Cherry Li, 19 – Hong Kong
Our hands are in constant physical contact with the rest of the world. Through constant wear they bear the inscriptions of our life experience, our passions, fears, and memories layered over one another like a palimpsest. The lines, patterns, and scars are unique to each individual. Stretching, shriveling, and creasing as we move through the stages of our lives–– they serve as a topographical map of everything that has ever happened to us.

Marijana Lemm, 18 – Germany
[These works] were initially inspired by the theme of forgotten people and overlooked places in our society. I chose this theme due to its prevalence within our youth culture; we are so focused on moving forward and caught up in our habit-orientated lives that we have ignored the peripheral – the traditions and micro-cultures that have blossomed and flourished underneath us, from the unnoticed cracks on the wall of a hutong to the unseen street sweeper.

Melody Hsu, 18 – Taiwan
I have always been fascinated by the idea of how people can influence the atmosphere of their surroundings. For example, the pace or the scale of gestures of a single person can affect the mood and the feeling of a specific space, which then influences how others feel within the same space. I was especially interested in the daily movement of our bodies, as they were the ones that usually go unnoticed.

Sheng Wen, 18 – USA
The concept of my work is the idea of death; the final, eternal resting place as well as life and rebirth. This is a topic that has come up time and time again as my parents are much older than other parents in our community, and it is something that weighs very heavily on my heart, and because of that the concept of a peaceful death fascinated me.

This article originally appeared on pages 32-33 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

While educators agree that money lessons involving currency, addition, and savings are essential, they also remind us that there is more to money than cash and piggy banks.

Lessons in money management taught through trial and error
A story for children with generous grandparents, Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst, is a rags to riches story wherein Alexander receives a generous sum from his grandparents, but loses it almost as quickly as he received it.
Gerard Clyne, Headmaster and Co-founder of Hyde Academy, recommends the skillfully drawn black and white picture book for the “valuable lessons in money management, handling adversity, and dealing with the consequences of one’s actions.” More importantly, the book teaches the value of money using Alexander’s humorous interactions with those around him as he struggles to control his expenditure. Children learn that “impulse buying and instant rewards don’t always provide long-term happiness.” In Alexander’s case, it brings him poverty and a useless pile of junk.
In the story every child can identify with, Alexander begins with high hopes as he imagines the endless possibilities money can buy him. While “he knows that he should save his money so that he could buy a walkie-talkie at a later date, he gives up his long-term goal for short-term gratification.” In fact, Alexander is punished for each poor financial decision he makes, but each time he fails to recognize how his misfortune is a direct result of his own actions.
As the previous Math and Science Coordinator, Clyne recognizes a great tool for teaching integrated literacy and math when he sees it, and recommends it for teaching money use. Adults can encourage children to keep track of Alexander’s monetary spending by trying “to figure out how much each item costs, the amount of money Alexander has spent as the story moves along, and how much he has at the end of the story.” Children will enjoy keeping track of Alexander’s odd purchases, “from buying chewing gum, a one-eyed teddy bear, and a half-melted candle to rented snakes,” exercising real world math skills while improving their sense of money. As Alexander learns “how far his money can take him and what happens when it’s gone,” children learn the importance of saving money and developing good spending habits.
The ending of the story is foreshadowed in its title, and the story takes children in a full circle from rags to rags, challenging the reader to end the loop. “Every action has its consequences,” reminds Clyne, as he highlights how the story teaches the importance of responsibility and how facing up to one’s consequences is what growing up is all about—profound lessons in money management for children four to eight years old.

The value of money is in using it to help others
The heart-warming narrative of A Chair for my Mother by Vera B. Williams is about how money can be used generously and selflessly. The main character, Rosa, is from a family consisting of only her mother and grandmother, and we learn that they are recovering from the tragedy of losing their home to a fire. Carl Trewin, Assistant Director of Studies at TSL Britain, recommends the uniquely illustrated picture book to children in grade three or higher, while emphasizing how its message of empathy can be appreciated by all ages.
In the story, Rosa’s mother works long days waitressing at a diner as the sole provider of the family, so Rosa and her grandmother help out by pooling their resources and putting all their pennies into the same jar. Their local community bigheartedly come together and raise funds to replace the furniture Rosa and her family had lost along with the rest of their belongings. Meanwhile, children can follow along as Rosa and her family try their best to fill up the coin jar—all the while wondering: will they be able to save enough money to buy Rosa’s grandmother a new armchair?
The story can be used to introduce a non-linear narrative to young readers, and open up a values-based discussion for older readers, says Trewin. “A number of wonderful conversations open up when reading this book with a young person: Why did the community buy new things for Rosa’s family? Why didn’t Rosa’s family have enough money?”
Trewin likes the book for the warm, comforting feelings it incites, the positive familial relationships it models, and the happy ending we all wait for.  A Chair for my Mother emphasizes to students that money is not an end in itself but should be used as a means for people to share moments with ones they love.” Not only does the story create positive associations to money, but “it is dripping with examples through which to explore empathy, from the community banding together to replace Rosa’s family’s belongings after a house fire, to Rosa’s concern for the mother and grandmother raising her.”  Young readers will especially appreciate how the story reinforces that no person or contribution is too small to make a difference.

