The Road Less Taken

By Erica (Age 14, St. Paul's)

Though there is no documentation of this word in every dictionary printed, nor am I able to type this word out without being underlined in red, I am certain that the word crossroadsphobia exists. Maybe not literally, in black and white, but deep in our hearts. This term refers to the fear of crossroads, or rather, the phobia of making big decisions. I am no psychologist, but ask any teenage who is about to decide on his or her career choice whether he/she has crossroadsphobia. Nine out of ten will give you a positive answer.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

To be truthful, I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. There are just too many options to choose from, too many choices to make and the idea of doing the same thing for the rest of your life is quite intimidating and terrifying. Imagine choosing the wrong path for yourself and regretting your choice for the rest of your life. Let's say you work for thirty years, twelve months, and five days per week. That's a total of 7200 days, or 172,800 hours. In such a competitive and cutthroat world, the margin of error is very limited. You do one wrong thing or choose the wrong path once and you're heading for failure. If I were to choose between doing something that I have passion for or simply working for money and security, I would definitely choose the former one. Wasting all your time chasing after something that you don't even like is idiotic. However, this does not mean that I am not tempted to do what everybody wants or expects me to. Sticking to the mainstream is always a no-brainer and the chances of failing are lower. Why take the risk when there is an almost foolproof way out?

One of the main factors why people are reluctant to create their own career path and break free from what their parents' had previously established is the fear of failing. The chances of failure people face when they create something new are relatively higher than those going for the more taken route. When you travel along the road less taken, there is completely no assurance and no guarantee you will succeed. You are thrust into a space of emptiness, a place where everything is possible if you work hard enough and, though not necessarily, have the luck. You will have to work very hard in order to gain respect from your social circle and you may enjoy less comfort and financial security, not to mention more worries and pressures.

There is significant difference in the answers given by a child and a more mature teenager when they are presented with the never-ending question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" When I asked my sister the same question, she replied, "A policewoman, so there will be no baddies in the world." I didn't have the heart to tell her that justice doesn't always win over darkness every time. When I asked my friends the same question, I was bombarded with "doctors", "lawyers", "bankers", and "engineers." I know I don't have the right to judge, yet I couldn't help but wonder how many of them really wanted to do these jobs for the rest of their lives.

The belief that you cannot excel in anything you don't have a passion for is absolutely true. In school, lessons that do not interest you seem to drag on forever and no matter how hard you try, the grades for that particular subject never improve drastically. On the other hand, time passes like an arrow if you're attending your favorite class and even without deliberately cramming all the notes into your head, you just do better in it. Without an interest in what you are doing, it is impossible to generate good results from it. Passion is the element that drives you to strive for better results each time. As the lyrics for the famous Bon Jovi song goes, "It's my life, it's now or never. I ain't gonna live forever." No way am I going to chase after somebody else's dreams and aspirations for me, nor am I willing to take a path everybody opts for just because it's easier. "Be the change you want to see in the world," Gandhi said once. I'm still confused about my future and any goals that I set now may be subject to change due to my fickleness. You may see my name on a banker's business card, at the top of a TIME article or on the cover of a book. Yet, despite all these uncertainties and guessing, there is one thing that I know for sure: You only get to live once.

Jumpia: "A Choice World"

By Jasmin (Age 10, German Swiss International School)

Editor's note: This is a story inspired by Lois Lowry's The Giver.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Last week on the 23rd of August, Explorer John Dibbs found a small community called Jumpia near one of the Spratly Islands. Jumpia is a society where people are not allowed to make any choices. They can only do what is told of them to do. In this place there is a group of elders who make rules for the people to obey. If they don't obey, they get a punishment that the "Group" decides.

We interviewed some people to find out their opinion of Jumpia. Andi Rudolph, the head of security of Jumpia, told us that he thought it was unfair that Jumpia residents could not decide what to do. Andi said: "The prime minister of Jumpia has a council called the Group who decides everything and the residents can only do what the Group wants. I think that this rule should be stopped and residents should choose whatever they want and then it will be the best utopia in the world."

We also asked Mrs. Jessat Dunmore and she said that this rule was fair. She said that it enabled her to be (a bit) lazy and she could just do what people wanted and she didn't need to choose anything. Dunmore and her husband work for the computer company Apitsio and they are managers there. Because of the "Group", Dunmore and her husband only need to go to the Apitsio office once a week.

One of the "Group" members, Jane Alecto, has been very strict about the rules lately. Someone said that Alecto was forcing people to go to work for two years straight with only four holidays in the period of two days. The "Group" has also been unfair to many people, forcing them to do hard jobs with no training at all!

