BTW

LPCUWC’S MONTHLY STUDENT MAGAZINE

ISSUE NO. 2 | OCT 2010 | http://www.scribd.com/lpcbtw/

 S E C O N D I S S U E

News – Opinion – Musings – Poetry – Photography – and more

contents
Editorials ... page 3
The World This Week ... page 4

PHOTOGRAPHY – Moments in Motion by Dora Chu ... page 5

Articles
What About My Culture? by Michael Ratliff ... page 7
Standing In Line To Get A Sandwich Tonight by Tomi Kiviluoma ... page 7
The Morals of Fields and Floods by Ryan Black ... page 8
Why Am I Here? by Anonymous ... page 9
The Problem Engine by Anders Malle Hjortshøj ... page 9
Notes From A United World ... page 11

PHOTOGRAPHY – Mid-Autumn Festival by Laszlo Perge ... page 12

Columns
Unexplored Hong Kong by Mary Hui ... page 14
For The Defense by Colin Diersing ... page 14
Stories I’ve Heard by Terence Young ... page 15
Bane of My Existence by Kumar Ramanathan ... page 15

PHOTOGRAPHY – Interesting Rooms by Aaratrika Bose & Mary Hui ... page 16

Alumni Section
Leaps, LOLs, Lights and Life by Gloria Yu (2008-10) ... page 18

PHOTOGRAPHY – Btw, We Were In Shanghai by Mabel Fung ... page 19

Poetry
We Lie Together by Bobby Adamson ... page 21
Word Traffic by Hannah Wheatley ... page 22
Untitled by Anonymous ... page 23
Slaughterhouse by Tomi Kiviluoma ... page 24

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 2

 E D I T O R I A L

DEAR LPC, Hannah’s Monthly Haiku

Believe it or not, it’s October. First years are beginning So many Deathlines
to feel at home and second years are already feeling No time to breathe or star gaze,
pretty damn old. The weather is finally starting to We’ll have freedom soon.
clear up into something that doesn’t resemble a lower
circle of hell. China Week is soon approaching – which
is exciting for most first years and a source of great
I’ll make the t-shirts
anxiety for those second years who still have EEs, You write the revolution,
TOKs and IAs pending. Quan Cais are starting to pick We’ll have freedom soon.
up, COP Days loom on the horizon, and in the not-so-
distant future, university applications await. Suffice it – Hannah
to say, time moves quickly.
It’s easy to get caught up in how frantic life can be Getting Involved In BTW
here. We’re always worrying about the next thing, so As you read this magazine, we know you’re
much so that sometimes we forget why we did that last thinking to yourself, “I wish I had written a story
thing in the first place. What we do here has the about back home,” or “I wish I had written a poem
potential to be incredibly impactful and rewarding – is about how life here makes me feel.” Writing is a
it so bad that we take a moment to step back and great way to come to a better understanding of
appreciate that? what you think and feel and to communicate it to
others. We encourage you to write and to submit to
So let’s break out of the bubble every now and then.
the magazine. BTW is not only a forum for official
Take a few minutes. Sit down. Get a cup of tea, maybe
members to express themselves. We know all of
some biscuits. And read BTW.
you have something interesting to say and we want
And why not take it beyond that? Get some music off a you to say it in these pages. BTW is about you as
few friends. Watch a movie. Spend some time doing much as it is about the members of the BTW Quan
something that you don’t have to do. Procrastinate for Cai. We have so much we can learn from each
a bit; it’s not all that bad. We have so much to learn other, this is an excellent medium through which
from everything and everyone around us; just because we can share our thoughts not only with each other
it’s not part of the system doesn’t mean it’s not but with future generations of LPC students.
worthwhile.
As you’ll see in the following pages, anything
Reflecting on what we do is equally as important as the
creative that can be put to paper fits in BTW. This
actual act of doing them. Relax for a bit; it’s not the
falls broadly into two categories – original creative
end of the world.
content and responses. In the former category are
This is the first issue compiled by this year’s BTW articles, poetry, photography, regular columns,
Team and we think you’ll enjoy it. With first years etc. The latter category includes both letters to the
now on board, BTW is in full swing. As the year goes editors and responses to articles. If there’s
on, we hope this magazine will become a reflection of anything in this issue of BTW that particularly
LPC’s collective consciousness. On the right of this excites or angers you, or if there’s anything you
page, you’ll see how you can contribute and get wish to expand on or clarify, just shoot us an email.
involved.
The deadline for submissions for the next issue is
Finally, as always, thank you to all our contributors.
November 5th, and for subsequent issues will be
Your Editors, the 5th of every month. Send all submissions and
responses to lpcbtw@gmail.com.
Michael, Hannah & Kumar