This article originally appeared on page 34 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF HYDE ACADEMY AND TSL BRITAIN

Fun loving couple Yiran Liu and Roberto Alvarez are about to celebrate their wedding in September, so this makeover came at the perfect time. They first met in Seoul seven years ago where they were both teaching, and moved here four and a half years ago, then had a civil ceremony soon after. Liu is a Beijingren while Alvarez is a Cuban-American from Miami. He works at the British Council and Liu is a freelance translator.

Liu and Alvarez are the proud parents of 3-year-old Roee and 3-month-old Lucia. When we met up at Catherine de France, the couple was beaming, especially Liu, a stay-at-home-mom who had the day off and left her youngest with her mother. Later on as the day progressed, Lucia and big sister Roee joined us as we waited for mom to get her hair done.

Liu and Alvarez have opposite routines as Liu gets her hair blown and styled once a week, when Alvarez is a wash-and-gel man and hadn’t had his hair cut for a year. Alvarez says, “Work and family commitments sometimes make it difficult to maintain a routine. Running after the kids and dealing with the everyday surprises that come up can be mentally and physically exhausting.”

Catherine de France’s team leader stylist, Aurelien Collard, wanted to get the couple ready for their wedding by giving more body and volume to Liu’s hair through perming (RMB 1,500). Meanwhile, for Alvarez, Collard cut his hair shorter and straightened the hair using the keratin treatment, KeraStraight (RMB 550). David Bai and makeup artist Marie Deng assisted Collard.

Our couple didn’t have any expectations, only to have fun.

They liked the staff and despite the long day due to the perm, they are planning to return to the salon. “Wow! Where’s my husband?” exclaimed Liu. She was excited about her husband’s new look and said he looked different.  Alvarez kept gazing up and down at his wife, saying she looked incredible. As for 3-year-old Roee, she said she doesn’t like the salon or hospital but was happy that her mommy’s hair has become curly like hers. Lucia breastfeeding happily was her sign of approval. Grandmother was all too happy to smile and take photos of the couple every two minutes.

Products
• Mac 6 Snowglobe Eye Shadows/Cool
• Sephora Almost Nude No. 9 Eye Shadow and Liner Palette
• Sephora Wild Safari No. 3 Eye Shadow and Liner Palette
• Christian Dior NudeTan compressed powder
• Mac Studio Fix loose powder
• Max Factor X No. 81 Crème Puff, Truly Fair, pressed powder
• Maybelline Dream Satin Skin Natural Ivory
• Clinique Even Better liquid foundation
• Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Satin Radiance Lipstick, No.1 Le Rouge

Step 1
Collard cuts the couple’s hair. Liu gets a manicure and opts for the gold color.

Step 2
Liu’s hair is permed while Alvarez is straightened using a keratin treatment.

Step 3
Collard, with the help of Bai, colors Liu and Alvarez’s hair with reddish-brown and dark brown respectively.

Step 4
After applying moisturizer, foundation, and powder, Deng creates a smoky eye using dark purple eye shadow along the lashline fading to light brown in the crease, then a gold shadow on the lid and brow bone. Using black liquid eyeliner, Deng applies along the lashes then adds mascara to the bottom and top eyelashes. To finish off, she uses red lipstick. Collard cleans up Alvarez’s chin with a quick trim.

Catherine de France 法式美容美发沙龙
Tue-Sun 9am-9pm. B1 East Avenue Bldg,10 Xin Dong Lu, Chaoyang District (8442 5120, 135 2147 3492, eastavenue@catherinedefrance.com) 朝阳区新东路10号逸盛阁首层

This article originally appeared on page 12-13 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Although venues provide the easiest cleanup and protection for personal furniture, sometimes budget, weather, or distance limits birthday options. Whatever your reasons, we’ve provided you with the shop names so you can eliminate the searching process.

天天排队用品 (Tiāntiān Páiduì Yòngpǐn)
Even if you weren’t the greatest fan of the 2014 film, young Peter Parker’s appearance alongside his older fellow superheroes in Captain America: Civil War probably redeemed his image a bit in your mind, and there’s still his 2017 film to look forward to. If you and your kids have always enjoyed watching him leap and crawl through his jungle of concrete and steel, then perhaps consider inviting him to your dining table too for a birthday celebration.

RMB 58 for a six person set, RMB 98 for a 12 person set both including 7-inch plates, cups, knives, forks, spoons, straws, noisemakers, party hats, napkins, eye-masks, gift bags, invitation cards, one tablecloth, and a line of party triangles

RMB 139 for an 18 person set including all the appropriate amounts of previous sets plus an additional tablecloth and line of party triangles.

