“If their mental health breaks before they go into an exam, there’ll be no A grades” was an eye-opening statement made by Professor Barry Carpenter, CBE, OBE, PhD, University of Oxford at the keynote address.

Carpenter’s address was part of a conference on Additional Educational Needs hosted by Dulwich College Beijing in November, 2016. Carpenter is on a mission to change mental health practices in the UK and beyond.

Through his presentation, fact after fact settled on the educators in attendance. The passionate teachers, counselors, and special education professionals in attendance were from YCIS, BSB, Sanlitun, BSB, Shunyi, BIBA, Keystone, BIBS, BCIS, and others, who you can meet at the Beijing International School Expo (BISE).

New Responsibilities

Radical new UK legislation requires that schools take responsibility for the mental health of their students. And rightly so, as “the school environment is critical,” Carpenter said.

“We’ve forgotten that nurturing is an important part of caring for children,” Carpenter went on, “Schools need a structure in place before phoning the professional.”

“We’re preparing them for life. We are charged as teachers to help raise students for adulthood,” Carpenter stressed. Digital native students are facing challenges that the current generation of educators has never faced, including marginalization, isolation, bullying, academic challenges, behavioral difficulties, and stigma (McMillan J.M. and Jarvic J.M., 2013).

Carpenter explained, “We’ve got to start thinking about cyber bullying. In the past, children left the bullying at school. The student would go home, have dinner, talk about it with their parents, and then start the next day. Now, there’s no chance for relaxing. Text messages come through, the bullying goes home. Facebook messages come through. They never relax at home, they rest fitfully.”

This creates anxiety during a stage of adolescence that is already a difficult transitional period in its own right without additional bullying and challenges. The result is a student who is unable to function as he or she should in the classroom.

“Anxiety is a key block to learning. It can prevent the imprint on the brain.”

Global Epidemic

Perhaps in a land far away from the problems of our home countries, parents and educators could begin to believe international schools aren’t facing the same dilemmas, but Carpenter explained the crisis in mental health is coming to it’s boiling point all over the world.

Depression is expected to be the most prevalent childhood disorder by 2020, (Pretis and Dimova, 2008, and Knapp et al, 2007)

“More people die from suicide in Australia than from skin cancer. Men are three times more likely to kill themselves than women, and suicide is the leading cause of death in men” (2009 ABS Cause of Death).

“There are 2 million children in the EU caring for a parent with a mental health problem” (Pretis and Dimova, 2013).

The British Medical Association reported that “20% of children and teenager experienced mental health problems at some point.”

And in China, 50% of left-behind children suffer depression and anxiety, compared with 30% of their urban peers.

Carpenter explained that the current state of child mental health services is insufficient, with many countries lacking qualified psychiatrists. In the whole of China, there are only 14,000 qualified psychiatrists for the entire mental health industry.

Changing the Course

Mental health experts believe that the first big challenge “is to tackle perceptions so that mental health problems no longer carry a stigma for children,” Carpenter quoted Dr. Zheng Yi.

Carpenter is a part of that fight and encouraged educators, citing the fact that political figures are taking part in this call for more attention to be placed on mental health issues, namely Prince William, his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry. Together these three in the royal family are “spearheading mental health through #headstogether” said Carpenter.

Their goal is to change mental health from a dirty word to a common topic in the same way eating and exercise are talked about. “We all have mental health like we do physical health, good or ill. Not seeking help at those times when it all seems too much, or we are depressed or anxious, can impact the rest of our lives,” Carpenter Prince William, World Mental Health Day, October 11, 2016.

In relation to this topic, Carpenter is currently pushing for UK legislation that would provide the funds for further research into the marks and tell-tell signs of Autism in girls. Autism in boys is diagnosed at a higher rate in boys than in girls because the test study samples were made up entirely of boys.

Autism is diagnosed in females most often in adulthood, after a mental health issue has been discovered. But early intervention is key to preventing these major mental health issues from developing. Without a strong research base to see what the early signs are, the prevalence of 1:4, girls to boys, will continue to plague the industry.

“Women with autism tend to write about their experiences, such as Temple Grandin. They’re more communicative. Their social dimensions are markedly different, and they have a coping mechanism of camouflaging with better social intuition than what is seen in males,” Carpenter explained when we sat down together.

Women whose autism goes undiagnosed often become involved in relationships that are incredibly abusive or inappropriate and develop unexplained obsessions with others in a relationship. They tend to be intense, having one friend or significant other, and wanting that same friend to be just as exclusive.

In one study, gangs that had groomed females for sexually activity found that many of these females had an undiagnosed form of Autism.

Carpenter, along with others, will be hosting a conference called Girls on the Autism Spectrum: The Big Shout, meant to rally educators, parents and delegates to push for this UK legislation.

Educators and Parents Can Take Action

As legislation begins to change around the globe, with the UK leading the way, parents, educators, and administration can take actions now to help support their students.

Primarily, relationships with supportive family members, aunts, uncles, and especially grandparents are of the utmost importance. “Relationships with grandparents have profound impacts,” Carpenter mentioned.

Describing his own experience he said, “You stand back more, you let toys go everywhere and allow children to be children. It’s a listening relationship and there’s a connection to family history. I told my grandson that the tricycle in our garage is his daddy’s tricycle, and now he can play with it.”

This creates a deep, emotional relationship.

Carpenter acknowledged that in today’s era, families are self-defined and fluid, so it’s important for parents to find friends to fulfill these more “traditional” functions.

Teachers and parents together can “encourage children, offer unconditional praise, and help with emotional resilience.”

Emotional resilience means helping children cope with sadness, finding out what makes them happy, and learning the tools to turn to friends or others when they are facing difficulties.

Carpenter praised Chinese mothers he had observed on his flight to Beijing for their high quality of nurturing, and encouraged parents to “get back into the fad” of attachment-type parenting.

Personally Touched by Additional Education Needs

Carpenter is the proud father and best friend of a lovely daughter, Kate, 31, who is incredibly independent despite the challenges Down Syndrome has thrown at her.

“She is the author of her own books, which teach reading without speech, using pictures to share stories.”

When referring to Kate he said, she has a strong work ethic. She continues to pursue her education by enrolling in college courses in cooking, IT, and photography. Though her written communication is not as strong as her sign language, she does send him daily texts or emails.

She even lives in a flat with two friends in the same village as her sister, which is wonderful, since she considers “being an aunt the greatest pride in her life.”

