CU iBUS (January 2013), CUHK Business School

CU iBUS

Published by the Undergraduate Office, CUHK Business School

January 2013

Or, is postgraduate study

another option?

In this issue, CU iBUS looks beyond undergraduate studies, highlighting another option you can consider after graduation: graduate school. Too early for you to think about this? That’s ok, just download this issue now, and save it to read for when you are ready for graduate school.

Faculty Spotlight Dr. Susanna Kwok TWGHs - Connecting the Souls of Hong Kong

Also in This Issue 07 Introducing award-winning faculty members 07 BBA-JD court visit 08 Lightbox - IBM Business Consulting Course 14 Newsroom 15 Column - Matt Ng Click to download the full issue

From the Editor Business School

UNIVERSITY

Message from the editor

Feb 1 Workshop Interview Skills: Individual

Feb 7 United College Singing Contest 2013

Welcome back to school! For me, learning is always enjoyable. And learning never ends even after one has graduated from school. You continue your learning whether it be from your parents, your peers or your colleagues, and you learn from your lives and jobs.

And, there is yet another way for you to enjoy the delights of learning—by formalizing your study through graduate school. Our Cover Story walks you through the lineup of postgraduate studies offered at CUHK Business School.

Feb 2 Workshop - Case Analysis Workshop Power to Realize Your Dream Job (1) Feb 6 Lecture Mutual Fund Industry in Greater China Feb 7 Workshop Power to Realize Your Dream Job (2)

Feb

26

Grand Opening of the Yasumoto International Academic Park

Mar 6 Sir Run Run Shaw Distinguished Visiting Scholar Lecture 2012 / 13 - Change the Brain by Transforming the Mind

Feb 18 Workshop Career Mapping Feb 22 Workshop Interview Skills: Group

PAGE 01 Talking about learning, I am delighted to report to all of you that starting this semester we are jointly launching with IBM a course on business consulting.

Top executives from IBM China / Hong Kong will come on campus each week to host the lecture. Stay tuned for more CU iBUS coverage that gives you a look into the consulting industry.

新

Company Visit - Fuji Xerox

春

樂

So, enjoy your time back in school. What’s even better is that we will all soon be heading back home to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. I wish you and your family a wonderful and prosperous Year of the Snake!

Feb

22-24

Cross Boundary Leadership Program Team Building Workshop

Prof. Dennis Fan Editor-in-chief, CU iBUS

cu iBUS January 2013 EDITORIAL

CONTRIBUTORS

Contact us

Editor-in-chief Prof. Dennis Fan

Mr. CW Chau Ms. Anita Fong Ms. Roanne Law Ms. Carmen Lo

Address Room 616, Cheng Yu Tung Building, 12 Chak Cheung Street, Shatin, N.T.

Members Dr. Susanna Kwok Ms. Carol Ho Mr. Joseph Tong Mr. Nan Yi

快

Telephone 3943 7746 Email bba@cuhk.edu.hk

Cover Story 01

Or,

is postgraduate

study

another

option?

Prof. Michael J. Ferguson, Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) of CUHK Business School walks you through the lineup of postgraduate studies offered here at CUHK Business School.

T

hree issues (months) ago, CU iBUS featured career services offered by the Undergraduate Office. In last month’s issue, we showed you how to be entrepreneurial whether you planned to launch your own business or stay innovative in your career. In this issue, CU iBUS looks beyond undergraduate studies, highlighting another option you can consider after graduation: graduate school. Too early for you to think about this? That’s ok, just download this issue now, and save it to read for when you are ready for graduate school.

Over the past four years, the number of students pursuing postgraduate studies in Hong Kong has soared. Each year, around five to seven percent of our business undergraduates go for postgraduate studies immediately after graduation. What are they really looking for?

offered in part-time mode, we have recently launched full-time MSc study modes designed to better target those pre-experience, typically non-local, students,” said Prof. Michael J. Ferguson, Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) of CUHK Business School.

