expat parent magazine april 2015

FREE EVERY MONTH

www.expat-parent.comApril 2015

Cracking eggs for Easter

Tai O

FAMILY | EDUCATION | HOME | MONEY

Hong Kong Edition

Plus: your guide to special-needs services

things to doCakes, clowns and confetti

The village on stilts

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What’s on4 Editor’s LetterReality check.

6 CalendarHappening in April.

10 NewsNeed to know.

14 Must havesLoot for party bags.

16 Baby Pak ChoiA new column by first-time mum Sarah Fung.

Family18 Meet the parentsRaising children with special educational needs.

22 FeatureWhy Hong Kong’s international schools need more SEN places.

26 The Party Guide Everything you need to know.

Education32 Open dayInside the secondary section of Yew Chung International School.

36 Principal’s officeQuizzing YCIS’ co-principal Iyad Matuk.

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Contents

Cover photo by Hannah GroganWith thanks to the Hobson family and to our cover girl, Gemma Hobson.

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Activities40 After schoolCooking classes for little chefs.

44 Me and my hobbyA high-kicking Irish dancer.

Food46 In season Easter eggs – the hunt is on.

48 Table for fourWhat’s for breakfast?

Adventures52 Big day outTai O, a village on stilts.

56 Travel The Maldives with kids.

Resources60 Money & Me With restaurateur Wayne Parfitt.

62 Bald truths of fatherhoodSimon Parry adjusts to life without a helper.

Contents

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Have you seen the magazine around town? Share your photos with us on social media:

#expatparenthk @ExpatParentHK

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www.fastmedia .com.hk

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.

EditorAdele Brunner

Senior Consultant EditorJane Steer

Managing EditorHannah Grogan

Editorial AssistantCherrie Yu

Staff WriterCallum Wiggins

Acting Digital EditorAnnie Wong

Head of Sales & MarketingKarman So

Business Development ManagerTristan Watkins

Marketing & Comm. ManagerSharon Wong

Sales ManagerOliver Simons

Sales & Marketing ExecutiveJohn Lee

Sales & Marketing ExecutiveSara Tomovic

Editorial

Design

[email protected]

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Accounts Manager

Sales & Marketing

Art DirectorKelvin Lau

Graphic DesignSetareh Parvin

Graphic Design Evy Cheung

ContributorsSimon ParrySarah FungCarolynne DearAlastair Grigg

Contact usAdmin: 3568 3722Editorial: 2776 2773Advertising: 2776 2772

Connie [email protected]

Tom [email protected]

Publisher

Published byFast Media LtdLG1 Kai Wong Commercial Building, 222 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong

PrinterApex Print, 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong

Expatparenthk

I recently had a manic Monday when everything seemed to go wrong. The children started bickering the moment they woke up. School library books due back that day had mysteriously vanished,

spellings hadn’t been tested, lunches were deemed disgusting even before they were packed. There were tears before, during and after breakfast. We were late for school and work. I dropped things, misplaced others, forgot emails and appointments. Disaster.

And then everything was put into perspective by hearing Kim Anderson’s story about her daughter, Catrin, who has cerebral palsy, and compounded a few days later by Marie Kenny’s account about her autistic daughter, Seona, for our Meet the Parents section. They made me realise how blessed I am to have children with the ability to verbalise their likes and dislikes, slam out of the car and run into school.

I know Kim and Marie personally and I’m sure they have days like those too – and others far, far worse – but they rarely show it. Instead, they are upbeat, chatty and positive. They are involved in the community, campaign tirelessly to help families in similar situations and raise funds for endless projects. They are the unsung heroes of our day and age, although of course they would never agree.

In our feature section, we speak to parents campaigning for more resources for non-Chinese-speaking children with special educational needs in Hong Kong and publish Watchdog’s handy guide to the resources that do exist.

Elsewhere we have all the info you could possibly want about children’s parties including entertainers, venues, supplies and birthday cakes. Alternatively, sign your children up for cooking classes recommended in After-School Activities and next birthday they might be able to make their own.

If the murky weather is getting you down, flip to our travel pages for a trip to the sunny Maldives or treat yourself and your family to a slap-up breakfast in Table for Four.

We would also like to welcome a new column by magazine editor Sarah Fung, who writes about the highs and lows of being a new mum to Baby Pak Choi.

Happy Easter!

Editor’s letter


APR 23Kids Ocean DayThousands of children gather on Repulse Bay beach to form a picture drawn by a child and try to save the seas. 9am-1pm, Repulse Bay, www.facebook.com/KidsOceanWeek.

UNTIL APR 5Jump Cut Independent Film FestivalLocal and international independent films chosen by teenagers for the only youth-curated festival in Hong Kong. Various unconventional locations. Free admission, www.hkyaf.com/jumpcut.

APR 1April Fool’s DayDon’t fall for it.

APR 2-5Smurfs Save SpringThe Smurfs on stage. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Smurfy seats $688 (including gifts), other seats $250-$588 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

APR 1Public pools open Yay! Dive in.

UNTIL APR 26CavaliaA modern circus on horseback from the people behind Cirque du Soleil, now with extra shows by demand. Big Top, Central Harbourfront. Tickets $245-$1,195 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

What’s on?


APR 5Easter SundayGive thanks, hunt eggs.

APR 15-19Ocean in Motion Film FestivalShort fishy films at The Vine in Wan Chai, Shek O Back Beach and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. Tickets from $75 from Ocean Recovery Alliance, www.oceanrecov.org.

APR 16-19Concert in the DarkAll you can do is listen. In aid of Dialogue in the Dark. Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $480-$1,500 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

APR 3-6Sesame Street LiveElmo, Big Bird and friends take the stage. Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $150-$450 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

APR 3-12ESF school holidayTake a break, kids.

APR 10-12GrugPuppet show based on the Aussie children’s book about a little haystack that falls out of a burrawang tree. Aimed at children aged one to six. Sha Tin Concert Hall. Tickets $200 from 2111 5999, ticket.urbtix.hk.

APR 12Southside Market Long LunchUnlimited food, drink, music and entertainment from noon to 5pm. The Butchers Club Deli Rooftop, 16/F, 18 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, 2884 0768. Tickets $550 from www.ticketflap.com, free for children under eight.

APR 4Hong Kong Pillow Fight DayLet the feathers fly. Bring a pillow, wear pjs. 4pm. Chater Garden, Central, www.hongwrong.com.

APR 4Total lunar eclipseLook, no moon. 6pm.

APR 3-4, 6-7Public holidaysGood Friday, Ching Ming Festival and Easter Monday (which is being celebrated on Tuesday).


UNTIL APR 19Ocean Art WalkWeekend art exhibition in support of the world’s oceans by the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, www.hkyaf.com. Free. Stanley Plaza, Stanley, 2214 0177.

APR 19Sai Kung Sunday MarketThe monthly indoor farmers’ and craft market that champions all things local. 11am-5pm. Hong Kong Academy, Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, www.saikungmarkets.com.

APR 20Charli XCXBoom clap! Music Zone, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $490 from www.ticketflap.com.

APR 22-23Backstreet Boys – In a World Like This TourBackstreet’s back, alright. KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $888-$988 at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

APR 22Shoppinghongkong Summer and Spring BazaarAnnual fair with local and international stalls selling jewellery, accessories, clothing, wine, cupcakes and more. Noon-8pm. The Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Road, Central, www.shoppinghongkong.net.

APR 27-MAY 9Mega Ice Hockey 5sYouth and adult ice-hockey tournament. L10, Ice Rink, Mega Box, Kowloon Bay, www.megaice.com.hk.


MAY 1-2Katy Perry Prismatic World Tour Hear her roar. Cotai Arena, The Venetian Macao. Tickets $380-$1,680 from www.cotaiticketing.com.

MAY 6-10Showstopper! The Improvised MusicalTop-class musical comedy that changes every night. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $295-$595 at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

MAY 10, 31Splash ’n’ Dash AquathonsSouthside swimming and running races for kids and adults. Entry $200-$500 at www.revolution-asia.com.

MAY 15-JUN 7The Sound of MusicA few of your favourite things, direct from the West End. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $395-$995 at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

MAY 30, JUN 6Summer Garage SaleRegistration for tables opens at 8am on April 18. Get in quick to bag a spot at this popular twice-yearly secondhand sale. LG3 Car Park, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clearwater Bay, 9045 5942, [email protected].

JUN 5-7The Wind in the WillowsMole, Badger and Mr Toad come to life in a new production by British company, Talking Scarlet. Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $195-$435 at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Book now


Tea party raises $65,000 Congratulations to the Hope Shines Through tea party and fashion show, which raised $65,000 for the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Foundation’s Cancer Fund. The fun event featured 16 mini models in Little Princess fairy dresses, who worked the fashion runway and raised thousands in the subsequent sale. As well as the catwalk show, the event included face-painting, party games and lots of tea and cakes. To donate or find out more, please visit www.hkahf.org,hk.

news


Dan Ryan’s TST reopensGood news: Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill is reopening in Ocean Terminal. With its giant portions of US favourites, child-pleasing helium balloons and free keychains, Dan Ryan’s is a hit with Hong Kong families and the Tsim Sha Tsui branch has been missed.

To celebrate, from April 20-29 it is offering selected items at the prices it charged when the chain launched in 1989, including potato skins at $48 and a rib and chicken combo at $138.

In May, the Vintage Menu features popular selections including Hainan chicken rice and taco salad with shrimp.

Level 3, Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2735 6111, www.windy-city.com.hk.

Love the sea in April Celebrate all things briny for Ocean Appreciation Month. Organised by local charity Ocean Recovery Alliance, April brings a series of fun and interactive community events to raise money and awareness for ocean conservation.

First up is Ocean Art Walk. Running until April 19 at Stanley Plaza, including large visual-art installations, dance performances and workshops.

The Ocean in Motion Film Festival (April 15-19) features 35 short films made by local and international filmmakers to be shown at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Shek O Back Beach and The Vine in Wan Chai. The films, which are all five to nine minutes long, include Arctic Swell by SmugMug. Tickets from bit.ly/HKOceanInMotion2015.

And on April 23, the Kids Ocean Day brings together 1,000 schoolchildren to form a human picture on Repulse Bay Beach.

For details, visit www.oceanrecov.org.

ESF secondary-school places open A handful of places have opened in six ESF secondary schools for the 2015/16 academic year. Discovery College, Island School, Renaissance College, Sha Tin College, South Island School, and West Island School all have a places available in years seven to 13. For details, visit www.esf.edu.hk.

Easter egg huntsThe Easter Bunny is coming...

Easter Carnival at the AubergeCelebrate an egg-citing Easter at the Auberge Discovery Bay. From April 3-7, the hotel’s Cafe Bord de Mer terrace will host an Easter Carnival, including an Easter egg hunt on the grass, bouncy castle, magic show, balloon twisting, face painting and game stalls. Entry is free, game coupons are $100 for 10. Accommodation and buffet packages are available. 2295 8288, www.aubergediscoverybay.com.

