Did you know we have a family events WeChat group? Join two hundred other internationally-minded families for the latest information on what’s going on in Beijing. Send an email to editor@beijing-kids.com with your WeChat id or add vanessajencks on WeChat. Please note that readers should confirm with each organizer if events are cancelled or scheduled as planned.

Free
Nothing But the Truth, Nov 25 and 26
All ages. Join the Canadian International School of Beijing in exploring the life of Elizabeth Warren in a new play that places a young girl on trial for suspected supernatural abilities. In this family-friendly comedy with an important message for all ages, a colorful cast of characters take the witness stand to give many different versions of the truth. Free. Friday, November 25th @ 7pm, Saturday, November 26th @2pm. Canadian International School of Beijing. (patrick.connolly@cis-beijing.com)

Holiday Bazaar, Nov 28
All ages. Join the International Newcomers Network at their annual Holiday Bazaar. Find cool items and potential presents at this year’s gathering. Free. 10am to 3pm. Capital Mansion Athletic Club. (www.innbeijing.com)

OASIS International Prenatal Yoga, Nov 23
Adults. Attend a prenatal yoga course at OASIS International Hospital to learn traditional Chinese medicinal concepts and techniques and soothing Chinese classical music. Free. 4.30pm to 6pm. OASIS International Hospital.

Once Upon a Hutong, Nov 24, 25, 26
All ages. Once Upon a Hutong is an original play written and directed by Hannah Northcott, who teaches dance, drama and yoga at ISB. It tells the story of Wang Li, a young prince in search of a wife. Come and enjoy this cross-cultural experience! Free. 4pm (November 24), 6.30pm (November 25), and 2pm (November 26). International School of Beijing. Purchase tickets at paevents.isb.bj.edu.cn.

German Christmas Charity Bazaar, Nov 26
All ages. This ever packed bazaar is a good chance to experience German food, buy Christmas presents, and enjoy some choral music (all included in the ticket price). Pre-sale tickets are available and limited on site tickets. There are red, blue, and yellow tickets valid from morning, afternoon, and kids under 14 years respectively. Pre-sale tickets are available at the German Embassy School (9.15am-1pm), Beijing Riviera Clubhouse (9am-7pm), U Coffee on Xindong Lu (10am-6pm). Valid identification required at the gate. RMB 100 (adults), RMB 25 (kids). 11am-6pm. German Embassy Beijing. (contact@christmasbazaar-beijing.org)

3e Annual Charity Christmas Bazaar, Nov 26
All ages. The 3e Annual Charity Christmas Bazaar is a place to enjoy holiday feasting and bargain gift shopping. Free. 10am-noon. 3e International School. (6437 3344, community@3einternationalschool.org)

The Very Gift Bazaar Christmas Market, Nov 27
All ages. Enjoy pippin’ hot cocoa or mulled wine while browsing for a gift for a loved one. Free. 10am-4pm. Café Zarah. (8403 9807, info@cafezarah.com)

Unique
Latina Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner, Nov 24 to Nov 27
All ages. Missing the usual mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie (and Brazilian BBQ!) for the Thanksgiving Holiday? Join us at Latina 拉蒂娜 for a Thanksgiving feast! RMB 198. All day. Latina 拉蒂娜.

Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q Thanksgiving Event, Nov 24
All ages. Come enjoy some American Thanksgiving foods at Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q and get a taste of home this year in Beijing. RMB 198. Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q.

BSB’s The Wizard of Oz, Nov 25 Fri 7pm, Nov 26 Sat 2pm, Nov 27 Sat 7pm
All ages. BSB Secondary students will be performing The Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum. Join BSB and Dorothy on her journey of discovery, making friends and one very powerful enemy along the way. RMB 100 (Adults) RMB 65 (Kids). 7pm (Nov 25), 2pm (Nov 26), and 7pm (Nov 27). The British School of Beijing.

Thanksgiving Week at R3 Discovery, Nov 21-25
Ages 4-10. Celebrate Thanksgiving Day with different themed activities at R3 Discovery that ends with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner from November 21-25. The activities include card marking, baking, decoration making, story-telling, movie watching, and more. Registration required. Thanksgiving Week (5 days plus dinner) RMB 1,288 (one student and two parents), RMB 1,188 (one student and a parent); Thanksgiving Dinner RMB 580 (one student plus two parents), RMB 380 (one student plus one parent). 2pm-8pm. R3 Discovery. (131 6758 5964 (English), 185 1133 4363 (Chinese), r3discovery@sina.com)

Ongoing
Art Jamming with Eva, Saturdays
All ages. Come join kids, families, and Eva and paint your heart out every Saturday. Paint supplies are included in this pleasant Saturday afternoon activity. RMB 100. 2pm to 3pm and 3pm to 4pm. Fella’s.

Active Parenting Workshops: Primary School, Mondays
Adults. Parents of Primary School-aged students are invited to attend Active Parenting Workshops every Monday from October 24 through November 28 at Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing). Parents will learn a set of techniques to help their child develop their human potential. Free. 10am to 12pm. YCIS Beijing. (8583 3731)

Active Parenting Workshops: Secondary School, Tuesdays
Active Parenting uses entertaining and informative programs, activities, and discussion to show parents ways to raise responsible, cooperative children who are able to resist negative peer pressure. These workshops will run from October 25 through November. Free. 10am to 12pm. YCIS Beijing. (8583 3731)

Free Public Class – BMS, Mondays & Wednesdays
Adults. Beijing Mandarin School offers free lessons every Monday and Wednesday. Different weeks have a different schedule. Head out to BMS to practice your Mandarin and meet some great people! Free. 1pm to 3pm. Beijing Mandarin School. (8441 8391, info@beijingmandarinschool.com)

JZ Atelier Children Class-Bejeweled Christmas Ornaments Workshop, Nov 27
This year let the children lead the way, JZ Atelier is proudly present a three weeks of special featured Christmas bejeweled ornaments making workshops. Children will make their own Christmas ornaments, wreath in their own term. RMB 990 for 3 sessions. 10am to 12pm. LaiTai Flower Market. (182 1063 4921, WeChat: suttech)

Best of Next Week
Viva Event Christmas Gathering & Cookie Making, Nov 29
Viva Beijing Professional Women’s Network will host its annual Christmas Gathering.
Don’t let the smoggy air stop you from having a good time and join for cookies, warm friendship, and mentorship! RMB 180. 6.30pm to 9.30pm. Lily’s American Diner. (http://www.vivabeijing.org/)

Hilton Beijing Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony & Charity Bazaar, Dec 3
All ages. Hilton Beijing once again celebrates the holidays with its Traditional European Christmas Train & Village from December 3 to January 2017. The Christmas Village features a Giant Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and a children’s chorus from 5.50-6.30pm. There will also be over 70 bazaar booths (2-8pm) with all proceeds from sales going to support the Morning Tears Organization. Free. 2-8pm. Hilton Beijing. (jane.yin@hilton.com)

BCIS and MCF Christmas Charity Bazaar, Dec 3
All ages. This joint bazaar between BCIS and Migrants Children’s Family is a fundraising event for MCF that features live performances, shopping, food, and mingling with friends and the wider BCIS and MCF community at the main BCIS campus. Free. 11am-3pm. Beijing City International School. (Zhuofei.yang@bcis.cn)

WAB Charity Bazaar, Dec 3
All ages. The Western Academy of Beijing’s Charity Bazaar features hundreds of vendors offering homemade gifts, holiday food and drink, and dozens of unique items for sale. Proceeds from the event will go to assist several charity organizations, including the Chi Heng Foundation, supporting HIV-affected children in rural China through education. Free. 10am-3.30pm. Western Academy of Beijing. (5986 5588, wabinfo@wab.edu)

Photos: Courtesy of ISB, BSB, Shunyi, YCIS, and Vanessa Jencks

Most families might not feel fancy enough for an upscale French meal, but if there’s a time to rouse the spirits, it’s the holidays. We think the best place for this is Ernest’s French Bistro, where Chef Ernest Yan passionately devotes himself to his foodie creations. The atmosphere of the bistro has more of a home feel than a coat-tails-and-bow-ties vibe, so children needn’t necessarily be on their best behavior or pull out those Christmas white tights. Though the bistro has become a new favorite among Francophiles and foodies alike, the real test, we believe, is if the entrees appeal to a younger palate.
We brought in seven-year-old Bernadette and five-year-old Diederik, who attend Daystar Academy and Ivy Academy, respectively. Dad Albert van Lawick van Pabst is a Dutch entrepreneur working in sustainable energy.  Mother Elisabeth Koch, of the eponymous millinery label, loved the food and presentation, but was a bit concerned whether her children would enjoy everything offered. Though she raises them both with an open mouth to all cuisines, she could easily see the set would be best enjoyed by adults.
First up were the garlic prawns (RMB 98), which Diedrik quickly devoured. Bernadette later confided in us, “The garlic shrimp were my favorite, but I didn’t like that Diedrik ate almost all of them.” They tried the homemade foie gras parfait with a rose wine jelly topping served with house made brioche (RMB 98), but it wasn’t a favorite of Diedrik. Bernadette did enjoy the foie gras with the jelly removed.

