Expat parent Sept 2016

FREE EVERY MONTH

www.expat-parent.com

FAMILY

|

EDUCATION

|

HOME

|

MONEY

the really useful magazine September 2016

Lanterns ahoy!

Mooncakes and mid-autumn - everything you need to know

Baby brunching

- best spots in town

Meet the women making history the Helena May turns

100

$100

OUR BRUNCH GUESTS ENJOY HOUR Bowling (Minimum 4 Persons) SATURDAY, SUNDAY & PUBLIC HOLIDAY 11 - 3 pm SHOE RENTAL $10 PER PAIR | Free Valet Parking Prices subject to 10% service charge | This OFFER IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE VALID SEPTEMBER 01 - NOVEMBER 30, 2016

4/F, Centro, 1A Chui Tong Road, Kung, N.T., Hong Kong 2Saiexpat-parent.com

CONTACT: RESERVATIONS@URBAN-ENT.COM

tikitikibowlingbar tikitikibowlingbar tikitikihk

CONTENTs 2

Editor’s letter

ISSUE 029 42

Welcome to the new school year.

The latest school news to keep you in the know.

4 Contributors

Meet the team.

6

School photos

8

46 50

What’s on

52

18

Debate of the month

54

6

24

28

56 Food Brunching with baby.

60

My Hong Kong

64

Travel news Our pick of hotel, resort and travel news.

Book review

66 Travel

September’s new releases.

24

Big day out Old Macau - Taipa village.

Interview with photographer Paula Weston.

22

Food news Origami with your sushi and other news.

Homework - love it or loathe it?.

20

Me & My Hobby ‘En guarde’ with young fencer Christelle Ko.

12 News

Lots of free stuff.

Principal’s office Frank Tam gives us the low-down.

Dates for your diary. Plus mum about town shares her plans for September.

16 Giveaways

Open day Hong Kong Adventist Academy.

All the fun from schools across Hong Kong.

What’s happening on the parent scene.

School news

Private island paradise in Indonesia.

The Big Interview

72

The Helena May celebrates its 100th birthday.

Bald truths The Road Trip.

28 Feature After hours fun - after school activities.

38

Modern Family Boarding school blues.

8

66

Scan and visit our website expat-parent.com

44

expat-parent.com 1

editor’s message

who’s in charge?

Editorial editorial@fastmedia.com.hk Managing Editor Callum Wiggins

Editor Carolynne Dear

Contributing editor Shreena Patel

Contributing editor Annie Wong

Design cindy@fastmedia.com.hk Senior Graphic Designer Cindy Suen

Graphic Designer Anna Schulteisz

Assistant Graphic Designer Stephanie Brown

Sales & Marketing ads@fastmedia.com.hk

I

am now so embedded in the new school term, summer holidays seem but a hazy memory.

Those luxurious weekends of floating around on a junk or enjoying a lazy Sunday barbecue have evaporated into the ether and been replaced with the taskmasters that are Netball, Football and Rugby.

My time is no longer my own, as I ferry the children (and husband) the length and breadth of Hong Kong to score a try or shoot a goal, or in the seven-year-old’s case, sit on the sideline because he/we forgot his mouthguard (again).

Joking aside, out-of-school activities are important for healthy, balanced kids, so we’ve rounded up a heap of ideas for them to get their teeth into. Whether it’s joining a sports team, signing up with a club, or doing a spot of volunteering, there are loads of ideas for action-packed evenings and weekends on page 28.

There are also celebrations a-plenty this month, with the Guides and Brownies in Hong Kong turning 100 (see page 36) and the Helena May also celebrating its centenary. I was lucky enough to be invited over to the Garden Road club to meet current chair, Tina Seib, to find out more about this fascinating institution for women. Read all about it on page 24.

Talking about celebrations, of course it is also Mid-Autumn Festival this month. As the tides and the winds change, cooler weather is just around the corner (promise!). And whether you’re looking for a lantern festival to take the children to or a decent box of mooncakes, we’ve got you covered on pages 8 and 56.

Oh, and don’t forget to “like” us online - sign up to expat-parent.com and receive all the latest news and events, plus some great offers and freebies.

Sales Manager Oliver Simons

Sales and Marketing Executive Maria Jones

Sales and Marketing Executive Egbert Cheung

Sales and Marketing Executive Bonnie Li

Accounting Executive Jason To

Digital Marketing charmaine@fastmedia.com.hk Digital Marketing Manager Charmaine Mirandilla

Office Security

Peace Keepers

Cat the dog

Fish & Chips

Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk

Contact us Admin: 3568 3722 | Editorial: 2776 2773 | Advertising: 2776 2772 Published by Fast Media Ltd, L1 Kai Wong Commercial Building, 222 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong Printer Apex Print Limited, 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong

www.fastmedia.com.hk

2 expat-parent.com

Expat Parent is published by Fast Media Limited. This magazine is published on the understanding that the publishers, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors and omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication. The publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a reader of this publication or not, in respect of any action or omission by this publication. Expat Parent cannot be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or publishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

expat-parent.com 3

contributors

Simon Parry...

Robyn Ma‌

Isabella Djokovic‌

... is a British newspaper journalist and father of four, all of them raised and schooled in Hong Kong. He was a reporter and news editor on regional and national titles in the UK for 12 years before moving to Asia where he was news editor of the South China Morning Post. Simon is currently Asia correspondent for the Mail on Sunday newspaper in the UK and a regular contributor to publications globally.

...put together Me & My Hobby after talking to top fencer Christelle Ko. Robyn is the youngest member of the Expat Parent team and a student at Hong Kong International School. She spends her weekends hiking the trails around Hong Kong, trying out new restaurants and hanging out with her dog Ringo. Robyn was born and raised in Hong Kong and is passionate about social justice and animal rights.

...is just six years old and modelled the gorgeous new Chinadoll Kids range which has just launched in Hong Kong for this month’s cover. The dresses are made from leftover fabrics from designer houses with hand-sewn detailing. The East meets West dresses are modern, comfortable and chic and can be custom designed for special occasions or purchased from pop up stores. Our cover was shot on location in Hong Kong. For more details see mlpdresses@gmail.com.

Want to write for Expat Parent Magazine? Contact editorial@fastmedia.com.hk

4 expat-parent.com

A New Season of Theatrical Adventures!

star New S ts S e epte ason mbe r 17 th

Term-Time Weekly Drama Workshops With qualified and experienced leaders, unrivaled resources and over 17 years of experience, we offer the best of drama and theatrical education Join us for drama workshops that develop self-confidence and teamwork in a fun-filled learning environment

For ages 3 to 18 at venues across Hong Kong and Kowloon including: Sheung Wan

Mid Levels

Stanley

Repulse Bay

Wan Chai

Kowloon Tong

Pok Fu Lam

Discovery Bay

“It’s great fun. It’s the one activity I never want to miss!”

Faust Student, age 11

Contact us now to reserve your child’s place for this September Call 2547 9114 Email Info@FaustWorld.com Visit www.FaustWorld.com FaustHongKong 5th Floor, Nan Dao Commercial Building 359 & 361 Queen's Road Central Sheung Wan

Top 10

Best After-School Activity

Winner

2014, 2015, 2016

Hong Kong

Summer Activities for Kids

Best

After-School

expat-parent.com 5 Activities for

Tots to Teens

summer school photos Twinkle Dance

Little dancers jump around with Twinkle Dance this summer.

6 expat-parent.com

summer school photos Anfield International Kindergarden

Summer School Students at Anfield International Kindergarten developed their creativity, thinking skills and understanding of the word through hands-on activities.

If your school has a special event to share email editorial@fastmedia.com.hk

expat-parent.com 7

Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board

what’s on

Fire dragons whirling through the streets of Tai Hang to celebrate mid-autumn festival.

UNTIL SEP 30

SEPT 4

In the Midst of the Storm: Hong Kong’s Early Typhoons A glimpse of life during the catastrophic storms of 1874 and 1906. The exhibition was initiated by master mariner Michael J Jones - who has spent years researching Hong Kong’s typhoons - and the HK Observatory. Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Central Ferry pier no. 8, www.hkmaritimemuseum.org.

Hong Kong Legislative Election Permanent resident? Cast your vote for the sixth Legislative Council of Hong Kong. Polls open 7.30am until 10.30pm, www.elections.gov.hk

UNTIL OCT 1 Lea Salonga: Disney & Broadway Magic Lea Salonga, the voice behind disney princesses Jasmine and Mulan, joins the HKPhil - Hong Kong’s largest symphony orchestra - in a magical concert of broadway and disney classics. Tickets from $280. 8pm, Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, www.hkphil.org.

SEP 3 Kowloon Bazaar Browse all the latest gifts, designer-wear, home decor, handicrafts and jewellery at this all-day event. 11am-3pm, 3 Floor, Regal Kowloon Hotel, TST, Kowloon. Contact bazaar@printplus. com.hk or see kowloonbazaar.com.

8 expat-parent.com

SEP 5 Celebration of Colour A group of Hong Kong artists have put together a stunning exhibition of their works, being held at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre. The opening night is Sep 1, 5.30pm-8pm, while the exhibition runs until Sep 5, 10am-9pm, 7A Kennedy Road, Admiralty.

SEP 11 Step Out for Children Charity Walk and Carnival Hosted by the Society for the Relief of Disabled Children, Step Out for Children is a 7km walk to raise funds for Primary Immunodeficiencies Diagnostic Tests. Plus performances, game booths, puppet shows and more on the day.

Ocean View Court, The Arcade, Cyberport. www.srdc.org.hk

SEP 11 Discovery Bay Fair Handmade arts and crafts from across Hong Kong. 11am-6pm, Discovery Bay Main Plaza, Discovery Bay, Lantau. See handmadehongkong.com for further details.

SEP 15 -18 Asia Contemporary Art Show A diverse lineup of over 80 exhibitors from more than 15 countries. Browse original paintings, limited editions, sculptures and photography. $220 on the door, or register ahead and take a friend for free. The Conrad, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, www.asiacontemporaryart.com.

SEP 21 AWA Welcome Back Coffee Hosted by the American Women’s Association (AWA) of Hong Kong. This annual event is a way to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones while discovering what the AWA can offer you. 9.30am at the American Club, Tai Tam. Registration is open to women of all nationalities, www.awa.org.hk.

tell me more

MUM ABOUT TOWN

Big bad mice and a deep dark wood We are a Julia Donaldson-obsessed family, and I’m delighted that the kids’ favourite Donaldson book, The Gruffalo’s Child, is taking to the stage this autumn. Originally bought as a Christmas present by the children’s Great Uncle Colin many moons ago, our book is dog-eared and cocoastained - but much loved. The 55-minute performance is taking place at the Drama Theatre at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, Wan Chai from Sep 30. Tickets are available from hkticketing.com.

The Gruffalo’s Child roars into town this month.

SEP 22 Feed the Root - Cooking with Ayelet Idan Vegetarian cooking expert Idan shares her love of Middle Eastern food.

Menu includes flat bread with herbs; freekah with pomegranate salad, green dip, hummus, ancient honey drink and date-filled cookies. 6.30pm-8.30pm, $580, michelle@purepotentialworldwide.com.

Goggles at the ready If you’ll excuse the dreadfully mixed sporting metaphor, my nine-year-old is chomping at the bit to get racing at the VRC/ KEEN Open Water Swim on Saturday Sep 10. Taking place up at Emerald Bay, Sai Kung, the event is split into age categories and races cover distances of 50m to 500m depending on age.

The morning is open to all Hong Kong kids aged 7 to 15 years.

Personally I’m looking forward to a coffee and a bacon sandwich at the pop-up cafe in this most picturesque of locations. Register at skbasecamp.com.

Open water fun on Sep 10.

SEP 24 SCMP Hong Kong International Schools Festival One-stop-shop to meet representatives from Hong Kong’s kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, plus talks and panel discussions.

Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel, Level 8, Concord & Oasis Room, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, internationalschoolsfestival.com.

Lanterns ahoy!

Where to celebrate mid-autumn festival SEP 14, 15 & 16 Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance The fiery dragon weaves its way along Lily and Ormsby Streets and onto Tung Lo Wan Road. Best vantage point is at Wun Sha Street. 8.15pm, Tin Hau MTR, Exit A1.

SEP 15 Pok Fu Lam Fire Dragon Parade Chase the dragon from Pok Fu Lam Village to Waterfall Bay. 6.30-11.30pm, best viewing at the entrance to Pok Fu Lam Village.

SEP 15 Mid-Autumn Carnival Magnificent lantern displays and other entertainments, Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, 8-11pm. Don’t forget your lanterns...

Arabian nights DIVAlicious lands in Hong Kong this month. Billed as a shopoholic’s paradise, this massive shopping event showcases emerging ethnic and western fashion, accessories, gifts and lifestyle products from designers across India and the Middle East.

The show has a huge following around the world, having already touched down in Singapore, Dubai and Nairobi, but this is the first time it has come to Hong Kong.

“I had just 15 exhibitors at my first event in 2011,” says show founder Vanitaa Bhatia, who is of Indian origin and currently lives in Dubai. “But at this year’s Mumbai show, we had 170 participants.”

Hong Kong shoppers can expect Indian Fashion Week designers showcasing their autumn/winter collections, plus accessories and homewares.

Bhatia is hoping to add Britain and the US to the tour next year, as well as launching online. Watch this space.

DIVAlicious runs from 10am to 8pm, Sep 12-13, Kowloons Shagri-la 64 Mody Rd TST. Entry is free. divalicious.com Mum About Town loves getting out and about. If you have an event, let her know at editorial@fastmedia.com.hk. expat-parent.com 9

what’s on

OCT 8-9 FIA Formula E HKT Hong Kong The world’s fastest electric racing cars zoom into Hong Kong for the first time. The race, to be staged on the streets around Central Harbourfront, is a new addition to the Formula E Championship.

Championing the three ‘E’s energy, environment

10 expat-parent.com

and entertainment - the series has all the excitement of top-flight motorsport racing, minus the emissions. A pre-race carnival and eVillage keep the party going all weekend. Adult grandstand tickets start from $2,380.

Concessions available. Tickets from www.ticketflap.com

NOV 25-27

DEC 8-11

Clockenflap The annual music festival will change location to Central this year, after five years at the West Kowloon Cultural District. The lineup includes Icelandic post-rockers Sigur Rós, reggae Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop and Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist José González. Tickets from $850 from www.clockenflap.com.

Concessions available.

Disney on Ice Join Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy on a walk down memory lane through your favourite Disney films. Dive into the ocean with Dory and brave the wintry world of Frozen. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

Tickets $280-$680 from www.hkticketing.com.hk, 3128 8288.