While walking around on the the streets, the "Group" has been harassed a lot of times due to their bad judgments. During these incidents a lot of Jumpians have been hurt. Melissa Abotts, the head judge in Jumpia has had requests to ban the "Group" and let everyone have their own rights. Melissa and her group have had long discussions and have decided.

Yesterday when the crew went to Jumpia the news had spread - Melissa had made her rule. The rule was that if you were over 32 then you could make your own choices. There was also no more "Group". Jumpia was rejoicing when we arrived and we interviewed Melissa. "I really like the idea of banning the 'Group' because even I am tired of them. They made my 32-year old daughter go to Clairons Managing Company and made her work seven days a week with only half a day of rest. They also forced my baby son to go to kindergarten even though he just turned three! How strict is that?"

Now Jumpia is in complete harmony - even the former "Group" people. Jumpia has a lot of shops and buildings opening because the "Group" didnt' allow more buildings and shops. Lots of people are taking a break from work and some are quitting. Agencies for jobs are busy because people want new jobs. What can happen next?

Journey Through Exploration

By Chris (Age 15, Canadian International School)

Learning is an experience of creativity and innovation into one's mindset. Right-brain training has always been the crucial learning component in Hong Kong's learning society. It is a system designed for many local students ever since kindergarten and primary school. However, is memorizing and sticking to the textbook learning style the most suitable and adequate system for our next generation? Having been to both local and international schools, I was fortunate to experience both of the systems and really grasp how different it is to learn in an environment where the student could really explore into his/her own mindset and search for chances beneficial for themselves.

Learning is not about memorizing and storing as much information as you can at the youngest age possible. Learning is a process in which the student has to spend time and explore what is the most constructive and applicable path for him/herself. Seeing thousands of parents signing their one-year old baby for reading and memorizing classes is an utterly dreadful scene. Under the Chinese culture in which "doing what the majority is doing is the safest path", many parents are blindly sending their child to these right-brain training courses without considering what the true meaning of learning is. Is doing what the others are doing always the best possible way? No, indeed it is an extremely dangerous influence on our next generation. Do all of our sons and daughters have to be doctors and lawyers? There are thousands of careers our there waiting to be explored, and the most appropriate method for students is to let them discover for themselves under the guidance and assistance of parents and teachers.

What is the biggest advantage teenagers have over adults and "experienced" workers? Creativity. Young teenagers have the courage and mindset to present their new ideas and express their creativity. It is a crucial step for parents and teachers to open doors for these phenomenal concepts to enter society. We should take advantage of this value in order to create and advance in our community. Making your child memorize and try to read out words at such a young age is actually limiting their aesthetic skills because they will become so adapted to memorizing the textbook and storing information they are given instead of being innovative.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Comprehending the concept while learning is a much more vital and useful concept compared to memorization and "flash card" reading. Through the videos of third-brain training, one may witness how effective this method of teaching is for young children. However, in contrast, I pity these children who were forced to do all this learning. Without doubt, I've also experienced similar learning methods when I was young. Right-brain seems to be an attraction for parents in Hong Kong due to the fact that one may do better on tests and exams with superior memorization. However, as I grew up and realized how poor my memorization skills are, I struggled to keep up with my classmates. There was no way out of this maze. This situation continued until I was fortunate enough to meet a teacher who emphasized to me how important it is to understand the concept instead of trying to memorize everything. What can a one-year old child do with all these words and vocabulary in their brain? What could they accomplish by reading the newspaper if they don't even have the experience and knowledge to understand the news? Flashcard reading and exceptional memorizing skills are nothing more than just a fascinating scene for parents.

One may argue that letting a child choose his/her own freedom might weaken discipline and it may end up in failure. This is true, but only true if the parents and the environment give a negative influence on the child. Through proper guidance and monitoring, a teenager can still have a lot of freedom to choose his/her own career and explore with creativity. Younger generations will not be young forever. They will have to grow and be independent, allowing them some space to make choices for themselves. A good mother will not do everything she could do to prevent her child from falling, but will watch her child fall and help the child stand up again until they stop falling.

"When everyone out there is a square, you want to be the cube." - Brian Lee

Your mind is sitting right above you, whether you take the initiative to explore it and take the chance to express your ideas is up to you. Right-brain training and flashcard memorization for children as young as one-year old is a negligent action. Learning is a process which can be tiring and discouraging, but teenagers have the choice to seek out a career which they enjoy and love. With proper education and guidance, a child could succeed while being creative and passionate for learning. Be creative, be different.

Carpe diem.

The New Idea Burger!

