Qingdao Family March 2017 by REDSTAR Works

MAR

3月

2017

Qingdao’s Chocolate Factory Infant Vaccinations Time Management for Busy Parents 红星时代广告DM 青岛红星时代文化传播有限公司 8388-2269 青岛市南京路100号3-403 登记证号：青工商广固印登字2012-0014号

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Do you feel like time has taken on a new dimension since you became a parent? You are not alone! Cat Kung provides top tips for managing your time and help you with the juggling act that is parenting.

Where did my day go?!

Time Management Tips for Busy Parents Employ Technology There is a lot to keep track of when you have kids. Technology can help! A few years ago my husband and I started using Google Calendar, to get all our appointments, events and trips on the same page. Now there are tons of apps to help you with time management (like Cozi and HatchedIt), taskmanaging (TeuxDeux, Evernote, Wonderlist), meal planning (Big Oven), and making shopping lists. Plan Out Your Day “It’s not about having time – it’s about making time.” When I was in college I was good at managing my time. I had goals and priorities, was focused and productive. Now, as a parent, I feel like I am floundering and often waste a lot of time.

One thing I did in college was write down hour-by-hour what I did each day. This might seem excessive, but it helped me assess exactly what I was doing with my time. I recently started doing it again, and realised I had pockets of time that I wasn’t using effectively. I noticed between 8-8:30 a.m. I never did much. Now I use those thirty minutes to exercise and it gets my day off to a great start! Make Use of Small Time Chunks The more I looked at my hour-byhour calendar the more I noticed little bits of time that were not enough time for anything substantial but that could be used for small 10-15 minute tasks. The trick is to have a list of tasks ready for these small chunks of “in-between”

waiting times! Make a phone call. Do some self-care. Write a card. Make a list. Work on budgeting. Clean a toilet. Go through a drawer. Set Timers We use egg timers at my home to keep us on track. My clever friend, Christa Carr, shared an even better idea with me. “I set timers on my phone with different sounds. My kids know what each sound means and they do different tasks when they hear different alarms. In the morning before school, piano rift = get dressed; motorcycle = brush teeth; bouncy = put shoes, coats, backpacks on.” Pause Before Saying “Yes” One of the most important things I have learned about time

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management is: “When you say ‘yes’ to one thing, you are saying ‘no’ to something else.” Beyond the basic things you must do, reserve your energy for things that make you feel happy and excited. No excuses necessary. Simply respond to invitations with “Thank you for asking/inviting us, but we can’t make it.” The Night Before My organised friend, Jaimi Lin, says that preparing the night before can save a lot of time. She suggests you lay out clothes, pack your bag, prepare lunch/dinner, look at your calendar, etc. before you go to sleep at night. You know what? It works!! Assess Your Expectations I am a list maker! The past year I noticed I would write down a long list of things to do and then I was

disappointed that I did not get everything done. I have tried to shift my mentality and let a lot of things go. Make lists, but be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day with kids and living abroad. Schedule Serendipity Space Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest, authors of Minimalist Parenting, recommend putting “Serendipitous Space” into your schedule. Kids need periods of quiet time when there is nothing to do and nowhere to go, for exploring, playing make believe, enjoying nature, cuddling and being creative. Savour these

moments! Technology can help us get organised, but it also can be distracting. Every once in a while, turn off all your devices and be fully present with your children. Find Balance Don’t forget that you need time to recharge. If you are exhausted, then it’s hard to laugh, it’s hard to be patient, it’s hard to make healthy choices, and it’s hard to think. An important result that comes from organising my time is that I am able to simplify, de-stress, and balance everything better.

Do you want to learn more? On Friday March 17 from 9 – 11am there will be a parenting workshop and roundtable discussion focused on time management. Contact Cat Kung (happycat1026@gmail.com) if you would like to attend.

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Inside Qingdao’s Chocolate Factory

Ellie Bouttell takes a look at the workings of Qingdao’s own chocolate factory, and the history of chocolate in Spain.

Chocolate: A Spanish Tradition Julian Zulueta is the manager of Chocolates Luz, a company which makes chocolate the traditional Spanish way. Although not known to many for its chocolate production, Spain actually has the longest history with chocolate making of any country in Europe. Cocoa beans came to Europe via former Spanish colonies in Central America, and the art of making chocolate ‘paste’—the material from which the chocolate we are familiar with is produced—

has long been a Spanish tradition. In the early 16th century, Christopher Colombus noted that natives of the Americas revered cocoa beans ‘like currency’; a few years later, according to legend, King Montezuma II included drinking chocolate in a banquet held in honour of the man who would soon after conquer his empire, Hernando Cortés. The drink at that time was bitter, used as an aphrodisiac or medicine. Once the colonial Spanish had exported it home, and added sweeteners like honey or cane sugar, it became a popular drink first in Spain, then throughout Europe. “When my grandmother was a child, people used to eat chocolate every day,” Julian recounts. “Most of it was

made for melting. Even small towns would have a chocolate workshop or factory, creating these huge twokilo bars of chocolate, tougher than the kind we know today.” In 1828, Dutchman Conrad van Houten patented a method for separating the fat, known as cocoa butter, from roasted cocoa beans. The resulting powder was meant for drinking, but over the next few decades, experimental chocolate makers found that cocoa paste could be treated and mixed with sugar and more cocoa butter, to create a smoother chocolate for eating. “The leftover cocoa powder is used for ‘compound chocolate’; things like chocolate flavour ice cream, biscuits,