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 3


T H E W O R L D T H I S W E E K percent. e following run-off maintain their mental and physical
As the intensity of this term heightens,
LPC once again threatens to become,
for many of us, a bubble outside which
we simply forget to look. In our frenzy
to learn how to affect and change the
world around us, we rarely find the
time to keep abreast of what’s going on
in that same world. In this regular
feature, we hope to counteract that
problem to a small extent by providing
brief updates about the major
happenings of the previous month.
Attempted Coup in Ecuador
President Rafael Correa was held
hostage for several hours by striking
police officers protesting benefit cuts.
Political leaders in and out of the
region expressed support for the
President. Five individuals died and
over 200 were injured in the event.
Kim Jong-Un Promoted
In what many analysts believe to be
the next step in preparations for his
assent to power, North Korean Kim
Jong-Un (son of Kim Jong-Il) was
made a four star general this month.
Many Korea experts believe he will
replace his father, who is believed to
be in poor health, upon his death.
Brazilian Elections
e results of the Brazilian General
Elections on the third
of October have been released. Dilma
Rousseff (of the governing Workers
Party) is ahead in the running for
President, but needs 3.6% more of the
vote to secure the necessary 50
4
N E W S P A G E
election between Rousseff and Jose
Serra (the second place candidate),
will take place on the 31st of
October.  If elected, Rouseseff would
become one of the world’s most
powerful female leaders.
Nigerian Bombings
On Nigerian Independence Day,
celebrating 50 years since the
countries independence from British
rule, at least eight people were killed
in blasts in the capital, Abuja. e
militant group MEND (Movement
for the Emancipation of the Niger
Delta) had previously claimed it was
to attack the event as they feel that
there has been little progress in the
fair distribution of wealth and oil
resources in the country since 1960.  destroyed about 20% of its crops. In
Campaigns in Kyrgyzstan
Aer a period of violence and unrest,
parliamentary elections will be held
in Kyrgyzstan on October 10th.
Campaigns are underway with over
3,300 candidates vying for the 120
seats. e new government will
function in accordance with a
referendum which passed in a recent
election.
Compiled by Zakita Bethel, Colin
Diersing and Rosie Mai omas.
Trapped Miners Finally Information gathered from: e
Rescued After Seventy Days Economist,
York Times and BBC World News.
33 miners were trapped underground
following the August 5th collapse of
the San José mine near the city of
Copiapó, Chile. Over the two months
while the miners waited for rescue
more than 700 meters underground,
they were coached on ways to
well being. Drilling efforts paid off
on October 9th, when the hole which
would bring the miners to the surface
was finally completed. All miners
were safely rescued and in good
health.
Special Feature:
A meeting was convened in Rome by
the United Nations Food and
Ag r i c u l t u re O r g a n i z at i o n o n
September 24th, 2010 in order to
address the growing concerns by
countries around the world regarding
the rising costs of commodity foods
such as cereals and oils. According to
the FAO, prices are not on the same
scale as those during the 2007-2008
food crisis. However, these latest rises
in prices have been manifested
through the threat of civil unrest in
Egypt, protests in Mozambique over
a 25% increase in the price of bread,
and a ‘draconian’ ban on wheat
exports in Russia. One of the world’s
main exporters of wheat, Russia has
decided to impose this ban due to the
d rou g ht t h at h a d re p or t e d l y
addition to the imposition of this ban
until the end of 2011, speculation on
world financial markets has also been
a factor in the rise in prices. In light
of the current rise in food prices, can
organizations such as the FAO and
the World Food Programme together
with governments and NGOs prevent
the outbreak of food riots such as
those that occurred in Haiti, Cote
d’Ivoire, or Cameroon in 2008?
Associated Press, New
Issue Nº2 – October 2010
 P H O T O G R A P H Y

MOMENTS OF
MOTION
by Dora Chu

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 5

 P H O T O G R A P H Y

MOMENTS OF MOTION
by Dora Chu

6 Issue Nº2 – October 2010

 A R T I C L E S

W H AT A B O U T MY
smoking is still ingrained in many cultures. Sexual
intimacy is also common place back home for many of
us. For some, even “illicit drugs” are legal and not out of
CULTURE? the usual. For UWC to prohibit all of these is a massive
hypocrisy. ese cultural backgrounds should be
by Michael Ratliff accommodated just the same as that of any other student.
I would be condemned for intolerance if I asked for a
Many of you have heard about this already, but for those Christian student not to wear a cross, but it is acceptable
who haven’t, the UWC Board recently decided on a to forbid me from drinking alcohol in front of another
Student Common Code of Conduct. is code of student who choses not to do so.
conduct proclaims that “[s]tudents who accept a position
at a UWC school or college commit to the pursuit of a e Common Code of Conduct wrongly establishes
healthy lifestyle, one that avoids potential harm to self within the movement a right not to be offended. e idea
and others.” I think we can all agree that this is fair. We of this movement is to be offended, to deal with it, and to
should generally strive to keep our bodies healthy – eat eventually come to an understanding of it. If we begin to
right, sleep well, and exercise regularly. But thats not say what parts of people’s cultures are acceptable to
what the UWC Board means. In “the pursuit of a healthy display, we no longer promote interc ultural
lifestyle”, “[t]he following are not tolerated: illicit drugs, understanding. Students will come here and leave here
tobacco, alcohol on school property and school without an appreciation for the ways in which other
sponsored activities, sexual activity in any public area, people are different. If that is what the UWC movement
including student rooms...” e UWC Board doesn’t is reduced to, we lose what makes us better than every
mind if we are unfit and sleep deprived because drugs, other boarding school.
tobacco, alcohol and sex are more detrimental to our
“healthy lifestyle”. I apologize, but that is an outright lie.
STANDING IN LINE TO GET
A SANDWICH TONIGHT
I will concede that I have had a liberal background; my
parents allowed me to make decisions for myself, only
advising me when I asked for it. I was free to act as I saw
fit, but also had to deal with the full consequences of my by Tomi Kiviluoma
actions. If I wanted to drink alcohol, I was responsible for
doing so in a manner that ensures my safety. If I wanted Anthony Kiedis sang about seeing a show that night.
to have sex, I was responsible for not contracting STDs or Well, I’m not here to sing although it would make this a
impregnating my partner. If I wanted to smoke tobacco, I lot more fascinating. And I can’t say whether dear
was responsible for the health risks related to doing so. Anthony referred to one certain spectacular night. Either
way, what I’m talking about today is an everyday
For the UWC movement to say that all of these activities situation in the canteen.
are not in line with living a “healthy lifestyle” is
personally offensive. ese activities are not inherently It seems to me that I don’t even have to mention how
dangerous. If done in the wrong way, they can certainly much pleasure sandwiches give me. And besides, I’m not
be detrimental, be so are many other things. e answer the only one to share this enjoyment. Our student
is not to prohibit them, but to demand personal community just loves sandwiches.
responsibility. Students who drink too much and
compromise themselves by doing so should face Patience is not a word to describe me when it comes to
consequences. Students who act responsibly should not food. So it really gets on my nerves when I have to wait
be forced to bear the burden of those who don’t. in a line that is stuck in some timeless zone. e most
annoying fact of the matter is that the queues are
is code of conduct is couching cultural intolerance in unavoidable, even inevitable. ere are always people
terms of promoting a “healthy lifestyle”. We are part of a craving for a sandwich, throughout all of lunch time. It
movement that commits itself to “international and doesn’t pay to wait until the lines disappear because the
intercultural understanding.” It even says so in the amount of sandwiches available is directly proportional
Student Common Code of Conduct, right before it gets to the length of the lines.
to the part where it enumerates which cultures “are not
tolerated.” For many people at a UWC, drinking alcohol Anyway, by the time I get to the counter, all the most
is normal, whether with meals or socially. Equally, delicious fillings have ravenously been stolen away from