DEC 8 - JAN 1 Wicked The spellbinding musical, which has cast its magic on more than 50 million theatre goers worldwide, will take to the stage at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz, find out how the wicked witch of the west became so wonderfully wicked. Tickets from $445 at hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

expat-parent.com 11

news

New frontiers Expats are on the move, according to local relocation and property agents. As salaries shrink and renters search for more competitive housing packages, traditional expat strongholds, such as Mid-levels and The Peak are being eschewed

in favour of cheaper locations away from Hong Kong Island.

The Immigration Department has also witnessed a 10.64% drop in the number of British choosing to call Hong Kong home, while the number of

Americans fell by 8% and Australians by 5%.

Between June 2015 and June 2016, the total number of foreign residents living in Hong Kong fell by 1%, a figure that was offset by a significant rise in arrivals from the Philippines.

Suck it up Stop sipping, is the message from recently launched campaign group, The Last Straw. The group, initiated by Gary Stokes, director of Sea Shepherd Asia, and his graphic designer brother, are hoping to slash the use of plastic straws in Hong Kong that end up littering our beaches and waterways.

“These single use items now litter the world’s oceans,” says Stokes. “The idea of using a material that lasts for hundreds of years in items that are used for a matter of minutes was the moment of insanity.”

In the good old days, drinking straws were made from a single sheet of paper. However, they had limited longevity, quickly becoming soggy and collapsing. The next step was to coat them in wax, but this made them nonbiodegradable, and then the plastic straw took over.

So the guys have put their thinking caps on and come up with a durable, rigid straw that is 100% biodegradable and toxin-free. The straws 12 expat-parent.com

are an eye-catching lime green and Stokes is hoping to introduce them all over Hong Kong.

So far a number of restaurants, clubs and environmental groups have signed up for the straws, including Mavericks, The Beach House, The Globe, Hebe Haven Yacht Club and the Aberdeen Boat Club.

In June the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club independently banned the use of all plastic bags and straws in its clubs.

Given the level of rubbish that washed up on Hong Kong’s beaches this summer, initiatives such as these are to be commended.

Stokes recommends individuals always request “no plastic straw” when buying drinks, and asks for people to take pictures and share online if they spot the distinctive lime-green straws in use.

Venues are also invited to contact The Last Straw if they are interested in getting involved.

Stokes and his team can be contacted at last-straw.org.

While your drink might last a minute or two, the straw will last for hundreds of years.

Making an impact through education At Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong, we believe that education is a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

Our school is part of a network of 16 United World Colleges around the world, all of whom share the value and philosophy of promoting peace through an education based on shared learning, collaboration and understanding.

We place as much value on practical and experiential learning as we do traditional academic education. Our 2-year IB Diploma programme incorporates classroom learning, campus and community service, cultural exploration, outdoor activities, and student-led projects - a challenging and transformational educational experience.

With 250 students from over 80 nations, we are a full-board residential school that offers a truly diverse, vibrant and international learning environment.

Needs-based scholarships are offered to provide all students with an equal opportunity to receive a life-changing, quality education.

Visit us on our Open Days!

Sat 15 Oct & Sun 13 Nov 11.30am - 4.30pm 10 Lok Wo Sha Lane, Sai Sha Road, Ma On Shan, Sha Tin, Hong Kong 2640 0441 office@lpcuwc.edu.hk www.lpcuwc.edu.hk lpcuwc

news

In brief…

Read it with love Bookazine is celebrating International Literacy Day on September 8 with with a month-long fundraising campaign.

In conjunction with non-profit organization Room to Read, the popular Hong Kong bookstore is launching “Buy a Book, Give a Book” to raise funds for literacy programmes in low-income countries across Asia and Africa.

Customers are invited to donate to Room to Read - a $10 contribution will put a brand new book in the hands of a child in need - or to purchase a tote bag with proceeds going towards the campaign.

Bookazine will also be contributing 10% of the retail price of more than 50 titles on its shelves.

There are currently over 700 million illiterate people in the world, about 16% of the global population. Two thirds of these are women and girls.

14 expat-parent.com

“Helping someone to read and write, skills that many of us are lucky enough to take for granted, improves the future not only of that person, but also the whole of society,” said Bookazine owner Shonee Mirchandani.

The Buy a Book, Give a Book campaign runs from September 8 - October 8 in its stores located in Prince’s Building, Exchange Square, Lyndhurst Terrace and Repulse Bay, bookazine.com.hk.

...from September, the Maritime Museum will be running a new schools learning programme using its new $4.7 million state-of-the-art Ship Bridge Simulator.

The workshops will help children to learn, problem solve and apply classroom lessons to real-world scenarios. Interest in these workshops is sure to be high so early booking is recommended. See hkmaritimemuseum.org. ...Sport4Kids is running free trial sessions for a number of its autumn classes this month. On September 2-4, it will be holding gymnastics trials at West Island school for three -12 year olds. The club will also be running mini-sports classes for 18 month to seven years at Hong Kong Academy in Sai Kung, as well as soccer and basketball classes in Hung Hom, Kowloon. See sport4kids.hk.

Baby steps From iron deficiency to plummeting vitamin levels, pregnant and lactating mothers experience rapidly changing nutritional needs caring for young children.

Into the breach steps the Wyeth Babynes Nutrition System, a nutritional support system to help meet the evolving needs of mothers and young children.

The system is based on a series of coffee machine-style formula capsules aimed at meeting the needs of women from pre-conception through to lactation, and of babies aged seven to 36 months. The capsules are available from the company’s brand new boutique in IFC mall.

The boutique is the first of its kind for the company and has a dedicated team offering customers personalised, on-the-spot consultations. They can also walk customers through the system, explaining how it works and offering free taste-tests of the product. Wyeth also provides its clients with a handy app to help mums’ prepare the formula at home and keep track of their child’s consumption.

Swiss-based Wyeth has been in the business of developing nutritional products for a century. All Wyeth Mom&Me and BabyNes capsules are manufactured in Switzerland and exported to Hong Kong.

The boutique is located at Shop 1032, Podium Level, IFC Mall, babyness.com.hk.

Wyeth BabyNes fans Robyn Lamson, Jessica C, Cara G and Natalie Chan.

Bowerbird online Homewares specialist Bowerbird Home is now selling online. Along with its flagship store in Horizons Plaza, Ap Lei Chau, the store will also be launching its new autumn range at bowerbird-home.com.

Brand new this season are exclusive Kerrie Brown cushions and wall coverings, silver and brushed bronze tables, cabinets and accent pieces, plus fresh twists on signature looks.

The store will also be teaming up with Hong Kong’s very own the Home Stylist to help clients get the best out of their furniture.

Bowerbird Home, 8th Floor, 2 Lee Wing St, Horizon Plaza, Ap Lei Chau.

expat-parent.com 15

giveaways WIN HERE! Click the Giveaways tab on our website: www.expat-parent.com

The Gruffalo’s Child

Escapade

The Gruffalo’s Child is an award-winning and heartwarming story of bravery and perseverance. Written as a sequel to The Gruffalo, this hugely popular show will have songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up.

Back to school equals back to sport! Whether it’s a new rugby kit, hockey stick or even swimwear you’re after, Escapade Sport is a one-stop shop for all your sporting needs. Safety and comfort is their number one priority - make sure to ask their customer service team for expert advice.

We have a family set of four tickets to the opening show on September 30 to give away.

Two $500 vouchers are up for grabs.

Deadline: September 23 Deadline: September 21

Mulberry House

Stazione Novella

​​ Fast track your child’s Mandarin learning journey through interactive and engaging activities at Mulberry House. The Mandarin Immersion Programme for children from eight months to eight years old allows children to speak, read and write Mandarin with experienced native teachers. With a maximum class size of six children, your little one will get lots of personal attention and be on their way to learning the language in no time. www.mulberryhouseasia.com

Located on the bustling corner of SoHo’s Staunton and Aberdeen Streets, Stazione Novella is a dogfriendly neighbourhood wine bar that pays homage to the simple Italian boltholes found around the train station in Florence. A robust list of affordable Italian wines and classic cocktails is complemented by a simple menu of craveable panini and other Italian fare. Stazione Novella is the home of Aperol Spritz in Hong Kong this summer.

52-56 Staunton Street, 2559 0559

We have one $2,000 voucher for six 60-minute classes to give away.

Deadline: September 22

We’re giving away one voucher worth $1,000 to one lucky reader.

Deadline: September 26

16 expat-parent.com

expat-parent.com 17

debate of the month

The great homework debate Out of hours schoolwork - love it or loathe it?

In primary it’s nothing but pointless work - but sadly it’s one of the first things parents judge us on.

We hate it too!

Secret teacher “I hate it! I want to play on my swegway!”

India, 12, Clearwater Bay

They’re at school for six hours a day, what else can they possibly need to learn?

Sally, Kowloon Loathe it! Every week I promise I’ll be more organised, every Sunday night we’re crammed around the dining table trying to finish it off.

Kirsten, Stanley

Love it. Keeps them thinking and off the i-pad.

Liz, Tai Tam “I understand its importance, but there needs to be a balance. Add in after school sports and it’s too much already.”

Catherine, Kowloon

Sometimes it’s fun to be involved with what they’re up to, sometimes it’s just a great big pain in the bum!

Jo, Causeway Bay “I don’t really mind as long as it’s not overwhelming - too many hours and too much pressue is not good.”

Brooke, Lantau.

“Love it! Builds discipline and can cover areas they don’t get time for in class. It’s character building. Although I do love the holidays.”

Theresa, Mid-levels

We want to hear from you! Next month: Trick or Treating: fun for all the family, or a sugar-fueled nightmare?

Email your views to editorial@fastmedia.com.hk or go to www.expat-parent.com 18 expat-parent.com

expat-parent.com 19

people

My Hong Kong the photographer Paula Weston tells Carolynne Dear about her love of Nikon D750, a good steak and Yau Ma Tei.

I (Top) Weston’s favourite piece of work; (right) her “cake smash” shots have proved popular.

20 expat-parent.com

first got into photography when I was 16. I studied for two years, using a second-hand camera and learning how to develop and print film in a dark room.

Along with painting and art history, it was what I was best at and loved most.

But I ended up doing an advertising and marketing course as I thought it would be more useful than a Bachelor of Arts. If I had done what I love instead of something practical, I would probably have ended up as a photographer at a much younger age.

I left my native New Zealand for the UK when I was 22 and stayed for 11 years. I temped in a bank to finance my travels and then worked in event management for six years. I met and married my husband Mark in the UK, and also had my first child, Archie.

Then we moved to Sydney for four years, craving some sunshine and beach life, and there we had a second child, Lola, who is now six.

I moved to Hong Kong as a trailing spouse four years ago when an opportunity for my husband’s work came up. We have based ourselves above Kowloon Station ever since. I love the convenience of it and the

(Top left) Weston’s after-work treat is a steak at Tango; (right) Yau Ma Tei is her favourite area to shoot; (bottom) another happy family shot.

people friends we have made in the area.

My husband bought me my first Nikon camera when we arrived in Hong Kong, and my love for photography was reignited.

When Lola started kindergarten, I went back to college and studied photography for two years to get a diploma.

I started up a photography business seriously two years ago, happy to be able to work from home, doing what I love, and having the flexibility to work evenings so I could still go into school when I needed to.

As a mother with a genuine love for children, I knew I wanted to focus on kids and family portraits. I quickly expanded to include maternity, newborn, cake smashes and headshots.

Yau Ma Tei is my favourite area for taking photographs. I love the streets, the locals, the energy, the vibrancy and the grittiness. I’ve been lucky to have clients who love it too, so I’ve held quite a few family and maternity shoots there.

I love my close-up portraits with beautiful bokeh and amazing sharp eyes and catch lights. This drew me into wanting to be a photographer in the first place. But I

also love photography showing relationships between parents and children, no matter whether it’s fun and quirky or loving and sentimental.

My favourite piece of work is a maternity portrait of a ballet dancer called Anthea who I shot on Temple Street.

I love the contrast between the femininity of pregnancy and her ballet poses, and the gritty location.

I use a full frame Nikon D750 camera and have many lenses, but my most used lens for family work is the 24-70mm 2.8 as it has great flexibility. My favourite portrait lens is the 85mm 2.8 as it is beautifully sharp and and creates amazing bokeh. I have a huge amount of studio lighting and I also use a simple speed light SB-700 flash with a white umbrella on a light stand for off-camera flash on some shoots.

I love yoga and boot camp. I love to read and see live music - Clockenflap is a highlight of my year. I enjoy hanging out with my husband and kids and meeting friends for coffee and wine. I also love to travel.

As a family, we love getting out of the city to the beaches and trails. Our favourite

family restaurant is Din Tai Fung, so the kids can eat a million dumplings! As a couple, we look forward to steak, macaroni cheese and a bottle of red wine at Tango.

I am working on providing “coffee and camera” mornings, teaching people how to take their cameras off auto. I want to expand into corporate and editorial work, as well as printing, canvases, cards and albums so clients can get their photographs off their computers and onto their walls. I also want to create a Hong Kong-themed montage that is quite gritty and urban.

Long-term, I’d like my own photographer’s den outside of home - I can imagine how it will look now. And I hope my retirement will be spent travelling and taking photos.

I’ll be a very happy old lady if I manage to achieve all of this.

Paula can be contacted at info@paulawestonphotography.com.

To see more examples of her work, go to paulawestonphotography.com.

expat-parent.com 21

book review

This month’s must-reads Curl up with September’s new releases.

Do Not Say We Have Nothing

The Fourth Sacrifice

Nutshell

Homework Help for Mums and Dads

Madeleine Thien (Granta Books)

Peter May (Quercus Publishing)

Ian McEwan (Vintage Publishing)

Karen Dolby (Michael O’Mara)

In Canada in 1991, ten-year-old Marie and her mother invite a guest into their home - a young woman called Ai-Ming who has fled China in the aftermath of the Tianamen Square protests. As her relationship with Marie deepens, Ai-Ming tells her story of her family in revolutionary China, from the crowded teahouses in the first days of Chairman Mao’s ascent, to the Shanghai Conservatory in the 1960s and the events leading to the Beijing demonstrations.

The second novel in the critically acclaimed China Series. The Chinese police have once more been forced to enlist the services of American forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell, this time to investigate a series of four horrific ritual executions that have taken place in Beijing.

Detective Li Yan is determined to discover just how one of the victims in particular, an American diplomat, became caught up in the slaying and he is even more determined to have nothing to do with Campbell.

Told from the unusual perspective of a nine-month old foetus in the protagonist’s womb, Nutshell is a tale of murder and deceit.

Pregnant Trudy has betrayed her husband, John.

She is still in the marital home a dilapidated, priceless London townhouse - but not with John.

Instead, she is with his brother, the banal Claude, and the two of them have a plan.

But Trudy’s inquisitive, unborn baby is witness to their plot…

A must-have for parents, here is everything you need to know to help your child when it’s homework time. Homework Help for Mums and Dads provides parents with tips and shortcuts - gleaned from teachers and other parents - on how to get to grips with each subject and how to pass this knowledge onto primary-age children.

