week 6 22nd February-28th February

Personal and Cultural Experience

This week I went to mass with my roomate Lim. The Catholic church here in Hong Kong is mainly attended by the Filipino migrant workers and so the service is in English. When my roomate who is from South Korea invited me I thought it could be an interesting experience. As part of RE studies in school I learned about Catholicism but had never actually attended a mass. We went at 6 o'clock on a Saturday night. The building was beautiful. The father was from Italy and the sisters are all Filipino. The service was very structured and everyone knew how to respond to the liturgy and when to burst out into song. It was very interesting to compare the service and different symbols to my own church. This was a personal experience that has made me curious to visit other religious centres. There is a mosque on Hong Kong Island but I'm not sure if this would be possible. As a teacher I think it is important to be aware of different religious beliefs as this will help you to understand the children in the classroom.

Hong Kong has a fantastic array of markets. Everything can be bought from the markets and there are streets selling different products. To mention a few there is the sneaker, the haberary dashery, flower and even goldfish market. The smells that meet you as you walk through the markets are amazing, including the meat market. I'm including this video because it shows how important fresh food is. The Hong Kong people prefer to choose their fish, the size and which organs to include instead of buying a pre-packaged gutted fish like the norm at home. In the video you can also see toads, again they are all alive and you can choose which one you want. Apparently toad flesh tastes good on the grill. I will take their word for it!!

Professional Development

Michaela and I have been attending Ambassador Church on Hong Kong Island since we moved to Hong Kong. One week we meet Ben Norton, the director of ICS-International Christian School. He has been to Northern Ireland and actually tried recruiting at Stranmillis a couple of years ago. We told him we would be interested in seeing his school and he set up a visit for my friend and I to see the elementary school and for Michaela to go into the secondary school.

We woke up at 6 in the morning so we could travel there. School starts at 7.45 and the teachers meet up before classes for devotions. I was immediately struck by how different the staffroom was compared to all the ones I've been to in Northern Ireland. There were three tiers of circular soft seats so everyone could see each other. Teachers were sharing their personal stories and able to pray for each other and the concerns of the day. The school was very relaxed and there was an atmosphere created by the by the good repoire teachers had with the children. Children 'hi' fived their teacher as they came into the classroom. While this is very American I liked it because it meant every child was noticed and could share their news as they came in.

ICS' Upper elementary principal Keith Welch took us for a tour of the school. The school is known for its high performance in art and music. ICS has great sports facilities, there is an impressive gym and a swimming pool with three aqua instructors who teach the children how to use canoes and kayaks. There are lap top stations that can be brought into the classroom so that the children can connect to the wireless system at their desk. The science rooms are specially designed. The school is only two years old and at present is the most technologically advanced school. Everything in the school was of the highest standard. The headmaster is very proud of the school and says he aims to offer excellence without cutting costs. In Hong Kong many schools are funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Cub (HKJC) but while ICS is paying off the debts for the new school it refused to take the money from HKJC out of principal because the money comes from gambling. The school has a Christain ethos and very high moral standards which comes from the top and is fostered throughout the school. I really enjoyed being in this atmosphere.

During our day visit, World Vision came to the school and this plus all the work around the school made me think about what an amazing world perspective the children attending ICS are being given. Each classroom sponsored a child and each class makes several service trips each year. For the younger years this involves going to an organisation close by and for the upper years this can mean travelling to one of the near by Asian countries and this year thirty students from the leaving class will have the opportunity to visit Israel.