Mid year review - 2016

And so the story goes...

In terms of blogging, this year's been a bit on and off for me (apologies for that). It is mostly because I've had a busy couple of months studying for my postgraduate degree (which I'm pleased to say is almost over). But it's also because I've been working on some other projects that I was fortunately selected for. So, here are the top 5 things that have happened this year:

No. 1: British Council

Probably the most exciting project of this year for me. After winning a short writing contest, I became one of the lucky few that were selected to write for the world renowned British Council for 2016. I've written 4 articles for it about my experience as a student in the UK, specifically topics such as the student lifestyle, financing, and travelling on a budget. Two have been published presently, so feel free to read them: 

• 1) http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/frequently-unanswered-questions-of-international-students/
• 2) https://digital.britishcouncil.org/blog/how-we-use-digital-platforms-attract-students-uk

Walking to our induction!

No. 2: WBS

My university invited me to do some filming to help market my course to future prospective students. The experience was definitely enjoyable, especially since we manage to do it outside near the lake on our campus seeing as it was really sunny! The video isn't out yet but when it does come out, I'll make sure I post a link on my blog for everyone to see it. So, watch this space ;)

Sunny day - heading to the filming location

No. 3: Bag design contest - winner!

I don't normally like to share my drawings out publicly (it's my bit of privacy that I'd like to keep private!). However, seeing as it's my last couple of weeks in my student halls, I decided to enter its annual bag design contest just for a bit of fun (also because the prize was too good to miss). It worked out quite well in the end seeing as I won the grand prize. In other words, hard work does pay off.

The final design

No. 4: Enactus

For those of you that don't know, Enactus is a student-run global initiative aimed at use entrepreneurial skills to solve social issues and help vulnerable groups. I was lucky enough to get involved in one of its more creative projects, and therefore had the opportunity to teach a group of homeless beneficiaries how to draw. I taught them how to sketch a cartoon version of themselves. Here's mine if you're interested:

The final look!

No. 5: Travelling 

Needless to say, with 6 months into 2016 already, I did manage to squeeze in some time for travelling. And I know haven't posted much about my trip to Wiltshire and the others places I've been to in the UK yet, but fret not. My reviews will come soon. So for those of you that are already enthused by them, here's a sneak peek of where I went:

Day out with friends in Leicester

Photographing in Petersborough

Strolling in Castle Combe

Shopping in Leamington Spa

Of course, not everyday was sunshine and rainbows. Many of the days I had this year were rather dismal and grey. But, if you look at the cup from a different angle, it seems that my 2016 so far was more half full than half empty. And I'm sure there'll be many more great adventures to come (just you wait). 

Theatre Review - BlogMas Day 2

 

Sunday afternoon treat

Generally on the weekends, I like to take time off to spend with family at home. This usually involves at least 3-4 hours of TV, then a homemade meal before either some more TV or blogging. However, as a special pre-Christmas treat for this year, we decided to watch a local play just last Sunday. The show had received positive ratings and almost had a full-house (in terms of audience numbers) when we got there. And seeing as it was only in town for 3 days, it was definitely something we ought not to miss!

So for day 2 of BlogMas, here's my review of 折翼天使 (aka. Angels Pslam):

Flawlessly spectacular

The plot itself was simple but filled with strong messages about the unexpected challenges in life and how to deal with them positively. It circulated around the true story of a 23-year-old woman who had lost her legs, along with her 10 month old baby girl and mother-in-law, during the tragic Sichuan 7.9MW earthquake in 2008. What made matters worse was that the main character was originally a dance instructor for children. Without the key physical feature needed for dance, the protagonist was unable to make a living initially and had to rely on her parents. To top it off, her husband broke off with her as her injury reminded him too much of his mother and daughter's deaths.

 

Devastatingly horrifying basically summarises the first part of the play.

 

However, the situation starts to get better as the second act progresses. The protagonist first meets a group of missionaries from abroad, whom had come to help hospital patients that had suffered the physically from the earthquake. Through one of them, she managed to get in touch with a foreign prosthetist of prosthetic legs. Although slightly reluctant to try them at first, the main character eventually gathered enough courage to do so. She mentioned on countless occasions that they weren't at all comfy, and it took a long time for her to get used to them. However, with lots of practice and support from her family and friends, she eventually managed to walk and even dance confidently in them. Having mastered these skills, she later decided to volunteer in another earthquake-hit town, called Ya'an, not too far from her own in 2013. Today, the protagonist continues to dance and travel to different parts of the world to share her story and the lessons she learnt through her journey.

 

From a critic's POV, the play's story was portrayed perfectly by each and every actor and actress that stepped foot on the stage. The emotion they manage to convey through their actions and speeches was unbelievably powerful. Whether the scene was about laughter, joy or sadness, all were easily portrayed by the performers and felt accordingly by the audience. A big thumbs up to all the children that performed, their singing was particularly wonderful, and to those that had created the amazing backdrop.

 

Would a different crew have been better? Absolutely not. The entire drama was flawlessly spectacular just the way it was already.