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 7

 A R T I C L E S

me. But my disappointment passes with a deep breath. useless. ey just lie there, waiting for a new crop
No big deal. At least I have this nearly-a-masterpiece of season…
nutrition on my plate. e real blood pressure peak and
nerve boiling point is reached at another line. e line Around October, the crop season begins. e fields get
for the triangle toasters. back to their job, providing soil from which rice will
come up. You may ask if they can do it well since they
Why is it that aer a brain-damaging time lag at the were useless marshes before. ey can. And surprisingly,
sandwich counter, you have to face yet another ten they can even do it better than they did before. Once the
minutes for your sandwich to be toasted? Of course, this water has evaporated from our marshes, it leaves behind
is only mandatory in order to maximize satisfaction. I fields full of alluvium, which support rice growing. It is
feel cheated if, aer all the effort, I end up eating an said that while the floods go away, the alluvium remains.
unfinished sandwich. See, a cycle of doom and
breakdown has been created. So do not be afraid when we have to face difficulties in
our lives. Like the fields, enduring the flood which brings
Obviously I’m whining here for nothing. It should be my the best crop, we will get for ourselves something worthy
responsibility to make sure I’m there on time to make aer all this. Our first time at LPC may not be an easy
myself the most glorious sandwich of the whole campus. time. We may have some shock, some struggles and some
homesickness. Sometimes it feels as though we’re stuck in
So does it show lack of respect towards these holy a quagmire, similar to the fields. Do not worry!
products? Everything will be ok. Two years later, when we look
back, we may find that we have got the most precious
Or does it show pure respect towards other people, as a experience, which, as I believe, will only make us
UWC student should be showing? stronger. is is alluvium of our lives. And of course, it
needs time to deposit.
Either way, the frustration caused by trying to stay in
your pants haunts you for the rest of the year. Two years ago, I thought about these images and kept
them as a moral for my life . It was the time when I le
So the fact that I even wrote this complaint gives me the my hometown to start a new adventure at my new school
unquestionable priority for sandwiches until otherwise in Ho Chi Minh City. Now, another amazing adventure
declared. has started and I think of it again. Since then, I have
realized that the worst thing of my adventure is my

THE MORALS OF FIELDS

English. It sucks! It has become a barrier stopping me
from approaching the outside world. I am living in a
multinational and multicultural community where
AND FLOODS people come from all over the world. It must be the
greatest. I want to talk to my friends, want to tell them
by Ryan Black my stories and listen to theirs. But all I could do was just
say “Hi!” on the way. I felt like I was standing here,
TO MY CO-YEARS: looking up to my friends, who were on highland while I
was just in a hole.
I come from Vietnam, a country in the wet rice
cultivating area of Southeast Asia. In my country, most of And then I thought about the fields in my country.
the people live off farming. Every year, they grow two People say that the deeper the field, the more alluvium it
seasons of crop, based on the seasons: Summer-Autumn will get. Again, I smiled. I understood that we should not
and Winter-Spring. erefore, their fields become their look down on ourselves! We may not stand at the same
homes. ey live on the fields, play on the fields and land with other people but in two years, we will be ones
grow up on the fields. who gain the most. Here, at LPC, everyone has the
opportunity to better themselves. If we try our best we
In July, the rains starts. Water, coming from everywhere, will get better.
fills up the fields. e flood comes and the fields look just
like ponds, full of water (and even some fish). And when
the flood has gone, they change themselves into the
muddiest and muckiest marshes you can image; totally

8 Issue Nº2 – October 2010

 A R T I C L E S

WHY AM I HERE?
slightly nervous, for the future… I am pretty much on
the right track. So really, I see neither the point, nor the
relevance of the comment above in respect to my own
by Anonymous personal case.

