Whether you are trying to have your child develop their confidence or just trying to find them a hobby that can also help them understand our world on a deeper level, the upcoming theatrical production, Constellations: Reimagined by Kids, will be for you. The original Constellations production revolves around the theme of mortality, illness, and infidelity, while this adapted version is an interactive play directed by comedy and drama tutor Donnie Fan, along with professional drama teachers, and revolves around the theme of friendship, family, and adapting to a new environment, making it suitable for teen actors and actresses.

Donnie Fan is a professional stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and playwright who is experienced in both adult and children’s theatrical productions. He directed the Pride and Prejudice high school production, was part of the iQiyi International Comedy Special, and directed the ART (children’s production) this year, and also directed multiple children’s theatrical productions in previous years.

Q: Tell us about Constellations and how it relates to children’s growth and development.

A: Constellations is a story that takes place across multiple timelines, exploring how small choices can completely change outcomes. While the original play is written for adults, we’ve adapted it to reflect the pre-teen and teenage experience. For children, this becomes a powerful metaphor: their everyday decisions shape who they are becoming. It’s a playful yet meaningful way to show young people how choices and consequences are part of their growth and development.

Q: How do you think dramatic productions like Constellations show the audience the charm and psychological side of the development of children and teens?

A: Theater allows us to see children at their most vulnerable and most resilient. In Constellations, we’ll watch young actors stumble, make mistakes, and then learn to recover — just as kids do in real life. Their peers in the audience may think, “that’s exactly how I feel right now,” while parents will recognize echoes of their own adolescence. This dual perspective creates empathy and understanding, shining light on the psychological journey of growing up.

Q: What kind of kids should get involved in this project? What if they don’t have any previous experience?

A: Any child who enjoys theater, storytelling, or simply has a strong imagination should get involved. Kids don’t need prior stage experience. In fact, some of the best performances come from those who bring fresh, uninhibited perspectives. In our last production of Yasmina Reza’s ART, one actress had almost no theater background, yet gave a fantastic performance. This project offers kids a chance to take on meaningful roles that they may not otherwise get in a school play. The only requirement is an open mind and a willingness to explore.

Q: What will the experience be like for kids?

A: Each week, students will dive into different characters and scenarios, exploring motivations and emotions while building confidence in performance. They’ll collaborate with peers, experiment with improvisation, and gradually shape their scenes for the final production. By the time we reach show week, with costumes, makeup, and stage lights, the kids won’t just feel prepared, they’ll feel like they’ve grown through every step of the process. It’s designed to be fun, fresh, and full of discovery.

Q: Finally, what roles do students get to take on in the production process of Constellations, and how do they sign up for it?

A: We have a maximum of ten spots, and about half are already filled. Each young actor will have an equal share of stage time. Because Constellations explores the dynamic between two characters, every student will perform a unique scene within one of the timelines. These scenes stand alone but also connect to the larger themes of the play. Families can sign up by contacting me directly at Donniefancomedy.

If you want to sign your child up to be part of this production, the Early Bird payment is RMB 18,998 for August and September, with a non-refundable deposit of 20% to secure the payment.

Curious what the experience is like for kids? Check out what these past students have to say about it.

“Doing “Art” with Donnie and the cast was a very immersive and engaging experience. Everyone did their part and worked really hard, and the final performance of the show was a reflection of the outstanding hard work the team put together. Overall, it was a memorable time.” says 14-year-old Wei Yafei.

“My experience as an actor for the play “Art” by Yasmin Reza, reimagined by kids, was pretty good. I have a distinct memory of forgetting some of my lines (other people too), and still having a lot fun.”, says Arthur Legarand.

Images: Donnie Fan

On Jul 31, my mom and I left our home in Zhuhai for Beijing. Beijing was our home for eight years, while I was still a student back at Beijing City International School. My family and I moved to Zhuhai a little over half a year ago, but we are already missing it really badly.

So, why do I keep going back to Beijing? Two reasons – Model United Nations (MUN) and the food.

Model United Nations is something that I started to do back in the sixth grade, and since then, I have been attending conferences and always trying to improve myself in that realm. From a nervous delegate who did not even know what she was going to say in speeches to a chair who is capable of fluently chairing conferences that are of HMUN and THIMUN procedure, I have enriched my experiences even more with this trip to Beijing. This time, I am chairing for Yale Model United Nations’ World Health Organization committee at the WE Model United Nations EXPO, held at the Beijing International Convention Center from Aug 1 to 4. Not only did I chair with high school students, but being able to sit alongside students from Yale University and lead the debate of the committee with them was an absolutely memorable experience.

The first day when I arrived in Beijing, I immediately ordered 炸酱面 (zhájiàngmiàn, fried sauce noodles) from my favorite  方砖厂69号 (a 炸酱面 chain in Beijing that is recommended by Michelin). After finishing the noodles, I fell into a serious food coma. I tried to fight through it until 5pm, and I slept until past 7pm when I woke up from a glorious nap. As the name indicates, I was already 23 minutes late to my assistant director training.

