CU iBUS
Published by the Undergraduate Office, CUHK Business School
June 2013
r e v o Disc the n e d d hi e r u s trea
To: CU iBUS Readers Cheng Yu Tung Building 12 Chak Cheung Street Shatin, N.T. Hong Kong
Discover the Hidden Treasure To be a successful business leader in Hong Kong, having an international vision is extremely important. CUHK Business School is a diversified and vibrant platform that attracts and gathers high caliber students from every corner of the world. In this issue, we invited three overseas students to help us see CUHK anew from their eyes and discover all the hidden treasures that are so easily taken for granted and hence so easily overlooked.
Faculty Spotlight Prof. Denis Wang Global Leader Series U.S. Ambassador Stephen Young
Also in This Issue 07 CSR Exchange Research Scholarship 2013/14 10 Lightbox - Cambodia Study Trip 12 Newsroom 13 Column - Matt Ng Click to view the full issue
From the Editor Business School
Message from the editor School’s out and the hustle and bustle of summer begins. Summer study trips are going on at full blast as our students set off exploring different parts of the world. At the same time our foreign students are busily packing to go home for the summer. In this issue, we focus on the mission that underlies these journeys – to see the world.
July
6
Career Forum Be a Complete Professional through Lifetime Learning
For some students, overseas study is at the top of their must-do list while at university. Not only is it rewarding for us to witness our students’ transformation and tremendous personal growth through these travels, we are just as thrilled when students from other parts of the world join us here at CUHK. In this month’s Cover Story, some of our students that hail from different parts of the world will share with us some highlights from their studies here, what they have gained and how CUHK Business School has been a springboard for their careers.
July 27 CUHK 50th Anniversary Fair Public Lecture Series Talk by Prof. Andrew Chan
Other highlights in this month’s issue include a new story from our columnist Matt Ng. He shares how one person’s dream changed the livelihood of a whole village in Brazil. Also covered is the second “Global Leader Series” talk of this year featuring Ambassador Stephen M. Young, U.S. Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong, sharing his reflections on China. Hope you are making good use of the summer to refresh your mind.
Dr. Susanna Kwok Editor-in-chief, CU iBUS
cu iBUS June 2013 EDITORIAL
STUDENT EDITORIAL TEAM
CONTRIBUTORS
Contact us
Editor-in-chief Dr. Susanna Kwok
Tiffany Chiang (HTMG Year 2) Lolitta Ho (IBBA Year 2) Adrian Lai (IBBA Year 3) Jeanette Lai (IBBA Year 1) Tiffany Lam (IBBA Year 1) Tumi Ogunsola (IASP) Michael So (PACC Year 4) Jimmy Tsong (IFAA Year 1) Myra Zhang (IBBA Year 1)
Connie Ng Kenneth Dai Anna Leung
Address Room 616, Cheng Yu Tung Building, 12 Chak Cheung Street, Shatin, N.T.
Members Carol Ho Isadora Ho Joseph Tong
Telephone 3943 7746 Email bba@cuhk.edu.hk
Cover Story 01
DISCOVER THE
I
HIDDEN TREASURE
n order to be a successful business leader in Hong Kong, having an international vision is extremely important. CUHK Business School is determined to provide the most rewarding opportunities for our students to get in touch with the world whether it be through overseas exchanges, international internships or foreign competitions. At the same time CUHK Business School is also a diversified and vibrant platform that attracts and gathers high caliber students from every corner of the world. Not only do our foreign students bring us fresh ideas and knowledge, they also see our familiar environment in a different light. In this issue, we invited three of our overseas students to help us see CUHK anew from their eyes and discover all the hidden treasures that are so easily taken for granted and hence so easily overlooked.