QINGDAO FAMILY and so on. They use palm oil to replace the cocoa butter, making it cheaper and easier to produce, but the flavour is not as nice. Real chocolate should only have cocoa butter. Our company only makes 100% real chocolate.” Julian explains.

Qingdao’s Factory The factory of Chocolates Luz looks unassuming on the outside, but once inside, the sparkling cleanliness of everything is astounding. We don indoor-shoes and hairnets, and are led into the production rooms. It’s amazing how high-tech it is. “There are a lot of tricks to making chocolate,” Julian assures us, gesturing to the machines. “There are two parts to making the final product: making the paste and then making the bar. Most chocolatiers don’t actually make chocolate paste; they buy it off the chocolate makers, melt it and alter it to make their final product. We are a small factory, but we make both parts ourselves, something few companies do.” We’re led through into a room holding a very noisy machine; inside is 100% pure chocolate paste. A small tasting stick confirms that

it’s practically unrecognisable from the chocolate we know, a deep, sharp and bitter taste that sticks in your mouth. “This process is making the chocolate very fine.” Testing machines are positioned around the workplace, for testing water content (“water is the enemy of chocolate” Julian says gravely), amongst other parameters. Maltitol is the sweetener used that allows this chocolate to be sugarfree. The machine that grinds down the sweetener is covered in white powder, finer than dust, that floats in the air and settles on surfaces. Maltitol, Julian tells me, is natural, has a lower calorie content, does not rot teeth, and is suitable for people with diabetes, although its price is much higher than white sugar. China has a high and rising rate of diabetes, and chocolate has yet to explode in popularity here, creating a market gap. A piping system channels the chocolate from machine to machine; from the conching machines, to the refining machine, to the tempering machine (which allows the correct crystals to form within the chocolate's structure), to the storage tanks. Everywhere, the

liquids have to be kept at very specific temperatures, the reason for the heavy pipe insulation. Sometimes there are leaks, not of water, but chocolate which spurts all over the factory floor. It sounds like a leak from a fariytale. Standing on a stepladder, I look down into a pool of molten darkness that shines where the light hits it, and from which wafts a beautiful, sweet, intoxicating smell. “Makes you want to swim in it, doesn’t it?” Julian grins. “We have about six hundred kilos here.” I’m surprised; the tank only looks about a fifth full. “Well, yes. The full capacity is about 3 tonnes.” A small factory, indeed. We sample tasters, made a few days ago with pieces of waffle; the chocolate’s freshness is tangible in its creamy, smooth texture. It tastes exactly the same as sugar-sweetened chocolate. It’s plain to see that there are secrets, technologies and a lot of history to the trade. Nobody else in China makes a product quite like this. Qingdao definitely has something special.

Chocolates Luz make milk, milk and hazelnut, 70% dark, 70% dark with orange and 88% dark varieties plus a special hand moulded milk with wafer pieces, and of course drinking chocolate, all of which are available via their WeChat shop, Chocolates Luz 露兹巧克力 . Their range is also sold at Jusco (Xianggang Middle Road, Hefei Road and Huangdao branches), Jiashiyaun and Hualian supermarkets. Contact their WeChat account chocoluz for more information. www.chocoluz.com

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What would you do if you had one more week of winter holiday?

Michael

Kenny

Ben

Muji

Champa Flower International Kindergarten If I had one more week of winter holiday, I would like to travel more, to go to Thailand, ride an elephant, and look at paintings of elephants; go to the Universal Studios in Singapore to play, and Disneyland Shanghai.

Qingdao Chaoyin International School I would sleep, play video games, watch movies and eat more delicious food.

Qingdao Galaxy School If there was one more week of winter break, I would like to go to the neighborhood park with my friends. We want to jump and dance on the thick ice! I also want to draw pictures of the four seasons.

Guokai International School of Qingdao If I have one more week of holiday to enjoy, I would totally stay at home and never go out. This is because its getting colder these days and I don't want to catch a cold.

Angela

Jessica International School of Qingdao I would fly to the US and buy books!

International School of Qingdao I would like to visit places in China with my family members, since during school days, I don't get to spend much time with family. I think having quality time with my family during Chunjie break is really valuable.

