(This summer Andrew Killeen traveled around Mongolia with his wife and two children: Noah, 10, and Joseph, 7. In this series of posts, he shares tips and tales from their adventures. Check out his first part in the series here.)

“Have a good time in Ulaanbaatar,” my colleague said to me as I was leaving the office. “Don’t get mugged, like I was.”
“What?” I had been halfway out of the door, but this brought me back. “You were mugged?”
“Yes, in broad daylight.”
Other colleagues then chimed in with their experiences. “Everyone gets mugged in UB.”

But we weren’t, nor did we ever feel threatened. It’s hard to deny though that Mongolia’s capital is a rough and ready place: drinkers passed out on the street are a common sight, and to reach one shop we had to pick our way nervously past a pack of feral dogs.

Anyone who has become used to the relative safety of Beijing may need to resharpen their street smarts.

However it has charm too, with oddities such as a monument to the Beatles: John, Paul, George and Genghis – no, actually, it seems they have no connection to the city whatsoever. The statue though is a popular place for young people to hang out.

The National Museum of Mongolia is well-organized and interesting, but the Natural History Museum has been closed for several years (despite which it continues to receive glowing reviews on certain online travel sites…).

Its dinosaurs though, including a huge and impressive tyrannosaur, have been moved to the Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs, located, with acute historical irony, in the old Lenin Museum. Apart from the two big skeletons the other exhibits are unimpressive, but it’s still a must for dino-loving kids.

A visit to the city’s Buddhist temples is more exciting for children if you go when the ceremonies are taking place at 9am. The chanting, droning trumpets, and ringing bells create an extraordinary atmosphere. Gandan Khiid is the biggest and most impressive temple, its ongoing development testament to the way Buddhism survived decades of repression in Mongolia. Nearby is the splendidly named Centre of Shaman Eternal Heavenly Sophistication, its physical reality a much less impressive camp of grotty gers. We wandered in for a look but were chased off by a barking dog and a shouting woman; we could only conclude that the shaman himself was not at home.

We found plenty to keep us entertained during our stay in UB, but our main purpose in being there was as a base for exploring Mongolia, and to see the Naadam Festival, which will be the subject of my final two posts in this series.

Photos: Karen Killeen, https://mongolia.usembassy.gov

Choosing a school for your kids can be difficult. One has to consider such factors as location, student-teacher ratios, staff stability, and more. While such factors weigh heavily on the minds of parents looking at schools in Beijing, these choices can be further compounded when searching for the right international school. Beijing has a wide variety of international schools with different missions, cultures, and curriculums for students.  And, is the “international” school really international?

We recently connected with Cory Dickson to clarify which characteristics stack up to create the “international” aspect of an international school and what parents should watch out for when choosing a school for their kids. Dickson is the Head of Admission and Director of Public Relations at the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB). He is also CISB’s former Middle Years Program and Diploma Program coordinator.

Students at CISB gathered playing soccer.

What should parents begin with when creating their list of potential international schools for their child to call a second home?
“To begin, international schools in Beijing have one of two licenses:  One allows the international school to accept only foreign students, the other allows the school to accept both foreign students and Chinese nationals.  It is important to find out which license the school holds to ensure your child qualifies for enrollment before beginning your search into a potential school.”

Are there any benefits to schools with different licenses?
“There’s no big benefit to one or the other. Some schools, because of their associations, have better reputations. But that doesn’t mean the local school isn’t going to offer everything the parents are looking for. Go see the local campus even if the reputation is not known.”

When they’ve narrowed down their list, what other things might parents consider?
“Curriculum should be one of the primary items on your international school checklist.  Unlike publicly run schools, international campuses can implement and deliver their own courses.  Although some schools are partnered with provincial/state/national curricula in other countries, others have developed or manipulated their own course offerings, which means it’s important to ask what’s being taught, how it’s being delivered and what, if any, accreditations the school has obtained.  These accreditations can give you, and potential universities, reassurance in the school’s credibility.”

CISB students conducting a science experiment.

How widely do international schools differ and how?
“International schools come in all shapes and sizes.  They can focus on a particular age group, language, or methodology.  Some schools are part of an international collection of campuses, some are embassy or university affiliated, while others are independently owned and operated.  The language of instruction (bilingual, English, or mother tongue focused), the makeup of the board of directors (parent led, family run, corporate sponsored), the fee structures, language requirements, teacher-student ratio, and other issues can vary dramatically from one school to another.  It’s important to do your homework when beginning your search.  Focus on the type of environment you want for your child(ren) and consider any potential international moves during their academic careers and potential post-secondary educational paths.  There are lots of schools to choose from, so do your best to find the one that’s right for your family.”

On the topic of accreditations, how can parents confirm a school’s accreditation?
“There are a lot of accrediting bodies out there.  Each one has its own application process and it can be a lot of work for a school to be become recognized or authorized.  For many of the more reputable accrediting bodies, it can take years to obtain authorization and can require the school to divulge or alter everything from financial practices to academic policies.  These same accrediting bodies will also do regular reviews to ensure that the school is continuing to maintain their expected standards.  Some of the more popular accrediting institutes used in Beijing are the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO.org), Council of International Schools (COIS.org), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACSWASC.org) and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS.org.uk).  Most international schools will proudly wear their accreditation on their websites and a simple google search will help you to better understand what was required to obtain these authorizations.”

How important is accreditation? If a school is not accredited, should parents still consider it as an option?
“Yes, I do still think it’s important to check out those schools, especially even younger schools as well. The IBO requires a school to be in service for a few years before it can even apply for accreditation, and that can take about three years to get sometimes. So even if a school is not accredited now it may be soon or may have plans to in the near future. Accreditation won’t change what the school has to offer or the culture of the school. It’s just an added bonus if they have good accreditation and can help with students’ applications to universities to build credibility. It’s probably important to point out too that some schools may be well-known in Beijing but nowhere else. So it’s important to check out all campuses whether you’ve heard of them or not.”

Any last thoughts on Beijing’s International Schools?
As a parent looking for international schools you are very lucky to live in Beijing because there are many great options to choose from. So look at all of them, and good luck!

With this encouragement, parents can meet Cory Dickson and other CISB staff along with other Beijing schools at the 7th Annual Beijing International School Expo (BISE). The 2017 BISE will be held on February 18-19, 2017 from 10am-4pm at the Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town. Find out more information about the event here.

This post originally appeared on our sister-site, thebeijinger.

If you don’t fancy ringing in New Year’s Eve with a crazy party (or just want to carbo load before the main event), Beijing’s premier dining venues will oblige you with a sophisticated New Year’s Dinner. Below are a few of our top picks, or you can view a full list of New Year’s Eve events here, as well as our picks for parties here.