Kate is incredibly caring and can remember anyone’s birthday, which Carpenter knows to call her if he needs a reminder.

Together they visit track and field matches and act as cheerleaders together, traveling throughout Europe.

“Kate’s a daddy’s girl. I actually really enjoy being with her. She’s a good friend. I get her, and she gets me.”

You can find out mare about Barry Carpenter and his work at www.barrycarpentereducation.com.

Prepare Yourself in Beijing
Make sure to come to Beijing International School Expo (BISE) to meet schools that are proactive in addressing Additional Educational Needs. Here are questions to ask schools when there.

1. What support are teachers offered in identifying when a student needs further help emotionally or academically?
2. Do you have an English and Chinese school counselor?
3. What further supports are available if the need is beyond your counselor’s professional capabilities?
4. What type of support do you provide for parents in supporting their students?

Photos: Barry Carpenter, publicdomain.net, Rsaacdemy.org

A couple of years back, a friend had asked me if I had already watched Legally Blonde. When I said no, she said I was just “out of this world” because it was the talk of the town. Though I didn’t heed her advice then, I managed to watch the movie several months after and realized why the movie was so popular. So after I learned Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS) will stage the musical of this hit flick, I wanted to know how parents and kids would react.

But before attending the show, one must find YCIS Beijing first. A taxi or Didi are the easiest way to get to YCIS Beijing, especially if you’re bringing your kids. Buses or the subway are also good alternatives as well. (See instructions below.) When you arrive at the school’s east gate, make sure you show the booking receipt for your reservation to the guard. The e-receipt is sent to your phone once you complete the booking (see this site and click the time on Saturday Jan 14 when you want to attend and register).

The auditorium is just behind the guard house. Since I arrived quite early, I explored the place and found the nearest bathroom from the east gate is by the reception area, just across the auditorium. I found the bathrooms to be quite clean too. Meanwhile, the school canteen will be closed on Saturday but the student council will be selling snacks.

Now let’s get on to the show!

There were almost 300 audience members present at YCIS Beijing’s adaptation of the popular movie — parents and students alike — coming and cheering for the cast and band. Daniel Pearton, the show director and the head of performing arts, opened the musical by saying it took 5 months for the whole cast to prepare. Whew, when I heard that, I thought the students must’ve dedicated a lot of time and effort into the show — and I must say it paid off!

I’ve been to some musicals before and I had also played some roles at student performances (which I really loathe doing since I’m not a born actor!) so I quite understand how terrifying and nerve-racking it must have been to perform in front of classmates and parents. But the cast, I must say, showed zest and youthfulness that made the musical exciting to watch. Since my only reference for this was the film version, the YCIS Beijing ensemble and band had stellar moments, like the duets of Elle Woods with her leading men Emmett Forrest and Warner Huntington III, as well as Paulette Bonafonte’s fantastic solo, and the trial act, which were all absolutely well done!

Fifteen-year-old Chloe Sandifer-Stech plays the lead role Elle Woods in such a cheerful and natural way that she’d give Reese Witherspoon (the lead actress for the film version) a run for her money. “The script was quite big,” she said, “And mostly the singing, I haven’t really acted and sung to the public before this so it was kind of hard.” Chloe said she has done some theater plays before but getting the lead for Legally Blonde is her biggest role yet. When I asked Chloe if she plans to continue acting, she said she might pursue a field different from the arts. “I do play cello, but I’m interested in going into environmental policy, which I guess is kind of the same with law.”

The cast of YCIS Beijing’s adaptation

After the show, I talked to Lianne Yu, the musical director. “This is maybe one of the most difficult musicals we’ve done — so many key changes, a big cast, the band members are all students, except for one, who’s a teacher.” She states that the two upcoming shows will be “different,” and invites the community to watch since the show is free. Pearton, meanwhile, said the show is a cool weekend activity for families. “I think it just showcases the different activities YCIS Beijing has. The show itself tells a positive story and breaks stereotypes … and it’s something for the whole family to enjoy.” And yes, Legally Blonde: The Musical gives that dose of laughter that will surely warm up your chilly winter! The cast and band will return on Saturday (Jan 14) for two shows at 2 PM and 7.30 PM.

How to get to YCIS Beijing:

Bus: Get off at Hongling Jin Gong Yuan (Buses 75, 126, 140, 306, 486, 640, 682) bus stop along Chaoyang North Road. YCIS Beijing is northeast of both stops traveling from the west or the east. For those coming from the west, you’ll need to cross Chaoyang North Road. Your main landmark will be the south gate of Beijing Balizhuang Middle School, which is east of both stops. Take the street on the left, and then walk for 400 meters (around 5 minutes). YCIS Beijing East Gate is on the left side.

Subway: Take Line 6 going east to Lucheng. Alight at Shilipu then take exit D (southwest, and you’ll need to cross the road), then walk westward for 500 meters (around 5 minutes) until you see the south gate of Beijing Balizhuang Middle School. Take the street on the right then walk for 400 meters (around 3 minutes). YCIS Beijing East Gate is on the left side. **Exit A, just parallel to exit D, is closed for some other reason).

Featured image courtesy of YCIS Beijing.

This weekend hockey players from Beijing and beyond will gather for the fifth annual Pond Hockey Tournament. To find out more we talked to the tournament’s founder, Curtis Dracz, and asked him where the idea came from.

“It’s a tradition of the Beijing hockey community to skate on lakes and ponds,” he told us. “So I decided to set up an event, a one day activity which would bring together guys from local leagues, players from out of town, and families, to support the growth of hockey in the city.”

“The challenge comes though when global warming has had an effect on the temperature in Beijing, and Houhai no longer freezes in midwinter. It’s frozen now, but I couldn’t ask people to skate on it.”

So when and where is this year’s event?

“It kicks off on Friday January 13, when 10 teams from out of town arrive. Dulwich College Beijing (DCB) have built a rink outside, so eight games will take place there on Friday. Pie Squared will be providing the food, and the Hockey Bar will be supplying the drinks.”

“Then on Saturday we’ll be at the China Millennium Monument, just to the west of Tiananmen. There’s three rinks, two indoor and one outdoor, and the remaining 38 games will take place there. The Irish Volunteer will be laying on breakfast and lunch, and Oasis Hospital will provide medical services. It’ll be a full day of hockey, music and fun, which showcases the lifestyle, how we participate in the sport.”