Luisa

Elieen

Yew Chung International School of Qingdao I would take a trip to Korea with my friends.

Qingdao WISBABY International Preschool I would like to draw more pictures.

Collin

Leeann

Yew Chung International School of Qingdao I would visit friends, spend time practicing the drums, and rest at home.

Qingdao No.1 International School of Shandong Province I would like to actually rest at home because I was tired out from travelling.

Cheyanne

Jacob

Yew Wah International School of Rizhao I would spend quality time with my family in New Zealand.

Qingdao Amerasia International School If I had one more week of winter holiday, I would catch up on my reading, plan the next semester, and bike around Qingdao.

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Super Family Calendar:

Meet up for All Things Family! Ever got to the end of a long week and realised you have no idea what to do with the kids over the weekend? Weekly schedules for any family can get hectic, with work, school, homework, playdates, sports and more all taking up time. Throw in enough sleep and a smattering of a social life, and it quickly becomes a question of survival! Coming to the end of every week, it’s totally normal to wonder with exasperation what you can do to entertain the kids over the weekend. Sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to arrange a super fun day out; but the last thing you want is for them to be bored. What you need is someone with a bunch of ideas. And fortunately, Super Family Calendar does just that. SFC is the perfect family helper. They work hard to find the very best of Qingdao, providing ideas, tips and especially events for all Qingdao’s families. They talk about education, food, travel, health, and Chinese culture amongst a host of other things, and offer great, social, educational and entertainment opportunities. Head down to one of their events to meet the community with your kids—it’s almost a guarantee that you’ll find something new there. Super Family Calendar organise loads of events throughout the year, with Englishspeaking services too. Scan the QR code to follow their official WeChat account; click view history to see their previous events.

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Cuisine from China to California Lisa Delanty, a professional health educator from California, gives pointers for embracing the differences between Western and Chinese cuisine.

his past July, I took an exciting career move to Qingdao which steered me 6,346 miles from home. Upon telling my friends and family about my new location, I had to laugh as I received the same initial reaction from almost everyone: “What are you going to eat there? Do you even like Chinese food?” Now,

six months later, I can share what I’ve learned about eating in China.

1. Keeping It Local

Instead of browsing an enormous American grocery store, I can shop locally for fresh ingredients. Here in Qingdao, I love that I can walk to buy my weekly produce; it’s great

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exercise and I only buy what I can carry. The stores by my apartment are small and family-owned, and I always seem to find what I am looking for (not to mention, way cheaper than what it would be back home)! I make more of my own meals from scratch, which takes time, but is much more gratifying.

2. We are Family!

When going to a new restaurant in the US, I always want to try a little bit of everything, but end up tasting only two or three items. This is due to the fact that most entrees are meant to be ordered and eaten individually. Something that I love about China is the aspect of eating communally where everyone shares the dishes. The circular table allows for free-flowing conversation while the carefully-chosen entrees are positioned on the glass turntable, or as Westerners call it, the Lazy Susan. I really enjoy this style of eating. I can pick and choose what I like as well as the portion size! I will say that it’s important not to over-order and waste food, though. My favourite thing to do with leftovers is to take them home and add them to an egg scramble for breakfast the next morning!

3. Master the Chopsticks!

I daresay that I have mastered the use of chopsticks, and even prefer to eat without western cutlery now. Chopsticks are so fun to use, and you can buy them in many colours and artistic designs! They’re helpful for eating bite-size quantities instead of shovelling mountains of food into your mouth with a fork. In China, most meals are diced into small portions during preparation, while American foods such as steaks, chicken breasts, and fish fillets are served whole. I have observed that it is common in China to eat all parts of the animal including the head, liver, feet, intestines, and even eyeballs! This is one part of Chinese culture that I am still getting used to!

4. Where’s the Salt and Pepper?

At any restaurant in America, you will see extra condiments on every table such as salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, and various types of hot sauce. This is kind of a problem, because these are all additives that can cause high levels of sodium in the body. In China, I have noticed

that although certain sauces and dips are offered, they are either specific to the traditional dish or only given upon request. Personally, as a lover of hot sauce like Sriracha or Tapatio, I learned that all I need to do is tell my server to make the dish “la”, Mandarin for spicy; this usually means the dish is seasoned with fresh chilli peppers, which pairs nicely with a cold Tsingtao beer!

5. Did someone say dessert?

I have to admit I am a dark chocolate lover, especially at the end of the night or paired with a nice glass of wine. In America, most meals come to a close with a selection of sweet desserts such as chocolate brownies, cheesecake, or ice cream. In China, the night ends with a selection of freshly cut fruit, which is meant to cleanse the palette and show that the main portion of the savoury meal is over. Nutritionally speaking, fresh fruit might be the better choice considering it contains natural sugars, but if you’re like me, you might just grab a small cookie from the bakery on the way home! As in many cultures, food is one of the ways we express togetherness, appreciation, merriment, and even love. Coming from your local American and Qingdao Ren, I think it’s safe to say that no matter where you are in the world, this old proverb holds true: “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!”

