Don't worry, China is a safe place. You will like it. I am going to live with my family to Beijing, please need advice?
other than the harsh weather, it is a beautiful city with lots to do. Do not worry! there are quite a lot of latins there. Get this guide known as Insider Beijing and subscribe to ';That's Beijing';. You will have a headstart with all the information you need to know about getting around beijing. It is a lovely city.. enjoy your stay there. You will most likely live in Dongcheng district. There are many expats community. Grocery shopping is convenient, maybe a bit more ex. The publisher for Insider Beijing had published a handy chinese phrase book which you should get a copy. you can just point to a phrase to the cab driver and still get around. there are lots of clubs which have chinese language classes which you can take to get you acquainted with the language and culture.
Honestly, it can be very difficult to adapt to life in Beijing. Be prepared with a sense of adventure and a lot of patience. However, it's a very interesting experience, and it can be a lot of fun.
Since your children are quite young, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a school for them. There are a lot of international kindergartens that they can attend. Once they get old enough to attend primary school, the options are a bit more limited. The biggest international schools are out near the suburb of Shunyi, but in town there are a few options. Some of the international embassies have primary school programs. Even if yours doesn't, some others have schools that may be open to non-nationals.
The smog is certainly a problem, but there isn't really a way around it. You can buy air filters for your home, but that's about it. If you are quite athletic, you may to cut back on outdoor activities, and most people choose to work out at indoor facilities. Running (outdoors) is not recommended except on unusually clear days. Generally people try to stay indoors on exceptionally bad days.
You'll find that you need to know at least the basics in Chinese to get by (to communicate with taxi drivers, haggle over prices, etc), but since you use it regularly, it's not too hard to pick up the essentials. You might consider a basic self-study Mandarin program before you move over to lay the groundwork. The Pimsleur audio course is decent. Also, I highly recommend the Mandarin phrasebook from True Run Media (publishers of ';The Beijinger'; magazine, formerly ';That's Beijing';): http://www.immersionguides.com/products/鈥?/a> It contains a lot of the phrases you use when you're living in China, compared to most phrasbooks that are more travel-oriented. This covers things like shopping for clothes, communicating with your ayi (housekeeper), etc.
In terms of general adjustment, you'll find that Beijing has quite a decent infrastructure for foreigners, and especially around the Chaoyang district and Shunyi, there are plenty of western restaurants. The free ex-pat publications are a good resource for locating various services and finding out about local events. Some of the best are The Beijinger, Time Out, and City Weekend. That's Beijing was taken over by their Chinese parent company a few months ago, and the quality dropped significantly (though it may bet better once they get more practice). Also, the forums on the website of The Beijinger (http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum ) are very active and can be a very valuable resource. The biggest help will be getting to know some other ex-pats in Beijing who can share advice and help you figure things out for the first few months.
you do not have to worry about it. you can have meals you like in China easily, as there have been all kinds of restaurants offering foreign foods. why do not you have more details from your family in China? they know you much. you will like to live in Beijing!
There are international schools where your children could probably learn Spanish or English.
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