Around DB August 2023

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Open Day Island West Campus

Explore the Malvern learning journey

SATURDAY, 23RD SEP 2023

1 PM TO 5 PM

Experience the magic of the Malvern learning journey at Malvern College Pre-School (MCPS) Island West. Our playbased international curriculum, rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, fosters individual talents, needs, and interests. As part of the Malvern family of Schools, we instill values like courage and resilience while nurturing crucial life skills Through imaginative play, hands-on projects, and early coding lessons, children embark on their Malvern learning journey, supported by our culturally diverse community and bilingual teaching.

Join us for our open day to meet our exceptional educators, explore our state-of-the-art facilities, engage in innovative activities and learn more about our Forest-Beach School that bring learning to life at MCPS Register your interest now

CONTACT US

@ BAY MEDIA GROUP

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WELLNESS AUGUST

PHILIP JAY Publisher/ Owner philip@baymedia.com.hk

RACHEL AINSLEY Managing editor rachel@baymedia.com.hk

BEATRIX MALAN Digital manager beatrix@baymedia.com.hk

SARIN ALE Art director sarin@baymedia.com.hk

KAYLI LIEBENBERG Client services kayli@baymedia.com.hk

CONTRIBUTORS

RAY AU, IMOGEN CLYDE, ELIZABETH KERR, PETER SHERWOOD

PHOTOGRAPHERS

DANIELLE BOOYSE PHOTOGRAPHY www.daniellebooysephotography. myportfolio.com

RICHARD GORDON www.richardgordonphotography.com

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DISCLAIMER

The views expressed in Around DB are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or contributors. The publisher and editor cannot be held responsible for differences of opinion or statements published in good faith. The publisher, contributors, their employees and partners are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors or omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication and expressly disclaim all and any liability for any such action of any person. The mention of specific companies or products in articles or advertisements does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by this magazine or its publisher in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or advertised. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without permission.

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SKATE ASIA

Be sure to catch, Skate Asia 2023, the world’s largest recreational skating competition, at DB Ice Rink from August 7 to 15. Sanctioned by Ice Skating Institute Asia (ISIAsia), the event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see over 1,400 figure skaters from across the region perform. Participating countries include China, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. To find out more, visit www.visitdiscoverybay.com.

DBSML is encouraging us to make self-care a priority this month through a specially themed programme of events. Wellness August comprises three healing workshops: Forest Bathing with Shinrin Yoku HK founder Amanda Yik at DB Lookout Point on August 4; Breathwork and Self-optimising with Primal Breathwork founder Brian Lai at DB Office Centre on August 12; Mindfulness Meditation with Mindful Ocean founder Karson Wong at Community Green Square on August 19. Enrolment is on a first-comefirst-served basis at https://rb.gy/u3cu9.

Happenings STUFF TO

TEKKERZ AND MINI-TEKKERZ FOOTBALL TRAINING

Budding footballers can sign up for Tekkerz training, right here in DB, starting from just two years of age. Tekkerz’s multi-level curriculum is designed to develop players’ technical skills and overall game play using a “maximum touch” approach. Head Coach Barry Brown, a 13-year DB resident, describes the concept as unique to Hong Kong: “Tekkerz is based on English professional youth programmes. We aim to get even the youngest kids 300 to 500 touches during the first 10 to 15 minutes of each class to grow their confidence with the ball.” Tekkerz’s unique Player Development Platform (PDP) provides students with 12 levels and 180 skills to work on. “The PDP gives visual, verbal and slow-motion demonstrations to ensure that the kids practise their skills effectively,” Barry explains. “We encourage children to practise at home with their PDP, so they’re not limited to only playing football during training sessions. The PDP is offered free to anyone signing up for the programme – we have even had players who have left Hong Kong send us videos of themselves practicing their skills from the platform. No other club offers anything like this.”

Classes are designed to be fun and confidence-boosting, with the Under 3s and 4s mainly working on balance, spatial awareness and the fundamentals of movement. “With the Under 5s to Under 9s, coaches tend to focus on individual development and ball mastery exercises rather than team play,” Barry says. “This provides an amazing foundation for those who want to continue training with us as they get older.” Progressive Sports Asia holds Tekkerz training sessions at Discovery College, Discovery Bay International School and DB North Plaza pitch from Monday to Saturday, for kids aged two to 13 years. To know more, visit prosportsasia.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Tekkerz.]

DBFC VETS’ DOUBLE WHAMMY

DBFC Vets won the HK Legends League title on May 15, and followed up on June 26 by winning the HK Legends League Cup with a close 1-0 victory over Spartans Masters. This completes “the double” for DBFC Vets, capping a very successful 2022/ 23 season. DBFC Vets is sponsored by Tanner de Witt. For more on the team, visit www.discoverybayfc.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Gary Rollinson.]

& Events!

KNOW IN AUGUST!

DEBORAH AND FRIENDS PERFORMING LIVE

Singer/ songwriter Deborah Mannas returns to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Hall, Asia Society Hong Kong Center on August 18 with Deborah and Friends.

You can expect a generous mix of wellloved jazz standards and inspirational originals from the long-time Tung Chung resident. Deborah is joined by guest vocalist Arvin Robles, plus Bhoyet Samonte on keys, Jon Benard on drums and backing vocals, Vinc Chan on bass, Daphne Villanueva on flute and Jojo Antinero on sax and backing vocals. To get your hands on a free pair of tickets, turn to page 22.

RICHARD CROSBIE’S DB FOCUS

Local artist Richard Crosbie has been creating quite a buzz this year, showing everywhere from the Affordable Art Fair to Clockenflap. The 21-year DB resident focuses on Hong Kong themes, scenes and subjects, with many of his paintings highlighting the beauty of DB and wider Lantau. Richard’s work encompasses both “urban sketching” and “en plein air” painting created on location, as well as highly detailed pieces created in his studio. To view his high-quality, affordable art prints, visit Instagram @richardcrosbie_art. [PHOTO BY Beatrix Malan - www.atscollective.com.]

ELITE LANTAU PADDLERS

Four Lantau-based paddlers are heading to Samoa to compete in the International Va’a Federation World Distance Championships, August 14 to 19. Adrienne Ng Founder of Treasure Island Group and Assistant Coach of South Lantau Paddling Club (SLPC) and Polly Snaith of Lantau Boat Club (LBC) have both been selected for the Cathay-sponsored Women’s Masters 50 OC6 Team of Hong Kong 2023. Two other Lantauers – both DB residents and key members of LBC – will represent their respective home countries in the Women’s and Men’s Masters 50 OC6 categories. They have elected not to be named. To find out more, visit www.lantauboatclub.com and Facebook @southlantaupaddleclub.

[PHOTO BY Mihaela Tudor - www.mihaelatudor.com.]

TEACHER TRAINING AT HK YOGA

Maxim Gagarin at DB North-based HK Yoga and Wellness Centre is providing daily yoga classes throughout August and also hosting an intensive 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course, which starts on August 31. The course is accredited by Yoga Alliance USA, and upon successful completion, participants are awarded the RYT 500 Yoga Instructor Certificate. To find out more, call 6113 6770.

[PHOTO COURTESY OF Maxim Gagarin.]

Back-to-School News!

DBIS SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENT

ITS: ENSURING TUITION WORKS FOR YOU

ITS Education Asia has been providing high quality, properly managed tuition for nearly 20 years with outstanding impacts. Online and hybrid options (starting 2012 using a bespoke virtual classroom platform) are offered alongside in-person sessions. Noting the pressures today’s students face to achieve ever-greater academic results, Danny Harrington, Founder and Managing Director of ITS says: “The good news is that properly directed tutorial support offers a relatively pain-free way to overcome the various learning and assessment obstacles. But it must be the right tutoring at the right time.”

There is often a rush to sign up for tutoring at the beginning of the school year, but Danny encourages students not to be too hasty. “The start of an academic year is often a time for finding your feet, especially when you are starting a new subject or a new curriculum in a familiar one,” he says. “It is much better to take a month or two to properly assess whether you actually have a need for additional support.”

At ITS, prospective students are given a consultation before enrolling, and trial lessons are available in each subject. “It is crucial to establish that you actually need what you think you need: directionless tutoring “for the sake of it” does not help in any way,” Danny says. “It demoralises both student and tutor and can be counter-productive.

“You need to ensure flexibility,” Danny adds. “Sometimes you may only need a couple of hours to work out a particular problem or topic difficulty. Other times you may need longer term support which may transition from knowledge review and consolidation to skills needed for assessment.” To see what ITS has to offer, visit www.itseducation.asia.

