A Magazine for the Women of Hong Kong • November 2019 NOVEMBER 2019 The American Women’s Association of Hong Kong, Limited. Established in 1956 We are a vibrant organization of international women. Our mission is to welcome and empower women to connect and contribute in Hong Kong. AWARE PRODUCTION TEAM EDITOR Stephanie Chan [email protected] ASSISTANT EDITOR 12 Samantha Merton CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Chan Georgia Davidson AWA Executive Board Annie Fifer Contents Cassidy Klein Beth McNicholas Vasavi Seethepalli Rehana Sheikh News from the Board 2 GRAPHICS AWA Enjoys 3 Jacky Ngan Better Know a Member 7 ADVERTISING MANAGER Rehana Sheikh Reboot Your Professional Life in Hong Kong 8 [email protected] 10 Grant Recipient Update: Helping Hand and Project Concern 10 PUBLISHED & PRINTED BY A Very AWA Thanksgiving 12 R&R Publishing Ltd. My Hong Kong Neighborhoods 14 2126 7812 [email protected] The Liang Yi Museum 18 www.rrpublishing.com.hk Tackling Fashion Waste with Redress 20 Calendar 21 PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE AFTER READING. 18 The AWA office is open from Monday-Thursday 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM. We are closed on Hong Kong public holidays. VISIT THE AWA WEBSITE: www.awa.org.hk LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/awahk FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @AWA_HK FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @awahongkong Any opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author only and do not represent the opinion of the American Women’s Association. Any reliance by the reader upon any recommendation or opinion in this publication is at the reader’s own risk. The AWA accepts no responsibility for any loss which may result from such reliance. Copyright 2019. The content of the AWAre publication is the property of the American Women's Association. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is strictly prohibited. Information from within the publication may not be distributed without the express written consent of the American Women's Association. NEWS FROM THE BOARD News from the Board By Stephanie Chan, AWAre Editor IT’S NOVEMBER, and for many of Sailability, the charity that received us, that means remembering all we the grant, offers specialist sailing have to be thankful for in our lives. This programs for people with disabilities. year, for me at least, the exercise is Anchors AWAy took third place in both harder and easier than usual: their division and ninth place overall harder, because of the daily barrage in a field of more than 30 boats. of bad news and violence; yet easier, Congratulations to the Saturday since I (like many people who will read Sailors team that helmed Anchors this), enjoy the incredible privilege of AWAy, and to everyone in AWA — having a foreign passport — of having, it’s your fundraising efforts that made in the end, other places to go. this day possible! At AWA we are thankful for all our Speaking of which, AWA’s members who continue to turn out fundraising endeavors are a great and support our events, from a sold- way to support the local community out Welcome Back Breakfast at the in these tough times. The current beginning of the fall to the activities state of unrest threatens to take its and fundraising events that we continue to run in an greatest toll on the underprivileged, whose needs — as unpredictable environment. charitable donations committee chair Beth McNicholas If you’re feeling overwhelmed about living in Hong points out on page 10 of this month’s issue — are Kong right now, you’re not the only one. But one of the surprisingly basic (think fans and water heaters). It’s an best antidotes is staying active and doing something to honor to be in a position to help meet them. improve your connection to the culture and history of this So we hope you will join us for our Charity Bazaar, to city we all call home — whether it’s a walking tour of a far- be held on November 7 at the PMQ compound in Soho. flung neighborhood, a fascinating talk with a local Whether you come to volunteer or to shop — or hopefully, historian, or a heritage festival outing. to do both! — you’ll be helping to support one of AWA’s As we hold the safety and wellbeing of all of our flagship fundraising activities and to give back to your members to be of the utmost importance, we have fellow Hong Kongers. created a contingency plan that lays out how the AWA will proceed in different scenarios involving civil unrest. (Adverse weather conditions and cybersecurity Mark Your Calendars! challenges are also addressed.) AWA activity coordinators have been apprised of the policy, and it’s Charity Bazaar Thursday, November 7, 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM available on our website for you to review. PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Soho On a lighter note, in October three members of our board were delighted to visit the Hebe Haven Yacht Club Holiday Party in Sai Kung for the christening and official launch of Wednesday, December 4 Location and time TBA Anchors AWAy, a Hansa double-handed dinghy whose recent purchase was enabled by an AWA grant. 