Bernadette began dipping the brioche into the remaining prawn garlic sauce, and Diederik quickly followed suit. Both children snapped up the pan-seared scallops served with sautéed asparagus, shitaki mushroom, corn, and chicken veloute (RMB 168).
Next the boeuf cheeks bourguignon (RMB 198) came in an appealing presentation paired with sautéed baby potatoes, candy beets, and fresh asparagus. “The meat is very tender,” Mom commented.
“I like the cheeks,” Diederik replied, then added, “Because I like beef and chicken.”
Deep fried Brussel sprouts with almonds (RMB 88) might not have appealed to most children, but Bernadette happened to absolutely enjoy them. Playing around, Diederik fed her a few, which Bernadette snapped off the fork.
Would you recommend other kids come here, we asked. Diederik thought for a moment before giving a decisive “Yes.”

Family-friendly Notes: Bathrooms are kept clean. High chairs and kid’s cutlery are available. The space is relaxed, not stuffy, and appropriate for a homey holiday meal or date night.

Ernest’s French Bistro 艾尔尼法式小馆
Tue-Thu 11am-8.30pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11.30pm. Pinnacle Plaza, Shunyi District,(8042 2106) 顺义荣祥广场（馨园一街2号院，3幢03）

This article originally appeared on page 1f the November/ December 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: DAVE’S STUDIO

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I set out to find my own delights for a Beijing Thanksgiving. After spending four years in Texas, I came to appreciate the culinary delight of a great Thanksgiving feast. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday from the US; I think it’s one of the most well balanced menus a holiday can have. Sorry England, but the mince pie just does not do anything for me.

Living in Beijing has lots of fun factors, stepping on the bike and looking for groceries is one of them. Grocery shopping is almost like a puzzle, and it is so rewarding to find something I need, and get it for a reasonable price. Normal household items might not be so normal in China. So expats have to be creative if they don’t want to break the bank. I bike around Beijing, sourcing my groceries in Chinese supermarkets, import stores and markets. Moving to Beijing this summer from London broke the bank, and this made me worry about Thanksgiving.

This feast  is always at the end of the month, so I set myself a goal of creating a magical first Thanksgiving here in Beijing on a budget, with a wonderful menu inspired by my time in Texas. Even though we had the most horrible experience moving to China, we still have lots to be thankful for. I armed myself with a list and pollution masks then stepped out on my bike with my daughter (3 years old). We searched for the hardest things to find on a budget, a whole turkey, rosemary, pasta, cheese, butter, bacon, cranberries, and pecans. I will add a few recipes underneath that I created with ingredients that will help you fake a Thanksgiving dinner like a Chinese pro. Remember a few things when grocery shopping in China: you have to be creative, have time, and most importantly, be able to settle.

Our Menu This Year:

Main Course: Brown Sugar Rosemary Turkey, Baked Mac and cheese, Corn Bread Stuffing, Oat and Corn Muffins,  Green Beans with Bacon, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Orange Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

Our Desserts: Pecan Pie, and Pumpkin Pie

I looked online for a turkey but was a bit disheartened, so we went to the Sanyuanli market to do some bargaining. Unfortunately, the cheapest turkey I could find was still RMB 400. So we had to settle, do the unthinkable and buy a chicken for RMB 2.23 instead. We will brine it to make it taste like a turkey. Underneath,  find a recipe for chicken or turkey brine. It can be used for both, it just depends if you want to spend your money on a dodgy, expensive turkey or stay cheap and get a few chickens instead. All is not lost, we still have all the sides to make it taste like real thanksgiving feast for my family. We found a bag of pecans at 250 grams for RMB 35 this was a pretty sweet deal as I can make a seven person pie out of it. I calculated the total cost of the pie. It will be around RMB 50 bringing a budget price of around RMB 8 per person.

We continued through the masses of shopping people in the market looking for fresh rosemary and found a spicy deal of RMB 5 per bag. That’s cheap, even for European standards. After the market, we biked over to Jenny Lou”s in Sanlitun. We were still looking for fresh cranberries, cheese, pasta, and butter. We found a cheesy discount of two bags of  grated cheddar for RMB 30.60 and a pound of butter for RMB 25.80. These are the small things that make me jump with joy. We found some pasta shells on sale for RMB 9.90, so the baked mac and cheese is sorted. Unfortunately, the cranberries seem harder to find, I didn’t fret when I found a can of cranberry sauce for RMB 19.90. This is where we had to settle. I added a recipe underneath to personalize your cranberry sauce. Nobody will suspect that it’s from the canned section.

We continued our shopping spree to the local Chinese supermarket called Jingkelong . With the help of my 3 year old, we tackled the hustle and bustle of this supermarket. Lots of ladies were screaming to sell their products and on another occasion an old lady walked away with my daughter in her stroller! Hold on to your blond children and get ready to do some cheap shopping. We were on the lookout for some pumpkins for the pie. I did find canned pumpkin pie filling but it was very expensive at RMB 35. Already cut pumpkins were only RMB 1.85, so making it yourself is much cheaper. Below is a recipe. Then we found some bacon for only RMB 9.90. That’s the best price I found anywhere, so I’ll be back for more to put in the freezer. Bags of milk are also a steal at only RMB 2.20 per bag. For the rest of the sides, we found green beans for RMB 4 for a big bag full and six enormous sweet potatoes for RMB 5. This will be a typical Texan thanksgiving feast with a taste of Chinese “fake it ’till you make it.”

Locations where I got the delightful ingredients:

Jenny Lou’s:  http://www.jennylou.com.cn/

(Over the coming weeks we’ll be casting an eye over the performing talents of our community’s students and teachers, as we preview some of the upcoming school shows.)

Students at the British School of Beijing (BSB) Shunyi will bring a classic tale to life in their forthcoming production of The Wizard of Oz.

Around 50 students are involved in the show, not only onstage but also working on all aspects of the production: set design, music, hair and make up, sound and lighting, and front of house. Lucy, who plays the role of the Tin Man, told us, “The costumes and sets in The Wizard of Oz are amazing. I helped with designing some sets and making some props which was really enjoyable.”

Working on the show has brought students closer together. As Leane (Glinda, the Good Witch of the North/ Aunt Em) put it, “Getting to know and work with people I don’t usually talk to is amazing.” Luca (Uncle Henry/ the Guard) added “Preparing for the show has been the best of this whole experience. It was during rehearsals when we would all be together, that we became the ‘family’ we now are. We spent countless hours together and it’s been amazing. Whether you are watching the show or acting on stage, you always have fun.”

Of course, there are challenges too. Many of the students are in their final years of studies for their IB Diploma or IGCSE, so they’ve had to find a balance between their studies and the many hours of rehearsals. David, who plays The Wizard of Oz and Professor Marvel, told us his greatest challenge was “remembering my lines in such a short time, fitting in with my character and fitting rehearsals in a tight schedule.”

