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Junior Choral Speaking Team Received SECOND Place

11/29/2017

Our Junior Choral Speaking Team with Adjudicator (left) and coaches after the contest

Happy to announce that our Junior Choral Speaking Team (P.1-3) proudly received a SECOND Place at the 69th Hong Kong Schools Speech Festival this morning.

Scored 88 for the performance of McGough's verse "Crocodile Farm", Adjudicator Ms Lamont praised our team on clarity, expressivity, movements, and performance development. Although we were one point behind the winning act, our team and coaches and our entire department are still very delighted for this fantastic result and the wonderful learning opportunity for these talents children.

These boys will perform again this Friday night at the PTA Annual General Meeting. They can then do it in a much more relaxed manner!

Congratulations again to our boys and thank you so very much to Mrs Rebecca Ho and Ms Karen Li for their hard work!

Dr H C Lee

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Ying Wa Explorers Series: A Passage to Different Worlds – Explore my favorite movies

11/24/2017

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Do you recognize this logo?

Written by Mr Dennis Tam

I have often been asked where my favorite place to hang out is, and frankly, there is a high chance that you will run into me in any cinema during weekends. I am a movie-lover, and I like movies so much to a point where I had thought of becoming a director or at least a movie critic when I was young. Movies entertain me and allow me to escape the world for an hour or so. Films are a picture passage onto worlds that never exist.

While some people enjoy nestling comfortably at home watching a DVD to kill time, watching a film is almost like a sacred activity to me which the full experience can only be enjoyed in a dark, quiet and secluded movie theater. I want to shut down all connections to the outside world, allow myself to feel vulnerable and explore the story and adventure that was prepared for me by the film-makers. Nothing thrills and contents me more than a great movie and that leaves you thinking, puzzled, crying or determined even after you have left the theater.

It is no exaggeration to say that Studio Ghibli’s movies have significantly altered my life and made me who I am right now. Studio Ghibli is a world-renowned Japanese animation film studio best known for its anime feature films that include My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and many others. I have selected three of my absolute favorites to share with you.

Famous characters from Ghibli’s movies

GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES

This movie has been listed as one of the saddest movies of all time, and it is virtually impossible not shedding a few tears while watching it. This heart-wrenching story was set in Japan during the final months of the Second World War and it’s critically acclaimed for its anti-war messages. Two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, desperately struggled to survive after some tragic events had happened to their family. I vividly remember that I was only eight years old when I first watched this movie, and it was a striking experience. I was profoundly overwhelmed by the sorrowful incidents that happened to those two characters, and I couldn’t help but weep for hours after the movie was finished. This movie resonates strongly in my heart and I would recommend it to everyone. It makes you realize how fortunate you are to just have enough food and your family with you. Watching this movie can be a tough yet satisfying experience for sure.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vPeTSRd580

Have you seen this in supermarket? It originates from this movie!

Mr. Tam’s personal collection. Borrow it from me if you want!

SPIRITED AWAY

Even if you haven’t watched it before, you must have heard of it somewhere as it is one of the highest grossing movies both in Japan and globally. It is about a melancholy 10-year-old girl Chihiro wandering into a world full of different spirits and her parents were turned into pigs by a powerful and evil witch called Zeniba. Chihiro is forced to work in the bathhouse run by Zeniba while she patiently awaits a chance to save her parents. Watching this movie the first time is guaranteed to be enjoyable and I am deeply impressed by the creative and whimsical world created by the director. Compared to Grave of the fireflies, this one has more of an adventure story which is both thrilling and affectively engaging. I was moved to see the changes in Chihiro, turning from a grumpy kid into a brave little girl. The movie can be eerie at first but after all the mysteries of the spirits have been unveiled, the movie turns into a heart-warming and funny fairytale. It’s undoubtedly a masterpiece.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khumhDlo_KQ

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO

This movie appears to appeal only to young kids but I am sure that people of all ages can enjoy this movie as much as I did. I was already fifteen or sixteen when I watched it yet I completely understood why it has been one of the most popular anime ever. It is the most light-hearted movie out of the three but it touches me just like the other two. I was moved by the innocence of the little sister Mei and let’s just say “Totoro”, the forest spirit, is probably the cutest anime characters I have ever seen (well, besides Mimikyu from PokemonJ). The sisters share some magical adventures with Totoro, and those adventures are beyond your imagination. And, I am sure that the theme song is going to be stuck in your head for days, just like what “Frozen” did to all of us!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuLX50_5UAI

Leave your comments below if you have watched these movies and tell me how you feel. I will be more than happy if you can share with me your favorite movie as well!

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Ying Wa Explorers Series: Food for Body and Mind in Taipei

11/1/2017

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Written by Miss Candy Ho

To create a healthy body and mind, our “food” must be nourishing. During my one-month stay in Taiwan this summer, I had the opportunity to explore different places to enjoy scrumdiddlyumptious food and incredible books. Here are the highlights of my trip.

1. Crime fiction has always been my favourite genre. Agatha Christie, the world's bestselling author in the Guinness Book of World Records, wrote this great mystery novel called Murder on the Orient Express. This is a classic whodunit in which the readers are challenged to guess who the criminal is. It is about a murder case that takes place on a train with 13 passengers. They all immediately become suspects. The ending demonstrates what a great plot twist should be like, however, I’d better not reveal it to you now. The book is so popular that it’s made into a movie and will be shown in the theatre soon.

As the sign says, “with freedom, books, flowers and the bobii, who could not be happy?”

2. This is a café located in a 10-floor bookstore that welcomes people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It harbours a wide range of book collections. It is my favourite place to pick up some English novels. The interiors of the café feature a relaxing atmosphere. I was there finishing this book called “The Art of Thinking Clearly”, which is about human psychology and reasoning. The writer discusses the flaws of our day-to-day thinking and uses concrete examples to show us how these errors may lead to terrible decisions. It’s not a quick read for me since the writer uses terminology that is more common in the business world. However, it’s satisfying to complete something new.

A healthy choice to start my day with.

3. This beautifully decorated coffee shop is a hidden gem in a small alley away from the busy main road. It took me a while walking in the hot weather of 38 degrees Celsius to look for it. The interiors were dominated by the warm, welcoming presence of wood. My afternoon was spent there reading The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. It is about the last meeting of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It is absolutely intriguing to witness how two people holding such different religious beliefs can share the most genuine and warmest friendship. The way they carry a conversation is what we should learn from. We may disagree, but we should always respect.

The green tea cake was one of the best desserts I had in Taipei.

4. Mitch Albom is well-known for how he captures the hearts of his readers with every word he writes and how he writes them. The Time Keeper is a compelling tale about the beginning of time and its inventor, Father Time. This is one of my favourite parts from the book:

Dor: There is a reason why God limits our days.
Viktor: Why?
Dor: To make each one precious.

Isn’t this beautifully written?

5. Miscellaneous

Grand opening of the Underground Book Street. I wish this could be developed in Hong Kong too!

Books for donation can be collected here.

An independent bookstore in Huashan Creative Arts Park. Some books written by Hong Kong writers can be purchased here.

What would the babies be reading in this class?

I have been sharing most of what I read on a social network platform since the beginning of this year. Recently, some YWPS graduates who used to be in my English class discovered it! I’m so glad that reading acts as a bridge for me to stay in touch with my students and that teaching and learning can continue outside the classroom. Let’s keep reading, exploring and sharing!

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Junior Choral Speaking Team Received SECOND Place

Ying Wa Explorers Series: A Passage to Different Worlds – Explore my favorite movies

Ying Wa Explorers Series: Food for Body and Mind in Taipei

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