Including tips on layout, writing practice, and how to make subjects more fun by thinking creatively, the book is accessible and helps take the horror out of homework.

Happy Birthday Beatrix To celebrate the 150th birthday of Beatrix Potter, five British artists and fashion designers have deliciously re-created the covers of some of her best-loved tales.

Brighten up kids’ book shelves with Henry Holland’s Jemima Puddle-Duck; The Rodnik Band’s Tom Kitten; Cats Brothers’ Peter Rabbit; Orla Kiely’s Mrs TiggyWinkle; and Preen’s Squirrel Nutkin, these books are available individually or as a set from bookdepository.com, with free shipping to Hong Kong.

22 expat-parent.com

book review Bookseller-at-large Charlotte Merrit on her new chapter in Hong Kong.

Your job title is intriguing. Tell us about your role...

I work for Heywood Hill, a bookshop which opened in the 1930s in Mayfair, London. It offers a range of tailored literary services.

It has a fascinating literary history, but these days it caters to an increasingly international clientele, and has a devoted list of customers here in Hong Kong. I was appointed bookseller-at-large a year ago as they felt it was a natural progression to have a representative here in Hong Kong.

Do you have a background in books?

Absolutely. I have a masters in literature from Edinburgh University and I’ve spent my whole career working with books, including over a decade in publishing in London. As well as being a career, books have been an enduring passion ever since I was very young.

So what was your favourite childhood book?

Hmm… It isn’t easy to whittle it down to just one book, but I always loved The Little White

Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. It’s a children’s classic, although these days it has been slightly forgotten. It’s definitely time for it to enjoy a renaissance.

What are you reading at the moment?

I’m currently on holiday so I wanted something easy to dip into. I’m reading The Song Collector by Natasha Solomons. Her writing is charming but never cloying, and she knows how to spin a good story.

Heywood Hill bookshop in London.

What’s your most memorable book?

The two books that I always return to are George Eliot’s Middlemarch and Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy. Although they were written almost a century apart, they share many similarities.

Merrit will be hosting a literary weekend at Chengdu’s Temple House hotel later this month, see thetemplehousehotel.com.

For more information about Heywood Hill, see heywoodhill.com.

A selection of Merrit’s personal favourite books.

expat-parent.com 23

THE big interview

May day

Graceful queen of Garden Road, the Helena May turns 100 this month.

Carolynne Dear met up with current chair of council, Tina Seib.

Lady Helena May and her family - husband and Hong Kong governor Sir Francis Henry May, and daughters Stella, Phoebe, Iris and Dione.

T

here’s a gentle buzz of conversation and the chink of cutlery scraping china as I am whisked through an elegant Edwardian dining room and into the even more glorious confines of the “Blue Room”. It is lunch time at the Helena May, as members and their guests enjoy a cool catch-up over a meal or a drink, on what is a stinking hot day outside.

This is Hong Kong’s “club for women”, a private institution for Hong Kong’s ladies to meet, socialise and network, and I am here to 24 expat-parent.com

The Helena May then (top) and now… On the opening day, Lady Helena’s daughter Iris described in her diary as going “all over the building, which is ripping, specially the bedrooms.*

find out more about its remarkable past from current chair of council, Tina Seib.

It was set-up and initially run by Lady Helena May - wife of Hong Kong’s then governor, Sir Francis Henry May - and financed by various wealthy donors of the day, including Ho Kom Tong, the Ho Tung family and Dr Ellis Kadoorie.

Its raison d’etre was as a safe and comfortable refuge for the increasing numbers of single, expatriate women arriving in Hong Kong. As a mother of four daughters, Lady May

was no doubt well aware of the lack of facilities in Hong Kong for single women at that time.

The beginning of the twentieth century was a period of increasing independence and social mobility for women. The suffragette movement was in full swing in Britain, while new technology - such as the telephone and the typewriter - was opening up jobs suited to “female characteristics”, namely “nimble fingers” and a “polite manner”.* Many women ventured overseas - in search of employment and adventure - encouraged by

THE big interview

The opening ceremony was eagerly attended by Hong Kong society, including the governor and his family, the colonial secretary, the attorney general, the Bishop of Victoria and the club’s various donors.

advertising from the British Women’s Emigration Association, as well as male migration.

“Of course a certain percentage came on a husband-hunting mission, as was common at the time,” explains current chair of council, Tina Seib. “But many others came to work.

Whatever their reasons, these women needed a safe place to stay, a respectable address for job applications, and somewhere they could meet other women.” Modern Hong Kong is a world away from the city of the 1900s where disease and neighbourhoods of ill-repute were widespread.

Over the years, the club has become somewhat synonymous with its matronly 10pm curfew and “no gentlemen upstairs” rule. But this should not detract from the role it played in enabling many single women to live and work in Hong Kong in a patriarchal society.

The club still boasts accommodation, both for long and short-term stays. “The residents

effectively live in a grand mansion house and have the run of the place,” enthuses Esther Morris in her book “Helena May”. “There is nowhere else quite like it.”

One such resident was Joan Campbell, current principal of the Carol Bateman dance school housed within the Helena May building.

She arrived in Hong Kong in the 1950s as a young dancer and initially stayed in the Blue Room at the Helena May, the residential area of the club being full at the time. This year, she found herself on the Queen’s 90th birthday honours list and received an MBE for her contribution to dance in Hong Kong.

“We are lucky to have an immense pool of talent and skill-sets amongst our membership today,” says Seib. “Whether they are homemakers, mothers, lawyers, journalists, bankers or architects, Hong Kong born-andbred or here on a fleeting two-year contract, our members all have something positive to

The Institute is formally opened, September 12, 1916 “Ladies and Gentlemen, the war has shown in a remarkable manner what splendid work women can do in directions hitherto closed to their energies… It seems opportune therefore at this juncture that this Institute should be opened when it can fittingly and usefully form the centre of women’s work in this Colony… The management of this Institute is the largest work which women have undertaken as yet in this Colony… I am convinced that by the exercise of thrift, patience and unselfishness, characteristics which mark women far above men, your success is well assured.”* Speech by Dr Lander, Bishop of Victoria, as reported in the South China Morning Post, 13 September.

expat-parent.com 25

THE big interview

Current chair of council, Tina Seib.

contribute to the club. The varied membership also continues the club’s tradition of being an excellent networking base for women.”

Indeed all members are expected to volunteer towards the running of the Helena May in some shape or form, whether it’s manning desk in the library from time to time, advising on building maintenance, or helping to organise charity and social events.

The grand Edwardian building itself is an adaptation of the Renaissance style, designed by architects Denison, Ram & Gibbs, who also worked on the Matilda Hospital and the Repulse Bay Hotel. It originally boasted a recreation ground, a lecture and concert hall, a reading and writing room, bedrooms on the first floor, and a room “for afternoon teas, where members are allowed to bring in their gentlemen friends.”

Seib is keen to impress that the maintenance of the building, the outside of which is listed, is the responsibility of the club’s council. The last three years have seen extensive renovations, including re-wiring, damp-proofing and the opening up and restoration of original ceilings covered over during the 1980s, most notably in the elegant Blue Room.

The Helena May was deliberately positioned close to Central, close to the Peak tram (the Peak was home for most colonial ladies who would have been involved with the club), close to the Governor’s house on Upper Albert Road, and just across the road from St John’s Cathedral. In those days, Garden Road was just that, a leafy enclave. These days the club battles somewhat with the noise from the concrete 26 expat-parent.com

overpasses that now thread their way through mid-levels.

To non-members, the club is probably bestknown for its extensive library, and for its ballet school - The Carol Bateman School of Dancing - which has seen thousands of tutu-bedecked children trip through its doors since it was founded in 1948. Bateman had been interred in Stanley during the war and was anxious to start children’s dancing classes as she had done in Shanghai before the war - she began with four sessions a week, renting a room for 20 pounds.

The library was founded in the 1920s and today holds the largest private collection of English-language books in Hong Kong.

During the second world war, all the books were removed and replaced with Japanese tomes in a propaganda drive to impress Japanese culture onto an unreceptive local Chinese population. The club itself was used for stabling horses and was completely looted by the Japanese.

After the war, members were encouraged to “bring a book” each time they visited the club in an effort to return the library to its former glory.

The children’s section now contains over 6,000 books and associate junior club membership is offered for free so children can use the library (“book borrowing by children is surprisingly on the increase,” notes Seib).

The Helena May is also still very much a charity-driven institution. It supports a different charity each year, this year the Marycove Centre in Aberdeen. There is a student mentoring programme in conjunction with Hong Kong University, and the club also offers two scholarships each year for the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. A former recipient of a Helena May scholarship, Chan Pik-sum, now a professional musician, returned to perform at the club’s centenary launch celebrations in February.

In a rather nice twist, the club shares its centenary with the Hong Kong Girl Guide Association, a group with which it still retains links. Each year, English-speaking members volunteer to test local Guides working towards their English Conversation Badge at an Annual Assessment Day, where the girls and their families are invited into the club.

Its graceful interiors coveted by many a bride-to-be, the club also hosts around 50 weddings a year.

It may not be the hippest club in town, it has no sporting teams to boast of and its facilities are minimal, but in its own way the Helena May has quietly stayed true to its mission of supporting Hong Kong’s women for one hundred - often tumultuous - years.

As I take my leave, Seib points out a golden

Much work has been done over the last few years restoring and repairing the building’s elegant interiors.

plaque that has recently been hung in the front porch. It’s engraved with all the women to have C taken the chair of the club since 1916. “We’ve M never had anything like this,” she says, giving it a quick polish. “The club has never really Y boasted about what it has achieved. And then I thought, why not? These women have quietly CM worked so hard. So we had this little plaque MY made.”

CY Indeed, as remarked by the Bishop of Victoria during the opening ceremony: “The CMY management of this Institute… shall not be an easy task. I shall watch your work with an K interest.”

It would seem that the ladies have done him proud.

The Helena May will be launching a photographic exhibition open to the public on 8 & 9 September, 11am-7pm. Entrance is free. The Blue Room, Helena May, 35 Garden Road. *All non-attributed historical quotes have been taken from “Helena May - The Person, The Place and 90 Years of History in Hong Kong” by Esther Morris and the Helena May History Group, available from the Club office, $100.

For membership enquiries, go to helenamay.com.

expat-parent.com 27

Fe at ur e

Join the club Keeping busy once the school day’s done.

28 expat-parent.com

e ur at Fe

Fields of joy

Get with the weekend sports programme.

Rugby It might still be hot but the local rugby scene is back with a vengeance this month. Weekend rugby is big in Hong Kong, with numerous local clubs training and competing throughout the season, roughly September through to April.

HKU Sandy Bay Rugby Football Club ...trains every Sunday morning at Stanley Ho Sports grounds in Sandy Bay, Pok Fu Lam. Children aged from four to 18 are welcome, with youth training for the over 13s available during the week. Mini girls train from 8-9.30am, Sunday mornings - hkusandybayrfc.org.

Valley Fort Rugby Football Club ...was one of the earliest mini-rugby clubs to be established in Hong Kong. It trains at grounds in St Stephen’s College and the PLA Fort in Stanley every Sunday morning. Team age groups run from the under 5s right through to U18s, and the club is keen to welcome and promote female players. Valley Fort is run by volunteers, including many mums and dads - valleyfort.com.

Discovery Bay Pirates ...mini rugby (U11s) season begins on 4 September, with training at the Discovery Bay North Plaza pitch on Sunday mornings. The team’s distinctive green and black strip is proudly visible at competitions throughout the season.

Youth rugby training is also available - dbpirates.com.

Sai Kung Stingrays

Sandy Bay RFC players make their move.

...have been a firm pink and navy fixture training at Sai Kung Stadium on Sunday mornings for ten years. The teams are enthusiastically coached and managed by local volunteers, including many mums and dads. U5s - U12s are classed as Minis, with U5 - U8 playing non-contact. Girls play mixed teams in the Minis, but are streamed into female-only teams once they reach U9 and start playing contact - saikungstingrays.com.

Eleven-year-old Imogen Felton plays for Sai Kung Stingrays “I started playing rugby when I was seven, just “touch” at first, full contact rugby comes later.

“Last season I played in the forwards as number 8 which was cool as there are lots of rucks, scrums and line-outs to get involved with, and loads of tackling.

I like tackling best - a great tackle feels really good. Rugby is a tough sport which is why I love it so much.

“I train two or three times a week on Sundays I train with the team, and during the week I play touch rugby at school, either training sessions or at inter-school touch competitions.

“Having the right kit is important - a mouth guard stops you knocking your teeth (or someone else’s) out when tackling. I also wear a scrum cap and shoulder pads - the shoulder pads really help build your confidence.

“Two years ago I was in the U10s and we won the All Girls Tournament Cup. We were undefeated all season which was amazing. I was so proud to be in that team, and we really celebrated hard.

“Last season was a lot harder as the teams were so much bigger than us, but we improved with every competition.

We played our hearts out at the All Girls Seven-a-side Tournament and ended up winning the plate - we were so proud.

“Rugby is definitely a game for all, not just the boys. I think they split us up at U9 level to protect the boys.

Women’s Rugby Sevens is now played everywhere, and it was even in the Olympics, which is so cool. It’s a great game, I’d recommend it to anyone - just be prepared to get dirty!”

expat-parent.com 29

Fe at ur e

Playing the beautiful game.

Football Football - or should that be soccer? - schools abound in Hong Kong, catering for littlies through to youth level players. The season runs from September through to May.

Kowloon Cricket Club ...welcomes non-members to joins its Junior and Colt Football Programmes. The teams run from U6 through U14s (with separate teams for boys and girls). The Colts are made up of boys from U15 to U18, and the Young Women’s teams cater for girls aged 14 to 17. Training takes place mainly at KCC on Saturday mornings, as well as nearby Kings Park for older teams. KCC Juniors play in the Hong Kong Football League and the Hong Kong Football Association Leagues and FA Cups. There are also overseas tournaments to get involved with - football@kcc.org.hk or Facebook Page “KCC Football Teams”.

Little Kickers ...is a fun introduction to the beautiful game for littlies aged 18 months to seven years. The sessions aim to develop skills including agility, coordination, balance and confidence and run throughout the year - littlekickers.com.hk.

30 expat-parent.com

Sport4Kids ...launches its autumn term this month. The club offers a wide range of classes in rugby, soccer, gymnastics, basketball and mini-sports for both littlies and older kids. Football classes for five to ten year olds begin on Tuesdays at 4.15 at Tai Wan Shan Park, Hung Hom. For more information, see sport4kids.com.

Asia Pacific Soccer ...has schools throughout Hong Kong, offering Kinder Kick programmes for the U4s, and moving up to all-level training for kids aged from five to 13 years, as well as girls-only training sessions. There are also selective squad programmes for talented players with the opportunity to play in the Hong Kong Junior Football League and the HK Football Association Henderson League - apsoccer.hk.