Mandarin OrientalThe Easter Bunny will be hopping along to afternoon teas at the Clipper Lounge. Adults can indulge in a tea set and buffet, while children get busy with egg painting, an Easter egg hunt and meeting the big rabbit himself. April 3-6, $498 for two adults, $158 each for children. 5 Connaught Road, Central, 2825 4007, www.mandarinoriental.com

Le Meridien, CyberportLe Meridien Cyberport is holding Easter egg hunts at 1.30pm on April 4 and 5. Families who stay or dine at the hotel can join in free, or children can play on the day for $50. Inside the colourful eggs are grand prizes including hotel pool passes and lunch buffet vouchers. 100 Cyberport Road, Pok Fu Lam, www.lemeridien.com/hongkong.

Ten ESF students have achieved “Top in the World” awards for outstanding results in their IGCSE exams taken in June.

The Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards were presented by Cambridge International Examinations to students from King George V School, Island School and Sha Tin College for results in additional mathematics, co-ordinated sciences (double award), drama, world literature and Chinese languages.

Three students from South Island School, West Island School and KGV also won Top in Hong Kong awards for enterprise, first-language English and international mathematics, and one KGV student also received a High Achievement award for foreign-language German.

ESFs student attainment manager, Dave Kirby, said, “These are outstanding achievements and it is pleasing that the awards have been given to ESF students across a range of subjects and curriculum areas.”

Further celebrations came with the news that of the nearly 1,000 students who sat examinations last year, 57 per cent were awarded A* or A grades – the best ever results for ESF schools.

ESF students named top in the world

news


A Kid ZingerPut fruity zing into water breaks with these innovative, child-sized water bottles fitted with a juicer. The Kid Zinger from Zing Anything

(www.zinganythinghk.com) can be used with citrus –

lemons, limes, clementines, oranges – or in fun combinations

such as strawberry

lemon, orange mint and berry

lime. With a child-safe rounded citrus

press and pop-up straw to prevent

spills, it’s a healthy alternative to sugary juices and soft drinks. We have five Kid Zingers to give away. Deadline: April 12.

Cavalia ticketsRoll up, roll up! Win a family package of four tickets to Cavalia, the modern circus on horseback created by Normand Latourelle, formerly of Cirque du Soleil. Featuring spectacular flying acrobats, musicians and 40 galloping horses, the circus will be in town until April 26 in a big top on the Central Harbourfront event space (www.cavalia.hk). We are giving away tickets to the 8pm performance on April 14. Deadline: April 7.

Seedling Party Favours We are giving away a set of five do-it-yourself

creative kits from award-winning New Zealand company Seedling (www.seedling.com.hk). Kids

will have fun making their own pinata, spinning top or wind-up flying butterfly or hatching a dinosaur

egg (just add water). The kits include all materials and instructions. Deadline: April 19.

To enter, click the Giveaways tab on our website, www.expat-parent.com. Deadlines vary.

free stuff

WIN!


Cat mask hairclip$55 from Seed Heritage, 41 Queen’s Road Central, www.seedheritage.com.

Jumbo gem rings$19.90 for six from Bumps to Babes, 21/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, www.bumpstobabes.com.

Monster bags$5 per bag from Eezy Peezy Parties,2580 2530, www.eezypeezyparties.com.

Personalised party bags$90 each from Jellybean, 138 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, 2527 8600, www.jellybean.hk.

Kinder Eggs$10.50 from 7-Eleven www.7-eleven.com.hk.

Loot bags and fun ideas to fill them.

Let’s party Traditional marbles

$54 a bag from Mirth, M/F, 23 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, www.mirthhome.com.

Glitter crown hairclips $49.90 (pack of two) from H&M, www.hm.com.

must havein the bag


Patterned hairclips $19.90 (pack of 10) from H&M.

Match Attax cards$12 a pack from 7-Eleven.

Jewel Bands$65 from Little Whale, G/F, 92 Siena Avenue, Discovery Bay, 3480 1348, www.littlewhale.com.hk.

Party Robot loot bags $28 for eight pieces from Simply Love, 7A, 38 D’Aguilar Street, Central, 2810 6223, www.simplylove.com.hk.

Ice-cream pens$15 each from Mirth

Lego mini figures $25 each from Toys Club, 5/F, On Hing Building, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central, www.itoysclub.com.

must havein the bag


In the first of a new column, Sarah Fung takes her newborn to Britain.

Have baby, will travel

It’s taken me two days to write this column. No, I’m not suffering from writer’s block – we are on holiday in Britain, and between the jet lag and what I can only assume is teething, Baby Pak Choi is a tiny ball of fury and sleeplessness. She hates the travel cot and will only sleep in my arms. On the plus side, I’m getting rather good at typing one-handed.

This is our first overseas trip with Baby Pak Choi, and while the tour of duty around the south of England has been lovely, it’s starting to hit home that holidays will never be the same again. On previous, baby-free travels, I wouldn’t even bother with check-in baggage. Now I’m starting to wonder whether our 60 kg baggage allowance will be enough for our journey home. In the tradition of all semi-regular Hong Kong-England commuters, I’ll be stocking up on rations. But this time, rather than my usual cache of Cadbury’s, No.7 and Topshop, my bag will be overflowing with Ella’s Kitchen purée pouches and Aptamil.

Driving from one relative’s house to another, the car is jammed to the ceiling with baby junk. There’s a stroller, travel cot, walker, car seat, two bags of clothes and a bottle sterilising kit, which feels like an absurd amount of stuff. I’ve swapped my capsule wardrobe and not-so-travel-sized

Writer and editor Sarah Fung is the first-time mum to a baby girl. She blogs about parenthood at babypakchoi.tumblr.com, twitter @sarahefung.

Daddy Pak Choi is in charge of nappies and bottle

sterilising and I’m in charge of feeding and tantrums

makeup kit for a baby monitor and a million tiny, mismatched socks. Radio One has been replaced by The Wiggles, and wine gums from the petrol station have made way for teething rusks, the crumbs of which have been smeared into the car seat.

Then there’s the obligatory catch-up with friends from university. In years gone by, we’d meet up in London and get silly over

margaritas in a SoHo restaurant. But as I’m still at the stage where a trip to Tsim Sha Tsui takes at least 30 minutes of prep, I figured a weekend in London with a six-month-old may be beyond our present capabilities. So this year I met my old housemates in a tiny village in Hampshire and we spent the afternoon in a local, extremely unfashionable pub, where we mostly talked about how someone who could barely get up in time for an 11am lecture is now responsible for a tiny human.

This trip was also a big test, as we have never gone so long without help from the saintly Nanny Pak Choi. Would we be able to hold everything together without her professional help? One week in and we’re managing pretty well. Daddy Pak Choi is in charge of nappies and bottle sterilising,

and I’m in charge of feeding and tantrums. Somehow I feel like I got the short straw, although if you ask Daddy Pak Choi he’ll probably say the same.

For all my moaning, our first family holiday has been tons of fun, although I don’t know how we’d have coped without a lineup of aunties, uncles and grandparents helping out. Besides, I’d better enjoy it now because the next time we travel to Britain Baby Pak Choi will be walking. Then we’ll really be in trouble.

Have baby, will travel

baby pak choi


Parenting a special-needs child

The Anderson family.

Two families reveal the pleasures and problems of raising children with special needs in Hong Kong. By Adele Brunner.

Kim and Richard Anderson have two daughters, Rhian, 17, and 16-year-old Catrin, who has cerebral palsy.

In March 1999, my husband and I were sitting outside our home, reflecting on how lucky we were and how grateful we were for what we had in our life in Hong Kong. We had a beautiful daughter, Rhian, and I was heavily pregnant with our younger daughter, Catrin. Within the next 36 hours, our life turned upside down as I went into labour and suffered complications.

We have a window of 17 minutes during the birth where we don’t know how much oxygen Catrin received. When she entered the world, there was no heartbeat, no breathing. She was resuscitated and shortly after that she sustained a major neonatal seizure. She was heavily sedated and all her primitive reflexes were lost. It wasn’t the dream I was expecting.

The doctor’s prognosis was grim. He said if Catrin survived for the first three days, she would probably survive but there would be significant complications. She would be physically compromised, she would highly likely have no vision, no hearing, no speech and she would be mentally compromised. Although he didn’t use the words “cerebral palsy” at that point, it is a typical outcome of that level of oxygen deprivation. There was not a lot of hope for our newborn or for us as parents.

Catrin came out of hospital six weeks later with no tubes, but moving forward took time. Learning [about her condition] for me became a very steep curve and it fell into two parts. The first part was knowledge and information, what did I need to know about this condition. In some respects, this was the easier knowledge.

meet the parents


The harder knowledge was my attitude and how I could help myself learn to take the situation on and move forward.

There were three main turning points. Reading a book about cerebral palsy, I came across a chapter on worry and how much energy we consume when we worry about things. If we could channel that energy into the situation at hand, we could make a difference to what was happening. This resonated with me. I can’t say it happened overnight, but it sat there.

The second thing was acceptance of what had happened that night in March. I couldn’t turn the clocks back. Nothing in my power would change that evening. Nothing in my family’s power, nothing in any higher being’s power was going to change that event. But I could look forward.

The third thing was that I started to recognise I had a choice. Did I want just to survive? Did I want my family just to survive? Because that was all we were doing, minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, it was pure survival. Catrin didn’t ask for what happened to her. It shouldn’t have happened. Should she just survive or should we give her the best possible options to live? In a nutshell, we decided as a family that we would move forward.

How did we do this? Firstly, we concentrated on Catrin’s physical side, which was very damaged. We spent two years in an intensive neuro-developmental programme, trying to reprogramme Catrin’s brain – maybe to get her to sit, maybe to crawl. We eventually recognised it wasn’t working but we noticed she was interacting with her world, which is when her learning really started.

Catrin was seeing and hearing by now and we realised she was involved in what was going on. I believe this is because we had a smaller child and were doing “normal” things. We were reciting nursery rhymes, singing songs. We watched The Wiggles a hundred times and were reading aloud. With this awareness came another level of acceptance, that Catrin’s physical side wasn’t going to move, so we turned our focus on her understanding.

A wonderful person came into our lives, Tracy Kim, who is a speech therapist by profession and an Alternate Augmentative Communication (AAC) specialist. Tracy helped us find out what Catrin was understanding.

The first time Tracy met Catrin, she asked to hold her. Unbeknown to me, because I went

out the room, Tracy gave Catrin a choice. If she wanted to come into this world and communicate and connect with this world, she needed to show us she could.

Tracy told Catrin to use her eyes to answer the questions she was going to ask her. When we walked back into the room, Tracy asked, “Where’s Mum?” Catrin’s eyes moved straight to me. “Show me Dad.” Straight to my husband, Richard. She asked Catrin to show us the door, the fan and so on. Catrin’s eyes followed all of these with her eyes.

She was obviously taking things in but we needed to get expressive language out in order for her to learn.

