Qingdao Family April 2017

APR

4月

2017

No Bake Energy Balls!

Do you even binge-watch?

Easter in a Different Country

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QINGDAO FAMILY Where’s your favourite place in Qingdao?

Laoshan! Or Trattoria Verde, the owner is Japanese!

Tips on Japanese restaurants in Qingdao?

Most places do way too many sushi rolls! That’s a very westernised type of Japanese food. There are some good places around Taigu and Costco, though.

Least favourite thing about China?

Probably air pollution. And the toilets…they have a long way to go!

Best thing about being in China?

Dumplings! (They all laugh). Also, in China, everyone is very relaxed, especially towards children. In Japan, everything has to be very quiet. In Tokyo kids under 16 aren’t allowed inside restaurants, which makes it impossible for parents to go out, since babysitters are so expensive.

What language do you speak at home?

Japanese, but English too. And some Korean!

Favourite holiday destination?

Maui in Hawaii! We try to go somewhere every time there’s a holiday, because there’s a lot of them in China. We also loved Thailand, and Cambodia. “I like Cambodia because it was so hot!” Ken says.

What’s the biggest difference between here and Japan?

Roads are wider here, houses are bigger. It’s not as organised or as clean, but it’s also safe to walk around late at night, which isn’t always the case in Japan. You hear about a lot of kidnappings, and there’s a lot of problems with mental illness.

MEET THE FUKUMOTO FAMILY Originally from Osaka, Japan, Naomi and Daisuke came to Qingdao with their two children, Miku, 8, and Ken, 6, four years ago. Before that it was Shanghai, when Ken was only 6 months old. “Qingdao makes me feel much more relaxed,” Daisuke says. “In Shanghai, it’s stressful; you’re in a huge city, mixed with people from all over the world, feeling like you have to fight to be heard. There was a huge commute. Here, I can walk to work.” Miku and Ken are both school at ISQ, and when asked what they love about Qingdao? “It’s so quiet!”

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REDSTAR’s Family and Education Fair RR RR RR RR

International Schools!

Extra curricular activities!

Creative performances!

Food stalls!

Stalls and performance slots are available on a first-come firstserved basis!

If you’d like to perform, have a stall, or run a demonstration class, get in touch with zoe@redstarworks.com or vika@redstarworks.com now!

Qingdao is brimming with cool things to do and see, but sometimes information online isn’t complete enough, and there are always new things to discover. REDSTAR’s annual family and education fair brings together the family community of Qingdao to showcase a myriad of kids’ and family activities available all around the city.

Think archery, golf and swimming classes; a strong presence from Qingdao’s international and local schools; language schools; football academies; traditional Chinese music classes; ballet groups; art classes and more. The Family Fair is bringing the pieces that make up Qingdao’s rich family environment together, all in one place.

Accompanied by delicious food stalls, fantastic musical and dance performances, and vouchers to your favourite Qingdao restaurants and hotels to be won throughout the day, the family fair is sure to have something for everyone.

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SLOW DOWN! Ashley Stern on the importance of peace and practising yoga in China.

After yoga has been practiced for hundreds of years in the East, the West is finally coming to acknowledge the many health benefits of yoga. Many medical specialties now prescribe yoga for physical therapy, rehabilitation, respiratory illnesses and psychological health. Children who practice yoga demonstrate less distractibility in the classroom.

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Two things make yoga such a profitable exercise for mind and body. The physical benefits are so varied precisely because yoga meticulously covers each muscle group, strengthening but also stretching so that muscles are schooled in both flexibility and power, both extremely important constituent parts of a healthy body.

The second benefit of yoga is the way in which a good yoga session assists one in becoming mindful — that is, really taking in and being

QINGDAO FAMILY

grateful for your surroundings.

Mindfulness is one of those buzzwords that’s everywhere these days, but it’s for a reason! In this fast-paced world, there’s a huge amount of stimuli that can overload you with stress. Mindfulness is a chance to stop and consider what really is going on inside our heads and inside our bodies. I think of it as is one of those things our predecessors probably had a good heaping of, when quiet and solitude were much more commonplace.

Now peacefulness is something we must strive for, and practice.

I would encourage anyone interested in kids and parents yoga to ask at their local club for opportunities, or contact Kun Yi yoga ( 坤一瑜伽 : 1867897-7820) for more details on their planned classes. This is my yoga place; I know for sure they do great classes!

After studying yoga for a few years in America and Singapore, when a new yoga studio opened up in my courtyard I was super excited to check it out, and was very impressed by the detailed instruction and coaching. I’ve learned so much more precision in China, but even more so have appreciated the willingness of my yoga club to innovate and teach a wide variety of styles of yoga.

I’ve gotten to try Flying Yoga, Pair Yoga, Ashtanga, Foundation, and Hot Yoga, but they have also been willing to open up new classes as the community has expressed interest. They are prepared to open a yoga class for moms and kids to practice together. And one awesome secondary benefit is that when you are in a Yoga class you are in the perfect Chinese immersion classroom; everything that’s said is also demonstrated.

So at least my yoga Chinese is quite impressive now, and I can have a pretty deep conversation about tightening my core and straightening up my downward dog!