Aman Summer Palace
Travel out to peaceful Aman Summer Palace to ring in the new year in style. Enjoy western specialties from The Grill and eastern delicacies from the Japanese Restaurant, plus a glass of selected Champagne. RMB 988. 6pm-midnight

Café O2 (Intercontinental Hotel Beichen)
Enjoy a festive buffet of seafood and other tempting specialties, plus free flow wine and beer (inclusive of one glass of sparkling wine). RMB 480. 5.30-10pm

Cai Yi Xuan
Celebrate with your friends and family at Cai Yi Xuan with a Chinese gourmet dinner that promises you a memorable celebration of the wonderful year that has passed and the beginning of a great year comes. RMB 888. 5.30-10pm

Fiume
Feast on traditional New Year’s Eve dishes from Fiume and Mercante owner Omar Maseroli’s hometown of Emilia Romagna with a twist. Optional wine pairing for RMB 250. RMB 450. 6pm-1am

Kerry’s Kitchen (Kerry Hotel)
Round up your family and friends for a night of seafood adventures while being entertained by the Savor Latino band. RMB 488, RMB 788 with free flow house wine, beer, juices, and soft drinks. 5.30-11pm

Lunar 8 (Fairmont Beijing)
Lunar 8 will be offering a Chinese family style dinner on New Year’s Eve. Signature dishes include fried Australian beef tenderloin with thyme, roasted Peking duck, steamed grouper fish, sautéed golden sand with prawns and much more. Choose from several different price ranges. RMB 488-688. 6pm-midnight

Mercante
Mercante offers a five-course set dinner focused on Emilia Romagna’s traditional recipes including a glass of Franciacorta bubbles for the New Year’s toast. Add wine pairing for RMB 250. There are only 30 seats available; for a detailed menu and to reserve your seat email mercante.home.cuisine@gmail.com. RMB 450. 9pm-1am

Migas
Migas’ seven-course celebratory menu includes delicacies like wagyu beef tartare, roast lamb tenderloin, and a chocolate surprise as dessert. The price of dinner includes a ticket to The Bar at Migas’ New Year’s party. RMB 538, RMB 798 with wine. 6-10.30pm

Mio
Count down to the new year with a sumptuous six-course menu by Chef Aniello Turco with wine pairings, and get ready for a night full of sophisticated fun and celebration while a DJ spins tunes. RMB 1,588 (5.30-8.15pm seating), RMB 1,788 (8.30pm-1am seating)

Mosto
Watch the clock tick down the last few moments of 2016 at Mosto, where chefs Daniel and Juan will be serving a four-course menu full of winter flavors and South American twists. RMB 450. 5.30pm-midnight

Prego (Westin Beijing Financial Street)
Enjoy an exclusive menu highlighting the best of Prego’s Chef Diego’s signature dishes matched with their sommelier wines recommendations. RMB 1,288 per couple. 5.30-10.30pm

Red Bowl (Rosewood Beijing)
Gather friends for a festive hot pot dinner at Red Bowl. Each person will enjoy a seafood platter packed with langoustines, abalone, yellow tail and more, plus unlimited small plates and hot pot specialties. A Dj will perform later in the night. Book before December 26 to enjoy free-flow beer and wine at now extra charge. RMB 588. 5.30pm-1am

Senses (Westin Beijing Financial Street)
On the last day of the year, why not get everyone together to countdown to 2016 and indulge in a fun evening. Enjoy a lavish dinner buffet with international and regional specialties, fresh seafood on ice and delectable desserts, as well as free flow Veuve Cliquot. RMB 568. 5.30-10.30pm

Sureño
Enjoy the cozy ambiance of Sureño and ring in the new year with a five-course menu created by their latest addition, Chef Talib Hudda. RMB 798. 6pm-midnight

The Brickyard
Ring the year in at the Great Wall of China with a gala dinner including roast goose and dancing to live jazz, all at the Brickyard Retreat Center at Mutianyu Great Wall. Great for children. Sleepover packages also available, from RMB 2,888. RMB 388 (adults), RMB 188 (children 4-12). 6pm-midnight

The Cut (Fairmont Beijing)
Bid farewell to 2016 and usher in the New Year in ultimate style with a seven-course New Year’s Eve Dinner at The CUT. Seasonal dishes include a half lobster with scallops and Australian Wagyu beef filet mignon with foie gras. RMB 988. 6pm-midnight

The Rug Sanlitun
Enjoy an especially put together dinner set that includes a shared appetizer for two, fresh seafood soup for two, a salad, a t-bone grilled steak, Boston lobster, two mussel stir-fried pastas, and a dressert. Book by calling 6507 2342. RMB 999. 5-11pm

Top Tapas
Ring in the New Year in an impeccable style at Beijing’s most glamorous new tapas restaurant and Lounge, offering the finest fresh seafood, caviar accompanied by unlimited Perrier-Jouët champagne, all the way until 2am. A night (and year) to remember! RMB 2,017. 6.30pm-midnight

Note: Hotels might charge service charge or VAT on top of stated prices. For more information about each event, please see the linked event listing.

More stories by this author here.

Instagram: @gongbaobeijing
Twitter: @gongbaobeijing
Weibo: @宫保北京

Photo: insiderlouisville.com, courtesy of the restaurants

I remember vividly climbing on furniture as a child, especially on tall bookcases. If it ever fell on top of me, I don’t remember, but it would explain a lot of things…..

While shipping our stuff, we read on the news that the two MALM IKEA dressers that we decided to take with us were being recalled. When we heard this, we realized it was time to anchor again.

My husband and I have always anchored our furniture to the walls. Our walls in our London apartment were very crooked, and all our furniture would lean over. We also know our 3 year old daughter very well. She is a dare devil, who likes to climb, open windows, and run away.

In my search for archors to attach our deadly MALM dressers to the wall, I naturally ventured out with our toddler to one of my favorite places in the world, IKEA. The first place you would think to look is  the safety department, but no such luck there. I was already feeling defeated and ready to give up, wanting to join the crowd in the restaurant, and fight the masses for some meatballs and cranberry sauce.

But I had the bright idea of searching for a picture of a MALM dresser on my phone and show it to one of the IKEA employees. She then sent me to the return and exchange department located behind the cash registers. After I paid for all the other useful things I found (a bag of 3000 tea candles, another stuffed flamingo, and a even better dish rack), I walked over to the return and exchange department and got some free wall anchors.

If you don’t want to venture out to IKEA, there are online solutions on Amazon.cn, here and here, and another helpful Chinese website with pictures here

Pauline van Hasselt has just started working for Beijing Kids. 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.

Picture: www.gizmodo.in

What better way to kick the dry Beijing winter than to give your skin, especially your face, a little bit of extra love? That’s exactly the aim of the game at Hummingbird Skincare Center’s newest Central Park location, part of The Wellness Spa by Hummingbird, and one of our favorite spas in town.

We went to check out their new location, which was clean, tidy, and is made up of several private rooms at the back where the treatments take place. The reception area has plenty of example products laid out, which the staff are happy to demonstrate and explain if you’re unsure as to which is most suitable for your skin type or needs.