“We need to think about the investment that people have
put into our futures, and the fact that someone else could
be here doing better things than we’re doing. If we come
here just to fool around and we don’t have it in our
consciousness that there is someone else who deserves our
place – then there is something wrong with the way in
which we think.”
In slightly thrown-together concluding terms: Be careful
with your words, and the accusations you make. Not
every Rule Breaker is a Bad Egg with a bad future, and
not every non-Rule Breaker is guaranteed a good one. So
I apologise to you, Speaker 78, for I do not mean this as a
personal attack – but rather a personal defence.

In an emergency meeting called to discuss the way that THE PROBLEM ENGINE
we represent ourselves in this school, points were raised
that both troubled and intrigued me. But it was really the by Anders Malle Hjorsthøj
point above that raised my many hackles.
Within the stately barbed-wire confines of our campus
A bit of context for you, Dear Reader, is that this view community, we’re frequently reminded that our purpose
was expressed amidst our digression into e Breaking of in being here is special; the intentions behind the
e Rules topic… highly controversial? I beg to differ. humbling sums of money bestowed upon us are noble,
“Breaking the rules is wrong” is a statement that, on its ambitious, and quite possibly even possible. e very fact
most basic level, I’m sure we could all agree with. But that the school exists, with all its flaws, means somebody
how many of us inter-dorm by a few minutes every out there thinks we have the potential to change our
night? How many of us have real serious moral issues countries and the world. And really, a lot of us certainly
with copy+pasting from Wikipedia the-night-before- do.
that-big-day-you’ve-been-dreading? I am almost certain
that we have all, at some point in time, broken a Rule. Wait! ere it is. Can you feel it? at instinctive, cynical
Now I am not advocating that they are all on that same gag reflex you get whenever you read about the UWC
level – they are quite clearly not (i.e. this denies you of movement or loy ideals in general. It’s a feeling that
your right to move, this denies you of your right to comes from having idealism stuffed down your throat
privacy, this takes you one step closer to Going Home), day aer day, alongside the frustrations, failures and
but I think that a comment like the one above is wrong stupidity associated with carrying anything out in that
on the basis that by equating ‘fooling around’ to troubling space we know as Reality.
‘breaking the rules’, you are condemning a whole bunch
of Good students to a long plane ride Home. So what, you ask, is the score? Are we succeeding in our
mission as UWC students? Can we be expected to
is brings me onto the phrase ‘investment in your succeed before even graduating? Is “succeeding” making
future’. Believe it or not, I can see no relevance between a the jump to a coveted top uni? Is it making friends from
person’s Breaking of e Rules to their success in the a country you’d know nothing about otherwise? Is it,
future. en again, I suppose it depends on your idea of perhaps, scoring the most goals against some local
Success. As a student with a 39, a boyfriend, a hunger for school’s football team with Maradonaesque flair?
education, an incredible group of friends from all over
the world and an itchy anticipation for the future, I Almost inevitably, no matter what your criteria for
thought to myself, where does the fact that I break e success are, you’ll say no without hesitation. Of course
Rules come into this, and more importantly, why? we’re not succeeding! Look at the state of this place – the
local-overseas split, the too-heavy academic focus, no
I break e Rules every week (if not every day), and yet, proper student representation in decision-making, etc.
by my standards – and I’m sure by many others – I stand
a pretty good chance of ‘succeeding’ in the future. Let’s step back a moment and consider – is our school
Whether you equate success to getting a good grade, facing real live actual problems, or are they merely self-
having a fulfilling relationship, being passionate about perpetuating phantoms? Could it be that we’ve been
knowledge, opening your eyes to the many cultures recreating the same trap for ourselves over 2-year cycles
around and embracing them or being ready, albeit since 1992?

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 9

 A R T I C L E S

individuals, and most of the local-overseas problem is

We’ve been brought here because we’ve proven, one way
or another, that we give a crap about the world and want
to make a difference. We’ve also, at least for many of us,
proven that we’re passionate and committed; we certainly
aren’t going to take anything lying down.
already gone in a stroke.
Let’s step back even further now, and see how we, as a
campus, handle a relatively complex logistical task like
the First Year Show™ ©®.