Angels Pslam autograph board



Lessons learnt

As mentioned, the play was meaningful as well as memorable. I think the clearest message presented was definitely that about persistence and optimism. In short, no matter what life throws at you, even if it is an extreme tragedy, always remember that there are more solutions to them than the problems themselves. We must always hope for a brighter future, and believe that one does exist as well. 
 

As for the optimism part of the play's core message, that simply involves smiling (lots of it). Smiling through the toughest of times definitely helps you feel better (trust me, I've tried it before). In addition, always look at both sides of the coin. Although it may feel as though there is nothing positive about the situation on hand, if you look just a bit more closely and patiently, you may just find several bits of happiness that can change the gray skyline a bit (even if it only lasts temporarily).
 

Persist in being and thinking positively, for the answer you're looking for may just be around the corner - that's my new year's resolution for 2016.

Review: Learning Architecture at CSM

The amateur anthropologist architect

 

Usually on my weekends, travelling to a museum or hidden highlight are inevitable. I just love the idea of being able to experience new situations, and simultaneously learn more about life and history. However, as pointed out by the renowned psychologist Vygotsky, one can only learn so much through trial and error. In order to reach our potential, teachers or role models are what we require to become academically adept. And although the traditional note-taking and lecturing techniques may seem rather tedious especially on a weekend, I felt no regrets in enrolling myself into a 2-day architectural drawing course at Central Saint Martins (CSM); for those of you that don’t know, it’s famed for developing the star-studded fashion figures like A McQueen and S McCartney.

 

Why? Simply for the love of learning and sketching.

For such a course, you’d expect there to be some sort of practical element. You guessed correctly. Underneath the baking hot sun that shone through the dusted glass windows, I was able to perch myself on comfy wooden furniture whilst crafting my (very amateur) masterpieces (which were based on the interiors and structures of the captivating building which CSM was in). I was undoubtedly grateful for the guidance and support the course tutor showed me; although we do cover households as a topic in anthropology, we consider it through a more abstract and philosophical angle, rather than an artistic one. Through being taught about the importance of measurements and various viewing perspectives, I was able to progress steadily during the course. Fascination and enthusiasm quickly kicked in, despite the weather beckoning me to go out (it was apparently one of the hottest weekends in London during my time at CSM).

And since it was my first attempt at architectural sketching, I have to say, I think I did alright; don’t you? 

 

Lady Betty afternoon tea (York)

An absolute MUST

Whenever I head to York, I always manage to squeeze in some time for a quick stop at Bettys, the famed tea room. It’s generally for the same reason (i.e. buying a delicious Fat Rascal which, truth be told, is always on my “favorite things” list). However, two months ago, I went to the elegant café located at St Helen’s Square with a much more celebratory purpose. 

Fat rascals, fondant fancies and other yummy treats

I mean, honestly. Celebrating the end to three long years at university HAD to include cake and tea in my opinion.

Summer pastels and chocolate ladybirds

And since it was such a momentous occasion, we decided to go for the extra special and irresistible Lady Betty Afternoon Tea set. Packed with savory and sweet treats, this newly crafted menu offered a truly delicious and eclectic selection. A dish that my entire family and I definitely all enjoyed was the prawn cocktail. Pairing this with a Marie Rose sauce on top of a creamy and fresh avocado purée made the little appetizer absolutely heavenly (and obviously scrumptious). And for t­hose that are unable to eat seafood for dietary reasons, fret not. A vegetarian option, made with dainty tomato cubes, can be ordered instead.

And of course, the other savory starters were also winners.

I enjoyed having the traditional tea, scone and sandwich setup; I think it’s an absolute delight to have a classical touch to any sort of afternoon tea. However, our meal was not without a couple of elegant surprises. From lavender infused scones to a delicate Chine Rose Petal tea, our culinary experience could not have been any more sumptuous.

Well, that’s what I thought until I saw the miniature cakes - truly exquisite and, obviously, delicious.

I think it’s hard to pick a favorite from the sweet treats that graced our table. However, if I really had to choose, it’d definitely have to be the pink macaron. I know they say that it’s not good to judge a book by its cover, but honestly, this macaron was undeniably just as good on the inside as it was on the outside, both in taste and looks. 

With friendly service and so much delicious food, it’s no wonder that my trip to Bettys ultimately inspired myself to draw a quick fashion illustration on my laptop as seen below (hope you guys like it!).

Inspired by Lady Betty, drawn by me

If it’s a 5 star afternoon tea in an elegant, luxurious and friendly evnrionment you’re looking for, you’ll definitely feel satisfied with the Lady Betty menu.

Supernova

A performance worth experiencing

Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending the Supernova finals. Originating from 2009, it’s an annual secondary school contest aimed at discovering the best singer or music group among the Hong Kong youth population. It was definitely an enjoyable night. I liked how there was a mix of English, Cantonese and Chinese pieces performed by each of the 12 finalists. However, aside from all the merry melodies and star-studded dances, I had an additional mission during that evening: to support my dear friend Keanne Lee. With all her hard-work and patience, we all knew that she truly deserved to be crowned the champion of Supernova.