A long journey ensued. Initially, Catrin had bands on her wrists and she would look at a green one for “yes” and a red one for “no”. These days she looks up for “no” and down for “yes”. We used pictures and symbols and a communication language called Minspeak, which gave her a vocabulary she could use.

Did you know that 50 per cent of what we say uses 100 core words? We use a lot more words, but giving Catrin those core words and Minspeak has allowed her to interact with

the world. She now communicates via a board made up of core language, with words in small grids of four columns and four rows. She tells us the row number and

column number of the word she wants. This is the way she communicates with us and does her learning.

Hi-tech was also in her favour but hi-tech is good only if you can access it. Catrin’s limbs and her body weren’t doing what she wanted them to do. We tried switches – on her elbow, hand, knee, foot, nose – but none of it was consistent. A switch acts rather like a mouse click to make a selection together with a scanning technique, allowing access to a computer, for example.

So we came back to her eyes as the most powerful part of her body and she now has an eye-controlled computer. We have a few issues with it – she sometimes struggles to hold her gaze – but we aren’t giving up as it’s the most independent means of communication she’s going to have.

Catrin has been through mainstream schooling in ESF schools, Clearwater Bay School and King George V School. She is now in the learning-support class, but only because some gaps emerged in her learning. When you communicate without speech, everything takes

time so she needs time to give her answers. One of my main concerns has been

what Catrin will do after she leaves school. Her physical needs are huge. She has communication, but she’s still evolving. At KGV, Year 10 students go out for work experience, but what was Catrin going to do?

The wonderful team that work with her came up with a suggestion and Catrin agreed to go back to her primary school to work in the classrooms. She listened to P1 children reading and asked questions on her talker, which is part of her Eco2 eye-controlled computer. She read to them using the digital output on her talker. She even did a bit of maths, which she doesn’t like at all. The experience was wonderful not just for Catrin, but for the other children. What they saw wasn’t a disability, they saw the person. They wanted to be with her and read her stories.

Disability is still a big challenge in Hong Kong. In terms of the awareness of disability and what it means, there’s a long way to go in Hong Kong. One of my goals is to find a platform in Hong Kong beyond supporting parents, to take the good work going on and pull it together in a constructive way.

Catrin is now a teenager. Yes, she has cerebral palsy and she’s very dependent on others for her daily physical needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week (we employ two helpers and a full-time educational assistant at school), but otherwise she’s quite typical, She’s moody, she’s stubborn. She argues with her sister and she’s swears really well in her head.

Catrin enjoys her “beach wheels”.

Our family motto is, we don’t do problems, we

do solutions

meet the parents


I know this because she spells out the words to me and she knows all the acronyms. She has a wicked sense of humour and likes to be as normal as the rest of us.

She has an adapted bicycle she used for sports day and she loves to come to the beach so her dad adapted her chair with beach wheels. Our family motto is, we don’t do problems, we do solutions.

I reflect back on the conversation I had with Richard many years ago and ask myself, am I still grateful now? And I am. Very grateful. I have a wonderful family, I have an older daughter who is bright and well adjusted, I have a great husband and I have a younger daughter who inspires me to help her to learn.

There are many people out there who have greater challenges than we do. I have friends who don’t just have one disabled child, they have two. They have children with autism, genetic disorders that all bring their different challenges and I take my hat off to them. My learning journey (and Catrin’s) continues every minute of every day and is likely to well into the future.

Marie and John Kenny have 10-year-old twin daughters, Fiona and Seona, who is autistic.

Seona was two-and-a-half when she started to lose early skills she had been mastering such as speech. She was subsequently diagnosed with Pervasive Developing Disorder (PDD) with autistic features.

She is now severely autistic. She doesn’t like to make eye contact. She would rather play on her own and will not come up and start a conversation with you unless she wants something she can’t get herself.

Seona started to talk when she was about eight but her speech isn’t clear and you have to pay attention to what she is doing and listen closely. She needs constant care – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – so we have two helpers. My husband works away from home for five weeks at a time but he is back for stretches of up to four weeks so we have quality time then. Seona adores her dad.

She goes to the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School in Ho Man Tin, the only ESF school for the severely disabled. She loves it. It is a well-resourced school with dedicated staff. It serves only 70 children and has a two-and-a-half year waiting list. One of the big problems for English-speaking children with special needs in Hong Kong is that there aren’t nearly as many resources as are needed, although I think the Chinese-speaking community is well

served. Seona has a speech therapist and an occupational therapist in school as well as going to applied behaviour analysis – three-hour sessions of one-on-one work with a therapist – outside school.

As well as school and therapists, we get a lot of support from other parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) and are part of a working group of parents with SEN children. Led by Trisha Tran, the group is trying to get the Education Bureau to increase the number, quality and scope of English-medium SEN places in Hong Kong schools and give English-speaking SEN children equal access to quality education.

Seona is a loving and gentle girl. She loves ice skating, anything to do with water, painting, jumping on the trampoline and being out on her scooter. She is flexible as long as you tell her what is happening. When it comes

to holidays and outings, we have to explain exactly what we are going to do and where. She loves boats, planes, hotels, Disneyland and Ocean Park and going out to eat, but as soon as she has had enough of any activity or place, we have to take her home before she has a meltdown.

Music is one of Seona’s favourite things especially live shows such as Barney, The Wiggles or Disney shows and she enjoys watching her twin sister, Fiona, performing in the school choir.

Fiona adores her sister and doesn’t know any different. She goes along with Seona because she understands that Seona can’t help the way she is. She takes pleasure in helping and teaching Seona, and Seona watches and learns from Fiona all the time. They play on the trampoline and do things together – or at least alongside each other. Fiona has lots of patience with her sister but she is growing up now and likes to go out and do things with her own friends, which is natural.

She is currently in year six at Clearwater Bay School when all the students have to choose an exhibition topic, research it and present it to parents and the rest of the school. Fiona has chosen special needs because she wants to raise awareness in the community and beyond.

For English-speaking children with special needs in Hong Kong there aren’t

nearly as many resources as are needed

Marie Kenny with her twin daughters, Seona and Fiona.


What is Paradigm Global Education & Management (PGEM)?PGEM was set up by former international-school teachers in 2010 to provide tutorial services for students and professional development for teachers. As a subsidiary of the Paradigm Group, we offer integrated educational services with a high level of teaching standards. Our professional programmes include teacher training and educational professional development, setting-up and managing schools. For students, we offer IB diploma preparation, revision and review courses and study programmes in Britain, Europe, the United States and throughout Asia including Service Learning Projects. Our latest project which we launched this year is an online educational platform called www.teachers-to-go.com.

Tell us about yourself. I worked at the Chinese International School in Hong Kong for 25 years as Head of the

Computer Science Department and in different roles including teacher, mentor and study programme leader. I believe technology is a tool that will help unlock the walls of the classroom and provide greater global access for education in the 21st century.

How does Teachers-to-Go! work? We connect students to the best teachers around the globe through LIVE! one-on-one tutoring and Homework HELP sessions. We also provide online SAT and ACT training and university counseling services. Our teachers help students with their academic needs across various curricula including the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma, IGCSE, A-levels, AP and HKDSE. We send reports to parents to let them know which sessions their children registered for and the teacher’s comments. Students pay for classes on a credit basis. Sessions are taught with state-of-the-art technology where students learn in a virtual classroom from a teacher of their choice, making online learning easy, effective and fun.

How does PGEM stand out from the rest?As a father and teacher, I understand how important the relationship is between teachers, students and parents. We look after our students’ best interests by providing the best teachers. Our teachers are professionals from around the world with experience in IB, A-levels and other examination curricula. As

well as international-school teachers we have premium teachers with at least five years’ experience in IB diploma programmes, some whom have been examiners.

How large is the PGEM community? Currently we have close to 900 teachers (pre-selected and reviewed by our Academic Directors) and up to 350,000 students and hope to have a million students by the middle of this year.

What’s next for PGEM?We continue to enhance our online platform to achieve the optimum level of student support and academic assistance. We will launch next month our “After-school Online Classes” for students. This one-hour session allows students to work at home, with a teacher-to student ratio of 1:3 for each class. Other things to look forward to are online home-schooling, IBDP review and revision courses, Graduate Studies programme and other online learning solutions – designed for students, by teachers.

Paradigm Global Education & Management, 3203 Central Plaza, 18 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, 2877 8836, www.paradigm-gem.com

Founder and CEO Anthony Bernardo reveals what sets PGEM apart from other educational services.

promotion

Founder and CEO Anthony Bernardo.

Paradigm Global Education & Management

PGEM


With a shortfall of 2,100 special educational needs spaces in international schools, Callum Wiggins meets the parents

lobbying for change.

The difficulties faced by parents trying to secure places at international schools in Hong Kong over the past few years have been well documented. But while it’s a scramble for parents of typically developing children, spare a thought for those whose children have special educational needs (SEN). According to one parents’ group, there is an estimated shortfall of 2,100 places for non-Chinese-speaking children with SEN in Hong Kong.

Currently, international schools offer 844 SEN places in Hong Kong, but parent Trisha Tran of lobby group Parents of Non-Chinese-Speaking Special Educational Needs Children believes almost 3,000 are required. The group is campaigning for the Hong Kong Government to increase the provision of English-language SEN places.

“When we assume that six per cent of the international school population is SEN, which is an internationally recognised number, we need 2,951 SEN places,” Tran says. “We believe the Education Bureau is failing to provide adequate education opportunities for English-speaking children. As English is one of the official languages of Hong Kong we believe our requests are not unjustified.”

Hong Kong has only one dedicated English-language special-needs school, the ESF-run Jockey Club Sarah Roe School in Ho Man Tin, which caters for children with severe learning difficulties and complex needs. In other schools SEN provision varies, but may include separate learning-support classes with lower student-teacher ratios, or dedicated staff to provide one-on-one assistance to SEN students studying in mainstream classes (usually paid for by parents). Applications for SEN places typically take a slightly different route than mainstream applications so that a

school can assess the needs of each child and evaluate whether they have the necessary SEN support in place.

The English Schools Foundation (ESF), Hong Kong’s largest English-language education provider, has far more special-needs children on its waiting lists than SEN places across all its schools.

“We currently have 98 children on the waiting list for only 70 places at the school,” says Sarah Roe School principal Karin Wetselaar. “I had to tell the last parents that came to see me they faced a two- to three-year wait. We just don’t physically have any space left in the school to offer more places, we are already close to being overcrowded.”

It’s the same story for SEN places in mainstream ESF schools, says the

organisation’s SEN adviser for early years and primary, Laura Ferretti.

“For the learning-support classes we have 315 students on the waiting lists for 216 places that are currently full,” she says. “Applications and waiting lists depend on a child’s priority status and for that particular year. However, students who have been on the waiting list for the longest time have been on there for up to six years. It’s a very long time – too long.”