Football By Design ...has been mainly Sai Kung based, but is launching training sessions in Kowloon (Morse Park) this autumn. The school offers coaching to U10s through to U18s, with specialist classes covering goalkeeping; passing and shooting accuracy; strength & conditioning and more - footballbydesign.com.

Brazilian Football Academy ...offers fun and competitive football coaching from professional coaches for boys and girls aged five and up, as well as a special Tinytots Soccer programme for little dribblers aged 16 months to four years. Training is held at Stanley Ho Sports Centre in Sandy Bay, Pok Fu Lam, as well as selected schools. The Autumn season starts this month - bfa.hk.

HK Football Club Junior Soccer ...runs programmes for players aged five to 14, plus a Youth Development Pathway for selected players aged 12-18 years, and a programme for special needs. Competitive matches take place as part of the Hong Kong Junior League and Hong Kong Development League. Older players take part in the Hong Kong FA Henderson League. Coaching sessions run every Saturday morning at the Happy Valley club from September until May - hkfcjuniorsoccer. com.

e ur at Fe

Netball The Hong Kong Netball Association has been running a club-based weekend Junior Netball League competition since 2009. The autumn competition runs from September to December, with a Primary competition for U13s and a Secondary comp for U19s. There is also a Netta competition with simplified rules for U10s who are new to the game. Clubs and schools are welcome to submit teams.

Matches are played on Saturdays at either

Fa Hui Park, Prince Edward, or Tai Wan Shan Park in Hung Hom. Teams that regularly participate include: Hong Kong Cricket Club (hkccnetball.org); Hong Kong Football Club (hkfcnetball.com); Discovery Bay Pirates (dbpirates.com), ESF Wildcats (esf.org.hk or email: emmagregory@esf.org.hk); plus a number of school teams. netball.org.hk

Bella Taper plays in the Junior Netball League “I am thirteen and have been playing netball for four years. I train at school (AISHK) and for the last two years I have also been training with the Hong Kong Netball Association U14s team.

“This season I’ll be playing in the Junior Netball League for my school team, Storm. I started out as a defence player, but after seeing Erin Bell shooting (an Australian netballer who plays for the NSW Swifts) I decided to train up for Goal Attack (a shooting position). She is the best long-range shooter in the Australian ANZ Championships and is breathtaking to watch.

“I love everything about netball.

There is nothing better than going through a really tough training session with your team, or winning a finals competition. I particularly enjoy the start of a match when you’re sizing up your opponent, you give each other a smile, the whistle goes, and then it’s game on. I hope I end up playing to a similar level as Bell.”

Junior Netball League in full swing.

%JQMPNB $FSUJöDBUF 1SPHSBNT JO

FILMMAKING ACTING

&

www.iaft.net REG.NO. 589780

It is a matter of discretion for individual employers to recognize any qualification to which this course may lead.

expat-parent.com 31

Fe at ur e

A song and a dance

If performing arts is your thing, check out these classes‌ Red Shoe Dance

e

c an

runs classes in ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop. The school offers RAD ballet and ADAPT jazz examinations as well as performance opportunities, competitions and overseas training camps. Littlies can begin at three and there are also pre-professional intensive training programmes for older students interested in a career in dance.

Studios are in Aberdeen and Central - redshoedance.com.

D

Echoes of Erin Irish Dancing

Tripping the light fantastic with Twinkle Dance.

Twinkle Dance was founded by Twinkle Lam in 2007 and offers ballet, jazz and contemporary classes for children aged 14 months to adult. All the teachers at the school have professional training and qualifications - twinkledance.com.

Academy of Jazz

welcomes children (and adults) to learn traditional and contemporary Irish dance.

The primary focus is fun, but students also take part in performances at special events throughout Hong Kong and overseas. Classes are held in Causeway Bay, Clearwater Bay, Sai Kung and Ma On Shan - echoesirishdance.com.

is launching Hip Hop classes at The Merton, Kennedy Town, on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11am. The classes are suitable for boys and girls with a performance scheduled for Dec 4 - academyofjazz.com.

a

m ra

D

Young ballerinas make their debut.

Treading the boards with Rumple & Friends.

Island Glee Club provides opportunities for aspiring young singers to collaborate with professional singers and performers. The club teaches singing and dancing from venues in Central, Parkview and Hong Kong Academy. Classes are divided into junior, intermediate and senior students, with a chance to take part in an open-day performance each term - theislandgleeclub.com.

32 expat-parent.com

Rumple & Friends offers fun and lively classes in drama, magic, circus, puppetry and musical theatre, taught by professional performers. Enroll online and come along to the Rumple & Friends studio in Sheung Wan. Classes run on Monday, Thursday or Saturday, 4.30-5.30pm (3-6 years) or 5.30-6.30pm (6+ years) rumpleandfriends.com.

Faust International has a whole new season of drama workshops starting this month, with trial workshops on Sep 3. Its classes are suitable for kids aged three to 18 at venues all over Hong Kong. In fun, lively sessions, Faust introduces children to the world of theatre and creativity, developing performance skills, theatre knowledge, teamwork and individual expression. No previous experience is required - faustworld.com

e ur at Fe expat-parent.com 33

Fe at ur e

Share the love Give back to your community.

Cleaning up on Repulse Bay Beach.

Mix it up

Clean is green

Littlies with big hearts

Hands On Hong Kong recruits volunteers for a variety of local charities. At the moment, there are openings for younger volunteers to help prepare recycled soap for shipping to developing Asian countries (must be over 12 and accompanied by a guardian); visit elderly residents of the China Coast Community (again, volunteers need to be over 12 and with a guardian); or help out as a toy-bank librarian and spend time playing with the children borrowing the toys (over 14s). Older children (16 years and over) have the opportunity to help ethnic minority children with their homework.

For location and registration details, see handsonhongkong.org.

The region’s biggest volunteer rubbish clean-up begins this month. Hong Kong Cleanup is now in its 16th year and runs from 1 September until 1 December.

Grab some friends or classmates, choose a date and location, and sign-up online. You can opt to remove trash from beaches, from urban areas or from Hong Kong’s beautiful country park-land.

And while you’re about it, don’t forget there are a number of competitions for you to compete in, including Most Trash Collected; Biggest Team; Best Team Spirit; Greenest Team and Weirdest Item Found.

All information and registration details can be found at hkcleanup.org.

Local children Jeorge (age 8) and Samantha (age 6) have set up charity Little Philanthropist, hoping to help other kids not quite as fortunate as themselves.

They have put together a website and Facebook site to encourage other children to join them.

The idea is for the kids themselves to come up with fundraising ideas, organise events and research new projects.

They are currently planning a Charity Toy Drive & Sale, date and location TBC. All proceeds will go to various local charities.

They are currently looking for toy donations and volunteers of any age to help out.

If you would like to lend a hand, see littlephilanthropist.net.

34 expat-parent.com

Wrap it up

Register now and help bring Christmas cheer to underprivileged children. Box of Hope has been delivering Christmas boxes since 2008 and welcomes schools to register this month for the Christmas 2016 programme. The charity was founded by two Hong Kong mums who were keen to teach their own children about the gift of giving. Last year, the charity delivered over 21,000 Christmas boxes to charities and hospitals throughout Hong Kong, China, Kenya, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Nepal. The idea is to fill a shoe box with gift items, wrap it up and take it to a collection point. The venture is operated through participating schools and preschools across the territory. If you want to get your school involved, the deadline for participation is September 10 at school@boxofhope.org.

George Martin, 12, helps local kids learn to read “I volunteer once or twice a month on a Saturday afternoon for the Kids4Kids’ Buddy Reading Programme. My local Buddy Reading centre is at Tseung Kwan O. “There are usually about five or six other volunteers, helping up to twelve local children. We play an ice-breaker game, then read a group story and then we follow this up with a craft activity that’s related to the story.

“Afterwards we break up into smaller groups so the volunteers can read individually with just a couple of children. I try and encourage the children to read to me, too. I really enjoy this bit.

“Before I started working with the children, I joined a two-hour training session at the Kids4Kids offices on a Saturday morning, so I would know what I was doing.

“I’ve really enjoyed volunteering and can’t wait to get back into it this month after the summer break. It’s a great way to interact with the local community and the children are really keen to learn.”

Volunteers must be aged eight and over. Find out more at kids4kids.org.hk, or email info@kids4kids.org.hk.

A Buddy Reading Programme in full swing.

Dog days If you’ve got an hour to spare, there are cute pups all over Hong Kong looking for some kind sole to take them out for a run. Sai Kung Stray Friends welcomes teens to come along to their kennels in Tai Lam Wu village near Sai Kung where they can help out with kennel duties, or walking the dogs. Young children are also welcome, but need to be accompanied by an adult.

Contact Narelle or Kathy at saikungstrayfriendshk@gmail.com, or see saikungstrayfriends.net

expat-parent.com 35

Fe at ur e

Guiding light The Hong Kong Girl Guides celebrate their 100th birthday this year.

Commissioner Diana Lancaster reveals what the girls get up to…

The Hong Kong Girl Guides started in 1916 in the Victoria British School. Today, as part of HKGGA, the English Speaking Bauhinia Division has three Guide and ten Brownie units, open to all English-speaking girls.

The units meet on a weekly, after-school basis during term time in various venues across Hong Kong. There are also weekend events where our units join together for activities such as camps and pack holidays.

Brownies (seven to ten years) and Guides (ten to 14 years) is all about having fun and learning in a girl-led environment.

The girls decide what they would like to do and learn a wealth of skills in independence, survival, and leadership. Through a carefully structured programme, the girls are encouraged to challenge themselves, which in turn promotes self-confidence.

Above all, the girls make friends with like-minded members in a supportive and safe environment. And they have a ton of fun doing it.

Activities include cooking on outdoor fires, camping, hiking, orienteering, participating in community service activities

- such as beach cleans and helping the elderly - and working effectively in teams.

Our leaders are all trained by HKGAA and support the girls with hands on practical learning in an informal, non academic setting.

A couple of our leaders have recently returned from Beijing and Inner Mongolia as part of the centenary events this year. An International Camp is being held in the New Territories in December, and the celebrations culminate with a commemorative event at Shatin Racecourse next February.

Aanya Khanna is a Brownie with 415th New Territories Pack

Susie Holt is Tiger Owl for 64th East Kowloon Brownies in Sai Kung

We meet every Tuesday night from 5.307pm. I have been a Brownie for three months and absolutely love it. I have made so many new friends. We get creative and explore loads of new things. Air bubble football is my favourite activity so far.

I would recommend all girls to join the Brownies and experience the fun and challenges. Brownies is my life now.

Molly and Maggie are Guides with the 64th East Kowloon Brownie and Guide Pack

Brownies like to have fun

36 expat-parent.com

We meet every Monday night - Brownies starts at 4.30pm and Guides at 6pm.

We get to try lots of new things that we haven’t done before at the meetings in a fun and exciting way. Our favourite activities are going on camp and cooking with my patrol (Molly) and playing games and making new friends (Maggie).

We would recommend every girl in Hong Kong to join the Guides.

It’s a really good experience, you make loads of new friends and it’s a fun way to become more independent and confident.

I have been involved with the Girl Guides since 1983 when I became a Brownie myself.

Our meetings in Sai Kung are based around a theme or a badge we are working towards. Typically, if it’s a hall meeting, we sing our opening song and then we move on to an activity - cooking, craft, role-play and so on. This is done in our Sixes (the company is divided into smaller groups of girls) and then we reflect as a big group afterwards. Sometimes we have a guest speaker, for example before the summer we had a nurse come in to teach us first aid.

Some meetings are held outdoors when we will go hiking or on a treasure hunt.

To celebrate the centenary, we went to Sandilands (HKGAA campsite and training centre on Wong Nai Chung Gap Road) for the Bauhinia Division Thinking Day, which was a fun-packed day of activities, games, songs and a picnic for Brownies and their mums.

If you and your daughter would like to find out more, see hkgga.org.hk or email englishspeakingdivision@gmail.com.

You are warmly invited to join us for a trial few weeks before deciding whether to join.

Our Facebook page is at www.facebook. com/EnglishSpeakingGirlGuidesHK/. We would also love to hear from women who would like to volunteer as a leader.

e ur at Fe expat-parent.com 37

modern family

No turning back The tuck box is packed, the uniform pressed and your child safely delivered to their new boarding school. So what now?

Carolynne Dear speaks to the parents left behind.

38 expat-parent.com

modern family

A

fter months of preparation, the time has finally come. Boarding school beckons and that final goodbye is imminent.

“I know it was the right thing to do,” says mum-of-two Sam, who has just dropped her first-born at a well-reputed school in England’s leafy south west. “I just can’t believe he’s gone. After years of dreaming of some peace and quiet, the silence has turned out to be deafening.”

Having successfully manoeuvred her brood through three international moves and four school changes over the last thirteen years, one more move, this time from Hong Kong to Canada, pushed the family into deciding to put their children into boarding school. An expat and boarding school child herself, Sam is confident of her decision, but that did nothing to ease the emotion of waving goodbye.

“Seb took one look at the rugby fields, the cricket pitch, the boarding house, and that was it, he couldn’t wait to move in. And now his younger brother is counting down the days until it’s his turn,” she smiles sadly.

“It’s good the boys are so positive, but it leaves me feeling very empty.”

Justine Campbell, family counsellor and director of Mindquest Group, admits her waiting room is bustling with “boarding school mums” come autumn.

“Parents are kept so busy during the leadup, the reality of what has happened usually hits home a few weeks after the departure,” she explains. “Most parents will already have spent a fairly emotional year just getting the kids into their school of choice in the first place, so a degree of fatigue will also be setting in. The primary caregiver, usually the mother, is often the hardest hit emotionally when a child leaves home,” she adds.

“I held it together right up until the bit where it was the last goodbye, the final hug,” remembers mum-of-three Catherine.

“I was desperately holding the tears back so Charlotte’s last memory wouldn’t be of her blubbing mum, but when I reached the airport later that afternoon and the check-in staff asked “are you flying alone?” it all came out. I was such a mess the girl on the desk ended up giving me an upgrade!”

One mother who wished to remain anonymous experienced severe depression in the six months leading up to her son’s departure. “He wanted to go back to his former school,” she explains. “I was extremely upset by his decision. I didn’t want to socialise, I lost weight, it hit me so hard. Although I would say, for me, the reality of him being away has actually been easier than the lead-up.”

Just as parents react differently to the situation, children can too. It’s also not unusual for kids who have been begging to go to boarding school to suddenly do an about face when they get there.

“There is no “cookie cutter” response, all emotions are valid,” says Campbell. “For parents to experience a sense of guilt is a common reaction, but not always the case. It’s when these emotions don’t move along, and you find yourself overloaded, that’s when you should be reaching out for help - you need to be able to process what you’re feeling.”