Considering the different profiles of students in the student body, course structures, tuition fees and languages of instructions might be modified to better meet their respective needs. “Two sets of students are not quite alike,” explained Dr. Susanna Kwok, Assistant Dean of CUHK Business School. “Students from the Mainland help inject a first-hand China perspective into many of the case discussions, while Hong Kong students usually come up with insights based on their actual working experience.” In this way, the mix of fulltime and part-time students taking the same courses fosters more fruitful classroom involvement and multicultural learning experiences.

Go full-time

go part-time?

Go deeper

go wider?

Flexibility is a major concern. To better cater to the needs of local students, all of the masters’ programs offered at CUHK Business School are made available in part-time mode with classes conducted on weekday evenings or weekends. “Building on the success of our long-standing Master of Science (MSc) programs

“We broadly categorize our postgraduate studies into three areas,” said Prof. Ferguson. “First, we offer a range of MSc programs that allow students to build a solid foundation in the key functional areas of business: accountancy, finance, information and technology management, and marketing. Second

New members of the CUHK MBA Family—CUHK MBA Full-time Class of 2014

are our flagship MBA programs. And finally we offer a range of executive education and EMBA programs designed for people with substantial management experience.” Comparing the different programs, the MSc curriculums specifically focus on accounting, finance, information and technology management, and marketing, so postgraduate candidates enjoy the privilege of delving deeper into a chosen specialized area of study. On the other hand, MBA programs offer a relatively wider and more comprehensive range of topics covering basic accounting, statistics, economics, finance, marketing and management knowledge in the core curriculum. After that, students choose a concentration in one of four areas, namely China business, entrepreneurship, finance and marketing.

“This is the widest range of concentration options offered in the region,” added Prof. Ferguson. “Apart from that, our education focuses on leadership, character building, career development and social responsibility. In this way, our students would be ready to make an impact on the corporations and communities they serve.”

Choosing among the masters’ programs is actually making a choice of either going deeper or going wider. The good news is that CUHK Business School enables students to choose from the various elective courses based on their interests. “To me, the best part of the program is that I can either focus on more

#27 The latest global ranking of CUHK MBA Program

#1

Career progression in the region

#1

Placement success in the region

Source: Financial Times, 2013

Cover Story 03 Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accountancy Program

Master of Accountancy

MSc in Finance

MSc in Information & Technology Management

MSc in Marketing

Master of Business Administration

2003

1998

1996

1998

2000

1966

Full-time mode N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Part-time mode Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Full-time mode: Prof. Chak Wong

Prof. Yeung Hoi-yan

Full-time mode: Prof. Samart Powpaka

Prof. Michael J. Ferguson

Year of launch

Program director

Prof. Kevin Lam Full-time mode: Prof. Zhaodong Jiang

Part-time Part-time mode: mode: Prof. Kevin Lam Prof. Liu Ming Program structure

Three semesters in a year with six courses in total

Three semesters in a year with twelve courses in total Full-time mode: one year

Tuition fee

HK$68,000

Three semesters in a year Full-time mode: one year with twelve courses

Part-time mode: Prof. Leo Sin Three semesters in a year with ten courses in total Full-time mode: one year

Three Four semesters semesters in a in a year year with ten courses in total Full-time mode: Full-time 16 months to mode: complete one year Part-time Part-time mode: mode: 24 months to two years complete

Part-time mode: two years

Part-time mode: two years with ten courses

Part-time mode: one and a half years

Full-time mode: HK$180,000

Full-time mode: HK$180,000

Full-time mode: HK$150,000

Full-time mode: HK$150,000

Full-time mode: HK$480,060

Part-time mode: HK$155,500

Part-time mode: HK$220,000

Part-time mode: HK$125,000

Part-time mode: HK$138,000

Part-time mode: HK$305,040

Admission requirements

Bachelor’s degree

1) Bachelor’s degree 2) GMAT

1) Bachelor’s degree 2) GMAT

1) Bachelor’s degree 2) GMAT

1) Bachelor’s degree 2) GMAT

1) Bachelor’s degree 2) Working experience 3) GMAT

Continuing Education Fund (CEF) recognized

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Application deadline for 2013 intake