Right now, the options are limited for families who can’t get their special-needs children into an international school. Under Hong Kong law, all children must be enrolled in school from the age of six. The Education Bureau (EDB) maintains there is adequate provision for SEN children, including those

Parents fight for special-needs places

The Jockey Club Sarah Roe School is the only English-language dedicated SEN school in Hong Kong.

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Government-subsidised programmes- Watchdog Early Education Centre- The Child Development Centre

ESF schools with learning-support classes- Bradbury School (21 places)- Quarry Bay School (7)- Peak School (7)- Glenealy School (7)- Kennedy School (7)- Beacon Hill School (21)- Kowloon Junior School (14)- Clearwater Bay School (7)- Sha Tin Junior School (14)

Segregated Setting- Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (70)

ESF learning-support classes- King George V School (30 places)- West Island School (24)- South Island School (24)- Sha Tin College (27)- Island School (6)

Segregated Setting- Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (70)

- Nesbitt Centre- Rock Foundation

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Springboard Project- Family Partners School- Aoi Pui School

Special-needs providers- Springboard Project- Family Partners School- The Children’s Institute of Hong Kong

(Harbour School)- International Christian School- Autism Partnership (Aoi Pui School)- Rainbow Project- Autism Recovery Network- Bridge Academy- Hong Kong Academy- Anfield International Primary School- Kids Academy

Local SystemChinese speaking children - please refer to: www.edb.gov.hk

International primary schools with learning-support classes- Island Christian Academy- Norwegian International School- Grace Christian Academy- Discovery Mind Primary School- Christian Alliance International School- The International Montessori School- Kingston International Primary School- Woodland International

Primary School- Think International School- Japanese International School- Australian International School

All-through schools with learning-support classes- Hong Lok Yuen International School- Discovery Bay International School- Kellett School- Renaissance College- Australian International School- Nord Anglia International School- Hong Kong Academy

Private programmes- Autism Partnership- Autism Recovery Network- Little Kids Learning Academy- Kids Academy- Bridge Academy

English Kindergartens including:- Anfield- ESF- Small World Christian- Woodland- Kowloon Baptist Church- David Exodus- International Montessori- Safari Kid- Bebegarten- Kingston- Letterland Childcare Centre- YMCA- Kiangsu & Chekiang International

School- Discovery Bay International School- Discovery Mind Kindergarten- Tutor Time International- Sun island- Delia English Kindergarten- Deborah English Kindergarten

Information courtesy of Stella Wong, Watchdog Early Education Centre. Please let us know of any other SEN services in Hong Kong by emailing [email protected].

SEN services for non-Chinese-speaking children

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from non-Chinese-speaking families, within Hong Kong’s public-sector schools. However, Tran says these services are often in a Chinese-language environment, which many English-speaking families consider impractical for their special-needs children.

One option is homeschooling, but to do this families must seek permission from the EDB or risk prosecution. For parents who can afford it, Hong Kong’s private practitioners provide a range of SEN services including Applied Behaviour Analysis, speech and occupational therapy, physiotherapy and even music therapy. But accessing such treatments can cost up to $40,000 a month or even more for children with severe needs.

Tran has been trying for years to find a SEN place for her English-speaking six-year-old daughter, who was born in Hong Kong. Her daughter’s learning difficulties were beyond the capabilities of one kindergarten, which felt unable to continue to offer her a place. Fortunately, Tran found a place at another preschool, but she worries about next year, when she is due to start primary school.

“I have been unable to secure a place for my daughter in an international school that

can cater for her needs. We are currently on the waiting list for a place that may take years to open,” Tran says. “Government special schools cost approximately $250,000 per year per child. It is a shame [the Hong Kong

Government] doesn’t make those services accessible to English-speaking families.”

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), a statutory body established in 1996 that works towards the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of disability, supports an increase in existing services for English-speaking SEN children.

In a statement in January, it said: “The EOC fully appreciates the concerns of the parents that non-Chinese-speaking students with SEN face significant barriers to equal opportunity in the current education system. The EOC believes there is an acute need for

the Government to review the education for non-Chinese-speaking students with SEN, and discuss with public-sector, direct subsidy scheme and international schools on how to resolve the problem of inadequate supply.”

In response to the mounting pressure, the EDB has announced a consultancy study will look into the demand for SEN places at international schools. It is expected to be completed later this year.

The struggle to obtain the right support for a child does not end with the granting of an SEN place at school, but continue for life. ESF parent Kim Anderson, whose 16-year-old daughter Catrin has cerebral palsy, recognises the hard choices that must be made in the coming years after her daughter finishes school.

“Non-Chinese-speaking children with special educational needs must have more options once they have finished their school education,” she says.

“Existing services just can’t cater for her needs and there just aren’t the necessary and accessible facilities. The likelihood is we will need to move away from Hong Kong to secure a better future for our daughter.”

Children with special educational needs receive specialist teaching at Jockey Club Sarah Roe School, but there are 98 students waiting for 70 places.

We are on a waiting list for a place that may take

years to open

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All you need to know for the best party ever.

Gone are the days when children’s birthday parties involved little more than a bowl of jelly and ice cream, a few rounds of Musical Bumps and Pass the Parcel, and a piece of birthday cake to take home. These days, it’s almost de rigueur for tots, toddlers and tweens to be treated to clowns, bouncy castles, ice skating, spa parties, bubble football or paintballing. None of which comes particularly easy – even little children know a good party when they experience one – or cheap, when you have to factor in inviting an entire class.

In Britain, parent wars have hit new heights over birthday party etiquette. This year, one irate mum actually sent an invoice for $192 to the parents of a five-year-old to cover the cost of his ticket for an indoor ski party after they accepted the invitation but their son didn’t show up.

It’s tough out there, people. The pressure of making a decent birthday cake has been known to make grown women cry. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We’ve compiled a go-to list of people and services that will help you throw the best kid’s party in town. Keep it simple, call in the professionals if you need to and, most importantly, don’t forget it’s all about the birthday boy or girl having fun.

Party suppliersAeroportoAeroporto can transform any space into the

theme of your choice, with amazing tensioned fabric sculptures and props created at its studio in Wong Chuk Hang. Aeroporto will take care of all the details, including finding a venue, invitations, flowers, catering, graphics and entertainment within your budget. 2553 6310, www.aeroportodesign.com.

Chunky Onion Chunky Onion sends in the clowns – and the puppets, magicians, comedy waiters or the cast of an entire children’s show. Its professional entertainers keep children smiling with comedy routines, games, songs and puppet shows, with themes such as Princess and Prince Charming, Robin Hood and Little John, Jungle Jim and Jane, and pirates. One-hour shows for larger events include Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Sherlock Holmes in the Case of the Missing Bride. Chunky Onion also offers party-planning services. 2110 0014, www.chunkyonion.com.

Eezy Peezy PartiesTake the stress out of your next children’s party with this one-stop online shop. Use the website to create and send invitations, choose a wish list from the gift registry, order party essentials for delivery to your door, book an entertainer and even send thank-you notes after the event. Its handy

Twopresents charitable birthdaysHong Kong-based social enterprise Twopresents transforms gift giving for the better. The online platform invites guests to a party and, instead of giving a gift, lets them donate money that is split between the birthday girl or boy and the charity of your choice. The process includes creating an invitation, choosing a charity and deciding the percentage of funds you would like to donate to it. After the party, Twopresents sends two cheques, one to you as the host and one to the charity you have chosen. It aims to reduce our carbon footprint by minimising the use of gift wrap and bags, while educating children about giving to the community and being green. Now, that’s gift giving that’s trouble free, environmentally friendly and for a good cause. Details at www.twopresents.com.

directory offers email links to entertainers, photographers, bouncy castle suppliers, cake makers, caterers, party venues and more. Easy peasy. www.eezypeezyparties.com.

Jumping Castles The ultimate themed bouncy castle experience has arrived in Hong Kong. Choose from imaginative castles such as the Pirate

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Ship, Dragon and Mega Obstacle Course. The Jumping Castle team arrives an hour before the party to set up, then lets children bounce to their hearts’ content. Add a helium balloon party kit for extra fun. Large bouncy castle rentals start at $2,500 for four hours. 9662 1747, www.jumpingcastles.com.hk.

Matteo PartyWhether you are looking for supplies or full party services, Matteo Party has what you need to entertain any children. Buy costumes, balloons, piñatas, decorations and tableware and book magician, face painting and balloon twisting party services. 2/F, The Pulse, Beach Road, Repulse Bay, 2321 0812, www.matteoparty.com.

Sweet SoireesSweet Soirees helps plan a party from set up to cleanup. Founder Lauren Roberts worked in London as an event planner for celebrities and royalty before moving to Hong Kong, where she puts her artistic eye to good use, creating beautiful events for people of all ages. Her services include budget planning, photography, entertainment hire, venue sourcing and handmade decorations. At least one month’s notice required. 2818 5870, www.sweetsoireeshk.com.

Beau PartyBeau Party specialises in customised party planning to help parents create memorable parties, from theming and styling to personalised invitations and decorations. Balloons with confetti are a speciality. Details at www.beauparty.com.

Swoon SoireesHong Kong-based online party boutique offering cake supplies, themed decorations, tableware and stationery. Free shipping on orders of more than $400 at www.swoonxoxo.com.

Balloon FishThe go-to guys for all things helium-related. Same-day delivery available for $99 anywhere in Hong Kong, seven days a week. Details at www.balloonfish.com.hk.

Activities Bubble Soccer Strap yourself into a large plastic orb and bounce off your friends as you try to play soccer. In a new twist to the craze, bubbles come with neon colours that glow in the dark. This Aberdeen indoor venue has an

Paintball HQTactics, teamwork and a whole lot of energy are needed as you hide and snipe at the opposing team and try to invade their camp.

Butchers Club on wheels Hong Kong’s favourite meat company, Butchers Club, now offers catering from its own food truck. An ideal option for those with the space, the food truck will come to your event ready to dish up all the delicious dishes Butchers Club has to offer. 2884 0768, [email protected], www.butchersclub.com.hk.

artificial pitch for absorbing the rough and tumble. Players can chill out in the common area and play on the foosball and air-hockey machines (minus the bubbles, of course). The pitch is $2,500 an hour and $1,500 for every subsequent hour. No walk-ins. Players are recommended to wear suitable sportswear and trainers. Quidditch played with hoverboards and broomsticks is also available. 9am until late. Hyperspace, 5/F, Remex Centre, 42 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, 3462 3318, www.bubblesoccer.hk; www.quidditch.hk.

Director’s Club Book an entire cinema for parties of up to 16. Choose from current releases, including those suitable for young children, or request an old favourite. Free-flowing popcorn, hot dogs and soft drinks are included. Parents can kick back in one of the cinema’s large, comfortable armchairs for one of the easiest parties in town. Director’s Club offers additional catering and cake-cutting facilities for an extra charge. UA Cityplaza, Taikoo Shing, www.uacinemas.com.hk.

How to make tissue paper pom-poms

You will need: tissue paper, floral wire and fishing line, available from most stationery shops.

