April, 2008
Articles from prior issues of beijingkids can be found by checking out the archive links below for the month and year you are interested in.
Down to a Fine Art
Getting students at BWYA to see that you can't cram for art
KC Vienna Connolly started doing art as a way to keep from getting too bogged down with the trials of high school. A trained sculptor, she decided to join her sister, also in the arts, in Beijing three years ago and now teaches at the Beijing World Youth Academy. tbjkids sat down with KC to discuss her students’ upcoming exhibition, the fairness of grading art and why she once refused to hug a teddy bear.
What’s the most challenging part of teaching art?
I always try to stress to the students that art is not like math or science. You can’t cram all night. You can’t study 24 hours and do really well on a test. I explain to them that its probably one of the hardest subjects in the IB program because it’s really demanding and it’s something that you have to keep up with.
Q&A with Chen Weijun
At Evergreen Primary School, in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, an election for a new class monitor is being held for Grade 3. Three students, selected by their teacher, must persuade their classmates that they are the most capable candidate – through a talent show, a debate, and a final speech.
Director Chen Weijun details this entire process – from the children’s secret talks to the candidates’ public performances – in Please Vote for Me, which won the 2007 New Zealand DOCNZ Documentary Film Festival Award for Best Screenwriters Educational and International Medium Documentary. Please Vote for Me was also short-listed for the 2008 Oscar for Foreign Documentary. tbjkids sat down with Chen Weijun to discuss the inspiration behind his breakthrough film.
Beijing's Smallest April 2008
Want to share your new arrival with our readers? E-mail a photo (at least 1MB in size) of your little one with his or her full name, nationality, birth date, hospital and parents’ names to amanizhang@tbjkids.com.
Chen Mangyu
Chinese. Born to Chen Qingshan and Ma Yi on June 6 at Peking University First Hospital.
April 2008 Around the World
April 7 Mon
No Housework Day
Forget vacuuming, the dishes, or that mess piling up in the corner. Just put up your feet, relax, and take the day off! Or, if someone else usually does the housework, give him or her a rest by doing the chores yourself.
April 15 Tue
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Birthday
He may be one of the world’s most famous artists, but did you know Da Vinci also invented scissors and the high heel? Celebrate the life of this 15th century artist, scientist and inventor by spending a few minutes thinking, brainstorming or getting creative!
April 18 Fri
International Juggler’s Day
Whether you are experienced, a novice, or just want to give juggling a try, this holiday is the one for you! Try it with balls, clubs or random household objects – just stay away from the glass coffee table.
Nutrition Facts
Calcium
Kids from countries with a high dairy consumption may struggle to meet their calcium requirements when faced with tangy sterilized milk and the meager selection of pricey cheese in Beijing; lactose intolerance – especially common in children from Asian and African countries – can present an additional problem. This can become a real dilemma for parents, as calcium is a crucial mineral for growing kids: It is essential not only for bones and teeth, but also important in helping muscles function and blood clot.
Thankfully, China is awash with alternative calcium sources. Soybean milk and tofu, usually calcium-fortified, are widely available, and soybeans themselves are a great choice. Other options include your pick of the green and leafy vegetables from the local shop, sesame seeds, almonds, dried apricots, tinned fish with soft bones and fortified breakfast cereals.
Local Lingo
In China, the saying goes:
胸有成竹
xiōng yǒu chéng zhú
“To acheive bamboo, the bamboo must immerse your being.”
In other words: Concentration and diligence are the keys to success.
Tracing back to the Song dynasty (960-1279), this idiom was originally used in reference to Wen Tong, an artist famed for his drawings of bamboo trees. In order to draw bamboo accurately, Wen planted many bamboos around his house. Come rain or shine he would spend hours each day observing the shoots grow – checking the conditions of their color, length and the shape of their leaves – and then sketching what he saw.
Day and night all Wen saw was the bamboo around him, until images of bamboo became seared into his mind. Others saw his sketches and, impressed by their vividness, asked him how he had achieved it. To this he responded, “I am only portraying the reflection of the bamboo in my heart.”
The Book Report
Whether your child can barely draw a stick figure or is the next Monet, artists young and old will be ready to create something new after reading these two books on the transformative powers of art.