I tried an aqua peel oxygenating purifying treatment, a 50-minute session (at an original price of RMB 880) involving cleaning and moisturization of your face. The treatment was performed delicately, and the refreshing effects more than noticeable for the days following, my skin now markedly more bouncy and less dry. There is also a short face massage included to increase your blood circulation and send you on your merry way.

I can hear you worrying about your wallet, but they do have a fairly good deal on right now: try it for only RMB 198 on your first visit to their new location – go on, treat yo’self!

Hummingbird Skin Care Center
Daily 10am-10pm. 102, Central Park, Bldg 17, 6 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6597 0457)
朝阳区朝外大街6号新城国际17号楼102

More stories by this author here.

Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
Instagram: s.xuagram

Images courtesy of Hummingbird Skin Care Center

This post originally appeared on our sister-site, thebeijinger.

Snow in Austria’s countryside
When I was a child growing up in Austria’s countryside, far away from the city and most other human settlements, snow was so common in winter that we didn’t need to wait for it. Just as the change of seasons would happen with certainty, millions of snowflakes would cover the ground in white in winter with just as much predictability. White Christmas was the norm. As an adult, snow in winter wasn’t as certain anymore. Trudging through a field of snow reaching up to my knees to reach my school bus, rolling home a snowball that would be bigger than me even before I reached the converted farm house we lived in, and the numb feeling of hands and feet being warmed up on the heater have long become distant memories.

Snow in the city

Moving to the city in my teens has meant less snow and more mud. Gone were the days of playing in the snow during the holidays from dawn to dark, and here were days of trying to navigate streets in a way that would not completely mess up my shoes, or mean I’d stay at school with wet socks for the whole day. To me, less snow was a sign of moving from the countryside to the city more than that of climate change. Whenever I go back to my childhood home now, I know it is also the latter. White Christmas or even snow in winter doesn’t always happen, and the days you can go cross-country skiing or bobsledding have become few and far in between.

No matter if I was waiting for the first snow of the year or wishing winter away, the sight of a year’s first snowflakes floating down the dark wintry skies would always, without exception, create a feeling of utter peacefulness in my heart. The first snow would make the world pause for a minute, embracing us with its perfect beauty, and have millions of people look up at the sky in synchronization, feeling connected with the earth beneath our feet, the sky, and the universe.

Snow in China
My husband also says about his hometown in Northeast China that it used to be even colder, and they used to have more snow. Although it had already snowed a little this year—when the skies became white and neighboring houses vanished behind thick clouds of smog—we wished for snow again. My baby, toddler son, and I locked ourselves up at home, afraid of going outside not because of the cold, but the air. Every morning, we’d look at the air quality app. My toddler son would check twice, looking at the red symbol on my phone first, and the sky next. “The sky is grey-white, it isn’t blue. The air is dusty. I can’t go to kindergarten today,” he’d exclaim, not entirely unhappy about staying home with me. He is more familiar to smog than fog. But I’d rather he know about smog when it’s clearly there, than being in denial and calling it fog like so many other people around us do. To many here, Beijing seems far away and smog is what happens there, not in our small city in Northeast China.

And while bundling up at home around Christmas isn’t necessarily bad, we still hope for snow. This year, we’ll greet the snowflakes joyfully, just like we did when we were still children. We’ll greet them joyfully, looking at their dance from our window, our hearts dancing with them. We’ll greet them joyfully, taking out the sleigh and enjoying the snow that brings blue skies.

We’ll feel the peace that it brings.

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”.

Photos courtesy of Ruth Silbermayr-Song

Choosing the right pediatrician is an important decision for both you and your baby. You’ll be visiting the doctor’s office numerous times throughout the first year for routine well-baby visits alone. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the choice, but with a little homework and legwork, you should be able to find one you like and trust.

When should I begin my search for a Pediatrician?

Some parents may already know which doctor or practice is right for them before they even conceive. But living abroad can take that certainty out of the situation and leave you searching.

Not to worry, many start their search during pregnancy and arrive at a decision around their seventh or eighth month. Making a decision well before labor and delivery allows for an informed, well-considered choice. It’s a good idea to start compiling a list of candidates about four months before your due date.

Where can I get names of doctors to consider?

You can ask your obstetrician or midwife for recommendations, for starters. Hospitals, and insurance companies can also provide referrals to doctors.

And be sure to ask your local experts — friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers with kids who share your parenting philosophies and general outlook on life. Check out online profiles of physicians at hospitals or clinics you have an interest in too. A doctor’s profile can give some insight in to their areas of focus, specialties and years of experience.

How will I know if a doctor recommended by someone else will be suitable for us?

People value different qualities in doctors. What’s most important for you may not even be on someone else’s radar. So rather than just gathering a list of names, try asking some probing questions of whoever makes the recommendation, such as:

• How does your child respond to the doctor?
• Does the doctor seem to enjoy working with children?
• Does the doctor seem to know about the latest medical advances?
• Does the doctor welcome questions?
• Does the doctor take time to discuss problems and listen to your concerns?
• Is the office staff patient and helpful?
• How long do you usually have to wait?
• Is the waiting room pleasant and kid-friendly?
• Is parking convenient?

These answers may help you narrow your list to the handful of doctors you’d like to meet in person.

Common concerns parents may have:
Answers specific to OASIS International Hospital

• Do the Pediatrician’s hours suit your schedule?

At OASIS, the Pediatric clinic is open Monday to Saturday for all well-baby and sick-baby visits, OASIS also provides 24/7 Pediatric Emergency Care services. Appointments are easy to set up by:

• telephone – 400 8762 747
• web – oasishealth.cn
• email – appointments@oasishealth.cn
• or through the OASIS application

• How does the office handle inquiries?

The OASIS Hotline number is open 24/7 and welcomes all inquiries – 400-8762-747.

• Does the doctor accept and answer questions by email?

Yes, at OASIS our doctors accept emails from their patients and do their best to answer all inquiries and calm nerves of new parents.

• How long does it take to get a non-emergency appointment with the doctor?

Appointments have been made much easier now with the OASIS App. At the click of a button, checkout available dates and times for your next pediatrician appointment. Upon arrival, we do our best to have you seen within the first 20mins. Walk-ins are accepted, but you may not get to see your choice of pediatrician and there may be a wait as those with appointments and emergency cases are given priority.

*Appointments can also be made through the methods mentioned above.

• How are appointments handled for children who are sick? Is there good chance your child will get to see his own doctor?

By calling ahead of time or using the OASIS App to check your pediatrician’s schedule, you can see whether you can book an appointment with your own pediatrician that day or whether it means seeing another available pediatrician on staff, we will do our best to suit your needs.

• Are there separate well-baby and sick-baby waiting rooms?

Yes, at OASIS our Pediatric Clinic has been divided up in to two separate sections, the well-child and sick-child clinics.

• How do you reach the doctor if your child gets sick after hours? When your doctor is not on call, who covers?

OASIS offers 24/7 Pediatric Emergency Care services, so whether your doctor is on call or not, you can be assured of an on call Pediatrician to care for your child.

