veritas flamma

“As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words.”

~William Shakespeare

guide to overseas studies by school concuilor

issue #2

It has been a remarkable year for SPCC and as the Editor-in-Chief of the Student Post, I humbly express my gratitude to all teachers and students who have made this possible throughout the year.

We had two issues of the Student Post this year and all members of the editorial board have worked hard to provide a diverse, entertaining and informative publication to represent our school. Although our work is not perfect or flawless, we have put in time and effort to ensure that our readers are content with the content.

ToTo be the Editor-In-Chief of the Student Post is a demanding and serious responsibility and I am proud that my XIRE team members entrusted me with this important duty. Reflecting on my work throughout the year, I can say with pride that I have achieved a lot in the process. I have tried hard to bring my team together and I have learnt much more through the process of discussion with my fellow co-workers about many things, such as cooperation and organization, and most importantly meeting deadlines. It was, in fact not as hard as I thought to establish a mature working relationship with my team, and I sincerely appreciate all their effortsefforts and contributions. Along this journey, we became partners bound by the same hope. When we are given the opportunity to share our passion with enthusiastic and inspiring people, it becomes a privilege that comes attached with great responsibility. This responsibility becomes a strong incentive that pushes us harder and further into giving all we have so as not to let down those who have high hopes in us and our work.

My sincere thanks to the previous Student Unions and the former Editors-In-Chief who have worked hard to build up the Student Post to its current status, credibility and as a well-recognized publication in our school. It has been a great pleasure and honor to have been appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of Veritas Flamma. I have strived hard to keep up the high level of professionalism and diligence the previous editorial board members achieved and I hope I have not failed in my effort to do so. Here I wish to address all readers who have been loyally supporting the Student Post and who have been pointing to our flaws and rare oversights,oversights, your suggestions have been our greatest motivation in achieving better quality work.

I was fortunate to work under the guidance of some amazing teachers advisors - Ms. Dorothy Gregory, Ms. Chik Shuk Mei, Mr. Paul Chan, Mr. Eric Chan and Ms. Ingrid To. With their expert help and the support of the whole editorial team, the process of discovering the Student Post has been a pleasurable journey. I sincerely hope all readers will savor the quality of each article and enjoy the fruits of our last efforts in this issue.Happy reading!

Sincerely,Your Editor-In-Chief

Michael Li

contentsWhere should we go - Interview with Mr.O’Connell on Overseas studies

Event Review: TS CarnivalThe remarkable week of success

Harvard Model United Nations China 2014: Success?

SaSarcasm - highest form of humour or symbol of ignorance?

Aggressive or Simply Effective

Korea: A Land of Wonder

Writing Talents: Story time!

港女 =_=

天堂與地獄：DSE的苦與樂

MaMarking end of the year

A few words from Xire members

Credits

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SPCC’s academic programmes are well known for educating and empowering students to achieve academic and career success through meaningful learning opportunities and purposeful self-discovery. University education is important as it improves an individual's quality of life: high degree of education provides better chance for a good job as well as better salaries and a good life, which enhances a greater economic stability and security, This time on Veritas Flamma, we are very happy to have Mr O’Connell discuss with us the prospects of studying overseas. Mr O’Connell plays an important role in helping students withwith their university applications- in Hong Kong or elsewhere, from getting us to understand the basics to matters such as the application process and writing essays, which are all very important. So far, the trend is that SPCC students are inclined to head to UK mostly. Applicants are mainly divided into those who are seeking to continue their studies in UK and others who want lexibility in university choices, using that as an alternative backup. Our students also express general interest in US universities on the west coast and east coast, very occasionally, universities in the south may be taken into consideration. Candidates are generally hopeful for better educational facilities and opportunities in the further studies of certain subjects. As for those who opt for areas like BBA and Economics in which Hong KongKong is strong at, they are interested in experiencing a very different way of teaching and learning. This is not to say that we are comparing studying overseas with continuing tertiary education locally- the key is where you are successful. Ideally, students should start considering their choices in form three though in practice, most likely in form ive. The past statistics indicate 85% of our students stay in Hong Kong while the other 15% would travel abroad. Last year 47% of the F6 students made overseas applications and they all got very pleasing offers. The inal outcome is that people stay for good reasons but they apparently have a lot of choices and lexibility. Though students should be prepared to face certain general challenges when studying abroad, SPCC students have the advantage of possessing a strong academic foundation, making university academic requirements easier met. Two, they are adaptable and used to high pressure situations. Dealing with overseas challenges are comparatively easier than F5 and F6 life in SPCC. Students yet should bebe ready for a great increase in expectation for students to write numerous papers with quality, and also actively participate in classroom dialogue, which is often graded. In fact you might risk failing or ending up bottom of the class should you decide to stay silent.

To prepare for university application, Mr. O’Connell says the most important by far is to do

“Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the ine print; experience is what you get when you don't. “~Pete Seeger

Where should we go ???- Interview with Mr. O’Connell on Overseas Studies for SPCC Students

well in academics. Nothing can replace that. Then you might look into country speciic requirements such as SAT. Or subject speciic requirements. Then subject speciic tests like LNATs, even university speciic courses.

Often, our students become interested in studying overseas because of parental and family experience, and each location has its advantages, UK for example, offer quick courses which can be completed in three years. There are many more degrees to choose from, some apparently not available Hong Kong like the faculty of veterinary medicine, dietetic programmes etc. Famous universities include Cambridge, Oxford, Durham, Imperial College, UCL, Edinburgh, and Warwick- none that you do not know of. We even had students accepted by the Royal Academy of Music.