And that’s where the real problem begins. Once you e inaugural meeting seems to go alright; the room has
assemble a range of young firebrands on a campus where plenty of enthusiastic students willing to offer their
all their basic needs are provided for, and where they abilities, and Ronny and Michèle gladly pitch in with
can’t exactly do much to solve hunger in Gaza, Indo- their past experiences. en, the elephant in the room
Pakistani nuclear tensions or even issues with Hong comes charging out of somebody’s mouth: “Why are
Kong democracy, they’re going to start looking for there no locals on the script team?”
problems that are within reach – nonexistent as they may
be. S/he is then told that any local who wishes to do so can
volunteer for the script team at will. No hands come up.
Many coming in as a first year will have been made aware Later, when the script team solicits ideas from the
by their second year of the dreaded local-overseas divide, student body, local in place, the suggestion is made to
that meat cleaver of a problem that’s sure to leave frowny send a separate e-mail, in Chinese, to local students.
faces and bitter cursing in all the world’s tongues aer Why?
any college meeting, or whenever any group of students
has to be chosen to do anything (even at a place like this, “ey trust me more, they know me from CCE, and we
you’ll hear people muttering “f**k Europeans” and feel like we’re being segregated.” Not much of a surprise
similar things). when you segregate a group like that, frankly! e first
year show meeting drags on:
e local Cantonese-speaking Chinese “community”
ordinarily resident in the Hong Kong Special “Why are there no girls in the matching committee?”
Administrative Region complains that overseas students “Why are there no Asians in the GIF team?” (For the
make no effort to understand Chinese culture and ways record, there are two.)
of thinking, and of being discriminated against. e “Why isn’t there anybody from the southern hemisphere
overseas “community” (to the extent that you can lump in the planning committee?”
the non-Chinese or even the Western world together), in
turn, complains that the locals Cantonese-speaking Li Po Chun United World College, STOP IT. We don’t
Chinese ordinarily resident in the Hong Kong Special need to assemble an Extraordinary Parliamentary
Administrative Region segregate themselves and, in Judicial Review Subcommittee with representation from
many cases, make little effort to reach out to overseas every continent, ethnic group, minor Pacific island,
students. blood type and kung fu style every single little time we
run into an issue or have to do something practical.
Broadly speaking, both sides have some truth to their
claims! I say scrap all the committees, all the representation, all
the self-imposed bureaucracy! Future leaders of
But for God’s sake, let’s take a step back and look at the tomorrow, for goodness’ sake, let’s not act like present
nature of the whole ordeal. ink about it: if somebody leaders of today!
hadn’t told you right from the start that there’s a divide,
would you have thought about it in those terms? At the We’re a special place, with 250 special people. Our
end of the day, we’re roughly 250 individuals, not a Sino- potential, now and in the future, is enormous. But as long
Western battleground between two monolithic camps. as we keep churning out problemettes to keep ourselves
busy, we’ll go nowhere, and the cogs of the Problem
Locals (that’s right, no more political correctness – you Engine will keep on turning.
can call me “gwei lo” if you feel like it), many of us do try
and understand Chinese culture, and appreciate that you Students of Li Po Chun United World College, I implore
have a different approach to things. Everyone on campus: you: Just stop fussing and from now on, get it done.
Your friends are your friends. Do you ever stop and split
them into groups? I didn’t think so. Deal with people as

10 Issue Nº2 – October 2010

 A R T I C L E S

NOTES FROM A UNITED

Me, having no idea of what Ki sohaili (African Language)
was, took me very little time to learn it and soon I was
singing in a language I never thought would be part of
WORLD: Letters from UWCs my life. I never understood how the time flew through
the busy days of my UWC life. e day arrived when I
compiled by Rosie Mai Thomas and Aaratrika Bose had to go back home for vacation. When I turned back to
say good bye, I had friends from all over the world who I
Letter From Pearson
was as close to as my friends from childhood. It was hard
by Arshal Sohail (First Year at Pearson College)
to believe that I had met them only a few months before.
I consider UWC-USA my second home. I am proud to
Pearson College has 180 students from 100 different
be a part of this community!
countries. Life at Pearson is awesome and challenging at
the same time. We have to enjoy the company of each
Letter From Mostar
ot her and enj oy our st ay here but a ls o b e
by Jess Chapman (First Year at UWC in Mostar)
environmentally sustainable. We have a variety of
cultures as you might expect from a UWC college, You
So I have been in UWCiM just over a month. It's difficult
have no idea how easy it is to learn a language at this
to sum up everything that's happened. It has been non-
place. Everything is simply awesome! One of the biggest
stop from the moment I got here. Everything has begun
challenges here is CAS, which is overwhelming, We have
to merge into one big happy mess. One thing that really
Activities of all sorts from waterfront activities like
stands out for me is our reliance on each other, from the
sailing and boating to wilderness expeditions and things
moment we all arrived we were united. We are a family,
like that. Its pretty cool! For our service, we have a range
and trust me I know how corny that sounds. You rely on
of options; we can go to a local school and help out or go
your second years to guide you, your teachers to help you
to old age homes and talk to people. For creativity we can
through the IB and your friends to be there when you
go to an observatory for astronomy. Its just great to be
really need someone. You quickly come out of your shell
here and be a part of such a wonderful community.
and really embrace the experience. 
Letter From Atlantic College
ere are so many things to learn about in Mostar, the
by Nabeel Al Hassan (First Year at Atlantic College)
past, the people, the culture. Your natural curiosity is
instantly satisfied with so many knowledgeable students
e Atlantic College has around 300 Students from 90
around. You become very eager to learn everything you
different countries, When I first Came here I was very
can about your fellow students. ey all have so many
nervous because it was a total new environment for me;
stories which I urge you to listen to, you will learn
new people, new place, new curriculum and new
something new. en you have the language. In Mostar,
teachers. But the friendly second years greeted me with
language can act as a barrier for the college as it prevents
open arms and soon within a few days I became one of
us from integrating into the local community, however I
them. Within such a short time I have got so many
am only speaking from an international point of view.
friends from many different countries. Days here are
UWCiM is compromised of a lot of native speakers who
extremely busy but I enjoy the different CAS activities.
have the opportunity to interact with the community and
e cultural evening here was stunning. It was amazing
oen get fed up of translating for those of us who can't
to see how people from different countries and cultures
speak the local language. 
exhibit their tradition here and we learn their aspects and
they learn ours. I am extremely indebted to my national
I have had such a vast number of new opportunities since
committee for giving me such an opportunity.
I arrived it's truly amazing. I have already travelled to
Croatia, been raing, spent a day blind, played very
Letter From UWC–USA
muddy rugby, swam in some beautiful waterfalls and met
Yasser Hammadi (Second Year at UWC–USA)
a lot of brilliant people! Even though it sounds like all we
do is have a lot of fun, we do have a lot of work. e IB is
e UWC-USA in New Mexico has around 180 students
a challenging curriculum and you have to do a lot of
from 80 different countries. Being the first one from a
independent work. It can be harder for those who do not
Gulf Region was immensely prestigious for me. I was
have English as a mother tongue, but everyone has to
proud to establish an overall new culture . It was amazing
work a lot! Studying takes up a large portion of every day.
to see how people here were adaptive and considerate
ere are also CASs which are just about to start, then I
about different cultures and nationalities. e students
don't know when I am going to have any time or sleep! 
were eager to learn as many new languages as possible.