For emergencies after Normal Operating Hours, please call: 5985 0333

• How does the practice handle payments, billing, laboratory charges, and insurance claims?

Payment of services is much like what you would expect abroad, you pay after treatment and not for each step throughout as expected of other Chinese hospitals in China. OASIS has cooperation with over 100 insurance providers and supports direct billing. Call ahead to ask a member of staff to check if your insurance provider is supported by OASIS.

• Take note of the overall atmosphere of the office. Is it clean, warm, and inviting?

At OASIS, the environment is unlike any hospital. It is warm, spacious and inviting. There are play areas for children within the Pediatric Clinic and a nice coffee shop on hand for mom and dad to fuel up. The lounge, patient rooms and clinics are fitted with the best air quality purifiers, so even on the most polluted days, you can be sure of clean air within the hospital.

What should I do if I’m not entirely happy with the doctor I choose?

Talk to the doctor about your concerns. As uncomfortable as it may feel, if the problem can’t be resolved or your worries aren’t addressed, don’t hesitate to change doctors. You need to have a doctor you can count on and communicate with when it comes to your baby’s health.

OASIS Pediatric Clinic
Clinic Hours:
Sick Child Clinic: Monday-Saturday 08:30 – 17:30
Well Child Clinic: Monday-Saturday 08:30 – 17:30
Tel: 010-5985 0302
Pediatric ER: 24/7 year rounds services
Tel: 5985 0333

Hailing from a family of expats, I know how hard it can be to keep in touch with people scattered around the globe. My grandparents moved to Dubai in the 70s and my parents moved my brother and me to Paraguay in the 80s. My other grandmother has lived in India and my stepmother wandered around South America. They had no internet; so no Skype, Facebook, WeChat, Watsapp, and no Google maps. No other means to communicate then post and telephone.

In this time and age I almost feel overwhelmed with ways we can stay in contact with our friends and family. One person does email, the other person does Watsapp and all our new friends in our new life in Beijing do WeChat.

I wondered how expats stayed in touch with friends and family so many years ago. My father explained that he used to write letters from Paraguay to The Netherlands and it took around six weeks to get a letter back. By that time he got a reply the things he wrote about before were not relevant anymore.

Around 20 years ago it took two weeks for a letter to arrive in Europe from China, not a far cry from the ten days it takes these days. Telephoning from China required buying a card from the corner store and scratching of a code that needed to be entered in the home phone together with some other codes to get connected to Europe.

If my father would call my grandparents in Dubai from The Netherlands in the 70’s, they would answer the phone not with “Hello” but with “What’s wrong?” My grandmother has still saved all the letters she received in Dubai written on very thin paper, to keep the postal cost down.

My father explained to me that when our family lived in Paraguay, the man at the newspaper and magazine stand would stop my father’s car to sell him “new” magazines. These were magazines that were left in the airplane and ironed, so they looked new. Expats in Paraguay used to call each other when corn flakes would be in the supermarket.

My mother has hours and hours of video tapes of our lives in Paraguay. We watched them over the summer before we moved our family to Beijing. We can argue that they were boring, but these tapes are the closest thing we have to our fast and savvy internet that we use nowadays.

Pauline van Hasselt has just started working for Beijing Kids. 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.

Those of us who are lucky enough to inhabit the Beijing of 2016-2017 live in a city with a dining scene that encompasses many of the biggest international food trends and a good few locally grown ones too. That being said, there are still one of two gaps in the market that we wouldn’t mind seeing filled. All that remains to be said is: bring it on, 2017, our stomachs are ready.

Farewell kale 

2017 is the year that we hope kale relinquishes its place at the top of the healthy eating rankings. It seems to be a truth universally acknowledged that putting kale in anything makes it healthier, yet the green doesn’t even rank on many lists of healthiest/most nutritious foods; a study published in the Center for Disease Control journal put watercress at the top of a list of “powerhouse fruits and vegetables.” Here are some other leafy green superstars (plus a handy Chinese name to show to your friendly neighborhood market vendor) you can try if you want to shake up your salads:

• Watercress 西洋菜 xīyáng cài／水田芥 shuǐtián gài
• Chinese cabbage/napa cabbage 大白菜 dà báicài – who knew that Beijing winter staple was so healthy?!
• Chard 唐莴苣 táng wōjù
• Beet greens 甜菜叶 tiáncài yè

Poke bowls

We’re cheating a bit with this one, since Poke bowls have already started appearing around the city, including at Hatchery (who have a salmon version on the menu at Soul Bowls) and Obentos (who launched their own poke bowl back in September), and at recently opened Sanlitun Soho poke specialists, Poke Inn (pictured at top). Pronounced “POH-kay,” poke originates from Hawaii and is a raw fish appetizer usually made with diced tuna or salmon traditionally seasoned with soy, lime, and sesame. The fish is served over a bowl of rice, hence the name. We’d love to see more Beijing venues pick up on this health trend and let their imaginations run riot with the toppings, like Hong Kong-based poke shack Pololi, which serves kooky flavors like Thai-style and Hong Kong-style.

Veggies taking center stage as entrées

Beijing has some excellent vegetarian restaurants (and some pretty good vegetarian dishes), but we would like to see more restaurants that don’t necessarily specialize in vegetarian food introducing the kind of vegetarian entrées that tempt even died in the wool carnivores. Restaurants such as Ottolenghi in London and Gjelina in Venice, California have been popularizing vegetable-forward entrées for a while now.

One place we have seen this trend taking shape in Beijing is The Big Smoke, with their roasted crunchy cauliflower with red pepper sauce and parmesan.  A whole head of cauliflower is roasted until tender and charred on the outside, before being topped with a luscious roasted red pepper sauce (very reminiscent of romesco sauce), and finished off with buttery breadcrumbs and a heap of grated parmesan.

Freakshakes 

You’ll have noticed a slightly healthy bent to all of the above trends (and isn’t that the way of things nowadays?), but we couldn’t resist one indulgence. Popping up all over foodie destinations like Melbourne, London, and New York, freakshakes combine a standard milkshake with a not so standard array of sugary toppings like cake, cookies, sweets, and mountains of whipped cream. The might be a bit gimmicky but our sweet tooth (and our Instagram feed) just can’t say no. We can imagine somewhere like The Rug (who are never afraid to experiment with flavors and updated junk foods) or Fatboy’s: The Burger Bar doing a good job of these. Here’s hoping they read this blog …

More stories by this author here.

Instagram: @gongbaobeijing
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Photos: Obentos, Robynne Tindall, Flickr, Instagram

This post originally appeared on our sister-site, thebeijinger.

(This summer Andrew Killeen traveled around Mongolia with his wife and two children: Noah, 10, and Joseph, 7. In this series of posts, he shares tips and tales from their adventures. Check part 1 and part 2 of the series.)