Badly Drawn Dog
(Ages 4-8)
written and illustrated by Emma Dodson
What’s a “scribbly, scratchy” dog supposed to do when he wants to be a “nicely drawn dog?” Ready for a makeover, Badly Drawn Dog consults the local artist for help. But he soon realizes that being redrawn isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. After each reincarnation, problems occur: too sharp to play with children, his friends don’t recognize him or he looks like every other dog. In the end, Badly Drawn Dog understands that it’s not about how you look, but who you are inside.
Conclusion: Children will enjoy both the moral of the story and the colorful, whimsical style of Emma Dodson’s illustrations.
I Want To Be a Photographer
Jacopo Della Ragione may have grown up along the avenues of Florence, Italy, but Beijing has provided the backdrop for his photographs for the past six years. From working with digital equipment to traditional film cameras, to understanding the difference between taking personal and professional photographs, Jacopo explains to students from the Australian International School what being a photographer really means.
Chase Blout, 11, United States
How long have you been a photographer?
If you consider being a photographer as someone who gets paid, not long – more or less three years. But if you mean being interested in photography with the hope of one day selling pictures, that’s longer – 12 years.
Color Crazy
Recycle old crayons into something new and wacky
Time:
20 minutes
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Materials:
• Old, broken crayons
• Knife (optional)
• Small paper cupcake liner or paper cups
• Microwave
Bugging Out
Liven up your salad
With warm spring weather comes plenty of juicy, crunchy fruits and vegetables to add to the menu. Here in Beijing, many people turn to liangban (凉拌) dishes, which are cold dishes usually of raw vegetables accompanying tofu or noodles. A liangban dish is essentially a salad without a heavy dressing, adorned instead with flavors commonly found in a Chinese pantry: a little sesame oil, a little vinegar, and a dash of soy sauce, perhaps. This combination of flavorings can be used to dress any raw vegetable – even nutrient-rich sea kelp – and also makes a great sauce for a bowl of noodles. For a bit of extra heft, sesame paste can be a much healthier alternative to mayonnaise or cream sauces.
Spring into the Season
The spring season brings with it the blossoming of trees, the blooming of flowers and much welcomed warmer weather – perfect for walking in the countryside, riding a bicycle or playing in the park. But all that outdoor activity doesn’t need to come at the expense of style! Freshen up the wardrobe with warm colors, flowery prints and cool graphics.
Visions of Art
Most people can attest to having been in the presence of art at least once in their lifetimes. Even the youngest of kids will experiment with it during their very first year in a classroom – see this month’s Blank Canvas for proof! Yet, when it comes to defining what exactly art is, it can be quite difficult; just ask BWYA art instructor KC Connelly, who chimes in on this month’s Teacher Talk.
So what exactly is art? Is it the paintings you might find on the ceilings of the Vatican? Or perhaps it could be a primitive handprint on a cave wall. Could it be a comic book, a poem, a movie or a play? Doodles in a notebook? Or might it even be food?
The Language Hurdle
Learning to communicate with the world
In this day and age, knowing how to speak more than one language is becoming increasingly important and English is regarded as an essential tool for communicating with the international community. tbjkids sat down with four students from Limai School to talk about the rewards and challenges of learning English in a non-English environment.
Kevin Lu is from China and in Grade 11
Wiphawee Kooaroon is from Thailand and in Grade 10
Pae Yun Ha is from Korea and in Grade 10
Pamela Yang is from Hong Kong and in Grade 10
When did you first start learning a foreign language?
Pamela: I started learning English when I was very young. At 14, I started learning Spanish. I go to a summer school for Spanish every year. I think it’s useful to learn more than one foreign language.
Pae Yun Ha: I started learning English when I was 7 or 8 years old. When I was 13 years old I studied Japanese for two years. But now I’ve almost forgotten it all. I began studying Chinese the year before last. Now I like speaking Chinese.
Kevin: I started learning English in first grade. English classes were fun. It didn’t seem like a burden at all.
Wiphawee: I started learning Chinese when I was a kid, but back in Thailand I didn’t have many chances to practice it. When I first came to China, it felt like I was learning it from the beginning again.
