Lisa Liang

As a California native, what to do in the event of an earthquake has been engrained into my head since I could remember. But now that I’ve lived out of California for a few years, those safety precautions have been pushed to the back of my mind. The recent earthquake here in Beijing was a good reminder that it doesn’t matter where you are because earthquakes can happen anywhere at anytime. Therefore, brushing up on general rules for safety can never be a bad idea.

Former United Nations Disaster Mitigation expert Doug Copp and current Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of theAmerican Rescue Team International (ARTI) gives these tips for earthquake safety:

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Have you and your family witnessed the incredible while traveling within China? Want to share your vacation experience with others in Beijing? If so, let us know! tbjkids is looking for families who have traveled to amazing places in China to be featured in an upcoming issue.

See pictures of your awesome family vacation in the next tbjkids! Revisit your extraordinary memories on the pages of a magazine! Help out your fellow city-mates and neighbors by passing on useful travel tips to those who want to follow your lead.

If you have been to an amazing city in China and want to suggest it to other readers, e-mail editor@tbjkids.com by May 1 for a chance to be featured.

As summer approaches, many families may be traveling or relocating to other cities or countries. And hard as it may be to leave Beijing behind, even harder still it is to leave beloved pets. Not only can the process for obtaining exit and entry clearance for animals seem complicated and intimidating, but traveling with pets can be difficult for pet owners and equally difficult – if not traumatic – for the animals.

That is why the good people at the International Center for Veterinary Services are offering free information sessions for those with questions about:

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It would seem a rational assumption that while a woman is pregnant she is eating for two. But according to Christine McKinney, registered dietitian and diabetes educator at Johns Hopkins, this is only half-true. In fact, eating too much could be bad for the baby.

According to McKinney, a reasonable increase in is a total of about 300 calories, and only then after the first trimester. Overeating – especially foods that are high in fat and sugar – can affect the areas in the fetus' brain that regulates appetite and food preferences later in life, which may lead to a predisposition to being overweight.

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It's getting to that time of the year to dig the decorations out of the closet and dress up the holly! But before you start decking out your tree, you probably need to buy one first. And where can you buy a Christmas tree in Beijing?

Fake Trees:

Alien Street Market
Laofanjie Shichang, Yabao Lu (south of Fulllink Plaza), Chaoyang District.
老番街市场, 朝阳区雅宝路

Beijing Wantong Market
Trees here range from RMB 40-280.
2 Fuchengmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District. (6804 6283)
北京万通批发市场地址：阜成门外大街2号

Hongqiao Market
Prices range from approximately RMB 40-100. Daily 8.30am-7pm. 36 Hongqiao Lu, Chongwen District. (6713 3354)
红桥市场, 崇文区红桥路36号

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With less than a year to go, anticipation for the Olympics seems to be growing by the day – on billboards and television commercials, passing street vendors selling memorabilia or simply passing through a tunnel while riding on the subway.

It seems that some parents couldn't hold their excitement in, as almost 3,500 children have been named "Aoyun" (Chinese for "Olympics") since as early as 2000, when China first made the bid for the upcoming Games. According to a Beijing Daily report cited by the Associated Press, only six of these kids live in Beijing and a majority of them male.

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