Biking in Beijing

We began our second year teaching in China in August. It is still hard to start the school year so early; we appreciated the Minnesota standard of starting after Labor Day. Our second year feels quite different that the first; we are already settled in our apartment with no need for frequent visits to Ikea. And we understand the routines and pace of our lives here.

However, our school has 19 new staff this year. That is one truism about teaching – it is never dull! We have many new families, new staff and new directives each year, making one year quite different from the previous. For me, I moved from the 1st floor to the 4th floor, in a shared space with the Drama teacher. My room has a lime green wall, so we can use for “green screen” when making iMovies and I have big windows that look out over the playground. I love my new space! I am also teaching IB Economics to Grade 11 students. Even though I have been teaching business and marketing courses for years, Economics, with its theory, graphs and analysis, is quite challenging. I am studying as much or more than my students! Check out my Engaging Economics blog for more details!

Since we are more comfortable with the routines and pacing, and are being challenged intellectually with our new classes at school, we also needed to add a challenge to our personal lives. We have been watching the bikers in Beijing with awe: 2-3 people on a bike, pedaling around other bikes, e-bikes, scooters, cars and buses. This year we decided to become real Beijingers and get bikes. We first borrowed two beat-up bikes to make sure we were willing, and then we wandered up to our local bike shop and purchased the perfect bikes for each of us. Daniel chose a mountain bike style with multiple gears and big tires, but with a tire guard to avoid dirt on his clothes. Anna and I both chose more traditional styles for city riding – one gear, good brakes, lights, baskets on front and racks on back – tire guards all around (They look like somewhat more modern versions of the bike ridden through the tornado in the Wizard of Oz).

Our bikes are now our basic mode of transportation, and it is very freeing. Daniel and I try to ride to work and back daily, and we all use our bikes to go out on the weekends. We still use bus, subway and taxi – and I know we will use our bikes less when it gets colder – but it allows us to see the city in a different way. It is intimidating when you first get out there with the cars and other bikes, but you just keep in your head two basic thoughts: 1. Expect the unexpected and 2. No one wants to hit me.

The bottom line is this: When you are passed by a family of 3 with an infant in the middle, and the woman in pedaling with high heels and carrying an umbrella, you do realize you have years to go to be a really be a TRUE Beijinger.