I immediately messaged the secretary general that I would be late, and thankfully, she forgave me. When I arrived at the meeting, I was very surprised that everyone was much older than me, meaning that they were at least students who had finished the tenth or eleventh grade. I arrived at the meeting just in time to make my self-introduction, and I stuttered kind of badly, but I realized that my nerves only presented me as not confident enough to talk and work with others, so I decided to shift my mindset and my actions, and be more confident in who I am starting from my first day chairing.

The following days in Beijing were spent chairing two- to three-hour-long committee debate sessions. That was quite a challenge for me because in the past Model United Nations meetings I have been to, the committee sessions were a maximum of two hours long. However, this conference taught me the real value of focusing.

The second day in Beijing, my mom and I spent the morning running errands in the city as the conference officially started at 5.30pm in the afternoon, so I had plenty of time in the morning. I went skating at Yuetan Sports Center, and then I went to the dentist and the ophthalmologist. In the afternoon, when the time for the opening ceremony rolled around, I sat down nervously in the third row of the ballroom. Just as I thought I would be left there with no one to talk to, another assistant director sat beside me and started to talk to me. Then another joined, and I finally felt like I was not alone anymore. After the opening ceremony ended, I walked up to the chairs and they were not the college students that I had imagined – arrogant, introverted and not willing to start conversations – rather, they offered to take me and the other assistant director in our committee to dinner, which happened on another night. During the dinner break, I had another food that I had missed from Beijing – the vegetable-stuffed pancake from 西少爷 Xī Shàoye. Instead of your regular 肉夹馍 ròujiāmóu, the filling was mixed vegetables with a super crispy and flaky pancake. I enjoyed that a lot and finished that before going to the first committee debate session, which ended the night.

The next day, the morning was also free, as committee sessions start at 2pm. Breakfast was something that I have been missing since I left Beijing: 庆丰包子 Chuángfēng Bāozi. Not to exaggerate, but 庆丰包子 makes the best vegetable baozi, and I ate them throughout my eight years of living in Beijing. My mom ordered a portion of that, along with some soy milk, and that was the world’s best breakfast. I spent my morning reviewing the position papers written by delegates, and thankfully, I finished them. That took the entire morning, so lunch time rolled around pretty soon. In my article on eleven foods I miss in Beijing, I wrote that 煎饼果子 jiānbing guǒzi from a grocery store called 果蔬好 Guoshuhao was something that I missed because of the fact that I ate it every weekend when my family and I went to the grocery store. Even though the 煎饼果子 I had for lunch was not from that exact grocery store, I got it the traditional Tianjin way – a soft pancake skin with lots of dark soybean sauce and a 油条 (yóutiáo, fried dough) stuffed in the pancake. The one from the grocery store had the same texture of the pancake skin but with thin fried crisps in them and not 油条, which is more of the Shandong way. Even though the 煎饼 was pretty big, I finished it easily.

The afternoon of Aug 2 was essentially a long 3.5-hour committee session, and when it was dinner time, the directors, along with the other Yale committees’ director and assistant directors took me and my fellow assistant director, as well as the secretary general of Yale Model United Nations, to dinner in the mall beside the convention center. There were quite a few choices in the mall, however, we ended up going to 和府捞面 Héfǔ Lāomiàn, which is a chain noodle bar in China. I got noodles with tomato soup and beef, and everyone else got different noodles and snacks. We had a great time chatting and getting to know everyone, and even though I felt that college students may be a bit challenging when it comes to socializing with them and trying to be friends with them, that dinner made me realize that usually the very elite students are not only students who study hard but also are great friends who know how to socialize with others around them. That night ended with another late committee session, and even after that, I stayed behind with the other directors and assistant director to discuss our plans for the next day and the day after. I was incredibly tired afterwards, but fulfilled by the fact that I got to work with people who are truly dedicated and passionate in what they do, which means more to me than anything else.

The next morning, after a quick breakfast at the hotel, it was immediately committee session time, and that lasted the whole morning. My mom got lunch for me again, and this time, it was from the neighboring hotel. It was a set meal that had mushrooms, a beef and potato stew, rice and another cold dish that my mom finished. The food was delicious, but it was making me miss 老乡鸡 lǎoxiāngjī, which is a Chinese home-style dish chain that does not have any stores in Zhuhai. That night, dinner was simple – just some fruit and a matcha Frappuccino from Starbucks that I got for a meeting. I had not had Starbucks in a century, and even though the Frappuccino was really sweet (and I did get allergic afterwards), simply being able to have it was already amazing. That night, there was a gala, which was filled with performances and music (I have not been in a nightclub before, but I’m pretty sure that the gala, with all the music and the density of the people, was 99.9 percent like a nightclub). To be completely honest, some of the performances were fire, like the girl who sang “Cornelia Street” on the guitar, the two boys who performed “Baby” with the rap, and the secretary general of the conference who performed “Always Remember Us This Way.” The gala ended at 10pm, but I left at 9.23pm as I could not stand the loud music afterwards (I was simply afraid that it would damage my ears, nothing else).

The next morning, the committee session was a big bonding event – we played Hot Seat, let the delegates fill out a superlative form and signed placards while we beat the other committee in a karaoke of the song “See You Again.” One of the directors, Lishore, even taught one of the delegates how to confess to a girl that he liked, which was incredibly fun to watch.