As for the US, for most courses, you do not need to decide on your major till year two ends. For students who are unsure of what they want to do for degree, you have more time to decide and explore your interests. Some excellent universities include UC Berkley, UCLA, Ivy leagues etc.

While studying overseas is manageable, students should nonetheless be aware of the challenges. In school life, classmates often play an important role and making new friends when studying overseas in a different culture might be an issue, with fewer Chinese around. For those who are more reserved, it may take longer to make friends.

Students might also experience a very different culture depending on where they go. There are universities that are very driven and intellectual and highly focused on their respective subjects. That might differ from local good quality degrees, often a lot less intellectual or research-based. It is also easier to build an intimate relationship with your professors- something smaller and intimate colleges overseas offer. On the other hand, all students should be aware that some other universities promote ive days hard work followed by two days socialising and relaxing. It is not to say either ones are better or studying overseas is more prpreferable, but to ind where you work best in.

Last but not least, do not underestimate certain physical factors- by that I mean the climate, for example. First, recognise that students are actually challenged by them. If you are an indoor-person and do not happen to be interested in winter sports, the snow in winter can make you quite miserable, even more so if you enjoy the beach and summer. Still, there is no need to over-worry: ind out how locals themselves have fun to enjoy life!

To conclude, Mr. O’Connell reminds us universities all over the world love our students and UK and US are not our only choices. One of our students have been taken by the most famous private university in Japan, another by the most prestigious social science college in France. There are opportunities everywhere for us- with English as a medium of instruction but not necessarily in an English speaking country.

I would like to end with a quote from John Dewey, ‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.’ And Mr. O’Connell says, ‘Think widely. Be ambitious.’

Teacher Student Carnival

Day in and day out, you put on your uniform, carry your overloaded school bag and take in chunks of knowledge in lessons. Day by day, you are accustomed to teachers explaining problematic theories, deducing complex equations or even, chasing after your homework, aren’t you interested in knowing them just a little more? Hoping to spice up your school life, as well as our teachers’ work life, we presented to you our Teacher-Student Carnival 2014.

FirstFirst of all, we introduced to you our brand new scoring system, which intended to provide an extra motivation for all participants to strive for their best. For each activity, participating teachers weredivided into two teams, male teachers and female teachers. We were confident that with teachers and students working hand in hand towards a common goal, both parties could establish a foundation of friendship and mutual respect, and thus, build a caring school community. This was a brand new system introduced by XIRE. and we hope all of you felt more involved in the Teacher Student Carnival because of it.

InIn fact, the Carival has been a great success with breaking participation rate, we thank you all for your support and hope you had fun.

The winners of Stardom Talent Quest Mr.Cheung and Ms.Yuen are showcasing their skill on stage.

Dogdeball Challenge

St.Paul’s Master Chef

Stardom Talent Quest - TS edition

Teacher-student Basketball Match

XIRE invited Dr.Chan to join St.Paul’s Master Chef for the irst time in history!

The audience are getting excited during the Teacher- Student Basketball Match.

In the real United Nations, there are six main committees. In each of these committees, a different story unfolds every day. Delegates sent from 192 countries hold fruitful caucuses and debates over the perpetual plethora of issues in a global context. The United Nations is an international platform where nations of the world gather together to come to a consensus, not only based on the basis of their own political, economic and cultural sensitivities, but also taking into account the balance between national beneits and the advocacy for peace and global development. Issues debated range from your healthcahealthcare beneits to the very recent Ukraine-Russian conlict. In fact, the U.N. is everywhere. It is involved with international environmental efforts (e.g. the Kyoto Protocol), health pandemics and programmes like UNICEF.

So, how is this related to you? And why should you care? What Model United Nations does is provide a window of opportunity for you to become a part of this global effort. MUNs are not just about debates and brushing up your public speaking skills; in fact, it invites you to learn a wide array of soft skills applicable even in your future, ranging from cooperation to a deeper understanding of the complex nuances of international policy.

What the UN really does may seem a bit abstract, so I would like to share a recent MUN experience – Harvard Model United Nations China.

RRecently, I participated in the Harvard Model United Nations China, held in the capital of the world’s most populous country, Beijing. This constituted my ifth MUN experience, and certainly set itself aside from the other MUNs I have attended. HMUN had an overwhelming amount of delegates – 186 countries in 16 committees. The large mass of delegates assigned to every country ensured substantive debates as well as offered more perspectives to each and every issue. Of course, there are two sides to a coin and sometimes the overwhelming amount of delegates stymied debates to one or two topics of interest and led the conference in never-ending circles.

InIn my conference, the World Health Organization, we debated on the HIV/AIDS issue in the Middle East. It was the irst time I participated in a health-based committee, so I had to do a lot of research on the mechanisms of transmission, past national efforts and sensitivities in this particular region. Engaged with schoolwork, my research wasn’t started till much later. Luckily, we arrived in Beijing one day earlier than the actual start of the conference, which meant that not only did we get more time to research our own, we also had more time to discuss with delegates in the same committee. We gained much momore knowledge through combining our research and came up with feasible solutions. The irst day ended with fruitful exchanges and online research, and also with our irst taste of takeaway Peking duck, courtesy of one of our fellow delegates.

The conferences were, of course, the focal points of our days in Beijing. The irst day of the conference was not very intense. We spent a good portion of the morning meeting delegates (mostly from China) who had come earlier to the conference for registration. Delegates socialized and exchanged opinions on which topic to vote upon in the conference in the evening. Some delegates even handed out their name cards! I couldn’t wait until caucus to meet the entire committee and see how the debate would turn out in the conference. I was also excited to meet and learn from the chair of my committee, who was a neua neurobiologist in Harvard with many years of experience on debating, public speaking and acting as a delegate in MUNs.