But being involved in such a production is a learning process in itself. Edward (the Cowardly Lion/ Zeke) said “There’s a certain responsibility that comes with being a lead.” Leane told us what she’d learned: “Always be ready for new criticism. Accept any choices people make about your costume, no matters how much glitter is involved!”

Those students who are in their final year will leave with lasting happy memories. Kirsty, who stars in the leading role of Dorothy Gale, said “This production has a fantastic enthusiastic cast, so much work has gone into it. It’s my last production at BSB since I’m graduating this year and I hope to do the best I’ve ever done.”

Performances will take place at BSB Shunyi on Friday November 25 at 7pm, then on Saturday November 26 at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets cost RMB 100 for adults, RMB 65 for children, and are available at BSB Reception Desk. Contact: 8047-3588, www.bsbshunyi.com

Photos: courtesy of BSB Shunyi

Those outside of the Nord Anglia Education family might be confused by the link between the two British Schools of Beijing (BSB). BSB, Sanlitun and BSB, Shunyi are not two campuses of the same school but are actually individual entities within a school family. A visit to both schools easily makes that clear, with a complete set of their own principals and staff who do not report to one another.

But to the benefit of the children they educate and nourish, BSB, Sanlitun and BSB, Shunyi do cooperate and collaborate to link the experiences at the urban and unique BSB, Sanlitun to the suburban and spacious BSB, Shunyi. Parents and students making the switch can expect the same high quality education with the English National curriculum at both schools, but parents switching outside the Nord Anglia family are often concerned about if students will be behind or need to “catch up” in comparison to the curriculum at other schools.

“In our experience, we know from families who have moved back to home countries or to a curriculum such as the IB MYP that, coming from the English National Curriculum, their child has generally been slightly ahead in all subjects particularly in English Literacy. In addition, our approach to learning here at BSB, Sanlitun, to develop the key learning behaviors and traits that students need to be successful in their learning, are skills and attitudes that our students can take anywhere in the world,” explained Christine Armstrong, Deputy Headteacher, and Learning and Teaching Leader at BSB, Sanlitun.

Preparing for switching schools within or outside of the Nord Anglia Education Group is made as “seamless as possible.” Armstrong said BSB, Sanlitun will “liaise with the new school and pass on information as needed” with the admissions team making themselves available to talk to parents, to “share the knowledge they have about different countries and curricula.”

The switch between BSB, Sanlitun and BSB, Shunyi starts early and lasts into the first year at BSB Shunyi. “This year our two oldest year groups here at BSB, Sanlitun (Year 5 and 6) have visited BSB, Shunyi for experiences, with more in the pipeline, so preparations are starting 2 years in advance really,” said Armstrong.

Students are able to see firsthand the normal operations of BSB,Shunyi, the closest Nord Angelia school with a secondary school, including timetabled lessons and interaction with other students in the same age group, allowing a chance for making new friends. “These transition experiences are open to all children in their final year of school here at BSB, Sanlitun; whether they are attending BSB, Shunyi for Secondary school or moving on to another country. It is part of the commitment of both schools to work together to ensure all children in the Nord Anglia Education family are ready for their next stage of learning, no matter where in the world that may be.”

BSB, Sanlitun works with all the Year 6 students to explain the difference between primary and secondary schools “We run a PSHE (Personal, Social, and Health Education) curriculum alongside this about moving on, making new friends and growing one’s independence. In their final year we run a week long residential to Inner Mongolia which is about new experiences and taking responsibility for oneself,” Armstrong added.

Don’t fear for your students coming from outside of BSB, Sanlitun, though.

Peter Carlisle, Secondary Deputy Headteacher BSB, Shunyi, explains, “For students coming from other schools, we invite them to school before they join for some induction activities but also put them in touch with current students. Then BSB, Shunyi ensures that students are matched with existing students through a “Buddy” system when they start Secondary and the Head of Year ensures there are many collaborative events where students can meet the rest of their year group. The prime examples are the House Competitions, Sports and Residential Trips away from home.”

By far, the biggest concern for city parents making the switch is the bus ride.

“The feedback we get from our BSB, Sanlitun alumni is that the parents worry about it far more than the children. The students take the opportunity on the bus ride to talk to friends, listen to music and catch-up on the day with others. The students just see it as part of life living in Beijing,” said Armstrong.

Michaela Röll, who has a 12-year-old son called Philip in Year 8 at BSB, Shunyi, echoes that sentiment. Their family lives close to BSB, Sanlitun and Röll finds the commute hard on them. “We have to get up a lot earlier than before, Philip spends about two hours on the bus each day, and we as parents cannot participate as actively in the community of BSB, Shunyi as we would like.”

Philip, Year 8 at BSB, Shunyi

On sports activity days, Philip makes it home close to dinnertime with homework left to do, since the bus travels through late afternoon/evening traffic. “Other families we know have moved out to Shunyi. This would also be a solution, but we like the city center, and Philip doesn’t mind the bus rides so much, as long as he can be together with his friends.”

Röll feels Philip took a few months to become adjusted to the change, though this is expected with any transition. Philip does seem more than happy with the change though. “Luckily, there are plenty of things that he very much liked: the amazing sports facilities; the PE teachers gave him the opportunity to be part of the FOBISIA team; the food, which he thinks is better than in Sanlitun; the residential trip in the beginning of the year when he got to know the other students better; the new subject Design Technology; and the Science Lab.”

Röll added, “He has also received a lot of support from many teachers. For us as parents, the head of secondary Steve Lewis was a wonderful support and help with any questions and concerns that we had.”

We didn’t dare ask the two schools what the difference and similarities were between the two schools, but Röll compared and contrasted them beautifully.

“BSB, Sanlitun is like a cocoon. I think it is ideal for many younger kids, very small and cozy. You know everybody and everybody knows you. There is a lot of structure that gives the children a sense of security.”

Philip, Year 6 at BSB, Sanlitun

Of BSB, Shunyi, Röll explained, “[It] is a big school. That can be confusing at first, but it is also good to see the children get more independent and it offers more opportunities.”

And how do the two schools compliment each other?

“Both schools have amazing teachers that really bring out the best in the children and who are attentive to their needs.”

Meet both the British School of Beijing, Sanlitun and the British School of Beijing, Shunyi at the 7th Beijing International School Expo (BISE) hosted by beijingkids and JingKids on February 18-19, 2017 from 10am-4pm at the Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town. Find out more information about the event here.

We suggest you take advantage of the few events in Beijing for families that are actually free – register now for a quick and painless breeze through the check-in line.

Starting from the end of October, the winter holidays can bring in one sugar crash after another, especially when even our hot chocolate drinks are packed with sugar. Miyee Woon of Miyee美颐@家KITCHEN shared with us a recipe that’s light on sugar for a dessert alternative that won’t send you or your kids down a sugar slide. Woon’s daughter Carol, age 9, attends Fang Cao Di International School Section in Grade 3 and joined Woon to make these sweet rolls at the café in Funwork (CBD area), where Woon and Perlita Pengson founded R3 Discovery, a place for children to delve into reading.