Go With the Heart This is perhaps the motto Ken lives by. As an Asian Business Studies student from Waseda University, Tokyo, Ken came to CUHK for a one-semester exchange as part of the program requirements, but he chose to extend his exchange for another half year while his Waseda classmates are already expecting a good job offer. “At first I came to Hong Kong as an ABS exchange student. Then I became a general exchange student. Now I am a traveler,” Ken happily proclaimed. “One semester is too short to learn the culture of a place. I fell in love with CUHK. I still don’t want to leave.” Though only top students make it into the ABS program, Ken shares that to him, academic achievement comes second to achieving a broad perspective. “Most of my ABS classmates in Waseda focus more on gaining new experiences and developing their own interests than going to class. Yet in the final year of study, suddenly you will see everyone wearing suits to class just in case they get called for an interview. “
Used to the Waseda way, Ken is impressed by how well the students in Hong Kong plan their study. “ Business students from Hong Kong plan every step in their academic life strategically – internship, case competition, high GPA, all the elements contributing towards a good CV for a good job at a prestigious company. This probably applies to Hong Kong people in general. Hong Kong is such an energetic and fast paced city. People go around so fast that it appears to Kenichiro Aoki me they have a clear purpose of where they are going (Asian Business Studies, and what they are doing. But Hong Kong is such a Exchange student from Waseda dynamic and multi-faceted city. It is easy to overlook University, Japan) some important elements when you are too focused on one purpose. As a traveler, I am an outsider who Kenichiro Aoki came into the room wearing a full looks at the core with a bird’s eye view from the business suit, right on time despite the heavy rain. Shy periphery.” and soft spoken, it is not easy to imagine him going wild in the Sokeisen, the annual baseball game between Waseda and Keio University. “It’s the tradition at Waseda that students all drink, go wild and cheer for the school team. It’s when we all go crazy.” This is in line with Ken’s perspective in life: Go with the heart.
Ken and his friends at New Asia College in graduation gowns.
So, what do you see? “I like going to local places such as Mong Kok, sitting in a cafe and chatting to people. And I often go to the Hong Kong Art Centre in Wanchai and the other museums in Hong Kong to see art exhibitions and interact with local artists. Many people say Hong Kong is a cultural desert but in fact there are a lot of underground artists here. As an art lover, it is interesting to learn how these artists survive while earning so little and how they struggle to express themselves in Hong Kong’s society.”
What about CUHK? “CUHK is very different from Waseda University. The campus here is so large and is surrounded by nature, the whole campus is like a very large garden. I belonged to New Asia College and where I stayed is right opposite to the wall of the pavilion containing the inscription “The Theory of the Union of Man and Nature” by Dr. Ch’ien Mu. At this place I feel as if I am part of nature. “CUHK is also the only university in Hong Kong that adopts a collegiate system. I enjoy staying in the college a lot as I can meet students from different departments. As a business student, I really enjoyed
Ken having a haircut in a traditional Shanghainese Barbershop during a study tour.
the ‘interdisciplinary’ chats I had with medical, fine arts students among others, and getting a glimpse of their disciplines. These discussions have broadened my perspective. CUHK also focuses a great deal on whole person development and the courses on offer are very diverse. Outside of the business courses, I took an Introduction to Western Art History course as I am very interested in art.” “I also go a lot to the University Library. The University Library is like heaven. One of the reasons why I extended my exchange period was to make use of the large collection in the library for my graduation thesis. Also, there is a large collection of Japanese books ranging from Literature and Philosophy to Science and most of them are completely new, untouched. I feel like those books are there just for me.”
Any advice for your fellows? “Whatever you do, ask yourself, ‘Am I enjoying it? Does it make me happy? What do I want to do with my life?’ I personally believe that when there’s a will, there’s a way. My life journey has just begun. I want to challenge myself to many things and push myself to the limit wherever I go.”
Ken is an art lover who paints and sketches for leisure.
To view his work, please visit his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Chez.Kenichiro
Cover Story 03
Stepan Yurovskikh (Integrated BBA, Year 2, International student from Russia) Another suitcase in another hall. All packed and ready to go home for the summer is our full time Integrated BBA student, Stepan. Having already completed a degree in Intellectual Property Management at the Ural Federal University in Yekaterinburg, the third largest city in Russia, Stepan Yurovskikh is now doing his second degree in the Integrated BBA at CUHK Business School. CU iBUS has invited him to share why he picked CUHK Business School as the springboard to his career, and his insights on university education in Hong Kong. “I came to Hong Kong a few years ago as a tourist and visited some tourist attractions and universities. When I was trying to decide where I would go for further studies, a place where the English literacy is high was one of my major concerns. I am also very much interested in Chinese culture and food, so Hong Kong best fits my interests.” Besides fulfilling Stepan’s interests, favorable geographical location also makes Hong Kong stand out from other cities. “As we always say, Hong Kong is a place where all roads lead. It is not just a Chinese city but an international one as well. Hong Kong is a good place for networking with people from all over the world.” Business students in Hong Kong not only enjoy geographical advantages over their overseas counterparts, they can also benefit from the well-developed curriculums offered by the different higher education institutions in Hong Kong. “Universities in Hong Kong generally prepare a
well trodden path for students. They provide great study materials. Students are in good hands for success as long as they pay good attention in class and pass the exams. Yet it does not mean the competition between students is not fierce. With a GPA-based assessment system students are all looking at how each other perform. Students tend to work independently so as to earn better grades than their other classmates. In comparison, in Russia how students arrange their studies is more flexible. It is the student, rather than the institution, that designs their learning pathway. Students have more freedom to explore and discover their own area of strength but the support and guidance offered is not as much as in Hong Kong, so they need to be very active in gaining knowledge. In other words, university life in Russia is not about completing as many credits as possible but learning how the world works and how to survive.” “Yet, although Hong Kong education is somewhat the opposite of that, I feel that being familiar with both systems has made me more flexible and, you could say, universal. I believe that it is important to be able to do exactly what you want to even if you’re constantly being constrained by the rigid requirements of an institution.”