I soon met my committee in our irst session. My irst impression stepping into the room alone was – wow. I thought I had gotten accustomed to the large size of the General Assembly compared to the other committees, but the scale of HMUN was indeed larger than any other conference I had ever experienced. We didn’t have tables, and there weren’t even enough seats for all the delegates there. Because we had walked in late due to getting lost, we could not get front row seats. Given our previous MUNs, we had thought that this would not be a problem. However, the problem was the selling point of HMUN – thethe sheer amount of delegates invited. No matter how many times we raised our placards, and how much we waved it around like madmen, the number of delegates was simply overwhelming and the chair, despite trying her best, couldn’t entertain everyone’s request. We left the committee session worn out and beaten up. In our debrieing sessions, other delegates in other committees also shared the same sentiments of not getting enough opportunities to speak for their countries. Our teachers recommended that we turn up earlier and grab seats in the front of the committee rooms right in ffront of the chair. Knowing that we were facing the same hardships, we returned to our rooms haggard and weary, but also with a lot of anticipation for the next day. As I lay in bed waiting for sleep to overcome me, a thought struck me – isn’t this what the real United Nations is like? Of course a few countries would appear more outspoken and proactive in the committees than others. Even more so, because we were in a Model UN, we were given much more freedom and equality than we would see in a highly competitive place with countries constantly forcing their opinions for the sake of protecting theirtheir rights and alliances. In MUN, we can pretty much start a World War III (though that would be highly discouraged), or any alliance that we saw it. We have the power and youth to manipulate political policies and the opportunity to foster our interrelationships with each other on a more personal level while enjoying the experience.

A Sneakpeek into MUN: Harvard

Model United NationsModel United Nations is advocated for so many schools in many countries around the world because of its many beneits. Not only is it experiential learning in a diverse environment, but delegates also need to understand global issues and their implications, and the interconnections between countries around the globe. The UN stands as a main hub for maintaining peaceful, open multilateral cooperation between Member States. The diversity of HMUN was also an eye opener. The ethnic, cultural diversity of nations is a global issue that we should deinitely be aware of as global citizens in the world. We hold prprejudices against other ethnic and social groups when we have less or no chances to hold contact with. MUN provides a platform for students or delegates to break out of these preconceptions. Even in HMUN, I saw this change in many delegates. For instance, during our conference on HIV/AIDS in the Middle East, many delegates gave speeches fuelling frustration on the responsibility of Third World countries to cope with their internal struggles using their own resources, and through HMUN, they may have learnt the importance of living multilaterally with a diverse ethnic and cultural environment we see in the wworld today. In addition, there were a number of activities speciically engineered so that we could gain a global perspective on the world.

Panel discussions were held on the second day ranging from university-orientated talks to literature and history prepared by our honorable chairs. It was dificult to choose one to attend – all of them seemed equally enticing! In the end, I opted for the topic of ‘US-China Relations through the Prism of Chinese Philosophy’. In the talk, the speakers cleared misconceptions that the media had constructed on the international relationship. It urged me to relect on my own habits – is absorbing so much knowledge a good thing? Won’t we essentially be leaning towards one side of the argument and neglecting the other? The mediamedia dramatizes US-China relations by generalizing US’ “fear” of being caught up by China, but the speaker brought to the light the fact that the competitive relationship was beneicial for both countries, in terms of economy and society.

A key highlight of MUN is the cultural diversity. Delegates learn much more about the diverse cultures away from their home towns. In four short days, I met delegates not only from all over China, but even others from Singapore, Pakistan, Russia and Poland. Essentially, it facilitated cultural exchange between the delegates. It was insightful to delve deeper into the diverse socio-political backgrounds of other delegates. In the Global Village, we were given time to relax and simply delve into the joy of appreciating cultural performances, like dances and singing talents, all specialities in other countries. Delegates all sang togethertogether to a rendition of Fun’s “We are Young”. They held hands and danced to the lyrics. It was certainly a night where our young hearts were linked with fun and joy.

At MUN, we overcome dificulties, we write resolutions, we practice our advocacy skills and we make new friends from the other side of the world. We might not be able to solve all the problems in the world, but we can deinitely join MUN for laughs, for diplomacy and most importantly to learn.

by 5F Michelle Kan

Character: Seldon Cooper

From: The Big Bang Theory

Acted by: Jim Parsons

Sarcastic Quotes:

Sheldon: Why are you crying? Penny: Because I'm stupid! Sheldon:Sheldon: That's no reason to cry. One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid, and that makes me sad.

Character: Sherlock Holmes

From: Sherlock Holmes (BBC Verson)

Acted by: Benedict Cumberbatch

Sarcastic Quotes:

“Dear“Dear God. What is it like in your funny little brain? It must be so boring.”

Character: Dr. Gregory House

From: House

Acted by: Hugh Laurie

Sarcastic Quotes:

“That was awesome. I gotta start pretending to care.”

The title of this article is sarcasm, and very obviously, I will be talking about sarcasm here. I hope the title of this article is not your thought bubble right now, because I’m going to be so sad that I’ll never ever write an article again and instead, will just hide in my room for ever. Just joking! That was sarcasm. As you can see, I’m a person who likes using sarcasm a lot, so I’m guessing that’s why I get to write an interesting article on it.

