Summer School for Effective Leadership 2014

    The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups （HKFYG） partners with 2 world-class universities, The University of Hong Kong （HKU） and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology （HKUST） to offer you the best international summer schools in town! This year the Summer School for Effective Leadership （SSEL） is divided into the HKU Chapter—An Overture to Global Leadership, and HKUST Chapter—The Art of Public Speaking. Please find out more from the introduction below:

    HKU Chapter—An Overture to Global Leadership

    An Overture to Global Leadership, now in its seventh year, is cooperation between the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and the University of Hong Kong with the aims:

    1 To nurture youth leaders with solid fundamental knowledge and intensive leadership skills;

    2 To strengthen their critical thinking skills, interpersonal skills and problem solving abilities;

    3 To reinforce their willingness to serve the community;

    4 To further develop global perspective and promote intercultural awareness amongst participants.

    Date

    Between 18 July 2014 （Friday） and 26 July 2014 （Saturday）.

    Full attendance is mandatory for the 9-day-8-night programme. Shared-room accommodation in the University dormitory is required.

    Application Deadline

    Non-residents of Hong Kong: 6:00 p.m., Friday, 16 May 2014 （Hong Kong Time）

    Non-residents of Hong Kong may need to apply for a student visa, please visit the website: http://121.hkfyg.org.hk/ssel/hku/overview.html for further details.

    For application, please visit: http://121.hkfyg.org.hk/ssel/hku/application.php

    HKUST Chapter—The Art of Public Speaking

    The Art of Public Speaking is a new collaboration between the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with the aims:

    1 To enhance the leadership skills and public speaking skills of participants;

    2 To allow youth leaders and speakers to learn from one another, and encourage cultural exchanges;

    3 To demonstrate how public speaking skills can be used by leaders to communicate to the public;

    4 To allow outstanding student leaders to serve and understand the local community.

    Date

    Between 14 July 2014 （Monday） and 19 July 2014 （Saturday）

    Full attendance is mandatory for the 6-day-5-night programme. Shared-room accommodation in the University dormitory is required.

    Application Deadline

    Non-residents of Hong Kong: 6:00p.m., Friday, 9 May 2014 （Hong Kong Time）.

    Non-residents of Hong Kong may need to apply for a student visa, please visit the website: http://l21.hkfyg.org.hk/ssel/hkust/overview.html for further details.

    For application, please visit: http://l21.hkfyg.org.hk/ssel/hkust/application.php

    TransNatura International Nature Photo Competition

    The application is open, and all photographers are invited from all over the world, except the jury (评委会) and the organizers. The basic requirement is that the recordings have to be made of natural habitats without disturbing the wildlife. On the photos only wild animals can be included.

    Two categories:

    A Category: Open—any type of nature photography, representing animals, plants, landscape, and so on

    B Category: The art of flying—nature pictures that represent the movement of flying animals and the beauty of flying

    The assessment by the jury: 16th September〜10th October

    Announcement of results: 30th of October

    Exhibition Opening: 23th of November

    The works received will be evaluated and decided upon by an international jury made up of the five persons from Hungary and Romania.

    A total number of competition prizes will be awarded:

    Grand Prize—1,000 Euro;

    1st Prize—600 Euro;

    2nd Prize—400 Euro;

    3rd Prize—200 Euro.

    Entry requirements:

    A participant may enter the competition with at most four pictures per category.

    The pictures for the competition have to be submitted before 15th of September in the form of digital images, in jpg format.

    The participant must have full copyright over the submitted photos.

    The entry fee is 10 Euro for a category, 15 Euro for two categories.

    Additional information can be obtained by e-mail at: transnatura@vadon.ro.

    A layover (临时滞留) or flight delay can be extremely fun in these international airports.

Munich Airport, Germany

    Aviation (航空) lovers passing through Munich can take a behind－the－scenes tour to learn how the airport operates. Visitors can also tour three historic aircraft and a retired rescue helicopter, climb up to a 28－metre high observation platform for an up－close view of take－offs and landings, and watch films on aviation in the airport's 60－seat cinema. Travelers can also kill layover time at an 18－hole mini－golf course, or even stop in for a teeth cleaning at the airport dental office.

Changi Airport, Singapore

    After a long flight to Singapore, travelers can relax in a Balinese－style swimming pool, work out at the airport gym, or enjoy a drink and live musical performances at the airport's Music Bar. The airport also boasts a tranquil butterfly garden, and a “fragrant garden” which is home to 15 species of plants and trees. Free movies at one of two airport cinemas also keep passengers entertained.

    Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, the Netherlands

    Schiphol is Europe's fifth－largest airport. Here passengers can view the works of Dutch masters free of charge, and try their luck at airport's casino (赌场). You can even have your wedding ceremony at Schiphol—couples can choose from four different wedding packages, including a 1930－style ceremony held on a Dakota military aircraft.

    San Francisco International Airport, California

    The airport's 24－hour AirTrain not only moves passengers between terminal, but also provides a fun view of the runways. There are three aquariums (水族馆) to explore, along with interactive play areas, an aviation museum, and a library. If that's not enough to keep the little ones busy, travelers can rent portable DVD players and movies for use in the airport.

    When you're on the go, your best friend and resource can be your phone. In the age of smart phones, apps are like guiding stars: They can point you in the right direction for a hotel, list expenses, send postcards, and much more. When used together, these apps can be the basic travel tool, placing a wealth of information at your fingertips no matter where you are on the planet. U.S. NewsTravel has picked the essential travel apps, known for their utility and reliability. Best of all, they cost absolutely nothing.

Trip It

    Your Personal Travel Agent

    Be your own travel agent and plan every detail of your trip—from car rental to accommodating restaurants—with Trip It. You can make travel schedule by hand, or simply forward the email confirmations of your flight, rental car, train tickets, and hotels to plans.

Weather Free

    Your Go-To Meteorologist(气象学者)

    Stop trying to explain the weather forecast on the evening news (particularly when it's in a foreign language). The Weather Free app informs you (in English) of the climate in various locations. It features the local weather, and other key factors that will inform your decision about what to wear before stepping outside.

Goby

    Your Event Guru

    When you're in a foreign city, you sometimes look around and ask: Where are all the people? Goby has the answer. This app pinpoints the neighborhood hot spots (including museums, hotels, eateries, and more) in your neighborhood. But its true value comes in finding nearby events. You'll discover concerts, plays, and more right around the corner.

    More than a hundred years ago, two boys were fishing in a small river. They sat in a heavy-bottomed boat, each holding a long, bent pole in his hands and eagerly waiting for "a bite". When they wanted to move the boat from one place to another they had to push against a long pole into the bottom of the stream.

    "This is slow work, Robert," said the older of the boys. "Yes, Christopher, and it's hard work, too." answered Robert. "I think there's some better way of moving a boat."

    Christopher advised rowing it and Robert promised to make some paddles (桨). The next day Robert's aunt heard a great noise in her house. The two boys were there, busily working. "What are you making, Robert?" she asked. He told his plan. His aunt laughed and said, "Well done! I hope you'll succeed."

    After much work, they succeeded in making two paddle wheels. They were very rough, but strong and usable. They fixed each of these wheels to the end of an iron rod (长杆) which they passed through the boat from side to side. The rod was bent in the middle. When the work was finished, the old fishing boat looked rather strange, with a paddle wheel on each side. The boys lost no time in trying it. One of the boys could guide the boat while the other turned the paddle wheels.

    That night when Christopher went home, he told his father a wonderful story. "Robert Fulton planned the whole thing," he said, "and I helped him make the paddles and put them on the boat." When Robert Fulton became a man, he didn't forget his experiment with the old fishing boat. He kept on thinking and working, until at last he succeeded in making a boat with paddle wheels that could be run by steam. He's now honored as the inventor of the steamboat.

I stood outside my front door catching my breath. After a lazy Christmas holiday, I had to recover from climbing stairs with carry-on bags and a suitcase. I looked up — Red tape crossed the door. I didn't understand French, but the one English word said enough, "POLICE". Google Translate told me I would be caught if I entered, so I didn't.

Finally, I called my rental agent (收租人). He went to the police station for more details. The thief had taken a few items from the top drawer as well as a small amount of money in the bottom drawer. Not only were my files undisturbed, but so were the TV and printer. My agent also said something about fixing the locks tomorrow and making a list for the police.

Then one day, I remembered that I had left another jewelry box in the flat. My heart sank as I thought of a gold locket (项链坠) with a picture of my late Grandma inside. When I realized the box was missing, the whole experience seemed to crash down on me. I cried. At the end of January, I received a letter from the police. The thief hadn't been found, and the case was closed. I slept with my purse by my bed. I hid my laptop when I showered. And then another challenge came — I was unexpectedly fired by my company.

One July night, I reached into my third drawer to pull out my jean shorts. I heard something fall to the ground. I looked down: It was the tiny jewelry box I thought had been stolen six months earlier. Inside was the locket with honey Grandma smiling at me, being there for me, telling me not to give up. I started to cry. I knew that things were going to be OK.