THE HARROVIAN
Editor: Sophie Haik (Y12, Gellhorn)
Issue 16
Leadership for a Better World
The Long Ducker 2018
by Morgan Jack (Y12, Gellhorn) and Mei Law (Y11, Gellhorn)
The Long Ducker has been a key element of Harrow UK’s tradition, and its presence in Harrow Hong Kong sparks the same energetic and enthusiastic excitement every year. The name of this tradition derives from the annual run from the school along the 10 mile road to London that was originally bequeathed to it by John Lyon. In keeping with this tradition, our Hong Kong Long Ducker is an annual 16km race which raises money and awareness for the school’s six nominated charities and is undoubtedly the most anticipated event of the school year. This year is the sixth year that Harrow International School Hong Kong held the Long Ducker. It took place on the 10th March and, despite the hot weather, everyone (all 1284 keen and excited people to be exact - an incredible 20% higher than last year) rose to the challenge. For those who found the idea of running or walking 16km daunting, there was a shorter alternative route of 7km, or as many know it, the Short Ducker. There was also the opportunity for K1 and K2 pupils to participate as well in a more achievable course around our very own astro, aptly named the Mini Ducker. The race itself not only provided much needed funds for our charities, but it also provided an excellent opportunity to spend time outdoors and to clear your mind, something desperately needed for pupils whilst they were in the midst of preparing for exams. It also enabled the assembled visitors to enjoy the international food stalls, take in the wonderful entertainment provided by pupils and indulge in some shopping or other activities at stalls manned by the school population. Seeing the Maclehose trail buzzing with the chatter of staff, students and neighbours of all ages and fitness abilities alike demonstrated the strong sense of Harrow pride and our willingness to give back to the community. We welcomed a higher number of elite runners this year in order to add to the competitive spirit. Many teachers and pupils lined up at the start line hoping to keep pace with
June 2018
these elite athletes. However, only a select few managed to keep up the pace! One such guest runner was Thomas Kiprotich, a regular elite runner at the Long Ducker. Despite recovering from an injury, Thomas again won overall. Even if participants were not taking part competitively, there were valiant efforts and an atmosphere of excitement - perhaps credited to but definitely aided by Mr Oakes’ adoption of the role of a commentator, agitator and master of ceremonies. Upon completing the ducker (most likely hot and breathless), participants were treated to an international feast hosted by Friends of Harrow, who had organised food stalls offering sweet and savoury snacks from all kinds of cuisines: Hong Kong’s distinguished egg waffles, renowned Korean barbecue and the acclaimed British cake stall all competed with the Indian kitchen, the Scottish canteen and the Australian barbeque. The food stalls were constantly swarmed, indicative of the appreciation of all cultures, and of course the fact that everyone was hungry after their run. The Australian stand was a fan favourite, as the number of sausages was no match for the appetites of eager children, resulting in the stand selling out early in the afternoon. The astro housed an abundance of activities and stalls as well, causing a clamour and excitement that was hard to deny. Many of the stalls were run by students, either as part of their Young Enterprise efforts or as a means to raise money for their allocated house charity with a book stall, a slip n’ slide, a pooch themed photo booth and many more. These initiatives proved extremely successful as the houses raised a respectable $107,433! Although, it would be unfair to say that it was all students’ efforts - Mr Powell, your contributions in the dog costume have not gone unnoticed! In addition, the bubble football and abseiling proved popular, attracting a number of enthusiastic daredevil participants and spectators. Throughout the day, there was entertainment provided by dancers and musicians of all ages, displaying the breadth of talents amongst the pupils and staff which contributed to the good natured atmosphere. With tables right amidst these performances, the atmosphere was infectious as people enjoyed their food and the performances all at once. Overall we raised an incredible grand total of $330,766, smashing last years result by well over $100,000! The 2018 Long Ducker certainly delivered, leaving us all keen to see what the 2019 Long Ducker will bring.
Interview with Mr. Berner
by Morgan Jack (Y12, Gellhorn) and Mei Law (Y11, Gellhorn)
This year, Mr. Berner was the fastest member of staff to finish the Long Ducker. We decided to ask him a few questions in order to find out how he faced this challenge with determination.