“The end goal is never winning or the trophy, it’s always about making new friends, and promoting hockey in China.”

With a recent tour by a Canadian team, Beijing’s own Kunlun Redstar joining the KHL, and the 2022 Winter Olympics fast approaching, it’s clear that hockey is on the rise in the city.

Photos: courtesy of Curtis Dracz

3D printing, a hobby to some, a new industrial revolution for others. The latter is how DeFacto, a local design agency founded in Beijing in 2015, views 3D printed products and design. DeFacto, short for “Design Factory,” focuses on new technologies in order to find ways to solve real world, impactful problems such as sustainability in architectural design. The company’s three co-founders, Leandro Rolon, David Doepel, and Ami Nigam began their company by providing 3D printing public workshops on the weekends but have since then focused their energy on creating 3D printed products for various clientele. We recently sat down with Leandro Rolon and David Doepel, two of the company’s co-founders, to discuss the company’s recent work and future.

For parents in Beijing, who have already witnessed the introduction of 3D printers into their child’s schools, Rolon believes it is important to know that 3D printing is more than just an extracurricular or a means to an end. “[Parents] see [3D printing] as a hobby […] but there’s a lot more to it. The promise of 3D printing is it’s like a new industrial revolution, it’s about the change the way we do a lot of businesses and how we make things across the world.” Rolon believes that parents should understand the deeper meaning and goals behind the technology rather than focus solely on the potential material benefits that the technology will bring.

Students and adults inspecting a 3D printer at one of DeFacto’s Demo Workshops.

Since the group ceased their weekly workshops, now providing only on-demand workshops for groups of 10-15 at a time, their projects have covered a seemingly random range of industries. The projects have included setting a Guinness World Record for the largest 3D printed structure, creating 3D printed fashion pieces, and 3D printing pieces using chocolate. However, for the group the products and outcomes of their 3D prints do not stand as the most important aspects of their company. Instead the company sees 3D printing as a tool for creating more sustainable, forward-thinking, and smart products aimed at shaping the world in a positive way.

When clients first reach out to DeFacto with a project idea or problem to solve, Rolon says that the team first thinks deeply about the issue at hand rather than the tool that they should use to solve it. While currently the company has used 3D printers as a major method of problem solving, they have also used computers, pens, paper, glue sticks, and zip ties.

The company focuses on design thinking in creating their products. “Design on the other hand, to us, is about the act of solving problems in a beautiful way. […] It is important to note that good designs can also and should also be about beauty but more so in terms of functionality and use of materials and resources.” Rolon reflected that often times clients or individuals will seek advice from the company about a prospective 3D printing project. However, through consultation with the client it becomes apparent that 3D printing may not be the best option for their particular needs. In these cases Rolon and his team will recommend other methods of carrying out the project and help to try and find alternative solutions.

According to Rolon, experimentation and cross-project work represent the method and the madness of the company. Rolon explained that while their project areas are widespread the products and byproducts of their work on one project have helped to inform work on a project in an unrelated field. While cleaning up their work making silicone molds for a food-related project, the team realized that the silicone they pulled from the edge of the mixing tub came off textured. From this they realized they could make textured silicone in their fashion projects.

DeFacto’s Queen Bee dress, which was the centerpiece for a display in Parkview Green for Beijing Design Week 2015.

The creators also emphasize zero-waste, modularity, and problem solving in their work. For instance, before taking on the Guinness World Record, Rolon said the team had one condition: that the piece had to be zero-waste from start to finish. The team coordinated with a host of organizations including RISE Education, an education group focused on English learning for kids in China, to create the Rise Pavilion. The Pavilion not only set a Guinness World Record, but DeFacto and Rise Education also integrated the project into RISE’s annual competition that asks kids to imagine the future. In 2016, the competition asked students to imagine the future of living and the top student projects were displayed in the Pavilion via QR codes that were 3D printed into blocks throughout the structure. After the team completed the Guinness World Record project, each student took home a building block to imagine the block’s up-cycling potential.

Rolon and Doepel expressed interest in providing educational tools and workshops in the future, but for now they are focused on establishing relationships with current and potential clientele. As for now, the company seems fully prepared to both ride and shape the wave of the new 3D printing movement.

For more information, or to get in touch with DeFacto, interested parties can visit their website defactobeijing.com, follow the group on wechat at defactobeijing, or email them at info@defactobeijing.com. 

According to news reports, Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, made a pledge last Wednesday to install air purifiers in all its schools and kindergartens.

The plans are to start the installation in the summer, with the majority of schools having installed air purifiers by the end of the year.

Henan is notorious for its terrible air quality, and local authorities suspended class six times in 2016.

Beijing has also urged districts to begin to install purification systems, but it’s not a mandatory requirement.

Pollution issues are coming to a head, with the Chinese public becoming more aware of the prevalence of pollution, and less secrecy around the problems the pollution brings. Though technically 2016 was a better year overall, challenges still remain.

For example, a Chinese-based app has been ordered by one unnamed Chinese province to set a cap for its AQI readings at the China’s official cutoff for AQI readings. In other parts of China, others still believe that pollution doesn’t happen in their city, but that it only occurs far away in Beijing.

Even more ludicrous is that one audacious administrator required students to take tests outside in the smog and one university refuses to allow students to use air filters without a doctor’s note, citing a fear of a fire hazard.

Photo: Jim Sciutto (Twitter)

In Beijing, finding cheap English-language books can sometimes be a problem, and though Kindle often has plenty to read, some Kindles are not picture-book friendly. The other problem is that buying books can add up, and a Prime account isn’t “cheap.”

Epic! is an app with 20,000 books for children ages 12 and under. For the first month of use, you can try the app for free, and then the charge is only USD 4.99 per month after that.

It’s the perfect solution for a child with a ravenous appetite for books, or for children who are struggling to find a literary interest. The app has found great success among educators, and it’s free for use for educators in the US.

Of the educators surveyed by the company:

92% said students read more overall with the app.

93% said students read a greater variety because of Epic!

98% said they would recommend the app to their colleagues.

The books on Epic! are not outdated or low-quality books written quickly by a ghost writer and manufactured for cheap profits, either. Epic! is full of quality fiction and nonfiction books, along with an award-winning section with Bridge to Terabithia, The One and Only Ivan, Criss Cross, Sounder, Old Yeller, and more.