Listing title: 儿童生日派对用品创意派对套餐蜘蛛侠主题宝宝生日party布置装饰 értóngshēngrì pàiduìyòng pǐnchuàng yìpàiduì tàocān zhīzhū xiázhǔ tíbǎobǎo shēngrì party bùzhì zhuāngshì

沐子派对 (Mùzi Pàiduì)
Maybe Doreamon will produce a gift for you from his pocket. Maybe it’ll be the shrinking gadget, or the time reversing gadget. There was bread that you could press against a textbook or notebook and then wash down with some water straight from the pot, and all of a sudden you magically know everything on the page the bread was pressed against. Don’t forget the bumbling, reckless boy, the pretty girl, and the bully! If you’d like to recreate these Japanese cartoon archetypes on some birthday hats and banners, visit this Taobao shop.

RMB 228 for a set for ten people and comes with a “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” banner, welcome door sign, two decorative round cards, birthday hat, birthday child name tag/brooch, three regular party hats, bottle stickers, decorative cake posts, straws, two table placards, ten party favor tags with ribbons, and two little decorative wooden shelves.

Listing title: 蓝色哆啦A梦小叮当机器猫儿童宝宝生日派对装饰用品定制主题拉旗 lánsèduō la yīgèmèng xiǎodīngdāng jīqìmāoer tóngbǎobǎo shēngrì pàiduì zhuāngshìyòng pǐndìng zhìzhǔ tílāqí

嫣然知秋 (Yānrán Zhīqiū)
Was your child singing “Let It Go” weeks, even months after seeing Frozen? Invite Elsa, Ana, and Olaf to the party! At this Taobao shop you can purchase everything you need all printed with the faces of your child’s favorite Disney movie characters.

A set for six people costs RMB 80.75 and includes cups, two plate sizes, knives, forks, spoons, straws, party hats, noisemakers, toy trumpets, (10) napkins, gift bags, invites, eye masks, one tablecloth, and a line of 12 party triangles.

Listing title: 生日主题派对装饰 宝宝周岁冰雪奇缘儿童partty [sic]布置套餐 玩具用品 shēngrì zhǔtípài duìzhuāng shìbǎobǎo zhōusuìbīng xuěqíyuáner tóngpàiduì party bùzhìtào cānwán jùyòngpǐn

Partyqueen派对皇后 (Partyqueen Pàiduì Huánghòu)
Maybe your family loves a trip to the zoo. Maybe your kid travels to forests, jungles, and Sub-Saharan savannas while still in your living room. Bring those lush leaves and great, fierce animals in a small, diminutive form to your dining table this year for your child’s birthday party. Drape green banners around the room and let lion cubs roam from table to cup to plate.

RMB 228 for a standard set containing a banner, welcome sign, birthday crown and brooch,2round signs, 3 guest party hats, 10 cake toppers, 10 bottle stickers, 10 straws, 2 guest placards, 10 party bags tag with ribbons, 2 sets of decorative little wooden shelves. RMB 389 for a luxury set with more items. For details and individual item prices visit the Taobao store online. Note most items in both sets are customizable.

Listing title: 热带雨林小动物森林主题儿童宝宝生日派对用品装扮布置甜品台拉旗 rèdài yǔlín xiǎodòng wùsēnlín zhǔtíértóng bǎobǎoshēngrì pàiduìyòng pǐnzhuāng bànbùzhì tiánpǐntáilāqí

威威宝宝最帅啦 (Wēiwēi Bǎobǎo Zuìshuài La)
If cats and pinkness are among your child’s favorite things, this is the set for your birthday party. With her simplicity of design and innocence of appearance, Hello Kitty shows little sign of fading away even though she might be older than you. Few of our lives have been untouched by her familiar image on shop windows, backpacks, pencil case. Why not bring this white kitten and her batch of colorful balloons to the birthday dinner? Maybe after dinner you can tell your kid a story about what Hello Kitty was like before the turn of the century.

RMB 42 for a set for 6 people containing birthday glasses, party hats, plates, decorated straws, noisemakers, tablecloth, and paper placemats.

Listing title: 仕彩生日派对用品儿童主题餐具6人套餐宝宝周岁聚会party装饰布置 shìcǎishēngrì pàiduìyòng pǐnértóng zhǔtícānjù 6 réntàocān bǎobǎo zhōusuìjùhuì party zhuāngshìbùzhì

This article originally appeared on page 14-15 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: taobao.com

In the Rakhletsova-Quyen household, a standard family ritual is watching the “MasterChef” series (either the United States or Australia version), after which they like to go online, get the recipes, then try to make something similar. This Franco-Russian household is dad Dam Chi Quyen, mom Oksana Rakhletsova, and 4-year-old Nina. Quyen works as a salon director, Rakhletsova is the head of a pharmaceutical company, and Nina attends the French International School of Beijing (LFIP). Nina speaks fluent French, Russian, and Chinese; she understands English but was more than happy to teach us a little French and Russian while we were discussing her love of photography.
Quyen and Rakhletsova met on New Year’s Eve 12 years ago in Beijing, and Quyen cooked for her. To this day he still cooks for the whole family when Rakhletsova is out of town for work. “His family refused to believe that he knew how to cook until they saw him in the kitchen,” recalls Rakhletsova. They like to cook dishes from their respective countries and sometimes Chinese cuisines. Quyen learned how to cook here in Beijing and advises families to experiment with recipes. “You can follow the main recipe, but you can put your own twist by adding or replacing some ingredients of your choice according to your taste.”
Tomatoes Eggplant Mozzarella Salad 圣女果茄子奶酪沙拉
Ingredients 材料：
– Small tomatoes圣女果
– Mozzarella马苏里拉奶酪
– Italian parsley意大利香菜
– Eggplant茄子
– Olive oil橄榄油
– Salt & pepper 盐和胡椒