Ingredients 原料
For the cake:
制作蛋糕所需食材：
40g Sugar糖
80g Flour面粉
30 ml Cooking oil食用油
4 cold eggs鸡蛋
65g Yogurt酸奶
For the cream:
制作奶油所需食材：
100g of Millac Dairy
Whipping Cream
英国进口蓝风车淡奶油
15g sugar糖

Instructions 制作方法：
1. Separate yolks from whites; set aside whites. Add 20g of sugar into yolk and whip. Add oil then yogurt. Add flour through a sifter. Consistency should be runny, not gloppy; add a small amount of water if consistency is not right. Set aside. 将蛋黄与蛋清分离；蛋白放一边稍后使用。在蛋黄中加入20g糖，搅拌均匀。在蛋液中加入食用油和酸奶。加入筛子筛后的细面粉。保持蛋液为液态，加入少量的水防止变稠。搅拌好后搁置一边。

2. Taking whites, add 20g of sugar and whip into a meringue. Fold whites mixture into yolks mixture.取蛋白，加入20g糖，搅拌成蛋白糖霜。将蛋白糖霜倒入蛋黄混合物，将两者混合起来。

3. Separate cake mix into the amount of colors you want and add drops of color until you reach the hue you like.按你想烘焙的蛋糕颜色取所需蛋糕粉量，加入食用色素，以达到理想的颜色。

4. Put cake mix into bags to easily line the pan. You can use a toothpick to make a design or place diagonal alternating lines for stripes.将蛋糕粉放入袋中，以您喜欢的方式排列蛋糕盘。您可以使用牙签设计图案，或者沿对角线方向画出条纹图案。

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius. Temperature may vary depending on individual oven.将做好的蛋糕胚放置于170摄氏度烤箱，烘烤15至20分钟。烤箱温度因烤箱而异。

6. While cake mix is baking, add 15g of sugar to the 100g of cream and whip.烘培蛋糕胚的过程中，在淡奶油中加入15g的糖，搅拌均匀。

7. Flip out baked cake onto baking paper and let cool down totally in order to avoid cracking during the rolling process. Once cool, smear whipped cream in step 6 across it then roll. Wrap the roll with baking paper to trap moisture and refridgerate for 30 minutes to an hour.烘烤完蛋糕后，将蛋糕放在烘焙纸上冷却，以避免在包裹过程中开裂。一旦冷却，将步骤6做出的奶油涂抹在整个蛋糕上，然后包起来。用烘焙纸包裹卷来锁住水分，将放置在冰箱中30分钟至一小时。

This article originally appeared on pages 22-23  of the November/ December 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

While I was looking for adopters of the three lovely puppies that I accidentally found, most people simply replied “We love dogs but we cannot take one home.” One lady referred me to someone who might be able to help me find a potential forever home. I contacted her, hoping she might adopt the three puppies or help me find somebody.Upon contacting the potential adopter, she told me that, “I have more than 120 dogs, what about I give you a few?” Immediately I wondered “How can one person have more than 120 dogs?” ! I know a lot of people in Beijing helping more than one dog, buying food for them with their own limited salary and taking care of their medical or health needs. Owning 120 dogs in any capacity though seemed completely impossible. I interviewed the young lady to find out how she managed such a task. She has a day time job in finance and takes care of all these dogs in the evening after work. Her boyfriend helps her a lot with the daily running of the dog’s shelter. She prefers to be called April.1. How did this start and when did you get the first stray dog?

It was a white female dog I found during the day in my neighborhood. She looked helpless and remained there until the evening. Since at the time I had my own pet dog, I instantly sympathized with and cared about this new dog. The security guard said that she was abandoned by her owner who lived in the basement. The owner had another dog which they sold since it was considered to be a better breed. This one was a common one so dumped in the neighborhood. So I left her at my friend’s pet center and later at my nearest dogs shelter.

2. During the many years of taking care of dogs, did you ever have struggles or concerns?

Sure. My income is very limited. How can I feed them and take care of them? These questions always bothered me. However, I didn’t have too many struggles. When see those life-seeking and helpless eyes, see the desperation of dogs to be sold by owners to become food, you wouldn’t struggle too much. You only think about ways to rescue them, how to feed them, and how to find a trustworthy owner for them.3. How did the number of dogs increase from 1 to more than 120?

The number of dogs increased very quickly. In China, there exists a minimal awareness of proper pet culture and animal welfare. Abuse is often not a crime but simply done for fun. The cost of moral reproach or crime against animals is very low. Abusing, ill-purposed reproduction, stealing, and illegal dog meat are all what we fight against. Many stray dogs are extremely sick while some are deserted on purpose. These dogs are the ones we aim to help. I hope to use my strength to win kinder treatment for a greater number of animals. Over time, more and more dogs came to my place. My limit has been constantly extended.4. What’s your daily life like?

As I have to go to work day time, I care for the dogs and cats after work. For example, visiting families who will potentially adopt, taking the dogs to get vaccinated, and checking on animals who have been hospitalized for treatment. During the weekend time I usually clean up the shelter, trim the dogs’ nails and brush their hair, etc. Sometimes we get volunteers come to improve the shelter’s conditions. Since there are too many dogs, facilities are often quickly damaged, needing constant repair or replacement. Winter mats need to be sunned every week or replaced. There are no rest days. Being together with them and seeing their smiling faces are my most cherished rewards.

5. What are the challenges?

Too many challenges! Money is not the first thing. It is people. Very few people can do this for a long time. Some came with dogs they rescued, but then left the dogs here with me. A lack of human resources is the greatest issue. I need to work in order to cover all the expenses, but because I am constantly working I cannot set up a full-time staff to work on adoption, visitation, cleaning up, publicity and management. I am the one doing all the work right now. We need people to be willing to sacrifice their time and resources. The next challenge is funding. Every new dog brings with it a new host of financial responsibilities. These financial impacts include annual vaccinations, medicine, treatment, and utilities. The third challenge is social recognition. Many people consider it a waste of money and time to care for these dogs. They think participating in other charities would be much more worthwhile. I don’t want to lecture here, but just think, if I can save a life just by reaching out my hands, how could it be a wasting of time? If one cannot extend kindness to a reachable life, how could it be possible to do greater charity? Kindness does not differentiate between size or species!6. Did you ever think about giving up?

Yes, I did think about what their lives would be like without me. It was only a thought, nonetheless. I cannot give it up. When you see their lives changed because of you, from being afraid of human beings to wanting to be close to human beings, and from being paper-thin to being big and heavy, you could not possibly give it up. Such achievement and satisfaction cannot be reached by buying a LV bag. I will not give up. Surely one day I will be too tired to do it, but I will first find ways for them to be well taken care of.

7. What new perspectives have you obtained while helping all these dogs?

Dogs are animals with great feelings. Once a dog was hit by a car on an express way, lying there covered in its own blood. There was another dog as well that never left the afflicted dog’s side. Eventually both of them were saved and lived at my shelter. They ate together and always stayed together. Unfortunately one of them died due to sickness this year after having lived here for four years. The other dog then never left their den, nearly always lying there. Seeing this I realized that the feelings of these dogs are sometimes on par with or even greater than that of human beings. They know everything that is happening but simply cannot express themselves with words!8. What kind of help would you need?

Hopefully more families will be willing to adopt these dogs, giving them a forever home, regardless of what breed they might be, and treat them as a family member. I also hope that more people will pay attention to homeless animals, giving them help if they see them in trouble. Even if you may not like them please don’t harm them! They have the right to a peaceful life! Hopefully, more people will say no to animal performances and animal products. Helping them doesn’t have to mean giving money. Passing the message around also counts.April loves all her sheltered dogs and has strict requirements for adoption. Her dog shelter is in Changping District. They currently have limited helpers and are looking for committed volunteers. April speaks English and can be reached at the following WeChat account:

Advent season in Austria

Turning the clock back at the end of October is the first sign of winter, and thus, Advent season in Austria. Some trees are still holding onto their yellow leaves, while others have already set them free for their last journey. The sky is getting dark by 5 pm now, and with the early darkness come memories of spice tea, candles, and families gathered around the Advent wreath reading stories and singing songs. On Dec. 1st, Families hang up their Advent calendars and the children open one calendar window with every passing day until all 24 windows have been opened on Christmas. In Austria, Krampus, an evil demon, visits kids who don’t behave on Dec. 5th, and Nikolaus (St. Nicolas), the good counterpart to Krampus, visits those who do the day after. He’ll put chocolate, gingerbread, mandarin oranges and nuts into the children’s shoes while they are asleep. Christmas is celebrated on the eve of Dec. 24th.

Two months before Christmas, the shop aisles in Austria are already filled with sweets, cookies and Advent wreaths and calendars. It has been years since I have spent Advent season in Austria and I’m getting all excited about the prospect of taking a few Christmas-y things with me for my Chinese family and kids. My husband and two-year old son have never spent this season in Austria and there are only a handful of plastic Christmas trees that pop up every year in the Northeastern Chinese city of three million with live in. Except for Jingle Bells, which our washing machine plays all year round in a high-pitched voice upon finishing a laundry load, the radios there don’t play any Christmas songs. When I tried to play my son German Christmas songs last year, he asked me to put on a red song he has learned from his Chinese grandfather instead. Believe me, there’s no arguing with a strong-willed toddler.