SarcasmSarcasm can be defined as an ironic taunt or a cutting remark. It can be used to create humour or mockery. Sarcasm can be seen everywhere, from a normal conversation to advertising and even in song lyrics. In advertising, where sarcasm is used to create emotional branding, the sarcasm is usually strong and dark, which might even infuriate the audience. However the impact it creates fulfills the aim of an advertisement, that is, to make a lasting impression on customers. In song lyrics, sarcasm is used for humor or sometimessometimes just for plain negative commentary. Sarcasm – not only can it give people a good laugh but it can also be potentially offending. As we can see, sarcasm is a tool that can also be used to disrespect others.

Sarcasm can be used in many different ways, ranging from the typical schoolyard ‘Yeah, right!’ to the sarcastic comments on ‘Big Bang Theory’, a TV show which entertains thousands of people. As we can see, there are different levels to the sophistication of sarcasm, allowing it to be both the ‘lowest form of wit’ and also the ‘highest show of intelligence’. The ‘Yeah, right!’ comment is really common in chats everywhere and is often used by even the thickest of people just because they can’t find anything else to say. In these cases,cases, sarcasm provides a very low level of humour and is not the best choice when having a formal conversation.

Although sarcasm is fun to use, you really need to be careful about when and where you use it. Sarcasm might seem very easy and simple to use, but it is actually very hard to control. In order to master sarcasm, you need to be sure of where and when to use it. You should use sarcasm depending on the situation you are in, it is mostly appropriate at events or environments that are generally relaxed. Do not use sarcasm on serious occasions like funerals or business events where it might not be appropriate. By using sarcastic comments withwith care, you can save yourself from embarrassing misunderstandings and you may become the fun guy at a party!

From this we can see power of language - a simple phrase with a different tone can convey a totally different message to the reader or the listener. Language can be both humorous and offensive depending on the tone and words used. Now you know that sarcasm is hard to control and little mistakes might affect the meaning of your sentence a lot, creating misunderstandings that may even offend some people. So take extra care before you make a sarcastic remark!

By 4I Georgina Less

In my opinion, I think sarcasm and humor in a song, without turning it into a novelty song, is really charming.

~Alanis Morissette

“I’m talking to anyone who’s been dumped, not gotten the job you really wanted, or received those horrible rejection letters from grad school,” she said. “You know the sting of losing. Or not getting something you badly want. When that happens, show what you are made of.”

ThisThis is a quote from the commencement speech delivered by the recently fired New York Times editor, Jill Abramson. A woman undoubtedly filled with vigor and passion towards her job as well as a tough and unbreakable spirit even in the face of criticism, she was ousted for supposedly being “pushy”, “aggressive” and “difficult to deal with”. All tootoo familiar adjectives commonly used to describe female superiors and mostly females alone.

In her book ‘Lean In’, Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg quotes an experiment done collaboratively by Columbia Business School and New York University professors; they distributed a case study by Harvard Business School about a successful entrepreneur. Half of the students received the case study about an entrepreneur named Heidi while the other half received the exact same study but with the other half received the exact same study but with the name changed to Howard.

The feedback was amazingly revealing, Howard came across as a more appealing colleague, Sandberg writes. "Heidi, on the other hand, was seen as selfish and not 'the type of person you would want to hire or work for.' Showing how same data with a simple difference — gender — created vastly different impressions.impressions.

As shown unanimously in numerous surveys and studies, women are often penalized for possessing the same characteristics that make men appear to be “effective” leaders. In the case of Jill Abramson, she wasn’t the first editor to demand perfection, she wasn’t the first editor to dole out harsh comments but she was undisputedlyundisputedly the first ever female editor of the New York Times. Did gender play a part in affecting public perception towards her? I think most likely yes.

We may extol the virtues of gender equality, sing praises of having women in the workplace and even call for more women to ‘lean in’ and leave their own blazing trail in the largely male-dominated boardrooms. However, when it boils down to our attitudes towards female behavior, not many of us are free from socially ingrained prejudice and preconceptions. ingrained prejudice and preconceptions.

Women have undeniably made significant progress over the years, launching glittering careers in many fields. Nevertheless, the core issue of true gender equity still remains unsolved. Many attempt to solve this gender issue, trying to pinpoint the cause of the absence of women in boardrooms, parliaments andand even oval offices; numerous studies, articles and books have shown that it all boils down to the supposed lack of confidence due to differences in gender constructions.

By 5F Marie Lim

Equality

From a young age, we often try to suppress our true thoughts and opinions for fear of being wrong and judged; and so it is no wonder that we may have come to embody the characterization of ‘low-confidence’ and possess immense self doubt. There is even a term called the ‘imposter’ effect, where female leaders and figures of authority oftenoften doubt their abilities and view themselves as imposters despite proving themselves capable, time and time again.

On one hand, as society, we coach our boys to become aggressive and confident leaders, without fear of social repercussions and unlimited ambition whilst we urge our girls to maintain their obedience and skillfully navigate the complex web of unspoken rules and expectations with full awareness of the perils of ever being too assertiveassertive and ambitious. These distinctive differences in upbringing and grooming are the most likely causes of this great gender inequality.

Ultimately, I believe that true equity will only come to exist when we fundamentally reform the rigid gender constructions present in society. A society where it is okay for boys to cry, where it is okay for men to become househusbands, where it is okay for men to become ballet dancers instead of soccer players; where no girl will ever be called ‘bossy’‘bossy’ and ‘aggressive’, where women no longer feel the need to sugarcoat their requests and tame their ambition, where we can be recognized for being effective instead of aggressive; this society should be one that we all strive towards creating, not just for ourselves, but for the future Jill Abramsons and Sheryl Sandbergs, we definitely need. need.