The lunch I had on the last day was, of course, 老乡鸡. My mom got me some rice, their famous edamame chicken stew, and eggplant (I would say that the flavor of the eggplant had changed quite a bit – maybe because of the store location, or simply their change of recipe – but it was not as good as the ones I had before).

MUN helps shape my use of language, diplomacy and my way of communication. The debates on common global issues makes this a great chance for me to educate myself on current global affairs. I strongly recommend more people to get involved in it and to feel how this activity is like. If you want to get involved in an upcoming conference, you may want to sign up for the Harrow Hengqin Model United Nations happening from Nov 15 to 16 on the campus of Harrow Hengqin. You can sign up via email at HHQMUN@harrowzhuhai.cn.

This trip back to Beijing was a blast, and meeting Lishore and Sahra, the directors of our committee, as well as Jasmine, my fellow assistant director was even more special. I would never forget Lishore’s humor that enlightened everyone’s mood in the committee room when we were all stressed from debate, Sahra’s patience and professionalism that made the committee welcoming and safe for every delegate, and Jasmine’s hard work on typing up caucuses and speakers on MUN Command – all of which made this conference experience so unforgettable.

See you, Beijing. See you, WEMUN!

Images: Margaret Yang

On Jun 20, the second Celestial Charity Fair happened at Novotown in Zhuhai. It was a fair organized by myself and some friends at my new school. This was my first time organizing the fair. However, my first ever experience in organizing charity fairs was back in second grade, and this was my journey.

I was part of the student council back in second grade, and we were looking for ways to donate to charity within the school unit. Back at Beijing City International School (BCIS), the awareness of donation and helping others in need was spread throughout every corner of the school, and of course, when I was in student council, it was one of the main targets for our work. I remember so clearly that I simply talked to some of my friends in my homeroom class, asking them if they were up for the work, and after I got myself a team of three or four people, I went to Walmart (back when Walmart still had a store in Beijing) with my mom that evening to pick up some snacks and drinks to sell at the event. I had someone on my team make a poster for it, spread the word around the grade, and I even was smart enough to think that some people might forget to bring money to pay for the things they’d buy, so I made a chart to record their names, grade, and homeroom class so that I could keep track and hunt them down the next day. It was towards the end of the school year when we organized the fair (literally one day before the end of the school year, to be exact), so we were in a big rush, but we still successfully raised a few hundred RMB for the charity Help a Child Smile, and I was very satisfied.

The last day of school was a half day, and Grade 2 had a picnic on the hill of the playground. Even though I did hunt down the people who did not pay the day before at the event, they still had forgotten to bring cash, so I made them give me a few of their snacks they brought to the picnic as a form of trade. As I recall this event right now in eighth grade, I feel extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to host this event and raise that amount of money in just one lunch break, with so many people running towards that bench that wrapped around the gingko tree because they were so excited about the fact that they could buy snacks. Even though I did not make any money from that experience, it set me up for hosting a similar event again in third grade.

I hosted a similar event again in third grade, at the same location, with a few more people on the team, and perhaps the lesson learned was that I have to make people pay or else there will be less money raised. I remember making over a thousand RMB in third grade from the charity event, and we donated to the same charity that year. Some people in the grade were impressed by the team’s organization. No teacher was really involved in the process, and no teacher even complimented us for our efforts, but they only looked at us in suspicion, thinking that all of this might not have been true. My journey of holding charity events was put on hold until I came to my current school in Zhuhai.

My friend Brian, who is currently in ninth grade, is the founder of the Celestial Charity Fair, and he first held this event at school last year when he was in eighth grade.

This year, the revenue from the event not only helped the homeless dogs in Guangdong, part of the money also went to the Guangdong Lions Club’s Sea of Stars team, which is an organization that helps children with autism and their families. Organizing the event with Brian this year was a very different experience to what I did in second and third grade.

Before, I had bought my own products to sell, but here we had vendors from both in school and out of school come to the fair to sell their own goods. Thus, we faced issues with not having enough vendors, not being able to find a sponsor, and also not being able to get enough prizes for the lucky draw (even though we ended up with perhaps a few too many prizes, to the point where some people were numb to some of them at the end). My sustainable fashion brand Eco Apparel sponsored seven discount vouchers in the lucky draw, in hopes of more people being interested in the brand. I found out that once we got more parties and different people in the team, we were able to gain so many more diverse aspects into the event, which made it a lot more fun for customers. For example, one parent from the PTA even got three horses to come to the event so that people could experience what horse-riding was like. Another teacher got an Italian bakery to attend, and their pizzas and breads were delicious. Brian, being a music enthusiast, got his band to perform at the event. So, having a team is definitely more effective than trying to handle everything by yourself.

After experiencing how organizing an event is like on different scales, I of course, will not be stopping there – hosting a MUN conference is also on my to-do list for this year, so let us look forward to that, shall we?