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 11

 P H O T O G R A P H Y

MID-AUTUMN
FESTIVAL
by Laszlo Perge

12 Issue Nº2 – October 2010

 P H O T O G R A P H Y

MID-AUTUMN
FESTIVAL
by Laszlo Perge

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 13

 C O L U
UNDISCOVERED
HONG KONG #1
Australia Dairy Company
by Mary Hui
If you haven't done cha chaan tengs, you haven't done
Hong Kong. And the cha chaan teng that best captures
that infamous fast-and-furious pace of Hong Kong life? It
has got to be the Australia Dairy Company.
Tucked away on a quiet street in Jordan, this cha chaan
teng specialises in a small selection of typical Hong Kong
'comfort foods' - everything from instant noodles and
puddings to their famously smooth and fluffy scrambled
eggs. If you are around the area and are craving for
something to fill that itchy void between meals, this is the
place to go.
But beware. e waiters are brusque, to say the least.
ey're fast, loud, and extremely efficient - Hong Kong
culture in a nutshell, really. In trying to serve as many
customers as humanly possible in the shortest amount of
time, they will at times come across as rude and
impatient. Yet this is, aer all, part of an unforgettable
experience. Not only will you taste the fluffiest scrambled
eggs seasoned to perfection, you will also get a flavour of
what it feels like to share a table with other diners, to be
literally shuffled along by waiters and ultimately, to
experience Hong Kong as a true local.
So do drop by this wonderful cha chaan teng to try some
of the best Hong Kong delicacies the city has to offer!
Australia Dairy Company 澳洲牛 公司
47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong
Tel: 2730-1356
14
M N S
FOR THE DEFENSE #1
In Defense of Child Labor
by Colin Diersing
Child labor is almost unanimously accepted as a
fundamental wrong. e vast majority of people would
agree that multinational corporations which use children
in production are morally culpable and should put an
end to the practice. In an ideal world, this is the morally
just stance. Unfortunately, if we consider the realities and
nuances of the world in which we live, the moral
implications of hiring children become much less clear.
Let us consider the reasons why children work in
factories, oen under extraordinarily unpleasant
conditions. In many cases (with the exception of child
slavery, which will not be defended in this column), it is
because they, or their families, have decided that it is the
least unpleasant option of those available to them.
According to the United Nations, 17,000 children die
each day because of starvation - the world is clearly not
providing for the well being of all the children in it.
Although it is far from an ideal scenario, child labor may
provide the income that a family needs to feed its
children. For those of us from the developed world this
may be hard to stomach, but a family’s very survival may
depend on every member of the family contributing
economically. In a world plagued with massive
inequalities and rampant poverty, child labor may
provide families with a lifeline – with an opportunity to
at least provide for the most basic necessities. Critics also
ignore the other alternative to children working in
factories - children working in even less desirable
conditions, in prostitution or sex-slavery. Is it truly
morally preferable to end child labor in a factory if the
result is more children being exploited sexually?
e choice between selling a child sexually, letting a child
starve, or sending him or her to work in a factory is a
choice no parent should have to make – but policies or
actions that ignore the harsh reality that this is the choice
that countless families must make will not make the
world a better place. So is child labor morally ideal? No.
Are multinational corporations who employ children and
pay them minimal wages acting for the greater good? No.
Would putting an end to all child labor necessarily make
the world a better place? Probably not.
Disclaimer: e views in this column are not necessarily
those of the author. ey are meant to provoke discussion,
so feel free to write in with your own views!
Issue Nº2 - October 2010
 C O L U M N S

STORIES I’VE HEARD #1 BANE OF MY EXISTENCE

by Terence Young #1 by Kumar Ramanathan
My family is a very close-knit bunch: As different as we Deep down inside, I am filled with rage about many, many
may be, all my relatives would come down to visit us things. In this column, I’ll be ranting about one or two of
once in a while for special occasions or just for a quick them each week. Enjoy.
get together. My house was rarely ever quiet with all the
ruckus we had (which was partially my fault). People who know me well know that I’m not the biggest
fan of Hong Kong, but aer 11 years here I will be the
When I was young, I hated horror movies, but my family first to admit that this city has its advantages. One of the
lived on scary films and whenever they would come over, biggest perks of living here is the efficiency of getting
we would watch a movie in my parents’ bedroom where from place to place. ink about it – the MTR, the
the only television in the house was. extensive bus and minibus systems, etc, etc.