Best of all, many of the products are audio books or “read to me” books. And if you plan to support your child’s Spanish learning (since it only takes six months for an English speaker to learn Spanish when immersed in the language), Epic! has a selection of audio and regular Spanish books, too.

With a one month free trial, there’s really no risk.

Photo: getepic.com

Weekends are generally for fun and relaxation for kids and adults alike. But children in Beijing have a different kind of weekend that makes them the least active but more competitive among all their peers across China.

Chinanews.com and China Daily cited a report by 360 Kids Guard, a Chinese smart watch brand, which found Beijing children take 3,500 steps daily, the lowest among all Chinese cities. Kids from Shanghai are similar to their Beijing peers with 3,540 steps. Children from the southwest city of Chongqing are the most active, with more than 6,000 steps. However, it is not clear when the study took place and how many children were surveyed. China Daily said the company sold 1.8 million devices across the country in 2016.

Meanwhile, a CCTV report cited an education platform which said that Beijing and Shanghai kids spend just over 4 hours every weekend playing or strolling in parks and devote more than 12 hours of the weekend to academic classes, mostly training sessions. But their Chongqing counterparts? These kids have at least 16 hours of ‘play’ time.

According to CCTV, the report shows how fierce competition in first-tier cities and other cities affects children’s activities in the country.  Meanwhile, at least one expert believes environmental factors have also had their own impact on the situation. “The number of steps for Chongqing children almost doubled that of Beijing kids, partly because of the capital’s inconvenient traffic and smoggy air,” Pei Zhiyong, an expert from an organization on teenagers network security education, told China Daily.

In one of our recent articles we discussed how academic challenges can cause anxiety and impact a child’s mental health. We have also interviewed teenage students who said pollution made them less motivated to study and do outdoor activities. Parents can find out more about these issues, as well as other school topics, at the Beijing International School Expo on February 18-19, 2017. Upon publication of this article, 55 domestic and overseas schools and 19 after-school providers will be in attendance.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

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 puppy, Hua Hua, is from ICVS’ Adoptable Pets.

Introduction: Hi everyone, my name is Bamboo.

Background: Bamboo was found wandering around the Sanlitun area. A very kind rescuer took me home for several days and brought him to ICVS where he was treated and cared for by his kind vets. He is now a healthy, beautiful young dog ready for a forever home.

Personality: At the risk of sounding immodest, I am the cutest dog ever! I am very affectionate, love to play, and I enjoy being with people very much. I am very trusting of people and open my heart to every new person I meet. I need a safe home where I can continue to trust people and love them with all my heart.

Ideal home: I would be happy with an individual, a couple, or a family with older children (e.g., 6 years and older). I will be a permanent member of my adoption family and must travel with my family if they ever leave China or relocate to another city.

Breed, Sex, and Age: I am a 6-8 month old male puppy. I am a small mixed breed with short black and brown fur.

Medical notes: I am healthy, have already been de-wormed, and have started on my vaccinations at ICVS. I will be ready to be neutered soon.

Medical notes: I am healthy and have been dewormed and treated for fleas and ticks. I have already started her vaccinations at ICVS.

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 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

Recently here at OASIS, Head of Surgery and specialist in orthopedics, Dr. Harvey Zhou successfully completed minimally invasive surgery of a comminuted tibiofibular fracture with the help of an electromagnetic navigation system.

The patient was a 19-year-old man from France. He had been in a car accident causing him to sustain a comminuted fracture (break or splintering of the bone into more than two fragments). Due to the difficulty involved in treating such a fracture, the patient consulted many hospitals before finding himself at OASIS International Hospital. Dr. Zhou proposed a “closed reduction with intramedullary nail fixation under electromagnetic navigation system”. The surgery was completed successfully within one hour and the patient released from hospital after two days. At present, the patient is in good condition and recovering at home after surgery.

Treatment of tibiofibular fractures differ depending on the type of fracture, which include:

-Open reduction internal fixation (ORIF): This method can easily effect blood supply to the injured area and damage soft tissue. After surgery, there’s a possibility of nonunion of the fracture, which is a serious complication causing permanent failure to heal. This can occur if there is poor blood supply to the fractured area or infection occurs.

-Closed reduction and external fixator: This method is used as a last resort as this surgery is very troublesome for the patient. Patients will be inconvenienced when trying to move about, the risk of infection is higher and it requires a follow-up internal fixation surgery.

-Closed reduction and Intramedullary Nail Fixation: This blind surgery technique is performed under the guidance of X-ray or imaging. The technology is quite complex, the size of the rod to use in the surgery is not easy to choose and complications are quite common. Commonly it is difficult for the surgeon to lock the lock-pin on the distal of intramedullary nail during the procedure, which increases the operation time, leaving the patient under x-ray exposure for much longer.

The incision is quite small and not overly invasive

Dr. Zhou chose closed reduction with intramedullary nail fixation under electromagnetic navigation.

Advantages associated with this surgical method include:
-Minimally invasive: In a change to traditional open surgery methods, this method does not expose the fracture. A small incision is made for the insertion of the intramedullary nail into the medullary cavity. Under the guidance of electromagnetic navigation, the nail can be inserted into the cavity to the required depth of the fracture.
-Low chance of infection, faster recovery: Avoiding open surgery means less damage to the surrounding tissue and blood supply to the fracture. Chance of infection is also greatly reduced.
-Shortened surgical time: With the use of electromagnetic navigation, the surgery can now be performed with live visual footage as opposed to traditional blind methods, requiring a dynamic reference framework to work from. This allows the surgical method to be more accurate, reduce surgical trauma, post-surgical complications as well as the surgical time.
-Less radiation exposure: In traditional blind methods, the fixation of the rod requires taking multiple images using the C-arm imaging machine. Repeated imaging throughout the surgery exposes both the patient and physician to much radiation. Using electromagnetic navigation, this allows for real-time accurate visualization of the area, reducing the radiation exposure during surgery.

At present, there are only a small number of hospitals in Beijing that possess electromagnetic navigation system technology. OASIS International Hospital possesses one of the leading international navigation systems, bringing its minimally invasive surgical methods to new heights. Dr. Zhou explains: “Having an electromagnetic surgical navigation system for the treatment of long bone fractures not only confirms the international trend for medical precision, moreover it reduces surgical trauma to the patient, which improves the safety of this surgery for patients.