Spending so much time on and putting so much effort into something that you may not seem to directly benefit from may seem like a “waste” to you – but it is important for kids to know that when they are fortunate enough to be able to have a shelter, water, food and education, it becomes their duty as humans to give back and to let the differences caused by injustice be eliminated as much as possible. If we are able, others should be able as well. If your child wants to host a charity fair in their community or school, they can find a charity to collaborate with from their school, or Roundabout (they sometimes put their donation boxes in schools if they are a collaborator, so you can inquire if your school is a connected school). Help a Child Smile is also a charity that a lot of schools have connections with in Beijing. Those two charities are both focused on helping underprivileged children, and if you have another cause that you want to help, you can always donate to them through their website or online platforms.

Images: Margaret Yang

Running a business from the ground up is hard, especially when you are only 13 years old and do not have any proper investment or any professional team. However, effort and trying things out definitely outweigh the effectiveness of a daydream of success. So, this is what I am planning to do with my business in the summer to hopefully clear the inventory.

Step 1: Spread awareness

The first thing that I plan to do is DM influencers on Red Note (the exact platform I am running my business on) to see if they are willing to promote my brand for free or perhaps for a small amount of money. There are quite a few bloggers on the platform that have around 1,000 followers, are taking footage of fashion (perhaps not professional fashion bloggers but more lifestyle and vlog-based), and will look good in the dress we made.

Instead of trying to make our account go viral like Skims or another international brand too quickly, we’re going to be focusing on building a smaller, niche community – groups of micro-influencers with their small but loyal fanbase. After we have gained trust and loyalty within the fanbase, we can then focus on expansion on a larger scale.

My business’s current Red Note account does not have a ton lot of followers that allow us to thrive, so it is essential that we find external support so that we can at least get more people interested in the concept of sustainable fashion and vegan textiles. Probably 90 percent of my screen time is occupied by Red Note, so if only I could use this time to search for appropriate vloggers to support my business instead of mindlessly scrolling…

Step 2: Step up my social media game

The second thing that I plan on doing is to film more vlogs on my personal channel. I have a personal Red Note account that I am currently running, and I sometimes post videos of me skating, my “digital diary” of my thoughts on some stuff happening in life, and some other content relevant to my work. If I post more vlogs and allow more people to see what is going on in my life, they may be more interested in the products I make, which is how I would want to let them be willing to buy the dresses. I have vlogged before, but that was for my YouTube channel (you can find the channel by searching “Unit-E Podcast”), and I kept ranting and talking so much to the point where one vlog was an hour long and the views were not as much as I thought it would be.

I need to make my videos concise and in line with the current trends on social media. This means getting familiar with script writing, makeup, lighting, shooting, and editing. Once I start posting those vlogs, hopefully I can get more people.

Step 3: Drive sales

The third thing that I plan on doing is to sprinkle out more discounts over the summer as more people will be out playing and enjoying their time, and they will probably be in need of getting more clothes (the biggest one of all would be before school starts, and that could be for a back-to-school clothes haul), so a discount is needed to get people attracted to our products.

I got extra inventory from our manufacturer before we officially launched our first product through my vlogs, but also posting plogs (picture blogs) of my life in the summer, OOTD and styling tip videos could be the “model pictures” of the product, and that would hopefully make the product seem more suitable to wear in everyday life. This was a problem for our current product because people think that it looks very casual, probably too casual, to the point where it looks like pajamas, but if you pair it with the right clothes, it elevates the dress so much more (you can visit Eco Apparel’s Red Note page for more inspiration). I even wore this dress for my Shakespeare monologue for drama class! It’s all about how you style it, and giving our customers suggestions can help them come up with their own ideas.

Running a business is hard, but with the right direction and methods, more people will know the brand, and more people would be interested in sustainable fashion.

Check out our brand on Red Note by scanning the QR code below. Be sure to follow us!

If you’ve got business advice, please leave it in the comment section below. I’d love to hear it!

Images: Margaret Yang

As my final exams conclude, I honestly feel that my skills have improved a lot in terms of the way I learn. Before, I used to simply read over my notes and try to remember what was on that page by memorization, but that usually resulted in me being unsure about the content, and that would make me nervous about what I was writing in the exam. However, after this semester’s exams, I can safely say that I have concluded some of the most effective study tips that will turn your child into a top student.

Writing From Memory

This first method is essentially listing down all the things you know about the topic. You will first, of course, need to know what topics are being tested in the exam, then use that list of topics to write down everything you have learned about those topics. For example, in chemistry, we learned about the reactivity series, so I wrote down the reactivity series, their element formulae, and why carbon and hydrogen are in the series, which is everything we have learned this semester on the reactivity series. If I have missed something, I don’t look back immediately when I am writing. I wait until I have finished listing all the content for all the topics of the exam, then I revise. I revise with the notes I have taken in class and additional information online or from other resources. If anything does not match or if anything confuses you, you should ask a teacher or anyone who has knowledge on the validity of information and the content for the exam. You should be doing this seven days before the exams and consecutively until the night before (or ideally, the day of the exam as well, if you have enough time). I took a picture of my notes for my teacher the night before the exam and asked her if my notes were comprehensive and accurate. And after she verified my list, she said that it was no problem, which reassured me that my exams would go well. You can use this method to test how well you know the content of the test, and know how much more you need to improve on.