Morgan: What did you do to prepare for the long ducker? I didn’t actually do a very high volume of running. I try to do ‘cross train’ as much as possible, combining exercises such as cycling, swimming, yoga and core exercises. I find cross training to be a little more varied as well as crucial in negating some of the impact from running. Other than that, some steady nutrition and a finely tuned Spotify playlist were the keys to my success. Mei: Who is your biggest running rival? Instead of focusing on others, I have always tried to challenge myself. Nonetheless, I must always remind myself to focus on the process rather than only the outcome. The journey of improvement is just as or even more important than the result itself. Morgan: Who is your biggest running inspiration? My Dad is a huge inspiration. He was a genuinely gifted sportsman, but he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in his thirties which meant the end to sport. He is a constant reminder to be grateful for being able to use our bodies even for the most mundane tasks, highlighting the necessity of looking after them. Another sporting icon has to be the legendary triathlete Chrissie Wellington; her book called ‘A Life Without Limits’ genuinely changed my whole approach to sport. Mei: How do you stay motivated when running? This quote comes to mind when I think about motivation: “Some sessions are stars and some sessions are stones, but in the end they are all rocks and we build upon them.” There’s no such thing as a perfect session but you can learn something about the sport, and yourself, from every session. Mei: How did you feel once you had finished the run? I have a tendency to immediately overthink my runs, so I was intently thinking about what I could have done differently to improve my time! My goal is to knock five minutes off my time next year to compete with the elite runners. Morgan: What was your favourite part of the Long Ducker? I loved the community atmosphere and sharing sport with the other staff and pupils. The array of international food was of course a highlight and also Mr Oakes displaying some epic endurance on the microphone all day! Mei: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start running but has never ran before? The key is to start small and build up. It is so easy to compare yourself to others, when in reality there will always be fitter and less fit runners than you. You have to focus on self improvement and personal goals, so you can be the best version of yourself. Running is also amazing for headspace; I run for the mind just as much as the body. Running with someone else is also very important, as you can support each other. Finally, I would recommend doing some self research
and being aware of what works best for you. We hope this can inspire even more runners to participate next year!
Careers Fair
by Sophie Haik (Y12, Gellhorn)
When we were younger and the world seemed at our feet, the list of possible careers appeared endless: firefighter, veterinarian, astronaut, superhero! However, now it is a question we are commonly asked: what career path do you want to follow? Sometimes, it can seem daunting. Whether you are in Sixth Form and soon to start university, or just starting out in Senior School, you have probably come across careers that interest, intrigue or perhaps bore you. Harrow’s Career’s Fair on the 28th February was a great opportunity to solidify some of these growing aspirations or to set sights on new ones. Pupils in Years 12 and 13 spent the weeks leading up to the event researching and creating thought-provoking questions for the panelists. With 50 representatives from over 25 different fields, students had a wide range of occupations to investigate and a room full of knowledgeable, successful people from which to learn. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 also had the opportunity to attend the Career’s Fair to explore possible job opportunities that would influence their A-Level subject choices. From 2:30pm onwards, the 6th floor Multipurpose Room was bustling with interesting specialists and in-depth conversations. With more career options represented than ever before, the panelists’ booths were lined up near the outer walls, so close that the tables of Dentistry and Drama were almost touching! Every single person was on their feet, engaging in stimulating conversation or moving around the room while surveying their options. The energy that pulsed throughout the room reflected the eagerness of the students, which mirrored the enthusiasm of the panelists when discussing their jobs. Pupils asked a wide range of questions reflecting the nature of the conversation. The pupils studying languages enquired about how this skill set could be applied in their respective fields. Pupils who were focused on pursuing a career in Medicine learned about the highly competitive nature of this field and the extensive training that is required. However, the pupils who were still undecided about the career path they wanted to pursue used the opportunity to ask professionals questions to uncover important information regarding university courses and career options. While all job fields encountered large amounts of foot-traffic, there were several booths in which teachers and pupils were particularly interested. Many visited the Government and Policy booth, where a British diplomat spoke of her experiences working for the UN and travelling around the world. Others found the Engineering booth particularly interesting as panelists described the challenges of entering the field yet spoke highly of the reward. Some pupils impressed the panel representatives so much that they have been given the opportunity to participate in summer internships in those respective fields. These offers highlight the intellectual curiosity of Harrow Hong Kong pupils, a quality that will continue to impress employers in the future.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