Reverence to the Sun
Leave the city behind and escape into Ritan Park
At the center of the CBD lies Ritan Park, an oasis from the busy and congested streets. Though at first it might seem like just another park with quiet tree-lined paths, it also offers plenty of things to do for active kids with energy to burn. Whether you want to mini-golf, rock climb, fly a kite, or just run around, it’s easy to spend a few hours or even a full day here in the heart of Beijing.
Almost 500 years ago during the Ming dynasty, Ritan Park was originally built as a temple to the Sun God, hence the characters for its name: “sun” (日, rì) and “altar” (坛, tán). Since the 1950s, the park has been open to the public; its 20 hectares of grounds still house some remnants of the ancient architecture, like the large red gates and altars.
But the park’s main appeal lies in the natural scenery and other diversions. Lying on the southwest side of Ritan is the fishing pond and pavilion of the “Southwestern Landscapes” area, one of the park’s most scenic spots. While kids clamber up, down and around the rocks that line the pond, parents can follow via steps and footpaths.
Viva La Leche
Conquering the challenges of breastfeeding
If such an elixir exists in which its first quaff can alter the course of human life, surely it is breast milk: One swallow jumpstarts antibodies that protect newborns from germs, food allergies and jaundice.
During the first six months of life, the exclusive consumption of breast milk meets every nutritional need an infant has. Its antibacterial properties stave off respiratory infections and diarrhea. Its tranquilizing components may mollify tantrums as babies grow into toddlers. It may quicken speech development and lead to superior hand-to-eye coordination.
As children stop nursing, the benefits linger: Children who were breastfed tend to have fewer cavities and need for orthodontia; in adults, they show a pattern of having higher IQs, lower obesity rates and lower chances of diabetes and certain cancers. Study after study has shown that breastfeeding has tremendous benefits, and the World Health Organization recommends that every baby should breastfeed for at least six months and continue for up to and even past 24 months.
You Rate It-Shin Kong Place
Half-Norwegian and half-Belgian 21-month-old Simon is the happy of son of Jan Wostyn and Mariam Kjellsen.
Simon’s favorite Saturday afternoon outing is the fifth floor of Shin Kong Place, across from the Dawang Lu subway station. Tucked away in the corner of the toys section are two playgrounds with slides, tubes and a ball pool that can keep him busy. One of the slides goes so fast that he gets an adrenaline kick every time. When he’s had enough of rolling around in the ball pool and crawling up and down the tubes, the many toys on display keep him from getting bored. The toy train on display is another inexhaustible source of entertainment, and Simon doesn’t seem to mind that it just goes round and round and does exactly the same thing every time!
Shin Kong Place
Daily 10am-10pm
87 Jianguo Lu (next to China Central Place)
Chaoyang District (6530 5888)
朝阳区建国路87号 (华贸中心旁边)
Would you or your kids like to rate it? E-mail editor@tbjkids.com
You Rate It-Lemongrass Thai and Indian Restaurant
Kaz Michalak (British) and Wang Jingyan (Chinese) on one of 1-year-old Alina’s favorite restaurants.
We like to eat at Lemongrass, which is located next to the western wing of China World Mall. The restaurant makes good Indian food, and also very good Thai food! Alina likes going here because the staff are very friendly. Every time we take her, they are very helpful, and things like that make a big difference for families like us with a young child.
Lemongrass Thai and Indian Restaurant
Daily 10am-11pm
1/F, Jinzhiqiao Dasha, 1A Jianguomenwai Dajie
Chaoyang District (6500 3855)
朝阳区建国门外大街甲1号金之桥大厦1层
Would you or your kids like to rate it? E-mail editor@tbjkids.com
Pledging Allegiance
The truth about frats and sororities
Everyone has seen or heard of the movie Animal House; if not, they’ve at least seen one movie about crazy college kids partying out of control and failing classes as a result. And when most hear the word “fraternity,” they probably think of wild parties, trashed houses and hazing – that is, forcing a new recruit to do embarrassing and sometimes painful things.
But here at Wake Forest, I’ve found that these negative stereotypes could not be further from the truth. The majority of universities in the US have some form of Greek life – whether it be a fraternity, sorority or service group. The names of these groups are made up of two or three Greek letters (e.g. Phi, Alpha, Beta) and are often national groups with chapters represented at a university. They are brotherhoods, sisterhoods and societies that have initiation processes, requirements and traditions.