Set Questions for Yourself

This was also what I did for my finals. I made questions for myself on the parts I was unsure about, and I did them the next morning to see if what I had learned the previous night was actually grasped by me. It could be any type of questions: directly asking questions and writing out the answer, fill in the blanks, or even multiple choice questions that include choices that you originally misunderstood. This method may take some time to put together, but when you are in the exam, you may encounter a question on the same knowledge point, and that is the moment you realize what the question is asking you to do and what it is testing. Once you get all the questions you have set correct, that is when you know you have fully understood all the parts you didn’t grasp at first. This was how I got a 91 out of 100 on my Chinese midterms when memorizing the facts about authors and poem lines. Even though a lot of what I tested myself on was not included in the test, this is a very efficient way of knowing what you still need to improve on for the exam, and it makes you ready for whatever is coming up.

Teach to Others

When I was revising for my physics exam, there was a student in the class who did not pay attention to the teacher for the entire semester and was incredibly worried about her grade and what she knew. Before teaching her, I was quite confident that I knew everything about what was being taught, and I thought that I was able to explain everything with ease. However, after she asked me a lot of questions on the subject and after teaching her the concepts, I soon realized that there were still a lot of small details that I was not sure about, and those details were actually big key points in the exam. Thus, teaching another person is never a waste of time, but rather a great way to let yourself know what you need to improve on and whether you have completely grasped the subject.

Those are the three biggest revision methods I used this semester, and they helped me improve a lot in the sciences as well as in Chinese, which are all subjects that require us to memorize a lot of information. The key point here is to not passively read and look over everything, but to actively test yourself and seek help when you need to. I hope these methods will help your child improve their skills during the summer and make them a confident student in the future.

Images: Pexels

We have all seen those bullies on TV – the ones who physically attack innocent new kids in the school. Well, in the playgrounds of parks and compounds, some kids are lethal in terms of their verbal and physical abuse of other children. On TV, you often see parents disciplining their own child but not other people’s children. In China, however, most parents do try to educate and correct other people’s children if they have wronged their own child. But should they be doing that?

Speaking from experience, I know what it is like to be cyberbullied. I remember clearly that once during PE class, we were playing tag, and when I chased a girl down the field, I accidentally tripped her, and she scraped her knee. She got really mad, and even after I apologized to her, she swore and then walked away to the teacher, saying that she needed to go to the nurse. I thought that was it and the issue was over. However, little did I know, she publicly started insulting me in Chinese on her WeChat Moments, saying that she wanted to cut off my legs and other physical threats. Luckily, I had a friend who had her WeChat and took a screenshot of the Moments post and asked me what had happened between us. After I told her what had happened, she was the only friend who empathized with me throughout the process and cared about what had happened.

That evening, my mom asked in a parent group chat which member was the parent of the girl who bullied me, and after we added her, my mom sent her mom the screenshot of the girl’s Moments. Later, we were in a call together and the girl apologized to me (or at least I think she did). It doesn’t matter to me if she actually felt sorry, but it surprised me how ugly things can be and how lethal teenagers my age can be.

In terms of physical abuse, I unfortunately also have an experience. It was back in first grade, and it was during recess. The elementary school principal was playing soccer with me and the other first graders, and the team that I was on won. I celebrated my victory, but then got hit in the legs or somewhere by a boy in my class. I did not know what to do because I was the new student in the grade, and I did not yet have any friends around me who would speak up for me. The principal saw me getting physically abused by that boy, and fortunately, the boy later apologized to me.

But the boy was infamous for physically abusing others. He had already gotten himself into trouble multiple times before for hitting other people at school, but the main reason for the occurrence of his actions was because of domestic violence in his family, which resulted in him using similar methods of violence on his peers. Even though all the parents of the children in my grade knew that his family was going through a rough time in terms of the relationship between his father and mother, the parents whose children got abused by him did not hesitate when it came to bringing up the issue to his parents and trying to educate that boy.

Before writing this article, I did not know that in some countries other than China, parenting other people’s children may not be as common, because from my experience, my parents never hesitated to put another kid in their place. I had a friend back in kindergarten who asked me which university I wanted to go to in the future, and I said that I wanted to go to Harvard (like every other child when they were in kindergarten). She immediately responded, “Only smart kids can go to Harvard.” I was silent because I didn’t know what to say, but my mom replied, “So, do you think you are smarter than Margaret?” which made her go silent.

So, what do you think? If your child is getting bullied at school, would you step in or let them deal with it on their own? If you’ve been bullied and want to share your experience and how you handled it, get in touch with our editor Mina Yan, at Wilhelmina87 on WeChat to share your story. You can remain anonymous if you want. It’s important for you to know that you can speak up and for others going through something similar to know they’re not alone.

Images: Pexels,  Freepik

I have attended seven Model United Nations (MUN) conferences; I have chaired two of those and won awards as a delegate in four. However, out of those conferences, there was only one I have gone to another city to attend, and that is BCISMUN II, the one I have attended most recently and the one that plays a significant role in my heart.

MUN used to be one of my fears that I loved. Why? Because I have a stutter, and MUN is heavily based on public speaking, diplomatic communication, and debate, which used to be one of my worst nightmares in the first conferences I went to.