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QINGDAO FAMILY

DO YOU EVEN BINGE WATCH?

BEST TV SHOWS TO VEG OUT TO Gone are the days of rushing home to catch the 4pm episode of Friends; in the modern era of Netflix, Sky Movies and Amazon Prime, we have access to a huge range of awesome on-demand entertainment. REDSTAR picks out some of the best shows to binge-watch.

FAMILY FRIENDLY: Mythbusters Seasons: 15 and counting Total Episodes: 278 Mythbusters has to be the easiestto-watch science TV show out there. Tech-loving Jamie and Adam scientifically decipher whether seemingly impossible events from films and TV — like bullets colliding in mid-air, freefall acrobatics, and exploding cars — can actually happen in real life.

The Middle Seasons: 8 and counting Total Episodes: 185 If you are in need of some light entertainment, turn on your TV and watch The Middle. It’s an American sitcom about the daily mishaps of a married woman, her semidysfunctional family and their attempts to survive life in general in the town of Orson, Indiana.

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Friends Seasons: 10 Total Episodes: 236 Friends is the most popular American sitcom of all time. It follows the personal and professional lives of six 20 to 30-somethingyear-old friends living in Manhattan, starring the famous actress Jennifer Aniston among others.

Doctor Who (2005 onwards) Seasons: 10 and counting Total (new) Episodes: 130 The classic sci-fi show Doctor Who depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called "The Doctor", an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey. He explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship. The series is in the Guinness Book of Records for being on air the longest (it originally started to air 1963); if you count the old series that ran up to the 1970s, there are over 800 episodes.

Planet Earth I & II Seasons: 2 Total Episodes: 18 Planet Earth is a breathtaking BBC nature documentary series, narrated

by Sir David Attenborough and with theme music composed by Hans Zimmer, that has captured some of the rarest and most intimate shots of animal species ever. You’ll be spellbound.

Prison Break Seasons: 4 and counting Total Episodes: 81 The serial drama Prison Break revolves around two brothers.

One brother has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an elaborate plan to help his brother escape prison and clear his name.

(Not suitable for under 10s)

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HEALTHY SNACKS TO MAKE AT HOME: ENERGY BALLS

Meike Sell introduces some quick and easy healthy snacks you can make at home. Most of the recipes are vegan and if they are not, get in touch with WeChat: saimeike for advice on how to tweak them!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole raw almonds • 2/3 cup pitted dates • 1/2 dried cherries • 3-4 tablespoons dark

chocolate chips • 1/4 cup raw pecans • 1 or 2 pinches salt to taste

Wheneve r I need a quick fix o sweet and f somethin chocolate g y, bu mood to b ake, I go fo t am in no Chocolate r some Da rk Cherr are so easy y Energy Bites. The y to make, n o baking needed, a nd no sug ar added!

4. A dd in the chocolate chips and pecans and process until they are chopped.

5. A dd salt to taste and pulse the mixture.

No Bake Energy Balls

6. Pulse in the 1/3 cup almonds 7. I f the dough is too dry to roll into a ball, add water, a teaspoon at a time, until it comes together.

8. R oll them into bite sized balls or shape them however you wish.

1. I n a food processor, process the almonds until finely chopped, but not until pulverised into a flour as you want some texture 2. R emove 1/3 cup of the processed almonds and set aside 3. A dd the pitted dates and dried cherries and process until finely chopped and sticky. A dough ball will start to form.

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at home away from home Basia Wardak talks about traditions when you’re an expat.

T

raditional celebrations are the most difficult moments of the year for most expats. Christmas and Easter make me realise that we are in a very distant culture from the one we were raised in.

My family and I moved to Qingdao three years ago, arriving a week before Easter, and it was the saddest Easter celebration in my life. I missed my family and I didn't know where to find products to prepare my traditional Polish Easter meals. I wanted to do everything I did in my home country, and it was obviously impossible. I felt like a homesick alien in a new, big city. But that was three years ago, and since then a lot has changed.

I made new friends who make me feel welcome and at home in China. I know where to buy herrings, beetroots and celery, without which a Polish easter lunch just cannot be!

The way I celebrate Easter in Qingdao is very different from in Poland, but different doesn't mean worse. It’s a mixture of tradition (painting eggs, preparing traditional meals, water splashing) and of my own, unique way of spending time with family and friends.

I asked my friends from all around the world how they spend Easter in Qingdao. Is it the same as in their own countries?

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Hiliana, Mexico For us Easter is not only a holiday but one of the most important Christian celebrations marked by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The central message is the same across different Christian cultural traditions, and although we have been out of our countries for many years, we as a family take our time to remember we have been saved by God's grace.

This didn't change, here in Qingdao.

On that Sunday we go to the Easter service at our Christian fellowship,

followed by an Easter lunch and egg-hunt our kids can't miss.

Nicoleta, Romania Here in Qingdao we celebrate Easter the same as at home. It's important for us to remember that this celebration means Jesus died for us, and because of this we are free of sin; it’s not about the Easter bunny or anything else. We cook lamb and some other traditional food, paint eggs, go to church and eat together with family or friends.

