit card. Ours also has a special discount number to dial before the U.S. phone number for the lowest rates. We use this phone more to communicate within China and to text than for data or calls so a few hundred RMB can last a couple of trips.
  • iPad SIM Card – We use a 3G iPad and swap the SIM card to a China-purchased SIM when we arrive. Typically the SIM has a apecific allocation of GB and is good for 60-90 days depending on the carrier. Whenever one runs out, our contact in China recharges it for us.
  • Apple Airport Express – as mentioned before in Pack Right, there are many hotels that don’t have WiFi or have very weak signals at certain locations. Plugging the Ethernet cable into the $99 device keeps you from being tied to the desk when you want to work in bed and can in some cases boost the WiFi signal to your room.
  • VPN – This is absolutely essential to get access to blocked sites from anywhere in the world or if you want to keep secure through an encrypted site. You can keep up on Facebook and Linkedin. There are several companies that provide this service, but we use 12VPN.com because they have a reasonable annual rate of $80 and it has been very reliable and frequently updated. You go to the website, buy it and follow the directions to install the software on all your devices (even across platforms). Then when you start up your computer or want to go to Facebook, you just turn the VPN on first.

We have helped our teenager with homework while driving between factories and convinced a toddler to stop her tirade and go to bed from our iPad using the China SIM, Skype and the VPN.  With a few simple communication tools, traveling to China doesn’t have to make you feel like you are out of touch in any way.