by Anna Birkett (Y10, Gellhorn) and Anni Paradise (Y10, Keller)
On the weekend of the 5th May, six groups of approximately five pupils took part in an integral component of the Duke of Edinburgh Award - a two day, one night expedition. At 7am, 29 sleepy-eyed pupils arrived at school to begi preparing for the expedition that lay ahead. We congregated in our groups and began distributing the copious amounts of kit we had to bring. After having decided which unlucky person was to carry the tent, all 29 pupils gathered for our final briefing before splitting up to embark on the weekendlong hike. The expedition itself consists of a combination of hiking, navigation, cooking and camping, all of which we had practised during ECA sessions and our practice expedition three months prior to the final assessment. Three groups hopped on the bus to the east of Sai Kung Country Park whilst the other three set off for the opposite end, soon to be reunited at the campsite in the middle. As this is the first time Harrow Hong Kong has introduced the award, excitement and nerves filled the bus as we sang along to 80’s music, eagerly anticipating the start of the assessment. With compasses and maps in hand, twenty kilogram rucksacks on our backs and a ranging variety of bucket hats on head, we were ready to conquer the weekend. The first-half of the day proved easier than expected, especially because we felt a lot more prepared than we had been for the practice expedition; after all, we had remembered lunch this time! With a gentle breeze and the clouds shielding the sun, we charged up the hill with ease. However, this ease started to fade away as we hit a bump in the road. What was supposed to be an untouched path, was apparently a river. This momentary panic was soon overcome when our group was enlightened by the sound of shrieking coming from further up the river. It appeared that all the groups had encountered the same problem and had ended up clambering up the stream with their shoes getting soaked before realizing that the path was in fact at the bottom of the stream, their location 25 minutes prior to this. In the end, we were all able to use our initiative and varying knowledge of contour lines along with a little guesswork to establish the correct route. We faced our final ascent, which felt brutal to say the least, but we eventually reached the summit covered in many scratches, bites from tennis-ball sized insects and also some spider webs. After what seemed like at least fourteen hours of
trekking, we reached the campsite and were able to set up our tents whilst there was still daylight. We were fortunate enough to be accompanied by a herd of cows as we refilled our water for cooking, and we finally feasted on what felt like the best meal we had ever eaten. There was a staggered arrival to the campsite, and the final groups returned in the pitch black as they had been slightly less fortunate in their routes and the winding paths had gotten the better of them, but they arrived with some very exciting tales to tell. We were woken up at 6am by teachers banging on the tents and the sound of torrential rain. Initially, the sound of nature was a soothing sedative whilst lying in bed mentally preparing for the torture of the climb to come, however that serenity soon dissipated when we realised that we had left our rucksacks outside of the tent. After the initial shock wore off, we quickly shoved our soaked bags into the tent and set off to refill our water, so we could fire up the trangia to make breakfast. We returned to camp, completely drenched, with water to make hot chocolate and warm up. We waited for the thunderstorm warning to go before setting off. That morning consisted of clambering up hills and sliding down the muddy, slippery slopes. Nonetheless, the clouds eventually cleared and blue skies emerged bringing the burning hot sun and humid weather with it. Stunning views, and The Jackson 5 songs kept the energy soaring as we powered through the day. The heat was oppressive, but we were able to make it through with lots of support and encouragement from one another. After a 24 kilometre scramble over a 12 hour period, we finally got a glimpse of the road we were finishing on, and managed to conjure up just enough energy to sprint the last 50 meters. Then it was onto the bus and back to school to pack up. Half the group fell asleep immediately on the bus back to school whilst the others sang their hearts out victoriously, relieved that we had all finished the weekend alive. We were only able to complete this expedition due to everything that Mr Mildinhall, Mr Fox and other teachers had taught us, and we are truly grateful for the time and effort they put into running and making this trip a reality. Not only was the expedition physically demanding, but it also required immense determination and adequate navigational skills, and the improvement we all made from the practice was phenomenal. For some, it was the first time we used a compass, mapped a route and measured altitude using contour lines, and this made it all the more satisfying. The journey taught us teamwork, leadership and endurance. Solving problems with determination as a team when faced with various unexpected challenges, we developed new skills as well as experienced significant personal development. We came away with memories that we will never forget, and most of us have decided to do the silver award next year: an even bigger commitment which we are all more than willing to undertake. For anyone who is interested in hiking, camping, and going on an adventure, we would highly recommend the award to you as it was truly an unforgettable experience. A note from Mr. Mildinhall: ‘It was an absolute pleasure to see the 29 pupils that participated in this year’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award