May 3, 2013

Full-time mode: Closed

Full-time mode: Feb 22, 2013

Full-time mode: Feb 28, 2013

Full-time mode: Mar 15, 2013

Part-time mode: May 3, 2013

Part-time mode: May 31, 2013

Full-time mode / Part-time mode: Mar 15, 2013

Part-time mode: Mar 31, 2013

Part-time mode: Mar 31, 2013

A comparison of the masters’ programs offered at CUHK Business School

Postgraduate student enrollments in Hong Kong Over the past four years, the number of students pursuing postgraduate studies in Hong Kong has soared.

Source: HKSAR Education Bureau

24.7% 46,400

46,900 2011 / 12

2010 / 11

42,200 2009 / 10

37,600 2008 / 09

advanced elective courses offered by the same program, or pick my favorite ones from the other MSc or even MBA programs,” said a current student who wished to remain anonymous. The MSc in Marketing Program goes even further. It is strategically aligned with the Master of Social Science (MSSc) in Advertising Program offered by the School of Journalism and Communication, allowing students of either program to benefit from the courses offered by both.

“Marketing and advertising students sit together in the same classroom,” said Miss Candy Mo, a current student of the MSc in Marketing Program (Full-time mode). “This kind of integration enables the two groups of students to work together and preview the interaction between clients and agencies like the way it is in the commercial world.”

Go Western

go Eastern?

Interestingly, almost all of the higher education institutions in Hong Kong characterize their education as offering global perspectives with China insights. “[But] when you look at the number of research papers focused on China, particularly those cited in other academic articles, and our alumni network, you see CUHK Business School’s strong presence here in the region,” said Dr. Kwok. That’s why it is not surprising

FUN FACTS

250+

postgraduate programs offered at CUHK of which 105 are research-oriented

1966

the year CUHK MBA was first offered, which is the longest-running MBA program in Asia

1.8 million

students in the Mainland, a record high, took this year’s graduate school entrance examination

Cover Story 05

CUHK Business School is international in outlook and student mix, while at the same time emphasizing its latest insights on Mainland business.

mix, while at the same time emphasizing its latest insights on Mainland business. If you believe the 21st century to be the Asian Century or even the China Century, then you know what choice to make.

Go now

go later?

After graduation, if you do not get a job offer is postgraduate study your last resort? Prof. Ferguson shares that, “no doubt most employers and the general public put weight on Masters’ degrees. But personally I would recommend that local business that students can expect a course on China’s banking school graduates acquire several years of working sector which is conducted by the former chairman of experience before they start to pursue any the China Banking Regulatory Commission, or a course postgraduate studies. Simply put, education cannot on Chinese wisdom that is inspired by I Ching and The substitute for experience. Experience is the one Art of War. element that is critical to your professional learning and development process and is always highly “Our offerings echo the vision and mission of the regarded by top employers in the market.”

School itself,” commented Prof. Ferguson, “in that we

strive to nurture global business leaders equipped for In conclusion, you need to find your own answers to the challenges and opportunities of the Asian the various questions raised. Initially, one may find Century.” That belief has been instilled in the one’s career interests changing rapidly as his / her curriculum design. Mr. Lawrence Chan, Director of study or career progresses. Make sure you are Marketing and Student Recruiting for MBA Programs confident about what you are passionate about, and said to the South China Morning Post that CUHK to gain a clearer sense of what you are really trying to Business School is international in outlook and student achieve.

Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Susanna Kwok Assistant Dean CUHK Business School

| Born on Oct 22 | Alumna, Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Communication, Class of 1994 | Serving CUHK since 2000 | Teaching MKTG4140 Global Business Services in the second semester

About your profession Would you share with us your work experience prior to teaching in universities?

