https://www.scmp.com/rss/8693/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com What's it like to be Chinese at the University of Pennsylvania? To be honest, I don't notice it. Some students occasionally ask me if I've ever eaten a dog or if I speak Japanese, but that's about it. There are more than enough Asian students at my university so my yellow skin and black hair are nothing special. But maybe my comfort with the situation is related to my upbringing. I spent most of my academic career in an international environment - first in Canada, then at an international... https://www.scmp.com/article/488191/being-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/488191/being-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2005 16:00:00 +0000 MOST PEOPLE would think that being away from my parents for about three-quarters of the year would make me homesick. But that's not the case - except for the occasional longing for one of my mother's home-cooked meals. I suppose this is because of my independence and my hectic schedule. At my freshman orientation, one of my advisers talked about the importance of getting involved. By giving to the community, you will get a sense of belonging to your second home. It reduces the loneliness... https://www.scmp.com/article/487281/life-adjustment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/487281/life-adjustment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jan 2005 16:00:00 +0000 EDUCATION REFORMS in Hong Kong have left many students and parents confused. Increases in university tuition will put a strain on families as parents try to find money to pay the government's proposed $50,000 tuition fee for four years - an amount that far exceeds the $8,750 it currently costs to study Form Seven (which will instead be replaced by the fourth year at university). Many say that this extra year at university will improve students' overall development. Some may argue that the... https://www.scmp.com/article/486384/334?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/486384/334?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jan 2005 16:00:00 +0000 What is the purpose of a bathroom mat? If you step on it when you get out of the shower it becomes soggy and soiled. If you don't step on it, it becomes an obstacle when you make your way out of the already small bathroom. The bathroom mat serves no purpose. That's the conclusion I got after rooming with several Asian-Americans who insisted on buying a fluffy pink bathroom mat, which was eventually kicked against the wall after its wet, frayed presence frustrated its owners too often. If you... https://www.scmp.com/article/485475/whats-point?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/485475/whats-point?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jan 2005 16:00:00 +0000 Andy Lau Tak-wah got it partially right by putting on a grim face for the camera while fellow local stars were all smiles in a recent photo printed in a Chinese magazine. Earthquake and tsunami relief is no laughing matter. It's nice that those in the entertainment industry feel it is their duty to show that they support aid efforts in the affected areas but - short of physical assistance such as the US$100,000 donated by American rock group Linkin Park - posing for photos isn't going to help... https://www.scmp.com/article/484567/give-generously?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/484567/give-generously?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2005 16:00:00 +0000 I don't usually plug movies, but this time I can't resist: Ocean's Twelve has the coolest laser scene ever. The song played during that scene - The a la Menthe by Nikkfurie from French hip-hop group La Caution - has hit peer-to-peer file-sharing services as one of the most sought after files on the internet. Not that I'm advocating illegal downloads. Nor am I going to talk about how that particular song was conspicuously absent from the official soundtrack. Nor will I whine about the... https://www.scmp.com/article/483823/copycat-part-ii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/483823/copycat-part-ii?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Dec 2004 16:00:00 +0000 The so-called 'Link Reit saga' caught my eye as I browsed through newspaper articles online. My understanding of the issue is admittedly superficial but it seems that the government is attempting to privatise over $20 billion worth of Housing Authority assets. Legal controversy aside, I believe that privatisation could be beneficial for the economy. What I disagree with, however, is the approach adopted in this particular instance. The process seems to have been rushed and poorly thought... https://www.scmp.com/article/483214/speak-out-loudly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/483214/speak-out-loudly?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Dec 2004 16:00:00 +0000 My parents did not go to university. My mother left school before completing Form 7 (academics simply weren't her strong suit) while my father's family couldn't afford to send him to university. I can write about this now with a touch of pride and a greater appreciation of my parents' incredible achievements and sacrifices, but this wasn't always the case. In fact, there was a time in secondary school when I was almost ashamed to talk about my family background. A nagging thought at the back... https://www.scmp.com/article/482498/parent-pride?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/482498/parent-pride?