Girls have always been educated to ‘be seen but not heard’, to not be overly aggressive lest we intimidate others, to hold ourselves back because ‘nobody likes girls who are too good at everything’. When we enter womanhood, we are told to work hard, lie low and recognition will come in due course; we are advised to stall our careerscareers in order to search for potential marriage prospects because ‘no man would want a wife more successful than he is’, we are cautioned that if we were to become too successful, we would end up as old spinsters, alone and unwanted. In a nutshell, we are groomed to suppress our emotions in order to fit the stereotype of the perfectperfect and accommodating wife, mother and colleague.

As women, when we are told off for being ‘aggressive’, ‘pushy’ and ‘domineering’, it is natural for us to reflect on and attempt to change our demeanor, in hopes that it wouldn’t jeopardize our social standing and others’ impression on us. When we are admonished for being ‘bossy’ and ‘selfish’, we cringe and do our utmostutmost best to reverse these statements, to drown out the urge to speak up, to become shadows of our true selves. I remember once when my father told me that I asked too many questions and that I was too argumentative for a girl, it struck me as being grossly unfair and I questioned why boys and men get to dominate conversations, express theirtheir opinions and are even encouraged to speak their mind while being a girl often necessitated silence.

Four weeks before the Easter holiday, I got on a plane to Seoul, Korea for an exchange program. I had mixed feelings. One part of me was really excited to go to Korea, imagining school life to be as exciting as the scenes in Korean dramas I have watched in the past, but another part of me was worried I wouldn’t get along with my Korean classmates or my imaginations of Korean school life would be completely crushed.

By 4I Georgina Lees

Let’s start with a simple question.

What is Korea?

Traditions?

KPOP?

electronicbrands ?

The plane trip to Korea was surprisingly interesting. I sat next to a Korean professor from the University of Hong Kong and we got started on a conversation after I offered to help her put her bags in the overhead compartment. She was a really down-to-earth person and told me about her experiences as a professor going to different cities to promote the University. We also talked about Korean culture. Being a Korean herself, she gave me a few tips on how not to make a fool out of myself in Korea like dont assume everyone in korea looks like idols.

AAfter I landed in Incheon airport, I met my buddy, Seonjae with her mother. We awkwardly greeted each other and got on the bus that would take us to Seonjae’s home in Gangnam. Yes, the Gangnam in “Gangnam style”.

SeonjaeSeonjae took me to many places during my trip, we went to Myeongdong, Namsan tower, Insadong and many more. Those places were famous shopping streets and scenic attractions. I was overwhelmed by the amount of people there were, especially Chinese tourists. One thing that struck me was the advertising in Korea it was highly exaggerated. Korean stars were everywhere -on beauty products, food, drinks... you name it.

SSchool life in Korea was very different from ours. In Cheong Shim International Academy, students have to stay in the dorm during weekdays, they can only go home during the weekends. Some who live far away actually stay the whole week studying at school. Speaking about studying, Korean students are really hardworking! After all the lessons in the morning, they have a ‘night study period’, which starts around 6:30 in the evening and finishes at 11:30 at night. Plus, the night study is compulsory for students. Before or during tests and exams, the studentsstudents sometimes study until 2:00 in the morning in the study rooms located in their dorms. This was a great shock to me, especially because I normally sleep around 10:00-11:00 and I would have never imagined studying until 2:00 in the morning. Perhaps this is the real side of korea, which is so diferent from the popular korean pop culture that we are used to, where teenagers of our age give in all they have to climb up the social ladder.

This exchange trip has brought me more than the experiences mentioned above, It’s brought me friendship and I’ve learnt traits like patience and determination. In CSIA, I have made many friends that I will remember and treasure for the rest of my life. My friends at CSIA were welcoming and we got close very quickly. Living and studying together all the time, all students in CSIA are like a big family, closer and more empathetic with each other than even their families. I feel very lucky and immensely grateful to be accepted into their family. Although I want to tell you moremore about my trip, those memories cannot be written in words, it is something you need to experience yourself.

The trip was truly an experience of a lifetime and if I get the chance, I would definitely go again. Korea, you are such a land of wonder, please show me more of your hidden beauty on my next trip.

Interesting stories were submitted by students and we chose the best to publish in Veritas Flammas Issue#2. Now sit back, its story time!

He looked up to see Annie flying with her glittering wings.Surprised at the fact that she had recovered, his jaw dropped before he cried, “You can grant my wish now!”Annie’s face darkened, “Rudy, I’m sorry but I cannot do that.”“What?” Colour drained from Rudy’s face, “But you promised me!”“If I grant a person’s wish, I will die.” Annie replied apologetically.

AAt that moment, the police broke in. Rudy was stuck between two masculine police officers, as if he was a meat patty between two slices of bread in a hamburger. The man in a blue uniform said, “You are under arrest. I am charging you for stealing.”Rudy was taken to the police station.

As soon as she saw the big burly policemen, Annie fled. But the pathetic look Rudy gave her was imprinted on her mind. It hurt. So much that she felt the urge to cry.“He“He helped you”, a voice mumbled in Annie’s head, “He’s in trouble because of you. And you’re going away just like that? That’s so nice of you.”Annie grumbled, “But I can’t give up my life.”Her consciousness said, “You don’t have to. Helping doesn’t mean granting him a wish. He didn’t cure you by magic.”“But how?” asked Annie. “That, my friend, you will have to figure out yourself.”

WWhile Annie was still struggling with her conscience, Rudy was getting more and more anxious with every passing second. His parents were coming. What was disconcerting was the fact that them coming together guaranteed a frightening consequence for Rudy. He rubbed his hands together nervously and more sweat appeared on his palms. Here they were.

