Home and Relocation Guide 2011
Maintaining Your Mandarin
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
"Chinese is easy to forget, and hard to learn," jokes Julia Huang, a teacher at Mandarin Express in Shunyi. Many foreigners who move to Beijing consider the daunting task of learning the language - and a good number of them commit to hours of studying. Sadly, all of those language-acquiring efforts are often worth nought once you've spent six months away from China. But after finally getting those tones down, who wants their language skills to go to waste?
Car Complex
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
Be warned: The toughest thing in Beijing to make a clean break from will be your car, especially since the new license lottery has taken effect. Nowadays, person-to-person sales can only take place when the buyer already has a car permit. Don't let this discourage you though. It's worth trying to find someone for a person-to-person sale, as you will have a better chance of selling your car for the price you want. Put your car on the market as soon as possible. You can advertise the sale on the Beijinger and beijingkids classifieds.
Live It Before You Leave It
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
You don't want to leave Beijing regretting not having lived it up. You've probably done all the big hits by now, so we've concentrated our must-see list on some lesser-known activities designed to take your family down narrow hutongs and into the heart of Beijing.
Size Matters
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
There are a couple of options for getting rid of your big things. Host a moving sale, invite friends and make a day of it! Or, advertise online on the beijingkids' or The Beijinger's classifieds. Roundabout Charity Store and Freecycle Beijing are good places to pass on your large items as well.
Leaving With Furry Friends
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
When it comes time to leave China, you shouldn't have to leave your pets behind. With the proper preparation, soon enough you and your pet will be frolicking in the fields of your new home. Departing with your pets is a two-part process. The first step is exiting China, the second is entering your destination country. The exit process for China has three simple steps, while the entry process is dependent on your destination. Depending on the level of difficulty, the entry process requires at least six months of preparation. For up-to-date entry requirements, consult the embassy, department of agriculture or quarantine bureau of the country to which your pets are relocating. The following information should be used as a guide only, as rules and regulations for exporting pets are subject to change.
Moving On
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
Beijing may have been your home for many years, or a few, or just one, but eventually the time will come when you have to leave for good. You may not mind saying goodbye to the pollution, but you will miss your friends, the Chinese locals and the culture. Moving to another country or back to your home country is exciting. However, this excitement is almost always tempered with a sense of apprehension. Even if you consider yourself a moving expert, with each move comes a range of different challenges.
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
It's amazing how easily we accumulate stuff. This is the lesson we learn when it comes time to move and you face the prospect of transporting all that stuff. Here is a guide to purging your junk before you take off.
Getting rid of the little things in your life (toys, clothes, gadgets) will really take the weight off your shoulders. It's recommended that you start this process two months in advance.
In Three, Two, One …
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
Moving to another country is one of the most stressful things you will do in your lifetime. But with a detailed checklist and a lot of preparation, you should be able to keep stress levels at a minimum - you might even enjoy the process! Okay, we're stretching the truth a little with that last bit, but at least a plan will help keep you sane. When compiling our moving timeline, we talked to relocation companies and Beijing residents who have lived through multiple moves. If they can do it, so can you.
Pack Up and Go
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
An international move with a family and an entire household of personal effects in tow can be overwhelming. Even if you're a seasoned global nomad, the process can be completely different, depending on the regulations and procedures of your new country.
Relocation companies continue to emerge and assist in this entire process, making a tough task easier. They can do as much of the thinking and work as you need them to do - but of course, at a price you must be willing to pay. Many large companies, embassies, schools and other employers include a relocation package in their employment contract, some with an already-approved short list of agents to use. But sometimes you have to do a little research on your own.
Home Essentials
The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
Nesting helps make a house a home. Here's a handy selection of stores and markets for when you want to purchase long-term items, such as furniture and bicycles, as well as everyday items, like food and pet supplies, and other essentials to make your place in Beijing your home away from home.
furniture
Whether it be temporary Ikea furniture you'll leave behind or contemporary pieces and Chinese-style furniture you want to bring back to your home country, Beijing has a wide selection. The Chinese antiques may not be originals, but high-quality reproductions can be found.