For all Ulaanbaatar’s rough and ready charm, if you visit there you’re likely to be using it as a base for exploring the extraordinary landscapes of Mongolia – and that means going on a tour. We consider ourselves to be fiercely independent travelers, but the prospect of venturing out into the vast and sparsely populated steppes and deserts without a guide was still an intimidating one.

For our first week in UB we stayed at the LG Guesthouse. I had been a little nervous about the suitability for a family of what is basically a backpacker hostel, but we had a large room with two pairs of bunk beds, a seating area, a (broken) television and a modern en suite bathroom all to ourselves, at a bargain price.

Tours are mostly organized by the guesthouses, and there’s not much variation in the itineraries and costs. We decided therefore to book a one day tour with LG, to see how it went, before attempting anything more ambitious.

Mandakh, our guide, was a charming and witty young man, who I’m sure is a big hit with the backpacking crowd. Our boys loved him too though, and his name has been bestowed on a plush toy we acquired on the trip, so that he still has a presence in our household. The driver, whose name I never successfully mastered, was a more surly character, with no English, but as a former nomad his knowledge of the hinterlands proved valuable on more than one occasion.

Our first excursion was to the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, a stunningly beautiful area of rolling hills three hours from UB, with breathtaking views from the Buddhist temple at the far end of the park.

This also included a visit to the huge equestrian statue of Genghis Khan. You’re never far from the Great Khan in Mongolia, his likeness everywhere from pictures on the walls to the money in your pocket. This statue though, erected on the site where he found a whip (or dropped one, depending on which version of the story you believe), symbolizing his destiny to unite the Mongol tribes, is by far the most impressive, and should not be missed.

We went horse riding through the valley –

and tried archery Mongol style –

and got up close and personal with birds of prey.

The trip was deemed a great success, and we decided to trust Mandakh and the LG for more adventurous travel – which will be the subject of my next post.

Photos: Karen Killeen

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
Photography Exhibition “-lesque”, Until Jan 11
Ages 14+. Starting point for the photographic project “_lesque“ was Berlins burlesque scene. From there Jana Ritchie explored Europes’ colorful, playful and diverse scene over a period of two years. With her camera she explores the unique atmosphere of the scene and shows Burlesque from a different perspective. Free. 11am-Noon. AOTU Studio.

The Post-Digital Body, Until Jan 17
Ages 12+. The Goethe Institute presents the second in a series of works organized by digital artist Ma Yongfeng exploring the digitalization of art. Three films will be screened exploring the relationship between physical body and online identity in the digital age. Free. 9am-Noon. The Goethe Institute.

Unique
Safari Song Time, Jan 6
Ages 3-18 months. All babies – from the quietest to the most vocal – love singing and rhymes! Every Friday a group will host a Safari Song Time at the Bookworm to take your little one on a fun safari as he/she learns songs and rhymes from around the world, that you can also practice at home. RMB 60. 10.30am-11.30am. The Bookworm.

Coming Up This Month
Learn Weiqi/Go at the Sinology Institute, Jan 14
All ages. Students will learn how to play Weiqi/Go along with some basic relevant vocabulary. Exercise your strategic thinking and grow your Chinese vocabulary. Free. 1.30pm-3.30pm. The Sinology Institute. (6400 0905, wechat: mmmichellecli, admissions@sinologyinstitute.com).

The White River Ice Hike, Jan 15
All ages. Follow a trail down and over a frozen river in Miyun District, walking down a long canyon and passing below cliffs on the way to the end. We’ll cross the river about eight times, and when not slipping and sliding on the ice we’ll be admiring the excellent scenery. RMB 400 (RMB 360 for members, RMB 200 for under 12’s). 9am-6pm. The Beijing Hikers.

Chinese Paper Cutting & Chinese Knots, Jan 15
All ages. Break up the mid-winter monotony with a little fun and a Chinese theme celebration featuring Chinese New Year decorations. BICC invites you and your family to spend an afternoon learning the art of Chinese paper cutting and tying Chinese knots. Free. Starts at 3pm. BICC Center (Shunyi – Refox Relocation).

Legally Blonde: The Musical, Jan 12-14
Ages 5+ This January, the Yew Chung International School of Beijing will wow audiences with a performance of the critically acclaimed show: “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” Featuring students from across their Secondary School, this fun and upbeat production will have you clapping and singing along! Free. 2.30pm, 7.30pm Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS) 北京耀中国际学校

YCIS Beijing’s Annual Temple Fair: Welcoming the Year of the Rooster, Jan 18
All ages. Celebrate the upcoming Year of the Rooster with YCIS Beijing at the school’s annual Temple Fair! A variety of vendors, both from outside and from the YCIS Beijing community, will also be in attendance to offer a host of other activities and popular shows such as martial arts, lion dance and the shadow puppets. Free. Click to register 8.30am-2.30pm. Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS) 北京耀中国际学校

Chinese New Year Workshops: Surrealism, Jan 23 to Jan 30
Ages 5-12. Through exploring surrealist techniques such as collages, exquisite corpses, 3D works, etching, automatic writing and drawing students will discover new artists such as Magritte, Dali,  De Chirico, Escher, Ernst and their impressive and imaginative art works. RMB 1800 (RMB 1500 for both atelier’s students and who registered before the 10th of January). 10am-12am (5-8 years old), 1:30pm-4:00pm (8-12 years old). Atelier Art School.

Chinese New Year Workshops: Modern Revolution, Jan 30 to Feb 3
Ages 5 – 12. Students will learn about the Modern Revolution, a period during the 19th century when many artists started to make art about people, places, or ideas that interested them, and of which they had direct experience. Challenging the notion that art must realistically depict the world, some artists experimented with the expressive use of color, non-traditional materials, and new techniques and mediums. RMB 1800 (RMB 1500 for both atelier’s students and who registered before the 15th of January). Atelier Art School.

One of my favorite pieces of art in our home is a poster my daughter and I created from an idea I found on Pinterest. We created this piece when she was two years old. With no money for “real” art, we created our own at home. This piece is easy and fun to make.

I wanted to create something similar again but this time on a canvas. I sourced all the supplies for this craft online, so you don’t have to brave the pollution. I am a big fan of baopals.com because it’s in English and it is easily navigated through WeChat.

I bought a canvas sized 60 cm by 80 cm and a roll of tape. I used kids paint and kids paint brushes.The brushes are not a necessity as hands and feet are more fun anyway.

We started with putting the tape on the canvas, then I put an apron on my daughter. It might have been easier to just take her clothes off completely and trow the child in the bath later.

It all started off nice and clean, but soon brushes were are thrown aside. I do like a bit of freestyle art, and we even clapped with our paint hands above the canvas for some nice effects.

This is how the canvas looked with the tape still on it. I usually let it dry for 24 hours before removing the tape. Sometimes longer if the paint is very thick.

And this is the end result after taking off the tape. An art piece worthy enough to hang in the home. This was great to give as a bithday present to somebody who appriciates my child’s art as much as I do. Daddy!

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. 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.

