September, 2009

Last year China took a record from the US that it probably didn’t want to have- the unenviable tag of being the world’s largest Carbon Dioxide emitter. To be fair to China, the subsequent finger wagging it received from the West was largely unjustified. It has a vastly larger population that the US, a burgeoning industrial sector, and as I mentioned in a previous blog a rapidly car-driving society. Even with all this in mind, China emits a ‘mere’ 4 tonnes of CO2 per citizen per year compared with other OECD members whose average comes to about 11 tonnes.

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Thu 1 – Jia You China!

Today is China’s 60th anniversary and the show is set to be a big one. Most of the city in lockdown today, so avoid any hassles and watch the biggest show of the decade unfold from the comfort of your lounge room. Tune into CCTV1 to watch the celebrations. Festivities start from 7am.
Don’t Forget: Do all of your grocery shopping on Wed as all shops and supermarkets will be closed on Thu.

Fri 2 – ClubFootball Fun

If your kids think there’s nothing to do during the Oct holiday, think again! ClubFootball will be running soccer programs everyday until Oct 7. Coaching program will be running at run at over 20 locations in Beijing and Tianjin for boys and girls of all levels ages 4-18. As always, courses are taught by ClubFootball’s UK English FA-qualified coaching staff. For details call 5130 6893/4/5/6, e-mail coaching3@wanguoqunxing.com, or visit www.wanguoqunxing.com/cms8/modules.php?name=J
Don’t Forget: ClubFootball programs will be running throughout the Oct holidays, so there’s no reason to miss out!

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In probably the weirdest and funniest story I’ve read this year, police in Staffordshire, England are investing the case of a garden that was ‘stolen’ whilst the family was on holiday in Lanzarote. The couple told their neighbours that they would be emigrating, and would be putting their house on the market before heading abroad. When they returned:

‘They found that the shed, the garden path, the rockery, the pot plants and the hanging baskets had all disappeared. Even the flowers had been dug up. The cultivated space behind their house had been transformed into a bare yard of earth and grass’

Funnily enough,

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The Great Wall hah. After living in Beijing for two years I thought I was familiar with the cities most famous landmark. I’ve been myself, with my family and with a veritable mob of other relations and friends. Now, whilst I normally go to Mutianyu for a couple of reasons: 1) it’s quieter than Badaling 2) It’s got stunning views, and all renovated, and 3) It’s got that cool toboggan which you can zoom down pretending to be in the Olympics, with one of my best friends from home out in Beijing I thought we’d do something different.

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"Kids are like cats one day and dogs the next" (“猫一天，狗一天”) is a popular saying Chinese families use to explain the ups and downs of child rearing. This is especially true for teething toddlers who go from cheerful little cherubs one day to little wailing banshees the next as their chompers grow in.

Parents everywhere can attest to the sleepless nights and mental anguish a teething can cause – it’s one of those trials of child rearing that you never really anticipate until it’s there, screaming, kicking and writhing in your face.

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Don’t miss this week’s excellent events that are fun for the whole family. E-mail newsletter@beijing-kids.com to get each issue sent to your inbox. Check the beijingkids website for full event listings, www.beijing-kids.com.

Thursday September 24th – The Dinosaurs of Liaoning

Don’t miss the final installment of Bookworm’s Evolve series.Damien Leloup and Ludovic Blein from Yizhou Geological Park will introduce kids to the types of dinosaurs that roamed Beijing millions of years ago. Includes exhibits of real dinosaur bones, fossils, and a five-meter long replica of a Jinzhousaurus. RMB 50, RMB 30 (members). 2pm. The Bookworm, www.beijingbookworm.com

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An update of last week's post: Qing Feng Gong Yuan （庆风公园), the park along the Tonghui River at the intersection of Guo Mao and the Third Ring Road, has been completed (more or less). 

Check out Dan Edwards post on the beijinger website for some updated pics of how the finished park looks.

Beijing from above, confusing much? (Inside of Beijing Planning Museum)

As a geography student, urban planning consistently pops up during my degree course- it's a (surprisingly) interesting topic, involving big questions about where, why and how we want to live our lives. Which is why perhaps I was drawn to this blog on Chinasmack.com with the title 'Google Earth used by Chinese Netizens to discuss urban planning' in which the author claims that (shown by google earth images) Chinese cities, including Beijing, are chaotic and backward compared to even some African cities. As any family who've spent any time in Beijing knows, getting around this fair city can be very stressful, but is it all bad?