[PHOTO COURTESY OF ITS.]

Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) is hosting an open event for prospective Year 12 students and their parents on August 22 at its Sixth Form campus in DB North Plaza. The event, which starts at 6pm, coincides with the launch of the school’s new Sixth Form scholarship programme. Registration is essential. To register, scan the QR code or visit www.dbis.edu.hk. To learn about DBIS’ new sixth form focus from Head of Year 12 Nick Moore, turn to page 24. [PHOTO COURTESY OF DBIS.]

OUTSTANDING IB RESULTS AT ESF

ESF students across Hong Kong achieved an average score of 36.1 in their IB exams this year –significantly higher than the global average of 30.2. Almost a third of ESF students scored 40 points or more – eight students achieved the perfect score of 45, with a further 28 receiving a score of 44. ESF Discovery College deserves a special mention with 66 students awarded the IB Diploma (including bilingual). Sixteen students scored 40 points or more, three gained 43 points and two 44. On results day, July 7, ESF Director of Strategy & Communications Rob Shorthouse said: “In every single one of our schools and every single one of our classrooms, we have seen students achieving amazing things. Our results are just remarkable, really of global significance.” To find out more, visit esf.edu.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF ESF.]

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMES AT GUIDEPOST MONTESSORI

Guidepost Montessori Discovery Bay is rolling out three new enrichment programmes this month for children aged 2.5 to 6 years. There’s Mini Makers on Monday afternoons, where kids get to make things; Montessori Garden on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons, where kids get to grow things; and Montessori Kitchen on Wednesday or Friday afternoons, where kids get to cook things. Book a trial for your child and if they enrol after the trial, they can claim a free class credit. Children who enrol in two or more enrichment programmes get a 5% discount, as do kids who “bring a buddy”. To find out more and enrol for the new academic year, call 9126 6211, email admissions@guidepost.hk, or visit www.guidepost.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Guidepost Montessori.]

MALVERN COLLEGE HONG KONG CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

Malvern College Hong Kong (MCHK) has reached a significant milestone, celebrating five years of exceptional academic and extra-curricular achievements since opening in 2018. The school has built a reputation for excellence in fields, from sports to the Arts and community service and has become a highly regarded institution with a student body of nearly 1,000 pupils.

The results achieved last month by its first ever International Baccalaureate Diploma cohort are a testament to the school’s commitment to academic excellence. Pupils

achieved an outstanding overall average score of 39.4 points, well above the world average of 30.24 points. Even more remarkable, 50% of pupils scored 40 points or higher, with the highest individual score being 44 out of 45. Furthermore, 50% of pupils earned the Bilingual Diploma, and the average grade across all subjects was 6.14, significantly higher than the 2022 world average of 4.97.

The school’s dedication to holistic education is reflected in its commitment to extra-curricular and co-curricular pursuits. MCHK offers a diverse range of activities that foster a strong sense of camaraderie and team spirit amongst its pupils. The recently instituted Passion for Projects Award celebrates pupils who have demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial skills and have successfully established business or charitable organisations. In tandem with the Entrepreneurial Society, which supports younger pupils in cultivating their entrepreneurial talents and initiatives, the school seeks to create an environment that nurtures innovation and enterprise. Having achieved many significant accomplishments over the past five years, MCHK is now looking to the future with the greatly anticipated arrival, of its new headmaster, Paul Wickes. Paul will continue the tradition of excellence in both academics and personal development and will build on the solid foundation that has been laid, ensuring that MCHK will further solidify its reputation as a leading educational institution. Visit www.malverncollege.org.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF MCHK.]

Out & About!

WHAT YOU'VE BEEN UP TO!

AT THE DB DEFINITELY BEST TALENT SHOW

Held on June 25, the DB Definitely Best Talent Show was open to singers aged 13 or above, performing either solo or as a duet in Cantonese, Mandarin or English. Chief judge and popular local music producer Clayton Cheung was joined by Claudia Choi, Head of Brand Management, HKRI and Dr Francis Chiu, Chairman of the DBCOC. Congratulations go to the prizewinners in the DB Group – Joy Danlag Carbonell (champion), Phoebe Mo (first runner-up) and Sukie Sing (second runner-up) – and in the Public Group – Eva Rao (champion), R.T. (first runner-up) and Agassi Yau (second runner-up). [PHOTOS COURTESY OF HKRI.]

AT THE ISLAND DANCE ANNUAL SHOW

Island Dance celebrated 30 years of dance in Hong Kong with its annual show Danceflix , which took place at Y-Theatre at Youth Square, Chai Wan on June 10 and 11. The performances included dances in freestyle, ballet, hip-hop and tap to popular songs from Netflix originals and featured over 100 local dancers who are taught out of the DBRC and Club Siena. Island Dance held its first class here in DB in 1993!

[PHOTOS BY Richard Gordon - www.richardgordonphotography.com.]

AT THE LIVE YOUNG SUMMERFEST

At the Live Young Summerfest on Tai Pak Wan from July 8 to 9, residents and visitors alike enjoyed various beach-side activities, including inflatables (a wave pool and 8-metre-high slide), a trampoline, large ball pit, volleyball and table tennis. There was also a wellness-focused beach carnival which featured a children’s playground, fitness challenges for adults and exercise classes for the whole family. [PHOTOS BY Danielle Booyse Photographywww.daniellebooysephotography.myportfolio.com.]

DMR School of Ballet

Enrol now for September 2023

Enrol now for our new academic year, starting in September 2023 Classes are filling up fast so don't miss out on your chance to dance!

Annual Performance

Each year, DMR Dancers showcase their hard work, passion and fun costumes in our annual performance We can't wait till the next one!

Hong Kong Disneyland

Our dancers, aged 6+, have an amazing and exciting opportunity to perform at Hong Kong Disneyland, along the parade route!

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Our Ballerinas can participate in our graded classes following the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Syllabus and focus on strength and grace

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Modern (Jazz) is a great to gain flexibility, technique and grow as performers Our tap classes focus on rhythm, line and style, and confidence!

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EDUCATION ASIA

DEBORAH MANNAS

IS OFFERING ONE READER TWO TICKETS (EACH WORTH HK$350) TO SEE DEBORAH AND FRIENDS PERFORM ON AUGUST 18

Long-time Tung Chung resident, singer/songwriter Deborah Mannas returns with Deborah and Friends on August 18 at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Hall, Asia Society Hong Kong Center after a sell-out show in August 2021. You can expect a wide repertoire spanning everything from Alicia Keys and Amy Winehouse to Nina Simone, Tina Turner and Whitney Houston, with a generous mix of well-loved jazz standards and Deborah’s inspirational originals.

Accompanying Deborah is Bhoyet Samonte on keys, Jon Benard on drums and backing vocals, Vinc Chan on bass, Daphne Villanueva on flute and Jojo Antinero on sax and backing vocals. Deborah is also being joined by guest vocalist Arvin Robles. For tickets, head to asiasocietyhk.glueup.com/event/ deborah-and-friends-82697.

HOW TO WIN!

Term Time!

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In Fine Form! ADVOCATE FOR STUDENT VOICE

Nick Moore, Discovery Bay International School’s new Head of Year 12, is about to be busier than ever, empowered by the school’s new Sixth Form focus. Elizabeth Kerr reports

School grades are like shoe sizes. Meaning, as the chat with Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) physics teacher, Head of Year 12 and Sixth Form guru Nick Moore turns to education in general, it becomes clear that the labelling the UK native, this Canadian-born writer, and what we all grew up watching people on television use are very, very different.

“What do Americans call it?” Nick asks, genuinely curious. “Junior year,” I say, referring to the second last academic year of secondary school currently up for debate. I personally just called it grade 12 I tell him – which is not quite the same as Year 12. To him it’s a form; to DBIS as well. It depends on when you start counting. We think. It’s all very baffling. Almost as baffling as the sheer variety of shoe size options around the world. Hence the plea for a universal standard – for both. “I couldn’t agree more,” Nick cracks.

Whatever you want to call it, as of this month Nick is DBIS’s Head of Year 12 and Assistant Head of Sixth Form, following numerous years teaching science and four years as Head of Year 11. The Bournemouth native is looking forward to mentoring Sixth Form, and his forthcoming duties as a guide for graduating students. “I’m not just academics focused,” he explains. “I’m really interested in pastoral care and making sure students are doing well everywhere else.”