(This summer Andrew Killeen traveled around Mongolia with his wife and two children: Noah, 10, and Joseph, 7. In this series of posts, he shares tips and tales from their adventures. Check out part 1, part 2, and part 3 of the series.)

Having tested the waters with a day trip, we booked two further tours with our hosts at the LG Guesthouse: a two day trip to the Gobi desert, and a three day journey west as far as Lake Khovsgol.

Of course in two days we didn’t reach the real depths of the Gobi, and famous sights such as the Singing Sands, which is an eight day round trip at least. We were in an area known as “Mandalgovi”, or the “Middle Gobi”. It was however quite wild and remote enough for a family with children. I was amazed to find out that the desert really is littered with the bleached skulls of cattle, something I had thought a cliché from cartoons and westerns.

Any tour of Mongolia involves long hours of traveling, and this is particularly challenging with children. Our magic bus was an old Russian van, with padded doors and ceiling… and as we bumped across the rough terrain, we were all grateful for this protection. We occupied ourselves with games, books (as far as travel sickness would allow), and movies (as far as laptop battery would allow, which, with no recharging, was not far.) Our smartest move though was to bring an MP3 player and speaker. Once we had tired of the driver’s nomad country music (which took approximately 90 minutes), and summoned up the courage to assert our rights as paying customers, we turned the drives into one long raucous singalong. Oddly, one of my favorite memories of the whole holiday is of rattling over the sand dunes, all of us belting out “Paradise City”. I doubt the driver agrees.

The tours were well planned, with frequent stops to view interesting sights along the way, such as ovoos, the roadside shrines consisting of piles of stones. These were treated with serious reverence by our driver and guide, and we walked around them three times clockwise in the approved fashion, adding our own stones to the heap.

Most nights we spent in ger camps, but a stay with a real nomad family is an essential part of the experience. I had been advised that a bottle of vodka was an appropriate gift, and with great solemnity the patriarch got out his silver drinking bowl. We embarked on a respectful but slightly competitive drinking session in which neither of us were willing to be the first to quit, until the whole bottle was gone. This helped me enormously with sleeping on the hard ger floor, but with hindsight I would also have brought toys and clothes for the children.

Not everything went smoothly. We opted out of the camel ride, having ridden on camels before and decided it’s something you only need to do once in a lifetime. However the boys loved the horse riding on our previous trip, and we had arranged for them to have another session instead. Unfortunately though there was a failure in communication, and the camel man turned up one evening, looking most disgruntled when he realized he had no customers. Attempts to reorganize horse riding looked doomed to failure, particularly when the driver announced that there were too many mosquitoes at Lake Khovshgol, and we wouldn’t be able to go there. We stuck to our guns, and in the end the boys got their horse ride, and we got our swim in the lake.

The driver may have been curmudgeonly at times, but his expert knowledge enriched the experience. At one point we stopped at a well in the middle of the desert, where we not only refreshed ourselves with the ice cold water, but also filled a trough for the local wildlife to drink from in the summer heat.

The tours were not cheap. You can haggle up to a point, and if traveling as individuals you can secure a better deal by sharing with other parties. However as a family we really need to have our own space, and we were profoundly grateful to our guide for allowing us to take things at our own speed, and not to conform to a preset timetable. I think anybody would find the long, bumpy drives and basic accommodation exhausting, and our children were so tired they even managed to sleep in the van, despite being bounced and shaken around.

The two tours cost more than all the rest of our trip to Mongolia put together, but I would unhesitatingly recommend them, as a once-in-a-lifetime experience which will haunt your dreams for years to come. I shut my eyes and still revisit the moment when we were climbing up a rocky slope, and I looked up to see a score of eagles, circling not far above our heads… or watching a herd of horses thundering across the plain… or our guide, trying to catch a rabbit with his bare hands… or just standing under the vast blue sky, breathing in the clean, caryopteris-scented air, and cleansing my soul of the crowds and smog of Beijing.

But our Mongolian adventure was not over yet. We were returning to UB for the Naadam Festival, and this will be the subject of my next post.

Photos: Karen Killeen

Honestly, my husband and I didn’t have high hopes when we made our way to Neverland to meet Peter Pan in the flesh. We live in the southern parts of Beijing, so we honestly hate traveling with our two kids to the northern parts, where the theater, owned and operated by Linksus Broadway (北京灵思百老汇), is located. Our daughter gets easily car sick, which is never fun. We guessed the show would be kind of fun, but we knew it was going to be in Chinese, so we expected to be out of the loop for most of the time.

After exiting line 14 at将台 (jiangtai), I typed in 朝阳区蟹岛路1号 into my trusty Didi and didn’t have trouble with the driver understanding where to go. The building clearly displays the mysteries of Neverland on the outside, so we knew where to go upon approach.

Inside, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we received lockers with tickets, which meant we didn’t need to haul around our coats, backpacks, subway boredom-buster activities, masks, or anything else into the main theatre area. (The building isn’t currently equipped with air purifiers, but it will be soon.)

In the large bathrooms, there were plenty of clean medium-sized squatty toilet-types Jackie Park has explained about before (the ones with higher levers like in her hometown). Two nice janitors were on standby in case someone needed help with supplies or to clean up accidents.

We sat in the waiting area, which displayed previous audience commentary and Disney’s animated film, Peter Pan, with Chinese captioning on two large screens.

This definitely kept my children occupied, but we pounced in line as soon as we saw someone else lining up. We successfully made it as third in line. To be able to do this, I suggest arriving at least thirty minutes before the show starts, but not any earlier than that, and waiting as close to the line as inconspicuously possible.

When the play started ten members trickled in at a time, and each group went from actor to actor in the Darling’s library. We met the Darling parents who explain that their children are missing, and then lead the audience into the Darling bedroom where we see that indeed, they’re gone. There we were greeted by a fairy who took us to a museum displaying some of the finest of Neverland artifacts. Of course we all want to go, so she takes us along to a place to get sprinkled by fairy dust and enter into this magical world.

From this point, I must confess that the play was a blur of being in awe of the set and trying to understand what exactly was being said. Conversations about pirates, mermaids, and fairies typically do not come up in our normal chats in China, though we have mentioned an alligator or two.

Thankfully, the lost boys, fairies, and aborigine were all quite sweet in making us feel included as we tramped around the beautiful set. Even the pirates were welcoming.

My son and daughter, 4 and 5 respectively, did understand though, and often answered the questions in putonghua, to the surprise of everyone. Their cuteness of course won over the hearts of some, though I noticed every single member of the cast to be very inclusive of all the children.

This is perhaps the perfect play to start the interactive theater in Beijing, since really, these adults are children at heart, too.

The benefit of this theater is that a child could come to this with their parents and perhaps later on a field trip, and get a totally different experience. All throughout the play, we had choices of going with one cast member or another, breaking up into smaller groups, or rejoining with larger groups. It was incredibly impressive the way that the cast had several different scripts and could to give us something new each time we visited an area.

We received face painting from the mermaids and watched them spin in the sky on acrobatic hoops.