I still remember so vividly at my second conference, because I was still new to the THIMUN procedure and was surrounded by extremely competitive delegates, I performed poorly and stumbled over most of my words in almost every single speech I have made. A delegate at the conference even personally attacked me, which did not even result in her getting a strike. However, that conference taught me a valuable lesson, which is to always speak up for yourself and never give up on trying to get your voice heard.

The next few conferences were much better; I at least got the technique of how to craft good and impactful speeches, and how to be outstanding in a conference. I was in seventh grade when the first BCISMUN was hosted, and I did what previous conferences taught me: Be active, speak a lot, and try to lead the debate with what I can do. However, the quality of my speeches and the professionalism of the amendments I made were not as good yet, which made me only get an honorable mention and not Outstanding or Best Delegate. I also learned the lesson of not rushing the process as being a chair requires an abundance of experience in being a delegate, and it always takes time to accumulate experience. However, I never forgot my ultimate goal for MUN, which was to chair at conferences and to lead the committee, and I have always applied to be chair at conferences, but not all of my applications were passed, until the last conference I participated in 2024, which was the World Youth MUN hosted by BWYA, which was the first time I chaired for a committee. It was a great experience as my confidence of being a chair in a conference outweighs my confidence in being a delegate in a conference.

Due to my chairing addiction, I thought that it was perhaps time for me to chair again in 2025. However, because I had just moved to a new school in a new city, I did not know what conferences were for me, and that gave me the first impression of Guangdong being a MUN desert (but after some research I realized that the annual Yale MUN China and Harvard MUN China are both in Guangdong, so perhaps it is not a desert). But I still feel so attached to my Beijinger identity, as you can probably tell from my love of food in Beijing, so why not take this opportunity of going to a conference as a chance to go back to Beijing? I then applied for a position to chair this year’s BCISMUN, which I thankfully got. After a long persuasion process, my parents finally agreed to let me go, and the day of the conference soon arrived. Before I knew it, the two-day conference was over, but now, looking back, even though I had trouble catching up with school work the week after, I still enjoyed the entire process, and I simply loved being back in Beijing after missing the city for so long. Even though I still had so many places that I wanted to go to in the city, the fun of the conference, meeting the friends I made back in Beijing, and gaining more experience in the world of MUN made the trip back more than worthwhile.

Images: Margaret Yang

Even though my Chinese ID says my hometown is in Chengdu, I have only been there for vacation; even though I was born in Suzhou, I was only there for the first 100 days of my life; even though I have lived in six cities (including the current city I am in) in my life, none of the cities can be compared to Beijing when it comes to my personal connection with the city.

One major aspect I have missed about Beijing is the food. In this article, we will be covering most of the foods I miss in Beijing and where to get them.

1: Tube Station Pizza

This may sound basic, but perhaps it is because I ate it almost every weekend I spent rehearsing the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play at Beijing City International School (BCIS) that not eating it for over five months is difficult for me. I have been on a hunt for the same type of pizza in Guangdong, and the pizzas I found were either too expensive or simply not good enough. Tube Station has a special place in my heart, and there are quite a few locations around Beijing. My favorite Tube Station pizza is (and will always be) the classic cheese pizza, but they have options for everyone – pepperoni, Hawaiian, and their popular “Garbage Bin” pizza, which is basically a pizza with all the toppings imaginable on it (like how a garbage bin would have everything on this planet imaginable stuffed in it). All in all, if you are a pizza lover, Tube Station is a must-try in Beijing.

Find it:
27, 6/F, Joy City, 101 Chaoyang North Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳北路101号大悦城6层27号
(Tube Station has multiple locations in Beijing)
Opening Hours: 10am-10pm

2. Annie’s Italian Restaurant

Not only has not eating a satisfactory pizza in over five months been a big issue for me, but not finding a good Italian restaurant is also an issue. Annie’s used to serve breakfast in the mornings on Sundays, and my family used to have breakfast there before Covid. Not only do I miss that, Annie’s also has the best pesto pasta, Margherita pizza, and most importantly, the absolute most delicious mozzarella sticks on this planet.

Find it:
1/F, Ruisai Business Building, Bldg 19, Nanlang Home, South East Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District (opposite Fanyue 108)
朝阳区东三环南路南朗家园19号楼瑞赛商务楼1层（梵悦108对面）
(They have multiple locations in the city)
Opening Hours: 10.30am-22.30pm

3. Rong’s Cuisine (荣小馆)

This is a Chinese restaurant that was right next to BCIS, and their food has also been on my mind for a while now. What I miss the most about them is their breakfast – their crispy fried dough (yóutiáo 油条) dipped into the savory soy milk is simply a heavenly combination. I usually have that with a glutinous rice roll (nuòmǐ fàntuán 糯米饭团) that is filled with 油条 yóucài, pickled veggies, and some other stuff that just makes it so yum. Not only do they have delicious breakfast items, their eggplant stew (shāo qiézǐ 烧茄子) and chili belt noodles (yóupō miàn 油泼面) are also incredibly fragrant and unforgettable. Not to mention, they also have free, unlimited cold dishes like black bean tofu strips, pickled radish, and potato sticks on rotation every day, which are also super flavorful.