THE PATH TO DB

Nick initially studied physics and found his way to teaching in part due to the UK’s teacher shortage. He explored university programmes designed to prepare potential teachers with school placement and special lectures, and found himself inspired. “Those programmes were almost a way to put people off so that they wouldn’t commit to something they weren’t going to like. For me it was backwards; I enjoyed those so I pursued teaching. I know I’m supposed to say it was a calling but in reality, there are a million reasons people go into teaching.”

He landed in Hong Kong after working for five years in the UK and another five in Belgium, applying to DBIS from overseas when he got bitten by the urge to try something new. “I really liked what [former DBIS Principal] Paul Tough had to say,” he recalls of his online interview, and so he took the leap. He arrived in 2018, just in time to “enjoy all the lovely events of the last four years,” but he’s not leaving any time soon. The mix of urban and wild, and so much nature surrounding the busy city has won him over.

“I’m very much a small-town guy. I lived in Brussels but that’s a small city. Hong Kong wasn’t a huge culture shock but it was a lot different than what I’m used to, and so much more densely packed. But

Hong Kong is a very easy place in Asia to move to and I was quite taken with it quickly.”

As anathema as it may be to most DB readers, the spouse-, child-, and pet-free Nick lives in Central, at least for the time being. “I like being in the mix,” he continues. “I like the disconnect of not living where you work. You want some kind of distance between your work life and your personal life. DB is a small community and I might see my students, and… teachers look very weird to students outside the classroom.”

PASTORAL CARE AND ACADEMICS

For work, however, the mix at DBIS will pivot on getting soon-to-be grads ready for the next stages of life, whatever they may be, as well as making it clear there’s more to DBIS than its renowned, and ahead of the curve, holistic learning. With enrolment creeping up once again, DBIS wants to highlight the comprehensive education its students receive,

"THEY’RE YOUNG ADULTS, AND I WANT TO UTILISE THEIR IDEAS IN THE SCHOOL, AND GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES

TO RUN

THINGS ALONGSIDE

OTHER ADULTS IN THE MAIN SCHOOL

- Nick Moore

and as such has made six scholarships available to Year 12 students this year. “The scholarships show that the direction we’re heading is towards an even greater focus on academic rigour,” Nick explains.

“In addition to our outstanding pastoral care and the opportunities we provide around the curriculum, we’re all about getting students into university. In my time here I’ve never seen a student not get to where they wanted to go next,” states Nick. He admits DBIS has the image of a community school, one that’s welcoming to a diverse range of students, but it’s as committed to scholastics as any other school in Hong Kong. DB families and the ones eventually moving into its four new developments need to know that.

The Sixth Form focus was less a response to demand from parents as it was to Sixth Form students’ suggestions, many of whom expressed a wish to strengthen the connection between Years 12 and 13 and the rest of the DBIS community, given that many Sixth Form classes take place in a separate building to the main campus. Nick and the new Sixth Form Leadership Team want students to feel involved and connected to school life, even while travelling back and forth. “The idea is to look after the students and try and improve every element of Sixth Form and make it an exciting place to be,” he says.

True to DBIS’ forward-thinking ethos, the plan is to start actioning student voice and offering students more agency. “They’re young adults, and I want to utilise their ideas in the school, and give them opportunities to run things alongside other adults in the main school,” says Nick, who sees value in this encompassing every corner of the school – from marketing to janitorial services.

Beyond that Nick and the team will be helping students with realistic experiences and achieving tangible goals, taking advantage of leadership opportunities, embracing their autonomy, learning to respect deadlines, and getting a grasp on how the world actually works, all while maintaining a focus on transitioning to university. From this year, Sixth Form students will have a dedicated guidance counsellor for post-secondary advice.

Nick clearly has his work cut out for him, so it’s a good thing he’s heading back to school in fine form. He spent the summer in the UK visiting family, with a stop in Portugal for some surfing. There was time to ponder how he’s going to engage his Sixth Formers, and step beyond just his Head of Year 12 role. Advising future leaders is a serious business, as Nick says: “It never ceases to amaze me just how influential your words can be.”

NICK WITH SIXTH FORM STUDENTS AT THE DB NORTH CAMPUS

SUCCEED

Our services include:

- Private 1-2-1 individually curated tuition

- Preparation and invigilation for entrance to overseas schools

- Preparation for locally sat international examinations (e.g. IGCSE, A Levels and IB Diploma)

- Help with preparation for the HKDSE, and for tests set by the UK and the US systems (e.g. SSAT, IELTS, UKiset, ISEB Common Pre-test, ISEE, and many others.

All Aboard!!

DB CLASSROOM ON THE SEA

The latest Love.Together@DB youth education programme saw students and teachers from S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School hop on a DB ferry to discover new things and have lots of fun! Ray Au reports

On June 21, some 100 students and teachers from S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School were invited to spend time on a DB ferry to learn more about the ferry service and meet the crew. The community youth education programme, DB Classroom On The Sea, was organised by Love.Together@DB, the community caring platform established by Hong Kong Resort Company Ltd (HKRCL) in 2012, in conjunction with Discovery Bay Transportation Services Ltd (DBTPL), the DB ferry operator.

“We have a common, ongoing objective with S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School to provide interesting and inspiring learning opportunities for young DBers, to help them understand what happens in the community around them, and to enhance their sense of belonging to the place where they live and study,”

says Simon Tu, General Manager, DB Operations of HKRCL. “DB Classroom On The Sea was a good platform to give participants a deeper understanding of what HKRCL, Love.Together@DB and DBTPL do, and it encouraged cross-community interaction.”

STUDENT EMPOWERMENT

Once aboard the DB7 – a 42-metre, 500-seater Marin Teknik waterjet catamaran – the excited Primary 3 students and their teachers sailed out from DB ferry pier, berthing at the pontoon. First on the agenda was a short introduction to the history of DB pier, Pier 3 in Central and the DB ferry service, followed by a debrief on safety measures. The students were alerted to key broadcast messages, such as “stay seated while the ferry is moving, no pets and

PHOTOS BY Beatrix Malan - www.atscollective.com & courtesy of HKRCL

S.K.H. WEI LUN PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS READY TO ATTEND DB CLASSROOM ON THE SEA

personal belongings on the seats, no eating and drinking on the lower deck, stay calm and listen to the instructions of the ferry crew during emergency situations, know the location of lifejackets, be cautious while using the gangplank.”

Next up, was a hands-on introduction to emergency response in which students were invited to watch demonstrations both inside the ferry compartment and on the outer deck. They were shown the emergency bell, emergency exits, fire extinguishers and life buoys.

“DB Classroom On The Sea was an adventure for students that opened up their minds to new things. A community-focused school trip like this can be a powerful motivation tool; it can deepen the learning process and encourage students to learn more about a particular subject or spark their interest in something new,” says Mabel Lam, Principal of S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School.

“The visit was also an important activity for the teachers as they were able to gain knowledge through the experience,” Mabel adds. “It is always good to have new resources for the best teaching and learning process.”

During DB Classroom On The Sea, students had the opportunity to meet the ferry crew – the master, assistant master, engineer, assistant engineer and two marine services assistants – learning about their respective roles and responsibilities. They were brought into the wheelhouse (usually out of bounds for passengers), where they learnt a little about marine navigation, and how the crew communicates with other units, like the Marine Department.

To round-off the field trip, students were treated to a special session about lifejackets: they learnt where the lifejackets are located, and got to put one on with help from the crew. Before heading back to DB pier, the students took part in a Q&A session to find out how much they’d learnt, and they were each gifted a small souvenir to remind them of their trip.

“It’s wonderful to see students learn from real experience, not just from textbooks,” says Coco Chung, a Class 3 Teacher at S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School. “They were so excited to enter “secret

FIRE HOSE DEMONSTRATION

IN THE WHEELHOUSE ON THE OUTER DECK

places,” like the wheelhouse and outer decks, which are restricted zones for passengers. The visit had a positive impact on students’ personal development, building their confidence and self-responsibility as they were taken out of their comfort zones.

“Most of us are visual learners; we are more likely to retain information and understand concepts when we have first-hand experience of them,” Coco adds. “Field trips are an effective way of teaching concepts through experience-based activities that are closely linked to the school curriculum. DB Classroom On The Sea ties in with the Primary 3 learning theme about transportation in Hong Kong. The visit reinforced lessons learnt, while expanding knowledge.”