Tumi Ogunsola (Exchange student from University College Dublin, Ireland)
“And last but not least, I will miss writing for CU iBUS. I really enjoyed the training I received and contributing to it during my stay here”
By Tumi Ogunsola, Student Reporter June has arrived and the semester is over, which means it is time to bid my beloved Hong Kong goodbye. It has been an incredible five months here at CUHK and I have been privileged to meet amazing people; both local students as well as other exchange students like myself. Being here has given me the opportunity to learn more about myself and about a culture that was so strange to me this time last year. As I set to leave though with a sad heart; I’m so pleased that I had the opportunity to share and gain from the Asian culture. Before leaving my home in Dublin at the beginning of this year, I promised myself I would do things I wouldn’t ordinarily do. I am so glad that being here gave me the courage to reach out to people and consequently step out of my box; I was privileged to teach English to a group of Primary School students in Shatin for four months through the Rural Schools Project initiative and
that I found stands as my most memorable experience. My pupils were so full of life, buzzing with energy and I learnt from them too – disregarding the part of the world you come from, Western, Asian or African, we are all indeed one. One of my most unforgettable events at CUHK was the United College song and dance competition with the theme “Hakuna Matata”. It was so well organized by the students that I really enjoyed every bit of the show. It showed the creativity and the drive for excellence possessed by CUHK students and I was thrilled that my fellow exchange students won the award for Best Group amidst tough competition from local students.
DID YOU KNOW? In the academic year 2012/13, there were 576 incoming exchange students on CUHK campus.
Cover Story 05
I also gained a new skill thanks to the CU iBUS Student Editorial Team; I am able to write professionally. The help of the editorial team has been invaluable to my development. I say a big thank you to them for accepting me into the team even though the time short – the impact really cannot be underestimated. If I could come to study in Hong Kong again, my first choice will certainly be CUHK. The lectures and facilities in CUHK I must say are really impressive. Its spacious campus and friendly staff and students (not minding the monkeys and snakes I hear laying about in Chung Chi College) have made this an unforgettable experience for me. I learnt so much from the courses I took during my time here, and my gratitude goes to all my lecturers specifically those from the CUHK Business School; my knowledge of the world of business is now most definitely global! Though I will soon be going back to Ireland, after completing my degree I will certainly be back in Hong Kong as now I see it as another home that is only far away from my first one. I will miss the “I will miss all the friends I have made at CUHK. I might not be able to come back to Hong Kong for a while but I promise to keep in touch in every way I can.”
crowded streets of Hong Kong such as Mong Kok and Central. Most of all I will miss the MTR; the most efficient transportation system I have ever come across – I’d say the London Underground and subways in American cities are no comparison to the MTR! May I take this opportunity to send a heartfelt greeting to each person that I have met here at CUHK and throughout my exchange time in Hong Kong. I wish everyone the very best and I hope to meet you again sometime in the near future. I chose to go on exchange because I thought it will be a great way and a push for me to step out of my comfort zone and of course meet new people. Now I have done just that; and it has been such a great experience! Still considering whether or not to go on exchange? What are you waiting for? Go on! See the world! The sky is not the limit – it’s just the beginning!