1. Stack eight rectangular sheets of tissue paper, about 40cm by 35cm. Fold the tissue accordion-style in 3cm folds along the longer edge. Round the corners with a pair of scissors.

2. Fold a 50cm length of green floral wire in half, and slip over the centre of the folded tissue. Twist to secure.

3. Separate the layers, gently pulling away from the centre one at a time.

4. Tie a length of fishing line to the floral wire and hang in clusters around the party venue.

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hatchbacks, Porsche and Audi supercars and sleek Formula One models. There is no age restriction, but a minimum height of 150cm is suggested to reach the pedals comfortably. 2523 0983, www.sideways-driving-club.com.

Ryze Ultimate Trampoline ParkWith more than 40 trampolines covering an area of 7,000 sq ft, Ryze will have children literally bouncing off the walls. Bounce from one side of the room to the other, launch a slam dunk into the basketball hoops, then dive into the soft foam pits. Ryze is great for children’s parties, with special packages catering for 10-30 guests. 3/F 321 Java Road, Quarry Bay, 2337 8191, www.ryzehongkong.com.

A range of games sustains interest. Parties of at least 10 are required and players must be aged eight or over. Paintball HQ can organise pizza delivery and there’s a large room for cake cutting and refreshments between games, but you need to bring your own supplies (including paper plates, cups, cutlery and drinks). Advance booking essential. 3106 0221, www.paintballhq.com.hk.

Pizza Express PartiesLittle chefs in the making will look the real deal in a chef’s hat and apron as they create their own pizzas at Pizza Express. Parties last about two hours and children can take their pizzas home to enjoy. Parties are available in seven Pizza Express branches, including Stanley, and minimum spend depends on the location. Parties can be booked online at www.pizzaexpress.com.hk.

Sideways Driving ClubPut the pedal to the metal in virtual race-car simulators. Get the adrenaline pumping at some of the world’s most exciting race tracks in a variety of cars including hot

Junior chefs learn to make their own pizzas at a Pizza Express party.

Tenpin BowlingThunderBowl can provide hours of fun. The VIP Room is available for parties with two bowling alleys and different prices for children and adults. Shoe rental is additional. B/F, Site 8, Whampoa Garden, corner of Tak On and Shung King streets, Hung Hom, 2122 9822, www.thunderbowl.com.hk.

FunZone This popular indoor playground is an ideal party destination for children bursting with energy. Under-12s can run free in 5,000 sq ft of slides, tunnels and ball pits. A miniature town includes a supermarket, vet, diner and petrol station, and there’s a (real) café, with wi-fi, serving drinks and snacks. Party packages from $2,500 for 10 children. Marble Gardens Commercial, 33 Marble Road, North Point, www.funzone.com.hk.

Party people Bricks4KidzLego-based fun and games, with a party host, projects, free play and design-your-own mini-figure options. A two-hour deluxe party

In Britain, parent wars have hit new heights over birthday

party etiquette

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From left: play soccer in plastic bubbles; bounce at Ryze trampoline park; indulge at Sweet Secrets; learn to play quidditch for real.

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reptiles, insects and other animal experiences at your venue of choice. Different packages and animals are available to suit your preferences. Text 9743 2011 or visit www.jurassicgarage.hk.

CakesA Piece of CakeFor a delicious twist on traditional birthday cakes, customise your own Valrhona chocolate-coated cakepops for individual mini treats. A minimum of 24 cake pops must be ordered. www.pieceofcakehk.com.

Cake Temptations Awesome handmade 3-D cakes will thrill any birthday girls and boys in flavours such as vanilla chocolate and chocolate orange. We love the tasty superhero cupcakes. Two to three weeks’ notice is required, www.caketemptations.com.hk.

Sweet SecretsExpress next-day birthday cakes and divine cupcakes can be ordered for collection or delivery at www.sweetsecrets.com.hk.

package for 10 children starts at $2,250, www.bricks4kidz.hk.

The Cheese BrothersThis pair of clowns has been lighting up children’s faces for years with slapstick and juggling routines, slow-motion racing, balloon modelling and lots more fun. www.kids-party.hk.

Rumple & FriendsA one-hour show with Rumple the Clown includes magic, circus skills, puppets, balloon twisting, face painting and huge amounts of fun. Parties from $2,200, www.rumpleandfriends.com.

Rachael’s FunhouseHong Kong’s leading Disco Diva for dance parties, shows and children’s entertainers. One hour of party fun starts at $1,900. 2705 9556, www.funhousehk.com.

Jurassic GarageFounded by herpetologist and conservationist Goatee Toni, Jurassic Garage provides live

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The group was established in 1932 when the first Yew Chung Kindergarten was set up in Hong Kong. The territory now has eight campuses including preschool, primary and secondary sections.

The secondary school is the group’s flagship. It moved into its purpose-built campus in 2007 and now has 900 students,

with space to accmmodate up to 1,000. “We’re not at capacity,” Matuk explains.

“We have space for 100 or so more students. We do have an entrance exam, but we’re looking for motivation rather than straight A-grade students. If a student is enthusiastic but struggling, we can work with that.”

This non-discriminatory approach also

Carolynne Dear visits the 80-year-old multicultural institution. Photos by Cherrie Yu.

Yew Chung International School

The classrooms are buzzing at Yew Chung International School (YCIS) as students get ready for a community open day. Art lessons are in full swing as students and teachers select pieces to be shown, and technology students polish off mini wooden speakers they have been crafting all term. “Do you want me to show you?” enthuses one student as I peer round the classroom door.

Co-principal Iyad Matuk is justly proud of his Kowloon Tong-based school.

“Multiculturalism and a strong bilingual learning environment are at the core of what we are,” he says. “We have teaching staff from about 25 different nationalities, and we welcome students from all over. Whether they come here as Hong Kong locals or from further afield, they leave with the skills to flourish globally.”

Fluency in English and Chinese are considered fundamental to the 80-year-old group that also operates international schools in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Qingdao and California’s Silicon Valley. This allows for a healthy flow of teaching ideas between the schools, with annual meetings of principals and sports exchanges for students.

includes a scholarship programme, which is open to all applicants.

Students follow the IGCSE examination programme in years 10 and 11, and then the IB Diploma in the final years.

The strong multicultural programme is enhanced by the World Classroom programme. Developed by the Yew Chung Education Foundation, it takes an in-depth look at four different cultural regions around the world: American-Pacific in Year 7, Mediterranean in Year 8, Eastern European in Year 9, and Developing Countries in Year 10. The programme culminates with an overseas trip. Apparently a popular experience, the corridors are festooned with pictures and photographs of the students’ experiences. From an educational point of view, it also seems to have merit, with the school last year receiving the highest results in Hong Kong for the IGCSE Global Perspectives examination.

This multicultural outlook lends itself to a strong philanthropic outlook. Children are encouraged to come forward with ideas and present them to the rest of the school. Girls Up, a UN programme supporting the health, safety and education of girls in developing

Students prepare for a community open day.

The school also set up its own charity, raising

money towards building new schools in China

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countries, is one charity selected by students. The school also set up it own charity, Seeds of Hope, following the devastating Sichuan earthquake in 2008, raising money towards the building of new schools in China.

Colourful murals feature prominently around the school, and every year the school welcomes a handful of full-time professional artists-in-residence to take over art lessons and introduce the children to new ideas, perspectives and techniques. As well as art, these artists-in-residence develop skills in dance, theatre, film direction, sculpture and digital art.

The school boasts a strong music and drama programme, and every year presents a full stage production taking in many subject areas. Students get involved with set design,

Multiculturalism and a strong bilingual learning environment are at the core of what we are

YCIS students get sporty.

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lighting, costume design, acting, singing or the full orchestra. Past highlights have included Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, The King and I, Godspell, The Sound of Music and this year Yew Chung was the only school outside the US allowed rights to the script and score of The Little Mermaid.

Last but by no means least, the school is no slouch in sport. Boasting a 25m indoor pool, YCIS fields teams in football, basketball, swimming, badminton and athletics. As well as Yew Chung inter-school competitions, it also takes part in the International Secondary School Federation of Hong Kong competition and takes on other local international schools in ACAMIS (Association of China and Mongolia International Schools) tournaments. The mythically inspired school house system – Sabre Tooth, Dragon, Phoenix and Unicorn – underpins inter-school sporting competition.

Clockwise from top: budding scientists; in the library; costume designs.

Yew Chung International School3 To Fuk Road, Kowloon Tongwww.ycis-hk.com2338 7106

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are conflicting views, as a principal I need to bring everyone together to reach a common goal.

How do you see the relationship between a principal and a student? I try to be as close to students as I can. It’s got to be a relationship of respect so the student feels safe and their needs are taken care of. It is important that they know the principal is here for both students and teachers. Students and parents like to talk to the principal and know their needs are attended to.

What has been the most memorable event of your career?At the end of each year, the students come on stage and we give them diplomas and I

Co-Principal of Yew Chung International Secondary School. By Cherrie Yu.

Iyad Matuk

How long have you been working for YCIS?I have been teaching for more than 40 years and have been at YCIS since 2000.

What has been one of the biggest changes you have seen at the school?Once we started the IB programme things started to change a lot. More opportunities opened up for us.

What teacher has inspired you? A few teachers at YCIS inspires me when I sit in their classes and I see how they interact with the students. I am also inspired by young teachers. They surprise me with some of their great ideas.

What do you enjoy most about your job?The challenges. Solving a problem or dealing with an unresolved issue the next day.

What are some of the challenges of being a principal?Meeting the needs of different stakeholders. They’re always conflicting at times: the needs of students, teacher and parent. When there

I am inspired by young teachers and their

fantastic ideas

see the smiles on their faces. To me, it is the happiest day of the year.

What do you like most about Hong Kong?The people and the culture. I have been here for 17 years, and consider Hong Kong my second home. [He is originally from Canada.]

Best advice you were given by a teacher?Work hard and don’t complain.

Any tips for de-stressing?Talk to people, and learn how to be patient.

What quality do you value most in people?Integrity and honesty. I like friends who are good listeners.

Did you have a favourite teacher?I had a few favourite maths teachers – maths was my favourite subject.

What are your hobbies? I played squash for 30 years. Now I like to read and collect antiques – anything old which brings back good memories.

principal’s office


and universities in the US. Once students have a rough idea of their SAT/ACT scores, they can begin to search for universities at which their applications will be competitive.

Students should strongly consider what knowledge and skills they hope to attain from a university education, and look for schools that are strongest in those departments. A higher “ranking” does not mean a school is the best possible choice for the student. It may be a general guide of a university’s merits, but students should evaluate how it aligns with their passions.

Extracurricular passionsStudents seeking a place at a US university will not be admitted on the strength of grades alone. Top universities look for individuals who are passionate and compassionate, and have a life beyond academics.