COMMUNITY INTERACTION

Through DB Classroom On The Sea, Love.Together@DB and DBTPL set out to benefit not only the students and teachers involved but also their staff. “We strongly believe that involving staff in a CSR project of this kind makes them happier and more fulfilled. It helps them recognise the way their work positively impacts the community which, in turn, encourages personal and professional growth,” Simon explains.

This view is backed by Chan Chi Hung, Master of DBTPL, who says: “The crew was delighted to help provide this experiential learning opportunity for teachers and students in order to raise their knowledge and awareness on marine safety through direct, face-to-face interaction. The visit was both educational and precious. We are happy to have had the chance to connect with the lovely students. We had lots of fun with them – they warmed our hearts.”

In summing up the success of DB Classroom On The Sea, Sara Lai, Senior Manager, Community Relations of HKRCL says, “Love.Together@DB strives to foster partnerships and ties with a wide range of community partners to fulfil its corporate social responsibilities and advance its mission to create a caring, sharing, tightly knit community. Not only was DB Classroom On The Sea an effective passenger education session, it enabled students, teachers and DB staff to spend time together and bond.

“Above all, DB Classroom On The Sea allowed the students to have fun and discover new things,” Sara concludes. “Many of our best school memories are created during school trips with peers and teachers, and may last a lifetime. We hope the ferry visit created positive, lasting memories for the young DBers!”

It was interesting because I had a chance to learn about the ferry and try on a lifejacket.

I was very happy because I could visit some places on the ferry that I really wanted to see, like the wheelhouse.

- Li Chun Hei

I was very excited because I got to talk to the captain of a DB Ferry.

- Cheung Lok Ching Kimi

Love.Together@DB is a community-caring platform initiated in 2012 by Hong Kong Resort Company Ltd dedicated to serving the Discovery Bay (DB) community. The platform proactively supports and co-organises diversified corporate social responsibility initiatives with NGOs, community leaders and volunteers to promote a loving and caring culture in the sustainable and multicultural DB community.

- Jasinskas Aronas

SIMON TU WITH STUDENTS

Camps

Football

Languages

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

www.afhongkong.org

HK DRAGONS FC dragons.hk

HK Dragons FC’s winter camps, for children aged 4 to 14, run from December 19 to 23 and December 27 to 30. Held at DB North Plaza Pitch, the camps are led by experienced coaches and open to players of all abilities. Themed daily sessions include small group training, and focus on players’ technical ability, physical conditioning and tactical understanding.

Alliance Française’s French Summer Intensive Camp is tailor-made for children aged 3 to 5 and 7 to 10 years. The halfday summer workshops are themed around popular topics, such as cooking, comics and cinema. In addition, there are intensive courses (up to 5 classes a week) that allow children to learn French at a fast pace during their holidays. The workshops and courses are on offer in Wanchai, Shatin and Jordan through September 23.

Tel: 2987 4274

WhatsApp: 6417 3303

WhatsApp: 4620 5289

Email: theoffice@dragons.com.hk

Email: afinfo@afhongkong.org

Football

Languages

Music

ARK EDEN

YIFAN MANDARIN

YROCK HK

www.arkedenonlantau.org

www.yifancamps.com

www.facebook.com/YRockHK

Ark Eden’s multi-day Christmas camps bring out the adventurous, curious and compassionate side of children, aged 5 to 11 years. Running from December 19 to 23, 27 to 30 and January 2 to 6 in the Mui Wo hills, the camps are both fun and educational with different eco-minded activities, like treehouse building, campfire cooking and swimming in waterfalls on offer each day. Pick-up and drop off in Tung Chung is available.

At Yifan Mandarin’s weekly Mandarinimmersion programmes in DB North Plaza, children learn Mandarin through fun and varied, hands-on activities. The half-day summer camp, for kids aged 3.5 to 9 years, runs through August 11, Monday to Friday, 9.15am to 12.15pm. The 100% Mandarin full-day bootcamp for 8- to 13-year-olds is back this summer, combining half-day classroom learning with half-day sports and activities.

YRock is offering guitar, ukulele and singing lessons all summer for children of all ages. Run by fellow DB parents and professional musicians Miriam Ma and Chris Collins (Bachelor of Music), YRock has been teaching music courses in schools around Hong Kong since 2006.

Tel: 2988 5355

WhatsApp: 9208 7611

Tel: 6180 0817

Email: learn@yifanmandarin.com

Email: info@arkedenonlantau.org

Email: miriam@yrockhk.com

ARK EDEN

www.arkedenonlantau.org

Ark Eden’s eco-based summer camps focus on nurturing children’s love of the outdoors and building their confidence and skills through play. The camps are designed for kids aged 5 to 11 years, and run through August 31 on a beautiful hillside in Mui Wo. There are different nature-based themes each day; activities include waterfall hikes, tree climbing, organic farming, nature crafts, river play, storytelling, campfires, water fights and wild cooking.

Tel: 2988 5355

Email: info@arkedenonlantau.org

TREASURE ISLAND

www.treasureislandhk.com

Treasure Island’s 5-day summer adventure camps run through August 25 in Pui O. The camps are divided into three categories: Kids Adventure for 5- to 9-year-olds; and Teen Extreme which splits into two age groups: 9 to 13 years and 13 to 17 years. From hiking and swimming to raft-building, kids get to experience a wide range of outdoor pursuits, while developing eco-awareness and leadership skills.

Tel: 5236 7016

Email: inquiries@treasureislandhk.com

FAUST

www.faustworld.com

On August 26 and September 2, Faust is offering free Trial Drama Workshops for children aged 3 to 16 and free Trial Musical Theatre Workshops for children aged 7 to 16 at Faust Studio in Sheung Wan. Faust is also offering Summer Programmes, for children aged 3 to 15, held at various locations across HK until August 25. Register 3 or more kids at the same time to enjoy a 15% discount.

Tel: 2547 9114

Email: info@faustworld.com

Support System! BEAT THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL BLUES

The start of a new school year can be a stressful time for children at any age, try these holistic parenting hacks to help ease the transition

The holidays are over and the new school year has begun. This can be a stressful, even depressing time for children. The transition can test their coping skills in dealing with adjustments such as new teachers and new classrooms, as well as managing hectic school and work schedules. Children need to feel confident and organised as they head back to school, and mentally prepared to knuckle down and get back not just into a daily routine but into study. So, what can you do to help?

PHYSICAL WELLBEING

Positive physical health and wellbeing contribute to a child’s ability to flourish, thrive and achieve.

Equipping children with the skills to cope with potentially stressful situations will enable them to navigate the challenges that might lie ahead. In terms of children’s general wellbeing, there are three key areas to consider. Are your kids sleeping well? Are they getting enough exercise? What is their daily diet? Of course, routine bedtime hours are unappealing to many children, especially teens but a huge part of being prepared and coping is being able to function – without sleep we can’t function at our best.

We all benefit from structure. So from the first day back at school (or better, a week or so before school starts), get your children into a regular routine. Ensure they go to bed at a fixed time and wake up early. Getting clothes ready the night before – and organising backpacks, binders, lunchboxes and cafeteria money – will help remove the stress from those first early mornings, as will eating a hearty breakfast. Those precious after-school hours also need to be well-structured, with time set aside for doing homework, socialising, screentime, eating supper, hanging out with family and simply relaxing. There’s a lot to cram in!

As the new term progresses, monitor your children’s routine and discuss areas that could be improved. Strengthen their understanding about how physical wellbeing can set us on the path for success. Your aim is to assist by being supportive and realistic: work out a personalised schedule that makes sense for your child. Know too, that it’s important to be flexible with time; allow for the unexpected.

MENTAL HEALTH

Often, it’s the fear of the unknown – new classmates, teachers, classes – that is most stressful for children heading back to school. The good news is that most children are adept at coping with change and you can help them in that process by providing a setting that fosters resilience, and encourages them to share and express their feelings.

As always, it’s important to talk to your children: ask about their concerns – and really listen to their response. When we feel heard, we immediately feel validated, and once our fears are vocalised, they tend to diminish. Change can be difficult, but also exciting. Let your children know that you are aware of what they’re going through and that you are there to help.

You can begin to educate even very young children about the nature of anxiety – and its benefits. Take some time to explain the “fight or flight” process, so they understand what is happening to their brain and body when they become nervous. Explain that

TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN: ASK ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS –AND REALLY LISTEN TO THEIR RESPONSE

anxiety is meant to protect us but occasionally misfires and becomes a little overprotective – so we need to train our brain to embrace anxious thoughts instead of pushing them away. It is important to encourage children to face their fears instead of falling into the trap of avoidance.