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Dec 2004 16:00:00 +0000 A recent study of 15-year-olds by the Programme for International Student Assessment concluded that students in Hong Kong perform well academically, but are generally less happier than their foreign counterparts. More than 10 per cent even went so far as to say that school was a waste of time. As my mother always says: 'If you don't like it, find something worth liking. Make yourself like it.' Although she was talking about my university course material, what she said is applicable to... https://www.scmp.com/article/481578/creative-fun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/481578/creative-fun?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Dec 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Call me fatalistic. Call me rash. Tell me I'm jumping to conclusions. Names are insignificant, however, compared to harsh, cold facts. What worries me now are three seemingly unrelated reports from which I have drawn one portrait of Hong Kong society. The first report was that more than 2,400 people have tested positive for the HIV virus in Hong Kong and more than 700 cases of Aids have been confirmed since 1985. These figures may be low by international standards, but I'm concerned that... https://www.scmp.com/article/480569/cold-facts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/480569/cold-facts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Dec 2004 16:00:00 +0000 'No taxation without representation.' It might be a bit of a stretch, but the rallying cry of Washington DC would be equally applicable to Hong Kong. With Financial Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen advocating a wider tax base to stabilise government revenue, it is becoming increasingly clear that he supports the idea of a sales tax. What a pity! One of the characteristics of Hong Kong that I've always been proud of - and eager to brag about to my American friends - is its simple income... https://www.scmp.com/article/479673/taxes-votes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/479673/taxes-votes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Nov 2004 16:00:00 +0000 It May be a bit premature to count your chickens before they hatch or, for that matter, your lai see before Chinese New Year arrives. However, now is always the right time to start saving and investing your money wisely. Let's begin with saving. I get very excited when the numbers in my little red Hang Seng Savings Account book increase. I take great pride in the fact that I have only withdrawn money a handful of times. I am almost obsessive-compulsive about the number of digits that... https://www.scmp.com/article/478780/money-matters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/478780/money-matters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Nov 2004 16:00:00 +0000 I cried as I watched Democratic presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry, give his concession speech last week. I couldn't help but let the tears fall and I didn't care if anyone saw me. As a journalist, I try to remain unbiased. However, as a human being, I am entitled to my beliefs. Not allowed to involve myself in any political activities that may compromise my impartiality, I can only helplessly stand on the sidelines. Even when I'm not writing, I need to restrain myself from publicly... https://www.scmp.com/article/477827/sad-spectator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/477827/sad-spectator?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Nov 2004 16:00:00 +0000 November 2, 2004. My destination: The Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC where US President George W. Bush was scheduled to make an appearance after the outcome of the United States elections was determined. I was reporting for The Daily Pennsylvanian, my university newspaper. Rushing out of class, I hopped into a taxi with Ian, a photographer, to catch the 6pm train to Washington. Knowing that the Republican National Committee (RNC), which organised the event, had denied media... https://www.scmp.com/article/477722/pursuit-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/477722/pursuit-president?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Nov 2004 16:00:00 +0000 What's your type? I'm an INFP. The most popular personality tests these days are the Kiersey Temperament Sorter and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Both tests split people into 16 different categories using four major frames of reference. Are you extroverted (E) or introverted (I)? Extroverts become energised when surrounded by people, while introverts prefer thoughts and emotions to activity and spoken words. Are you intuitive (N) or sensory (S)? This refers to how you process... https://www.scmp.com/article/476954/judgment-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/476954/judgment-time?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Nov 2004 16:00:00 +0000 A photo of red letters on a white background is my computer wall paper. The picture was taken during a summer visit to a war museum in Normandy, France, near the Omaha Beach. The beach is known for the D-Day landings during the second world war. Teenagers would know it if they have seen Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. The words translate into: 'Remember, because he who is incapable of remembering the past is asking to relive it.' The words struck a chord with me. They do not ask if... https://www.scmp.com/article/475960/reliving-past?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/475960/reliving-past?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Oct 2004 16:00:00 +0000 I'll admit it: I was an over-achiever in secondary school. Whether it was academics or extra-curricular activities, I wanted it all. A conscientious student, I often arrived at school even earlier than the staff. Once the fire alarm rang in the morning and I headed out to the outdoor basketball courts - the designated meeting point in such cases - only to discover that there was nobody else in the school except for a few teachers and two other students. I'm not sure where I found the energy... https://www.scmp.com/article/474220/never-give?