IEW-Pang Wing Pui/Final Draft Ch.4/13-1-2016

The Memory of a Playground                  

When I was in primary school year 3 and 4, I lived with my maternal grandparents because my mother was busy with her work. After finishing the daily homework, almost every day if the weather was good, my grandmother and grandfather would bring me to play in a children playground. It was located in one of the normal public housing estates in Hong Kong, in fact there were a few playgrounds in one estate, so it is easy to found one near any of the residential blocks. Those playgrounds were very similar, but I thought the one which was the nearest to my grandparents' home was the most interesting because the slide was a bit longer and there was two extra swings. I thought it was a higher level playground compared with the others, and that was the reason why it was bustling.

  The rush hour in the playground was around 4pm to 6pm in the weekdays. It seemed that all the children in the estate has come there. It was surrounded by two residential blocks, thus every weekday at that period of time, those flats which the windows faced toward the playground would hear the big noise from the playground. There was full of the sounds of screaming, laughing and yelling. But it was normal, no one would ever complain about that. At that time, children did not own computers and there were no smart phones or I pads, so playing in a playground was our most important entertainment.

   The floor was laid by square rubber safety mats, which was chequered with red and green colours like a big chessboard. The size was around half of a basketball ground. The sharp yellow slide was set on the right side and a green seesaw, a yellow merry go round and two brown swings were set on the left side. Except the walkway which is next to the slide, another sides were surrounded by trees and benches that the housewife mothers were sitting and chatting under the shade of trees while their children were having fun with the playground equipment. My grandmother usually would chat with some of the housewife mothers on the bench and my grandfather would sit aside and listen to the radio in the pocket of his shirt.

  The playground was a social network of the children. I met many new friends there, many new friends who were not from the same school as mine. We usually played hide-and-seek, it is the most excited and interesting game ever. When the catcher were on the floor, I would run to the upper side of the slide, when he/she come up, I slid down. Sometimes I was not fast enough to run. The game would be joined by more and more children as more children had arrived. In the playground, I saw many children were running around. With the sound of heavy breath, their faces turned so red and their front hair blew up because they were running so hard. A child were running around the merry-go-round while holding one hand on the handle for turning it quickly. The children standing on it were laughing happily. There was full of the smell of sweat. At this moment, their mothers would call them to stop for few minutes and drink some water. So do my grandmother.

  After 5 o'clock, part of the children had left, they were unwilling to leave because the game wasn't ended and their friends were still there. But of course, they had to listen to their mother. I realized my grandparents spoiled me so much that they would let me play so long until the game end. As the sky was turning darker, children were going home. The playground returned to quiet. I went home with my grandparents and grandmother started to prepare for dinner. When we left the playground, they would always ask me with smile "Did you have fun?". I would answer surly" Yes!! I had." with a sweaty and red face.

  I miss the simple life when I was living with my grandparents. Every time when I walked pass the playground, I think of the happy time when I was in childhood and the love of my grandparents. They spent those time in the playground just for my joyful growth. They just want me to be happy. I appreciate so much they have brought me the happy memory of children playground. Nowadays, children are in high stress of the busy schedules of heavy homework, dancing class, math class, music instrument class and so on. The children playground is no longer bustling as before. Some of the equipment were renewed and some of the equipment were even removed. Now it is hard to find a swing or a merry-go-round in most of the playgrounds. Sometimes I think I was lucky to be born in that decade.

IEW_Alexandra_The Mysterious Island_final draft

The Mysterious Island

I believe in destiny. I believe that people we meet, places we go and time we spend doing certain things- are the choices that somehow are related by the destiny. The destiny that, I believe, every person is able to build, making choices. Every time I look back, thinking deeply about the choices I had throughout my life, I always see the connection between them and how they actually did bring me where I am now. One of the best choices I had in my life was joining the Korean traditional dance class, which not only gave me a huge variety of experience, but also, most importantly, brought me to the place that wholly changed my life and future plans. For me this place is very special. I call it "the mysterious island".