After discussing what anxiety is and how it plays out, it’s important to validate your children’s feelings by empathising. Tell them how nervous you remember feeling at the beginning of a new school term or when you started your first job. Let them know that we all experience these feelings and that it’s totally fine to do so.

PRACTICAL SUPPORT

When heading back to school, children need to know that they have your support not just emotionally but also on a practical level. So, it’s essential that you get involved! You may be able to arrange to take a tour of their school, so they can show you where their locker and classrooms are located. This will help ease anxiety of the unknown. The more you know about your children’s school, the better equipped you will be to understand the transition they are undergoing.

Be sure to meet members of the school community, or join the school PTA. Attend any meetings the school invites you to. If you hear from the teachers about upcoming activities, you can ensure your child is organised and prepared. Direct any questions or concerns you have to the school, rather than to your child, and arrange for extra tuition in certain subjects if needed.

And a word about academic expectations: try not to set them too high as this will only add to your child’s stress, and never downplay the fact that schoolwork is hard. If your child is having trouble with a certain subject, let them know this is totally acceptable, not something to feel bad about. You can’t stress this enough. Emphasis that students are not supposed to understand everything straight away – that’s why there are teachers and study guides and services like tutors. Children need to know that it might take a couple of goes for them to review new content before it sticks, and that’s fine.

Practical support includes involving yourself in your children’s schoolwork and helping when you can, while encouraging them to study with friends. Bear in mind that everyone in your child’s year group is in the same boat, and so are their families. Students all get the same lessons and sit the same exams. Knowing they’re not alone can be a comfort to children, and to bring this home you should encourage them to spend time with fellow students outside school.

Last but not least, take time to listen to your children and discuss their day at school and any issues they may have. While grades and homework are important, it is essential that you express holistic interest in your child. This means asking about their social life, extra-curricular activities and how they like their teachers. Your goal is to help your children implement self-care from a young age.

Going back to school doesn’t have to be scary. There are endless ways to support kids through the transition. It’s important to draw on their strengths, and encourage them to see how incredible they truly are. Start each week on a positive note and also give your child something to look forward to. Plan to spend quality time together at the weekend, or suggest a sleepover with friends.

ESTABLISH A REGULAR MORNING ROUTINE

MY RESULTS ARE DOWN, WHAT DO I DO?

Every year some students get a sinking feeling on results day and my first piece of advice is don’t beat yourself up; it is unequivocally not the end of the world. In fact, there are plenty of options and your only task is to decide which looks like the best one for you.

Firstly, what are the implications? If grades do not materially affect your plans, then do not worry about them. Believe me, no one, especially you, will care about your grades within a year or two. Don’t let lower than expected results change your life. Take the positive from experiencing (and getting over) disappointment. Move on and seek advice. At ITS Education Asia (ITS), we can provide solutions and alternatives whether you are at a final (A-level/ IBDP) or interim stage (IGCSE).

MISSED A-LEVEL/ IBDP GRADES

First of all, check with the university. In recent years, for example, many UK universities have changed their conditional offer to an unconditional one for international students who missed their offer by one grade or a couple of points. If you are on a non-JUPAS application to a Hong Kong university and you miss grades, you will probably find that avenue closed.

So if you find your place is not available, you need to rethink. You may want to ask for a re-mark of your exam but this is usually only advisable if you are very close to a grade boundary. Alternatively, you could track a different study route, such as doing resits or a one-year A-level programme to change your application strategy. You could put study on hold completely and go into work or a gap year looking to resume study later.

With resits, some schools are willing to allow you to go back for exams only, but you need to check what is available and when. At ITS, one of our founding principles is bringing flexibility into the system. We offer courses and enrolments for a wide range of exams in all the available sessions – October, January and summer – precisely to accommodate students needing bespoke solutions.

MISSED IGCSE GRADES

Many schools have set criteria for allowing IGCSE students to continue to IBDP or A-level. This is usually a combination of a minimum number of passes, plus grade 6 or above in the subjects chosen

at HL or for A-level. If you miss these, you need to find out whether the school is willing to allow you to continue, and what you will be allowed to do. Don’t just swallow an option you don’t really like. If the school cannot accommodate what you want and need then it is no longer the school for you (and missing your grades is an indicator of that as well.)

In this case, re-evaluate what you think the future looks like. Is it academic? Or do you feel happier in a more vocational mindset? You almost certainly won’t know what you want to do for work long-term. The best thing you can do is keep your options open and again, get flexibility into your chosen pathway. This is why modern curriculums stay broad and why the International A-level modular system is designed the way it is.

At ITS, we specialise in offering consultations at this stage of the learning pathway to help families properly evaluate all the options they have both in Hong Kong and overseas. We can provide a comprehensive overview of mainstream offerings available, as well as more alternative settings such as our own.

Danny Harrington , Founder and Managing Director of ITS Education Asia, has some solutions for A-level/ IBDP and IGCSE students

Danny Harrington is the Founder and Managing Director at ITS Education Asia, Hong Kong’s only alternative schooling provider accredited with Pearson for IAL and IGCSE. To sign up for a consultation, visit www.itseducation.asia.

Entrepreneur of the Month!

CHRISTOPH BAUCHINGER

Christoph Bauchinger moved to DB five years ago largely to ensure his baby daughter would grow up with plenty of green space to run around on. In January this year, he decided to bring more “green” to the community, opening The Golf Bay, a top-of-the-range indoor golf simulator in DB North. The former sports journalist and sometime stay-at-home dad has some inspirational advice for budding entrepreneurs.

REPORTING BY Kayli Liebenberg

PHOTO BY Beatrix Malan - www.atscollective.com

sk Christoph Bauchinger to name the entrepreneur he most admires and he declines with a wry grin. “I admire any entrepreneur that opens something up because they think it’s a good idea and they see an opportunity. It takes guts and it takes risk to build a business whatever industry you’re in.

“With a start-up, there’s always risk involved,” Christoph adds. “You can do all the research you want, you can feel so prepared but when you open, you still can’t be sure if it will work out or not. You definitely need to be a risk-taker but it should be a calculated risk. If you’re reckless, it can work out, but then luck comes into the equation, which you don’t really want to rely on.”

Can you elaborate on that, Christoph? How do you ensure you’re taking a “calculated” risk when starting up a business? “You need to factor in two things: location and competition. The main reason I opened The Golf Bay in DB is because there aren’t any indoor golf simulators here or nearby. I thought I would use a simulator if there was one in DB, and I knew that friends of mine and other people in the community would want one here too. It’s very convenient. And we opened in the winter – prime golf season in Hong Kong.

“There are a lot of simulators in other parts of Hong Kong, so the competition is much tougher. Anyway, I felt I could do it better in DB. We’ve got a large space in DB North – you need plenty of room in a simulator and you especially need height, otherwise, you can’t swing the golf club.”

You’re a keen golfer. Should you only open a business if you’re passionate about it? “I’m sure there are lots of examples of people who are running successful businesses that they aren’t passionate about –people who just saw a niche in the market – but it’s going to be a lot easier if it’s something you like doing as well. If it’s something you’re not passionate about, you might get into trouble if things don’t go as you expected, whereas if you’re passionate about it, you’ll be more involved and you’ll know how to move forward. If you don’t care about it, you might give up when you start facing difficulties.

“At the end of the day, what’s important in business is that you know what you’re doing. I know golf. I’m not an expert but I know it well enough to make a living from it. You need to have at least a degree of interest or passion in what you’re going to do.”

Does this effect who you hire? Do you look for employees who share your passion? “I look for

people skills more than anything. It’s not that important to know the ins and outs of golf. My employees aren’t going to give you tips on how to swing the club or anything like that but they can show you how the systems work and they can make sure you have a good time.

“What’s important is that you have staff you can rely on, which I’m happy to have. In the afternoon, my employees take over so that I can pick my daughter up from school. My wife works full-time; there’s lots of coordinating and planning.”

So, would you say successful entrepreneurship involves teamwork? “Absolutely. You need to know when to let other people do things that you’re not so good at. You need to be realistic about your strengths and weaknesses. Otherwise, you’ll take on too much and that’s not going to help you.

“When running a business, you also need to know how to persevere and work through difficulties. You need to be as organised as possible because there are so many different aspects of running a business and there’s so much going on in the background. If you’re not organised, things can spiral out of control.”

Can you pinpoint one thing that has ensured The Golf Bay’s success? “We didn’t cheap out on the equipment or facilities. The tech that we have is very high-end, very accurate. People who train here see results – it adds to their game and improves their skill – this keeps them coming back. It’s important not to take your customers for granted. You need to make sure they have a good time and get their money’s worth.”