In the marketing & promotional industry

Which canteen and which dish at the university do you enjoy the most and would recommend to our students?

Rice noodles with mushrooms and mixed veggies (雜菜冬菇米粉) at the Coffee Corner

How did you make up your mind to work for a university?

I believe “lifelong education” and teaching at the university encouraged me to continue learning and provides me a chance to explore new horizons.

About yourself

Is this the profession you always dreamed of?

Yes

Could you share with us one of your most sentimental moments?

When I said goodbye to my family to further my study in the U.K.

(Question suggested by Dr. Andrew Yuen): What experience have you enjoyed the most at CUHK and in serving as Assistant Dean of CUHK Business School?

Whenever students tell me that they have learnt something new from my classes and look forward to attending the next class.

As an Assistant Dean, I have the opportunity to better nourish our students even outside the classrooms.

What was the topic of your most recent research or publication?

Strategic brand management and integrated marketing communications

About CUHK Is there an interesting course offered in CUHK you would like to recommend?

All my courses, haha!

What is your favorite corner at CUHK? My room at CYT1113

What was the craziest thing you have ever done?

Stalking my idol when I was young

What do you usually do on Sunday afternoons?

Hiking or doing my laundry How and when did you meet your husband?

At college when we both felt the spark for each other

Is there a book, song, or movie you would like to recommend to our students?

Please elaborate.

It’s the book Life without Limits. This is an inspiring autobiography written

by Nick Vujicic, a man born without arms or legs. He writes about how he overcame his disabilities to live a “ridiculously good” life today.

Spotlight 07

Faculty members awarded Professorship and Outstanding Fellowship The University has recently awarded two members

of the faculty the Choh-Ming Li Professorship and two other faculty members the Outstanding Fellowship of the Faculty to recognize their distinguished scholastic performance.

Choh-Ming Li Professorship

Prof. Wong Tak Jun Dean of CUHK Business School Professor of Accountancy School of Accountancy

Prof. Lin Chen Professor Department of Finance

Outstanding Fellow of the Faculty of Business Administration

Prof. Shige Makino Professor Department of Management

Prof. Wang Cong Associate Professor Department of Finance Institute of Economics and Finance

Please join us in congratulating our professors on their awards!

BBA-JD court visit Students from the BBA-JD stream together with their

Program Director, Dr. Anthony Law, went on a study tour to visit the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts on the morning of January 11. This visit exposed the thirteen students to the realities of Hong Kong’s legal system.

Jeremiah Lau (BBA-JD stream, Year 1) reflected on the study tour:

“During our court visit, we gained a first-hand insight into the harshness and intensity of criminal law. Once the indicted are convicted, there is little room for affability.

The consequences of breaking the law lead to some sort of judgment and punishment no matter how legitimate the reasons for one’s offence are. The academic knowledge seemed distant and abstract compared to the reality of witnessing the indicted being prosecuted and convicted.

The experience also allowed us to appreciate the processes for a judge to make a decision based on the questions asked, evidences supplied and consultations with the prosecutor, the defendant, and other lawyers.

Without much effort the judge seemed to exert an aura of authority and solemnity into the proceedings, and conducted the sentencing efficiently (or abruptly), which took us aback.

It is only when you are physically at a law court can you fully understand how daunting and intimidating the trials actually are. Within a few moments of observing the proceedings, several members of our group were reprimanded for ‘disrespectful’ behavior like slouching on the chair and reaching across a person for a piece of paper. It is necessary to note that ‘disrespect’ refers to disrespectful actions seen to be directed towards the judge. This, no wonder, enhanced our appreciation of how seriously matters are taken in the law court”

Jan

10 Orientation Gathering of IBM Global Business Services Business Consulting Course

(From left) Mr. Tony Tai, General Manager, IBM China / Hong Kong Ltd; Prof. T.J. Wong, Dean, CUHK Business School; Mr. Joseph Wong, Partner and Hong Kong Practice Leader, Global Business Services, IBM China / Hong Kong Ltd

What is consulting? We are dealing with businesses; but first of all we are dealing with people. Consulting is all about people, leveraging our human capital assets.