I had been attending the Korean traditional dance class since I was seven. No matter how much I was busy with school courses and exams I never missed dance classes until I graduated from my high school. For the last seven years while I had been a part of the dance group we have become quite famous in my country, so we had be given the opportunity to practice somewhere overseas. It was the last summer of my high school when my dance group and me for the first time visited our motherland, South Korea, to practice for one month in the Namdo National Center of Korean Performing Arts.

The center is located in the southern part of peninsula- Jindo Island. It takes five hours by bus to go there from Seoul. So as soon as we arrived in Seoul and got on the bus, I already enjoyed the way to Jindo Island. While listening to my favorite music, which is all One Republic's songs, I was looking out the window while the bus had been passing by different cities and villages. I tried to picture in my mind all the beautiful and stunning views I had seen- the wild rice fields, sparkling in different colors, as if someone was drawing the landscape; a breathtaking sunrise at the sea, which had a rich palette- mostly orange-red colors, but in the same time mixed with a dark blue, so I knew the night was almost here. The long way to Jindo Island was full of gorgeous and unforgettable sceneries, as if it was saying me that the Island is more marvelous place. We were crossing the bridge that connects the Island with peninsula, and I already saw a relief landscape with small and big mountains. Since it was late evening, the color of the lay was dark green, because the mountains were covered with forests, like they were under a big green blanket.

The first thing I did when I got off the bus I closed my eyes and deeply breathed the air. The air was very different from Seoul; it was very chilly and clean, mixed with forest and sea odor. Also the moisture in the air made me feel a bit thirsty, so I breathed even deeper, like I literally tried to quench my thirst by breathing.

While living in the National Center, my group and me had been practicing from 9am to 10pm with only lunch and dinner breaks. Even though the schedule was a bit tough, I enjoyed everyday practice, learning more about traditional dances and culture. Every day after the evening practice, I took the shower and straightly went for a walk near the center. The air, the whether and the landscape were exactly the same when I first came. I was walking around as if I was looking for some treasures that the Island might hide from me. But everything what I did is just delighting the surroundings- the dark green dense forests, the impressive mountains and the see breeze. The summer wind, which was winnowing its way through the grass, was another pleasure the nature gave me every night I walked around. In the end, I did not find any treasure, but I definitely found something more significant. I found myself. I found my purpose.

While walking around every night, my mind was constantly full of thoughts- mostly I was thinking of my future, building plans without even realizing it. I clearly could hear myself, like I was talking to myself out loud. I could better understand what was important to me at that time. I dreamed a lot about my future, and I got the dream I wanted to achieve. I got the purpose I wanted to live for. This is how I decided to come to South Korea to get a bachelor degree and realize all my future plans.

The peaceful atmosphere and unique calmness that I was surrounded by spiritually raised me up. At that moment I was truly grateful to the destiny for bringing me to the Island that I still visit every summer. The Island where I can logout from my routine and meditate for a while.

I will never forget this moment in my life. I will never forget the place I was inspired by. And, without a doubt, I will never forget the mysterious island.   

IEW/201301547 Valeriya Bek/ Final draft/ Chapter 4

Unknown Solider

            "The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him", said Chesterton. Today, people do not appreciate how the world is beautiful and forget how thousands of people gave the lives for the pure sky above the earth.

            I visited Moscow and all famous attractions of the Russia on May 2010. After walking on Red Square and observing the great atmosphere of the Russian Kremlin, our tourist group moved outside of the Red Square. We went behind the Kremlin and walked in the park enjoying the warm weather and bright atmosphere of very wonderful place. As I was young, I did not pay too much attention on boring stories of my guide and did not know where we will go next.