 Find it:
The northwest corner of the intersection of Baiziwan South 2nd Road and West Dawang Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区百子湾南二路与西大望路交叉路口西北角
(They have multiple locations in the city)
Opening Hours: 7am-9.30am, 11am-2pm, 5pm-9pm

4. Nanjing Impressions (南京大排档)

There are a few restaurants around me that serve food traditional to the Jiangnan region, but the dishes served at Nanjing Impressions are unmatched. Their duck blood vermicelli noodle soup (yāxiě fěnsī tāng 鸭血粉丝汤), osmanthus glutinous rice cake (guìhuā lāgāo 桂花拉糕), fried dumplings, turnip shrimp fritters (luóbosī duānzǐ 萝卜丝端子), and savory fried glutinous rice cakes (cíbā 糍粑) make the restaurant what my mom and I would choose to go to for dinner if we have no idea on what to eat, given that the price of one portion is usually below RMB 15 (not referring to the soup and meat dishes of course).

Find it:
77-81, B1/F, Huamao Shopping Center, Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国路华贸购物中心B1层77-81号铺
(They have multiple locations in the city)
Opening Hours: 10.30am-9.30pm

5. Kempinski Deli

As someone who spent the first seven years of her life living in hotels, I know what good pastries should taste like, and the Kempi Deli is honestly the perfect representation of that. To be frank, I have not tried a lot of their menu items, but their muffins are simply some of the best I have ever tried. They have discounts if you go after 8pm, but the muffins are gone by then, guaranteed. One time, my friend’s mom bought me a smoked salmon croissant sandwich, and that, my friend, was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had.

Find it:
1/F, Kempinski Hotel, Beijing, 50 Liangmaqiao Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区亮马桥路50号北京凯宾斯基饭店一层
Opening Hours: 7am-9pm

6. Kerry Center Sandwiches

The discovery of this place was quite unexpected, as my mom and I were spending the entire morning around the area running errands, and before we knew it, it was lunchtime, and we decided to try out the sandwiches at the lobby café, and it blew our minds. Their cheesy tuna wraps that melt and pull when you heat them up, the kimchi beef cream cheese sandwich (they only had that for a while), the salmon egg sandwich, and the beef sandwich have made up for the loss of the long-lost lox bagel. After 6.30pm, they offer a BOGO discount for their sandwiches and some of their pastries (and salad bar, I think, but I haven’t tried that before), so it is also worth waiting until then!

Find it:
1/F, Kerry Centre, 1 Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区光华路1号嘉里中心嘉里商场F1

7. 唇辣号 (Chongqing Hotpot)

I am connected with my Chengdu roots, as I usually visit Chengdu annually, and hotpot is still a food that my family and I eat once a week. Luckily, we found a tasty hotpot place in Beijing that satisfied our hotpot cravings. We would usually have the yuānyāng guō 鸳鸯锅, which is the type of pot with two sides that can have two different soup broths to boil the meats and veggies in. The tomato and spicy chili base is usually our choice, and the dishes we would order are the house-made tofu plate, lamb, and veggies like kelp and sweet potatoes. The restaurant also has a buffet of fruit, snacks, and, of course, just like any other hotpot restaurant, a million different dipping sauces to choose from.

Find it:
East District, 5/F, New World Department Store, 93 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国路93号院新世界百货5层东区
(They have more than one location in the city)
Opening Hours: 10am-11pm

8. 果蔬好 Grocery Store’s 煎饼果子

This place is technically not a restaurant at all, but their hot food and breakfast selection basically makes them a restaurant. My favorite from them is the jiānbing guǒzǐ 煎饼果子, which is a savory pancake that usually has an egg and black bean sauce on the pancake, some lettuce, a crispy fried dough piece, and sometimes sausages or Spam, and I used to have that every week. I have also been craving 煎饼果子 for quite some time now, and the one from the grocery store is perhaps one of the best I have ever had. They also have an array of baked goods and pastries, and Chinese jiācháng cài 家常菜 (common household dishes), which makes them one of the reasons why I miss Beijing so much.

 Find it:
The second basement floor of the Silk Street Building, 8 Silk Street, Chaoyang District
朝阳区秀水街8号秀水街大厦地下二层
(They have more than one location in the city）
Opening Hours: 7am-10pm

9. The Cheesecake Factory

Oh my goodness, I could go on all day about the Cheesecake Factory. I only knew about them a year before I left Beijing, and my parents and I have only been there three times, but they have made the list because of their ginormous portions that they sell at reasonable prices and, most importantly, their incredibly delicious taste. The most memorable menu item from them is their vegetarian burger, which is made with a brown rice patty, and I would argue that it tasted better than all the other burgers I have ever had in my entire life. Other dishes like their nachos, red velvet cheesecake (I did not have that because of my sugar allergy, but my mom said it’s really good), pizza, and spaghetti are all incredible dishes that make me salivate whenever I think about them.

Find it:
415, 4/F, East Block, Wangfu Central, 269 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District
东城区王府井大街269号王府中环东座4层415号商铺
Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 11am-10pm, Sat to Sun 10am-10pm

10. Butterful and Creamorous

When I first saw the décor of the bakery outside their shop, I thought they were this fancy, high-end, expensive place that sold stuff that tasted mediocre. However, the truth is that not only are the prices reasonable, but the bagels and pastries are also incredibly tasty. They have a few locations in Beijing, but I have so far only visited the one in Hopson One.