Faculty Spotlight
Prof. Denis Wang Director, Global Business Studies (GBS) Director, International Business and Chinese Enterprise (IBCE)
| Born on October 4 | Serving CUHK since 1988 | Affiliated to Wu Yee Sun College
About your profession
You used to hold top management level positions in big international firms and government organizations. What made you decide to switch to the academic world and become a Professor? I was a high flyer when I was young. I was able to get the best jobs because I was very motivated and very insecure. My boss at Manulife in Toronto once said to me “you are a young man rushing to go somewhere”. Then I realized I had no clue where I was rushing to. Everything changed when I got married in 1991. All of a sudden, I felt secure and stopped rushing. I grew from thin to fat. It was then that I started to think about what I really wanted to do. Did I want to spend my time managing other people’s problems or my own problems? I joined CUHK to pursue my interest in learning because I believe the best way to learn is to teach. I joined also because of Professor K.C. Mun who was the Dean at the time and who saw in me qualities that he could leverage in diversifying the Faculty. After I left the business world, I was still involved in investing and doing deals, just no longer in any executive capacity. Business is a very practitioner-oriented subject; we need some professors who are good researchers, some who are good teachers and some who are good practitioners. Besides your interest in learning, what motivates you to teach? I wanted to gain merits in this life by inspiring and empowering my students in fundamental ways. The great people that I admired the most from history like Jesus and Buddha were all teachers. Their teachings were very controversial at their time, treasured by some but despised by many others. Many years ago, I realized that it was very easy for me to win a teaching award and teach in a way that my students wanted me to teach. But then I told myself I did not join CUHK to win teaching awards. If I treat my students as my customers, I would have no motivation to continue teaching. What was the topic of your most recent research project? I am very worried about the state of the global economy going forward. The U.S. is printing US$85 billion every month and Japan is printing US$75 billion worth of Yen every month as we speak. What is the effect of all this liquidity on the global economy in the long run? The U.S.
dollar is very strong despite all the printing and the Yen is also strong whenever there is a “risk on” environment. I am very worried on how the world’s Central Banks can exit from this party of money printing without causing severe damage to the real and financial economy. The new developments in financial markets and the global economy are breaking down the classical relationships in economics and business.
About CUHK Besides courses offered by the Business School, is there any other course offered in CUHK you would like to recommend? I advise business students to take as many liberal arts courses as possible outside of the Business School. There are many courses in philosophy, history, astronomy….that can expand the scope and possibilities of your thinking. The problem with Hong Kong students is that many of them are taught to think in a one dimensional way in primary and secondary school. This is a huge competitive disadvantage for them in business.
About yourself Could you share with us one of your most sentimental moments? I just spent one week in Toronto visiting my mother who is 92 years old, both of us realizing it would probably be the last time that I will ever see her. They were very beautiful and emotional moments. I spoke to her about the inevitability of death that would happen to all of us. How she should look forward to her passing with an abundance of curiosity and a degree of delight! It was so comforting for me to know that for the first time, my mother was able to speak calmly of her own eventualities and has no fear or regret, knowing that she already had such a good run on this journey of life. Is there a book you would like to recommend to our students? I would recommend reading Viktor E. Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl said human beings have enormous capacity to construct meaning to their state of existence. It is all in our mind. There is no real heaven or hell because human beings can construct a heaven out of hell and a hell out of heaven, anytime.
Advertisement 07
CSR Exchange Research Scholarship 2013/14 The Scholarship aims to encourage CUHK undergraduates to participate in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) related activities around the world during their exchange. This scholarship opens to all outgoing exchange students in academic year 2013/14. Gain firsthand experiences of how CSR works in different geographic regions and cultures; Take part in integration, cultural and knowledge exchange between Hong Kong students and international professors / students through partnerships and collaborations; To join the CUHK CSR Young Scholars Association and participate in community services.
Be a CSR Young Scholar of CUHK Join the briefing session Time: 18:30 – 20:00 Date: 5 July 2013 (Friday) Venue: LT6, Cheng Yu Tung Building, CUHK Enquiry: 3943 1523 Registration is not required
Reflection on China as Seen Through the Prism of 33 Years in the U.S. Foreign Service
Date: June 6, 2013 By Jimmy Tsong, Student Reporter
F
ollowing the talk by Mr. John G. Rice, Vice Chairman of General Electric in March, the Global Leader Series, organized by the Alumni and Corporate Affairs Office of the CUHK Business School, invited another heavyweight – U.S. Ambassador Stephen M. Young, to give his views on perhaps the world most complicated, but truly intriguing political bilateral relationship: the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and China. Ambassador Young assumed his responsibilities as Consul General of the United States of America for Hong Kong and Macau in March 2011. He is a veteran of the U.S. State Department, having served since 1980. He devoted the majority of his time in diplomatic life handling U.S.-Asian affairs for the U.S. government.