Dr. Harvey Zhou
Head of Surgery and Orthopedic Specialist
Nationality: China
Language: Chinese, English
Dr. Zhou obtained his MD in Orthopedics from Peking University Third Hospital and completed his Postdoctoral in Orthopedics in the PLA General Hospital. Dr. Zhou has almost 30 years’ experience in Orthopedics, completing over 9000 orthopedic surgeries. During this time, Dr. Zhou also underwent 8 months of clinical training in Microsurgery and Hand surgery. He successively studied at: Joint Surgery at Hong Kong Queen Mary Hospital, Joint Surgery and Spinal Surgery at The University of California, San Francisco and Spinal Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Zhou was once Chairman of Orthopedics and Head of Technology at Beijing Yanhua Hospital. He is also Chair of the Beijing Fangshan District Orthopedic Committee. Dr. Zhou has published over 10 papers in journals, such as, the American journal – “Spine” and the Oxford journal – “Rheumatology”.

Specialized Areas:
Dr. Zhou specializes in various treatments of acute and chronic sports injuries; standard and minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat a variety of degenerative spinal diseases, idiopathic scoliosis, spinal tuberculosis and tumors; kyphoplasty for vertebral fractures caused by osteoporosis; artificial hip and knee replacement and revision surgery; artificial shoulder joint and metacarpophalangeal joint replacement surgery; the use of spinal injections to diagnosis and treat neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain and sciatica. Dr. Zhou is also proficient in 0.3mm microvascular anastomosis, as well as, microsurgical reconstruction and repair.

This blog is sponsored by OASIS

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an astronaut. My fascination with space started when I was 10 when my mother bought us a 10-volume encyclopedia on science. I remember spending afternoons just lying belly down and reading these books. In high school, my father bought me a telescope (which is broken now, sadly) as a gift for getting good grades, especially in science subjects. My memory of that telescope is still fresh — I remember first using it to see the Moon. I was so surprised to see how jagged the Moon’s edges were — it was full of mountains! Then just several days after, I brought the telescope and the astronomy encyclopedia to our rooftop — the first time someone in our family climbed it. There, I located Jupiter not by luck but by projection using Orion’s Belt and Sirius as my guides. I was so dumbfounded to see not only Jupiter but its four moons! In the following weeks, I managed to see Saturn and its amazing rings, Uranus, Venus, and Mars. Mercury is so hard to find!

Do you have any siblings?
I have four siblings. An older brother and sister, then two younger brothers.

Who was your childhood hero?
My mom, I must say. She’s really hardworking and religious. She’s been through a lot of things but she’s still kicking! I’ve got no comic heroes, but I’m really fond of 90’s Japanese anime like Flame of Recca, Dragon Ball Z, and Yu Yu Hakusho (Ghost Fighter as it’s known in the Philippines).

What was your favorite childhood food? Has it changed as an adult?
It’s more of a snack. It’s green and sour mango with bagoong or shrimp paste. No, it won’t change!

List up to three of your favorite childhood books:

1. The encyclopedias (and astronomy magazines, if they count) bought by my mother;
2. Mythology by Edith Hamilton; and
3. My high school world literature book, which introduced me to Robert Frost, Edgar Allan Poe, and Anton Chekhov.

Tell us embarrassing or little known childhood anecdote about yourself
This one’s hard. Oh, I’m the tallest in our family. It must’ve been because I used to sleep with my arms and thighs stretched.

Tell us about your parent’s quirks and how they have shaped you?
My mom is religious (this isn’t a quirk though) and she always tells us to devote time to praying and thanking God. In what might have been a real quirk, my mom is very particular in doing household chores — like arranging clothes by size and color, doing the laundry by color, and cleaning the house in order (from the bedroom out). Hmm, that might have caused me to be somewhat OCD.

How many kids do you want?
Only two.

Andy Peñafuerte III joins beijingkids as its new deputy managing editor. Born in Manila, the Philippines, he moved to Beijing in December 2015. Andy’s a space fanatic and in his free time you will see him reading articles about astronomy and space science. He’s also an avid traveler and documents his musings on coolkidandy.wordpress.com.

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
Classic Movie Tuesday: The Ladykillers, Jan 17
Ages 6+ Tuesday 17 January at 7.30pm, Pop-up Beijing is screening ‘The Ladykillers’ (1955), starring Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers and Cecil Parker. In the film, five diverse oddball criminal types planning a bank robbery rent rooms on a cul-de-sac from an octogenarian widow under the pretext that they are classical musicians. Free. 7.30pm-9.30pm. Pop-up Beijing.

Style Butler Chinese New Year Sale, Jan 17 and Jan 18
Ages 8+ Style Butler will be having a clothing sale to ring in the new year. There will be jackets, dresses, shirts, and more! Free. 10am-8pm (Jan 17), 10am-5pm (Jan 18). Beijing Riviera Club House.

YCIS Beijing’s Annual Temple Fair, Jan 18
All ages. Celebrate the upcoming Year of the Rooster with YCIS Beijing at the school’s annual Temple Fair! There will be performances by students and a variety of vendors offering a host of other activities and popular shows such as martial arts, lion dance and the shadow puppets. Free. 8.30am-2.30pm. YCIS Beijing.

Burton Family Sale, Jan 21 and Jan 22
All ages. Check out Burton’s clothing store to get some great deals on clothing and other sports gear! Free. 9am-4pm (Sat, Jan 21) and 9am-6pm (Sun, Jan 22). Burton Family.

Unique
Homie Bear Afternoon Tea at Opus Lounge, Jan 16 to Feb 28
Ages 5+ Enjoy a family-friendly afternoon time at Opus with its stylish Homie Bear Afternoon Tea. A portion of the proceeds will go to Educating Girls of Rural China (EGRC). RMB 258 (per person including tea or coffee), RMB 358 (per person including one glass of Duval Leroy Brut Champagne). Opus Lounge. (5695 8532).

International Ski Club for Kids, Jan 14 and 21
Ages 7-14. Imagine brings you the exciting activity for young skiers who wish to improve their ski skills but also the ones with no prior experience who want to start learning from scratch. Qualified international ski instructors from the UK and other European countries will be present to will ensure safety, skill acquisition, and fun during the process. RMB 50 per class Single Outdoor session: RMB 550 per class. Qiabo Indoor Ski Session. (010-57394933)

Chinese Bird-Flower Painting Class, Jan 18 and 19
All ages. Traditional Chinese painting is done with a brush dipped in black or colored ink; oils are not used. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made of are paper and silk. The class will be conducted in English. The supplies or the Four Treasures of the Study are provided. RMB 200. 9.30am-11.30am. Chinese Culture Center.