Dear parents and students,

The brand new paper version of The Idea Burger is now available at our office! Here are the links to all of the articles featured in this edition:

• Why I Study Mandarin by Chris (Age 15, Canadian International School)
• Is Being Rich Overrated? by Curtis (Age 15, Hong Kong International School)
• Dear Angry Parent... by Richard (Age 13, Chinese International School)
• Unlikely Friends by Blossom (Age 6, ISF Academy)
• Follow Your Dreams by Andre (Age 10, Diocesan Boys' School)
• The Great Chicago Fire by Ryan (Age 10, St. Paul's)
• Pancakes! by Yi-Ting (Age 8.5, St. Stephen's)
• Yuggles by Erica (Age 10, Chinese International School)
• My Brother by Chris (Age 13, Chinese International School)
• The Perfect Parents by James (Age 10, Renaissance College)
• Hea by Vanessa (Age 13, St. Paul's)
• The Book of Questions by Various 

Congratulations to our wonderful writers!

The KYP Team

April Fools'!

By Sophie (Age 9, German Swiss International School)

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

The darkness took up all the space in my room. I jumped into my bed and relaxed. It was the 31st of March, 11pm. I didn't think I could stay awake much longer. 12 o'clock and it was April Fools'. I had to try. I jumped off my bed and switched on all the lights. The light was so strong, I felt as if I was in the spotlight. I flicked my eyelids and yawned, not knowing if I could stay awake.

I was straining myself to stay awake when my clock's buzzer rang its annoying little tune. I jumped up from bed and ran into my sister's room. "Pinch punch for the first of the month!" I shouted. My sister lurched her fist toward my stomach, and I ran back to my room, giddy with laughter.

That night I dreamed about all the pranks and tricks that would happen tomorrow. Not those tiny little "stick a note on someone's back" tricks, but something big and huge. I thought about my plan over and over, feeling like the most mischievous kid ever.

We lived on a rented small farm, on the coast of North Carolina. Our house stood near the edge of a tall cliff, with a tiny beach and luscious, clear water next to it. We were forbidden to jump from the cliff, or swim in the sea. Every day we had the same routine: getting up at five, milking the cows and feeding the sheep, pigs, cows, and horses. Before school, I was to run to the spring, miles away, to fetch clean water. But not today.

My alarm clock was set to three in the morning, and I was more tired than ever. But today was the day. I got out of my bed, and put on my swimsuit, flippers, and snorkel. Sliding down the stairs, I grabbed the rusty old pot I was to use to gather clean water. Letting the door slowly creak close behind me, I moved over to the edge of the cliff, taking a deep breath. "KAWABUNGA!" I yelled, jumping straight down toward the sparkling sea.

Landing in the cool water, I swam back to the top of the ocean and scooped up water with my pot. Laughing, I pulled myself up to the shore and looked up the cliff, the pot full of water in my hand. I found stairs leading back to the top of the cliff. Taking my flippers off, I carefully placed the pot on the rocky steps and sat down.

At the top of the steps, I sighed in relief, pulling myself upward. I ran across the field, finding that all the animals were asleep. Swiftly, I opened the door and placed the water on the kitchen table, running upstairs to find a towel.

Little did I know that that day, the owner of the house was coming to inspect the house! My mother was cooking breakfast when Mr. Muller barged into the house. "Let me see that," he said, pulling the rusty pot across the sink. Quickly, he gulped down the water, when his face cringed. "Disgusting!" he yelled, his face steaming. "You will move out of this house in a week. Start packing!" His loud voice echoed through the halls. He had ruined my April Fool's joke.

I went to school feeling bummed and annoyed, planning revenge.

A few days later, the whole house had been packed from head to toe. I decided to go and check the mail. My mother was whining about how she should sell the animals. My father was trying his best to calm her down. As I crossed the field, I noticed that the flag on our mailbox was sticking up. Mail! I pulled the door open and pulled out the mail. I noticed there was a letter from Mr. Muller's friend. It said that Mr. Muller had been poisoned by drinking or eating something bad. The farm was now ours! I ran inside to inform my parents, feeling like I just had the best April Fools' Day ever!

My Little Brother

By Chris (Age 13, Chinese International School)

My brother is the most inconsiderate, tardy, irresponsible, unsophisticated, annoying, rude, manipulative, arrogant, selfish, and stubborn person I have ever met on the face of this Earth. My mother has two sons; I'm the first.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

I can describe my relationship between my brother and me in three words - mutually assured destruction - a lot like the relationship between the US and the USSR during the height of the Cold War. We are both constantly in an arms race to find ways to outsmart and overpower each other, whether it's through our parents' approval or through name calling. I would always have the moral high ground and would always have the better defense in an argument. However, a lot like the Soviet Union that had one of the most impressive and secretive spy agencies ever to step on this planet, my brother is the master of manipulation. Although I know he's tricking me, similar to the US, I would fall straight into his trap almost every single time. He would try to get on my nerves by laughing at me etc. and he would always know what buttons to push to get what he wants.