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Parades and traffic restrictions aren't the only things springing up because of the October 1st holiday. It seems that parks are too: the area around the Tonghui River just south of Jianwai Soho on the southeast Third Ring Road is getting a makeover in time for the 60th Anniversary celebration.

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Tomorrow (Friday, September 18) will see widespread disruptions to public transport and traffic, especially in southern Beijing including the CBD, as rehearsals continue for the October 1 National Day parade. Disruptions are likely to be all day and widespread as people prepare for the afternoon shutdowns.

As always, the full list of closures is highly convoluted, but the key points as published this morning in the Chinese-language Beijing Times are as follows:

Subway Line 1: The last train going east will leave Pingguoyuan at 3.00pm, and the last train going west will leave Sihuidong at 3.30pm. After this all stations between Sihuidong and Fuxingmen will be closed in both directions. Trains will continue to run between Fuxingmen and Pingguoyuan on the western side of the city.

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Don’t miss this week’s excellent events that are fun for the whole family. E-mail newsletter@beijing-kids.com to get each issue sent to your inbox. Check the beijingkids website for full event listings, www.beijing-kids.com. 

Thursday 17 September – Fish and Chip Night

It’s almost the end of the week – time to relax, unwind and de-stress. Enjoy the beautiful weather while its still here and take the kids to Houhai for a boat ride around the lake. Then walk to Fish Nation in Nanluogu Xiang and take part in a great British tradition: the fish and chip night. Fish Nation (6401 3249).   

Don’t Forget: Nanluogu Xiang can get a little crowded at night, making strollers hard to maneuver. Parents with little ones should opt for a baby sling instead.

Friday 18 September – Cats (of the musical kind)

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s multi-award-winning Broadway musical, Cats, arrives in Beijing tomorrow, Sep 19! Make sure you book your tickets today for a chance to hum along to your favorite songs. Suitable for kids ages 8 and over. Tickets start from RMB 280. Performing at the Beijing Exhibition Theater from Sep 19-27. For tickets, visit www.piao.com.cn.

Don’t Forget: Piao.com accepts international credit cards, and they deliver the tickets to your door for free the following day.

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Global Times (by way of Alibaba.com) has an article in English detailing the exhibitions and attractions at the New China Science and Technology Museum, opening this Sunday, September 20.

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An interesting discussion has been going on in the forums lately about the potential risks and misconceptions of getting diagnostic x-rays and routine ultrasounds when you're pregnant – Dr. Richard of myhealthbeijing.com sheds some light on some common concerns about the perceived risks of these procedures:

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Making your home in a foreign city like Beijing can be a daunting task. That’s why beijingkids magazine, the city's longest-running expat family publication, and the critically acclaimed Immersion Guides have teamed up to create the beijingkids Family Guide.

Tapping into the aggregate knowledge of hundreds of English-speaking families and expats, this one-of-a-kind guide is packed with information and advice parents can't afford to live without.

Consult these pages to:

• Help your children beat the relocation blues, thrive in school, embrace the China experience, and stay healthy;
• Find up-to-date listings of Beijing's most family-friendly hospitals, schools, stores, restaurants and more;
• Interview an ayi, order a banquet and chat at the playground using the Mandarin language chapter;
• Discover fun activities for kids of all ages, from sightseeing to sports, acting camps to cooking classes, and weekend retreats to China adventures.

Whether you're a newly arrived family searching for the right school, a first-time mom who can't find a birthing class, or a seasoned expat who'd run out of playtime options for the kids, you'll find the answers you seek in the beijingkids Family Guide.

Get the most out of family life in Beijing with this indispensable resource.

You can purchase a copy from any store that sells Immersion Guides. For locations, click here.

I read this lovely little article from Reuters and proceeded to make an internal eeewwwww-type noise. It turns out my shower is not making me as clean as I had hoped. If you're anything like me, the last time you cleaned the inside of your shower head was ... never, and that exactly where the problems start.

Here's a snippet:

An analysis of 50 showerheads from nine U.S. cities found that about 30 percent harbored high levels of Mycobacterium avium -- a group of bacteria that can cause lung infections when inhaled or swallowed. Researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder found the levels of Mycobacterium avium were 100 times higher than those found in typical household water.