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YEW CHUNG INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF QINGDAO WRITERS CORNER Young travel writer Anna Gakes is the winner of this month’s Travel Writing contest! Here she describes the world she saw in the Philippines.

uring this Chinese New Year, my dad, my brother and I went to Manila in the Philippines for vacation. Except, we didn’t really relax, most of the time. Every morning we had to wake up at 6am – if we wanted breakfast. And I definitely wanted to eat the breakfast, because it was delicious. And I’m telling you, if I want to wake up at 6am to eat, it must be delicious, because I don’t wake up at 6am for anything in the holidays. We stayed at the YunJin Lyso Ministry Centre, also known as the YMC. There is a story behind the name of the YMC. In June 2007, Amos Lyso married a young woman named YunJin. 20 days after they

had married, YunJin was tragically killed in a fatal car accident. From the proceeds of YunJin’s passing, Lyso donated enough money to buy the property and building. Hence, the YMC was formed. The YMC is built to host teams who want to serve the community, help out in the children’s home, the school, construction, feedings, and so on. For me, feedings were quite an experience. MY brother and I got to hand out food in a local village, and I got a glimpse of what real poverty was like. Children searching through garbage piles, looking for recyclable items they can help their parents sell; children running across the filthy street barefoot, ribs showing through their t-shirts. I also enjoyed helping out at the children’s home. My Dad, my brother and I took the children swimming. There were kids ranging from 4 year olds to 14 year olds, all ready to swim, trying their best to help. There was a helper there – just in case we needed him – so it was safe and fun. At the YMC you will be welcomed by

Kids of the YMC

kind-hearted people who are eager to help, no matter what time you come in the door. Even if it is not the most luxurious accommodation, it is only $45 per night, which includes wifi, food and a clean room, hot water and local transportation. Besides that, you are also picked up at the airport, again, no matter what time you arrive. I think that YMC is a great way to experience Filipino culture, and to help them out!

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Infant Immunizations FAQs Gao Wen Pharmacist

Qingdao United Family Hospital

 4008-919191

United Family Hospital answers common questions about vaccinating very young children. Are vaccines safe? A: Yes. Vaccines are very safe. Currently, all UFH vaccines are supplied by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) in China. The cold chain transportation and management system ensures the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Millions of children are safely vaccinated each year. The most common side effects are typically very mild, such as pain or swelling at the injection site. What are the side effects of the vaccines? How do I treat them? A: Vaccines, like any other medication, may cause some side effects. Most of these side effects are very minor, like soreness where the shot was given, fussiness, or a low-grade fever. These side effects typically only last a couple of days and are treatable. A cool, wet washcloth on the sore area will go a long way to ease discomfort. If your child’s body temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees, over-the-counter antipyretics such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are safe and effective choices. Serious reactions are very rare, but the majority of serious reactions happen within 30 minutes of receiving a vaccine, so a 30-minute observation period after having a vaccine is recommended. If your

child experiences any reactions that concern you, call a doctor. What are combination vaccines? Why are they used? A: Combination vaccines protect your child against more than one disease with a single shot. They reduce the number of shots and office visits your child would need, which not only saves you time and money, but also is easier on your child. Some common combination vaccines that are currently used are Pentaxim, which combines DTap, Hib and IPV (polio), and MMR, which combines measles, mumps and rubella. My child is sick right now. Is it okay for her to still get shots? A: Always discuss with your doctor, but children can usually get vaccinated even if they have a mild illness like a cold, earache, mild fever, or diarrhea. If after a physical examination the doctor says it is okay, your child can still get vaccinated. What do you think of delaying some vaccines or following an alternative schedule? A: Children do not receive any known benefits from following schedules that delay vaccines. Infants and young children who follow immunisation schedules that spread

out shots—or leave out shots—are at risk of developing diseases during the time that shots are delayed. Some vaccine-preventable diseases remain common, such as influenza. Flu vaccinations can reduce flu illnesses and prevent flu-related hospitalisations, especially in children. Unless there are special circumstances with your infant, such as having an allergy against a component of a vaccine, having received immunoglobulin in recent months, or acute illness, infant vaccines should never be delayed. Are there any differences in vaccination schedules in China and other countries? A: The purpose and principles of designing a vaccination schedule are the same, but there are some differences, mainly in the administration route, and administration time. These differences mainly depend on disease prevalence in different countries. Taking all aspects of vaccination into consideration, this is the best way to make a vaccination schedule. Some infants who have received some vaccines in other countries, and who need to catch up on other vaccines in China, consultation with a specialist such as a paediatric doctor is recommended.