Applying for university in the US can be gruelling. On top of school grades, students are expected to sit the SAT or ACT, request recommendations from their teachers, fill their afternoons with extracurricular activities, and write short essays for each university application. Here is how to begin tackling the daunting task of finding the right university.

SAT or ACT?In the eyes of virtually all US universities, the SAT and ACT are equivalent so only one of these tests is required. The main difference is the ACT includes a Scientific Reasoning section and is widely considered a better test of intelligence, but the SAT is easier to study for. Never take either test more than twice.

Choosing a universityThere are more than 2,000 four-year colleges

Applying to US Universities

ITS Education Asia provides consulting services for students applying to US and UK universities, as well as tutorial lessons for SAT/ACT, IB, A-Level, IGCSE and a variety of other curricula. For more details, contact [email protected], 2116 3916, or www.itseducation.asia.

Start writing earlyCommon Application essay prompts are typically issued by early summer and most universities release their own by August 1.

Once term resumes, pressure of schoolwork means many students do not give application essays their full attention. By starting early, students are likely to produce cleaner, clearer and more thoughtful essays. Students should always have their essays reviewed by peers, family and someone familiar with the US application process.

ITS Education Asia gives tips for prospective students and their parents

sponsored column

40 | expat-parent.comDecorating cupcakes at Towngas Avenue.

after school mini master chefs


Learn to bake, knead and roll at kids’ cooking classes. By Cherrie Yu.

Junior cooks learn to prepare a full meal at Mixing Bowl.

Mixing Bowl Hands-on classes teach children aged six to 14 special cooking techniques and food presentation. Each two- to three-hour class includes savoury and sweet dishes, with pizza and festive food sessions available. Lessons include home-baked snacks, coffee or tea, and children take home everything they cook up and are sent recipes. Classes start at $400 with sibling discounts available. Time to knead, roll and bake. 5 Shin Hing Street, Sheung Wan, 2524 0001, www.themixingbowlhk.com.

Spring Learning CentreClasses at Spring Learning Centre aim to engage all the senses, encouraging children to discover the tastes, textures and aromas of different foods. As well as food preparation, classes explore food storage and nutrition, and young children also develop their language and cognitive skills. Classes are split into four groups by age from 18 months to six years old. Lessons take place in a purpose-built multifunctional kitchen with five double

dishes such as cookies, Asian savouries and Japanese treats. Trial classes are $500, and six-week courses start at $2,430 for members and $2,700 for non-members. The studio is also available for private rental. 3/F Westlands Centre, 20 Westland Street, Quarry Bay, 2682 3411, www.sparkstudioshk.com.

The Peninsula Academy Held in the hotel kitchen, The Peninsula Academy offers cooking programmes for kids aged four to 10. Each two-hour class starts with a mini buffet and beverages, followed by a preparation lesson and a demonstration of cake decorating by a pastry chef. Children can try adorning their own cupcakes and take home a hat, apron, theme-related treats and their own creation. Classes cost $880 per child and must be booked at least five days in advance. Look out for the celebrity chef family class on April 12. The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2696 6691, hongkong.peninsula.com.

stations, each with a stainless-steel worktop and induction hob. Dishes vary from a vegan apple snail to pizza. Sessions last about an hour, with trial classes from $460 or a course of eight classes from $3,360, including a

bright orange chef’s hat and apron to take home and keep. 3/F, Centre Point, 181-185 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, 3465 5000, www.spring-learning.com.hk.

Spark Studios Budding cooks aged five to 14 take part in a range of courses including creative cooking, art history through food and dining etiquette. Classes are held in English in a 2,400 sq ft studio and give kids a chance to make

There’s an emphasis on healthy options, with many

recipes low in sugar and fat

What’s cooking?



Towngas Avenue Towngas has more than 37 years’ experience of providing cooking classes for children.At its Little Chef Class, children aged three to six learn hands-on cooking skills and kitchen safety through interactive games and storytelling while creating dishes such as a Japanese bento box of rice balls, fried prawns and stir-fried vegetables. Prices start at $450 for two hours. Birthday parties can also be arranged. Tower 1, China Hong Kong City, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2367 2713, www.towngasavenue.com.

Whisked Children aged three to 10 bake all sorts of appealing dishes, including brownies, rolls and meringues, and learn sophisticated chocolate work, cooking techniques and skills. There’s an emphasis on healthy options, with many recipes low in sugar and fat, gluten- and egg-free options, and natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup and agave nectar. Lessons are taught in Mandarin and English and are designed to boost confidence, enhance teamwork and improve time Cooking up a storm at Spring Learning (left) and Spark Studios (above).



management. Classes are organised by age into three groups and typically last an hour to 90 minutes. Trial classes start at $380 with courses of six classes from $2,100. The studio is also available for private hire. 21/F, 104 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, 3460 3130, www.whiskedbaking.com.

YWCAChildren’s and family classes offer fun and interactive cooking lessons. At Kids Can Cook, children aged three to six cook dishes such as giant cookies, fruit tacos and salad shakers in a course of eight 90-minute classes ($2,630). Lessons are taught in Cantonese, English or bilingual; check before signing up. 3/F, 1 Macdonnell Road, Central, 3476 1340, clle.ywca.org.hk.

Children take home everything they cooked

and are sent recipes

Clockwise from top: foodie fun at Spark Studios, YWCA and Whisked.



Soft-shoe dances are light and fast with high kicks and jumps. Dancers aim to be as high on their toes as possible.

Hard-shoe dances focus on strength, sound and rhythm. As Irish people emigrated around the world, their heavy-shoe dances influenced tap, step, clogging and flatfooting. Dancers aim to be loud and confident.

Fancy costumes and wigs are a part of all Irish dance, but I think younger people look better without them. I am glad my school discourages wearing wigs and excessive makeup. I think the stereotypes of Irish dancing are unimportant if you are truly passionate about dancing.

Echoes of Erin came second in the world in the dance drama competition last year, even though we were the youngest group. It was a fantastic feeling because we didn’t expect it. I entered the European championships last year. All the contestants were so much better than me, so it was amazing to be placed eighth in treble jig (hard shoe).

This year, my team is aiming for first place and we are training about 15 hours a week. My goal is to be recalled to the final round of my age division.

We are performing a lot: St Patrick’s Day gala, St Patrick’s Day parade, and a performance at the Venetian Macau. We are so grateful to Catriona Newcombe, the director of the school, for all her talents and for bringing me and my dancemates together to share our passion.

Alicia Sambrook, 11, gets a kick out of Irish dance. By Karmel Schreyer.

Lady of the dance

Hong Kong has been home for almost five years. We are a Renaissance College family as both my parents work there, I am in Year 7 and my older sister, Kasia, is in Year 9. We are both dancers.

I became interested in Irish dance because my dad’s family is from Connemara in Ireland. When Riverdance came to Hong Kong we saw them and I was captured by the style of dancing and the way they had the audience on the edge of their seats. I joined Echoes of Erin School of Irish Dance the following week, and from the first session I knew I would be dancing there for a long time.

I started ballet when I was three years old and danced for five years. I also tried tap and jazz. Ballet gave me a great foundation and I wish I had time to continue. My sister, Kasia, has

been dancing ballet for more than 11 years and is a student at the Russian Ballet School. She recently joined Echoes of Erin and we often share dances and techniques.

We dance as soloists and in teams. I love the teamwork in figure and ceili dancing. Rehearsing for the team drama/dance event and getting into character is always fun.

There are different traditional and modern Irish dances such as reels, hornpipe, light and heavy jigs, and traditional sets such as St Patrick’s Day, Blackbird or White Blanket. What I like best about Irish dance is the fast pace of dancing and the excitement of a feis (competition). In Irish dance we wear hard shoes (like tap shoes) and soft shoes (like ballet slippers). I like the feeling of strength when I dance in hard shoes.

Alicia Sambrook puts her best foot forward.

What I like best about Irish dance is the fast pace and

the excitement of a feis

Where to learn Irish dancingEchoes of Erin School of Irish Dancewww.echoesirishdance.comO’Connor Barton Irish Dancewww.oconnor-bartonid.com

me and my hobby dancing queen


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what’s in season


Chocolate bunniesWhat: Foil-wrapped Easter bunnies made in top-quality milk chocolate (gold wrapping) or dark chocolate (purple wrapping). Price: $68. Hunt here: Godiva, 1/F, IFC Mall, 2805 0518, www.godiva.com.hk.

Malle aux TrésorsWhat: A suitcase filled with yummy Easter treats, including a half tablet of salted caramel milk chocolate, six assorted chocolate eggs, dark and milk chocolate lollipops, a colouring book and 12 pens. Price: $388. Hunt here: Jean-Paul Hevin Chocolatier, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2735 3268, www.jeanpaulhevin.com.hk.

Easter chocolate pizzaWhat: This seasonal pizza from the Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company comes with eight slices of milk chocolate, each topped with a colourful Easter egg, plus a white chocolate Easter Bunny. Sweet. Price: Small $23, large $78. Hunt here: Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe, 37 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 8192 6138.

Little handmade English chocolate eggWhat: A classic foil-wrapped Easter egg made in antique moulds by British gourmet company, Fortnum & Mason. The two halves – one side milk chocolate, the other dark – open to reveal handmade chocolates with yummy fillings. Price: $380.Hunt here: Lane Crawford, Podium 3, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 2118 2288, www.lanecrawford.com.

And other Easter treats. By Cherrie Yu.

Cracking eggs

Chocolate duck pondWhat: A little yellow chocolate duck swims on a “pond” of mixed fruit jelly filled with raspberries, blackberries and pineapple pieces. Price: $68.Hunt here: City’super, 1/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 2736 3866, www.citysuper.com.hk,

Candy Crush afternoon teaWhat: Afternoon tea inspired by the Candy Crush game, with Sugary Shire, Chocolate Block, Rainbow Shrimp, Colour Bomb and Tiffi Crush cakes, macaroons and sweets. Price: $250 or $488 for two until June 30.Hunt here: Lion Rock, 3/F, Royal Plaza Hotel, 193 Prince Edward Road West, Mong Kok, 2622 6167, www.royalplaza.com.hk.

what’s in season


Cake popsWhat: Customised cake pops on a stick in the shape of your choice, coated in dark or white Valrhona chocolate. Handmade details and 3-D designs are available at extra cost. Price: $960 for 24 (minimum order, seven days’ notice required). Hunt here: Piece of Cake Hong Kong, www.pieceofcakehk.com.

table for four


Clockwise from top left: Classified Repulse Bay; Jaspa’s BEST and terrace; Rosie Jean’s interior and child-sized teapot; all-day brunch at The Flying Pan.

table for four


Tasty places to start the day. By Annie Wong.