Instructions 做法：
1. Cut the eggplant in thin slices and then panfry them with olive oil and salt and pepper on medium heat. 茄子切片，平底锅里放橄榄油，中火煎，撒适量盐和胡椒

2. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes and put them in the plate or bowl. 圣女果切成两半，装盘
3. Take the mozzarella and tear into small chunks. 马苏里拉奶酪撕成小块
4. Once the eggplants have cooked let them rest for a few minutes. 茄子煎好后，放凉
5. Add some seasoning, drizzle of olive oil salt and pepper and then put the eggplants on the top as well as the mozzarella and some Italian parsley leaves and serve. 盘中加入调料——少许橄榄油、盐和胡椒，然后将茄子置于沙拉顶部，撒上马苏里拉奶酪，撒上意大利香菜。上桌。

Paprika and Turmeric Boneless Chicken Leg 香辣无骨鸡腿
Ingredients 材料：
– 1 boneless chicken leg一个去骨鸡腿
– Paprika辣椒粉
– Turmeric黄姜粉
– Olive oil橄榄油
– Salt & pepper盐和胡椒

Instructions 做法：
1. Season the chicken leg with paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper. 将鸡腿用辣椒粉、黄姜粉、盐和胡椒腌制。

2. Put a drizzle of olive oil and start to panfry the leg skin side down on low-medium heat; flip it over from time to time until it gets golden brown and caramelized. 平底锅里加入少许橄榄油，用中低火煎制鸡腿肉，多次翻面，直至两面都煎至焦黄色。
3. Once cooked, remove it from the pan, cut it into pieces and serve. 煎好后，将鸡腿切块，装盘。

This article originally appeared on page 21-22 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos by Dave’s Studio

Before I met the Conroy family, I confess I was a bit nervous about taking them to the Malaysian focused Malacca Legend Signature at The Place because of the dominance of seafood and spiciness when I previewed the menu. Those fears melted when I met Liam (age 7) and Annabelle (5), who have lived in Beijing with their parents for the past three years. Dad, Justin, soon prompted Liam to tell me all about the food adventures he had been on in Australia, Thailand, New Zealand, Singapore, the Philippines, Baltimore (Greek food!), and Malaysia. Later I learned Malaysian food has a mixture of cuisine cultures within the nation, making it a truly mixed heritage chow.

Fried Sotong Rings (RMB 38)

They all settled into a big, comfy booth and began to flip through the pictures of exotic drinks, coffees, teas, starters, and crab dishes on the restaurant’s iPad menu. Liam and Justin had a tough time agreeing what to get since the menu offered curry, noodles, and calamari, all things Liam and Annabelle particularly enjoy. With a bit of nudging, the kids agreed with dad to make their own vegetable spring rolls (RMB 40). Annabelle happily discovered that the iPad menu could be exited and Angry Birds could be pulled up instead.

“What are these?” Liam asked as he tapped out a small amount of a crispy mystery onto his wrap. After an encouragement to try he stated, “They’re onions.”

“Liam likes duck sauce,” Annabelle told me with beaming eyes as her brother spooned out a generous glob.
When the deep fried sotong rings (RMB 38) arrived, Annabelle and Liam popped these into their mouths like popcorn. “These are a bit salty, but they’re really good,” Annabelle said nodding her head enthusiastically.
I noticed that mom, Callie, barely got to take a taste of these, but Justin explained Liam’s deep love of seafood has proven to foster a ravenous appetite under the right circumstances.

I assumed Liam’s critique of the lack of spice was nullified when, once only tiny crumbs were left, he asked, “Dad, can we get another dish of these?” (He did say he didn’t want spicy ones before he ordered the first batch.)

The Penang fried flat rice noodles (RMB 48) were a hit with everyone except for their egg addition.
“I don’t like the egg,” Liam remarked, “I don’t like things that are squishy.”

“So it’s a texture issue, then. But the taste is OK?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said, taking another pinch of the noodles. Justin and Callie agreed the noodles tasted exactly like the fusion dishes they enjoyed in the Malaysian district in Singapore.

They finished the meal with mango and yogurt (RMB 30) and a black bear coke float (RMB 28). The children had never experienced what many would consider to be a popular American dessert, and Liam admitted he preferred the mango dish. “The yogurt is creamy and smooth. I liked the float when it was plain, but I didn’t like it when [the Coke]started mixing with the chocolate.” He explained later, “Mango is my third favorite fruit.” I suppose floats also require a taste acquisition.

When the manager came to wish the family well and invited them to eat there again, Justin responded enthusiastically that they would definitely be coming back since he prefers this location to the Shunyi one, and food was great.