We got fighting lessons from the aborigine, and danced along with Peter and the lost boys (admittedly, we cannot breakdance like they can). I enjoyed watching middle-aged Chinese fathers acting along with everyone, and my husband also enjoyed playing along. The only thing I regret is that my husband and son got to be tied up by pirates and my daughter and I didn’t since we split from them later in the play. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the finale from the sidelines.

My children are still asking to see Peter Pan again, so I would emphatically recommend this to those with children who speak or partially understand Chinese. The age minimum would probably be 4, but I even saw young, hip couples on dates with each other at the theater. (My husband scoffed at the idea of this being a date, but I would personally enjoy it.)

Before, I had considered drama to really be a dying art form, but I think interactive theaters will breathe new life into the profession of thespians. I would especially recommend that English, film, and drama teachers take their students to Neverland as a capstone experience after comparing and contrasting the book or film, or as an exploration into different types of productions. This could be a wonderful bilingual experience if the content for the book or film was discussed and delivered in English, as this interactive play is totally in Chinese.

Schools can contact the company directly by adding Mr. Song on WeChat (mosstroopers), or by calling or emailing him with any inquiries (18601187907, song@jetavana.cn). Sessions can be held privately on a normal school day or on the weekends during the normal schedule.

What we can look forward to is the fact that Peter Pan won’t be the only one making an appearance through this interactive theatre. A production of The Little Prince is currently in the works.

For times and tickets for individuals, book here.

Mobile payments have become ubiquitous in China that they have made transactions easier and faster. After getting your Alipay and WeChat pay set up, be prepared as the world of Chinese online stores and mobile payments will be at your fingertips.

For Chinese college students, paying bills through mobile devices are a quick deal, according to a survey reported by China Daily.

China University Media Union and Ant Financial Services Group asked more than 10 million students from 4,000 universities and colleges how they paid bills and where they spent money on in 2016. The survey data showed 92 percent of students born in the 1990s had made payments through Alipay, with each of them paying an average of RMB 40,839 (USD 5,900). Clothes, cosmetics, and accessories comprise more than 41 percent of the items college students purchase, while food and utilities make up 19 percent. The consumption data also reveals that more female students do e-payments often, while male students tended to spend more.

In an interview with China Daily, Beijing University student Chen Lin said she seldom uses cash and brings only RMB 100 or 200 with her.  ”Almost all the shopping on and around campus, either buying food in the canteen or purchasing books and snacks at other stores, can be done with a cellphone and a campus card,” she said.

Meanwhile, Shanghai university junior Hu Hao stated that male students don’t usually compare prices. “[S]ome male students may have to buy gifts or pay bills for their girlfriends, which may also be a reason why they spend more,” adding that he made about RMB 16,000 worth of online purchases last year — or about 70 percent of all of his expenditures for the whole year. 

While e-payments make transactions hassle-free, students still need to be prudent and avoid irrational consumption. Jin Xiaotong, deputy director of Jilin University Business School, points out that students are still not financially independent and should discern which items are necessary to avoid wasting resources.

It was a cold and windy day. Always on the lookout for new family-friendly eats, my daughter and I ventured out to The Daily Bagel. The cold never bothered us anyway! The Daily Bagel is situated in FX hotel by the Liangma flower market. The hotel entrance not stroller friendly but with a bit of a push you can make it inside. The Daily Bagel has two little tables and a window seat, as it occupies a small area. But the friendliness of the employees makes up for the space lost. They had offered us a baby chair, but since my toddler is a “big girl”, we did not need one. I could not find any nappy changing facilities in the toilet, or the hotel lobby.

The menu is short and sweet; my daughter enjoyed a salmon and cream cheese bagel while I had cappuccino and an everything bagel with cheese, bacon and egg. The bagels satisfied our hunger and the warm coffee hit the spot. I remember my daughter having one of those fun days when she was playing with a shadow on the floor and sat still on a chair and ate the bagel. We don’t have those days very often (usually she messes with our surroundings) so I enjoyed the moment I could sip my drink warm and chat with another adult, the shop owner. She had us try some flavored bagels, like ones with chocolate, orange and cinnamon, raisin.

If you are around the neighborhood with one toddler who is having a good day, I would suggest to pop by The Daily Bagel and have a fresh from the oven bagel and warm coffee. But if you have boiterous kids, that need a ball pit to be entertained, order a Daily Bagel on Sherpa. Or even better, if you have mommy morning for yourself try heading out for a bagel and the flower market.

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June 2016. 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.

While nonchalantly walking past a street in the US, I randomly saw an advertisement on the window of a shop, which said “Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent.” I couldn’t even remember why I laid my eyes upon it. It was plain and had nothing except for those twelve words. “Nothing too special about this,” I thought. But because of its simplicity, I started to ponder what the message really meant. It’s not until last month when I did finally begin to unravel what that mysterious and seemingly-ordinary copy was all about.

Together with the delegation from the Model United Nations Club at Beijing World Youth Academy (BWYA), I went to Singapore for The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) Conference on November 20, 2016. The annual conference is organized by the Hwa-Chong Institution in Singapore and is open to all secondary school students. Our team was composed of 12 students from 9th grade up to 11th grade and two teachers, Ms. Sophie Lauratet and Ms. Hacina Reienskiöld.

I have been dreaming of working at the United Nations since I was nine years old. Back then, I had always thought that the UN was an extraordinary place, created to bring peace and harmony to the world. I thought then all country representatives and delegates at the UN were the smartest and kindest people in society. When I was young, I would write notes, poems, and prose about my UN dream. Those were just wishes and my most desperate longing, but the most daring prospect of actually getting inside or working at the UN had never crossed my mind. But the conference changed it forever.

All of my hopes and daydreams over the past years had become a delightful reality; however, brand new challenges had also quietly sneaked in like an intruder. Being in our BWYA MUN club has pushed me to analyze many critical issues and topics and approach them with a range of solutions. It also helps us improve our public speaking skills and teaches us how a real United Nations works — from collaborating with other people to addressing global economic trends, political relationships, and human rights issues. As one participant Michael Yang believed that THIMUN challenged his skills to think critically and work together with others. He said, “It is very interesting, just simply hearing and discussing diverse ideas from others taught me a lot.”

I was nervous and slightly hopeless on the eve of the THIMUN conference. But those emotions were not because of my lack of preparation or the number of speeches that I need to work on. It’s the fear of the unknown. I was assigned to the General Assembly’s Economic and Financial committee — but I had no experience with it at all. On the conference day, the General Assembly president told everyone at the opening ceremony to step out of your comfort zone.

I admit I’m a beginner and I allow myself to be like one. No one can be successful from the beginning, so why not venture out into areas that you are not exactly comfortable with and be excellent in them? My co-participant Anastasia Borodina said the conference gave us the chance to challenge ourselves. “We’d met brilliant people who reminded us to show the best of our abilities at all time.”