This means that the main responsibility of creating some Advent spirit for my family in China is on me. And to be honest, I’m quite bad at preparing for holidays and festivities. How do you re-create that warm and cozy feeling you remember from gathering around the Christmas tree with your family as a child, the scent of melting wax and fir needles filling the apartment, for your Chinese in-laws and husband, to whom Christmas is just another Spring Festival, albeit one celebrated in the West, not in China? Although both holidays are about being with family, Christmas is silent night, while Spring Festival is all about 热闹, enjoying being with family in a lively atmosphere that is bustling with noise.

The first Christmas hubby, my in-laws and I celebrated together was a disaster. I cooked traditional Austrian Christmas dinner–sausages, potatoes and sauerkraut–and ended up being the only one eating it. My husband got into a fight with his dad over MSG and they didn’t speak with each other for two days. Our paper Christmas tree was smaller than a Welsh terrier and didn’t feature any decoration.

Last year, Christmas was a little better. I ordered a few presents on Taobao, made red paper stars to hang up at home and bought colorful balls to decorate our tiny Christmas tree with. My then 16-month old son and I made it a habit to guess the balls’ colors in the morning. “Which color is this one,” I’d ask. “Blue,” he’d reply, eagerly waiting for me to ask him the next color. Knowing that they are not comfortable eating the Austrian food I prepare, I didn’t invite my in-laws for Christmas dinner, but brought them cookies instead and they prepared a Christmas present for our son.

Advent season abroad will never be the same as back home, but I do believe that with every passing year, it will be easier for me to re-create some of that season’s spirit in our family home in China. Advent season is about creating warmth and letting it extend in body and soul so you don’t feel the cold outside as much. It’s about connecting with family, and enjoying being together. Recurring rituals make it easier to get into this mood. This year, I will pack my suitcase with an Advent calendar for my son, Nikolaus treats for my husband and in-laws and Christmas cookies. My in-laws don’t like the Austrian version of sauerkraut, but they do enjoy a sweet treat.

Photos courtesy of Ruth Silbermayr-Song

Ruth Silbermayr-Song is an Austrian illustrator, German teacher and mother of two. She writes about life in China as a foreign woman, her cross-cultural marriage to a Chinese man, and child rearing bridging cultures and languages on her blog China Elevator Stories. Her story of pregnancy and parenting in China has appeared in the anthology “Knocked Up Abroad Again”.

Often on social media, especially on WeChat Moments and group chats, we’ll see “missing persons reports.” We are encouraged to share them in every group we know and ask our friends if so-and-so foreign national or child has been sighted anywhere.  Even though we’re in Beijing, sometimes we’re asked about residents of Shenzhen or Shanghai, and many ads will continue to circulate even after the person is found. Clearly, there must be a better way.

We’re not discouraging anyone from asking their communities/networks for assistance, but if it’s your friend or family member who’s gone missing, you should know how to get help from authorities.

When can you file a “missing person’s report”?
In the US it’s 36 hours, but in China the police will not open a case until a person has been missing for at least 48 hours.  Foreign nationals can also get in touch with their embassy and have the embassy contact the police on their behalf (especially if there’s a language barrier).

What do you need to file a report?
When you go to police station, make sure you have the missing person’s basic information, such as their name, nationality, eye and hair color, height, and weight.  Bring the person’s photos and clothes. The police will use the clothing to extract DNA, which they will run through their bank of missing persons.

What if you’re not in China, but your loved on might be missing in China?
You can still contact your embassy and have them contact the local police and file the report on your behalf.

Source: Global Times

Photo: Flickr

With the Winter Olympics coming to Beijing in 2022, skiing facilities in the region are receiving substantial investment and development. So there’s never been a better time to take your family out onto the slopes. But even if you’re an experienced skier, taking children can be a challenge. And if you’re used to the slopes of the Alps or the Rockies, then Beijing’s resorts, with their crowds and artificial snow, can come as a shock.
For some informed advice we talked to Charlotte Friis Lodahl, a Danish freelancer. Friis Lodahl has been in Beijing for 12 years, and regularly skis with husband Jesper, a company director, and daughters, Laura Justine (9 years old), a student at Harrow International School, and Asta (7), who attends House of Knowledge.
What, we asked, are the particular challenges of skiing in China?
“It very much depends on where you go,” Friis Lodahl told us. “I think safety is a big issue. A lot of beginners go on the slopes without any lessons, and therefore don’t know how to control the ski and don’t know the basic traffic rules on the slopes.”
(Perhaps the most important rule, and the one most flouted on Chinese pistes, is that it’s the responsibility of the skier upslope to look out, and go safely around, people below them.)
“For foreigners in particular,” she added, “language can also be a challenge – though the newer resorts near Wanlong also have English speaking instructors.
What advice would you give to a family skiing together for the first time?
“If you go skiing during public holidays, all places are quite crowded, which makes it a bit more challenging to enjoy. So try to go outside holiday periods at first, to get a feel for it. If your kids have never been skiing before, start with an instructor that can give them a lesson on basic skiing skills.
“If you don’t have your own gear, you want to make sure that the bindings are correctly set for your weight, height and experience level – particularly for the kids. If the bindings are too tight the ski won’t come off when you fall and you can break your leg!
“Make sure you check the marking of the slopes. Green is for beginners and is recommended if you haven’t tried skiing before.”
Families should remember a good helmet and snow glasses, she told us. “Choosing the right lenses can be a science in itself. Personally I prefer yellow with mirror reflection, but the fit is really important too.
“Don’t forget warm clothing – it is not the Alps! It gets really cold.”
(Layers provide good insulation, and also allow you to adjust if your children get too hot or cold.)
“And something to eat. You can often buy food, but it is the usual instant noodles. In some cases you can get chuanr; but to be on the safe side, bring good snacks for the kids.”

Where to go:
Best for Beginners
“Yunding. It’s relatively new with great facilities and beginner friendly. It has quite a few different slopes both challenging and wide and easy ones. Our kids love it there!”
Opens for the season: November 5, 2016
Prices vary from RMB 400 for an off peak four hour lift pass to RMB 1,150 for two days during public holidays. RMB 300 for equipment rental. 400 168 1234, www.secretgardenresorts.com
Genting or Yunding?
Genting Secret Garden takes its name from a mountain resort in Malaysia. The company which developed it expanded to open resorts and casinos all over the world. Their Chinese name is Yun Ding (云顶yúndǐng, meaning Cloud Top). But it’s the same place!
The Newcomer
Thaiwoo Ski Resort only opened last winter, but with 18km of trails, a 500m drop, and pistes to suit skiers of all abilities, it might become the new all-round favorite.
Opens for the season:Beginning of November, depending on weather. Call the number below for more information.
Prices: RMB 320 four hours, Monday-Friday,  RMB 420 four hours Saturday-Sunday, and on holidays RMB 520. Additional equipment charges. RMB 1600 for two days during the holidays with equipment. 400 601 3300, thaiwoo.com
Getting to the “Chongli Cluster”:
Wanlong, Yunding and Thaiwoo, together with the smaller Duolemeidi, make up the “Chongli cluster”. Wanlong and Yunding are very close together, and you can ski from one area to the other, but be aware that the lift passes are not interchangeable.
If you’re driving, take the G6 Expressway at Beijing Jianxiangqiao as far as the Chongli South Exit, and keep going until you reach the resorts.
Genting runs a shuttle bus which departs from Guomao at 7am, with stops at Huixinjie Station (south exit) and Jiandemen Station, and returns at 4pm. The bus takes about four and a half hours.
Or take the bus to Chongli, if you have the patience for a long journey, or the train to Zhangjiakou, from where a cab to the resorts will cost about RMB 200.
Best for Experienced Skiers
“Wanlong has long and challenging slopes. Most skiers there are experienced.”
Opens for the season: Beginning of November, depending on weather. Call the number below for more information.
Prices: RMB 420 for four hours. RMB 590 for equipment. RMB 590 one-day pass (RMB 850 with equipment), RMB 900 two day pass (RMB 1310 with equipment).  Book viaWeChat for a 15 percent discount. 400 6822 999, wlski.com