T. J. Wong, Dean of CUHK Business School, Ambassador Young and Prof. Mr. Jasper Tsang (from left to right).
Prof. Joseph Sung, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, pictured together with Mr. Jasper Tsang.
Titled “Reflection on China as Seen Through the Prism of 33 Years in the U.S. Foreign Service”, the talk began with opening remarks by the president of the Legislative Council, Mr. Jasper Tsang. In Tsang’s words, Ambassador Young is an American who has an avid interest in Asian culture, and “outweighs most of the Hong Kong people in terms of pronunciation of his own name in Mandarin”. Ambassador Young started the ball rolling by sharing his experience of learning Chinese culture. He admitted that learning Chinese culture was tough, as in most Western universities in that era, Chinese courses were not offered. In addition, unlike nowadays, the importance of learning Chinese for communication was not well-recognized in U.S. society back in the 1970s. Consequently, he took his first trip to China in 1982.
Spotlight 09 His talk touched on the multi-faceted issues concerning China. When it came to the Chinese economy, he described China as “the global economic powerhouse whose economic achievement has amazed the whole world”. Since 1972, the year when Sino-American relationship was normalized by former U.S. president Richard Nixon’s visit to China, China’s Net Direct Investment in the US has been surging, indicating their mutual dependence. He added that the U.S. understood the fundamental difference and divergences between the two nations but welcomed the emergence of China, and he said he was puzzled by some coverage by the Chinese media which took a dim view of the Sino-American relationship. Next, Ambassador Young pointed out one of the most challenging problems encountered by both China and the USA was the lack of mutual understanding between the two world powers. When asked for a solution to the mistrust between the two sides, the Ambassador stressed that ultimately the key lay in communication and collaboration. He reckoned that not only the two governments, but also the respective education sectors played an important role in enhancing the Sino-American relationship. Through continuous exchange programs between the two countries, the respective citizenry was able to obtain first-hand information about their counterparts, and thus mysteries could be broken down.
Prof. Joseph Sung asking question in the Q&A session.
Finally, he added that he was still optimistic about the effectiveness of the “One-country, two-system” structure used in Hong Kong. “Debates in Hong Kong (about the one-country two-system structure) are healthy, which implies that people in Hong Kong care about the special things that makes Hong Kong stand out from other cities in China,” Ambassador Young said. He pointed out that Hong Kong still has its invaluable asset – human capital. This would still give Hong Kong an edge over the competition, and if it can be fully and appropriately utilized, it is no doubt that Hong Kong will continue to be an outstanding, vibrant and special part of China.
Prof. T. J. Wong, Prof. Joseph Sung, Mr. Jasper Tsang, Ambassador Young and Prof. Fok Tai Fai, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK (from left to right), in the Kick-off Ceremony of ‘Photo Collection Campaign’.
May
18-23
Cambodia Study Trip
Organized by the Undergraduate Office of CUHK Business School, this study tour being part of the Cross Boundary Learning Program aimed to broaden participating students’ international perspectives.
Participating students went on a cultural tour to the Angkor Wat temple – a finalist in the ‘New Seven Wonders in the World’ competition. Situated in Siem Reap in Cambodia, Angkor Wat was built as the king’s state temple and capital city. Construction took place over some forty years, yet was never finished as work stopped after the death of the king.
Lightbox 11
The students gained firsthand insights on the local markets from the management executives of a clothing and a beer factory, as well as a conglomerate.
A visit to the University of Cambodia enlightened the students with the local study culture and education system. Participants were surprised to learn that some local students there were so diligent they studied two or even three bachelor degrees from different universities at the same time.
GBS Study Trip Part II 2013 – Shanghai Date: May 25-30, 2013
During 25-30 May, a group of GBS students embarked on a study trip to Shanghai where they visited a wide range of companies and institutions. The site visit to the production facilities of the Baosteel Group was an eye opener where students witnessed the making of steel and felt the ultra-boiling hot temperatures of the premises. At the training facilities of China Eastern Airlines, the students took part in an evacuation exercise with the cabin crew and tasted what first class was like. At ASC Fine Wines, in addition to a personal sharing from a successful American doing business in China, a wine tasting session was also arranged for the GBS students. The students also visited K11 shopping mall.
