Across Newsletter April 2022

APRIL 2022 ISSUE

Across U-hub LET'S GET TOGETHER

Contents Message from Executive Director - 01 Across's New Podcast - 02

Message from Executive Director April is the time that flowers and trees are waiting to bloom everywhere. April represents our perpetual astonishment at this yearly renewal of life.

Across opened fully in April, but in-person activities remain limited while COVID is still active. This means that Across Uhub has a long way to go before we can fully resume our work. In fact, young people need more positive energy than ever, and someone to accompany them during and after the epidemic.

Here are highlights of our April: Starting in April, we launched a podcast called "Coffee Bubble Tea". The hosts spoke in Cantonese and English to talk about daily life and discussed the perspectives of two generations and people from different cultures.

The bimonthly "Across the Lens" online magazine chronicles the true stories of young people from immigrant families in search of their dreams. Please visit http://www.acrossuhub.com and click on Across the Lens Estories for the full publication. This is a timely collection of life journeys whose stories mean a lot to young Chinese with bicultural backgrounds from all over the world.

We’ve resumed having weekly in-person small groups meetings for our programs, such as interest groups, City Mosaic, outdoor leadership training camp and group sports.

These programs are particularly helpful in assisting young newcomers to adjust to the differences between their physical and psychological expectations; and, the jarring realities of living in a new country. Most importantly, these programs inspire them taking action to serve and contribute to the community.

Nicole Wong

Message from Executive Director con't After more than two years of pandemic difficulties, we are now ready to gradually resume our services. These two years have not been easy, but pandemic difficulties have not discouraged our vision to walk alongside our community of young people. We are now ready to gradually resume services. We sincerely invite you to continue participating and supporting our mission.

四月是紀念耶穌復活的日子，還有等待開放的花草樹木，四週充滿 希望。 四月，Across U-hub全面重啟，意味著活動將逐續恢復，但在病毒 依然活躍的威脅下，實體活動仍然受到很大限制，而Across U-hub 要全面回復疫情前的實體活動還有很長的路，甚至更艱難的路。然 而，年輕人在疫情中更需要正能量，更需要有人陪伴，需要更多 Across U-hub的工作。 從四月開始，推出了名為 “Coffee Bubble Tea” 的播客節目，主持 人用粵語和英語對話，暢談日常生活，帶出兩代人和不同文化的觀 點來理解事物。雙月在線刊物「用我的眼睛看你的世界」記錄了來 自移民家庭的年輕人尋找夢想的真實故事。 https://acrossuhub.com Across the Lens E-stories. 這是一本適 時收集的人生旅程的刊物，對世界各地具有雙文化背景的華裔年輕 人來說意義重大。 陸續開放的實體活動，如興趣小組、城市拼圖、戶外營會和集體運 動項目等，專門歡迎新來的年輕人，除了幫助他們調校移民的生理 和心理期望偏差之外，最重要是啟發他們在這裏作出貢獻，祝福自 己和別人。 經過兩年多疫情的難阻，Across U-hub重啟，要走的路更難，我們 已經準備好，要走得更遠，誠意邀請你的同行和支持。

Across’s New Podcast Did you know that Across just started a podcast? It is called “Coffee Bubble Tea”, and we have already released 4 weekly episodes!

Samson Wong

Here is the description: “We are people with a mix of Chinese and Canadian background, talking about anything from food, parents’ expectations, embarrassing childhood memories, friendship to life choices.”

The concept of the format was inspired by countless conversations at Across activities, including H2H groups (Heart-to-Heart), camp small group sharings, and late-evening fireplace chats at winter camps.

During these conversations, youths with a similar mix of Chinese and Canadian background, talk in a mix of Chinese and English, about everything from school, hobbies, stress, religion, a new place to hang out, to family issues. Very often, youths in the circle simply listen and do not speak at all, but you can see their eyes moving intently between those in conversation.

As one-direction talks, lectures, and sermons become increasingly less popular formats, our podcast “Coffee Bubble Tea” seeks to provide a very different listening experience with two key elements: Multiple viewpoints on each topic, representing different identities and experiences Unscripted, giving a sense of refreshing spontaneity and casualness

Guess what past event inspired the name “Coffee Bubble Tea”?

Across’s New Podcast con't Even though the podcast is still one-directional, it is not to ‘teach’ or ‘preach’. Rather, it seeks to demonstrate the value and enjoyment of opening up ourselves in conversations with those around us; even though we may have different viewpoints. Our listeners may find resonance in the different perspectives, but more importantly, we hope that they find the value of speaking with those who see the world differently.

Can you recognize our 4 hosts? Listen and find out!

One might ask: “Should not it represent the values of Across?” Yes, it certainly should. As with all our activities, we value walking with youths to find answers, to learn from each other, to face obstacles and to make sense of the world together.

It has been encouraging to receive feedbacks from teenagers and young adults that they find the content relevant. But the art of conversation is very different from lecturing and preaching, and we know we have a long way to go.

We welcome you to listen-in and give us your suggestions. And most importantly, we invite you to begin a conversation with the youths around you too.

Listen Now: (Remember to subscribe!)

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/41PNdOLevCKNykCFmaJ3wL Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-bubbletea/id1616595734 Ep 1 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/jY8eWtTo5zI Follow on Facebook & Instagram: @coffeebubbleteapodcast