Where did our Rams go for Summer Break?

[by Katherine H]

Summer is over, and school has started. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean the memories AISG students made this summer should be left behind. Our Rams have travelled from Japan to France to Italy to England, because as international students and third culture kids, we don’t just settle in one place. We go out and explore the world and see what the world has to offer, creating new experiences and new memories.

Queenie Hsiao, a sophomore, recalls her summer holidays with contentment. “This summer I went to London, Venice, Milan, Rome, France and Japan. The most memorable part of the summer was going on a student exchange program in Japan. I was able to experience how it felt like to live in a normal Japanese household and my host family treated me like one of their own kids. They brought me to amusement parks, shopping malls, and it was overall an incredible trip.” she says. Hsiao tried lots of different cuisines, and visited experienced different cultures. Queenie also gave some travel recommendations. “If I were to recommend places to visit, I would recommend a restaurant called Burger & Lobster which is in London. Burno, in Venice, is definitely a must-see because the sight is breathtaking like it’s part of a movie. Lastly, I would recommend to visit a theme park called Huis Ten Bosch in Nagasaki.” When asked to show a photo Hsiao took over the summer holidays, she showed a photo she took of the Eiffel Tower. “This photo I took is special to me because as a kid,  I have always wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower, and I finally did, this summer.”

On the other side of the world, Joyce Feng, a junior, travelled to Hokkaido and Hong Kong. “The most memorable part of my summer was definitely being able to spend a lot time with my friends and family.” If you are traveling to Hong Kong in the near future, she recommends visiting the Clearwater bay and Turtle Cove Beach in Tai Tam; it is great for watersports such as stand up paddle-boarding, kayaking, wake boarding and cliff diving. “I went cliff diving there – I am scared of heights so that was a first for me” she says. Talk about conquering your fears! Feng recorded her memories this summer through photographs; one that stood out to her was a photo of a sunset she took by the beach. “This photo is special to me because it was taken during a trip to Tai Tam with some friends- we missed the last bus back to the city but we got to see this great view, and it was just a really good day overall.”

Kiki Huang, a sophomore, spent two weeks in France this summer. Besides visiting countless famous historical sites such as the Château De Villandry, she dined in well-known restaurants with food cooked by award-winning chefs. “The most memorable part of my summer was when we dined in a Michelin star restaurant, it was my first time dining at a Michelin star restaurant and I thought the the food was phenomenal.” Besides traveling around Europe, Kiki spent time in Guangzhou catching up with her friends. She went to waterparks, theme parks, and the movies. “This photo is special to me because I went to the Zhuhai Chimelong with a very special friend of mine and this shaved ice saved our lives from the hot and humid Guangzhou weather.”

Going West from France to the United States, Samiksha Gwalani spent her holidays in New York for ten days before going to Pennsylvania, attending a global entrepreneurship program at Lehigh University. “I went to a city in Pennsylvania called Bethlehem, that is where the Lehigh University is at, so I recommend people to do a tour over there, and there are really good places around the area to eat. In New York, there are great restaurants in SoHo and good shopping malls. It was my first time going to the United States so itwas a different experience to go to the Western part of the world, but I met lots of new people from all around the worldand it was a great experience.”

From all these stories, it’s safe to say that summer 2015 was filled with happy moments,  experiencing new cultures, and creating new memories. Our rams had an adventurous summer break, and we will have a successful school year ahead!
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” -Anonymous