Yet, our relationship could also be compared to the relationship between the US and Canada or Australia and New Zealand. My brother would simply laugh his socks off about every single thing I do wrong, no matter how small the problem is, and I would laugh at him back. Although we do get angry with each other sometimes, in the end the whole thing would turn out to be a friendly competition. Sometimes, I would get angry at him because he would never pay attention to his studies and I would always pick on him about that topic. However, quite like Canada, he would be too stubborn and ignorant to listen to any advice.

I will conclude the assessment of my brother in one sentence: An intelligent child, who is too idiotic to realize how smart he is and reaches for the bare minimum.

My mother always tells me that I had the most attention when I was small. That's why I have a better self-esteem than my brother, therefore I have to be nicer to him. I don't think so, it's his own problem that he isn't as cool as me.

The Great Chicago Fire

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

By Ryan (Age 10, St. Paul's)

"Ring... ring... ring..." I was woken up by the deafening alarm clock. Before I could leap out of the warm bed, I felt absolutely hot and I smelled a burning smell wafting in the air. My first thought was that I was on fire while my eyes were still closing with exhaustion. But there were disastrous screaming sounds outside my house and my eyes opened with fright and shock.

With a quick leap from my bed, I decided to dart out of my house. But I made a mental note that I wouldn't dash through the door because it was all on FIRE!!! My heart was pounding as fast as a cheetah's. Big sweat beads were trickling down my forehead rapidly, and my entire body was shaking with fear.

Almost feeling helpless, I couldn't believe that Chicago was on fire, because we had just built some buildings. But oh! The buildings were all made of wood. Tears were dropping down from my eyes. Suddenly, a marvelous idea came to my mind. Noticing that there was a fire extinguisher beside the bed, I jumped to it immediately and took it in an instant. I quickly sprayed the oxygen all over the door. Smoke was bursting out and the door was broken. I took the cooking glove from the kitchen and cautiously took away the hot, blasting wood by my door.

A smoky road was in front of me and there were many burning houses which caught my sight. I rushed out of my house and when I wanted to take some food for the disaster, my house made a sudden "KABOOM!" noise. My entire house was blown up and it was broken into pieces. Fortunately, I could escape from the disaster, but looking back at the horrible Chicago, I burst into tears, feeling extremely disappointed.

Kid's Healthy Snack (Pancakes)

By Yi Ting (Age 8.5, St. Stephen's Prep School)

Kid's Healthy Snack (Pancakes): A Manual!

Supplies

• Stick
• Squeeze bottle
• Butter (salted and hard)
• 1 pack of flour
• 2 chicken eggs
• 1 cup of water (if needed, two cups)
• A spoon
• Frying pan
• Stove
• A big bowl
• Knife

Instructions

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Step 1: Take the big bowl and pour in half of the flour, then crack two chicken eggs into the bowl. Now take the spoon and stir it for thirty seconds. You need to put a spoon of water from the cup. Keep stirring and stirring and if you need more water, keep adding spoon after spoon. If you want to know when the mixture is finished, look for bubbles; it should have some bubbles in it. 

Step 2: Go to the stove and put the fire to low heat. Now use the knife to cut a little bit of butter into the frying pan. Use the knife to stir the butter around the whole frying pan. Put the mixture in the pan and put the pan on the stove. There's another way: you can use a squeeze bottle. Just pour the mixture into the bottle and squeeze the shape you want onto the frying pan. You can use the stick to check if you are not sure if it is cooked yet. Use a spatula to flip the pancake over when one side is done. 

Step 3: Use the spatula to take the pancake out. Put it onto the plate. It is finished. 

Warnings

• You shouldn't put the fire on a very high heat, or you will burn yourself. 
• You can't leave the mixture alone, or it will burn. 
• You shouldn't just cook one side. If you eat an undercooked pancake, you may die.
• You shouldn't pour the mixture too much onto the pan, or you can't cook it.

Troubleshooting

• When the pancake is burned, you need to put it into the bin. 
• If your kitchen is on fire, take a bucket of water and pour it in the kitchen, then call the firemen. 