Mr. Chun Yin Mak, Partner of IBM Global Business Services, explained what consulting means to him during the first lecture.

Lightbox 09

To officially launch the brand-new course of “IBM Global Business Services - Business Consulting Course�, an orientation event was hosted on campus.

FUN FACTS

247

services centers in total that are currently operated by Tung Wah providing medical, health, education and community services, including five hospitals which are two more than what its Chinese name initially implied

12,000+

staff members work for TWGHs; half of them contributing to the medical and health services

6,000+

charity organizations operate in Hong Kong, competing over a limited pool of resources. That’s why Tung Wah keeps its services updated, refreshing them to meet the diverse needs of the local community

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Connecting the Souls of Hong Kong

Mrs. Viola Chan Man Yee Wai, Chairman of TWGHs

Credit: Ming Pao

Hong Kong Brand Series #06

(Click here for the full version at University Hall of Branding, Chinese version only)

N

ow more than ever, a strong brand assures a company an edge over the competition. This is also the case for non-profit organizations. For a non-profit organization like the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs), possessing a high-value brand asset helps it engage with its stakeholders and in turn generate public interest and confidence. In this issue, Mrs. Viola Chan, Chairman of TWGHs will talk about TWGHs’ past and present since its establishment back in 1870 and what makes Hongkongers love and trust TWGHs.

Front Row 11 Brought to you by the Department of Marketing, CUHK Business School CU: Prof. Leo Sin, Dr. Susanna Kwok, Department of Marketing TWGHs: Mrs. Viola Chan Man Yee Wai, Chairman of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals

While time evolves, the commitment to Hong Kong remains CU: Starting from day one, what guided the growth of TWGHs? How have the vision and mission evolved over time?

TWGHs: Back in the early days of TWGHs, Hong Kong was still an under-developed fishing village under British colonial control. The colonial government did not offer traditional Chinese medical services, yet many Chinese residents refused to adopt the Western medical treatments and thus remained seriously sick.

A small temple, Kwong Fook I-tsz, located at Tai Ping Shan Street on Hong Kong Island gradually became a refuge of the ill and the destitute that feared they would leave behind curses and misfortunes to their families if they stayed home and died there. The decrepit condition of the temple soon aroused the concern of the public. A group of earnest Chinese community leaders proposed raising funds to build a hospital dedicated to traditional Chinese medical services. The proposal was approved by the colonial governor, Governor MacDonnell; the first Chinese hospital approved under this proposal, named Tung Wah Hospital, was finally built in 1870, entering into operation in 1872. Several decades later, Kwong Wah Hospital (1911) and Tung Wah Eastern Hospital (1929) were built to cater to the increasing demand for traditional Chinese medical services. In 1931, the three hospitals were amalgamated into the “Tung Wah Group of Hospitals” under the oversight of a single Board of Directors. Since then, the TWGHs name continues to be used and our commitment to the city as a non-profit organization remains.

Established in 1911, The Main Hall Building of Kwong Wah Hospital is now turned into the Tung Wah Museum.

Credit: Ming Pao

The medical services laid a foundation for our charitable works. Over time, Tung Wah started to offer various social welfare and education services. When poverty was still a relatively major issue, we focused on the provision of free food and clothing to the poor.

When there were natural disasters, we moved on to disaster relief and fund-raising. More recently when tobacco addiction, drug abuse and gambling have become social concerns, we started to offer psychological treatment to those in need, particularly the young. Our scope of services expanded over time, in line with the needs of our society. In over a century delivering medical, health, education and community services, Tung Wah has kept to its mission “to heal the sick and to relieve the distressed; to care for the elderly and to rehabilitate the disabled; to promote education and to nurture the young; and to raise the infants and to guide the children”.