AustCham Beijing Australia Day BBQ, Jan 21
All ages. Join the Australian Chamber to share in Aussie BBQ food including Australian beef snags, beef rump steak and lamb chops, as well by a true blue Aussie dessert section. A variety of kids’ activities including face-painting, pin the tail on the kangaroo, and a craft station is available to keep the little ones entertained.  RMB 200 to RMB 300. 11am-4pm. AustCham Beijing. (events@austcham.org)

The SLab: Materials and Textiles Course, Jan 21 or Jan 28
Ages 6+ Bring your child to learn about the art and craft of textiles and other fashion materials. RMB 899. 10am-4pm. The SLab.

3R Workshop for Ayi, Jan 22 to Feb 26
Adults. This workshop is for families who want to involve your Chinese Ayi to practice RIE® approach and a better educational environment at home. RMB 600 (whole workshop, discount applies to Little Park Families); 260RMB (one session if you prefer to try first). 2pm-4pm. Little Park. (15011273676).

Best of Next Week
Chinese New Year Workshops: Surrealism, Jan 23 to Jan 27
Ages 5-12. Explore surrealist techniques such as collages, exquisite corpses, 3D works, etching, automatic writing and drawing. 1800RMB (1500RMB for both atelier’s students and who registered before the 10th of January). 10am-4pm. Atelier Art School.

Chinese Bird and Flower Painting Class, Jan 25 and Jan 26
Traditional Chinese painting is done with a brush dipped in black or colored ink; oils are not used. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made of are paper and silk. The class will be conducted in English. The supplies or the Four Treasures of the Study – the ink brush, ink, paper (made of rice & bamboo), and inkstone – are provided by the Chinese Culture Center. RMB 200. 9.30am-11.30am. Chinese Culture Center.

Stone Valley Great Wall Loop, Jan 27
Ages 10+. On this hike the Beijing Hikers make a loop out of Stone Valley Village and hike the same line of wall as on the Middle Route of the Switchback Great Wall hike. This will be a longer hike featuring some different angles for views of the Great Wall, including a great look at what an attacker might have been faced with trying to cross over to the Beijing side. RMB 400 (non-members), RMB 360 (members). 8am-5pm. The Great Wall.

Kerry Flips and Kicks Spring Camp, Jan 30 to Feb 2
Ages 6+ Kerry is hosting a sports camp for kids to release all that energy built up over the winter. Join Kerry and new friends with classes on gymnastics, martial arts, and swimming alike! RMB 3200 (1 week, half day), RMB 6188 (2 weeks, half day), RMB 4500 (1 week, full day), RMB 8888 (2 weeks, full day). 9am-12pm (half day) or 9am-2.30pm (full day). Kerry.

Spring Festival is just around the corner and in some parts of China, the travel rush has just begun. In the run-up to the week-long holiday, temple fairs are blossoming like flowers. Today we feature Yew Chung International School of Beijing’s annual temple fair on January 18.

Now on its 10th year, YCIS Beijing ushers in the Year of the Rooster with student productions and a traditional face-changing performance at the school’s auditorium. There will also be mask making and lantern paintings, while students will be performing songs in Chinese to show all that they’ve learned so far during the year. But what will make this Rooster fair full of delight is its Big Tea Pot demonstration that will showcase the serving of this special drink.

Curious about these activities? YCIS Beijing welcomes the community to its temple fair, which is free to attend. The festivities will begin at 8.20 am. Visitors need to register first and show the booking receipt at the guardhouse.

How to get to YCIS Beijing? By bus: Get off at Hongling Jin Gong Yuan (Buses 75, 126, 140, 306, 486, 640, 682) bus stop along Chaoyang North Road. YCIS Beijing is northeast of both stops coming from the west or east. For those coming from the west, you’ll need to cross Chaoyang North Road. Your main landmark will be the south gate of Beijing Balizhuang Middle School, east of both stops. Take the street on the left, and then walk for 400 meters (around 5 minutes). YCIS Beijing East Gate is on the left side.

By subway: Take Line 6 going east to Lucheng. Alight at Shilipu then take exit D (southwest, and you’ll need to cross the road), then walk westward for 500 meters (around 5 minutes) until you see the south gate of Beijing Balizhuang Middle School. Take the street on the right then walk for 400 meters (around 3 minutes). YCIS Beijing East Gate is on the left side. **Exit A, just parallel to exit D, is closed for some other reason).

If last week, Beijing announced to launch an environmental police force, officials have said the city government would spend more than RMB 18.22 billion (USD 2.6 billion) to combat air pollution and set a cap on the annual average PM 2.5 density.

Acting Mayor Cai Qi told the annual session of the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress on Saturday some of the “tough measures” the city government will enforce this year, based on a government work report. That includes replacing the use of coal in 700 villages with clean energy, phasing out 300,000 smoke belching and old vehicles, and shutting or upgrading more than 2,500 polluting factories.

Meanwhile, the Beijing Municipal Reform and Development Commission said it aims to limit this year’s average PM 2.5 density to around 60 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m³). Commission head Lu Yan said the PM 2.5 average in 2016 was 73 ug/m³ following Beijing’s cutting down of coal use by two million tonnes.

Just before 2016 ended, major Chinese cities suffered a cocktail of suffocating air, with Beijing registering its worst polluted week in three years. The city’s municipal education commission followed that week with an announcement that local elementary and middle schools will be given air purifiers purchased using city finances. When and what kind of air cleaning systems are yet to be detailed. Authorities in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province, pledged to install air purifiers in all schools and kindergartens, following Tianjin’s move to put air filters in all of its kindergartens, primary and secondary schools last year.

Photo courtesy of Andy Penafuerte

There are a lot of things from home I miss here in Beijing, decent skincare, “normal” toilets, and of course my friends and family. But MOST of all, I miss my home cuisine, and the ingredients that are easy to buy in Western supermarkets. I want to recreate some food that my family miss, share my recipes, and know where to get the ingredients. If you see a blonde lady on a bike with a toddler and bags of groceries, that’s me, on the hunt for little pieces of home.

Another drink that has recaptured my attention (although not a winter brew) is horchata. My Mexican friend in Houston, Texas in the United States introduced me to this drink in college. And while asking around in the Beijing expat community about culinary delights we miss from home, this drink resurfaced. As usual there will be debate on how to make this drink and which version is the best. All the ingredients can be found anywhere in Beijing, but don’t be fooled as horchata will warm your soul like you are on an unpolluted beach.