I mean honestly, her first song, Rolling in the Deep by Adele, literally blew the entire crowd away (just have a look at this amazing video of her if you don’t believe me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFB7PcilymU&feature=youtu.be 

Also check out her cover of Speechless - left me speechless too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wH7sSqG_5U&feature=youtu.be

Impressive right? The judges thought so too. We were all delighted that Keanne won at the end of the night after 3 rounds of eliminations and sensational songs. Glad that our cheering and voting helped her along her way!

Constellations (theater review)

My kind of Friday night entertainment

When it comes to Friday evening, most people I know tend to head out to the pub for a drink or two with friends. I think it’s important to socialize, but it’s not an alcohol-based atmosphere that I personally desire. I’d much rather go out for a casual dinner or movie. So, I think that the topic of this particular blog post will be of no surprise to any of you. Out of all the shows available last week, Constellations was the one that stood out to me the most. The combination of quantum physics and romance in a play sounded intriguing. I was keen to find out if this was the reason behind the countless amount of stellar reviews critics had offered.

Plus it was raining horridly outside so an indoor form of entertainment was a definite must.

The sweet shop

Parallel universes

The acting and backdrop were both nothing short of phenomenal. However, what fascinated me the most was the theme the plot brought up. From start till finish, the story tended to be made up of a series of repeated scenes, although there was a slight difference in emotion, attitude and atmosphere in each one. If I recall correctly, this setting was based on the concept of parallel universes. It’s essentially the idea of having another one of you in an alternative realm, only he/she experiences the situation you have in an alternative way (positive or negative). It kinda got the anthropologist in me thinking about whether this phenomenon is applicable to people living in contrasting cultures.

Snacks galore

For a boy-meets-girl based performance, the use of the parallel universes concept meant a mixture of sweet and sour, hot and cold scenes. The amount of emotions radiating from the two actors was utterly indescribable. It was truly amazing how only two performers managed to captivate an audience of over 350 for longer than an hour, especially since there was very little music. I also recall them mentioning something about time, which got me thinking about the essay I wrote back in my first year at university concerning the culturally different understandings and experiences of time.

Arriving at the studio

An enjoyable evening treat suitable for those that enjoy a bit of humor, dancing, and thinking after work.

Oh and I also had a nice chat to the viewer next to me – Friday night socializing complete.

Interschutz 2015

Pre-departure thoughts

There’s something about fairgrounds that always makes my heart skip a beat (in the most positive way of course). Whether it’s the whirlwind of colours emulating from the carousel, the over-enthusiastic screams of children, teens, and adults on rapid rollercoasters, or even the smells of freshly made strawberry candyfloss and toffee popcorn, I can’t help but feel like a little kid in an awkwardly shaped adult’s body once again. I also think it’s due to my liking for international acts, particularly if it’s by the circus. So, I guess that by now you’re expecting me to launch into commenting heartily about my recent visit to Le Cirque du Soleil or a local British funfair. Think again.

A firefighting masterpiece

 Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my review of Interschutz 2015.

Photos from (a very sunny) day 1

Clearly, this is a foreign event (the name gives it away immediately). But it’s not the sort of stereotypical fairground event I was describing earlier. This one was about fire engines (and boy was there a lot of them). Just look at all my pictures.

Interschutz spectacles

And I’ll also have to add, each and every one of them were uniquely remarkable, although my photos show a couple that caught my eye in particular!

Highlights of the exhibition

During the event

I found the variety of visitors the most interesting. There was a definite antithesis in atmosphere between those that were discussing a potential purchase in detail, and others that were simply buzzing about which show or vehicle they wanted to see and try on next. This contrast was further emphasized by the types of clothing that each group adorned (think business suits versus t-shirts and jeans – a clear distinction between those doing business and the fans of each company).

Wandering through one of the many exhibition halls

To me, the entire week was a highlight. However, if you are desperate to know what I enjoyed the most, I’d say the live demonstrations hands down (never realized how tricky it was to save someone from a burning building and the incredible range of equipment you’d need to do this – very interesting). My only issue with them was that they weren’t always in English (I got the gist of it thankfully).

Simply stunning

At the same time, there was also an interesting array of non-fire specific industrial products, my favorite of which was definitely the aerial platform whose cage could shoot up to around 100ft high!! And for Hello Kitty lovers, there was a very cute fire extinguisher on display.

Fire extinguishers plus Hello Kitty

Of course, no exhibition is complete without freebies. From pens to posters, to sweets and freshly-baked pretzels, it’s no wonder that Interschutz was more than just a large business convention. It was an event for everyone, whether young or old, and be it for business or educational tourism.

Treats and Merchandise

A tip in case you ever plan on going is to wear comfortable shoes (seriously, the place was so big that it took me three days to walk through the entire arena!!); I did see some people on bikes and scooters so they’re helpful alternatives.

One of my most favorite logos at Interschutz

Final opinion?

Interschutz, I look forward to visiting you again in 2020.

Electronic dinosaurs on display