FCGroup Salutes the Best of Expat Services with First Annual Expat Life Awards

The winners are in for the First Annual Expat Life Awards (ELA) are in. 

You read correctly: there are now awards for the best of the best of expatriate services in Beijing. Announced this past Sunday, these handsomely included several categories for expatriate media – with the Beijinger magazine claiming awards for “The Best” in the categories of “Expat Mags-Articles,” “ExpatMagsClassifieds,” and the website taking home “The Best” in both the “Easiest to navigate” and “Classified” section, and winning “Highly Recommended” in the “Listings” section.

The award ceremony was created by the FCGroup, a Beijing based networking group that hosts weekly, monthly, and quarterly events. Voting was reader powered, with 20 further categories committed to health, education, grocery shopping, spa and beauty, relocation, and more. Absent were dining and going options, favorite museums, libraries, bookshops, and motorcycle clubs, for example. But we can’t have everything.

Nevertheless, these awards reflect a maturation of Beijing’s expatriate community. Once upon a time – the 1990s – Beijing began to see a diversification of expats beyond the diplomat/business/journalist/scholar/student milieu. These included new services, from early pizza joints to international schools. After China’s ascension in the WTO in 2001 and with news of Olympics, more entrepreneurs in business, education and hospitality flocked to the capital. As many recall, from 2006 to 2008, Beijing was a “special place” as the city went through lock down transformations for Olympics. This coming out party was soon met with the financial crisis and new wave of expats – quite a few being economic refugees of Western nation’s working classes. Today, the capital is awash with all manner of expats from every-corner of the world. And for this we thank FCGroup for raising a toast to all who strive to make Beijing a better place – expat or local alike. 

Other “The Best” Winners included: 
The Hutong for Chinese Culture Organisationss
Bridge School for Chinese Language Schools
International SOS Dental Clinics for Dental Clinics
Catherine de France for Hair Salons
Abacare for Health Insurance
Beijing United Family Hospital for Hospitals
Harrow for International Schools
The International Montessori School of Beijing for Kindergartens
Beijing Dongwen TCM Clinic for Medical Clinics (TCM)
Beijing United Family for Medical Clinics (Western)
Asian Tigers for Moving Companies
CityWise Property Solutions for Real Estate Agencies
Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreat for Spa and Massage 
California Fitness for Sports and Fitness
Jenny Lou for Supermarkets
Beijing Hikers for Tours Domestic
International Center for Veterinary Services for Veterinary Clinics
CHEERS for Wine Shops

Photo: FCGroup