Until I was eight, every time we watched something like But some people would rather that this system didn’t
A Nightmare on Elm Street or an Indiana Jones movie (I function as seamlessly as it should. ese instigators of
found giant rolling boulders scary and life-threatening), I social anarchy achieve their insidious goals through a
would sit right in front of the television to look brave, variety of schemes, but none are more deadly than what
albeit with my eyes closed as I tried to think about they do on escalators – they stand on the le.
chocolate and furry robots amidst the piercing screams
and sadistic laughter of my father and my grandpa. In this city there is an unwritten rule which you do not
cross. As a community, we have silently and unanimously
Once, aer watching Child’s Play, starring the macabre agreed upon a system to make escalator usage more
living doll Chucky, my grandmother gave me a gorilla productive – you walk on the le, you stand on the right.
doll which she placed on the shelf facing my bed. So at
night, when all the lights were turned off, my little room Why adhere to such an odd rule, you may ask. Well,
was pitch black and the crickets were chirping quietly, I frankly, it makes my life more efficient. I distinctly recall
could faintly make out the shape of my black-coloured several incidents where I was late to school because I
gorilla doll. It would stare at me with its shiny, jet-black, couldn’t get up the escalator fast enough.
beady eyes that would reflect what little light there was
and whenever I breathed in and out, the doll would seem I can already hear you laughing derisively through these
to move up and down as if it was breathing as well. I was pages. I can hear you thinking “as if five or ten seconds
so scared I couldn’t sleep that night and the very next day makes a difference!” Well, folks, I’ll let you in on a little
I threw the doll into the rubbish bin. My grandmother secret. It makes a huge difference.
later saw the gorilla in the bin and took it out and put it
back on my shelf. When I got back home from school See, I had a system. I knew exactly how long it would
and saw the doll, sitting as if it was never going to leave take me to get to school. When I lost those ten seconds
me alone, I completely freaked out. on that escalator, I missed that green light on the road
crossing five minutes later. ose two minutes I lost
Aer that moment, I realized how silly I was and through meant that I got embroiled in the morning rush hour and
the experience, gained some insight into life: Maybe we lost another three minutes. And guess what  – I’m five
shouldn’t believe immediately in what we see, but digest whole minutes late to school!
it before acting upon our judgement. Even though I
wouldn’t mind turning back the clock and calmly So, I beseech you, next time you get on an escalator, take
walking past my gorilla doll instead of collapsing into a moment to look at which side you’re standing on. If
tears (since all family gatherings from then on would you’re standing on the le, remember those poor
begin with “Terence, seen any living dolls lately?”), I schoolboys and schoolgirls who might end up doing lines
guess I grew up a little bit aer that incident. At least I’m that aernoon because you’re too proud to swallow your
not scared of Indiana Jones movies anymore. anarchy. Stand on the right. Do it for the children.

If you have an interesting story that you wish to share with And if you’re not willing to do even that, pray that I’m
the school, I would love to write something for you. not around, because I will rain all hell down upon you.

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 15

 P H O T O G R A P H Y

INTERESTING ROOMS
by Mary Hui

16 Issue Nº1 – September 2010

 P H O T O G R A P H Y

INTERESTING ROOMS
by Aaratrika Bose

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 17

 A L U M N I S E C T I O N

L EAPS , LOL S , L IGHTS

be living the vision as they promised, it is a rare
opportunity in itself to gather in a school 240 motivated
young persons from eighty plus countries who simply
AND LIFE share the same vision. I've learned to look beyond the
flaws of the school to discover the amazing people and
by Gloria Yu chances in it. I made friends, mistakes and leaps of faith.
I graduated having lived the best and most life-changing
Haven’t properly written since I got here. I love writing.
two years of my life.
But I’m busy. I’ll say my favorite excuse again: I’m busy.
But aer chancing upon a blog entry of a firs– ahem, And then two years later when you have to do this all
second year, chinese characters about some quick LPC over again, you realize the best thing to do in order to get
encounter that pulled me right back to the school, I felt prepared for a new city, a new school, new people is just
like just brushing aside the city a bit to make space for to be... unprepared. Nobody is going to be able to tell you
some reflections on the adventures since the great exactly what college is going to be like, what NYC is
migration to the Big Apple. going to be like because the story closest to reality is
going to come from yourself. I guess it follows then that
Before coming here, I'd been prepped from many
the best thing to do is to free one's head of presumptions
perspectives about college: it's a place to pursue your
and live everything, see everything with an open mind.
passion, it's a place to pursue a secure profession, it's a
place to party, it's not a place to party, it's a place where ey would tell you fashion school people are superficial.
you have the time of your life, it's a place to get your act Rich wretches who live on coke, cigarettes and
together, it's a place to have fun, it's not a place to have champagne – but so far, I've met people who are much
fun... more than what their faces and shoes tell, people who are
beautiful both inside and out. ey would tell you long
Hold up, wait. I've seen these before before –
distance relationships don’t work – but sometimes, there
expectations, mind-clogging expectations. When was
are just things that are oddly unbreakable no matter how
that? Right, two years ago – right before going to LPC.
logically breakable they are. ey could tell you it's easy
Before arriving there, I thought that at a UWC, everyone
to lose yourself in this big city, but I've come to know it's
would be friends with everyone, there would be no
easy to discover more about yourself in its vastness as
partition race to race and we'd hold hands and live as a
well, if only you would only let it happen.
happy family.
And so I'm doing just that, letting it happen. BANG
Slap slap! Wake up. A united world. We talk about it as if
BANG BANG.
it was possible but we slide into the temptation of settling
for a far less united one once we walk into the canteen
and make a beeline to squeeze in a particular table (while [Gloria graduated with the Class of 2010. She writes a blog
the empty chairs in the next one look away in awkward called Baby Where’s My Light, which you can find at
silence) or walk out of Wu Kai Sha station and decide itsyunotme.blogpost.com]
whether to turn right to go past the Stairs and its happy
people or turn le to avoid it.