Campbell encourages women to talk.

“Whether it’s to a trusted friend - someone you know who will step up and support you - or a professional, you must open up. I see so many women in this sort of “grey zone”, exhausted from flying backwards and forwards for exeat weekends and so forth, and trying to juggle that with family demands back in Hong Kong.

“Contact the school secretary to find out if there are other Hong Kong families within the school; get on a social Facebook site in Hong Kong to establish connections with other boarding school parents - it’s ok to admit you’re not coping and to seek help from others. Maybe another mum would be happy to take your child out for the weekend if you’re struggling to fly back?”

“Actually the mechanics have been a bit tricky,” admits Catherine. “I had just dropped my daughter back at school in Sydney and returned to Hong Kong when her teacher emailed to say she was being presented with a major award the following week. There was no way I could fly back so quickly as my two other children were just about to go back to school here, so I had to scramble to contact one of her friend’s to take a picture for me.”

Campbell advises parents reach out to the school or school community in advance.

“Speak to the house master or mistress, or

I opened my inbox to the heart-stopping one-liner: “Worst day ever!”

expat-parent.com 39

modern family whoever it is that deals with pastoral care.

They will have seen many international students pass through their door and will understand your concerns. Explain that you need somebody to take pictures for you at school events - no doubt many parents will step forward if you reach out. The school will also probably have some kind of photo library itself.

“Also, think about festivals, such as birthdays, in advance and again, speak to the boarding master. For my own son’s birthday, the master was entirely receptive to me ordering a cake and some pizza for his house as we had discussed it all beforehand.”

A good relationship with the school is also important for when problems arise. Campbell explains how her son once emailed with the heart-stopping one-liner: “Worst day ever!”

“It arrived at 8am Hong Kong time, which meant I needed to deal with it immediately or spend the whole day worrying while he went to bed for the night. The email exchanges went on for a bit, with him refusing to explain what the issue was. In the end I contacted his boarding master, who agreed to speak with him. It turned out he’d misplaced a cheque I had sent to pay for an excursion, and was worried about my reaction. Because I had a good working relationship with the house master the problem was nipped in the bud,” she says.

Communications, and how these are to be managed, should also be talked about before the child leaves.

“Things to consider include the time difference, school rules and how much the

There is no cookie cutter response. Maybe siblings are just happy to be rid of their annoying older brother.

child will be able to manage given that they are going to be busy at their new school. You may want an email a day, but that might not be achievable. Also bear in mind that school rules and the time difference may mean that siblings get little chance to communicate during term time,” says Campbell.

Managing the family back in Hong Kong can also be a challenge. Elisha, who has two 40 expat-parent.com

Busy school days mean communications may not be as regular as you’d like.

sons in boarding school and a seven-yearold daughter in Hong Kong, says she has experienced challenging behaviour from her daughter. “I’m not sure whether to ignore it, or whether to address it somehow,” she admits.

“Again, all emotions are normal,” says Campbell. “And again, the key is communication. Every family member will be experiencing differing emotions, and every emotion is valid. It’s possible a younger child is just happy to have lost their annoying older brother. Or maybe they were really close.

Whatever the situation, offer siblings the opportunity to open up.”

She also encourages families to “move on” without feeling guilty. “We live in Hong Kong where rent is sky high, so it’s perfectly acceptable to want to shuffle living arrangements around once the child has gone.”

“Charlotte had the biggest bedroom in the apartment, with an ensuite,” admits Catherine.

“My husband was keen we offer it to her brother, but I was scared stiff of her feeling pushed out.”

Campbell agrees that common sense wins the day here. “Think about it logically how often will the child actually be in Hong Kong once you’ve factored in family holidays?

Then sit down and talk to them - if they’re big enough to be involved with the decision about going to boarding school, they’re big enough to talk about bedroom allocations

at home. Just make sure they are included in discussions as they too may be trying to process mixed emotions.”

Elisha admits that a house move unrelated to the departure for boarding school last year - has been a blessing. “It means we’re living in a house with no memories, so I don’t have to keep walking past empty bedrooms reminiscing. It’s also kept me busy - I admit the first month or so after term began I spent a good deal of time “nesting”, sorting out my cupboards and so on,” she says.

While Campbell recommends keeping busy in those first few weeks, she also advises against jumping into time-consuming projects too quickly. “Give yourself time to sort your emotions out. Often if you embark on something too big too soon, all you’re doing is papering over your feelings,” she says.

“At the end of the day, I think you just need to trust your child,” says Catherine. “Be confident that you’ve raised them well. And when they do come home, it’s all positive - the school has done all the nagging for a change!

The anticipation of seeing my daughter each holiday is like having several Christmases a year.”

If you have concerns about anything raised in this article, contact Justine Campbell at Mindquest Group, mindquestgroup.com.

expat-parent.com 41

school scene

School news School gear solution for boarders Boarding school mum Danielle Pringle has set up an innovative service for expat students boarding in Australia.

Rather than lug gear backwards and forwards at the end of each term or school year, Pringle’s company, Student Concierge Services, will store goods for you back in Australia. The service includes collection, storage, cleaning and repairs of belongings, during school holidays or other extended period of times.

“Travelling home at the end of each term with all your belongings is an expensive and stressful exercise, particularly with airline weight limitations,” says Pringle, two of whose four children currently board.

Belongings are stashed in a safe and secure area, with additional services such as dry cleaning, repairs and uniform labelling available.

Pringle can be contacted at studentconciergeservices@gmail.com.

Lugging belongings through airport terminals could be a thing of the past.

Change at WIS

New principal for VS Academy Victoria Shanghai Academy has welcomed new head of primary, Ross Dawson. He takes over from Susan Smith, who retires after many years with VSA. Dawson will be working closely with head of academy Dr Judith Guy. Orginally from New Zealond, Dawson has over 25 experience in international education. and has lived and worked in Hong Kong for nearly 20 years. He was previously primary deputy principal at VSA. “I am confident that Mr Dawson’s experiences working with other schools internationally, his passion for inquiry learning and his coaching and mentoring skills will make a great contribution to our school,” said Guy. VSA is an IB world school, located in shum Wan, Aberdeen. The school teaches over 1,600 students using all three IB programmes Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma.

In this year’s IB examinations, more than half of students achieved 36 points, well above the global average of 30.1.

West Island School has welcomed a new school principal this month. Christopher Sammons takes over from Jane Foxcroft for the new academic year. Foxcroft has clocked up an impressive 31 years’ service with the English Schools Foundation (ESF).

Sammons previously worked for ESF at Sha Tin College in the late 1990s, before moving to the UK. He has most recently been heading up St Katherine’s School, Bristol, UK. “I am delighted to be the principal of West Island School,” he told Expat Parent.

“The school is in a very strong position as a result of many years of dedicated leadership from Jane Foxcroft.”

West Island School is a secondary school under ESF, located on the west of Hong Kong Island. This year, 13 ESF students achieved the perfect “45” score in the International Baccalaureate Diploma, four of which came from West Island. The average global score was 30.1.

Ross Dawson takes over as primary principal.

42 expat-parent.com

expat-parent.com 43

school scene

In brief… ...Stamford American School is holding its inaugural open house. Prospective parents will get an exclusive look at the new campus and receive an overview of the school’s reading programme and American and International Baccalaureate curriculums. The event is free-of-charge, Stamford American School, Lvl 40, 05-07, 2 Exchange Square, 8 Connaught Place, Central.

RSVP to admissions@sais.hk; sais.hk/events.

The French was the first interntional school to arrive in Hong Kong in 1963.

International schools measured up

curriculums.

The International School Survey 2016 - A Parent Perspective, has invited opinions from both existing and prospective parents about international schools, looking at areas such as communications between schools and parents; enrollment processes; and fee structures.

The results are currently being analysed before the results are fed back to schools. They will then be shared with the community at large.

Watch this space.

See agconsulting.asia for more information.

...the Harbour School will be holding an information event about its new high school for prospective parents. The event will take place on September 16, email info@ths.edu.hk with your name, title and contact details to receive an invitation.

44 expat-parent.com

“

“

“

“

Local consultancy Agenda Consulting and SCMP have teamed up to launch a non-profit survey into parental perceptions of international schools in Hong Kong.

According to Alex Gibbs of Agenda Consulting, this is the first time parent feedback has been sought in this way.

There are currently 51 international schools operating in Hong Kong, the first of which were set up in the 1960s. Over the years, more and more have joined the market, creating what is today a highly competitive environment of top quality schools, all offering a diverse range of

THE EXPERTS IN AMERICAN AND IB CURRICULUMS. OPENING SEPTEMBER 2017

DAILY OR BILINGUAL CHINESE

STANDARDIZED MAP® TESTING

ACADEMIC STEMinn PROGRAM

We are pleased to launch a new campus in Hong Kong, September 2017, following our huge success at Stamford American International School in Singapore, which today has over 3,000 students from 70 nationalities.

We offer a rigorous standards-based American education for students from 5 to 18 years, with a choice to

graduate with either the International Baccalaureate Diploma* or American High School Diploma, or both.

Contact Us admissions@sais.hk +854 2500 8688 www.sais.hk

Stamford American School Hong Kong is currently unregistered. Provisional registration of a school with the Education Department Bureau has been applied expat-parent.com for but is currently pending approval. The opening of the school is subject to approval of the provisional school registration by the Education Bureau. *Stamford American School Hong Kong will apply to the International Baccalaureate for program candidacy in December 2017.

45

open day

Hong Kong Adventist Academy Rebecca Simpson visits the Adventist private school in Sai Kung.

stories and sing songs in religion classes.

In middle school we do what’s called value education - how to apply and understand values in life. In high school we have ethics – how Christian values can be applied in life.”

The lush green lawns fronting HKAA.

N

estled on a shared campus in Sai Kung, is Hong Kong’s only private Adventist school, Hong Kong Adventist Academy (HKAA).

Opened in 2011, the school is led by a veteran Hong Kong educator and offers its 130 pupils a values-based education.

Students learn via the Griggs program, and the first HKAA graduate is due to finish school in the summer of 2017. HKAA is still finding its feet but it could be the beginning of something special for the Adventist community in Asia.

Leveraging the Adventist network The Adventist community supports, and is supported by, a network of learning and community institutions in Hong Kong.

These include two hospitals and the Sam Yuk schools which are partly government funded. The Hong Kong Adventist Academy is unique in this ecosystem as it is an entirely private school funded by school fees with the support of the Adventist community.

HKAA shares a spacious campus with Hong Kong Adventist College, a private program affiliated with Andrews University, the flagship university of the Adventist Church. This affords students the opportunity to join the campus in reception and continue on to finish their tertiary studies in the same place.

46 expat-parent.com

However, as many parents would know, not all students are interested in a continued education in Hong Kong, most want to fly the nest and head overseas. With this in mind, graduating HKAA students are issued with the Griggs Diploma which is recognised by Maryland State, and will open up opportunities at universities in Europe and America.

Dr. Frank Tam, Principal at HKAA, explains that the system is similar to that taught at the American International School, students are awarded an SAT score and a GPA. “The first HKAA batch graduate next summer - with one student. She came to the school from Costa Rica, she has a very good GPA and her English is at the 7.5 level already. She is ready to go to a UK university, I hope she will apply to a top university.” Dr. Tam explains that the school plans to help students with university applications and he has high academic hopes for HKAA students.

While the school is offering an Adventist education, they are accepting non-Adventist students. “We accept students of all faiths and even those with no religious background,” says Dr. Tam. “We call this a mission school, we try to use the school as a means of spreading gospel to the students.

However, we don’t do it in an indoctrinating way. We have a solid religious curriculum in our school. In elementary school we tell bible

A small community with plans for growth HKAA opened in 2011 and remains a small and growing community that offers an allthrough education. In 2015/16 the student body was 130 students and for the 2016/17 school year that number will jump to 170.

In August, a newly renovated separate building will house the reception students.

The school has capacity for 300 children in 31 classrooms and is now offering places in all school years, except the final year of school. The school is working towards a 10 year plan to have a full school with two classes per year level.

Students come from all over the world to attend HKAA including a large population of Korean children, many Japanese and USA students, as well as some from Australia and Central and Southern America. 40% of students are from local Hong Kong or Mainland Chinese families. This means the playground language can swing between English and Mandarin.

Experience at the helm Dr. Frank Tam joined HKAA as principal in 2014 and brings an extensive wealth of knowledge about education in Hong Kong to the school. Some families may remember Dr. Tam from his time as principal at Sam Yuk Secondary School in Tai Po. Teachers in Hong Kong may also have encountered

open day

The school runs a diverse curriculum.

Dr. Tam if they trained at the Chinese University of Hong Kong where he taught teacher training. Dr. Tam remains a passionate teacher of teachers, continuing to lead night classes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Since he started in 2014, Dr. Tam has achieved the sizeable task of shifting the school from a local curriculum to an international, inquiry-based curriculum.

“This is a dream school for me. I have the opportunity to run the school according to my vision and I have a group of people who are very supportive.”

His vision and dedication has seen him successfully shift both the curriculum and the perception of parents at the school, most of whom have become very supportive of the new approach. “I have made these changes over two years. Parents have been very

supportive, only one student has left.”

A caring, international teaching body Dr. Tam leads a team of more than 20 teachers, predominantly from the U.S., “The majority comes from North America.

We recruit via the church’s North American website.” He explains that the website serves as an international job posting board that attracts teachers from all over the globe.

Learn to think by learning to code facebook.com/firstcodeacademy

Core Programs for ages 6+

first_code

Shaping Future Creators AppJamming, Robotics, Scratch, Python, Minecraft Modding, 3D Printing and more! www.firstcodeacademy.com Sheung Wan | Kowloon +852 2772 2101 expat-parent.com 47

open day

School Report

Hong Kong Adventist Academy

Established: 2011 Number of students: 170 Class size: 15 Curriculum: International curriculum plus Chinese subjects Fees 2016/2017: $79,000/year (G1-6)

$99,000/year (G7-12) Non refundable capital levy: N/A Address:

1111 Clear Water Bay Road, Sai Kung Tel: Primary 2251 6671; Secondary 2623 0034

This small community of teachers live on campus alongside their students, forming a close bond and a home away from home for boarders. Dr. Tam speaks with kind regard for his teaching staff and the learning environment they create for their students, “They are really committed Christians and are willing to make friends with students and help them personally.”

Boarding option for secondary students HKAA offers a boarding option for secondary students aged 12 and above, “We have a dormitory with 140 places. This allows us to bond with those whose parents aren’t always present in Hong Kong,” says Dr. Tam. Boarders live on campus in a facility adjacent to the HKAA building, the dorms are split into a girls and a boys dorm, with HKAA students sharing a premise with Hong Kong Adventist College boarders.