For an Inexpensive Day Trip
“Nanshan can be very crowded: too many people that don’t know how to ski and just go as fast as possible down the hills, without knowing rules and how to stop. But if you are skilled and can navigate around the crazy people who have never skied before – then it’s a quick day trip from Beijing and gives you a good break away from the city.”
Opens for the season: December 1 as of presstime, though it may open earlier depending on the weather (call the number below to confirm).
Prices: RMB 165 for four hours Monday-Friday.RMB 255 for four hours Saturday-Sunday and holidays.RMB 185-295 for full day pass. Includes equipment and insurance. 8909 3301, 8909 3302, nanshanski.com
Getting to Nanshan:
By car, take the Jingchengexpress way to the No.16 Miyun Downtown Exit, then go straight and follow the signs to Nanshan Ski Village. Alternatively, take the airport express south line, then the Jingping Express to Muyan road exit. Turn left at the exit to Muyan road, and take Henanzhai Crossroad. Turn right at the signpost.
Shuttle buses depart every day at 8:30am from three stops (Sanyuan Bridge, Shaoyaoju subway station and Wudaokou subway station). Return fares are RMB 45 per person, and you need to book one day in advance by calling 8909 1909.
The public bus is number 980 from Dongzhimen; get off at West Bridge (RMB 14). A taxi from there to Nanshan will cost about RMB 25.

This article originally appeared on pages 24-25 of the November/ December 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 WANLONG, YUNDING, NANSHAN

My daughter and I went to a book reading this Saturday at The Bookworm. The Magic Paintbrush by Julia Donaldson captured my attention as we have a copy at home. One of my dearest mommy friends gave it to our family as a farewell gift when we left London to move to Beijing. We met on a bus in London when her first daughter was only three weeks old. Since that moment, we braved many story times in the libraries around east London. I was happy to find a bit of this magic back in Beijing at The Bookworm.

The Magic Paintbrush by Julia Donaldson is about a girl who finds a magic paintbrush and the adventures that follow are both magical and an ethical lesson for children. The kids were all listening and en enraptured  by our story teller, Karin Markowski, a teacher at the Pakistan embassy college. She had a little riddle for the kids, of course some painting after the story telling, and hot chocolate and cookies followed after.

This morning proved story telling is still a great way of spending time together, in a magical environment where books line the walls. The Bookworm makes it a bit easier for parents with coffee and breakfast.  I would not mind spending every Saturday morning at The Bookworm with a latte.

While there, I found out what else was going on at The Bookworm. They will host a flea market this Saturday November 26 from 12pm till 6pm on their rooftop terrace. The following Saturday, December 3 Karin Markowski will resume her story telling with another favorite by Julia Donaldson, Stick Man. Be sure to brings some sticks to create your own stick man after the story.

Find more information about The Bookworm here:

http://www.chinabookworm.com/

Pauline van Hasselt has just started working for beijingkids. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June of this year. Prior she lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paraguay, Texas, and London, studying and working as a chef. Pauline enjoys biking around Beijing, finding markets and new restaurants, reading crime and fantasy books in bed, and most importantly, turning her house into a home for her family.

For our new column, Ask an Educator, we turn to educators, whether teachers, tutors, or principals, to answer frequently asked questions from parents. To send in your question, email jessicasuotmaa@beijing-kids.com.

This week, our question is:

“What is hypnobirthing? Can giving birth really be painless?“

Answering for us is Joy Skinner (Xing Zhou You), Hypnobirthing Practitioner, Dancing for Birth Practitioner, and Reiki Healer.

As a US certified Childbirth Educator, I help women during their pregnancies, guiding them to a more comfortable childbirth process. I have also assisted fathers, adjusted babies who were in the wrong position or had their umbilical cord coiled around their necks, and provided comfort during birth via reiki massage.

Actually, the “pain” associated with giving birth doesn’t exist. We learn it from other people and from doctors as we always tell horror stories of pain and birth.  Giving birth is a muscle movement. Muscle movements should not cause any pain, just an uncomfortable feeling.  Therefore, we use hypnosis, water treatment (water birth), and essential oils to help expecting mothers experience a gentler birth. By completely relaxing and loosening their muscles, mothers can experience a painless birth. When I gave birth, I didn’t experience any pain, and some of my students also didn’t experience any pain.

Many think giving birth is painful, but it can actually be beautiful. Those who think giving birth is difficult can realize women’s internal strength. I gave birth naturally two years ago, experiencing the deep connection of skin-on-skin contact with my newborn baby, and nursing on call.  Two years later, I have helped almost 200 women give birth, where 93 percent was natural, and none had c-sections. Of the women I have helped, 80 percent reported improved comfort in delivery, 75 percent reported their babies being less fussy and easier to appease, and 20 percent said their experience of natural childbirth was pain-free. In a country with the highest reported c-sections, I feel happy to help women follow their natural instincts towards a more comfortable delivery.

Photos courtesy of Joy Skinner

Whether you are thinking about applying to boarding school or university the value of visiting the schools on your list cannot be underestimated. While it may be a challenge to take time away from school, what you will see and experience from the visit will help to solidify your understanding of many important factors – the school’s setting and culture, classroom expectations and the overall vibe of the campus.

One of the reasons this issue is on the radar comes from two recent occurrences. One of my students traveled for ten days, visiting boarding schools and particpating in interviewing. For her the visits helped her make an important set of realizations – from the feel of the campus to the “fit” of the school she was able to gain a better understanding of the schools on her list. While she believed she varied in her interview performance, through visiting the schools she was able to really solidify her list of schools.

Another student went to visit several universities last week. She visited her first choice ED school as well as another university. She came back full of questions that ultimately led her to realize that she had changed her mind about applying ED. This led to the uncomfortable conversation about applying ED to a school when thorough research had not been completed.

Some of what both students experienced on their campus visits were the discrepencies in the interview process and the interviewer among the different schools. Preparing for an interview often does not take into consideration the varying personalities or day-to-day events that can impact an interviewer. Most of the time we expect the interviewer to be interested in the conversation, eager to learn about our attributes, challenges and life experiences. But what if the interviewer is not, does that mean they are not interested in you as a candidate? While it is not appropriate to ask what your interviewer if something is wrong or try various techniques to pull the interviewer in to the conversation, there may be outside reasons why the interview is perceptively not going well.

As an interviewee it is important to remember that interviewers are people too – they have lives outside of their jobs. Perhaps something tragic happened or are concerned from just having recieved unfortunate news. It is possible that the last interview was horrendous. It could also be that you were not prepared for the interview in one-way or another.

Interviews are hard. We want people to appreciate us and value what we have to say. Sometimes there is a connection, sometimes there is not. The one student who visited universities claimed that her interview for an art school did not conform to her expectations. Since she is applying to art school within a more comprehensive university, she was hoping for direct feedback on her portfolio. Instead the interviewer had students complete a project after which the student had a five- minute one-on-one presentation about the project. There was no feedback on her work. Since she had different expectations, she thought the interview had gone poorly. She also mentioned she had a difficult time finding the interview location – no one knew where to go and when they asked, there was no information.

Since this school is highly selective, it could be that the school was disorganized, but it could be that the school was watching how students react to a variety of stressful situations. While it is hard to know exactly what happened, given this third person perspective, it is hard to give any advice. But it is apparent that this student was perhaps not prepared for the unexpected.

Remember, the school is looking to see if you are a good fit just as much as you are trying to see if you fit into the school culture. NYU Abu Dhabi is a prime example of this. They invite their prospective candidates to a visit to their campus. This “test” is very much to see how a student behaves, acts and gets involved. They are looking for students to show their true selves in the process of the visit.

What is the point of all this? Aside being prepared for the unexpected – don’t read too much into the experience. Take an overview of what might be happening. In the case of the boarding student, where she thought the interview didn’t go well, the feedback later was “she was a breathe of fresh air!” In the case of the boarding student, try to view the overall perspective of the school and what they are trying to achieve.