“You nasty boy, how could you?” Mrs Black slapped Rudy hard, leaving a crimson mark on his face. Mr Black nodded his head. His eyes showed distaste towards his own son. That was the first time his parents had stood on the same side in a long time, Rudy thought bitterly.

AA sudden ray of shimmering light attracted everyone’s attention. “I’m the reason why Rudy borrowed those items,” exclaimed Annie. After a bit of fuss, she managed to explain the whole thing to everyone at the station.

“He wants you two to stop fighting. He wants his happy family back.” She pulled Mrs Black’s hand with all her strength and put it on top of Mr Black’s hand. Mrs Black seemed to realize how much smaller her hand was in comparison with Mr Black’s, so she flattened his palm to see the full difference. He noticed the creases on hers probably caused by the exhausting housework. He intertwined his long fingers with hers on impulse.RudyRudy watched the entire scene in awe. He didn’t know what he was feeling, extremely delightful or ill? His stomach stirred because he was not used to seeing the affectionate moments of his parents. Rudy asked in a hushed voice, “Did you cast a spell on them, Annie?”Annie winked at him and grinned, “I’m not telling you.”Rudy’s parents pulled him into a firm embrace. He was not sure which parent patted his head or pinched his nose, but all he felt was love. Though he was sandwiched between two people, he sure did not feel like a hamburger this time.TheThe police officers were sniffling and one blew his nose very loudly with a tissue during the drama. They persuaded the victims to give up their charges on Rudy, and succeeded in doing so. Rudy walked hand in hand with his parents back home. Meanwhile, Annie flew away to a place far from Ravenswood. Rudy wondered if Annie had granted him his wish or not. Was Annie still alive? He didn’t know the answer, but Annie was definitely and would always be alive in his heart.

Every Man for HimselfMichelle Chan 3C

He listened, paid attention, took heed to the babble around him. He had his eyes closed shut and assumed the rhythm of breathing of a man in deep slumber.Although only catching a few phrases of the conversation, he knew what had been conversed about. They had been talking about that for the last few days, that and nothing else.

IIn the next hour or so, he lay motionless, the raised voice or the heavy footsteps of his companions did nothing to stir him. He was conscious of his surroundings and thought it was better not to acknowledge his wakefulness.

Around noon, knowing that his peacefulness would be disturbed, he rubbed his eyes in a languid fashion and let out a yawn. He knew what was expected of him. Flashing a meek smile at his companions, he set off.

TThe island was fledged with trees and plants of all kind; and it comprised lofty mountains, and swift-flowing rivers dashing through the enormous plains. He walked for a couple of miles through the maze of trees, searching for sustenance.

After several hours of fruitless search, he was thinking of turning back in despair, when casting his eyes forwards he saw a sight that sent a thrill of pleasure through his chest. Several meters away, stood a rabbit. For the last few weeks, he could only find berries and other seemingly poisonless fruits; animals were as rare as hen’s teeth in such an uninhabited island.

TThe creature was heading in a direction opposite to his, and thus did not perceive him. He rested upon a rock, then, stealthily, surreptitiously, threw his makeshift dagger towards it. The animal sprang into the air and came crashing down, teetering for a moment or two, as if in a convulsion, and then stopped moving. Dead.

HHolding his trophy in one hand, he hastened to return, for dusk was drawing near. Retracing his path, a thought ran through his mind and successfully brought his footsteps to a halt. Lost in a brown study, he contemplated, mulled over the idea, over and over; at long last, he decided to bring it into fruition.

He tuned back and trod deep into the wood.

When night fell, he finally came out, bringing with him a handful of berries and a bundle of sticks. He approached his companions, and told them in an apologetic manner that he had lost his way and that berries were all that he could find. They narrowed their eyes, then grabbed at the nourishments and wolfed them down without any effusions of gratitude. He built a fire in the meantime.

After the so-called meal, he took a reclining position on the ground and became absorbed in his own thoughts, while the other occupants of the island succumbed to sleep.

HHe knew the reason he had lived that long was because he was useful to them (he did all the work) and that they thought him to be meek and did not pose much of a threat. They had

already killed Tom and Bill. His turn would come sooner or later. He had to act fast if he was to survive the ordeal. He also knew that he could not eliminate his companions unlawfully since he still held out hope of being rescued and going back to his country. His stomach was growling despite having eaten the rabbit’s haunch.

TThe next morning, on awakening, his companions found cuts of rabbit meat lying beside the fire. Ever since the death of their two companions, they had not tasted anything that could really satisfy their hunger. From then onwards, they had been going to sleep on a near-empty stomach. Like ravenous lions ready to tear apart anything that stood in their way, they fought each other to death, determined to be the sole enjoyer of the meat.

He looked on the fighting from a distance, wholly unaffected by the cold-bloodedness of it all.

A A crooked, triumphant smile pasted on his face.