Many scholars have acclaimed the history of TWGHs as an important part of the history of Hong Kong. Being deeply rooted with the local community, we make special efforts to assist those most in need. We take care of the souls and wishes of local residents. We grow with the city in good times and bad. We connect with the souls of Hong Kong.

A special business model guarantees uninterrupted charitable services CU: How and where does TWGHs source its operational funding?

TWGHs: Tung Wah relies heavily on Government funding; this accounts for around 70% to 80% of our HK$5.5 billion annual budget. Rental revenues from our residential and commercial properties and donations from the private sector supplement the rest of our budget.

Revenues from property rental has gradually become an essential part of our funding even though this was not intended at the time we were founded. Many of those who received treatments and services from Tung Wah made their final bequests to transfer their properties to us. According to government ordinances, our real estate properties cannot be sold.

We keep all these legacies and renovate them before renting them out. Thus, even when the economy is poor and government funding and donations plunge, we are still able to secure enough funds to carry out our charitable services without interruption.

Front Row

We give back to where we take TWGHs: That does not mean we no longer need the support from our local communities. In fact, we are hungry for donations as well! Tung Wah acts as a platform: through donations from the public, we carry out charitable services to those in need, forming a loop. By donating to Tung Wah today, people understand that one day they could also benefit from our services in the future.

We take care of the souls and wishes of local residents. We grow with the city in good times and bad. We connect with the souls of Hong Kong.

Let me share with you a true story. Once I went to a fund-raising campaign in a public housing estate with my colleagues. Suddenly I saw my colleague was being handed a huge envelope from one of the estate security officers. I was wondering what was in the envelope and was surprised to find it was full of money. These were donated by residents who had left for work before we arrived and were worried they would miss our campaign. At that particular moment, I was moved and truly thankful to our loyal supporters.

DID YOU KNOW?

“Based on their trust and confidence in Tung Wah, Hongkongers donate to us,” Mrs. Chan said proudly.

Well financed, Tung Wah built its credibility by insisting on directing every penny donated by the public to the operation of its much needed charitable services. This makes TWGHs one of the most trustworthy charitable organizations in Hong Kong.

As you can see, Tung Wah has bonded with Hong Kong. We are proud to be connecting with each and every local citizen. In this sense, it is definitely more meaningful when many, many, many individuals each donate a single dollar rather than those impersonal multi-million dollar sponsorships by large corporations. It is through these donations that individual Hong Kong citizens show their support of Tung Wah and our programs.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES

CU: TWGHs’ brand is strongly associated with the elderly.

However, young people may find it unfamiliar and thus be less engaged with Tung Wah. How will you deal with this problem, ie the aging of your brand?

TWGHs: Indeed, we are developing a revamp campaign to revitalize our brand image. Historically, Tung Wah prefers to keep a low profile and works to be down to earth. We are more than 140 years old, yet what the public may not know is that we are always updating and refreshing our services. By launching diversified charitable services, Tung Wah makes great efforts to stay relevant to the needs of our community.

Brand Asset According to Prof. David Aaker, Professor Emeritus at the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley, four elements—Brand Awareness, Brand Associations, Perceived Brand Quality, and Brand Loyalty—constitute the values of brand assets.

Next issue: MegaBox

13

Newsroom

IBBA student and graduates come first in a business plan competition 1 Date: Wednesday, December 19, 2012

A team of IBBA student and graduates was crowned the champion in the TiE International Business Plan Competition (Hong Kong Finals) in December 2012.

The CUHK team comprising Vivienne Chan (IBBA, Year 4), Kaya Chan (IBBA graduate, Class of 2013), Niki Cheng (IBBA graduate, Class of 2012), Bryan Chu (SEEM & IBBA graduate, Class of 2012), and Cherry Choi (a postgraduate from School of Life Sciences) has beaten seven shortlisted teams with their venture of SnapShop, a mobile shopping platform integrating QR code technology. Kaya and Vivienne will be flying to Delhi in early February for the Regional Finals in Asia from which the winning team will participate in the Rice University Business Plan Competition in April vying for the first place prize award of US$650K.