Visiting schools should be a major part of any applicants’ research process, not only for the interview but also to get a sense of the community, the culture and feel of the school. The two-dimensional view from a website cannot compare to the real experience of walking around a campus. But even then, be careful – what you see is what you see. Until you actually attend a school, you will never really understand how you and the school culture will interact.  But by all means find out as much as you can about each school before applying. It will be well worth the extra effort.

Photos: schools-training.com

The relaxed, casual atmosphere at 3e International School is even warmer as teachers prepare students for the holiday season.  We visited the Lido campus after hours and met Amanda Boarman, first and second grade teacher from Indiana, US. While Boarman’s current passion is travel, having visited over ten different countries since leaving the US last year, she also has a knack for creative projects. She excitedly pitched the DIY snow globe to us, tested the project out, and was eager to show 3e kindergarten student, Aydin Rwanyagatare, how to make a personalized snow globe.

Estimated time:
45 minutes

Suitable for:
5+ (with parental help)

Materials:
–    Color photo
–    Scissors
–    Glue gun
–    Card stock (blue, in the example, to simulate the sky)
–    Clear plate
–    White confetti (you can make your own)
–    Silver glitter
–    2 gold pipe cleaners
–    1 silver pipe cleaner
–    Cotton (for the snow ball)

Step 1:  Take a picture of your child acting like they’re playing in the snow.
Step 2:  Print the picture and color and cut it out.
Step 3: Glue the photo onto the blue card stock.
Step 4:  Use the clear plastic plate to draw a circle for your ornament on the blue card stock
Step 5:  Decorate with glitter and white paper confetti to simulate snow.
Step 6: (Optional) If your child (in the photo) looks like he is throwing a snowball, take some cotton and ball it and glue it to their hand.
Step 7:  Glue clear plastic plate to the blue card stock on top of the picture, glitter, and snow.
Step 8:  Cut out the extra blue card stock from around the plate.
Step 9:  Glue decorative pipe cleaner around the outside of the clear plate.
Step 10:  Fold silver pipe cleaner in half and glue to the back of the ornament. Leave a loop at the top so that you can hang it. And we’re finished!

Aydin is proudly memorialized in a keepsake snow globe ornament.

This article originally appeared on pages 26-27 of the November/ December 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

If you didn’t get a chance to make it to the Innovation Expo at the International School of Beijing (ISB) last Saturday, you missed out!

The event was open to the public and free. Students of all ages got amazing hands on experiences with workshops ranging in difficulty from making an art bot (for kids ages 2-10 with a parent, 10+ without) to making an electronic guitar or game controller (for kids ages 8+, 10+ respectively). Many more workshops and activities kept students engaged for the whole afternoon.

The event lasted for six hours and included presentations for ISB’s upcoming middle school drama, student projects in technology, space, robotics, design, music, visual arts, physics, photography, radio, film, and inventions.  Professional displays were primarily showcasing Makers from Beijing Maker Space, Creatica, CAFA, and Tianjin Art Academy. Tsinghua Unviersity gave virtual reality demos while ISB held their own 3D printing display.

Don’t miss another great event like this! Follow beijingkids on WeChat to stay up to date on what’s going on for families around the city, or check back on our website every Monday evening for the event roundup of what’s going on in the city. Don’t forget our event section!

Photo: Courtesy of ISB

Three of Beijing’s favorite clothing retailers have been put on the “naughty list” by Oxfam Australia when it comes to ethical manufacturing.

The charity has been publishing the list since 2013, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that Uniqlo, Zara or Topshop use factories with unsafe conditions or child labor. However, because they refuse to release details of where their clothes are made, it’s impossible to be sure that they are ethically sourced. Zara’s parent company Inditex recently took the step of publishing details of the dyeing mills they use, but remain on the naughty list because they still keep their manufacturing locations secret.

The “naughty and nice lists” are a lighthearted way of getting consumers to think about ethical shopping at Christmas, and to put pressure on multinational companies. However standards in clothing manufacture are a serious matter. In 2013 over a thousand people died when a building housing garment workshops collapsed, bringing the attention of the world to the difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions in which our clothes are made.

China has strict laws against employing anybody under the age of 16. The government does not release any data on the subject, but the consensus of international observers is that huge strides have been made and the problem of child labor almost eradicated. Where it does still occur it’s usually in companies making hi-tech products for the western market.

However a recent report described children running around a clothing factory which has passed multiple inspections, some of the kids helping their parents with their work. The children weren’t employed there, but had nowhere else to go during the summer vacation. The manager of the factory defended the practice: “It’s better than just locking them up in the dorm room or letting them run around outside with no one to look after them.”

This might be seen as shocking, but in fact the alternative for many of the children, some as young as 4, is being locked inside apartments or wandering the streets on their own for hours at a time. The Center for Child Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility (CCR CSR) responded with a positive initiative, piloting Factory Child Friendly Spaces (FCFSs) at six Chinese factories this summer.

The initiative has been hailed as a success, with factories reporting that money saved by improved retention of staff more than justifies the costs of the facilities. It’s a reminder though that, while China has made impressive progress with eliminating child labor, the issue of childcare for working families remains a tricky one. And Oxfam hopes we will remember too, when shopping for the holidays, to make sure that someone else’s child wasn’t missing school to make the gifts our own will open this Christmas.

Photo: Oxfam Australia

As late as early 2012, expat females often informed incoming female coworkers to bring all they needed from home countries for their menstrual cycle. Though pads were available, tampons were hard to find in supermarkets, even in Beijing.

Just as a quick reminder about the Chinese landscape of service and shopping industries, this was before WeChat wallet was a necessity; before JD.com, Didi, and Taobao’s widespread use; and before even Uber had entered the Chinese market. So much has changed in China’s consumer market since then with more global products becoming available, but we have Fu Yuanhui to thank for the recent influx of menstrual products available.

As many have heard, she publicly attributed her lethargy and pain at the Olympic 4x100m medley relay to her period, though she didn’t blame her period for her less than desirable performance. With her comments stirring up interest in alternative period products and sexual health, tampons started appearing on shelves and soaking up some of the country’s red wave. Even better, menstrual cups can now be found to take care of the monthly cleaning cycle.

Many outside of the country, or those associated with older generations, find Fu’s proclamation a shock or as breaking norms, but those currently inside the country and associated with the younger generations aren’t so surprised.

Prompted by several conversations reflecting on public period talk, we reached out to several Chinese women to ask if it’s normal to share openly about menstrual cycle problems like discomfort, mood swings, or lethargy.

N. Li, 23 years old, said, “I think it’s pretty normal, just simply saying ‘I’m a little bit under the weather’ or ‘It’s the special day, I can’t do/eat anything.’”

“Personally, I do not think there is any problem, because my friends are very open minded,” said April Si, 25. “Before I went abroad, if I told a male friend about my period, I would feel very embarrassed. I never let anyone know about my period. But after my few years abroad, I found that talking about my period can be normal. At work, my colleagues are from all over the world, and they never shy away from this topic.”

Si did think that talking to a male boss about the topic might be too sensitive of a topic for her or her friends.

Melody Zhang, 33, jokes about her period with male and female friends, especially when it comes to the relationship with her husband. “He tells me, ‘You can’t have ice cream on your period!’ So I ask my friends to take me and buy ice cream so he won’t find out.”

Some still feel uncomfortable about the topic though. Amy N., 31, said that telling her female friends is one thing, but even telling her coworkers or boss about her cycle problems, regardless of gender, was strange.

Both Chinese men and foreign men have experienced Chinese women telling them about their period.

Wells J., 30, UK, told us, “More than one [female Chinese]teacher I work with has straightforwardly told me, ‘I’m tired. I’m on my period.’”

Andy S.*, 53, US, told us that his employees have told him they couldn’t come into work because they weren’t feeling well during their period, or the reason for an emotional outburst was because of a mood swing. “At first I was shocked, but then I actually was glad and felt the honesty was relieving.”