“Most of the students, when they enter the dormitory they’re in high school - grade seven or secondary one. We have a lot of students from the mainland who have to stay in the dormitory because their parents aren’t in Hong Kong,” explains Dr. Tam as he gives an insight into the life of boarders at HKAA.

48 expat-parent.com

The school offers two types of boarding - five days for those who live in Hong Kong and seven days for international students whose parents are not Hong Kongbased.

A traditional, modest student life The excesses of Hong Kong’s consumption culture are discouraged at HKAA, with teachers enabling a simpler and more traditional approach to school life, “We are a simple school, we don’t encourage children to play with expensive toys or wear make up,” explains Dr. Tam. He states there are no expensive toys, no phones and no jewellery allowed by students at the school.

Instead, there’s a focus on reading real books, not iPads or Kindles. “We have a focus on reading - we encourage children to read a lot of books,” he recommends about two hours a day of reading, 30 minutes at home and 90 minutes at school. The school library offers a spacious place for students to enjoy their reading, with all school books personally read by school staff before being placed on the shelf for students to explore.

When asked about the homework load, Dr. Tam shares, “They do have homework maybe an hour’s worth. For middle school

and up it would be two hours. We have a reasonable amount of homework that is not very stressful for our students.”

Exploring the world and its challenges Beyond its green campus lies the world at large, and HKAA students are encouraged to explore beyond the walls of the school.

Students from all levels of the school experience regular field trips and special focus days off campus.

Dr. Tam shares, “We have field trips three times a year, with the next trip planned for Ocean Park. They have an environmental day where they spend half a day on the beach, helping with a beach clean up and playing games. We also have recreation day and sports day.”

The senior students are encouraged to explore further afield with an overseas trip.

“We host mission trips overseas to help with different projects. Next year the students will go to Thailand for the ‘Keep Girls Safe’ project that explores the issue of human trafficking in Southeast Asia,” shares Dr. Tam. The school will collaborate with an agency called ADRA Thailand - a relief agency operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church on the nine-day trip.

expat-parent.com 49

principal’s office

“My life’s dream is to climb the tallest peaks in China - but I may have to put this on hold for a bit while I’m principal of HKAA.”

Frank Tam, Principal of Hong Kong Adventist Academy What do you enjoy most about your job?

HKAA has many good things that I treasure.

I love close friendship that the students have with each other. I love the attention that our teachers give to the students and patience they have shown. I love the clean air, the relaxed environment and the green lawn. I admire our teachers’ commitment on traditional values and Christian standards.

I love to see the confidence our students show when they ask visitors questions during the chapel time. I love to see the pride our students take when they stand up to receive prizes because of the effort they have made at school.

What has been the most memorable event in your career?

The annual musical drama “Once on this Island Jr”, which was produced, directed and performed by the faculty and students of Hong Kong Adventist Academy and Hong Kong Adventist College. I think the most memorable part was seeing the teamwork.

Our students and faculty spent over 3 months to prepare the musical drama. With the help of the teachers, students were able to prepare everything such as drawing backdrops and making their costumes.

They created some really great memories, delivered a fantastic performance, and it was shared with their parents.

50 expat-parent.com

Why did you want to work in education?

I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was a teenager - I love working in education. I understand that most of the kids in Hong Kong live under pretty stressful conditions with the pressure of homework and passing exams. HKAA provides both an educational and a fun atmosphere for students to learn and grow. I just hope that my passion will relieve some of that stress for them and lead them to a bright future.

What’s the best advice you were ever given by a teacher?

As a teacher, you will grow professionally and find deep satisfaction teaching and serving as a mentor to your students.

What do you like most about Hong Kong?

I love city living, but Hong Kong is so compact and well-connected that we can bring the students from an urban environment into a natural environment really easily. The transport network here is excellent, convenient transport is always a good way to bridge people together. Let’s face it, it only takes ten minutes by minibus to get from Tseung Kwan O town centre to our green and pleasant campus.

What was your favourite subject at school?

I loved chemistry because I liked doing the experiments. Proving things through experimentation is always a good way to put theories to the test and to prove them. It’s better than getting your information from a dusty old book and trying to memorise what you’ve read. It’s the same theory behind American-style teaching - they focus on inspiring kids to learn rather than forcing them to learn.

Do you have any hobbies?

I love reading and hiking. My lifelong dream is to climb all the tallest mountains in mainland China. So far I’ve only accomplished about half of this dream.

However, I think I might have to delay the plan a bit while I’m principal of the school.

What qualities do you value most in people?

Every single person has their own unique character, and every character is valuable.

No one is perfect, everyone has good points and bad points, but this is why it’s important to work as a team - it takes a team to succeed.

How do you spend your “down” time?

I enjoy reading, hiking and just spending time with the family. I really enjoy hiking on Lamma - the trail there has incredible views over the ocean. It’s a nice family walk.

Sponsored Column

IELTS – the world’s leading English proficiency benchmark

by Andrew Hall, Director, ITS Education Asia After something of a struggle in recent years, with many new players on the English proficiency scene, one exam has effectively been left standing - the IELTS exam.

For immigration and/or study in Englishspeaking countries, the IELTS exam is recognised as the gold standard.

Success in the IELTS exam (meaning reaching a required “band,” or score) is not up to luck, or out of the reach of most properly-prepared test takers. For the most part, it takes a familiarity of the exam-taking process and the ability to apply knowledge correctly within the exam format.

First, the standard information: there are two versions of the IELTS exam – the Academic version and the General Training version. General Training is usually taken by those who are sitting the exam for immigration purposes. The majority of IELTS candidates sit the Academic version. While the different versions offer different papers and at different levels, the speaking and

listening test is the same for both Academic and General training candidates.

In addition to Academic and General Training, a brand new version of the exam has just been launched – IELTS Life Skills.

This exam is to meet the requirements of UK Visas and Immigration for certain visa categories and other immigration purposes, and only assesses candidates’ listening and speaking skills. It’s important to remember that, for all of the exams, an IELTS score is only valid for two years. After the two year period, the score is said to be stale and candidates need to take the exam again in order to have a valid score.

What can an IELTS exam taker do to maximise the chance of getting the best score possible? Familiarise yourself with the test format, first and foremost. Practice your English, every day. There is, of course, a variety of freely-available preparation material on the internet (often of poor quality, unfortunately). Or, you can take an exam

preparation course.

One option is the ITS Education Asia’s IELTS Exam Preparation course, offered fully online, and therefore available anywhere in the world. Live sessions with a real teacher, teacher-guided self-study, exam tips and strategies, and assignments and practice papers marked with full tutor feedback and returned to the student are a cost effective, high-quality option for students around the world looking for an IELTS course.

For more information, visit www. itseducation.asia/online/ielts.htm ITS Education Asia provides an education consulting service that works with families and employers to find the right schools for individual children in Hong Kong, from nursery to secondary schools. ITS also offers research, policy and advisory services for corporations. For more details, contact 3188 3940, es@itseducation.asia or visit www.itseducation.asia

Dyslexia

SCHOOL SEARCH

We are experts in the world of specific learning difficulties, providing a tailored service to parents and their children to find a UK Independent School that perfectly fits their needs.

Dyslexia • Dyspraxia • Dyscalculia • Dysgraphia • Autism Asperger’s Syndrome and other complex learning difficulties Your journeY starts here

Let us help you find your way and the best school for your child.

Sheridan will be visiting Hong Kong from 31st October - 10th November To book a FREE consultation please call or email: Telephone: +44 (0) 1728 687 964 Mobile: +44 (0) 7754 756726 info@dyslexiaschoolsearch.com www.dyslexiaschoolsearch.com

Sheridan Steen School Search is also available for children without educational learning difficulties.

Ad August Dyslexia v3.indd 1

18/08/2016 10:38 expat-parent.com 51

me & my hobby

Foiled again

Young fencing star, Christelle Ko, speaks to Robyn Ma about staying “en garde”.

How long have you been fencing?

I’m currently 14 year old and am in Year 9, studying at Kellett School - I took up fencing about six years ago.

Are you involved in any other sports?

I play sports such as badminton and swimming as hobbies but I’m not pursuing them as passionately as I am for fencing.

It’s an unusual sport - how did you get involved?

My brother was the one who first got me into the sport. He really enjoyed it so I began getting involved and realised that it was quite fun.

Why do you like it?

I like it because I’m good at it! And it’s also really fun. I’ve met lots of people from around the world and had tons of opportunities to meet olympians which is really nice because not many people get to do that. Meeting them is always very memorable and inspiring. I am trying my best to work hard and hopefully compete in the Olympics one day.

Tell us about the competitions you’ve taken part in?

I’ve competed all over the world. My most recent competition was the Challenge Wratislavia in Poland where I came third for the U15 Girls’ Foil category. I’ve also competed in 52 expat-parent.com

England’s national competition, both last year and this year. I was the U14 GB Foil Champion last year. Even though I compete in different countries, most of my competitions take place in Hong Kong or around Asia and mainland China.

How often do you train?

There isn’t really a set time but usually I train four days a week and for around four hours each session. Over the summer I didn’t train as much as usual.

Is it hard to balance school and social life with your fencing lessons?

It’s not because my teachers are really supportive and they always help me. I can always ask my parents for help if I need it. And if I really can’t handle it all, I’ll just cancel my fencing lessons that week, especially when I have exams and other tests. Then I’ll just do it another day. I am able to re-arrange sessions for alternative days.

How is it that you’re able to compete in both England and Hong Kong?

I have a British passport because my parents have British citizenship, and I was born in Hong Kong. This means I am eligible to compete for both countries. However, I think I’m supposed to choose which one I want to compete for next year. I’ll probably choose

Hong Kong though since I live here so it’ll be easier to compete.

Any fencing highlights?

I have loads of great memories of this sport.

Winning is always a highlight but even if I lose I don’t immediately leave the arena. I like staying afterwards to watch all the different matches because the games are always really intense so I usually end up leaving at around 6 o’clock at night when the whole competition is finished.

What would you tell young fencers or anyone who might be interested in the sports?

I don’t treat fencing as a competitive sport. I just like it as a hobby because it’s fun. When you’re fencing, don’t think that you have to win every time. If you’re facing a hard opponent you can’t just think that you’re going to lose or win. You just have to try your best. I never thought I would win some of my competitions.

You just have to believe in yourself that you can do it.

If you’d like to give fencing a go, contact the Fencing Sport Academy at fencingsport.hk.

expat-parent.com 53

light bites

Food news Healthy takeaway Following the success of its first branch in Wan Chai last year, healthy Cantonesestyle restaurant Kasa has opened a second branch in Central. Focusing on its vegetableforward concept, Kasa highlights plantbased ingredients in its healthy, grab-and-go takeaway fare. Takeaway boxes start at $68 for three mix-and-match items - choose from dishes including sweet potato noodles with shiitake mushrooms and onsen egg, eggplant lasagna, and quinoa with minced chicken.

Homemade drinks and desserts complete the menu. A few tables and chairs inside the ‘cha chaan teng’ themed interior are ideal for a quick sit-down meal, too.

61 Wellington Street, Central, 2868 6864.

Birthday celebrations at The Verandah

Meals on wheels

Available throughout the month of September, those celebrating their birthdays can enjoy a complimentary classic set menu at The Verandah, The Repulse Bay. Guests must book a table for four adults or more. The offer is available on Wednesday to Sunday evenings. For reservations, call 2292 2822 or email verandah@therepulsebay. com

Featuring two Citroën vans from 1966 and 1972, newly-opened The Garage Bar at Cordis Hotel in Mongkok has created its own take on the food truck concept. Located above the hustle and bustle of the streets below, the outdoor patio and bar has been renovated to create extra space and seating while also accommodating the two vans.

Combining Western and Asian flavours, the Hongkongese burger features a New Zealand steak burger in a bamboo charcoal pineapple burger while the Iberico meatball sandwich and crispy tofu caesar wrap continues the East meets West theme. Wash it all down with a selection of over 40 local and international craft beers.

Open from 5pm to late, Monday to Sunday.

Cordis Hotel, 555 Shanghai Street, Mongkok, 3552 3028.

Humble pot noodle gets makeover Great for kids-on-the-go, the pot noodle has been “poshed up” by Marks & Spencer. Available in four flavours including Tom Yum (pictured), Pho, Laksa and Ramen, the pots contain a nest of noodles, vegetables and a paste blended from ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime, galangal and tamarind. All you need do is add water.

The pots cost $29 and are available from all M&S stores. See marksandspencer.com.

54 expat-parent.com

ENROL ONLINE AT www.esf.org.hk INSPIRING FUTURES

ESF Sports

Term 1 Sports 29 August - 13 December 2016

Open to ESF & Non ESF Students ENROL ONLINE

Develop your child's love of sport with ESF Sports Not only will our fun classes with progressive and competitive pathways develop your child's sporting abilities, our enthusiastic and qualified coaches will also instil a love of sport. Join us!

Basketball Football Netball Swimming Multi Sports - starts at age 2!

Gymnastics Kung Fu Tennis Many locations around Hong Kong

sports@esf.org.hk F

ESF SPORTS

Tel: 2711 1280

www.esf.org.hk

expat-parent.com 55

food

I see the mooncakes

Annie Wong samples the city’s yummiest mid-autumn treats.

Round, flaky and full of calories, mooncakes are typically eaten during Mid-Autumn Festival and are traditionally filled with egg and lotus paste.

But these days the sky (or even the moon) is the limit, with modern versions bursting with chocolate, praline, fruit and even ice cream fillings.

This year’s festival falls on September 15, so gather some friends, a few lanterns and plate of the traditional Chinese pastries.

GODIVA Putting a modern twist to the traditional delicacy, GODIVA has brought out their Mid-Autumn Chocolate Pastry Mooncake.

The mooncake mixes in silky chocolate, nuts, all on top of a moist cake, complete with an imprinted lotus flower. Their range of mooncakes include flavours like sea salt with hazelnut milk, raspberry dark chocolate, crunchy nuts milk chocolate and almond dark chocolate. Available at Godiva shops and online, www.godiva.com.hk

G.O.D Mooncakes Unfortunately G.O.D aren’t bringing out their cheeky ‘moon’cakes (mooncakes shaped like a bum) this year but they are partnering with Tai Cheong bakery and showcasing their signature mini mooncakes. There are six bitesized mini mooncakes in each box, containing three red bean and three custard flavours.

Available in stores across Hong Kong, god.com.hk.

Mrs B’s Cakery Go traditional with Mrs B’s duck egg and white lotus seed paste filled delicacies, all imprinted with her signature butterfly pattern.

Or opt for her special lantern-inspired recipe, filled with a golden mousse of mango, coconuts and fresh pomelo pearls, laced with luscious white cream. Who could resist?

Available from Mrs B’s Cakery, 39 Gough St, Central, 2815 8303.