Lastly then, what is your end game? “To make The Golf Bay as successful as it can be, so people in DB have a place to play and practice and enjoy themselves. Most of our customers are from DB. I wanted to add something to the community that isn’t just another pizza place or real estate agency. I set up The Golf Bay to give people something new to do, and to encourage kids and teenagers to get into golf.”

The Golf Bay provides bay rentals and multiple bay rental packages for both right- and left-handed players in DB North. Golf lessons are also on offer. To know more and make a booking, visit www.thegolfbay.hk.

ALittle Bitof Trivia! CAT QUIZ!

In the lead-up to International Cat Day on August 8, find out how much you know about your feline companions

REPORTING BY Kayli Liebenberg

1. Which movie features a cat called Cat?

A. The Nightmare Before Christmas

B. Breakfast at Tiffany’s

C. The Devil Wears Prada

2. How many teeth do cats have?

A. 25

B. 30

C. 40

3. On average, how many hours does a cat sleep per day?

A. 7 to 10 hours

B. 10 to 15 hours

C. 13 to 14 hours

4. What is Garfield’s favourite food?

A. Lasagna

B. Spaghetti

C. Ravioli

5. Why do cats raise their butts when you pet them?

A. To show their enjoyment

B. As a friendly greeting

C. Both A and B

6. Which breed of cats is the smallest?

A. Maine Coon

B. Singapura

C. Domestic Shorthair

7. In Harry Potter, what is Argus Filch’s cat called?

A. Mrs Norris

B. Lady Kitty

C. Princess Fluff

8. What unusual feature do polydactyl cats have?

They have webbed toes

They have longer claws than normal

They have more than the usual number

Which ancient civilization believed cats were magical creatures?

14. What is the extreme fear of cats called?

A. Enochlophobia

B. Ailurophobia

C. Astraphobia

15. How many whiskers do cats have?

A. 12

B. 24

C. 30

16. Which country has more cats per person than any other country in the world?

A. South Africa

B. New Zealand

C. Brazil

17. What is a litter of cats also called?

A. A chowder

B. A kindle

C. Both A and B

18. What are pregnant cats called?

A. Queens

What colour are cats’ eyes when they

B. Ladies

C. Mares

19. For how many months is a cat pregnant?

A. 2

cats find gross and tend to stay away from?

C. Orange

12. Which part of a cat is as unique as the human fingerprint?

A. Their paw pads

B. Their fur patterns

C. Their noses

13. Which flavours are cats unable to taste?

A. Sweet

B. Salty

C. Sour

B. 5

C. 6

20. The Bengal cat is a domesticated cat breed crossed with which wild cat?

A. Asian leopard

B. African leopard

C. Bengal tiger

You can check your score at www.arounddb.com> 20-questions>cat-quiz

Top Tips!VACATION FUNDING

You don’t have to sell your soul or downsize your home to travel to the places you want to see in life. Relatively small changes in your spending and saving habits will get you where you want to go. Ray Au reports

y wife and I attended a wedding in July; a pretty big wedding in Repulse Bay with Mahjong to start, an eightcourse Chinese banquet to follow, and then dancing. Handing over our lai see packet at the entrance it struck me, as it always does, what a sensible idea this monetary proof of love is.

By asking for wedding presents newlyweds run the risk of getting saddled with 20 juicers and some rather unpleasant or at least random “home accessories”. A wedding list at Harvey Nichols or Lane Crawford is all very nice but basically redundant for couples over 30, who already have all the crockery and chinaware, irons and toasters they need (in duplicate). Hard cash on the other hand is always useful.

Our friends are planning to use their lai see to pay for their honeymoon in South Africa. With 200 guests, all putting in HK$500 minimum, they are definitely on to a winner. (I checked: return flights for two to Cape Town in August with Qatar Airways come in at around HK$22,000, so they’ll have plenty left over for safaris and road trips.)

So the day after the wedding, as my wife reminisced about our blissful but comparatively modest honeymoon in Sicily, I sat back and felt bad. Fifteen years into marriage, we are still funding holidays with whatever is in our bank accounts when our travel date comes around.

This month, caught on the hop, we are headed for a two-week self-catering holiday in Koh Samui. Rents are still relatively cheap at the moment as the island bounces back from lockdown. It’s going to be fun, and we’re flying direct from Hong Kong… but can I do better by my family next year? Obviously, I can’t ask friends and family to subsidise us but what proven ways are there to fund and save for travel?

BANKING BASICS

It occurs to me that the first step is to open a dedicated savings account. Over the coming year, I can then save for our summer jaunt directly and methodically.

Looking into this, I’ve found that setting up a savings account costs nothing (or close to nothing). Just make sure that you don’t face any minimum balance penalties when you actually start to spend the money you’ve saved. I’ve also ensured that I have ATM and online access to the account, so I can draw money directly from the account when booking and travelling. The money I set aside for our trip should be the money I actually spend – no juggling between accounts.

Using a single, dedicated account will also help me budget during our holiday. I can keep an eye on

A TRANSFER OF HK$1,500 A MONTH ADDS UP TO HK$18,000 A YEAR. THAT WOULD HAVE PAID FOR THREE RETURN FLIGHTS TO KOH SAMUI

the balance as our trip progresses, and track the true costs without too much effort.

In order to fund the account, I’ve set up an automatic (monthly) transfer from my current account. Consider that a transfer of HK$1,500 a month adds up to HK$18,000 a year. That would have paid for three return flights to Koh Samui this August on Bangkok Airways. I could have then checked the family into a little hotel rather than going the self-catering route.

It’s worth noting that employers will often agree to split your pay cheque deposits among multiple accounts. This means you could arrange for 5 or 10% of your monthly earnings to go straight into your dedicated travel account – without having to move it yourself, ask the bank to do it for you, or be tempted to spend it.

TRAVEL-FUND BOOSTERS

Tried-and-tested ways to save are often the best, so I’m going to bring out the (super-sized) change jar, label it “travel fund”, and drop my spare change into it daily. The banks exchange coins for notes if you bag it according to denomination, and a specified amount.

Our daughter Amy, 13, has sworn by this moneysaving method for years, but is it a childish means of saving? Not really! Not when you consider that it only takes HK$15 a day to get to HK$5,475 in a

year. With two adults emptying their pockets into a jar every day, the loot adds up fast.

Talking about time-honoured ways to make a little cash, I’m inspired by the families who used to man the Flea Market stalls in DB Plaza. I figure you can make quite a lot by selling off unwanted clothes and household items – so when the market reappears, and assuming I’ve got enough clobber, I’ll hire a stall, In the meantime, I’m going to look into selling a couple of items on the DB Mums Facebook page. A friend recently put up a dehumidifier, a microwave, a baby changing table and a child’s car seat, and made a cool HK$5,500.

I’ve also been talking for a long time about getting rid of a ton of stuff on eBay, so when we get back from this year’s summer holiday, I’m going to get round to doing it. It’s time to part with my Amazing Spider-Man Marvel comic books (Amy has no interest in them), and my wife says my “secret” stash of Sports Illustrated can go too. While individual items may not sell for much, every little bit helps.

GRANTS – FOR THE KIDS TOO

If you are travelling for professional, educational or research purposes, you may qualify for any number of grants. These travel grants do not fund entire trips, but they will offset some of your expenses – so while you won’t get a free holiday, it can be considerable money in your pocket nonetheless.

It strikes me, too, that travel grants can be an excellent way to help kids appreciate that the annual bucket-and-spade holiday costs a lot more money than staying at home. This year, I’m going to have Amy apply for a travel grant (from me) to help fund her next trip. I think she’ll enjoy going through the full grant process – establishing a foundation, giving it a name, getting letters of support, creating a budget and outlining her responsibilities. I’ll advise her to hit up her grandparents for a little cash.

To my mind, it makes sense to encourage kids to save a little from their weekly allowance to spend on their holidays. Explain that vacations cost extra, and that while you are still paying the bills at home during the trip and will cover the travel expenses, they will need to save up for any extras. When I talk to Amy about this, I’ll specify exactly what she’ll need to save for. I’ll cover flights, hotel rooms, meals, park admission and the like, and expect her to chip in for souvenirs and snacks.

Lastly, I encourage you to do a true budget for your trip. Work out what you will likely spend over the two weeks, including flights, accommodation, daily expenses and non-travel costs like boarding for pets. But also factor in what you will save, on things like energy costs, and ferry and taxi fares. Working out the pluses and minuses will give you a much more honest cash-flow analysis of how much your trip is going to cost. This year we’ll go anyway, next year we’ll do it right!

