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Hi There, Chaoyang District is very westernized i have to say . So you dont have to worry about anything. There is a Canadian Internation School somewhere around Dontsanhuai but most good international schools in Beijing ,should be somewhere near the airport.The location of Dulwich college Beijing and British School is near the airport. But they have school buses every day.

Welcome to Beijing R-Mac!

Don't need to panic, Beijing is just as safe as Shanghai if not more since it's the capital.  Beijing is also a very simple city to map out and get around as you have described the location you're moving into: Dongsanhuan Bei (means East Third Ring, North).  The entire city is built in "Rings" like a hive centering the Forbidden city.

By your area, like mentioned above, there is the Canadian International School.  There's also smaller campuses of elementry/junior/senior schools like Lycee Francais (French school), British School of Beijing.  You will have to go farther North East (Shunyi) for full Int. baccalaureate programs at the bigger schools.

In my opinion, you are staying in the perfect location, smack in between the Western bubble (all your amenities need) and the CBD+Sanlitun.

Ryan

Thanks for the comments!

My post actually has come across as quite negative which is not how I feel about it! I am actually looking forward to the move now

R

My wife and I write about life in Beijing at our blog themiddlekingdom.org.
A lot of what we write will be the same as what you've experienced in Shanghai, but maybe you'll find it helpful.

R-Mac

I think you will be delighted with your move to Beijing.

DongSanHaun (East 3rd Ring Road) is very Expat central and you will find everything you need and want in easy access.

There are numerous downtown schools though most are IB not British syllabus.  I think the only two downtown British Schools are Harrow and the British School of Beijing of which only the British School of Beijing is relevant because the Harrow downtown campus is the Upper School. So if you are only willing to follow the British curriculum you are limited to Norde Anglia's British School of Beijing, if you are willing to consider the IB then there at least another half dozen options of which arguably the leading contenders are, in alphabetical order, BCIS, BISS, CIS and YCIS.

Shopping - were you referring to groceries or clothes? Assuming the former there are quite a few supermarkets that cater to the expat market and you will even be able to purchase Marmite. Assuming the latter,as you will know from Shanghai, the typical Chinese figure is not the same as the typical foreign figure but even so there are plenty of choices, though sometimes finding foreign large sizes can be a challenge.

I do not know how to answer your question about apartments since "pricey" is a relative term but there are quite a few options that suit most expat budgets. They range in price from a few thousand RMB (for example Chaoyangyuan - outside 4th Ring Road) to serviced penthouses in 100,000RMB region (for example Embassy House - Dongzhimen, 2nd Ring Road)

You are in a great area!  Your favorite spot will probably be Sanlitun aka The Village.  It's great!  Jenny Lou's is the import grocery store here and isn't too far from you.   The British school is right around the corner.  You can check out my blog: for all sorts of into on your journey north. Best wishes!

Thank you for all of your messages!

I've just arrived into Beijing & so far so good! We've found a nice apt (near Upper East Side), although on the pricier side, which seems quite close to a good area?! So... any suggestions on what to do & where to go? I'm currently at home with my 6yr old son & would like to get out & about with him, as I'm not enrolling him at school until next semester.

@Manlin - they can send the marmite back to where it came from! Devil's work if you ask me

R x

Hi
I lived in Beijing for a couple years and loved it. i'll be returning in december '11. Check out