develop over the course of the programme. As one would Nagano famous. These monkeys were truly captivating and expect, the expedition remains the most notable part of the we all took as many photographs as possible. These monkeys scheme and as usual it provided many highs and lows for both are the only one in the world which bathe in hot springs and participants and staff alike. I am sure that neither Mr Fox, nor are extremely quick-witted! I will quickly forget walking (falling) down hill in the pitch Overall, I really loved being able to develop my black looking for two of our teams, only to hear them singing skiing technique on the mountain. It was the first time for me merrily away at the top of their voices; Mr Fox is certainly to ski and I would definitely do it again! I would recommend convinced that he nearly impaled himself at least once in our this trip to any ski-lovers or students who wish to try skiing attempt to reach them! Watching Group 4 attempt to erect for the first time. their tents proved a considerable source of amusement for all and I was particularly impressed that we managed to find a compass in May that had been originally lost in March. I only hope that it proves that at least two groups can navigate the by Anni Paradise (Y10, Keller) same path (rather that accidentally taking an identical wrong turn)! It is testament to all that they overcame navigational embarrassment, huge hills, dubious cooking and thunderstorm warnings to emerge triumphant. I have always been of the opinion that this should not be a ‘tick box’ exercise and was pleased to see, that when asked whether anyone had wanted to quit during the course of the assessment weekend, every hand went up. I was doubly proud, that when asked who had actually quit, every hand went down. My hope is that many of the cohort will continue to Silver where I am sure they will be equally successful.’
ISTA Festival, Cambodia
Winter Sports Trip to Hakuba by Lewis Lower (Y6, Shackleton)
The Japan ski trip was an excellent chance to explore the world, learn a new skill and develop some great friendships. During this trip, we learnt how to ski and were immersed in Japanese culture. We learnt so much about Japan and its interesting and varied culture. We saw the oldest temple in Japan, Zenkoji, which is an ancient Buddhist temple. When we entered it, we had to walk through a series of twists and turns in pitch black darkness; it was rather unnerving at first but also very exciting. During our journey, we also saw legions of Japanese vending machines, which contain an array of things to buy, such as toys and sweets. Many of us made purchases. Skiing in the mountains was so enjoyable. When we reached the top of a peak, we could look at the mountains nearby and see how huge they were and how high up we were. It was truly breathtaking. Even though some of us were only beginner skiers, we got to grips with the fundamentals of skiing and quickly started to have lots of fun. The coaching there was excellent and really helped us to learn and develop our skiing technique. Even beginners developed into professionals by the end (or at least in our opinion they did). During the trip, we made many friends and formed close bonds with students who we may not have known that well before. So many funny things happened while we tried to get to grips with skiing, such as Seraphina breaking her ski, or Lewis bumping into Clarinde. It was a great chance to get to know someone in a different house, and made skiing even more enjoyable. Furthermore, we also had the opportunity to meet snow monkeys! These charming little creatures have made
This year, the annual International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA) Festival took place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Ten Harrow Hong Kong pupils from Years 9 and 10 flew out to Cambodia, a country that was completely unfamiliar to us all, ready for a weekend filled with drama and an enriching new culture. The weekend consisted of working with several local theatre companies, devising pieces of theatre with pupils from international schools all over Asia, and translating events from the past into art. The recurring theme throughout the weekend was ‘Power: Past and Present’. This theme was particularly powerful as we predominantly focused on the circumstances Cambodia faced in the 1970s while it was under the rule of the Khmer Rouge. On our second day in Phnom Penh we visited the Killing fields of Choeung Ek, a mass grave for victims of the genocide during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. After visiting the incredible museum, we were astounded by the effect it had had on us; we were moved in a way one could not experience by merely reading about the catastrophe in a book. It made us realise the severity of ensuring that incidences from