Family-friendly Notes: Other kids and toddlers walked around or sat in a baby chair. One boy was even playing with one of the classy plush monkeys used to decorate the restaurant. Nearby bathrooms are clean, elevators available for strollers, and a nearby wall fish tank offers some beautiful views for those toddlers who need to wander. Prices were reasonable for this meal, but this is also a great place for fancier occasions or a splurge as crab is available.

Malacca Legend Signature
Open Every Day. 11am-8pm. The Place, Level 2/F, Shop L203, 9 Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District (6587 1393) 光华路9号世贸天阶北街2楼L203

Malacca Legend
Open Every Day. Noon-10pm. 1/F Bldg B, Ocean International Center, 58 Dongsihuan Lu Chaoyang District
朝阳区东四环路58号远洋国际中心B座1层

This article originally appeared on page 19-20 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: Uni You

Many expats come to Beijing to make money and save.  But we wondered what does everyone do with what they earn? We talked to four disparate Beijing families, who shared with us a usually private part of their lives: finance and disposable income management.

The Balinas Family
Pediatrician Rocyl Joy and stay at home dad Timothy John Balinas and their 18-month-old son Elijah John are from the Philippines and have been in China for three years.

Despite a higher salary, the Beijing lifestyle also requires greater expenses: for example, the rent here for a year is comparable to the cost of purchasing a house in the Philippines. Still, Rocyl and Timothy manage to save around 10 to 20 percent of their income, planning to keep it for their son’s education. They also help relatives in emergencies, and, when asked about her opinion on family loans, Rocyl says she prefers to keep it gratuitous. A large part of their family lifestyle is the Christian faith. On Sundays, they fellowship with one another, their friends, and their church, and give a ten percent tithe to express thankfulness and faithfulness.

Rocyl rates her finance literacy at 8 out of 10 points. She admits that her family’s lifestyle is pretty simple. “I would like to have my money ‘working’, but I don’t know how to do that, so I prefer to just keep it in a bank account,” she says. They almost never spend on extravagant purchases, but neither do they skimp on important expenditures. Their future plans are still uncertain: international schools in Beijing, even with company discounts, are expensive, which may become a problem when Elijah gets older.

“We came from a developing country, and here in China it is an opportunity for us to earn much more than in the Philippines,” adds Rocyl. Philippine families usually live with many generations under one roof, with the children staying with their parents until marriage. In Chinese culture, a child working while studying is considered to be a sign that their family can’t provide for their essential needs. Though Rocyl says no one would be against her child wanting to work, once he starts, it’s a good idea to make him contribute to some household costs, like electricity and phone bills.

The Park-Chua Family
Many companies require expats to sign agreements saying they won’t buy cars or property in China, and be ready to move out to another place at four weeks’ notice – which may cause problems for families with kids already enrolled at school or kindergartens. However the compensation sometimes includes accommodation and insurance packages, allowing the family to save up to 65-70 percent of income. Young Bae Park (South Korea) and Jaclyn Desiree Chua (Malaysia), and their children, Leann (age 3) and Lina (1), just moved back to Beijing, sent here for a second time by Park’s company.   Park uses his corporate finance experience to divide the family’s money resources between Korea, the USA, China, and the Philippines. In addition to investing in stocks, the family also owns a restaurant.

“A few years ago people in China invested in state-owned enterprises, and that all paid off, but traditional spheres are not that profitable anymore,” notes Park. Other reliable sectors in the Chinese economy have become the new mainstream, including gaming, robotics, education, infant products, organic food, and delivery markets. Startups in China are a high-risk investment choice, and therefore might be a bad idea for a family with small kids preferring stability. Chua says, “I have a friend who opened a small startup here with a Chinese partner, and in the end the business was taken over.”

On weekends the family meets with friends and goes to church. Chua enjoys visiting baby cafes, covering them as a freelance blogger afterwards. They travel a few times a year, going to friends’ weddings or visiting relatives. Part of their disposable income goes to building a house in Korea where they’re planning to live after retirement, and additional savings are intended to contribute towards paying their children’s college tuitions.

The Lyu Family
Stas and Eleonora Lyu and their daughters, Angelina (15) and Evelina (7), are a Russian family that has lived in Beijing for eleven years.  Stas is a teacher at an international school, and his wife works from home. Angelina speaks three languages fluently: Russian, Chinese and English, while Evelina also knows Korean. The multilingual education opportunity in a fully international society is among the main reasons they’re still living here.

“The Beijing property market has changed a lot in the last ten years,” says Stas. “Renting prices skyrocketed, even though salaries remained almost the same, and the percentage of income that goes to rental needs tripled,” he adds. Now the same agreeable family place that was available for RMB 2,000 has upped to RMB 6,000.  “If ten years ago I knew how high the property market would rise and if I had enough money, I’d definitely have invested in it,” Stas says regretfully.

Getting a loan from QV Credit is not too complicated, QV Credit are a loans company based in Singapore. But, to get a loan from a bank to purchase property is difficult for foreigners and almost no one does it. Most of their family income goes to international education. After apartment rent and groceries, they tend to save around 20 percent of their total income. Health insurance is not included in their monthly expenses, as they found it’s cheaper to pay each time a hospital visit is needed. Furthermore, considering the RMB to be a safe currency, they prefer to keep savings in it. “Both me and my wife have a lot of relatives back home, so presents to everyone and tickets for the whole family for a visit to a hometown once a year eats most of our savings,” Stas tells us.