If you want to make your own mooncakes for the celebrated festival, join Yan Toh Heen’s Executive Chef Lau Yiu Fai’s masterclass on September 10. Chef Lau will teach guests how to make their custard cream and gold dust mooncake, with a choice of inscription of up to two Chinese characters. The masterclass includes a feast of the restaurant’s signature dim sum, mooncakes and freshly brewed Chinese tea, with one box of custard cream and gold dust mooncakes to take home. $1,488 per person. 12.15-2pm. For more information or to reserve your spot, call 2313 2323.

InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, www.hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com

XTC Gelato XTC Gelato is combining artisanal gelato with mooncakes. Available in a box of four flavours with a Hong Kong twist, XTC Gelato uses only natural ingredients. Flavours include pistachio, milk tea, raspberry and original vanilla.

56 expat-parent.com

Make your own mooncakes at Yan Toh Heen

The yolk in the classic mooncakes are replaced with mango sorbetto made fresh from Philippino mango. Available until September 16 at several locations including Shop B, 45 Cochrane Street, Central, 2541 0500, xtc.com.hk

expat-parent.com 57

food

Brunching with baby

Don’t let diapers and dummies put you off your stride.

The Optimist Ole! Specialising in Spanish fare, The Optimist is spaciously laid out over three floors and was choka with happy families when we visited. Highchairs, baby changing, kids menu, colouring and ipads with movies make it a great family day out.

The weekend Brunch runs on Sundays only (11.30am-3pm) and kicks off with a semi-buffet laden with Mediterranean treats - think salads, cold meats, gazpacho, tortillas and seafood - while the hot sharing starters really hit the mark, too. The delicious Huevos Rotos “Broken Eggs” were expertly served by our waitress, quickly followed by Grilled Octopus & Ham and gorgeously gooey Ham & Mushroom Croquettes.

While a typhoon raged outside, we set to work on the Whole Seabass Espalda with garlic dressing and grilled vegetables.

Bursting belt buckles meant we almost turned down dessert, but the table next to us were indulging with a Warm Apple Pie & Vanilla Sauce and Vanilla Custard Natillas. It was difficult to let that go past and still say no.

The god of children’s parties and playdates had smiled on us that day, leaving us a deux, but next time we may well take the kids…

G/F-2/F, 239 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, 2433 3324.

Tuck into a Mediterranean feast at The Optimist.

208 Duecento Otto Sheung Wan’s buzzy 208 has been a bit of a hit with its new weekend buffet this year. Booster seats, baby changing and a kids playroom help smooth the way for families with littlies.

The unlimited antipasti buffet bar laid out along the ground-floor counter groans with Italian favourites - think poached lobster, beef carpaccio, ocean trout crudo, baby octopus and chilli, pasta dishes, salads and a great salami selection.

Once you’ve grazed your way back to your seat, the next tough decision is what to pick from the Secondi menu. There’s a mouth-watering list of traditional pasta dishes, as well as more traditional brunch dishes such as eggs benedict, eggs florentine, or the 208 Big Brekky served with charred Wagyu skirt steak, two Molinari sausages, cured bacon, fried egg, roast cherry tomatoes and polenta cake.

And you won’t be able to walk past the dolce menu, either - the adage oldies are goodies proves to be true, with chocolate brownies and espresso caramel, frangipane tarts and sweet ricotta cannoli.

The Bambino’s Brunch menu is $108 for under 12s and there is a whole playroom dedicated for littlies on weekends.

Brunch runs from noon - 3pm on Saturdays and 11am - 4pm on Sundays.

Weekends are playtime at Duecento Otto.

58 expat-parent.com

208 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, 2549 0208.

food Potato Head The much-anticipated Potato Head Hong Kong arrived earlier this summer, and while it may be nowhere near a beach (unlike its Balibased counterpart), it doesn’t disappoint. This massive, 8,000 sqft joint boasts a restaurant, coffee shop, bar and retail space.

It has been imaginatively designed by awardwinning Tokyo-based architect Sou Fujimoto using an eclectic mix of the designer’s signature pieces and elements of Indonesian culture - including incredibly lounge-worthy sofas.

The restaurant, Kaum, celebrates traditional Indonesian tribal cooking and a weekend brunch is on the menu for September (dishes were still TBC at time of going to press).

The group has also launched an imaginative Indonesian-inspired kids menu to get tiny tastebuds properly tingling - Nasi Goreng, Wok fried noodles and fried prawn dumplings make a nice change from the norm.

G/F, 100 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun, 2858 3036.

It may not have a beach, but Potato Head Hong Kong has a great kids’ menu and comfy couches.

expat-parent.com 59

big day out

Macau makeover There’s more to Cotai than casinos and croupiers.

Carolynne Dear takes a walk on the cultural side of the peninsula.

caption

60 expat-parent.com

big day out

C

obbled alleyways and pretty pastel-coloured terraces don’t exactly spring to mind when you contemplate booking a weekend

caption caption

in Macau.

But before the builders moved in after the Portuguese pulled out in 1998, the peninsula and surrounding islands was just that - an attractive, low-rise, quiet destination by the sea.

However, the early 2000s saw the transformation of Macau into a glitzy casino capital as much of the land between peninsula Macau and Taipa and Coloane islands was reclaimed. Taipa and Coloane eventually ended up connected via the flashy Cotai Strip - the casino era had arrived with a bang.

Today, having welcomed resort after resort, the Macau government is looking to its past and showing some love for the older parts of the peninsula, namely Taipa Village.

Taipa village was originally a fishing hamlet located in the south of Taipa Island which was home to local residents who made their living through fishing, firework production and handicrafts. Despite the recent years of dramatic urban change, it remains a living community that has retained its culture and heritage.

“Our goal is to promote Taipa Village as an exciting and culturally rich nongaming destination,” says Pamela Chan, senior marketing manager for Taipa Village Destination (TVD). Billed as the “authentic Macao”, Chan explains that TVD is offering the area as an alternative to the city’s casino resorts.

Following a decade of regeneration in the area, Chan and her team are now hoping to attract locals and tourists back to the area, offering heritage attractions, dining, niche retail offerings and a diverse arts and entertainments scene.

On a blustery day, I catch up with Hilda Leong, from the TVD team, and after a quick tapas lunch at Casa de Tapas, one of the many Mediterranean-style restaurants that line the laneways, we set out to explore the village.

We start at the Pak Tai temple, one of the biggest and most significant temples in Taipa. As the two main village industries used to centre around fishing and fireworkmaking, it follows that the local community worshipped the god that was believed to protect against both floods and fire.

Next door to the temple is the locally renowned “Si Toi” bicycle hire shop. The expat-parent.com 61

big day out

flat, cobbled streets, many of which are too narrow for traffic, make for an ideal cycleway for families. The square outside the temple is covered with bikes for hire come weekends, says Leong.

We wander around the corner to the Museum of Taipa and Coloane History.

The gracious mint-green and white building used to house the Municipal Council of the Islands. It now promotes and preserves the history and culture of Taipa and Coloane with a small but interesting range of exhibits spread across its two floors.

Back on the cobbles outside, Leong leads me to the edge of Taipa Village where the elegant low-rise buildings rather dramatically collide with the golden monolith that is The Galaxy. The paved area marking the edge of Taipa was once a little beach overlooking the sea. While Leong reasonably points out that the gaming industry has brought both money and jobs to the

(Left) A happy couple ties the knot at Our Lady of Carmo Church; and (below) a Taipa streetscape.

peninsula, I can’t help thinking that the hotels loom like rather unfortunate blinged-up toads leering incongruously over a delicate, pastelhued lily pond. But I guess that’s progress.

We move on to the Taipa HousesMuseum, five pretty pastel houses that were once the residences of the Portuguese governor and other high-level civil servants and their families. They are situated on what was once the seafront, but is now a lily-festooned lake that is all that is left of the original waterscape. Leong explains that the lilies were introduced for their ability to change salt into freshwater, and when they bloom in the summer they make a dramatic backdrop for the little Museum houses on one side, and the shiny skyscraping hotels on the other (reclaimed) side.

The houses are currently shrouded as they are repainted and smartened up, but inside each one offers a different display focusing on Macanese and Portuguese

culture and history. In 1992 they were acclaimed as one of the top destinations in Macau for outstanding beauty and important architectural value.

We walk back to the restaurant for a restorative coffee, passing by the old fireworks factory. It is immense, the old yellow boundary wall running the full length of one of the main thoroughfares. After a fire on the peninsula in 1925, the industry was moved lock, stock and barrel to this location in Taipa Village, employing thousands of Taipa locals during the 1950s and 60s.

However, by the 1970s the industry started to dwindle in the face of mass production in mainland China.

The Village is bursting with art galleries, boutiques, enticing restaurants, museums and stunning colonial architecture. If you’re looking to escape the crowds and the bling of the Cotai Strip, Taipa Village is a real breath of fresh air.

Taipa’s blast from the past Originally a fishing settlement, Taipa Village also became an important hub for the firecracker industry.

Macau was not rich in natural resources, but it was able to offer cheap, skilled labour in the 1950s and 60s, which gave rise a large, productive fireworks manufacturing industry.

At one point, Macau was home to five fireworks factories, creating many job opportunities for local residents. But after a fire on the peninsula in the 1920s, the industry was moved lock, stok and barrel to Taipa Village.

Today, the Iec Long Firecracker Factory is the best preserved industrial heritage site in Macau and stands as a reminder of the village’s manufacturing past.

Macau celebrates its explosive past every autumn when the world descends on the peninsula for an international firework contest.

Now in its 28th year, the contest will be held this September 3, 10, 15 and 24 and Oct 1. Best viewing points are on the waterfront or on top of Penha Hill on Macau peninsula.

It’s free to watch, see fireworks.macaotourism.gov.mo.

62 expat-parent.com

OUT NOW

From the team behind the sellout Above Sai Kung & Clearwater Bay comes Above Hong Kong Island.

Order your copy online now at www.abovehongkong.com *First 100 copies signed by photographer Graham Uden

www.fastmedia.com.hk www.heliservices.com.hk

w w w. g r a h a m u d e n . c o m

expat-parent.com 63

up and away

Travel news

Digital detox at Mandarin Oriental The Mandarin Oriental has launched a digital detox programme at all of its spas worldwide. Designed to help guests part ways with their digital devices, even just for a few hours, the programme seeks to give advice and tips for how to lead a less digitally-connected lifestyle after leaving the spa. Encouraged to surrender their phones on arrival, guests can enjoy a full range of activities such as journaling,

colouring, meditation or simply doing nothing at all and enjoying the silence.

On departure guests will receive their digital devices back cleaned and packaged. We’re keenly anticipating the digital detox for children package!

Call the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong Spa at 2825 4888 or email mohkg-spa@mohk.com Living life offline.

More baggage allowance on Cathay Pacific and Dragonair

Macau’s newest hotel opens this month.

Bienvenue à Paris Macao’s latest hotel, The Parisian Macao, will open its doors on September 13. The newest addition to Sands China’s portfolio on the Cotai Strip, the half-

Passengers with air tickets issued or exchanged on or after September 15 will benefit from increased check-in allowances. Under the new measures, all passengers will enjoy an additional 10kg allowance for check-in baggages.

Passengers who find it difficult to travel light will also face less stringent excess charges by up to 40 per cent.

Dragonair will increase its carry-on baggage allowance to match that of Cathay Pacific, 7kg for economy and premium economy class passengers, 10kg for business class and 15kg for first class passengers.

For more information, visit www.cathaypacific.com and www.dragonair.com

Carry-on is on the up.

Grace Jones comes to Bali

scale recreation of the Eiffel Tower situated at the hotel’s entrance pays homage to the City of Lights.

With 3,000 guestrooms and suites, international restaurants, a spa and health club, a 1,200-seat theatre as well as a themed water park, the resort adds another choice for Hong Kongers on a weekend break to our sister SAR. “Our goal to create a largescale leisure and business destination in Macao, which started with the opening of The Venetian Macao nearly 10 years ago, will be fully realised when The Parisian opens its doors in a matter of weeks,” said Sheldon G. Adelson, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands and Sands China Ltd.

Visit www.parisianmacao.com for more information.

64 expat-parent.com

Grace Jones headlines Potato Head Beach Club.

Take advantage of the long weekend during October by jetting off to Bali while Grace Jones is in town. The iconic musician, model and actress is headlining an intimate show at Potato Head Beach Club on the tropical stage. The globally renowned Potato Head Beach Club in Bali welcomes more than 2,000 guests daily and has a growing reputation for bringing in some of the biggest musicians from around the world. Special VIP and accommodation packages are available.

Tickets can be purchased from www.ticketbase.com

distribution

Subscribe at www.expat-parent.com or call 2776 2772.

The Long Beach (LBPD) The Forest Hills Taste @Festival Walk

Aberdeen/ Ap Lei Chau/ Wong Chuk Hang Bumps to Babes Elite PT Studio Flex Studio Larvotto Levitate Admiralty / Wanchai Berlitz Classified Dymocks Great @Pacific Place Star Crest The Morrison The Zenith British Consulate General Causeway Bay / Tai Hang Classified Escapade Sports Residence de Causeway Serenade Y.I Central / Sheung Wan ABA Production American Women’s Association of Hong Kong Baby Steps Bumps to Babes Dymocks Escapade Sports Flex Studio Sense of Touch Discovery Bay Dymocks Sunshine House Deep Water Bay Cococabana Park N Shop O Thai Restaurant and Beach Bar 1 Shouson Hill Road East Happy Valley The Broadville Island East 18 Upper East Grand Seaview Heights Hamilton Hill Island Lodge Pet Central The Floridian Mid Levels / The Peak 31 Robinson Road 62B Robinson Road Ladies Recreation Club No. 29 Severn Road Po Garden Robinson Place Ying Piu Mansion Pok Fu Lam / Kennedy Town The Arcade @Cyberport Bel Air on the Peak Kennedy Heights Mount Davis The Merton The Sail at Victoria

Repulse Bay 3 South Bay Close Belleview Place Helene Tower Manhattan Tower Ruby Court The Lily The Pulse The Somerset Sai Kung / Clearwater Bay/ Tseung Kwan O Allure Classified Clearwater Bay Equestrian Centre Firenze Park n Shop (Fusion) Pet Central Sai Kung Animal Hospital Starbucks Steamers Tala’s Taste @Tseung Kwan O The Giverny The Hive

SUBSCRIPTION

NOW

Mailed to your home!