the past are remembered and that the horror is not forgotten in order to guarantee that mistakes made in the past are not repeated. We converted our thoughts and strong emotions provoked by the Killing Fields back into the classroom and were able to create abstract pieces of theatre that represented and dramatised our understanding of the terrible events that unfolded. Upon arrival at the International School of Phnom Penh, we each received a Khmer scarf - a traditional Cambodian cloth. The Khmer scarf was one of the very few colourful items permitted during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. The scarf is now used by the Cambodian people as a legacy to maintain the memory of those who lost their lives and is a symbol of a strong unified people whose bravery and resilience has allowed them to overcome and rebuild their civilisation. We used the Khmer scarf throughout the weekend as the basis for our performance and it helped us to connect with the culture and all who had experienced the time in which the Khmer Rouge ruled. As well as creating many pieces of theatre, we were also fortunate enough to be able to watch several performances by local theatre and circus companies. We particularly enjoyed the performance by Epic Arts, a local theatre company that works with disabled Cambodian artists. It was a brilliant performance, and we discovered many new and innovative drama techniques to include in our own drama GCSE performances. What particularly impressed me about the weekend was how we were all able to communicate and express ideas no matter what language we spoke, whether that be in English, Khmer or sign language. The way that we all were able to create one final piece of theatre despite our inability to verbally communicate demonstrated the power of theatre and how it can connect people. I think we all left feeling truly connected with our new Cambodian friends. A big thank you to Ms. Collins and Miss. Davis for making this trip possible. It was an extremely memorable experience; we are excited for our next adventure in Jakarta.
org/ incredibly fascinating. Between breaks during the multiple-choice and relay rounds, we couldn’t stop brainstorming the solutions to the poster problems. Here’s one of them: Consider sixteen dots laid out evenly in a four-by-four square. Find as many ways as you can to draw through all of them without lifting your pen using only six straight lines. The poster problems were challenging. Nevertheless, by the end of day two (more like the small hours of day three), we had a poster ready to present. In the grand auditorium of our host school, Brent Manila, James Tanton showed us twelve ways to ‘prove’ that 1=2. Throughout the fallacious yet hilarious ‘proofs’, he demonstrated the importance of understanding the processes in maths, since following algorithms blindly can often lead to disasters. James is an inspirational educator and http://www. jamestanton.com/?cat=6 shows a small sliver of his work to make maths approachable and relatable. Near the end of day two, we were sent to an amusement park called Enchanted Kingdom. However, our purpose was not just to relax on rides and win plush cupcakes in the arcade, but was to find some maths hidden in plain sight to analyse in a video. Our team focused on the compound circular motion of a pendulum ride, while Jett’s team explored whether maths could be ‘broken’ by the rigours of a rollercoaster journey. To our great surprise, both of our teams’ clips won in our respective categories, which meant all our hard work was worth it. When it came to the final day of competition in British School Manila, we were exhausted as we had put all our energy into the previous days. However, we did not allow this to impair our ability as we found the winning strategy in the Duel strategy games round. Here’s the game: You have a grid of twelve boxes in a row. Two players alternately colour in an empty box each turn. You lose if you colour in a box next to any other coloured box. Who can force a win and why? What if there were fourteen boxes? Is there a pattern? That evening, after a fantastic dinner in Acacia Hotel, the closing ceremony saw many well-deserved medals won by Harrow teams. We had to say goodbye to our buddies, with whom we had developed fond memories over building marble runs out of cardboard and tape. For some, the experience concludes here. However, Jett’s team decided to take the opportunity to attend the World Maths Finals in by Benjamin Wang (Y13, Churchill) Melbourne in late June, using a ‘golden ticket’ from excellent In early March, twelve Harrow Hong Kong pupils chose to performance in Manila. We wish them all the best of luck. spend three days participating in an intellectually stimulating contest: The South East Asia Mathematics Competition. Armed with tools for the competition, we practised breaking codes in the airport and played chess on the plane ride. This was all in preparation for the challenging competition that lay ahead. Once we made it to the opening ceremony, we found our randomised buddy groups of three with whom we would mainly work on a poster project over the two nights. Immediately, the guest speaker, James Tanton, treated us to a new way of thinking about numbers, using the idea of ‘exploding dots’. What do sequences like 1, ⅓, 1/9, 1/27,… have to do with dots and anti-dots? We all know that we think in decimals (base-10), and computers think in binary (base-2), but what does base one-and-a-half mean? How does it even work? Those who are curious may find https://www.explodingdots.