Stas and Eleonora discuss finance management with their kids, telling them the different family expenditures. They encourage their elder daughter to work during holidays. This past summer, she taught English in their hometown; this experience helped her understand labor value.

The Barry Family
Sarah and Michael Barry, teachers from New Zealand, have three children, Leo (age 5), Timothy (3), and Olivia (1)*. Before coming to China two years ago, they used to work in Africa and South East Asia in international schools. They say it’s their dream job, and that it also pays much better abroad than in their home country. Now Sarah is a stay-at-home mom, and her husband is an educational consultant. His work package provides them with an apartment, health insurance, international school fees, flights back home – and this gives them an opportunity to save around half of their income. All the family has to pay for is their vehicle, phone costs, and household bills, and having the extra income means they are able to also employ a part-time ayi to take care of the house, which they never could afford before. “For us work in China gives an opportunity for me to be with my children and watch them grow, without leaving this in the hands of a nanny,” smiles Sarah. The family likes this lifestyle and doesn’t want to change it anytime soon.

Sarah is looking forward to going back to work as soon as Olivia is old enough to attend school. They will be able to go back to when they were only spending a third of her salary, keeping another third of it for traveling, and saving the final third plus her husband’s entire salary. “We just put the money in a bank, and save it for buying a house back in New Zealand some years later,” Sarah tells us. They usually save money in New Zealand dollars, believing it to be a safer country for investment than China.

On the weekends the family usually goes to parks or on hikes to the Great Wall. Eating out is also an essential part of a weekend. Once or twice a year they go somewhere overseas for vacations, though now with a small baby it has become more complicated.

They try to discuss finances with their kids, as far as they are currently capable of understanding, teaching them to consider the amount of money they can spend on certain things. Sarah has been working since she was 15 years old, but now says her attitude to their own children working for pocket money will depend on which country they live in, as it inappropriate to the Chinese community, for example.

Taken together, all of these accounts illustrate what opportunities life in China gives. A great educational opportunity for children, most of whom grow up speaking more than two languages at a native level; higher salaries, which enables a better lifestyle than back home. Regardless, all interviewed consider life here as a temporary episode, and hope to return home at some point in the future.

*Barry Family names changed on request due to sensitivity of the subject.

This article originally appeared on page 46-48 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: Courtesy of The Balinas and Park-Chua families

For many international families, their time in China is an opportunity to save money, or to send it back home as a nest egg for the future. However, expat life can be expensive. Beijing was this year named as “the most expensive global city to rent in” by the Global Cities Business Alliance. And those little luxuries, or comforts to alleviate homesickness, can quickly add up, leaving you with little or no spare cash.
Yet most international families are wealthy compared to ordinary Beijingers. According to the Bureau of Statistics, the average salary in the city is RMB 6,500 a month. Expat packages can be six times that or more. So it must be possible to live well in Beijing and still save money, right?

Of course. Let beijingkids show you how you can save over RMB 250,000 a year, by living more like a local. And you get the authentic Beijing experience too.

LIVING
Move to the ‘Burbs
Do you really need that hutong or Sanlitun pad? Beijing’s ever expanding subway network means that you can live in the suburbs without being cut off from all the action. Shunyi is expensive, but areas like Tongzhou and  Haidian are rapidly developing, and offer community life on a more human scale than the teeming highways of downtown.

Rent on a 2 bedroom apartment in CBD: RMB 10,000 per month
Rent on a 2 bedroom apartment in Tongzhou: RMB 3,500 per month.
Annual savings: RMB 78,000

Ditch the Ayi
OK, this is a contentious area. You may be shouting at the page that you already don’t have an ayi and can’t afford one. Or you might be yelling that you work long hours, that your ayi is a godsend, and without her you’d have no family time at all.  However, it’s worth considering whether you’re getting the right kind of help.
If all you need is a hand with the housework, a domestic cleaning service or xiaoshi gong might be better value.

Ayi, 20 hours per week, at RMB 40 per hour: RMB 800 per week
Cleaning service, 10 hours per week, at RMB 30 per hour: RMB 300 per week.
Annual saving: RMB 26,000

Get a Lodger
If you have a spare room, then a lodger can bring in much needed income. Place a small ad on theBeijinger website, and you could make a new friend. Plus, your lodger could be a cheaper babysitting option than an ayi (assuming of course you carry out appropriate background checks).

Rent on a room in Tongzhou: RMB 1,000
Annual savings: RMB 12,000

EDUCATION
Unless school fees are included in your salary package, they can be a major expense. One cheaper option is to send your children to the international section of a local school, such as Fangcaodi. Entry requirements can be opaque and may require the exercise of guanxi. Also, many teach only in Mandarin, so your kids will need to be fluent. See our article about international school scholarships on page 27.