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/474220/never-give?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Oct 2004 16:00:00 +0000 PUSHED around and being no match for my tall peers, I was forced to stand on tip-toe as I tried to take photographs of Senator John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate who is in a deadlock with current US President George WBush. I was less than a metre away from Mr Kerry, the one man who has a chance of defeating Mr Bush. And I was holding a camera worth US$4,500. That was the first time I had taken shots for the university newspaper. I had received a call earlier in the day from a... https://www.scmp.com/article/473343/snap-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/473343/snap-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Oct 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Cynthia Yeung is a student at the University of Pennsylvania Dear President Hu Jintao , Congratulations on having consolidated your power as the leader of our state, party and armed forces. We knew that it was going to happen sooner or later, but it's probably a good thing that former president Jiang Zemin decided on the former. I guess he realised that it's time to move on. So, Mr Hu, what happens now? Analysts say that you're going to steer our country towards military might, instead of... https://www.scmp.com/article/471670/mr-hu-hk-people-want-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/471670/mr-hu-hk-people-want-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Sep 2004 16:00:00 +0000 'Bizarre' barely begins to describe my last night in France. Confused and tired, I spent the night in the lost and found office of Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, accompanied by two boxes of chocolate, a copy of Cosmopolitan (in French) and two airport workers. Allow me to explain. After completing a month-long language immersion programme in Compiegne (a 45-minute commute from Paris), with an early morning flight departing Saturday I decided it would be prudent to arrive in Paris... https://www.scmp.com/article/470671/night-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/470671/night-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Sep 2004 16:00:00 +0000 While Expanding my television-watching schedule these past few weeks for research purposes, I've come to the following conclusions: TVB Jade's recently completed Angels of Mission - 3D series is highly reminiscent of Charlie's Angels, and America's Next Top Model is an awfully addictive show. Having returned from the United States, I already know - and must keep my mouth shut about - the conclusion to The Apprentice (which was a favourite of all the business students at my university), and the... https://www.scmp.com/article/460838/switching?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/460838/switching?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jun 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Canto-pop stars in Hong Kong are extremely versatile, to say the least. Not only do they (sort of) sing, they also flirt with acting, assume lucrative positions as spokespeople for superbrands (including the SAR government) and appear in advertisements promoting anything from the latest dieting fad to packaged drinks. Of course, a similar situation probably exists in foreign countries, but Hong Kong's comparatively miniscule population means that the same faces are plastered on every form of... https://www.scmp.com/article/459989/cant-or-canto?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/459989/cant-or-canto?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jun 2004 16:00:00 +0000 I threw up twice on Sunday and felt dizzy the entire day. My father believes it was the result of drinking orange juice on an empty stomach, while my mother thinks that I haven't had enough rest. Logically, they are probably both right. Unfortunately, rational explanations are often mundane. Humans are primed to recognise patterns and draw inferences, regardless of a lack of scientific evidence. Given this instinct, I noted the precise moment of my nausea: I was in the middle of singing... https://www.scmp.com/article/459084/unholy-struggle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/459084/unholy-struggle?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jun 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Following a satisfying shopping spree for office attire, my mother and I soon found ourselves in a rather rare situation: a tram jam. Sitting next to an open window on the top level of a tram, we were confronted with the sight of at least five trams immobilised ahead of us. The initial confusion of passengers turned into impatience. Streams of angry tram passengers, whom you would assume did not place a high priority on speed, left the trams as the wait became longer and the humidity ... https://www.scmp.com/article/458215/making-protest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/458215/making-protest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jun 2004 16:00:00 +0000 I associate culture shock with foreign countries. We experience culture shock when we visit Japan and have to navigate our way through the complicated rituals of gift-giving and manners. We experience culture shock when we go to the United States and the most popular Chinese dishes seem to be 'General Tso's Chicken' or 'Grandmother Chicken'. I never expected to experience culture shock in Hong Kong. The fact that I consider the 10-person elevators in my Hong Kong apartment building ... https://www.scmp.com/article/457353/culture-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/457353/culture-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 May 2004 16:00:00 +0000 A greenhouse girl - that's what I feel like sometimes. Over the past two years I've watched people I've known since secondary school evolve into almost unrecognisable creatures. The most obvious changes are in their attitude towards relationships and, more specifically, sex. One of my friends recently broke up with his girlfriend of two years. Within two weeks he had moved on to another girl. Bear in mind that this was the same shy, sweet and somewhat socially inept boy I befriended two... https://www.scmp.com/article/456558/my-greenhouse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/456558/my-greenhouse?