Today is National Day in China – the start of the October Holiday Golden Week. (There’s a whole long story about how public holidays are scheduled in China. I wrote about it on my personal blog five years ago if you’re interested in that side story!) There are national flags and flower displays everywhere, and clean skies as everyone goes on holiday.

One of hundreds of flags around our neighbourhood this week (and probably millions around the city!)

The National Day holiday marks the anniversary of the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China by Mao Zedong in 1949. I really hope I’m in Beijing for October 1st next year, because then I’ll have been here for the 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversary years! (My first visit to China, as a teenage student and tourist, coincided with the 50th anniversary in 1999.)

I don’t have a regular day job to take a holiday from this week, but I’m trying to create some extra space anyway. (Not something I’m good at, but I’m trying to get better at rest!) One way I’m doing that is by giving Recommended Reading a break today. I’ll be back next Monday with a bunch of posts about Third Culture Kids and expat life for you! In the mean time, if you haven’t checked out my latest post on the TCK lesson that “everyone leaves” I’d love for you to take a look. In only a few days it’s become the most read post on this site, and I’m honoured to see that it’s striking a chord with TCKs and expat parents around the world. I have follow up posts in the works, too – so stay tuned!