Wang Yousheng, 38, China, didn’t think keeping the topic quiet or opening up was a matter of good or bad, proper or not. “I totally respect a woman’s personal choice,” he added.

*Name changed.

Photo: Built from 欠我兩千塊 (Flickr)

I was sitting on the couch with my four-year-old son when he said, “I’m your husband.” He looked up at his father with a smirky smile meaning, “I said it. Whatchya gonna do ’bout it?”
Hubby put on a WWF wrestling face, “What did you say?” He replied in a serious tone.
The boy sheepishly giggled, “She’s my wife.”
Hubby picked up my son and body-slammed him on to our very plush, soft couch while my son screamed and laughed from enjoyment.

He hasn’t dropped his Oedipus complex since that challenge, often declaring that I’m his wife on other occasions, especially when daddy is around, since it’s such good fodder for horsing around. I just assume that he sees the sweetness of his parents’ relationship and wants to express how much he loves me, too. I heard about the Oedipus complex in college while studying the tragedy. Professor Sprague explained that her son was four years old and in love with her when he said, “Mommy, let’s stuff Daddy in a trash can.” Her story was odd to me then, but now it’s so cute.

I couldn’t help but reminisce about these things when I read a recent article by Xinhua about the Chinese show and its intern fathers who came under fire for the inappropriate relationships between adults and children. “Daddy, Where are We Going?” became famous for documenting relationships between male celebrities and their actual children, but new Chinese legislation has protected the amount of coverage that a celebrity child can receive. The show has transformed by still casting male celebrities on the show, but instead, they appear with children that aren’t their own.

Recently, one celeb, Dong Li, has seemed to go too far in his “fatherly” love with a show child star called Arale. The issues include joking comments that Dong made that Arale was his ideal girlfriend, and Arale saying she wanted to marry Dong and that she felt more comfortable around him than her mom. More seriously, the show depicted the two sleeping together with Arale wearing nothing but a shirt and underpants, and promotion of the show was of the two with “pecking kisses.”

Chinese netizens are taking two sides: it’s innocent and promotes paternity, or it’s incredibly irresponsible by promoting inappropriate relationships between adults and children. But chalking this up to simply another case of the Oedipus complex isn’t justifiable. One or both biological parents are able to intervene in such instances and say, “Hey! That one is mine!”

In a Global Times article, Cao Siqi reported that Dong was furious over the “couple fans” who were making articles and videos to highlight the couple-like aspects of the relationship, concerned that such media would hurt Arale. He defended himself, that he had a “sense of propriety” and a female director had taken care of her during the show. It’s also hard to believe that this did not all happen under the watchful eye of one of Arale’s guardians, considering how protective Chinese parents typically are.

Though Dong may not have any malicious intents toward Arale, and positive male role models are a good thing, the producing company’s use of the “couple factor” to promote the show is inexcusable. Their defending comments are back-tracking.

The show’s production company, Mango TV, fanned the flames by posting an online video clip set to a love song and captioned “Dong and Arale’s interpretation of ‘Let’s Fall in Love,'” referring to a famous Chinese dating show. Mango TV is the online division of Hunan TV, one of China’s largest television channels. (Source: Xinhua)

Dong would probably grieved to learn that the majority of childhood sexual abuse cases happen at the hands of someone they know. It’s important that all adults understand they are responsible to keep children safe.

Photo: Official Weibo account of Dong Li

Literacy week is an amazing opportunity to encourage children to find and fall in love with new and old stories. In October, the International Montessori School of Beijing (MSB) held their literacy week to celebrate children’s literature with plays and performances, storytelling, a Book Character’s Parade, class parties, author and journalist appearances, and other literary and literacy activities.

I was invited to the school to watch a play based on Eileen Brown’s picture book Handa’s Surprise by the UK based Little Angel Theatre troupe on October 28. In attendance were over 70 preschoolers (who were adorably shy and whispering to each other about the set before the performance) seated on the floor along the four corners of where the stage had been set up.

Handa’s Surprise tells the journey of Handa to her best friend Akeyo’s home in the next village that’s set in the south west of Kenya. The books introduce seven different fruits and animals that are commonly found in Africa. The fruits, gifts for her friend Akeyo, are eaten by seven animals while on her journey. The performance was full of puppetry, songs, and dance that encouraged the children to join in by clapping, singing along, and interacting with the animal puppets. They all stood up to dance at the end of the performance.

Leading up to the performance, the students had been well prepared by their teachers, having read the English and Chinese versions of the book in advance. The teachers have also integrated the story into their monthly themes of fruit and animals so the children easily recognized the  fruits and animals featured in the narrative.

MSB’s Interim Acting Principal, Sharon Keenan, attended the performance, introducing the theatre group to the children and dancing with them in celebration at the end. Keenan explains why it’s important to instigate a love of language in children from such a young age. “It’s just crucial that they learn to love words as little children,” Keenan says. “Maria Montessori pointed out that the young child has a natural sensitivity for language development between birth and four-years-old. Obviously, the most important preparations for reading and writing are listening and speaking. Reading and writing are accomplished only when spoken language has been founded. So, we instill a love of new vocabulary and self-expression in our preschoolers. Our young children have a unique fascination for new words. Additionally, library time and storytelling are well-loved and critical components of our preschooler’s routines. We want them to realize the vast universe of information and entertainment awaiting them within the world of books.”

There are hundreds of animals hoping to find loving homes in Beijing. If you are considering adopting a pet, Doggy/Moggy of the Week will feature animals from volunteer shelters, animal rescue groups, foster care providers, and pet owners needing to rehome animals. This week’s cat, Diu Diu, is from ICVS’ Adoptable Pets.

Introduction: Hi everyone, my name is Diu Diu.

Background: I was found abandoned in a courtyard, wandering around and looking for food. A very kind rescuer took me home and now I am living with my wonderful rescuer and foster mom who are both taking great care of me. I am now a healthy, beautiful cat ready for my forever home.

Personality: Diu Diu is a sweet and gentle cat. She loves to be around people and likes to cuddle. She is curious and playful and good with other cats.

Ideal home: Diu Diu would be happy with an individual, a couple, or a family with older children (e.g., 8 years and older). Diu Diu will be a permanent member of her adoption family and must travel with her family if they ever leave China or relocate to another city.

Breed, Sex, and Age: Diu Diu is a 1-2 year old female calico cat with long gorgeous fluffy fur.

Medical notes: Diu Diu has already been spayed and has started on all vaccinations.

Post-adoption care: The International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) has enrolled me into their Rescued/Stray/Rehomed Pet Adoption Benefits Program. ICVS will provide my new family with significant discounts (up to 50%) on my vaccinations, accompanying examinations, and spay surgery during my first year of life with my new family.

Official Vaccination Certificate: With my rabies vaccination, ICVS will issue my new family the official Beijing Animal Health and Immunity Certificate (e.g., vaccination red book) at no charge. I need the official vaccination red book to prove I have been legally and properly vaccinated for rabies in order to move another city or leave China with my family.

Official Spay/Neuter Certificate for Dogs: After my spay surgery, ICVS will issue my new family the official Spay/Neuter Certificate that will provide my owner with a 50% discount (e.g., up to RMB 500 savings) on the dog license registration fee at the Public Security Bureau.

Puppy and Adult Dog Obedience Training Programs at ICVS: ICVS has introduced new puppy and adult dog obedience training programs. The dog training classes will help my family and I live a more harmonious life together. All profits from the puppy and adult dog training programs will be donated to the ICVS Non-Profit Humane Animal Welfare Programs.

ICVS Non-Profit Humane Animal Welfare Programs:
Please support and donate to the ICVS Non-Profit Humane Animal Welfare Programs. Your donations will support ICVS in helping the many pets like Bubi as well as the many stray/rescued/abandoned and shelter animals in our community. The pets receive medical care, treatment, good nutrition, and socialization with love and compassion that allows them to become healthy adoptable pets.

Please also contact ICVS for more information about beautiful adoptable pets:
Tel: (010) 8456-1939/1940
Email: ICVS_CHINA@yahoo.com

Photo: ICVS