Find it:
14A, 101, 1/F, Hopson Hui, Bldg 1, Courtyard 22A, Xidawang Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区西大望路甲22号院1号楼合生汇1层101内，14A号
(They have more than one location in the city)
Opening Hours:11am-10pm

11. 方砖厂炸酱面 (Beijing Fried Sauce Noodles)

Last but not least, the classic Beijing fried sauce noodles (zhá jiàng miàn 炸酱面). This dish is incredibly popular among locals and tourists, and 方砖厂 Fāngzhuān Chǎng serves some of the best in the city, given that it is a Michelin-recommended restaurant. Sometimes, 炸酱面 can be either too salty, too oily, or have an overly pungent pork flavor. The version from 方砖厂 is different – it is not too salty, not too oily, and – probably because I pour out the extra oil in the sauce – the pungent pork flavor is reduced significantly (just another tip if you don’t like pork like me).

Find it:
81, B1/F, Block 2, Huamao Shopping Center, Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District, exit H of Dawanglu subway station
朝阳区建国路华贸购物中心2座B1层81号铺，大望路地铁H口出
(They have multiple locations in the city)
Opening Hours: 10am-9.30pm

Images: Dianping, Margaret Yang

Dr. Ira Canada is the founder of the Crucible Learning Network, a company that diagnoses children with neurodiverse symptoms. Armed with a doctorate in education with a specialization in autism, his diverse work experiences in the field, such as serving as a special educator, early intervention specialist, and behavior specialist, has helped him to gain invaluable insights into what is truly effective in the field of special education.  We are truly honored to have the opportunity to interview him to ask him about his journey, how his diverse work experiences shaped his current job, and what he has to tell parents about special education in China.

Special education may be a new topic to some, but it is the education for children who are physically, socially, or mentally different to their average peers to the extent that they are in need of modified education practices to aid them in academic and social development. “The inspiration to found the Crucible Learning network stemmed from my deep commitment to improving the quality of teaching and learning,” Dr. Ira says when asked about the inspiration that led hm to the founding of his company. “The name ‘Crucible’ was deliberately chosen for its powerful metaphor – representing a place of purification, transformation, and the emergence of strength and resilience through challenge.” The concept has shaped the mission of the company, and reflects the heart of their work.

When asked about assessment services the Network provides for young children and how to ensure reliability, Dr. Ira responds that they partner with Pearson Assessments US, an organization that is a global leader in assessment materials and protocols. All assessments, scales, and interventions at the Network are backed by the Pearson brand, and only assessment tools from Pearson Assessments are used. “We offer a comprehensive range of assessment services for young children,” Dr. Ira states, “including cognitive, educational, and behavioral assessments. Our assessments are designed to evaluate various aspects of a child’s development, academic performance, and behavior to provide valuable insights to educators, parents, and clinicians.”

One crucial message Dr. Ira would like all parents to understand about children with special needs is that having a diagnosis does not define a child’s potential or abilities in their future. They may perceive the world differently, or interact with the world in a way that most people cannot understand, but their uniqueness and the diversity they bring to this world is sometimes what all of us needs. Thus, the stigma around the discussion and requirement of special needs should be diminished. Parents should consider reaching out to the Crucible Learning Network for an assessment for their child if they have concerns about their child’s behavior, academic performance, or development. Early intervention is key in identifying any potential challenges or needs a child may have, and providing the appropriate support to help them thrive. It is always a better choice to know what support system a child should be under rather than limiting their chances of thriving in the future.

Dr. Ira has been in the field of special education for over two decades, working with children, families, and schools across the United States, and what he finds the most rewarding is witnessing the children’s growth, resilience, and accomplishments. In his words, “every milestone, no matter big or small, is a cause for celebration and a testament to the hard work and determination of both the child and the support system around them.” For Dr. Ira, building meaningful connections with these children, helping them discover their strengths, finding hope in their journeys, and witnessing their progress towards reaching their full potential are extremely fulfilling experiences. In his vast experience, there have been numerous success stories that have brought immense joy and satisfaction. One particular case that stands out is that of a student on the autism spectrum who initially started as nonverbal, but with dedicated support and intervention, progressed to actively expressing needs and engaging in conversations with peers throughout the school day. “Witnessing this transformation and the child’s newly established ability to communicate effectively was truly inspiring,” Dr. Ira said.

The Crucible Learning Network acknowledges the importance of mental health services for adolescents in China, and is planning to launch a campaign to address this concern by providing mental health screenings. Results from the screening will help determine if a comprehensive mental health assessment and treatment plan are necessary for particular children. If that is the case, an assessment and plan will follow to address the diverse needs of the students and provide them with holistic support. The company recognizes this issue not only locally but also on a global level. “Our upcoming campaign to provide mental health screenings is part of our commitment to addressing the mental well-being of young individuals, including those in China,” Dr. Ira states.

You can get in touch with Dr. Ira via email (thelearningdoc@outlook.com) and WeChat

Images: Dr. Ira Canada