#括號為女方心中實際所想的（電話響起，屏幕上顯示henry...）

Hey，henry︕怎麼了︖你看到我昨天晚上打電話給你的來電顯示(每日去任何地方時都要 call 告訴我你的位置及和誰一齊，讓我清楚你的行蹤，這是為你的安全起見)沒關係，你不是說你看世界杯看累了嗎︖和誰一起看啊︖兄弟沒關係，你不是說你看世界杯看累了嗎︖和誰一起看啊︖兄弟們嗎︖我當然相信你了( 不准對我講大話)我知道你不會亂來的，你知道我最怕你和別的女人一起了，我大前天在中環晚上好像見到你和...是你姨媽啊︖（不准同任何15歲以上35歲以下無血緣關係既女性單獨外出，解釋不了就等死吧）呵呵，你想怎麼補償我︖你上次不是已經送了個呵呵，你想怎麼補償我︖你上次不是已經送了個gucci包包給我嗎︖不要再怎麼花錢寵我了。(這次禮物一定要相近水準）啊︕下個星期好像有很重要的日子，我不清楚，你還記得嗎︖我怎麼樣也想不起來了( 我希望你會記得一切大時大節生日同紀念日，我不會提，亦會裝大方，但不代表我想你失憶。)對對，就是我們相識對對，就是我們相識30天紀念日了。那我們下星期出去吧︖去哪裡好啊︖隨便︖真的隨便︖(整天問你約會去那都說「隨便」，這不是讓我只是表示你沒有心思想。) 你說你去找好玩的地方︖不要又是海洋公園或者是迪士尼了，多不浪漫啊! 我最喜歡有心思的男人了（無論拍拖多久，我都渴望你時不時給我驚喜）好吧，你要工作嗎︖真的要現在去嗎︖愛工作還是愛我多一點好吧，你要工作嗎︖真的要現在去嗎︖愛工作還是愛我多一點︖（你要時不時對我講「我愛你」，否則我會假設你不愛我。）謝謝，我也愛你。下星期見︕不要下星期才找我喲（ 每日起碼要打一次電話給我，因為我會掛心你）

（電話顯示12:45和五個來自HENRY的未接電話）（HENRY的電話又響起）

Hey，HENRY，你說你到了︖不是約好一點見嗎︖你怎麼那麼早到︖（我沒有錯，永遠是男方錯）哦，是約定十二點嗎?哦，是約定十二點嗎? 我為了你而特地挑漂亮的衣服才搞亂了時間( 如果我遲到，都只是因為我想穿著漂亮點見你，所以你不要也不能生氣)我這高跟鞋穿得我好不舒服啊疼死我了，我怎麼跑過來啊︖天氣熱死了，我動不了。快來接我。(我不開心，無論是否你的錯，你都快點來哄我) 你的林寶堅尼呢︖沒有︖不要放棄，再挨多四十年就沒有你的林寶堅尼呢︖沒有︖不要放棄，再挨多四十年就沒有問題了(你不一定有錢，但最好都有比較遠大的目標和理想，在未來才有成為一個有錢人的可能。)一會你見到我你可能會認不出來呢，有很大變化的(當我剪了兩吋頭髮時希望你會留意到) 我不知道我的變化是好還是壞呢。還有，夏天來了，我是我不知道我的變化是好還是壞呢。還有，夏天來了，我是不是應該要減肥了︖（如果我跟你說要減肥，其實最想聽到你跟我講︓「你一點都不胖不用減啦，現在這樣正合適。」）你真善解人意啊︕聽你那麼說，好像我是沉魚落雁似得，太過獎了 (我知我不是全世界最好的，但我希望你覺得我是，時不時要讚我人靚樣靚身材正可愛溫柔和善解人意)HENHENRY啊，一會我讓PETER送我過來，你不要不理他啊︕（我有男性朋友很正常，你要包容）一會見，你再等一會吧︕

女人心，海底針，望各位不要輕易猜測了......

巧悟春去春來，流年已去不復返。光陰似箭，四年的青蔥歲月，轉眼就過。讓人難以置信的是，距離文憑試僅餘不足兩年了。

猶記得初中時，同學們三五成群地在課室外的走廊嬉笑打鬧，在猶記得初中時，同學們三五成群地在課室外的走廊嬉笑打鬧，在課間休息時亦有閒情逸致從七樓飛奔到一樓的食堂，而在放學後也有不少的時間大家聚一聚，笑一笑。如此悠閒美好的光景彷彿已經一去不返。每到週末，五花八門的功課堆積如山；各科的測驗接踵而來，沉重的學業負擔讓我失去了原有的安寧，取而代之的是壓力，、壓力和壓力。

升上中四後，有如在一晚之間長大的孩子，我踏進了一個嶄新的升上中四後，有如在一晚之間長大的孩子，我踏進了一個嶄新的未知世界。

考試範圍一下子增加了數十倍，試卷的難度也相對地提高了十數考試範圍一下子增加了數十倍，試卷的難度也相對地提高了十數倍。溫習的時間爬得比什麼都快，要溫習的課本卻彷彿取之不盡，而應考的時間更是轉眼即逝，快到我都要喘不過氣來。然而，我們都沒有任何的退路。選擇新高中學制，就意味著在那一個月的考試期間，你要把你的畢生所學傾囊而出，就在你那顫抖著沁著汗的手心裡，掌握著你的未來。因此這餘下兩年的刻苦學習，顯得多麼的重要。隨著年月的推移，有趣難忘的學校活動都已經完成得差不多，數數手指，ROP已是一年前的事了。現在，學習完成得差不多，數數手指，ROP已是一年前的事了。現在，學習已經成為同學們唯一的目標和方向。

四辛 譚依然

背負上畢生前途的責任，我肩膀的擔子很重。幸好，沿途並不孤單。

為了充分地準備每個校本評核和考試，高中的學生都特別好學，為了充分地準備每個校本評核和考試，高中的學生都特別好學，我也不例外。儘管上課不是特別地專心，下課後卻不知疲倦地打攪老師，深怕因為自己一刻的分神而導致考試的失分。遇上良師，對於學生來說可謂是如虎添翼。聖保羅的老師總是孜孜不倦地教授我們，每當他們派發整理好的筆記給我們時，就像得到了千軍萬馬，頓時信心大增。所以，在這條崎嶇的路上，惘然若失的我們幸好有老師的幫助。