Rosie Jean’s Café This sweetly vintage café in Mid-Levels was designed with children in mind: it even bills itself as “Hong Kong’s first child-friendly cafe”. It sets the bar high for family breakfasts, letting parents relax over a cappuccino while children play on a toy-filled terrace or run free in the adjoining school playground (after 4.45pm and weekends only). The menu is split into sections for adults and children, with a good selection of all-day breakfasts. Adults can tuck into a Big Breakfast of two eggs, two sausages, bacon, toast, beans, tomatoes, fried potatoes and orange juice for just $118 – smaller portions, omelettes, potted eggs, yoghurt, pancakes and porridge are also available. Children can choose a smaller fry-up, pancakes or porridge ($35 each) or simple toast and yoghurt. Other treats include cake pops and cookies. Open daily 7.30am-8pm. 119 Caine Road, Central, 2549 9718, www.rosiejeanscafe.com.

Jaspa’s Sai Kung A long-established family favourite, the original Jaspa’s is friendly, upbeat and casual, with alfresco dining on Sai Kung’s main square, which has a popular playground and plenty of space to let off steam. Paper tablecloths and pots of crayons keep little hands busy. There’s an extensive breakfast menu with fry-ups, omelettes and plenty of healthy options available from 8am. Eggs Benedict – poached eggs, spinach and hollandaise sauce on an English muffin – comes with a choice of ham and asparagus or smoked salmon ($120). Trim & Tasty ($120) is a healthy combo of two eggs, avocado, Turkish bread, tomato and asparagus, plus coffee and juice. Younger children may prefer the fruit bowl ($75), French toast ($75) or a half-stack of pancakes ($55) with blueberries or banana, maple syrup and ice cream. G/F, 13 Sha Tsui Path, Sai Kung, 2792-6388, www.casteloconcepts.com.

Classified Repulse Bay The new Classified at The Pulse is an ideal spot for a family breakfast, with a wall of bifold doors that opens onto Repulse Bay beach and its large playground. Parents can lay back on the cushions of the big swinging sofas while they keep an eye on the children. The branch is open from 9am on weekdays and 8am on weekends and holidays. The children’s breakfast menu includes boiled eggs and soldiers, and blueberry or buttermilk pancakes with banana and maple syrup ($50 each) plus juice or milk. For adults, there’s a Classified Breakfast fry-up ($108) and eggs Benedict with a choice of ham ($95), smoked salmon ($103) or spinach ($95). Or go for the chain’s famous sharing platters of artisan cheese and charcuterie, plus a varied all-day menu of western dishes. Shop 107, 1/F, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay, 2351 3454, www.classifiedfood.com.

What’s for breakfast?

table for fourtable for four


Breakfast waffles at The Lounge.

The Flying Pan This American-style diner serves breakfast, brunch and bottomless cups of coffee 24/seven. Warm and homely, with a funky retro atmosphere, it’s a relaxed and welcoming spot for an easy family breakfast. The Flying Pan specialises in eggs – omelettes, frittatas, ranchero, scrambled. Alternatively, go for the Full English ($110), US-style Biscuits & Gravy ($78) and for the really hungry the 4x4x4 Monster Pan ($148). Junior members of the family can choose from a separate children’s menu of favourites such as grilled-cheese sandwiches, waffles with banana or berries, and pancakes, all for $40, with a small hot chocolate, hot cocoa or juice. Portions are big – you have been warned. 3/F, 81-85 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, 2528 9997.

OolaaPart of the Castelo Concepts group, Oolaa is relaxed yet luxurious, with diners seated in the casual lounge cafe and a more formal dining area. Although Oolaa does not have a children’s menu, there are plenty of kid-friendly

dishes on the breakfast menu including the classic eggs Benedict ($100) and strawberry pancakes ($110) with a selection of breakfast sides. The restaurant is fitted with comfy chairs, sofas and high chairs can be requested, Oolaa is located on a spacious block in the laid-back heart of SoHo, making it a convenient choice for a weekend breakfast. G/F, Centrestage, Bridges Street, Central, 2803 2083, www.casteloconcepts.com.

The Lounge Who doesn’t love a hotel breakfast buffet? With views of the harbour glinting in the morning sunshine through floor-to-ceiling windows, the Lounge at the J.W. Marriott has a classy yet comfortable vibe. Serving breakfast from 6.30am to 10am, adults and older kids can graze the buffet stations while younger children can choose from a kids’ menu, which includes scrambled eggs, a short stack of pancakes and French toast, all $90 with juice, milk or a soft drink. Lobby Lounge, J.W. Marriott, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2810 8366, www.marriott.com.


Tai O’s main drag, lined by its famous stilted houses.

Cherrie Yu visits Lantau’s village on stilts.

Tai O timewarp

big day out water feature


shrimp paste factories, which permeated the streets with a distinctive pong, but now only two remain.

Things to do Step back in time to old Hong Kong. A modern blue steel bridge spans the creek and links the two sides of the village, but before

Fish drying, delicious egg waffles and more stilted houses.

Where Known somewhat romantically as the Venice of Hong Kong, Tai O is an old Tanka fishing village built on salt flats around a creek in northwest Lantau and famous for houses on stilts. Built in a strategic location at the mouth of the Pearl River, the village was briefly colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century and was the location for a fort built in the 18th century. Today there are only 2,000 residents and tourism is the main industry.

Fishing is no longer a viable source of income, although visitors will still find fish hanging up to dry and huge round platters of shrimps laid out in the sun ready to be turned into shrimp paste. The village once had 10

There’s a “nosy parker” element to the trip, peering at villagers

about their business

the bridge was completed in the 1990s, access was via an old wooden ferry operated by elderly villagers via a hand-pulled rope. At weekends and public holidays, it makes a welcome return for tourist demonstrations.

Walk through the village to the Yeung Hau Temple, built in 1699 at the end of a picturesque causeway, and watch fishermen climb down crude ladders to their fishing boats. Or explore the mangrove forest that has invaded the old salt marshes and part of which is now open to visitors.

Boat trips run regularly from the smart new(ish) waterfront promenade, including a short trip offshore to look for pink dolphins – these are technically Chinese white dolphins,



but Hong Kong’s are famously bubblegum-coloured – followed by a slow cruise through the village past the stilt houses. There’s a “nosy parker” element to the trip, peering at villagers going about their business, eating lunch, hanging out their washing and chatting with their neighbours.

Back on land, the Tai O Cultural Workshop (54 Tai O Wing On Street, 2985 6118) is a private heritage museum set up in a century-old house by villager Wong Wai-king. It includes displays of old photographs, a sedan chair, kerosene lamps and other daily artefacts used by villagers in the past, and an eight-foot long whale bone. Wong pays for the upkeep by selling postcards and old photographs, which make a good souvenir. Time is running out for the museum, however, which is due to close in the next year or so.

Tai O is a photographer’s paradise, with spectacular sea views, cultural heritage buildings and famous sunsets that draw lines of photographers. The 17th-century Yeung Hau Temple sits picturesquely on the outskirts of the village.



What to eat Fishing may have declined but Tai O still offers a great variety of seafood. Street food is popular, including barbecued oysters, squid and puffer fish. Queues form for egg waffles (Wah Kee, 35-37 Wing On Street, Tai O2985 5353), sweet red bean doughnuts and roasted squid. Retreat into the air-con at the Tai O Heritage Hotel in the former colonial police station for afternoon tea.

How to get thereBy ferry from Central to Mui Wo, then bus 1 to Tai O, or direct ferry from Tuen Mun to Tai O. Alternatively, take the MTR to Tung Chung, then bus 11 to Tai O. Street food, such as this coconut pudding, is popular in Tai O

Known romantically as the Venice of Hong Kong, Tai O is famous for its houses on stilts



Hannah Grogan visits a family paradise in the “necklace islands”.

Paradise unpacked travel

oh my, maldives


Think of every postcard you’ve ever seen of the Maldives, every Instagram feed, every Google search... none of them do the place justice. This island nation in the Indian Ocean is paradise writ large: strings of tiny, palm-dotted atolls fringed with white sand, blue lagoons and coral reefs (Maldives is a Sanskrit word meaning garland of islands). The colour of the sea alone makes the heart sing. Seen from the air, on a seaplane connection from the international airport to one of the further-flung atolls, it is idyllically, impossibly turquoise. Cerulean sea blurs with azure sky until the whole world seems to be a blaze of blue that goes on for miles and miles and miles.

Where to stayMaldives resorts take over entire islands. This is one of the world’s favourite honeymoon destinations and shiny new wedding rings seem de rigueur on many islands, but the Maldives is not just for lovers. The five-star Sun Siyam Iru Fushi (www.thesunsiyam.com) is an award-winning family resort, 100km or a one-hour seaplane trip north of the capital, Malé.

With pristine beaches and martini-clear

water, the island is small enough to walk around in 30 minutes, but big enough to lose yourself in. Its award-winning spa is the biggest in the Maldives. The resort also has six restaurants and two bars, with plans for a new underwater restaurant next year. While it’s hard to nip over to the next island for

dinner, the resort ensures there’s plenty of variety from Maldivian beachside grills to fine French dining.

Guests stay in luxurious villas on the beach or water villas built on stilts over the sea. Can’t decide? The Lily and Rose package (from US$2,198 for two people) lets you stay for two nights in each.

Our vote goes to the water villa. Perched over the lagoon, which laps soothingly against the stilts below, each villa has a ladder

Children aren’t just tolerated, they’re positively encouraged with activity

packs, a kids’ club, pool and babysitting services

descending into the water for easy access and a glass panel on the floor so you can watch the fish from bed.

Spend the days counting fish or relaxing on a sunbed on the private deck. Expert design means each water villa is completely private from its neighbours – although we swear some of those fish were watching us.

At last year’s World Travel Awards, the industry’s Oscars, Sun Siyam Iru Fushi was named the Indian Ocean’s Leading Family Resort. It’s easy to see why. Children aren’t just tolerated, they’re positively encouraged with activity packs, a kids’ club, kids’ pool and babysitting services. Even better, children under 12 stay, eat and play for free.

Sunsets are spectacular and spectacularly different, lighting up the sky in new colours every night. Catch it at Reflections, the adults-only infinity pool and bar for over-16s only. The two-for-one happy-hour sundowners are particularly popular, so get there early. It’s one of the few times we were aware that the resort was at 90 per cent occupancy. Other than breakfast, when the buffet gets a tad busy, the vibe is unhurried and uncrowded, with plenty of space and no shortage of activities.

Clockwise from opposite: kicking back at Sun Siyaam Iru Fushi; sunset is always a spectacle; visiting a local island; the Sun Siyam Iru Fushi’s water villas.

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traveloh my, maldives


Things to do Circling the entire island, the perfect beach beckons with sunbeds on the sand. Cool off by snorkelling among the colourful fish in the lagoon – pick up free snorkel, mask and fins on arrival – or for something a little more challenging, head to the reef drop-off behind the island’s Dive Centre. The wary can hold onto a floating rope laid over the reef to an offshore buoy and don the lifejackets provided in the villas.

The Dive Centre’s multilingual PADI-certified instructors are on hand offering courses for novices or willing to act as guides for more seasoned divers.

Throughout the island are little pockets of games and activities, including a life-size chessboard, table tennis, a recreation centre, billiards, darts and even a karaoke room.