QINGDAO FAMILY a lamb roast at home and had an Easter egg hunt with the family.

Aurelie, France We arrived in Qingdao in 2015, and celebrated Easter for the first time in China last year, at my Polish friend's place. She has a big garden so we could hide many chocolate eggs for kids for a big egg-hunt!

I remember it was a sunny day and children were very excited and happy. My friend also invited friends from other countries and everybody cooked a traditional dish, so we tasted many different kinds of cooking and we really enjoyed it. We are far away from our family, here in China, and sometimes we miss them, but this time it was just a perfect day. A sunny, joyful and warm easter Sunday!

Griet, Belgium Normally we have a nice lunch together, decorate the eggs with paint and of course we hide some chocolates for kids to find.

In Belgium we normally have all kinds of nice chocolate eggs:

Caroline, France

white, light brown and dark.

Inside the eggs can be some small sugar candy. We hide them in the garden if the weather is good.

Jana, Slovakia Here in China we celebrate Easter in an easier way than in my home country. I'm baking an Easter cake with raisins in a Lam shape, and another cake called Babovka. I take my boys to the church and we celebrate there with everyone, and take part in egg hunting organised by the church. Sometimes we go to the Easter lunch too.

Renae, Australia Last year we went to church, ate

The most difficult part here in Qingdao is finding real easter eggs.

Last year, I bought different kinds of chocolate. Mostly kinder eggs...

In my family, we ring a small bell which announces to my son, as soon as he wakes up, that eggs have just come. He puts a basket under his arm and runs across the garden to collect Easter chocolates.

Catherine, South Africa At home we would do an Easter egg hunt, eat lots of delicious chocolate eggs, and have a big family gathering, but here, in Qingdao, that’s not possible. To keep some of our traditions going, while we are living in China, we don't eat red meat on Good Friday, just like we did at home. Instead we eat fish and hot cross buns.

On Easter Sunday we go to church and listen to the Easter story.

Catherine, USA We decorate Easter eggs. Sometimes we dye them. Sometimes we colour the eggs with crayons and stickers.

On Easter morning, we also have a tradition called ‘egg-knocking’: each person gets one egg and we pair up. Then each pair knocks the tips of their eggs together. If the shell of your egg cracks you have to forfeit it, a process that continues until only one egg is left. We also do Easter baskets with some small toys and treats. One year I did a scavenger hunt around the house and the kids had to find the basket.

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QINGDAO FAMILY

Does your baby have Colic?

Tian Yue Pediatrician/ Neonatologist Qingdao United Family Hospital

 4008-919191 United Family Hospital’s Dr. Tian Yue explains what to do if you think your baby is crying excessively.

After a 40-week wait, the new member of the family is finally here — but to the shock of new mums and dads, babies can be hard to communicate with! Looking after a baby is an enormous task, especially if your little one seems to cry without any stimulus, when parents can feel helpless. Why is he/ she crying so much? What’s wrong with him/her? Will it get worse?

Should I go to see a doctor?

Colic Colic is the term doctors use when babies cry much more than usual for no obvious reason during their first 3 months. It is normal for babies to cry for up to 2 hours per day. Babies with colic usually cry for more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week. Bouts of colic usually start suddenly and happen in the evening.

Colic usually goes away on its own when a baby is 3 or 4 months old, but sometimes it lasts a few months longer.

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What else besides colic can make a baby cry more than usual?

Babies can cry more than usual when they are hurt, sick, hungry, too hot or cold, or too tired. Babies can also cry more than usual if they are allergic to their formula or to foods in their mother's breast milk. (The food that a woman eats is passed to her baby through her breast milk.)

How is colic different from normal crying?

Colic is different because: • The crying in colic is louder and more high-pitched: babies often sound as if they are screaming or in pain.

• Parents are often not able to comfort or soothe their baby during a bout of colic.

• A baby can have a hard belly, stiff arms, or arched back during a bout of colic.

Is there a test for colic?

No. There is no test. But your doctor or nurse should be able to tell if your baby has it by talking with you and doing an exam on your baby.

What can I do to stop my baby's crying?

Doctors and nurses recommend trying different things to help stop your baby's crying. For example, you can: • Use a bottle that keeps your baby from swallowing too much air • Have your baby sit up during feedings • Carry your baby more in your arms, a sling, or a front carrier • Give your baby a warm bath • Put your baby in a baby swing • Swaddle your baby • Put your baby near a clothes dryer or other source of background noise • Massage your baby's belly • Change your baby's formula or avoid eating certain foods if you breastfeed – Before trying these, be sure to talk with your doctor or nurse.

When should I call my doctor or nurse?

Call your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if: • Your baby is younger than 3 months old and has symptoms of colic • Your baby cries for longer than 2 hours without stopping • You are afraid that you have hurt your baby which has caused the crying • Your baby refuses to eat or drink, is vomiting, or has bloody bowel movements • Your baby is not responding to you or acting abnormally After coming to the hospital, please tell the doctor the details, regularity and symptoms of the crying. A professional doctor and nurse will give you the most appropriate advice according to the situation.

Raising a baby is not easy!

You are doing fantastically.

Keep trying hard!

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