It’s all about a matter of choice. ere are no ‘but’s.

Insecurities, stubbornness, naivety. Looking back, I knew
I would have made some different choices had I been
stronger. It's bad to see other people not living the vision,
but its worse to turn around and see yourself not doing it
either.

It took some time for me to appreciate that (and this is

not to rationalize things) even though not everyone may

18 Issue Nº2 – October 2010

 P H O T O G R A P H Y

BTW, WE WERE IN
SHANGHAI
by Mabel Fung

Issue Nº1 – September 2010 19

 P H O T O G R A P H Y

BTW, WE WERE IN SHANGHAI

by Mabel Fung

20 Issue Nº1 – September 2010

 P O E T R Y

WE LIE TOGETHER
by Bobby Adamson

Sun-screaming terror

Nestled behind

A paper-thin facade,

Opacity is no measure of depth.

In shade we lie together –

Comfort in each other’s laughter,

Peace in each other’s silence,

Praying that no gust of reality

Shreds light on our

Sleepy imagination.

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 21

 P O E T R Y

WORD TRAFFIC
by Hannah Wheatley

When I try to write poems,

e words get caught in my throat.
I guess they're trying to push past words I previously wrote.
ey were formed in my head,
Quite cleverly I thought,
Until the time came to deliver -
Painfully in my throat, they caught.

So now there's quite a build up:

A congestion, if you like
Of words I could, or should have said
Or seated myself to write.
ey'll stay there for a while now,
Clinging onto that slippery slope,
Until I forget them or my need diminishes...
en they'll slip back down my throat.

And that's the closest I'll ever get

To eating my own words,
And truth be told: it's most unpleasant,
And I'd rather they were heard.
So the next time that I have a thought,
at becomes a word - just like magic!
I'll write it down, or whisper it,
in the hope of reducing traffic.

22 Issue Nº2 – October 2010

 P O E T R Y

UNTITLED
by Anonymous

Forget the words and forget the time.

Forget the place and forget it’s mine.
It’s the moment to just breathe and maybe go to the roof,
See the empty swimming pool and ignore A block
ey can’t say we don’t work, they have no proof
What’s wrong with taking a silent break at the rock?

I forgot what this place was actually about,

I forgot the people there, the spirit we created
I forgot we had lives and dreams,
that IB little by little killed,
Why think about tomorrow
when you can barely finish this day.

Now I close my eyes and dare to take a deep breath.

I massage my shoulders and blindly start walking.
I remember smiles and laughter on my path,
One step aer another, I enter little by little the past
ose sunny days, those rainy days, those windy days
Typhoon, storms, tempest and black rain
Blue sky, Green grass and fresh brise.
e time where the swimming pool was full and noisy, where the library was locked.
Was it even real?

If I open and see, will I find all of it again?

If I open my eyes now, will I meet my dreams?
Please tell me that if I open them, it will all come back to life?
I can’t do it, I can’t do it.
I am walking blindly and will do so
Until the sun caress my skin and the wind breath into my neck
Until laughter surprise me and until someone call my name

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 23

 P O E T R Y

SLAUGHTERHOUSE
by Tomi Kiviluoma
In the corner shades
blind man swings the blades

better to work in dark,

said the employer, these days
electricity is so darn expensive
and besides,
you don't need to see the result coz in this job
quantity beats quality.

So
in the corner shades
this man swings his blades
hears the engine somewhere
on his le hand
side and
hears the blades cutting flesh

Never has he seen the actual hall.

the environment is not as important as
your presence,
said the employer.

He knew the way so

he walked straight just as
he was guided to
eleven steps
every day
just as
he was guided
every day except on Sundays
he didn't know the way to church so
he stayed at home
reading the paper
until

24 Issue Nº2 – October 2010

 P O E T R Y

he walked to the hall

again just as
he was guided,
eleven steps

Blades are on the right,

right?
Right.
On the right,
right?
Yeah, right.
Which side?
Right.
Right.

No need to think about the le side.

you don't have anything where
you should have your le hand.
No limb.
No fingers.
Nothing
to move. So don't bother
to move
Right.
No, le.

And you hear the engine.

Engine is always there
whether you were there or not, the
engine will be, and
it runs.
It's on the le but
coz you don't even have an arm, so
no need to reach,
right?
Right.

Aer six years

his right hand got
bored, got

Issue Nº2 – October 2010 25

 P O E T R Y

frustrated, got
angry and demanded for
rights
went on a strike and told
that he is doing nothing unless
that lazy ass bastard starts to
do his share

So
in the corner shades
the man swings no blades
shrugs his shoulders and
reaches the le hand
out
and all of a sudden it
was all about pain
nothing else
just
pain
and all of a sudden it
was
nothing

it was so dark that

the man didn't see the dead end
sign.

He's replaceable,
said the employer and
switched the light
off

engine kept roaring

26 Issue Nº2 – October 2010