2 AWARE November 2019 AWA ENJOYS Heritage Series: Deity Hau’s Birthday Festival Welcome New Members Julianne Anzman Zoe Lawler Benedetta Benassi Barbara Leland Sue Carter Manon Manno Rebecca Dance Bhakti Mathur Orla Deignan Lauren Mills Michelle Farrell Kristin Morse Domestic Workers in Hong Kong Talk with Jason Wordie Carol Gatiss Amie Reed Chantal Gobel Paola Repetto Jacqueline (Jacci) Shikta Sapkota Grawburg Nadine Slater Sitara Kohli Jahna Szabo Annette Kornblum Diana Van Dooren Mindfulness through Mandalas November 2019 AWARE 3 AWA ENJOYS Welcome Back Breakfast The American Club, Tai Tam THIS YEAR’S breakfast featured a fresh new format, with Thank you to our sponsors: fewer speeches, more time for mingling, a curated selection of vendors and an informative panel discussion — while keeping the parts members have come to love and expect: an energetic performance by the AWA Globe Paddlers dragon boat team, a lucky draw and nice takeaways from our generous sponsors, Asian Tigers, Hybrid Gym and The Entertainer. Looking forward to gathering again with all your AWA friends? Save the date for our annual holiday party on Wednesday, December 4 (location to be announced). 4 AWARE November 2019 AWA ENJOYS November 2019 AWARE 5 GLOBE PADDLERS PRESEASON NOW THROUGH DECEMBER WHERE: STANLEY BEACH WHEN: MORNINGS, TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS $150 per practice Beginners welcome (including non-members) Land training from 9:15-9:45 AM; paddling 10-11:30 AM Saturday clinic scheduled with Coach Cordi for Nov 23 Email [email protected] or WhatsApp 6693-3517 for more information or the link to sign up. FEATURE Better Know a Member: Kristin Zeising How long have you lived in Hong Kong? I have been here them or take inexpensive transportation is another. But the one year. unexpected bonus was meeting amazing people. I feel so How long do you think you are going to stay/live in Hong fortunate that making friends here has been so easy. Kong? We moved here for my husband to advance in his job What do you most dislike or find most challenging about as a Cathay pilot, which required him to be based in Hong HK? The dreadful summer heat and pollution. I’m an Kong. It will be a while until he’s senior enough to bid for a outdoorsy person and get stir-crazy staying inside. base back in the States. So I’m prepared to be here for the What do you wish someone had told you in advance of long haul! your move? That I should avoid comparing it to San Diego. Where are you from, and where have you lived? I’m For the first six months I was comparing the two and I felt like originally from New England. I was born in Massachusetts my heart was in two places. I realized I needed to stop that and also lived in Connecticut before my family moved to the and just embrace all that Hong Kong has to offer. It really San Francisco Bay Area. Once I became a licensed helped me settle in. psychologist, I was ready to branch out and had What challenges have you found in your work always loved the ocean, so I moved to San life in Hong Kong versus the U.S.? I’m Diego. I fell in love with the easygoing beach fortunate in that it’s been pretty community, endless sun and perfect straightforward and easy starting work here weather. as a psychologist. I didn’t need to get an Children/family status? I’ve been with additional license, and having a my husband for 10 years. His family is dependant visa allowed me to be scattered around Europe and my employed in Hong Kong. I joined a brother and parents stayed put in the group psychotherapy practice called Bay Area. No kids for us. Although I am MindnLife and am working on making considering getting another fur baby one connections and building my clientele. day. The only challenge is that clients have What is your greatest fear? One of my long work days, demanding schedules greatest fears has been public speaking. I and travel frequently so syncing up our would do anything to avoid having to be schedules can be a bit difficult at times. onstage in front of people. But that wasn’t going Where is your favorite travel destination? to get me anywhere professionally so I chose to face There are so many; how do you pick just one? I the fear in order to get past it.