Horchata comes from Valencia in Spain, where orxata was made from ordi (barley). Although nowadays in Spain horchata is not made with barley but with tiger nuts, water and sugar. Horchata is served as a refreshment with ice. Variations can be made with nuts, rice, seeds, herbs, ground almonds, and lime zest.

Horchata de Arroz (rice) is by far my favorite and I remember my friend taking me to stands by the street in the blistering heat in Texas for a refreshing drink.

Ingredients:

½ cup rice                                                                                                                                                           Half cup raw almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                                                                                                               ½ teaspoon lime zest
6 cups of water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Pulverize the raw rice in a blender.
2. Combine the rice powder with almonds, cinnamon, and lime zest in a bowl and cover with half the water. Let stand overnight.
3. Next day blend the mixture in a blender till smooth.
4. Combine the mixture with 3 cups of water and blend again.
5. Strain with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel.
6. Add vanilla and sugar to taste.
7. Serve over ice!

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.

Masks – they’re a fact of life in Beijing on those high AQI days. But what if your kids, like many others, resist wearing one? Also for those with glasses, masks can be mafan, misting up your lenses. And however hard manufacturers try to make them chic, one can still end up looking like Darth Vader.

Now an American entrepreneur claims to have come up with the answer to all these problems. Carlton Solle was visiting Hebei when he fell ill, and was shocked to learn that his sickness was caused by air pollution. When he returned to the US, he discussed the issue with his wife, and they came up with the Bioscarf, which they describe as “the first scarf with protection built right in.”

We asked Solle how the Bioscarf works.

“The Bioscarf is like a traditional scarf as far as how you wear it,” he told us. “As far as protection, it works very similar to how a mask works, except the Bioscarf has the possibility of multiple layers protecting you and the ability to adjust and tighten as needed.”

But is it effective?

“It protects you from many of the common airborne contaminants associated with air pollution,” Solle says. The material has an N95 rating which was done in China, which means when fitted correctly, it is capable of blocking 95% of all non-oil based airborne particulates 0.3 microns in size or larger. So it covers PM2.5, which has been a popular question. The material rating is just for one layer and in most cases when wearing the Bioscarf around your face you have two to three layers depending on your body size and on how you fit it.”

And is it suitable for children?

“Absolutely it’s for kids, and although our donation efforts have been focused here in the US to start they will quickly turn to China and India where we are hoping to partner with groups to help us distribute scarfs to children in need.”

The donation scheme he mentions means that for every scarf they sell, they will donate one to someone in need.

“We are planning another photo shoot,” Solle continues, “featuring kids and adults using the scarf to protect themselves from air pollution in their daily lives, and we are also working on a new section of the website that goes into greater detail on all the product’s technical specifications, that will include an animated short on the material and how it works and a video tutorial on how to wear the scarf.”

Is it available in China?

“We manufacture in China, and I travel there every couple of months. We are working on setting up a distributor there, and possibly keeping inventory there for orders in China and Japan, but right now we ship everywhere in the world so it’s not an issue. We have had a lot of orders for China this past couple weeks.”

At the time of writing we haven’t yet had access to a Bioscarf so can’t verify Solle’s claims. But if it works as promised, it could become a significant new player in the competitive world of pollution protection.

Photo: courtesy of Bioscarf

Beijingkids is compiling a list of volunteer opportunities for families staying in Beijing around the Chinese New Year holiday break.This list will be updated as more opportunities come along and if you know of any other volunteer positions please contact us.

The Australian and New Zealand Association of Beijing (ANZA)

ANZA is looking for volunteer cooks to help provide meals during the New Year celebrations. The meals will be for nurses that are coming from Canada to work at medical foster homes in Beijing. Meals need to be frozen and enough food needs to be prepared for 8 to 10 people. They will have access to rice, pasta, and a microwave and stove top to heat up meals. All meals should be in Shunyi by January 21.

For more information please contact Bryony’s

Phone: 139 1130 6873

International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS)

ICVS is offering volunteer opportunities for animal lovers. Students need to be at least 16 years old and have been rabies vaccinated. Volunteers are welcome to contact ICVS to find out more about opportunities.

Phone: 8610 84561939/1940

Roundabout Beijing

Roundabout, a social enterprise, will have volunteer opportunities. But will be closed from January 24th to February 9th. Roundabout welcomes volunteers as young as 4 years old. More info can be found here.

Phone: 137 1877 7761

Dew Drops Little Flower

Dew Drops is open for tours of the orphanage in Shunyi. They welcome food items during Chinese New Year. They asking for specific food items like chicken, beef, fish, or pork and bananas, pears, pumpkin and sweet potatoes.

Phone: 18810155864

Love and Hope

A migrant boarding school in Shunyi Beijing with vocational training is looking for English teachers.

For more info contact Jenna KIm

Phone: 18600063292

Email: lovehope1004@sina.com

New Hope Foundation

The New Hope Foundation is accepting visitors and is in need of donations. If you are traveling abroad, New Hope Foundation is in need of supplies from the following countries: US, UK, and Australia.

Phone: 86-10-61424156 /76

Email: robinathope@outlook.com

Roundabout organized a two day temple fair last weekend, and my daughter and I were lucky to venture out to Shunyi under beautiful blue skies.The weather was perfect for the fair and we were exited to see our first dragon dance in China. All the proceeds of the temple fair are for two young kids who are in the hospital with leukemia.

My daughter and I were greeted by volunteers selling organic apples and cookies, so naturally we bought both. We then found dancers on the square in Shine Hills shopping center. The groovy beat was so inviting that we danced a bit as we got some funny looks from our Chinese bystanders. We proceeded to the table that had golden eggs sold at RMB 30 a piece, we smashed them with a hammer to reveal a surprise gift prize. My daughter won a beautiful plastic necklace, that she still treasures three days later.

We visited the inside market where we found the usual vendors and some new ones. A table filled with purses and bags from the organization Love&Hope captured my attention. I found out that migrant children attending a vocational training school in the north of Beijing had made these bags. These vibrant colored bags priced from RNB 145 to RMB 280.The bags are made with felt, and can be produced to order in any color you would wish. please contact Jenna Kim at lovehope1004@sina.com for more info. Naturally we had to support the cause and buy a purse.