TRIED-AND-TESTED WAYS TO SAVE ARE OFTEN THE BEST

YACHT CHARTER YACHT CHARTER

CLASSIC SAILING HK

Classic Sailing HK offers 3- to 6-hour sailing charters of various types, from laid-back casual cruising to hands-on sail training, no experience necessary. Exclusive or shared charters are available on La Bonita, a “blue water” classic cutter rigged sailing yacht. On a 6-hour charter, you get to take a break for lunch and anchor in a quiet bay for a swim, or stop by a seafood restaurant on one of Hong Kong’s many islands. Fun family-orientated add-ons like treasure hunts are available.

WhatsApp: 9803 4059

Email: info@classicsailinghk.com

Website: www.classicsailinghk.com

SIMPSON YACHT CHARTER

Simpson Yacht Charter, a division of Simpson Marine, offers a wide range of yachts, itineraries and expert guidance out of bases in Hong Kong, Singapore, Phuket, Pattaya and Langkawi. Choose from bare boat, crewed, superyacht, and corporate charters, with a diverse fleet to match. Experience world-class service and the thrill of yachting in Asia first-hand; explore over 60 yachts for charter in Hong Kong alone.

Tel: 2555 8377

Email: hongkong@simpsonyachtcharter.com

Website: www.simpsonyachtcharter.com

YACHTS & JUNKS

HONG KONG ASIA BOATING

Hong Kong Asia Boating provides various boating options from classic teak junks to luxury cruisers and yachts. The team charters for all budgets, from boat rental only to fully serviced. Well-known Hong Kong catering and drink suppliers are included in many charter packages, as are options for extreme water sports. Hong Kong Asia Boating caters to all events for any celebration with a team that is passionate, reliable and flexible.

Tel: 6376 1012

Email: enquiry@hk-asiaboating.com

Website: www.hk-asiaboating.com

YACHTS & JUNKS

HONG KONG BOATS

Hong Kong Boats has over 40 charter boats to choose from: everything from luxury yachts, cruisers and junks to sailing yachts and catamarans. You have the option to rent the boat only or go with a fully catered package. Pick-up and drop-off can be arranged in DB, Central, TST, or Causeway Bay.

Tel: 6493 2650

Email: info@hongkongboating.hk

Website: www.hongkongboating.hk

YACHTS & JUNKS

SEA-E-O YACHTING

SEA-E-O Yachting offers private and corporate charters on its two signature yachts Infinity and Sigma, making you and your guests feel like a CEO for the day. Infinity and Sigma are suitable for families and corporate groups for both day and evening activities and events. SEA-E-O Yachting also has junk boats, cruisers and other yachts available, departing from Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Sai Kung. Allinclusive packages are available too.

Tel: 5489 4061

Email: joey@sea-e-o.hk

Website: www.sea-e-o.hk

CHARTER JUNKS HK

Charter Junks HK’s two teakwood motor junks are licensed to carry up to 32 passengers and staffed by a friendly, well-qualified crew. You can choose between a boat-only charter or a fully catered experience – complete with speedboat and wakeboard rides. A variety of packages and tours are available locally, with the option for pickup and drop-off in DB, Central or Aberdeen. Night cruises and murder mystery nights are also on offer.

Tel: 2516 7397, 5431 8894

Email: bookings@charterjunkshk.com

Website: www.charterjunkshk.com

JUNK HIRE

Vacation Time! INDONESIAN ADVENTURE

Java in 12 days

PEOPLE LOVE TO HATE JAKARTA but the crazy and congested Indonesian capital actually has a lot going for it. There are a surprising number of seriously cool bars and clubs, plus mammoth shopping malls. The colonial architecture of Fatahillah Square, including the Jakarta History Museum, comes to life in the evenings when locals congregate, giving a charming picture of city life.

MAJESTIC TANGKUBAN PERAHU,

30 kilometres north of Bandung, is part volcano with sulphurous water hissing and bubbling off its slopes. It’s a pleasant hike up to the 1,830-metre peak, and on the way down you can hire a guide to walk you through the jungle and tea plantations. The ubiquitous stall at the end of the path is a great place to hang out with a local family.

SARI ATER

HOT SPRINGS

RIGHT NEXT DOOR are no frills to the extreme. Throw some money at the experience and you get to bathe in your very own concrete compartment. Far more entertaining are the affordable pool or the free “pond” where kids play and old men gossip. In deference to the locals cover your bikini with shorts and a T-shirt.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels

MOST TOURISTS BUS IN TO BOROBUDUR,

spend the day loving the incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site and its 504 Buddha statues, buy a few souvenirs and then bus back to Yogyakarta. The monument is incredible, addictive even, changing throughout the day according to the light. Go before sunrise to avoid the crowds and then jump on a bicycle with a local guide to pedal around the surrounding villages.

INDONESIA’S CENTRE OF CULTURE

Yogyakarta is surprisingly modern and chaotic. Duck away from the main shopping streets to see Yogyakarta Palace; a living museum of Javanese culture, home to the king and his family. The stunning and romantic Taman Sari Water Palace, a formal royal garden with an artificial lake and pavilions, is also well worth a look.

TAKE A QUICK DETOUR TO BROMO

Tengger Semeru National Park to catch a glimpse of Mount Bromo, the 2,329-metre volcano which sits in a vast “sea of sand” in eastern Java’s Tengger massif. It has particular significance for the local people: the name Bromo comes from the Javanese pronunciation of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, and at the mouth of the crater, there is an idol of Ganesha, the Hindu god of wisdom.

AND

FINALLY:

SURABAYA. You’ll find there’s more of interest in this large, modern city than first meets the eye. The Sampoerna Tobacco Factory makes for a fascinating, if politically incorrect visit – you watch the rows and rows of cigarette rollers from behind a window. From there, take a tuk-tuk to the Chinese market with its soft carpet of garlic skins, and the Arabic market where you feel like you’re walking in a Middle Eastern souk.

UNTANGLING UK INHERITANCE TAX

know

If you thought inheritance tax (IHT) was just something for the extremely wealthy to worry about, think again.

Rising property prices have meant more estates than ever are likely to face an IHT bill. In fact, between 2017 and 2021, families paid £27.2 billion in IHT. This is estimated to climb 36% to £37 billion for the period from 2022 to 2027. Last year alone raised £7.1 billion for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

If your estate has an IHT liability, your beneficiaries will have to pay the tax bill before they can receive the assets you leave them. A legacy reduced by 40% may not be the kind of legacy most people think of leaving behind.

The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do during your lifetime to take care of a potential IHT problem.

WHAT IS IHT? It is a tax payable to HMRC at a rate of 40% on the net estate of the deceased above the nil-rate band (NRB) of £325,000 per individual, or £650,000 per married couple or civil partnership upon death.

Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB) is an additional allowance that lets you pass up to £175,000 (£350,000 for couples) of a property’s value to direct descendants without having to pay IHT, as long as it is your primary residence. However, the RNRB tapers off by £1 for every £2 over £2,000,000 that your estate is worth, and it’s capped at £2,350,0000 in the 2022/ 23 tax year. That means those with estates larger than that can’t benefit from the RNRB.

WHO PAYS IHT AND WHEN? IHT is paid by the executors of your Will. IHT is paid before the estate assets can be passed to the beneficiaries and must be paid within six months of death or penalties start to apply.

IHT EXEMPTIONS AND ALLOWANCES. Other than the main NRB and RNRB allowances, there are

other exemptions and allowances that can be used to minimise IHT:

• Annual gift allowance (£3,000 per tax year)

• Small gifts (up to £250)

• Wedding gifts (up to £5,000 to a child, up to £2,500 to a grandchild or great-grandchild and up to £1,000 to another relative or friend)

• Gifts to charities

• Gifts out of surplus income*

• Gifts to help with living costs (i.e. to an exspouse, elderly dependent or child under 18 or in full-time education)*

*Note that for some of the above gifts to fall off the taxable estate, the donor has to live for at least seven years from the date of gifting.

OTHER WAYS TO REDUCE IHT. Pensions that meet the criteria of being a Qualifying Non-UK Pension Scheme are exempt from IHT following a member’s death. Besides providing its members with retirement income, such pensions are also tax efficient (no IHT, no Capital Gains Tax, reduced tax on rental income), thanks to initiatives granted by HMRC.