South-East Asia Maths Competition
Just Keep Swimming
Nepal Trip
The warm rays of sun beamed down upon him as the cool wind played with his black hair. The trees danced in celebration of the refreshing weather and the blue swimming pool shimmered in the sunlight. Holding his breath, he jumped. The invigorating feel of water caressed his body as he dived deeper and deeper. “Mom! Did you see that?” Five-year-old Christopher asked, looking for her. In the corner of his eye he spotted his family swimming in the deep end. The deep end. Unknown territory. He stretched his little legs attempting to reach the bottom of the shallow waters. He stretched with all his might, wiggling his toes and extending his body. He sighed in disappointment, unable to reach the bottom. Christopher looked back at his family in the distance, smiling. “The deep end looked so fun, I couldn’t resist not going.” He took a big breath and began to make his way to the other side of the pool. He looked down and could no longer see his legs. He kicked with all his might, fighting to get back to the surface. “When I came to my senses again, I was inside the ambulance. I was so lucky.” Despite the severity of the incident, Christopher didn’t let it stop him from pursuing a sport he loves. Now, Christopher, who is in Year 5, swims for the Harrow Hong Kong team and recently competed in the Gold Coast Ocean Swim during Chinese New Year! He described the iciness of the water during the swim: “As I submerged my body into the freezing waters, I felt like I was a giant ice block that had eaten a few hundred tubs of ice cream.” He swims three times a week during sessions led by Mr. Green. On top of that, he also plays golf, badminton, and he always loves riding his bike. Christopher said he was inspired by a famous quote by Michael Jordan, “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” When he asked what advice he would give to others going through a similar experience, he smiled and said, “Keep calm, persevere and just keep swimming.” We hope to see Christopher go on to achieve further success with his swimming.
On the 27th March, twelve intrepid explorers left Hong Kong for the five hour flight to Kathmandu. We had no idea how many early starts lay ahead of us, and had we known, we might have rethought boarding the flight. Despite only a faint knowledge of the country we were visiting based on our own research, we were looking forward to exploring the exotic country of Nepal. After a very late arrival in Kathmandu, we flew early the following morning to Pokhara where we were met by our guide, Dipendra. Our first appointment was at the charity funded FAB school for the disadvantaged, teaching pupils fundamental skills to be able to find a job, such as computing, cooking, serving and home service. Most students are sponsored by Mövenpick Hotels and their fees are paid for, with a guaranteed job after graduation. We were treated to a delicious three course lunch prepared by the pupils, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. After lunch, we were challenged to a MasterChef competition; our cooking skills, however, were no match for theirs! The next day we set off early on a long bus ride to start our four day trek. We began at the foothills of the Annapurna Range, with the ominous “Fishtail Peak” looming above us. On the hike we saw firsthand the local farming technique of terracing, a practical way of maximising rain water and with an added benefit of looking very picturesque! The rocky paths finally came to a brief end when we arrived in Siding Village, a small settlement perched on the side of the mountain, to a cheering group of school children and a warming meal. That evening we were challenged to a friendly game of volleyball against the regional champion team, as you can probably guess, we were smashed both physically and mentally. The following morning before leaving, we all helped paint some of their classrooms under the precise instructions given to us by the village elders. Afterwards, we set off from the village out into the wilderness of the trek which lay ahead. Despite some unfortunate leech bites, the hike went according to plan as we finished in the next camp just before 4pm. The next two days were filled with hiking, reaching points to rest, and more hiking. By the end of the penultimate day, we had reached our highest point of 3000 metres above sea level. On the sixth day, we awoke to the buzz of cicadas and the sense of accomplishment after the successful four day trek in the foothills of the Annapurna range. After breakfast we visited the Right4Children Charity radio station to record a short programme about our trip. For the rest of the day we had the choice of staying in the hotel or to barter with street vendors. The next day after a particularly bumpy bus journey, we began the raft. We journeyed down the meandering river through raging rapids until we reached our camp. That night we slept out in the open; it was surprisingly exhilarating, albeit cold and wet. The next morning, to our amazement, it wasn’t raining! This meant that we weren’t confined to eating breakfast underneath our open shelter. After the rafting was over we changed into dry clothes and boarded the bus that would take us to our next destination, Chitwan. In Chitwan we were scheduled to have an ox-cart trip