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 May 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Home & Away May is a month dreaded by most students at my university. We are forced to evacuate our residence and clear all the debris, posters and rotting food in the refrigerator. It is for this reason that I find myself stuffing random knick-knacks into cardboard boxes at three in the morning. Having already spent 15 hours packing, it feels like I'm drowning in a sea of brown boxes. Naturally, a question comes to mind: 'Why?' Why do I have so much to pack? I'm not that... https://www.scmp.com/article/455704/my-belongings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/455704/my-belongings?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 May 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Recent photos depicting what seems to be the abuse of Iraqi prisoners of war by American troops have sparked international outrage. Coming from a country that tends to assume a 'holier-than-thou' attitude, those photos are disgusting and hypocritical, to say the least. Closer to home, however, the same arrogant attitude persists, though perhaps in a less obvious manner. I'm guilty of it myself. Racism is such an ugly word, isn't it? Honestly, I thought that Hong Kong was free from racial... https://www.scmp.com/article/454798/spectre-shame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/454798/spectre-shame?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 May 2004 16:00:00 +0000 After much study and only very few hours of sleep, I put the finishing touches to a 200-page team paper this week. And I thought university was going to be a piece of cake. You see, my misconception of university life - which I thought would be filled with cultural events and travel - was the result of hearing the often quoted declaration: 'It's the best time of your life.' I'm not going to dispute that. However, as with all things in life, you can't enjoy the good without tasting a bit... https://www.scmp.com/article/453986/tired-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/453986/tired-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Apr 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Despite emerging relatively unscathed from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol 2, I found myself still shuddering in horror hours later. Although the second volume in this tale of revenge was less gory than its predecessor, I nonetheless found it necessary to avert my eyes for a large part of the movie. I also had to cover my ears. My friends said I was wasting my money, but I figured it was preferable to look away than be overwhelmed with nausea. I'm squeamish, after all. The movie prompted... https://www.scmp.com/article/453190/fight-violence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/453190/fight-violence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Apr 2004 16:00:00 +0000 My roommates are engaged in a silent feud - the kind that you wouldn't notice if you weren't a sharp observer - and I find myself in the position of the mildly involved but emotionally detached witness. I suppose the contrasting characters of my parents have made me somewhat immune or indifferent to what I consider to be mere idiosyncrasies. My roommates, however, seem very sensitive to other people's actions and words - even oversensitive, perhaps. Pauline, the more melodramatic one, is... https://www.scmp.com/article/452285/silent-warfare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/452285/silent-warfare?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Apr 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Horseracing has always been a rather rowdy affair, as far as I'm concerned. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, despite the prestige that membership brings, seems to me little more than a charity organisation funded by chronic gamblers. Going to Happy Valley Racecourse definitely never seems like a particularly glamorous affair: sweaty, balding men yell in the stands as, more often than not, life savings are lost in a matter of seconds. In the stands, dress code is the least of one's worries. Instead,... https://www.scmp.com/article/450791/cutting-dash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/450791/cutting-dash?