It is very easy to find information about things to do and see in Beijing and the wonders of China. The bookshelves are filled with beautifully illustrated guide books which describe the country with amazing detail and magnificent images. This is truly an amazing country and an exciting time to be here.
However, this is not the information which will help your family make a successful adjustment during your relocation to Beijing. The most important thing you can do for yourselves and your families is acquire some of the books on the reading list attached below. We are so lucky that in this time period we have a great selection of ‘self help’ and preparation books which focus on tips and advice to help you at a very vulnerable time. It is important to become aware of many of the stressors which accompany any move –not to mention a move outside your home country.
Many of you are travelling with children. Luckily there are many titles which focus on the needs and challenges facing children at different developmental stages. It is so helpful when you read about someone else who has gone through the same stressors that you have; it is calming to hear advice from someone who has lived through it; it is heart-warming to read about the end products-like the tightly bound families, and the children who do so well academically when they go off to university. The skills that these “Third Culture Kids” acquire during their internationally mobile lives are those which cannot be taught through a textbook; they must be lived and developed over time. And, what greater gift could you give your children than a second or third language?
So, please invest some time and resources in collecting a few of the books on the list and use them for dinner-table discussions. Engage your family in the discussion and you will find that this decision to relocate internationally will be the best move of your lives. We look forward to being your partners in this international odyssey.