Tutti Music Zone @ Sai Kung Reflexology Center Shek O Shining Stone Restaurant Stanley Boathouse Pacific Pets Pickled Pelican Playtent Spiaggia Stanley Veterinary Centre Taste Vern’s Beach Bar Tai Tam Hong Kong Cricket Club Rosecliff TST / Kowloon AquaMarine KCC Taste

Schools / Learning Centres ABA Productions American International School Australian International School Baby Steps Brain Child Bumble Bee Education Centre Canadian International School of Hong Kong Clearwater Bay School Colour My World Discovery Bay International School Discovery College Eton House French International School • Jardine’s Lookout • Blue Pool Road • Chai Wan • Hung Hom Generations Christian Education Harrow International Hong Kong Academy Hong Kong International School International Montessori School International College Hong Kong Island School ITS Education Kellett School • Pok Fu Lam • Kowloon Bay Kiddicraft King George V School Little Picasso Magic Muffins Music Horizon Nord Anglia International School Norwegian International School Quarry Bay School Red Shoe Dance Studios • Central • Aberdeen Renaissance College Sai Kung English Sha Tin Junior School South Island School Sunshine House Pre-School • Pok Fu Lam • Tung Chung • Discovery Bay Tadpoles Early Learning Tivoli Kindergarten and Nursery Tutti Music • Tai Kok Tsui • Tseung Kwan O Victoria Education Centre • Causeway Bay • South Horizons • Ho Man Tin • Sai Wan Woodland Preschool • Central • Sai Kung Yew Chung International School YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College

Join our community!

Never miss an issue – have Expat Parent mailed straight to your door with our brand new subscription service. For as low as $15 per issue, what are you waiting for?

Sign up now! Offer valid for a limited time only.

Subscribe at www.expat-parent.com or call (852) 2776 2772 expat-parent.com 65

travel

Desert island bliss Private island paradise is possible even with the children in tow. Carolynne Dear reports from a white sandy beach somewhere in the South China Sea.

66 expat-parent.com

travel

A

few years ago I was corresponding with a “mummy friend” who had recently moved to Singapore with her toddler.

“Oh, we’re renting a desert island with some of our playgroup friends,” she breezily told me when I asked what she was up to over the summer. At the time, pre-Hong Kong days, my own playgroup get togethers consisted of a dusty community hall, an urn of over-stewed tea and several vegemite-smeared children playing noisily on a plastic climbing frame.

Phew, I thought, what a life!

And yet, several years later, here I am, settling back on the silky sands of said private desert island, while the kids disappear down a leafy jungle path to play, not an i-pad or a pokemon (or a vegemite sandwich) in sight.

Welcome to Nikoi Island, a modern day shangri-la for weary parents everywhere.

Nikoi lies in Indonesian territory approximately 80kms south of Singapore, nestling serenely off Bintan Island, close to where the South China and Java Seas meet.

To reach it, we flew into Singapore and caught one of the regular high-speed ferries from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Bandar Bentan Telani on Bintan Island (an easy journey of approximately one hour). From there, a car met us to whisk us across Bintan to a private launch (a 45-minute journey), and this powered us over to tiny Nikoi in under half an hour.

As we approached the island, the white sandy beaches, swaying palms, and wooden grass thatched beach huts felt a million miles away from our early breakfast in downtown Singapore.

Nikoi was “discovered” by long-term Australian expat Andrew Dixon, and American Peter Timmer (who had been living on Bintan for the past eighteen years). Dixon, disenchanted with what was on offer for holiday-makers in the region, had decided to explore the then undiscovered east coast of Bintan.

Fed up with either flea-ridden beach shacks or grandiose marble and chandelier be-decked resorts, Dixon was looking to create something of good quality but genuinely in tune with the natural environment.

So, the pair hired a tiny fishing boat to take a look at a nearby island that was reputably up for sale. On landing, they were amazed to discover gorgeous beaches, pristine reefs, extraordinary rock formations and verdant rainforest. “It was hard to believe a piece of paradise like this could remain uninhabited and untouched a mere 50 miles from Singapore,” expat-parent.com 67

travel

Getting away from it all, Nikoi-style.

says Dixon.

Significantly, the pair do not describe Nikoi as an “eco-resort”, considering the term to be overused. While creating a quality destination, they just wanted it to respect the natural environment - “as much as possible, we have left Nikoi as we found it - a desert island,” explains Dixon.

“Our plan was to develop a private island, not a resort,” he says. “We wanted guests to enjoy the best of local dishes and appreciate service that is relaxed and genuine - not bound by training manuals and fake smiles.” He likens the island to “luxury Survivor”.

It would appear they have achieved their aim. Entirely constructed of driftwood, with a grass roof and exciting tree-top walkways linking the bedrooms and two bathrooms, our beach hut is what dreams are made of for our seven-year-old boy. There are no doors, no windows, no air conditioning - just gentle sea breezes, ceiling fans, graceful mosquito nets draping the beds (although I have to admit we didn’t have a single problem with biting insects, a welcome change from our own New Territories backyard), simple bathrooms, extremely comfortable beds - and a handy torch for after-dark.

Almost paralysed with excitement, the seven and nine-year olds decide to move their mattresses and sleep in the huge wood-hewn window seats.

And as you would expect of a quality resort, the gentle staff visit every morning to sweep our sandy floorboards and mop the bathrooms.

This is barefoot living at its best, and our days quickly relax into a stunning early morning 68 expat-parent.com

kayak around the island (even the seven-yearold can manage it by the end of the week), followed by jetty-jumping and snorkelling for the kids while I catch up on my pile of magazines on the beach, and finally an indulgent lunch.

The catering on the island is what impresses me most - the dining room consists of a long, polished table - perfect for our large group of friends from Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong - in an open-sided, sandy-floored, dining hut by the beach.

The daily “menu d’hote” is chalked up on a board at breakfast-time, with sensible alternatives for the children (thank god, not a chicken nugget in sight), which mostly consist of local dishes using fresh ingredients - fish and seafood feature regularly. Parents everywhere will appreciate the bliss of not having to navigate an a la carte menu plus fast food-laden kids menu every mealtime.

In the afternoon, the children disappear to do their favourite thing on Nikoi - Yogi’s kids club. Yogi is amazing, he spends hours with them, carving wooden objects, showing them how to mix mocktails behind the little bar, designing complicated adventure games covering the length and breadth of the island this is about as close as you will get to an Enid Blyton childhood in the age of tech. Rather marvellously, they disappear for hours on end, leaving us parents to retreat to the pool on the other side of the island with books, i-pads and cocktails.

A couple of evenings we did manage to rouse ourselves for a tennis match with the kids (on the immaculate grass court - Wimbledon eat your heart out), as well as enjoy the odd

Mixing mocktails in the island’s bar.

massage (a team of masseurs are happy to stop by your beach hut).

Dinner is served early for the kids, so they can disappear off with Yogi for an evening by the beach bonfire or watching a movie on the huge outdoor screen at the kids club hut. Again, we adults are left alone to linger over our food and wine.

By the end of the week, none of us is ready to go home and the eleven-year-old virtually has us in a headlock promising to come back next year. “Seriously mum, it’s our best ever holiday!” she pleads with us.

To be honest, I’ve never seen our welltravelled, been there, done that children quite so animated about a holiday. We will certainly be back some day…

There are fifteen beach huts on Nikoi, with either two or three bedrooms.

The island can be rented privately, or as individual huts (nikoi.com). We travelled with other families with similarly aged children, which worked well.

From Hong Kong, we broke our journey with an overnight stay at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (crowneplaza.com).

The Bintan Resort Ferries can get busy and should be booked in advance (brf.com.sg), as well as the car pick-up from Bendar Bentan Talani (this should be organised through Nikoi Island, nikoi.com).

The group is launching another, adultonly luxury destination on privately-owned Cempedak Island at the beginning of 2017 (cempedak.com).

marketplace

To advertise, email ads@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772.

marketplace

expat-parent.com 69

marketplace

70 expat-parent.com

To advertise, email ads@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772.

marketplace

To advertise, email ads@fastmedia.com.hk or call 2776 2772.

SPEAK OUT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING

BY WEARING BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY!

Eden serves to restore freedom for the captives of Asia’s red light districts through holistic programs. Using our international jewelry business as a platform, we provide career and skill training- empowering women for a new life and future.

We have just opened a new shelter in Hong Kong and we need your help to speak up for the oppressed!

For more information and to buy our handmade jewelry, visit www.edenministry.org To get involved email: edenministryhk@gmail.com

Start searching for a on college you like ..............sonal#Comparis #Per

My End with a college that suits you best

ing think 0 0 Sco 0 0 Score M re 0 3P co U S d)ch AD 0 0 Score ol)an UoD )scho re TU 9 0 ch 0 co W a S e or) 7 0 0 s)in)f 10 OSU Score )score 5 5 9 0 0 FFHC own Score your) U 7 5 6 0 0 10 APS )Put) Score ate.) e# re U lu if 8 8 4 IS 6 co 9 #L 0 0 S ic )eva dem opics)to re 0 0 7 ca 1 4 co 5 1 8 0 0 S ate#A demic)t t h #R #3 ig 7 9 7 7 5 8 9 #2 0 ca 0 We Step /edit)a 5 1 8 8 8 9 10 0 10 0 ew Revi 5 2 9 6 7 6 9 0 10 0 n 6 1 7 5 10 5 7 0 0 10 ptio ri sc 5 1 7 8 #De 6 4 7 7 g 0 n io it Topic l"Rankin n 7 1 9 7 8 3 6 h 0 ecog 10 oo tc R a ," ch g S "M 1 7 1 9 9 5 10 5 8 ankin ram 0 g R t" ro n 2P me y" 7 1 9 5 8 4 5 8 0 part ctivit 3 De ool"Sele 6 1 9 8 6 3 8 9 0 % 4 Sch issions" ndar" 3 1 7 5 10 5 5 7 0 m le 5 Ad ching"Ca lty"Ratio 7 1 8 5 8 0 5 3 0 1 a 6 Te entRFacu s" 5 1 8 6 7 4 te 3 9 0 a d e "R 7 Stu "Class"Siz tentioin 5 1 9 6 6 2 5 0 0 g e an"R on"Rate 8 Av y 0 0 5 1 it 0 m 6 1 1 0 0 1 0 bil sh ts ti 9 Fre Gradua ion,"Flexi uiremen 6 1 8 5 7 0 0 0 0 ct ts eq Ryr" 10 4 urse"Sele ourse"R uiremen 2 1 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 "C q o 11 C ndatory uage"Re ss"Hours 2 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 a g la n M a RC 2 "L In s" 1 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 cond "Week," "Service e S g ic 13 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 gram achin Academ grams e ro T "P ad 14 0 0 ro 0 nt" 0 0 180 0 0 tude CoROp"P dy"Abro 15 S ," 0 0 0 tu 0 121 0 0 95% tern al,"S rvice 98 16 In rnation ugh"Se 0 0 0 0 0 64% te hro 17 In arning"T "topic 0 0 142 0 0 52% t y y"Fic 5% 139 18 Le free"entr "topic 0 0 mm 0 7 o T y * 172 19 * free"entr "topic 0 0 73% y * 107 20 * free"entr "topic 0 91% y * 21 * free"entr "topic 56% 190 y * core 22 * free"entr "topic y ible)S * 23 * free"entr "topic l)Poss y * Tota 24 * free"entr * 25 * our)

p)y velo u)de

as)yo

es) )valu ange

College Selector

an interactive tool to compare multiple universities and analyze up to 50 criteria helping you to reach the final decision

www.thebigcollegeplan.com

S Plus Group Limited

d

imite

up"L

s"Gro

S"Plu

expat-parent.com 71

bald truths

Are We There Yet? Simon Parry gets lost in a Renault Espace on a family road trip

I

n Dante’s Inferno, there are nine circles of hell. I’m a bit fuzzy on the details, but I’m fairly sure one of the circles must involve an August afternoon spent driving aimlessly around and around an obscure town in Eastern Europe with no road signs and four bored teenagers whining and swearing behind me.

It was the low grunts and repetitive chanting ringing in my ears from the back of our car that gave the experience its particularly hellish sensation as I spent what seemed like days searching fruitlessly for a way out of one of the ugliest and scariest cities in Albania.

“Are we there yet, Dad?” came one taunting refrain. “Can we stop for the toilet again, Dad?” came another. Then, most cutting of all: “You’re such a cheapskate, Dad. Why couldn’t we just fly to Greece instead of driving in this crappy old car.”

In fairness, that is a good question. It takes three hours to fly from Manchester to Corfu with EasyJet. Instead – for our 13th summer in the holiday home we bought in 2004 – we decided to buy a six-seater and drive 2,000 miles through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Albania and northern Greece.

I say we. To be honest it was my idea and it was greeted with trepidation by my wife Hazel and sheer horror by our children. By then, it was too late. We’d already blown our summer flight budget on an ageing Renault Espace and started planning our six-day odyssey.

“Look at it this way kids,” I said cheerfully.

“This car cost the same price as six return flights to Corfu – and we get to keep the car afterwards. It’s a bargain. It’s like taking a holiday and getting to keep the jumbo jet when you get home.”

My cheery logic was met by blank stares and rolling eyes and, on the day of our departure, they hunkered silently and sulkily down behind their laptop screens as we trundled out of Lancaster and straight into our first motorway tailback at the start of what

72 expat-parent.com

Simon Parry is a jaded, middleaged journalist and father of four.

He lives in Hong Kong.

On the basis that most of Western Europe is flat and uninteresting, we began by driving non-stop for 24 hours through seven countries before making our first stop... seemed an impossibly long journey south.

Driving to Greece for the summer was one of those ideas we’d talked about for years but never actually thought we’d get around to doing. In truth it’s probably one of those whimsical plans lots of people talk about but are sensible enough not to put into practice

– like punching the boss and walking out on your job.

But with the children now settled in the north of England and about to start going off to university, and me staying out in Hong Kong and only seeing them every couple of months, it seemed like a last chance to make the most of our time on what may be the last summer we all go on holiday together.

On the basis that most of Western Europe is flat and uninteresting, we began by driving non-stop for 24 hours through seven countries covering 1,200 miles before making our first stop in Slovenia. By the time we got out of the car, the younger two children were in tears while the older two Googled whether they were too old to put themselves up for adoption.

It wasn’t until we got to Croatia that bits started falling off our car and only in Montenegro – a few hundred miles short of the ferry crossing to Corfu – did I into my first roadside ditch. At least we didn’t try to camp – that would have been one act of madness too far. Instead, we settled for comfortable but inexpensive hotels and apartments.

Ultimately, all that saved me from a public lynching in the Balkans by my own children was Kotor Bay in Montenegro, a delightful, relaxing spot where we broke our journey for two nights to give ourselves and the car a chance to recover.

Then I blew it all with the living hell of driving through Albania. Even my mindless optimism deserted me as I banged my head on the steering wheel in frustration.

Four weeks on, and it’s time for the return journey. As we plan our route, my wife assures me it’s all been a successful bonding exercise.

“The children’s feelings towards you have never been stronger,” she chirps. “Look at the way they’re gazing at you …”

I laugh nervously and glance across the dining table to see what my wife fails to see: My children’s holiday playfulness replaced by hardened expressions and menacing scowls that hint at patricide in a lonely layby somewhere between southern Italy and Calais.

It’s been nice writing for you …

expat-parent.com 1

expat-parent.com 1