When scrolling around social media I came across a photo that really spoke to me.
Inspired by this, we wanted to create an issue that not only shares all the fun things Beijing has to offer but also highlights the inclusivity of the city we call home. Gracing this issue’s cover is Noa Hottin, a student at Western Academy of Beijing and a US National Braille Champion who’s lived in more than 20 countries and speaks four languages. Our student correspondent XueFei Liu interviewed Hottin about his experience living in Beijing (P. 38). In this issue, you’ll also find one teenager’s firsthand account of living with dyscalculia (P. 70), a neurodivergent condition that’s not commonly discussed, and we also learn a bit about two of Beijing’s international schools that have created outstanding special needs programs for their students (P. 22).
For many kids, fostering friendships with members of the special needs community can be a unique experience. If they’ve never met someone with special needs, they’re often confused about how to interact and be themselves. We dig into this topic in our Ask the Expert column (P. 28), as educator Julie Wolf shares her experience of explaining special needs to young children and how they can become more inclusive of others.
For my fellow parents with particularly young ones, this issue is also filled with baby-friendly restaurant recommendations (P. 12), baby food recipes (P. 14), and one expat family’s tips on their favorite places in the city to go with their new baby girl (P. 48).
Finally, as autumn rolls in, there’s nothing quite like a weekend spent exploring one of Beijing’s pumpkin patches (yes, they actually exist here). Our editor Vivienne Tseng-Rush takes you on a tour of two of her favorites out in Miyun District (P. 20) and also a few great hot springs where you and the kids can warm up (P. 18).
Images: Dave Hanssen from Dave’s Studio
This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 September-October issue