After shopping we had a ride in bumper carts, note that it might be best to not actually bump with the carts when in China. Parents tried to avoid us, but we were the wild couple that day. After our reckless driving adventure we savored lunch at Element Fresh. The dragon dance at the end of this day was magical. The dance was a memory for the books and I was happy to have had this experience in Beijing.

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.

Editor’s Note: Lauren Nutchey-Feng first came to China to study and become a translator, though eventually found herself working as a journalist and news reporter. She holds a German passport, her mother is from the UK, and she is married to a Chinese man. Through beijingkids she’ll be exploring multi-cultural marriages and the observations she has since she is so intertwined with Chinese culture.

Thinking of my husband, one word comes to mind: risk-averse. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a very different side to him as we discussed Chinese New Year (CNY)!

What’s your favorite thing about CNY?

I used to love CNY because we could set off firecrackers. They were a type of sanctioned rebellion. This was the only time we were allowed to do something potentially dangerous. In China we have to do a lot of things our parents tell us, but for Chinese New Year, they let us do what we want with the firecrackers.

Now I’ve grown up I tend to like Spring Festival because it means family reunion and also I can be quite chilled finally. Because usually I’m quite tense, that’s why I feel being chilled at Spring Festival is a good thing.

No more crackers?

No, let me tell you a story about crackers. My family used to buy me firecrackers every year, and they’d put them into a box. One time, we had a lot of firecrackers in the box. We took the first one and lit it up. But there was a stray spark that went right into the box. So we turned around and starting running. Behind us it was just like a Hollywood movie scene, just BOOM! *laughs* So afterwards, I decided no more crackers anymore.

Another time, I almost blinded myself. I saw a cracker on the ground, took it and put it on a stone. Then I found a piece of glass and I put it on the cracker and lit it up. I thought I had time to run away but I didn’t. It exploded and my ears couldn’t feel a thing. I looked at my winter coat. It was full of white dots; it was the marks left by the glass shards. I was so scared but also felt super lucky because it could have hit my eyes and I could have gone blind. I was so stupid. Don’t do that. At 12 o’clock, don’t go outside, just stay where you are, there’s just too many crackers. Don’t get your head blown off.

So, we’ve had this on-going topic about whether to travel for Spring Festival. Why do you prefer going back to Hohhot rather than traveling for a week?

Because Chinese New Year means you have to go back to where you come from. Hohhot, that’s where I come from. That’s called luoye guigen落叶归根 (returning to your roots). Traveling makes me feel unsafe somehow, because it’s in another place. Going back home is safe, and spending Spring Festival means you have to have this sense of safety.

What did CNY used to be like when you were young?

We used to spend New Year, just me and my mum (His parents are divorced). Because the last day of the old year you have to spend at home, and then on the first day of the New Year you go to see your grandparents. Of course I didn’t like that. You could see on the TV always that it’s a complete family, they love each other, they have Coca Cola. Whereas for us it was just me and my mum, of course it’s not a good feeling.

Have your feelings toward CNY changed over the years? Especially compared to when you lived in England?

It’s so different in the UK. I really missed home, especially that time of the year. I would normally call up friends and cook for them. We’d skip class.

One year, I saw an ad sponsored by Tencent, broadcast right before the TV Gala. It showed an overseas student talking to his family from a foreign country. He couldn’t go back. That ad really hit me because I thought there wasn’t anyone there who cared about me. I figured an overseas student wasn’t a focus of the festivities but the ad made me feel there is someone there who cares. I think that ad was voted one of the best ads ever; it definitely got people talking a lot on WeChat.

I think that the size of the Chinese New Year’s family reunion is shrinking in general. It used to be really big because the elder generation would kind of enforce it. The younger generation doesn’t tend to follow the traditional rules anymore. In theory, once the elder generation passes away, the eldest son or daughter would take the lead. But now few follow old traditions anymore and it will become more about your immediate family rather than big family gatherings.

It’s that time of year again; our annual School Choice Guide has gone to print and is now distributed to different spots around the city.

We loaded this issue up with several new resources and included old-time favorites.

As expected, we examined different curricula in the city, with a new focus on Bilingual curriculum and International Primary Curriculum. We also laid out for you some statistics comparing schools city-wide, including questions we highly suggest you ask your potential schools at the Beijing International School Expo.

We also sought expert advice from Barbara Chen about how Third Culture Kids (TCK) can set their college application apart from the rest. We also added more insights into the ever-long debate of homework.

Lastly, we asked the experts what makes a great school, so six students told us what makes a great school.

Of course, this guide also includes information from 58 of Beijing’s finest schools, and we made a helpful map and key to easily orient the school within the city. You can read the school profiles online here. Or you can download a PDF version here.

Make sure to talk to these schools in person at our 7th Annual Beijing International School Expo taking place on February 18 and 19 starting at 10am at Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town. Register here for updates about speakers, goodies, and going through our check-in fast-lane.

In a bid to make our inside pollution days happy ones I decided to start a collection of arts and crafts tutorials, that can be done at home with the kids. All the art supplies will be sourced from online stores so parents don’t have to brave the pollution. I am a big fan of kids craft that both look cool and are usable. A crafty child is a happy child, and a happy child is a happy life.

This time I wanted to do some textile stamping. I bought some cotton napkins here. Napkins are woven tighter than kitchen towels, which makes napkins more suitable for textile stamping as the paint won’t blur. I choose a dark blue textile paint that matches the interior of my kitchen.

In this craft adventure I made use of an old kitchen towel to prevent paint from spilling onto our table. This craft is better for older kids as you don’t want the paint getting on their hands. My daughter is almost 4 and still rolls naked through paint. The art of textile stamping was a bit lost on her. I, however, found a new pastime and had a blast stamping the fabric.

I found a great website explaining how to paint textiles. The website said that it is best to wash and iron the fabric first before applying the paint. However, since I was not as prepared as the woman from the website, we did not end up following either of the first two recommendations. Either way, I tend to live on the wild side of life and like to wing instructions and see what happens.

After the stamping phase it is important to iron the fabric (again) to set the paint. We did do that, as I was scared that I would paint the inside of my washing machine. It is best to iron the other side with a cloth in between the iron and the cloth so as to keep the iron paint-free. Afterword, the fabric can be washed and used as napkins or tea towels. These fantastic arts and craft towels or napkins would make make perfect gifts for grandparents

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.