The water-activities centre has plenty of options for adventure seekers, including jetskis, kayaks, snorkel excursions and sunset cruises. Experience local culture (the Maldives is Muslim, so dress appropriately) with a guided excursion to neighbouring islands, take a yoga class on the beach or be pampered in the spa.

Discover the capital If you have time between flights, take the 10-minute ferry trip from the international airport to Malé (the ferry is US$1). The Republic of the Maldives celebrates 50 years of independence this year but Malé has relics that date back to the 12th century.

At just 195 hectares, it’s a colourful melting pot of a city, with buildings daubed in pastel colours and architecture reflecting Arab, Indian and colonial influences. Check out the heritage Friday Mosque and the Sultan’s Tomb, then head to the nearby fish

The colour of the sea alone makes the heart sing

Making the most of the water villas.



market and shopping street for handicrafts and souvenirs.

How to get thereCathay Pacific (www.cathaypacific.com) and Mega Maldives (www.megamaldivesair.com) both fly non-stop between Hong Kong and Male. Some resorts require an onward seaplane journey with Trans Maldivian Airways (www.transmaldivian.com).

Clockwise from top left: arriving by seaplane; a busy day; visiting a local island; life on the house reef.

No GoPro? No problem

Hong Kong company Rentasuitcase hires out GoPro cameras and accessories, and even suitcases by the day. GoPro rentals start at $55 a day, with accessories from $10 a day. 13/F, Radio City, 505 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, 6183 4588, www.rentasuitcasehk.com.



The founder of Castelo Concepts on boats, beef and expansion plans.

Wayne Parfitt

Parfitt’s empire includes (clockwise from top left) Wilbur’s in PMQ, K-Town in Kennedy Town and branches of Jaspa’s.

Wayne Parfitt gets down to business.

How much money is in your wallet? I don’t own a wallet.

What credit cards do you use?American Express and Visa – I use them both but generally put bigger purchases on Amex and the little stuff on Visa for Asia Miles. [I pay it off] every month.

Are you a spender or a saver? Bit of both.

How much did you earn last year?None of your business – but it’s never enough.

When were you at your poorest? After school. We used to make $20 go a long way back then – four litres of wine in a box was AU$3.99, and a couple of big bags of chips, and the world was ours for the taking.

What is the most extravagant thing you have ever bought?My old wooden boat. It’s a nice old 138-foot Indonesian phinisi that has been modified. My sons found it and it has been a lot of fun for our family. It’s the one pleasure we really enjoy.

Do you own property?We have a nice house in Sai Kung and a couple

money & me


I have been blessed with the most amazing lifestyle ever

of investment properties, some in Japan, some in Vietnam. We own our spaces in Vietnam. We have a Wagyu farm in Australia where we breed our own beef cattle for the restaurants.

Who is your inspiration?So many people, lots of close friends. You l earn lots of little things along the way which is what makes life so exciting. Every day is a learning experience.

What steps are you taking towards retirement?I don’t think I will ever retire, because I don’t think I really ever went to work. What we do is a lifestyle and I have been blessed with the most amazing lifestyle ever.

What has been your best investment? Our business. We control our own investment and our own money. The best investment is in the future of your own business. We’re looking at 20-25 per cent growth each year. We now have just short of 90 restaurants and we’re looking to add about 20-25 restaurants across the region in the next year.

We’re looking into China

and even Bali. We’ve been approached by a lot of people over the years, but we’ve been cautious. Vietnam has been very successful for us. And there’s so much opportunity in Hong Kong – we could easily do another 20 outlets here. They’re easier to manage than racing off to China where the rules are different.

How did Castelo Concepts come about? We came to Hong Kong in 1991 and started our first restaurant, Pepperoni’s in Sai Kung, in 1992. Business was good, and slowly, organically, we kept opening more. We took money from one restaurant and opened another. When we came to Hong Kong, our daughter, Jessica, was only three months old. Since then we’ve had two other children, Jack, now 22, and Michael, 20, both born in Hong Kong.

Do you have any advice on teaching children about money?I don’t give them any [pocket money]. It teaches them to be creative to get it. They need hunger in their bellies.

Are the kids involved with the business?It’s starting to get that way – it depends what we decide to do. If we package our business and sell to private equity, or if they do their own business is totally up to them. They’re young and still trying to work out what they want to do.

Do you play Mark Six? Only when it’s a big one.


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Deep Water BayCococabanaPark N ShopO Thai Restaurant and Beach Bar1 Shouson Hill Road East

Happy ValleyBIVAClassifiedJaspa’sThe Broadville

Island EastIsland LodgeGrand Seaview HeightsThe Floridian18 Upper East

Mid Levels / The Peak31 Robinson Road62B Robinson RoadLadies Recreation ClubNo. 29 Severn RoadPo GardenRobinson PlaceYing Piu Mansion

Pok Fu Lam / Kennedy TownBel Air on the Peak Delaney’sJaspa’sKennedy HeightsMount DavisThe MertonThe Sail at Victoria

Repulse Bay3 South Bay CloseBelleview PlaceHelene TowerManhattan TowerRuby CourtThe LilyThe PulseThe Somerset

Sai Kung / Clearwater Bay/ Tseung Kwan OAgua PlusAllureCasaClassifiedClearwater Bay Equestrian CentreColour BrownFirenzeHill ViewJaspa’s

Leisure Book ShopPaisano’sPark n Shop (Fusion)Pepperoni’sPets CentralPiccolo’sQueen’s Castle Organic Day SpaSai Kung Animal HospitalSai Kung Healthcare CentreStarbucksSteamersTala’sTaste – Tseung Kwan OThe Dutch The GivernyThe Hive鬆Zone @ Sai Kung Reflexology Center

Shek OCococabanaShining Stone Restaurant

StanleyBIVABoathousePacific PetsPickled PelicanPlaytentSpiaggiaStanley Veterinary CentreTasteVern’s Beach Bar

Tai TamHong Kong Cricket ClubRosecliff

TST / KowloonAquaMarineTasteThe Long Beach (LBPD)The Forest Hills

Schools / Learning CentresABA ProductionsAmerican International SchoolAustralian International SchoolBaby StepsBaby Buddies• Causeway Bay• Sheung Wan• KowloonBrain ChildCanadian International School of Hong KongClearwater Bay SchoolColour My WorldDiscovery Bay International SchoolDiscovery College

Donna Ngan Ballet & Jazz AcademyDreamlandEton HouseFrench International School• Jardine’s Lookout• Blue Pool Road• Chai Wan• Hung HomGaia Language Company LimitedGenerations Christian EducationGerman Swiss International SchoolHong Kong AcademyHong Kong International SchoolInternational Montessori SchoolInternational College Hong KongIsland SchoolITS EducationK AcademyKellett School• Pok Fu Lam• Kowloon BayKiddicraftKing George V SchoolLittle BeetlesLittle PicassoThe Learning Curve Hong KongMagic MuffinsMiles International SchoolMusic HorizonNord Anglia International SchoolNorwegian International SchoolParadigm Global EducationQuarry Bay SchoolRed Shoe Dance Studios• Central• AberdeenRenaissance CollegeRolly Pollies Hong KongSai Kung EnglishSha Tin Junior SchoolSouth Island SchoolSpring LearningSunshine House Pre-School• Pok Fu Lam• Tung Chung• Discovery BayTutti Music• Tai Kok Tsui• Tseung Kwan OWoodland Preschool• Central• Sai KungYew Chung International SchoolYMCA of Hong Kong Christian College

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For the first time since we arrived in Hong Kong 17 years ago, we are helperless. Our domestic helper left us to take up a new job last month and since then we’ve been adapting to life with four children aged 12 to 17 and no help. Surprisingly, it hasn’t been as bad as we feared.

In fairness, we didn’t work our last helper too hard. She never cooked and our social life is so pitiful she rarely had to babysit. She would start work at 8.30am, take a leisurely two-hour lunch break, then sit around outside playing Candy Crush from 4pm or stand in the kitchen slowly chopping vegetables for no apparent reason until one of us could bear it no longer and begged her to go home.

However, she was pleasant enough to have around most of the time and fulfilled some important albeit highly selective household chores, such as inexplicably polishing the spotless gas rings on the oven every day, or meticulously gathering up the leads to every working electrical appliance, tying them in neat bundles and hiding them in a plastic bag at the back of a cupboard where you’d never think of looking.

On reflection, she must have been bored out of her brains. Because we’re generally quite self-sufficient (and because the concepts of dusting and cleaning behind fridges and cupboards were too complex for us to explain to her), her household chores were mostly done by 11am. She would spend the remainder of the day washing and ironing stuff that didn’t need washing and ironing and killing time by walking slowly from room to room with a quizzical, lost expression, presumably while working out cunning stratagems to get to the next level on Candy Crush.

A few short years ago, it would have been unimaginable to be without a helper. When the children were small, we hired two helpers at a time, who invariably loathed each other and would fight blood-curdling feuds over who should do the housework and who should go to playgroup with the youngest child and sing “Row, row, row the boat…”

On one occasion, our two helpers refused to talk to each other for weeks and the children had to convey messages between

the bald truths of fatherhood

Simon Parry adjusts to a new domestic regime.

them. (“Charity says you’re an evil, warty old witch and it’s your turn to wash the dishes.” “Patience says you’re a dastardly, conniving troll and she can’t because she’s busy cleaning cat vomit off the sofa.”)

As the children got older, however, the helpers have had less to do and were really only there to insulate us from a few of the more unpleasant realities of life that less fortunate people face the world over – like the need to mop floors and the inability to go out for an evening until one child is at least 14 years old.

The downside of helpers, of course, is they render children entirely incapable of looking after themselves. Few teenage expat children in Hong Kong are capable of boiling an egg, buttering a piece of toast or making

We hired two helpers at a time, who invariably loathed each other and would fight

blood-curdling feuds

a cup of tea, let alone ironing or, God forbid, making a bed.

Our children are still struggling with the toast, boiled eggs and the rest of it too, to be honest. However, to encourage any other fathers thinking of getting rid of their helpers, here are three positive changes you can expect within the first month:

1. Suddenly, you will be able to find stuff. Books you’re reading and leave on a table will still be there and will no longer disappear into an obscure bookcase, not to be found for another six months.

2. You will rediscover the therapeutic delights of ironing shirts while watching TV or listening to music and enjoy the thrill of properly ironed collars for the first time since your bachelor days.

3. The shrieks from your teenage daughter’s bedroom of “Who’s got my effing hair straightener?” and “Why don’t you all just butt out leave me alone?” will be less piercing and more muffled, emanating as they do from beneath an unruly mountain of bedding, clothing, and random rubble.

Now I’m off to iron some shirts. Properly.

Formerly the owner of dreams and a full head of hair, Simon Parry is a jaded, middle-aged journalist and father of four. He lives in Sai Kung with his wife, his children and his sense of profound disappointment.

Life without help

expat parent magazine april 2015

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