Throughout the THIMUN conference, I gradually realized that no one will feel sorry for you or attempt to give a helping hand if you are frightened and nervous. No one will notice you for being timid, secluded, and inarticulate. In a room of more than 150 people, if you are willing to sit in the corner and don’t want to speak up, then congratulations, you’re in the right place. But if you also wish to explore new areas that you are not keen to, or not scared to let your voice and thoughts be heard, then allow me to offer you my sincerest congratulations — you’re also in the right place.

Even though BWYA students had been separated into different committees and assemblies, I always received messages in our group chat like, “Oh my gosh, I am the main submitter of our resolution! ¹” and “Guess what? I became the co-submitter of our resolution!” These messages randomly appearing on your WeChat really did give me a warm feeling. Despite being in different rooms to debate about various topics, we knew we would succeed in the end, no matter where we started from. Actually, I also achieved being the one-and-only head co-submitter in our resolution group and passed one of my amendments for other groups’ resolutions in later debate sessions.

My memory of THIMUN is still fresh even until now, and my passion for it has never lessened a single bit. It gave me so much more than I had ever imagined—it taught me what teamwork, bravery, and friendship meant, and what was necessary to give up while exploring. And more than anything, what the Model United Nations was all about.

As the delegate of Venezuela from BWYA in this conference, Spring Xia, told me she learned about how the Model United Nations works and worked together with people she didn’t know. She said, “It was tiring, but it was fun!” BWYA student Christina Zhao also believes that being able to participate in THIMUN 2016 is really an awesome experience. She said, “I made some new friends and we are still chatting online! I feel very satisfied because I challenged myself and really stepped out of my comfort zone!” One of our club directors, Ms. Reienskiöld, thought the conference was amazing. She said, “The student delegates went up and did speeches. They achieved so much more than what they believed that they can do.”

This was certainly a special experience in which we gave our best and bravely stepped out of our comfort zones. In the process, we had discovered our inner selves. We might have started out as beginners, but does that matter now? We have just embarked on a journey to becoming the successful ones in the future. And some day, some time, when we get slightly tired on the way, we’ll just pause and look back to this precious and unforgettable memory of 2016 THIMUN Singapore Conference with a grin, and continue our pursuit to success.

(Note: The main submitter and a co-submitter of a resolution is similar to a leader and co-leader of a group of approximately 10-15 people)

(This summer Andrew Killeen traveled around Mongolia with his wife and two children: Noah, 10, and Joseph, 7. In this series of posts, he shares tips and tales from their adventures. Check out part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4 of the series.)

The culmination of our trip to Mongolia was the national Naadam festival, held in July every year. Naadam simply means “Game”, and smaller events are held all across the country throughout the summer. However the capital’s version is the biggest and most prestigious. We bought tickets via the LG Guesthouse for both days, although with hindsight one day would have been enough.

Make sure you go on the first day of the festival, and catch the opening ceremony, a spectacular expression of national pride, featuring dancing, battle recreations, parades in traditional costume, and, when we attended, a celebration of the 35th anniversary of the flight of Mongolia’s first (and to date only) cosmonaut.

Most of the other westerners disappeared after the ceremony, and we soon discovered why. Mongolian sports are not particularly geared towards spectators, and unless you know the competitors personally (as of course most of the onlookers do), the appeal can be elusive. However it’s fun just to wander around and watch the crowds, participants mingling with spectators, and enjoy the sideshows such as fortune-telling and that old favorite, seeing how long you can hang onto a bar.

Of the Three Manly Sports central to the Naadam, wrestling is the most dramatic. As with the other events the competitors are not professionals, and are competing for the glory of their hometown or region. However the sport is central to Mongolian culture. Traveling around we frequently saw young men wrestling formally or informally, and it’s not hard to see why Mongolians have come to dominate sumo, to the distress of many Japanese fans.

Unlike sumo though there is no ring, and bouts only end when one of the wrestlers is thrown. As a result they can go on for some time, and for the Naadam the officials intervene after 30 minutes to try to force a result. Even so the event was running very late by day two. It’s well worth trying to catch one of the challenge rounds, when the wrestlers line up and their coaches sing a list of their accomplishments, followed by an invitation to the opponent they want to face. While each song is being sung, the wrestler being praised wheels around, arms outstretched like the wings of a falcon.

The second of the Three Manly Sports is archery. The target is a pile of blocks on the ground, and the arrows are blunt – which is just as well, since the judges stand around next to them, indicating the skill of the shot by raising their arms and singing. It’s an impressive sight, but the novelty soon fades.

Anklebone shooting is a minor event at the Naadam, but one of the most entertaining to watch. Competitors flick sheep bones at a row of other bones set up on a platform. There are of course traditional songs to celebrate good shots, and shooters will hum to encourage each other.

The third Manly Sport is horse racing, but here I must come clean. We were so exhausted from our adventures that we didn’t make it to the venue, which lies outside the city. A taxi driver refused to take us, saying it was too far, and we were unable to find the bus stop, so in the end we simply gave up. However we weren’t too disappointed, as we’d had a previous encounter with the riders.

We had been crossing the desert south of UB when we saw trucks and jeeps ahead of us, and asked the driver to take us over to investigate. It became apparent that we had stumbled across a practice session for the Naadam. The jockeys are children, and one local jokingly asked whether Joseph would be competing. While the dads stood around chatting and making bets, the kids saddled up and rode around in a circle, singing an eerie, wordless song. At an unseen signal they all galloped away, and disappeared in a cloud of dust. It remains one of our most magical memories of Mongolia.

Photos: Karen Killeen

Our family had lived behind the Laitai flower market for two very long months last summer. I had visited this market quite often and managed to find some treasures. My 3-year-old daughter enjoys exploring the animal aisle while bonsai trees are more my taste. When I heard there was another flower market nearby, I wanted to see what it had to offer as everything my family wanted could surely be found at the Laitai market.

Just as we entered the Liangma flower market I noticed it was much smaller, but very cute indeed. The huge area of the Laitai flower market can be very overwhelming while Liangma’s is easy to navigate and has some surprises in store. Its main hall exhibits cut flowers and a little boutique with ribbons galore, postcards and satin boxes. We even found an art stall with impressive paintings for reasonable prices.

The second hall has potted plants, some fish in tanks and a bird, all looking happy and healthy. There’s a stand with potted salads and vegetables. This was cool, so I showed it to my daughter and explained where our food comes from. We found a stall with a guy who makes lamps. Just as I found a nice lamp for my desk, I tried my hand at bargaining. The guy wanted to sell the lamp for RMB 180, but after a few minutes of haggling we settled at RMB 120.

On the hunt for more stuff we left the stroller downstairs and went to the second floor. This was like finding a cave of treasures filled to the brim with home wear. From tableware to slippers to candles, almost anything can be found here! My daughter and I had lots of fun roaming around and finding cute and funny things we did not need, but ended up buying anyway. My toddler kept me on my toes at all times with all the breakable nick knacks. I will definitely be back by myself to hunt for some serving platters.

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. 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.