IBCE Finals Get Together for a 2-day Workshop Date: May 23 - 24, 2013
As the first batch of IBCEs students awaited their graduation, they got together one final time and created a memorable moment on 23 and 24 May in Qing Yuan for a study tour before starting the next phase of their lives. Under the professional guidance of experienced trainers, students acquired and honed many critical business soft skills including communication, leadership, teamwork, adaptation, attitude, persistence, and passion for the profession. Most importantly, the soon to be graduates had a great and exciting final opportunity to bond with one another on this last trip of their University lives.
This was also the first time that a visit to an education institution was included in a GBS study trip. The group attended a lecture on China’s economy given by Prof. Qin Xiang Dong at the Shanghai Jiaotong University. The multinational GBS group also talked to the local students, allowing these young adults to mingle and learn from their peers. The study trip ended with all the participants in high spirits, as small groups presented what they have learnt from the visits in a creative manner. Also marking the end of the semester, the GBS students bid each other farewell in Shanghai, and got ready for the summer!
Outreach efforts— admission talks Date
School / Event
Speaker
Jun 19
St. Paul’s Convent Dr. Andrew Yuen School Campus Visit
Jun 21
JUPAS Admission Talks (2013 Entry)
Dr. Andrew Yuen
Column 13
Matt Ng
Alumnus, Quantitative Finance, Class of 2012
Something beautiful - Rio de Janeiro
It’s a story about a group of artists, and their kind intentions. It’s about something beautiful. It’s something that inspired me a lot.
In Rio de Janeiro, I stayed at the cheapest hostel in town. Yet that hostel turned out to be the best hostel I have ever stayed. It’s not about the hardware, rather it’s the energy and people the place attracts. The hostel was actually the base for a group of artists in the Urca neighbourhood of Rio (see note) who were working on a community project called FlutuArte. This project started with the mural vision of Nicolina. One day she was by the harbor, picturing how beautiful it would be if all the boats in the harbor were painted. Despite all the resistance from the authorities, she finished painting the first one and that was when the magic happened. Slowly the whole thing spread like a happy virus. The boat’s owner was so proud of the mural painted on his boat. Others began to talk about it. The owner of another boat asked whether she could paint his. Nico saw the positive impact from the painting. She saw this could be something meaningful. And she decided to make it happen. That’s pretty much how FlutuArte started. People who dream. People who dare. People who do.
over with tears, I could tell how important Nico’s work was to their livelihood. It wasn’t just about merely improving their living conditions. It was about the interaction between the fishermen and the artists. The care they had for each other. The love involved. The unselfish offer. The kind-hearted intention. These are not things you could possibly buy or sell. It is something utterly invaluable. Something beautiful. When the tear eventually dropped from the corner of the fisherman’s eye, it was so powerful that it touched the deepest part of my heart. Because you know that this is a man who has been living on the rough seas, and his one tear said more than if he had shed his own blood. That was the point when I truly realized how much impact our efforts can make to people around us. All it takes is just one bit more of care and a little bit more willingness to share. It never takes one superpower to be a hero, to create something beautiful. The official website of FlutuArte: www.FlutuArte.com
I was lucky enough to be invited by Nico to join her group for a day of painting at the harbor. Of course their artwork was truly amazing. But what impressed me the most was the connection her group built with the fishermen and the community. After a day of painting, I was sitting by the side of the harbor when one of the fishermen dropped by. Even with the help of some translation I could just barely make out what he was trying to say in Portuguese. But from his tones and gestures, his eyes about to brim NOTE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Urca is a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro. There is a harbor where all the local fishermen dock their boats. However, the income from fishing is no longer enough to support their livelihood, so a majority of the fishermen count on bringing tourists out for a boat trip to make a living. Yet, a lot of their boats desperately need refurbishment in order to convert them into a pleasant cruising boat for tourists. That’s why FlutuArte makes such a difference for them.
Matt Ng took his first backpacking trip to Nepal during the summer of 2009, and ever since then he can’t stop traveling. During his one-year exchange studies in Switzerland, the same backpack saw him through Europe where he experienced all the highs and lows of being (at different times) a hitchhiker, a farmer, a lost and robbed traveler, and a homeless street sleeper. Matt has just returned from a five month adventure traveling through Southeast Asia, Africa and South America. In this column he shares with us stories from his journeys and experiences as a volunteer overseas.