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Apr 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This was the first name that popped into my head the moment I read that Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian had been shot. Those of you familiar with history will remember the Archduke's assassination as being one of the events that sparked the first world war. Briefly, a small part of me wondered if war would break out, should President Chen die from the bullet. That possibility, however, was rapidly brushed away by the second... https://www.scmp.com/article/449665/past-echoes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/449665/past-echoes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Mar 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Having spent much of last week working 15-hour days for the Idealist.org conference, I caught myself comparing social activism in Hong Kong and the US. Young adults in Hong Kong are definitely interested in improving the community. They differ from their American peers, however, in that their involvement tends to be more institutionalised, preferring established organisations and eschewing - what has now become a buzzword in the activist community - 'social entrepreneurship' in favour of... https://www.scmp.com/article/448751/youth-activism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/448751/youth-activism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Mar 2004 16:00:00 +0000 If I were asked to predict the 'next big thing' in Hong Kong, the words 'psychiatric disorders' would tumble out of my mouth. Following soap operas, rock music, western cuisine and fashion, would another foreign import be surprising? Of course, psychological problems already exist within Hong Kong. What doesn't though, is the easy manner with which such subjects are discussed in public. It is still considered a rather shocking matter to declare that you've been diagnosed with... https://www.scmp.com/article/447810/all-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/447810/all-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Mar 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Perhaps there's little need to resort to the deployment of soldiers, given advancements in technology, but the 500 Chinese missiles aimed towards Taiwan represent an unmistakable threat to the already precarious peace - and sheer recklessness in my opinion. Whether China and Taiwan should be eventually reunited is a contentious matter, but I believe that brute force is not the way forward. Playing the part of bully would only strengthen the Taiwanese people's resolve to protect their... https://www.scmp.com/article/446840/wake-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/446840/wake-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Mar 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent. In the past this would have meant nothing to me. This year, however, is different as Pauline, one of my four roommates, is Catholic. For the 40-day period of Lent, this self-indulgent shopaholic, will express repentance for her sins by giving up chocolate and online shopping. My other two roommates and I, though not of the Catholic faith, have been inspired to abstain from similar pleasure-giving objects or activities. Based on... https://www.scmp.com/article/445995/cleansing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/445995/cleansing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Patriotism, broadly defined, is love for one's country. My country is China, encompassing the lovely, not-so-barren rock of Hong Kong. Am I a patriot? Yes. Do I believe that China always acts in the right way at the right time? No. Being patriotic does not always mean one agrees with the government of one's country. Rather, it is a desire to do good for one's country, and a hope that the leaders will embark on a just and successful path. In a country whose official name includes the word... https://www.scmp.com/article/445128/wake-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/445128/wake-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Roses are red, violets are blue, mention Valentine's Day, and I'll glare at you. Yes, that annual dreaded holiday of romance, thornless roses, silken promises and frilly hearts is fast approaching. Unfortunately, my lack of a love life prevents me from properly partaking in the festivities. Taking a leaf from Bridget Jones, I'll likely pass Saturday evening gorging myself on endorphin-inducing chocolate desserts and pathetic attempts at karaoke. But under no circumstances will I even... https://www.scmp.com/article/444228/love-sick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/444228/love-sick?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000 The University Grants Committee speaks of specialisation, research collaboration and performance-linked funding in its blueprint for tertiary education. Those opposed to these recommendations cite decreased competition, infringement of autonomy and the insufficient long-term development of world-class educational institutions. Nowhere does either side mention the impact on students. Doesn't that make you wonder where their priorities lie? Let me put the following scenario to you. Consider... https://www.scmp.com/article/443445/degree-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/443445/degree-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Lai see aside (and no, I'm not referring to the South China Morning Post column of the same name), the Year of the Monkey will supposedly be a prosperous one for the people of Hong Kong. Frankly, whether or not the Secretary for Home Affairs, Patrick Ho Chi-ping, draws a fortune stick at Che Kung Temple is unimportant. As far as the economy is concerned, the inflow of yuan to local businesses during the new year is much more significant. As Hong Kong and the mainland become increasingly... https://www.scmp.com/article/442625/get-talking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/442625/get-talking?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2004 16:00:00 +0000 It's news to me, but informal school blog-rings, such as those found on Xanga, attract not only students but also school authorities. My former secondary school, which shall remain nameless for fear it decides I am adversely affecting its reputation, is a case in point. Rumour has it that students have been punished for 'inappropriate' behaviour outside school that they had documented in their personal blogs. Leaving aside the issues of privacy and the extent to which the school should be... https://www.scmp.com/article/441381/blog-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/441381/blog-away?