People are generally polite and helpful. But nearly no one speaks English. It would be helpful if you can speak some basic Chinese (evening class?) when you intend to move around here on you own for a longer period.
Wangfujing bookstore
G**gle and other none Chinese information sources in foreign languagues about China are officially blocked. It is an open secret known by any expat you meet around here how to bypass it. In two gigant bookstores for foreign / English languages in Wangfujing, one of the main shopping mall in central Beijing close to The Forbidden City, there are travel guides for any country in the world but not for China itself (Lonely Planets, Insights, etc.)! So bring your own guide book and install VPN in advance before you enter the country. It makes things much easier.
Wangfujing: Trade activity has been in this market since the middle of the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644)
Wriggling scorpions on the stick, awaiting to be fried. As snacks on the go
And other delicatessen
Fat and crispy