Average fees for two children at international schools: RMB 100,000
Average fees for two children at a local school: RMB 50,000
Annual savings: RMB 50,000

TRANSPORT
Get on your Bike!
Why spend half your life sitting in jams when you could be zipping through the traffic and keeping fit at the same time? Beijing is the perfect city for cyclists: it’s flat, with an extensive network of broad bike lanes. (We will pass over the fact that the bike lanes are so wide they’re often full of cars.) Traveling by bicycle is often quicker than car, as you can bypass Beijing’s infamous congestion. And if you’re getting daily exercise, then there’s no need for that expensive gym membership either.

Car rental (with driver): RMB 5,000 per month
Gym membership: RMB 4,000 per year
Cost of a good quality second hand bike: RMB 500
Annual savings: RMB 63,500

FOOD AND DRINK
Eat Local
Food is relatively cheap in Beijing, but not if you want to keep eating like a Westerner. A small frozen pizza can cost RMB 50-70, a liter of fresh fruit juice RMB 30.  Buying imported food can almost double the cost of your weekly shop.

But if you don’t know what to do with all those strange vegetables and spices, don’t worry. You can take a course in Chinese cooking, learn lots of new skills to impress your friends at dinner parties, and still save money!

Monthly groceries including Western food: RMB 3,500
Monthly groceries without Western food: RMB 2,000
Intensive ten day cookery course with The Hutong: RMB 4,000
Annual Savings: RMB 14,000

Shop Local
There are further savings to be made if you step away from the comfort of the supermarket and discover your local market. This is not only a money saver, but a great opportunity to practice your Chinese and mingle with real Beijingers!

Savings on monthly shop by buying fruits, vegetables, and meat at the market: RMB 500
Annual Savings: RMB 6,000

Drink Local
If you like a glass of wine for the weekend, this can quickly become a major expense. Imported wines are, frankly, overpriced, with mass-produced Chilean plonk retailing at RMB 200-300, and decent (though undistinguished) Bordeaux costing up to RMB 800. There are bin end bargains to be had at supermarkets like Jenny Lou’s, but very often the wine has been poorly transported or stored and is long past its best.
However locally produced vino is fast improving. While there is nothing to match the best of European or New World wine, you can find a decent tipple if you do a bit of research. Generally, it’s best to avoid big brand names and look for smaller vineyards, although Great Wall produces some acceptable vins de table.

Bottle of French wine: RMB 500
Bottle of comparable Chinese wine: RMB 150
Annual savings: RMB 16,800

A Tip – Don’t Tip
There is no expectation in Chinese restaurants and taxis that you pay anything other than the stated price, any more than you would tip in McDonald’s.
The savings from this are slight, and you may feel that a small expense to you makes a big difference to low paid workers. Bear in mind though that in some quarters tipping is seen as an insult, implying that the laoban doesn’t pay their workers properly.

Annual savings: RMB 500

TRAVEL
The Rail
The lure of travel is what drew many families to Beijing in the first place, but you don’t have to push the boat out to see the wonders of Asia. China’s railway system is clean, efficient, and comfortable. Bullet trains reach speeds of over 180 mph but the ride is so smooth that you’ll barely know you’re moving. A sleeper train, meanwhile, is fun for the kids, who can lie in bed and watch the country race by. And in the morning, you wake up in a new city. Just make sure to book a soft sleeper. Hard sleepers may be an adventure too far for even the most intrepid family!

Round trip for two adults and two children to Shanghai by airplane: RMB 6,800
Round trip for two adults and two children, second class to Shanghai by bullet train: RMB 2,800
Annual savings: RMB 4,000

Host City
Why pay premium prices for cramped rooms in a hotel when you can live like a local and enjoy a whole apartment? There’s a reason why Airbnb has become one of the biggest companies in the world since its founding in 2008. It’s particularly convenient for parents of young children, who don’t want to leave their kids in a room on their own, but also don’t want to be stuck with the little ones in a tiny hotel room after bedtime.

Seven nights in Shanghai:
In a hotel family room: RMB 4,650
In a two bedroom apartment: RMB 3,500
Annual savings: RMB 1,150

All Assets Put to Work
While you’re on Airbnb making those holiday plans, then sublet your apartment to short term project professionals and have your home maintain itself while you are away.

Sublet apartment during winter and summer holidays at RMB 150 – 200 per day
Annual Savings: RMB 10,500-14,000

SHOPPING
Swap till you Drop
Children grow out of clothes quickly, and there’s little sense in buying them expensive designer gear for day to day wear and play. We say, let them get scuffed and mucky – it’s what childhood is all about! International families are often far from relatives who might be a source of traditional “hand me downs,” so why not organize a clothes swap? It’s a great way for communities to come together, and to meet the neighbors. Adults too might find clothes they like!

Annual clothing budget per child: RMB 2,000-3,000
Reduced budget with clothes swaps: RMB 500
Annual savings per child: RMB 500

Drive a Hard Bargain
Haggling is another activity which doesn’t come naturally to many Westerners. We’re not suggesting that you start arguing over the bill at April Gourmet, but if you’re in the Pearl or Silk Markets, then you’d be ill-advised to pay the first price that’s mentioned.