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The new and improved China Science and Technology Museum, located in the Olympic Forest Park just north of the Bird's Nest, opens to the public this Sunday, September 20. This past weekend, the state-of-the-art facility with over 4 million square meters of exhibition space hosted a sneak preview for the media and the Beijing Youth Daily gives us a rundown of new attractions, including:

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Without wanting to create a ruckus, Dulwich International School sent a newsletter to parents recently warning of a single confirmed swine flu (H1N1) case at another unnamed international school. As a result the child and their class were placed under home quarantine.

Details are sparse, however there have been rumors that teachers returning from overseas vacations may also find themselves landing in quarantine. Word along the grapevine is that some schools may have to close down in response to the threat of an outbreak.

If you're worried or would simply like an update, we suggest you contact your child's school for more info.

Yesterday was Teacher's Day. Don't worry if you forgot, because you can make it up to your favorite teacher this Sunday 13th at the Westin's Bubbalicious Brunch. All teachers get 15% off!

Teachers: Please present your teacher’s ID card upon arrival.

When: Sep 13, 11:30am - 3:00pm
Where: Taste, 2/F, Westin Beijing Chaoyang, 1 Xinyuan Nanlu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新源南路1号朝阳威斯汀大酒店2层

If you're pregnant or thinking about having a baby, you'll want to read this article in the Baltimore Sun that discusses the current dilemma women in the States face about getting vaccinated against H1N1. A few excerpts below:

"Soon, doctors will have to convince expectant mothers and parents of babies and toddlers that even though they might not have gotten flu shots in the past, it is of the utmost importance to do so this year as H1N1 - a new and unpredictable virus - sweeps in with cooler weather."

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I love Chinglish. A lot.

In fact i'm not too proud to admit that much of my valuable revision time last year was spent on sites like www.engrish.com, giggling immaturely at accidently funny Chinese and Japanese-English translations. Which is why this current list of 'top ten' embarassing chinglish amuses me greatly, and I thought was well worth sharing:

1) Good good study, day day up (好好学习，天天向上)
Note: Study hard and make progress everyday

2) How are you? How old are you？(怎么是你？怎么老是你？)
Note: Why are you here? Why do I always meet you?

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Summer is drawing to a close, so make the most of the nice weather and check out this fun carnival. Did we mention it's absolutely choc-full of kid-friendly activities and attractions?

Date: Sun 13
Time: 10am-7pm
Price: FREE (excluding food and beverages)
Location: Chateau Regalia,  near the Wenyu River Beijing Airport Road, Shunyi
首都机场路近温榆河 (see below for map)

And what can you expect when you get there?

- Clowns
- Bouncing Castles
- House of Horrors
- Aqua-Fun, including paddle boats
- Miniature Train
- Pedal Horses
- Face-Painting
- Live Music
- BBQ, Sandwiches, Popcorn and Snacks

Thursday 10 September – An afternoon at Yuyuan Park

Take the kids for an afternoon stroll through the park. Lounge lakeside, hire a boat, or burn off some energy in the playgrounds. Check our the latest edition of beijingkids magazine for a full map and walking guide, or check out our website www.beijingkids.com.

 Don’t Forget: Bring some healthy snacks so the little ones don’t run out steam.

Friday 11 September – EVOLVE presentation David Lort Philips

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MyHealthBeijing is a new blog by Dr. Richard Saint Cyr, an American family medicine physician living and working in Beijing.

Check out his latest blog on air pollution, well worth reading.

Air Pollution: How Bad Is It, Really?

First, subjectively and objectively, the air is definitely better than it was compared to a year ago. We’ve had a lot of clear days this year! The government stats agree; “blue air days” with a PM10 rating in their safe range under 100 are the best in over 10 years. But let’s talk about how relevant that really is.

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The footy season is getting into full swing in the English Premier league, but here in Bejing things are just hotting up with the ClubFootball coaching programmes kicking off across the city this September.

"ClubFootball soccer coaching programmes run at 20+ locations in Beijing and Tianjin for boys and girls of all levels aged 4 to 18. Students who wish to join but haven't registered yet can email office@wanguoqunxing.com call 5130 6893/4/5/6. Held after school, at weekends and during holidays, courses are designed and delivered in a fun environment by ClubFootball’s UK English FA-qualified coaching staff. In addition to building a passion for football and developing on-the-pitch skills and knowledge, courses emphasize the principles of teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership. Above all, courses are fun!"

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