by Lily Haik (Y9, Gellhorn)
by Noah Law (Y9, Churchill)
around the Tharu village, a jeep-safari tour in the National Park and a chance to experience firsthand traditional Nepalese dancing. Although during the safari we only got to see a few birds and rhinoceros, all in all, it was a successful outing. After Chitwan we returned to Kathmandu to sightsee and visit religious temples and shrines to experience the culture and practices of the Buddhist and Hindu religious worshippers. Many of us bought souvenirs in order to remember our trip, such as woven bags weaved out of hemp. On the final day of the trip, we visited the famous Buddhist stupas such as The Boudhanath Stupa, featuring the largest mandala in Nepal. The trip was a wonderful way to experience the beauty of Nepal and the appreciate friendliness of its inhabitants. We could not have hoped for better guides than Mr Murphy, Ms Davis and Mr Didi; many thanks to you all.
sessions led by Mr. Lam and Ms. Coady, consisting of circuits and spin cycling. There were generous amounts of hilarious moments, include some great sing-along sessions. The pupils and teachers enjoyed singing and listening to the pupils embarrass themselves. Overall, the trip was a fantastic experience and we have learnt so much. I know that we all cannot wait to go again to a new incredible football destination!
Prep School Conference by Ayla Karacan (Y6, Nightingale)
Football Development Tour by Stella Liu (Y8, Fry)
The football tour was an excellent trip for improving our football skills, mindset and relationships with other pupils, who we might not necessarily have a chance interact with during regular school days. There were a lot of very memorable things that happened. The most exciting thing was when we met Gareth Bale, a world class football player who plays professionally for Real Madrid. We also had opportunities to play matches against local teams from Spain. Although the girls team lost both of the games, the boys teams won three of their four games. That gave us an opportunity to compare ourselves with footballers in a different country. Another unforgettable moment was when we watched three matches of FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, especially the first leg of the champions league game (FC Barcelona VS Roma). The atmosphere was indescribable as there were political protests and constant whistling when the opposition had the ball. It was an unforgettable experience. Besides the football, we had the opportunity to tour the city centres in Madrid and Barcelona where we learned a lot of new information about the cities and its rich culture. We ate dinner at a local restaurant that serves tapas. The food was amazing, but he had to be quick because the food would disappear as soon as it reached the table. Despite the huge amounts of food that we consumed, we still managed to keep fit with fitness
From the 3rd May to the 6th May, several Harrow Hong Kong students from Years 5 to 8 went to Shanghai to meet with Harrow International School Shanghai and Harrow International School Beijing. During the trip we learnt how to develop our leadership skills within the Harrow community. There were many memorable moments during the trip, including meeting with other Harrovians, playing together by the pool, a pizza party and the prize giving ceremony. On the first day, we arrived at the hotel, and were given a tour of the school. Mrs. Sleep, the Head of Lower School at Harrow Shanghai, gave us an introduction to the school and put us into our groups, so we could begin to work on our presentations, videos and booklets. Our groups were made up of two groups from each school: Harrow Hong Kong, Harrow Shanghai and Harrow Beijing. The task was to create a use for a new planet named Pax. For this challenge, we had to invent what this planet was going to be used for, who would live on this planet and more detailed information about the planet itself, e.g. its infrastructure‌ in one day! When creating our presentations, not only did we have to create the video, PowerPoint, article and speech in a short amount of time, but we also had to work effectively as a team, delegating roles to each person. On the second day, we presented our articles for judging. We were judged on the planet we had invented as well as our presentation skills. It was a great joy to see all of the other groups presentations and to compare and contrast all the different ideas we had. At the end of the day, we had a pizza party at the pool followed by a quiz: the perfect way to celebrate all our hard work and effort. We celebrated our third and final day with a sports friendly and the prize giving ceremony, which was extremely exciting as Harrow Hong Kong won! However, it was extremely upsetting to think that we were leaving this happy, friendly community in just a few hours. After saying our goodbyes, it was time for us to leave Shanghai and fly back
to Hong Kong. This was particularly difficult as we had all grown so close to one another during the trip and was a testament to the amazing time that we had.