當然，沙漠裡也偶有綠洲、甘泉。這一道在雨天後綻放的彩虹，當然，沙漠裡也偶有綠洲、甘泉。這一道在雨天後綻放的彩虹，正是一路扶持的同學們。每當我打著瞌睡，挑燈夜讀的時候，電話裡會閃過“我也在溫習”的訊息；每當我生不如死地做着中文報評和書評的時候，打開本班的群組，會看到“我還差三份啊”的留言。我很慶幸，無論如何，我還有一群難能可貴的戰友，和我一起肩並肩地走過這段荊棘路。

文憑試固然可怕，但是我們總要勇敢面對，才能闖出一片天。又文憑試固然可怕，但是我們總要勇敢面對，才能闖出一片天。又或許，多年過後，它會帶給我們更多刻骨銘心的回憶。緣由天定，份在人為！但願我們皆能保持一顆赤子心，用真摯的感情，面對生活，面對人生！

臨別回首感嘆人生有多少無奈，但只求不要忘記這一段輕狂歲月裡，我們曾這樣走過。

While the quality of our activities and services is always our top priority, the way we promote them on stage is equally important. I have gained valuable experience in public speaking, and though I may not be a good presenter, I feel more confident and natural on stage which I am sure will help me as I further my studies.

Furthermore,Furthermore, I have come to realize the importance of being well-organized. With extra duties and workload this year, it is vital that I make plans well ahead of time, and execute such plans precisely with a great degree of self-discipline. This is because, together with my presidential responsibilities, I also need to make sure that I do not fall behind in my studies. Such plans, as I have realized, are intensely useful as they give us a clear direction to follow.

MyMy teammates and I have also learnt a lot more about being open to ideas and opinions. The student union often receives a huge variety of comments from teachers and students. Disagreements also occur among SU executive committee members, and to solve conflicts amongst ourselves, we must respect each other’s views, and be willing to make compromises. It is not only within the SU that disagreements occur. As we all know, in life, there are situations where we must make compromises, it could be in our education, it could be in our family, it could be among our friends, it could be anywhere. Hence, it is vital that we take both criticismscriticisms and positive comments in our stride and improve based on them. All comments are equally valuable and most of the time, these opinions and criticisms help us grow both as individuals and as a team.

Last but not least, my experiences this year have given me a whole new perspective of the school. Before taking up the post of SU President, I used to think that SPCC students are rather passive in nature, and not many of us are willing to give constructive opinion towards school affairs. Yet, through different channels like classroom visits, I realized that many St. Paulians are passionate towards school affairs, and most are capable of providing us with concrete and feasible suggestions, though only a handful are comfortable with voicing out in public. With more encouragement and support from teachers and peers, I am confident that SPCC students can become much more active in the near future.SPCC students can become much more active in the near future.

As this school term ends, it is time for us to pass the flame on to our successors. On behalf of Xire, I’d like to wish them all the best in serving the students of this wonderful school, and we hope that St. Paulians will continue to support the work of the student union.

And lastly, to all students, excel to inspire always!

Sincerely,Louis Cheng

President of Xire

Being the president of a student union has undoubtedly been a life-changing experience. That said, I would first like to thank all of my fellow executive committee and committee members for their efforts in the past year, as it is only with their contribution and hardwork that I could fulfil my duties as a president. We would also like to thank all our schoolmates for their support and contribution throughout the school year. It has been a great privilege to serve you in the past months.

II believe one of the best parts about being an executive committee member of the SU is that we learn a lot of skills, skills that we can’t learn out of textbooks. But skills that I’m sure will be useful in future. They include the opportunity to speak in public, the importance of being well-organized, and being open to others’ opinions.

Name: Jade LiPostition: Internal Director of XireIt has been nearly 300 days. Time has flown by and suddenly it’s the end of the year, and we have come this far.

NoNo one said it was easy, but with a common ambition, 8 of us took this step and our life has changed since September. Being a part of the Student Union was not what I expected. It wasn’t really fun, instead it was tough, very tough. Intense meetings, preparation work, presentations, quarrels, criticisms… all these are enough to leave one exhausted.

However, I have never regretted being part of this amazing team.

From the inauguration ceremony to the TS Carnival, and from the From the inauguration ceremony to the TS Carnival, and from the Teacher-Student Carnival to our last event - the Games Day, the joy that I have got from the SU experience is immeasurable. Your laughter is our motivation. Your support shows us that it is all worth it. Thank you so much, all St. Paulians,for choosing Xire and giving me such a great privilege.

ThisThis has indeed been an unforgettable journey that will stay in my heart forever.

Name: Tiffany ChungPosition: Financial Secretary of XireThe end of the school year has come round again. Yet this time, it is so different from the previous years as it marks the end of my journey as financial secretary in the SU. BeingBeing a part of the SU is harder than I thought. In the beginning of the year, when I was deciding whether to run for the SU, I had many doubts and did not know if this would be the right choice. Somewhere I felt I would regret it if I did not join. I still remember the numerous sleepless nights spent on the preparation of activities, making posters and videos. It was indeed a tiring experience and the workload was demanding, but it has also been a most fruitful experienceexperience for me. The things I gained from the work of the SU have been worth the effort and the sleepless nights. It has trained me to be better at time management and I’m more willing to face challenges now. Not all parts were tedious in the SU, it was fun to handle the financial arrangements in the SU, such as calculating budgets. It helped me learn financial skills that I might never touch under any other circumstances. OfOf course, my time in the SU would never have been so enjoyable without the support from the other executive committees, especially Justin and Jocelyn. I want to take this chance to give thanks to everyone who helped me this year. The memory of being part of the SU will stay in my heart forever.