The Best Parents

By James (Age 10, Renaissance College Hong Kong)

Once upon a time, there was a boy called Dell. He had a very strict father and mother. They made Dell do all his homework in three hours. They also forced Dell to play the piano and the violin for at least one hour every day. They didn't let Dell go for sleepovers and after-school activities, and made him sleep at ten o'clock every night. They also didn't let Dell eat unhealthy and food that was meat. Dell only could eat vegetables. He only got friends that were very dorky, like people that had very good grades. Dell also needed to get good grades. Dell needed to walk to school every day because his mom thought that he needed more time to do more exercise.

One day, when Dell woke up, he looked at the clock and it was eleven o'clock on a Sunday morning. He quickly woke up and ran to brush his teeth and change his clothes. He dressed up and saw his dad and mom cooking breakfast. He ran down and dropped to his knees and said, "I am sorry, dad, mom, I know I should have woken up at eight o'clock in the morning, but I didn't. Sorry, can you forgive me?"

His dad said, "We turned off your alarm clock because we think we've been too strict on you. We read this article about tiger parents. We know that we should give you freedom. So, today, the whole day is your freedom day. You can do whatever you like and you can say all of your wishes out and we will make them come true."

Dell stood up and hugged them both and said thank you. He wrote down a lot of things and told his parents to buy them. The things he wrote were: PSP (new version), NDS I, iPhone 5, iPod Touch, a MacBook Pro, a 43-inch television, and a Visa card. He played with all of the things he bought the whole day until it was 11:48. Dell asked his dad and mom if he could have two wishes. He said, "Dad, mom, can I have two wishes? If I can, my first wish is to own the things you bought for me today. The second wish is that I want to have just a little bit of freedom: like after I finish my homework, piano and violin, can I play games for awhile? I want to have sleepovers with friends and I want to sleep at eleven every night. I also want these wishes to last forever in my life."

The next day, when Dell woke up in the morning, it was eight o'clock. Dell ran down and saw that breakfast was ready. Dell ate his breakfast and changed his clothes and went to school. This time, Dell's dad and mom said to drive him to school. After school that night, when they ate dinner, Dell's dad and mom said, "Dell, we thought about it all night. We want you to have more freedom. Now, we will set the rules again. You can play with your things after you finish your piano and violin and homework. Piano and violin practice will be changed to fifty minutes. You can have other friends but they can't make you go crazy because you are our only son. You still need to get good grades but you can get one B. We will not be so strict like before. You can eat a little meat but you still need to eat vegetables. You can sleep at eleven o'clock but no later than that. The real thing is, we just want to help you." Dell hugged them and went to play the piano.

Your Language is Your Identity

By Chris (Age 15, Canadian International School)

The process of learning Chinese is a beautiful yet complex and tiring exploration into one's mind. Ever since I was a young boy, my parents have pushed me to learn both Chinese and English at the same time. As a new local student who just entered an international school, English to me was a way more fascinating language. However, I had trouble reading it and my accent became a joke in the class. English has always been the language I want to excel at and become familiar with. As time passed by, I began to realize the beauty of the Chinese language. It was only in the past half a year that I realized my Chinese is way too poor. Being a Chinese person living in a Chinese community, it became very clear to me that learning Chinese is a very important component in my life.

To be very honest, I did not like the fact that I have to learn Mandarin. I always thought to myself being able to know both English and Cantonese is enough to live a life. Moreover, I absolutely adore English because it's the only way to bond with my other friends at school. Since I have been studying in an English school for 8 years, my exposure to the art of Chinese was minimal. Chinese was way too easy for me in an English school, which is why I didn't see the point of learning Chinese outside. However, in the past year, I've been listening to more Chinese songs and started to realize how admirable this language is. Being a Chinese person, I felt that I have the responsibility to learn more about my own culture and language. I began to read Chinese newspapers every single day and write some essays in Chinese using more and more complex vocabulary words. It was hard to convince myself that it was a joy to write something in Chinese. It was a very exciting adventure to try and improve my writing every single time.

Chinese is an elegant language which takes a lot of patience and time to understand. Of course being a Chinese myself makes it a lot easier to learn it. I am always heavily impressed by any foreigners who could speak fluent Chinese. It takes a huge amount of determination and perseverance to learn a new language, especially Chinese. I think it's an important value to treasure and explore. It really widens up your scope in a Chinese community.

It is true that Chinese may not be the most important language in the world, but it is no doubt one of the most mysterious and elegant languages in the world. I have once doubted learning Chinese, but as a Chinese, I have discovered how big of a mistake it is to drop your own language and get hold of another foreign language. Your own language is an important value to yourself. It is crucial for you to learn it before learning a foreign language. Mandarin for me and any Chinese person is a language which represents a part of our identity.