It’s a good rule of thumb to offer 20 percent of the asking price. You will of course be greeted with incredulity, horror, mockery, and other expressions of disgust. Your next move should be to walk away. Generally, the vendor will chase after you, and proper negotiations will begin; if they don’t, then you’ll nearly always be able to find the same goods somewhere else not too far away.

The purpose of starting so low is to be able to go up sufficiently to preserve the vendor’s dignity, while still arriving at a good price for you. In the end, the determining factor should not be the vendor’s starting figure, but what you are prepared to pay. Vendors will never sell at a loss, and would rather make a small profit than lose a sale. Don’t be afraid to stick to your guns.

Annual savings: RMB 600

Taobao to the Inevitable
If you don’t read hanzi fluently, then Taobao can be intimidating, with its flashing lights, dense text, and endless menus. Paying isn’t easy either, until you’ve set up an Alipay account (see the helpful guide “How to: Set Up Alipay as a Foreigner” on our website). Once you’re in though, you have access to a market of staggering size and cutthroat competition. No need to worry about haggling, when every price is immediately visible and vendors are vying for your business. Whatever you want, you can get it, for a bargain price and delivered to your door.

Annual savings: RMB: 1,000 or more

Filter tips
Beijing’s water is safe to drink at the point when it leaves the purification plant, but most Beijingers, both international and local, don’t trust the pipes it flows through on the way to your home. Even if you believe the water to be safe, it has a taste which many find unpleasant. Bottled water is the usual solution, but is it really any better?

As with food, there have been many water-related scandals in China in recent years. In 2007, a study found that 40 percent of bottled water was simply tap water. Where the water itself is genuine, the bottles might be a concern. Cheaply produced plastic will contaminate its contents if it gets warm. Then there’s the environmental cost of delivering water, and particularly of importing it.

The alternative is to have a water filter fitted in your home. This means you can be sure that the water your family is drinking is safe – and it saves money too!

4 x 19L bottles of water per week: RMB 100
Water filter: RMB 2,000
Annual savings: RMB 3,200

DISCLAIMER
Your Mileage May Vary
Obviously not all tips here are going to be suitable for every family. Some families may not be spending, or even earning, RMB 250,000 a year. We still hope you may find something here to inspire you.

This article originally appeared on page 42-45 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photo by Dave’s Studio

A New Hope for Fall 2016
Secondary students at Hope International School (HIS) will be returning this fall not just to a new school year, but to a brand new building. The 1,700 sqm development is next to the main campus on Crab Island, Chaoyang, and includes a new gym, new classrooms, a cafeteria, and a new library.

Classical Homecoming
Pianist Yuja Wang has returned to her hometown for a residency at the National Center for the Performing Arts. Wang, born in Beijing in 1987, started playing piano at six, and studied at the city’s Central Conservatory of Music. At the age of 20 her big break came when she replaced the legendary Martha Argerich at short notice for a series of concerts, and wowed the audience with her performances. Wang is now one of the world’s leading classical musicians, described by the San Francisco Chronicle as “quite simply, the most dazzlingly, uncannily gifted pianist in the concert world today”. She will be performing a series of concerts and recitals at the “Egg” throughout the 2016/7 season.

Up for the Cup
Seen those red circles on the skin of athletes at the Rio Olympics? They’re caused by “cupping”, an ancient Chinese therapy enjoying a new surge in popularity thanks to Michael Phelps and others. A glass cup is placed on the skin, and a vacuum created, either by the traditional method of heating and cooling the air, or simply with a vacuum pump. This draws the skin into the cup, causing the characteristic red marks. Supporters of the practice claim that it draws out toxins and improves the flow of qi. Others though are more skeptical. Critics point to the limited scientific evidence for its effectiveness, and the risks if carried out by untrained practitioners. In June a Chengdu man was left with festering holes on his back after cupping therapy went horribly wrong. As always, we advise that you talk to a qualified medical professional before undergoing any sort of treatment.

A Wish for the City
In August, author Hao Jingfang’s story “Folding Beijing” won the 2016 Hugo Award for best novelette. The Hugos have been described as “the Oscars of science fiction”, and Hao is only the second Chinese writer to win one since the awards began in 1953. “Folding Beijing” takes place in the near future, and satirizes the city’s inequalities by showing residents being sedated and their homes folded away due to overcrowding. Hao, who was born in Tianjin in 1984 but now lives in Beijing, said on receiving the award, “I hope the real future will be brighter than my story.”

Winning Threads
China won 70 medals at the Rio Olympics, and every award ceremony showcased the work of young Beijing-born fashion designer Masha Ma. Ma designed the Chinese team’s “champion outfit”, the special tracksuit worn by athletes while receiving their medals. “It is a long process of bargaining with the team to decide which is the most functional, stylish and suitable,” Ma said of her creation. “The colors obviously come from the national flag and it had to be that way. I hope that the new design enables versatility of the champion outfit so that it can

This article originally appeared on page 7 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: Courtesy of HIS, Women of China, Yujawang.com, Anna Frodesial (Wikimedia Commons), and Weibo.com