Contract-based retirement plans are just one way to reduce IHT, it is also possible to put your property in a trust account.

Mark Kirkham of Soteria Trusts outlines everything you need to

Mark Kirkham is a long-term DB resident and CEO of the Business Class Group, of which Soteria Trusts, the group's fiduciary and asset protection arm, is a part of. Contact us at www.soteriatrusts.com to learn more about reducing IHT, or join us for one of our monthly UK Tax Seminars at www.soteriatrusts.com/events.

UK PROPERTY INVESTING 101

Thinking of investing in property but feeling like youʼre not quite ready? We have the perfect solution for you – our Property Investing 101 Course. With 1-minute videos and blog posts delivered to you in a weekly email, this course makes it easy to learn everything there is to know about property investing – on your schedule! You will learn the ins and outs of this investment strategy from Gordon Franks, a property investment professional and a DB resident of 18 years.

Sign up today at www.lfsproperty.com/events/

CARPET WASHING & REPAIRS PROFESSIONALS

You can buy a carpet in the comfort of your home (We can bring the carpets to you with no obligation.)

CALL +852 9018 0897

EMAIL : : I qb a l h k @m e co m

WEBSITE : I qb al c a rpet s.h k

ADDRESS : 23A KAP PIN LONG, SAIKUNG

IN THE RAW

Raw food, even in small amounts, has huge nutritional benefits for just about everyone. Try tartare two ways

SEA BREAM TARTARE WITH ASPARAGUS

Serves 4

1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½tsp white wine vinegar

2tsp wasabi paste

2tbsp lime juice, fresh

1 celery stick, diced

1 carrot, diced

400g sea bream fillet, diced fine

1 shallot, diced fine

½tbsp parsley, finely chopped

2tbsp creme fraiche

12 asparagus spears, cut diagonally

2tbsp natural yoghurt

1tbsp lemon juice

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, wasabi paste and lime juice in a bowl then set aside. Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil and cook the celery and carrot until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool. To make the tartare, place the fish in a cold bowl and season well. Add the shallot, parsley, cooked vegetables and crème fraiche. Add the wasabi and olive oil mixture, mix everything together and season to taste.

Blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water until tender, then plunge into iced water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside. Plate the tartar using a pastry ring, and place the asparagus and some additional wasabi on the side. Mix together the yoghurt and lemon juice and drizzle over to serve.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock

STEAK TARTARE

Serves 4

400g beef fillet, finely chopped

8 gherkins, finely chopped

4tsp capers, finely chopped

4 shallots, finely chopped

2tsp Dijon mustard

2tsp Tabasco sauce

2tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 free-range eggs

Place the chopped beef, gherkins, capers and shallots into a bowl and mix well. Add the mustard, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Mix again and season to taste.

Plate the tartar using a pastry ring. Make a small dent in the top of the tartare and top with a fresh egg yolk, then carefully remove the ring. Serve immediately with a green salad, toasted bread or fat chips.

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COMMUNITY SNAPS

PHOTOS BY Richard Gordon - www.richardgordonphotography.com

UNCLE RUSS INSTAGRAM COMPETITION

SHARE A PHOTO #AROUNDDB TO WIN PRIZES FROM UNCLE RUSS COFFEE AND THE PIER BAR!

Your mission this month is to share your favourite photo of DB on Instagram #arounddb. You have until the 15th of the month to enter. This is your chance to win four complimentary drinks from Uncle Russ and The Pier Bar. We will contact the winner on Instagram #arounddb. Good luck!

Go @852go.snapshot

Packing, Moving & Storage Services. Fixed price quote upon onsite survey or choose from the rates below:

Hire a Truck: HK$220/hour. Minimum 3 hours.

Short Trips: HK$200 & up.

Hire Movers: HK$120/hour per mover. Minimum 3 hours.

Cartons and Packing Materials:

16x14x14" (Small): HK$12.

23x15x15" (Medium): HK$15.

24x18x16" (Large): HK$18.

36x23x11" (Flat Carton for Hanging Clothes): HK$30.

24x22x47" (Wardrobe Boxes): HK$90.

Plastic Wrap: HK$60/roll.

Packing Paper: HK$160/ream.

Bubble: HK$50/roll.

Packing Tape: HK$8/piece.

Plastic Boxes & Used Cartons can be provided free of charge. (Subject to availability.)

Serves Lantau, DB, Tung Chung and the rest of HK.

LOCAL NUMBERS

TUNG CHUNG

SOUTH LANTAU

DISCOVERY BAY

Harvey Law Group

International law firm offering a wide range of commercial & personal legal services. Meeting facilities available in DB. Contact 24168618, dboffice@harveylawcorporation.com,

The Rink Italian Kitchen

A reputable & well-known international school for authentic Montessori bilingual (English & Chinese) education for children aged 1 to 12 years. Beautiful campus & highly qualified teachers. Contact 2987 1201, enquiry@dms.edu.hk, www.dms.edu.hk

Billed as Hong Kong’s tallest indoor entertainment centre, EpicLand is home to the city's first ‘air trek’, complete with eight sky-high obstacles, trampolines, slides and more. Contact 2441 0098, reception@epiclandhk.com, www.epiclandhk.com

Located in DB Plaza Extension, the THE RINK Italian Kitchen offers guests a unique gastronomical experience of authentic Italian flavours. To reserve a table, call 3709 6451.

Discovery Montessori School

A LETTER FROM THE OUTBACK

Tourists are swarming into Hong Kong again this summer, but Peter Sherwood doesn’t expect his aunt to be one of them

Got a letter the other day (an old-fashioned one with envelope and stamp) from my old uncle Kevin in outback Australia. He’s never left Queensland.

G’day Peter, I think the wife has gone mad, she wants to go to Hong Kong. Maybe you can talk her out of it. Says she wants to see that big Buddha statue you’ve got there. She’s obsessed. I told her, It’s just a fat bloke sitting down staring into space, and there’s lots of blokes like that down at the local pub.

And when it comes to big things we’ve got loads right here. The Big Banana is 13 metres long, and the Big Pineapple is huge. Our 10-metre Big Potato is solid concrete and we’ve even got 40-tonne Larry the Lobster and a Big Prawn. But, no, it has to be the Hong Kong fat geezer.

Worse, she read about the Seven Summits. You’ve done a bit of mountain climbing so you know about that, but she’s comparing our Seven Iconic Big Things to bloody great mountains. I tell you, Peter, she’s not well.

Just yesterday, she got hold of a fancy Hong Kong tourist brochure that says you’ve got seven million people there in 1,000 square kilometres. That’s insane. Around here there’s seven people per 1,000 square kilometres and I don’t like most of them. Beats me how you all get along.

She reckons you’ve all moved to China now. How the hell did you move millions of people all the way to China? Anyway, she won’t leave it alone. Like a starving dingo with a dead wombat, she is. Wants to go shopping for God’s sake! Hey, the local shop is only a three-hour drive away and it’s got everything and fresh bread on Fridays. You can get fertilisers, seeds, weed killer, tractor parts, chicken catching nets, cattle prods… everything you need. Lamb detailers, wool-bale stencil ink, castration rings and poultry leg bands… I don’t understand it.

Oh, and Chinese food. Rabbiting on about fried rice. What’s that all about. Everyone knows you don’t fry rice – you fry steak and chips. And that sweet and sour pork can’t be good for you but try telling my missus that. And she wants to fly there! I don’t like the idea of sitting in a plane for half a day with 300 strangers. Out here we don’t see that many people in 40 years. And if it’s illegal to barbecue, what are you supposed to eat? And what if you want to go to the toilet? No, I don’t like it at all, but lately it’s all about noodles, thin noodles, fat noodles, and spring bloody rolls, whatever they are. Anyway, there’s a Chinese restaurant in Brisbane and that’s only an eight-hour drive away.

She said something about gambling in McCow. What the hell is that? Some Chinese place named after a Scottish heifer? I don’t get it. We get five years of drought and can’t grow a damn thing, then next thing you know we’re up to our asses in muddy water. If you want to gamble buy a farm. Write back, Peter, and tell the wife you saw the Buddha thing and prefer our Giant Koala.

All the best, Kev.

Peter Sherwood has lived in DB for 20+ years. The former head of an international public relations firm, he is the author of 15 books and has written around 400 satirical columns for the South China Morning Post.

WHO WOULDN’T WANT TO SEE THE WORLD’S BIGGEST OUTDOOR SITTING BUDDHA STATUE?

PHOTO COURTESY OF Beatrix Malan - www.atscollective.com.