The Kindness of Strangers
I was desperate when I sent the e-mail out that evening: “Help!” I wrote to the Beijing-wide online support group to which I belong. “My 20-month-old hid her last two pacifiers, and none of us can find them. Unfortunately, she won’t go to sleep without them. Has anyone seen them for sale out there in the wide world?”
In the two days since my daughter had tucked her pacifiers away, no one in the house had gotten any sleep at all. Every hour or so throughout the night, Kyra would wake up and grope around in her crib for the missing “pa.” She’d then begin wailing inconsolably – a heart-rending, glass-cracking sob that drove my husband from the room, leaving me behind to explain, yet again, that Mommy simply didn’t have a pacifier to give her.
I had looked. I searched in drawers, in trash cans, inside of shoes, in Lego bins and toy chests. I’d even searched the dishwasher and the bushes outside the front door. But pa, it seemed, was gone for good.
Words of Art
Grasping the essence of Chinese calligraphy
In the epic Zhang Yimou movie Hero, the great warrior Broken Sword proclaims that his swordsmanship is rooted in calligraphy. He practices writing in the sand to enhance the penetrating power of his strokes.
Calligraphy is said to reveal the identity and feelings of the writer – each individual has a particular choice of style and medium, way of handling the brush and distinctive handwriting. In the past, the Chinese used calligraphy to evaluate a person and their talents; good calligraphy in examinations could place a person in a favorable government position. “When you write, you express your feelings through the brush,” says native Beijinger Paul Wang. “It reflects people’s characteristics and different things in their consciousness.”
Wang has been a practitioner of the art since childhood after his parents enrolled him in a calligraphy and painting school, and now he teaches calligraphy at the Chinese Cultural Club. “I kept on practicing, and I came to love it; it’s part of my life,” he says. “Chinese calligraphy is a direct window to understanding Chinese culture and relaxation.” Wang’s class focuses on the meaning and evolution of specific characters, the history of significant calligraphy periods and Chinese traditional culture. During each of his eight lessons, he teaches a different style of script, allowing students to create individual calligraphy work.
Destination: Thailand
The Travelers: Americans Terry and Amy Lee, and their girls Hannah (7) and Lydia (5).
Destination: Bangkok and Hua Hin, Thailand
The Plan: Amy had to be in Bangkok for a conference, so the rest of the family took advantage of a week-long stay in Bangkok, with a two-night side trip to Hua Hin for some R&R at the beach.
The Preparation: The family booked their tickets with Thai Airlines and the hotel was already organized through Amy’s work. The family received advice from a colleague living in Bangkok on where to go and what to see outside the city – either Changmai and mountains in the north or beaches in the south. Beaches were a strong drawcard for the girls, so the family chose Hua Hin, a small resort town about two-and-half hours’ drive south of Bangkok.
All's Fair in Love and War
Ayi’s popularity calls for drastic action
As I tuck Elsa up in bed at night, I’ve started to play a little game. “What’s the BEST thing that happened today?” I’ll ask encouragingly. Sadly, all too often she comes up with the same answer: “Played with Ayi.”
Make no mistake: I’m delighted that Elsa and Ayi have such a close bond. It’s sweet that some days Elsa wanders into the kitchen just to say, “I love Ayi, Mummy.” But her unwavering devotion has also brought out in me the slightest hint of insecurity.
This feeling is reinforced by the fact that I can no longer understand what the two of them are saying. Elsa and Ayi jabber away, nonchalantly dropping “ne’s” and “ba’s” and sharing private jokes (which sometimes feel at my expense).
Homeward Bound
But which way is “home”? With each visit back to the States, it is becoming more and more difficult for my kids to accept the fact that they live in China and won’t be moving back anytime soon. During our first two years here, it wasn’t an issue – we had nice, extended visits back to the US and were able to return, drama-free. It never really occurred to me that this would suddenly shift. But coming back last summer proved tough on them, and our most recent trip last December only served to reinforce their feelings. It is, I suppose, our new paradigm.
Last August, it was immediately after my nephew’s bar mitzvah that we left, and with all the families still gathered together, my kids really wanted to stay. For the first time, Jacob cried the night before our departure. His slightly older cousins Sarah and Emma tried to comfort him with reassuring words and encouragement about his present life. It was very sweet.
“It’s so cool you live in China.”