Yoga Sessions: Mindfullness by Cisy Ye (Y12, Gellhorn)
With exam season fast approaching, many pupils began to prioritise their academic performances before their mental and physical well-being. However, we must remember that living a healthy lifestyle can positively influence our ability to succeed in exams and school. One of the many ways of de-stressing or “winding down” is yoga. Mrs. Lloyd was kind enough to run an enrichment program where Sixth Form pupils took part in guided Yoga sessions. We each filled in a form at the beginning and end of the week summarising our mental well-being; this data provided Mrs Lloyd sufficient evidence to draw a correlation between the frequency of Yoga practices and a pupil’s mental health. With societal pressure drastically increasing, the pace of our daily lives are also accelerating; yoga is the perfect way to allow people to slow down and take a few minutes to focus on themselves. I, along with many other pupils who participated, really enjoyed this experience and will most definitely be adopting this habit into my everyday routine. Our sessions normally lasted around thirty minutes; it was just enough time to fully relax, but not too long to fall asleep. We usually began by drawing our focus inwards and accessing how we feel in the moment; this allowed us to both reflect upon the day that had just gone by and to pick out the things that were bothering us. The session then moved on to more physical movements, the positions usually flowed from one to another, which allowed a natural and fluid transition. As taught by Mrs. Lloyd, our bodies really enjoyed circular movements, which was achieved by the fluidity of the sets. There were some more challenging poses which required more strength and flexibility, however we were always given the option to return to “child’s pose”, which I enjoyed the most. Finally, the session was concluded with deep meditation; we all either lay down or sat in darkness and listened to the soothing voice of the instructor. At the beginning of the term, we experimented with “full body scanning” meditation, where we had to focus on relaxing each individual part of our bodies, which ultimately led to total relaxation. We then moved on to more challenging meditations which focused on topics, such as gratitude and happiness. By the time we end the session with a “Namaste”, we felt more relaxed, more confident and more grateful. I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Mrs. Lloyd who took time out of her day to teach us about yoga and help us de-stress. We all enjoyed this enrichment very much, and I am sure we all took something from this experience and will attempt to use this method in the future to benefit both our academic performances and mental wellbeing.
Film Screenings
by Joelle Chan (Y12, Gellhorn) and Morgan Jack (Y12, Gellhorn)
From June 2018 and continuing onto next academic year, a series of female leading film screenings will be held on sunday nights to raise funds and awareness for our EPQ, a gender equality conference called Equal State of Mind. All proceeds will go towards the creation of the event, and the excess proceeds will be donated directly to the charity Mother’s Choice, which will also be showcased within the event. The films on show will portray strong female characters, tying into the conference’s theme of gender equality. Our goal is to help empower females and showcase the wide range of talent that women have to offer, while striving to get one step closer to gender equality. The films that will be shown are suitable for all age groups, and we aim to make these film screenings as inclusive as possible to bring together the Harrow Hong Kong community. Whilst some films will only be made available to certain age groups, we will also show a diverse range of films from Disney animations to action packed thrillers. Several studies have been shown that young people need visible role models to influence who they will grow to become, so we wish that these films and our event could be a catalyst for inspiring young people. We aim to make this experience as rewarding as possible for all parties involved, and hope to see you all there!
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Humans of Harrow Hong Kong
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A photographic census of the Harrow community, one story at a time. Inspired by Humans of New York. by Louisa Cho (Y12, Wu)
‘Many of us only focus on how stressful exams could be, but we never talk about how amazing it feels knowing the hard work we put into studying has paid off’ Writers and photographers out there, step forward and contribute to get your work published! Email the editors at harrovian@ harrowschool.hk!