1

2

Blacklisting mechanism in force Date: Monday, January 14, 2013

To inculcate students with a sense of responsibility, a blacklisting mechanism is now in force across all events (workshops, seminars, competitions, interviews and others) which are held by Undergraduate Office (UGO), other university offices or outside organizers.

For students who register for an event but do not turn up, their name will be put onto record if no notification is to be sent to the organizer at least one day prior to the event, unless specified. In addition, UGO will take a student’s “no show” record into account when making nominations. Be a responsible participant!

Outreach efforts— admission talks Date

School / Event

Speaker

Jan 10

Ng Wah Catholic Secondary School

Mr. CW Chau, Project Coordinator

Jan 18

TWGHs Lui Yun Choy Memorial College

Mr. CW Chau, Project Coordinator

Jan 23

St. Clare’s Girls’ School

Mr. CW Chau, Project Coordinator

GLEF students visit Prudential 2 Date: Tuesday, January 22, 2013

On Jan 22, 2013, The Society of Global Economics and Finance collaborated with Prudential to organize a company visit to the latter’s headquarters in Exchange Square, Central. Twenty undergraduate students participated in this event, all having a fruitful tour learning about the background, structure, career prospects and even the philosophical business practices of this U.K. headquartered international insurance company.

Column 15

Matt Ng

Alumnus, Quantitative Finance, Class of 2012

Traveling on a budget (3) In the last issue we talked about Couchsurfing, so

here’s another great community for budget travelers.

Again, it’s not just about saving money, but to offer another dimension of life as well. It is the Worldwide Organization of Organic Farming (WWOOF, www. wwoof.org).

WWOOF first started in the U.K. back in 1971. Its idea is to link volunteers with organic farmers to promote a more sustainable way of living. The host offers meals and accommodation in return for the labor from the volunteer.

My first and only WWOOF experience so far was at a small, family-run dairy farm which was about 20km away from the beautifully constructed old town of Amersfoort, the Netherlands.

In that dairy farm, naturally there were cows. On top of that, the owner also kept three goats to chew off the lawn—with each goat possessing a character of its own. One of the goats was anxious and dependent, never making a move before his companion. The second was cunning and curious; there was one incident where this one spat on my face as I was tying it up and in the process succeeding in making its escape. (Being much more agile than I expected, it took me and the farm owner over ten minutes to recapture this little fellow.) The last one, brown in color, was a good friend of the boss’ cow in the farm and the owner warned me not to mess with her.

My first task at the farm was to dig out a broken pole which was so deeply buried that I couldn’t hold back from cursing when I finally extracted the broken portion. Other routine tasks included feeding the

cows with different types of grasses, the calves with nutrient supplements, walking the goats, tidying up the garden, etc. Driving the tractor around the farm and cleaning up the sewage from the cow’s dump were also once in a lifetime experiences. I still remember one conversation with the owner’s son when I was clearing the manure from those lovely cows, saying that I could barely stand the smell. He responded, “I suppose I would say the same if I was in the city. I don’t think I can stand the exhaust from the cars, not to mention the pollution.”

To become a WWOOFer, you will need to register with the local WWOOF organization in the country you are traveling to. You will be asked to pay a small registration fee which is used to keep the organization running after which a list of hosting farms with their contacts will come with your membership.

Depending on the country you choose and the season, you will come across a range of farms, from pumpkin growing to cherry picking, from vineyard to dairy farm. There will always be one farm that will suit your taste.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matt Ng took his first backpacking trip to Nepal during the summer of 2009, and since then he can’t stop traveling.

During his one-year exchange studies in Switzerland, the same backpack saw him through Europe where he experienced all the highs and lows of being a hitchhiker, a farmer, a lost and robbed traveler, and a homeless street sleeper. Matt has just returned from a five month adventure traveling through Southeast Asia, Africa and South America. In this column he shares with us stories from his journeys and international volunteer experiences.