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Sipping a raspberry frappuccino in a bustling branch of Starbucks, you laugh as he regales you with stories of university life in Canada. You wonder, however, at his choice of beverage: decaf in the mecca of caffeine? Interesting. Even more intriguing is his appearance; he looks less and less Asian every time you see him. Now, he seems almost mixed. You'd guess he had Latino blood in him if you didn't know he was 100 per cent Hong Kong Chinese. When you tell him this, he is surprised and... https://www.scmp.com/article/440451/just-friend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/440451/just-friend?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2004 16:00:00 +0000 The art of giving gifts is a delicate one. How should one choose between the various shades of pink for that decorative cushion? Does your music-loving friend prefer Norah Jones or Christina Aguilera? How can you be sure that you'll receive a gift in return, or that you'll escape the faux pas of giving a gift that is too valuable or, alternatively, embarrassingly thoughtless? An economics professor at my university once researched the phenomenon of presents. Through the results of innumerable... https://www.scmp.com/article/439732/value-gifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/439732/value-gifts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2003 16:00:00 +0000 With final exams over for the semester, I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. The very thought of being free from worry, stress and responsibility during my three-week winter holiday in Hong Kong is exhilarating. I will be able to sleep until noon, meet with my friends every day and laze around to my heart's content. In short, I can do whatever I want. Or can I? With rights come responsibilities. As far as I'm concerned, the two are inextricably intertwined. Thus, I find... https://www.scmp.com/article/439249/no-silly-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/439249/no-silly-season?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2003 16:00:00 +0000 Saddam Hussein, the former dictator of Iraq, has been captured. And not a single shot was fired. The international community is jubilant; hopes of restoring a stable democracy to Iraq have resurfaced. Newspapers around the world are emblazoned with the words of US civilian administrator Paul Bremer: 'Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.' Isn't this a fantastic finale to a seemingly endless quest? What a magnificent feat! Nonetheless, I find myself worried. I am worried the world will forget to... https://www.scmp.com/article/438605/think-globally?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/438605/think-globally?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2003 16:00:00 +0000 Defeated, I grimace at my stark ineptitude, coming to terms with the fact that I am a failure. I know that I have no choice but to wait. However, for now, I pass the time playing mindless games of Solitaire. Drifting into a fitful sleep plagued with nightmares of unfinished work, my mind torments me with images of that dreaded moment. The pain resurfaces, and the awful memory of an unknown force tearing me from away the rest of the world makes me shiver. I remember that day very clearly.... https://www.scmp.com/article/437745/slave-net?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/437745/slave-net?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2003 16:00:00 +0000 'Ask him out,' commands my friend, Deeksha. I choke on my chocolate syrup-covered raspberry sorbet, his favourite. I sputter indignantly, but all semblance of coherency escapes me. I can only stare at her in awe. She continues, oblivious of my near-death experience: 'Tell him that you like him.' The shock kicks my brain into action. 'No way! You're insane. I can't do that.' 'Why not? What's wrong with you, Cynthia? Be a liberated woman.' I pause. I thought I already was a liberated woman.... https://www.scmp.com/article/436884/trapped-feeling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/436884/trapped-feeling?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2003 16:00:00 +0000 Originally, I was going to begin this column with a witty quotation, and proceed to wax lyrical on the prickly nature of self-defence mechanisms and Sonic the Hedgehog. I changed my mind. Inspiration is like an impulse: try to grab it and it will elude you, tantalisingly just out of reach; go with the flow, and everything will fall into place. Both fade with barely a murmur once subjected to over-analysis. Timing is of the essence here - there's not a moment to spare for the details. Just as... https://www.scmp.com/article/436100/face-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/436100/face-people?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2003 16:00:00 +0000 Suicide, I admit, is a rather morbid subject for a column. However, it is pertinent to students under stress from the conflicting pressures of school, family and friends. If you don't know anyone who has entertained the thought of suicide, let's hope it stays that way. Suicide is not pretty. I have several friends who learnt this the hard way: painful, throbbing scars along their wrists, and even neck, that remind them every day of their incredible stupidity. Suicide is not glamorous.... https://www.scmp.com/article/435342/dont-look-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/435342/dont-look-down?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2003 16:00:00 +0000