            After a several minutes of walking in the park, we stopped in front of the tombstones made of the wine red brick. The blue sky began to fade and I felt how the wind drove me forward at the same as someone was pulling me by the hand. The heavy Iron battle flag laid on the tombstones is hanging above the ground as if it can fall down at any moment. Laurel brunch and scratched helmet solider with engraved star lying on the battle flag make everyone feel the heavy stone of the soul. The smell of the fire, powder and dirty earth scared me. But in the middle of the memorial is a bronze five-pointed star, which has the eternal flame that warms the heart of every person standing near the monument. At the same time, when I was looking through the flame I heard the explosions and screams of people. I squeezed my eyes for a moment and opened to see the bronze inscription above the powerful star that says: "Your name is unknown, your deed is immortal".

            For me, Unknown Soldier's grave is the only one monument that described the importance of the soldiers of World War II without words. Everyone who lives far away from the Moscow can see the monument on TV every ninth of May, the Day of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War. However, TV will never deliver the atmosphere of sorrow, pain and the sense of responsibility for the courage of the soldiers.  When I saw the monument and eternal flame that is slightly growing in the wind at the tombstones in real life, I felt the gratitude and the pride of the country. The tears from the eyes made me understand the importance of the commemoration of the heroes who fought during the war and gave the souls for a life of today's generation.

            The deep silence has scared me and I hear the heartbeat of people standing near me. Even children who were laughing several minutes ago were standing in front of the star asking their parents what does this memorial means. No one wanted to break the silence. But everyone wanted to buy the red cloves at the small counter to honor the memory of the brave souls.

            I did not want to leave this place. I could not breathe and make a step for leaving those soldiers. After seeing the memorial I understood the meaning of happiness, love and peace. Since that time, I feel the gratefulness and apologize for unknown soldiers who gave people the opportunity to see the peaceful sky and pure grass.

IEW: TSE SZE WAI - FINAL ESSAY: THE PLACE WHERE MY DREAM TAKES OFF

A Place Where My Dream Takes Off

    It has been a while since last time I got up to the roof of the observation tower. The wind is fondling my face and the noise made by airplanes is rushing into my ears. The full view of the Hong Kong International Airport is under my sight. It is not a very special place to most of the people in Hong Kong. However, it is important to me. It participated my past; it will also be a part of my future.

  I am the only child in my family. My parents and I are close but sometimes I still needed a fellow by my side to talk to me. When I was attending primary school, I used to sit beside the window, look up to the sky and talk to it. I know it sounds like I was mentally deranged and the picture is very depressing. Nevertheless, I felt my words were heard. I was happy and the sky became my friend. I loved looking at the sky. The shape of clouds and the colour of the sky changed all the time. Sometimes, airplanes flew across the sky when I was looking at it. I thought, 'flying in a plane is the best way to be with my friend. I want to be that close to the sky.' Since then, I had always wanted to go to the airport since it was a place where airplanes took off and landed. Airports are inseparable with the sky.

  When I entered secondary school, my parents started to let me go outside without their company. For the very first time, I decided to go to the airport alone. Hong Kong International Airport was an artificial island and it was a bit far away from the town. I took a bus to go there. When the bus was crossing the highway bridge, I saw an airplane flying on my right side. We were heading to the same direction. After I got off the bus, I went straight to the lobby of departure. What caught my eyes was the airplane that was hung on the ceiling. It was close to the uncovered corridor; I could almost touch it. Suddenly, the scent of coffee poured over me. There were three coffee shops on that floor. I chose the one which was the closest to those full view glass windows so that I could see the sky clearly. All these coffee shops did not have walls. They were like open-air cafes, yet located inside a building. Therefore, I saw people rushing around me. I started to observe the structure of the airport and what people were doing when I was sipping at my hot Latte.  

  The ceiling of the airport was high and contained lots of glass area allowing sunlight to come in. Most of the parts of the airport were made by glass so that people would not feel that they were trapped in it. The interior atmosphere was modern and energetic. At that time, the airport has been constructed for a few years only. Everything in it was new and up-to-date. People in the departure lobby were very excited since they were about to take the airplanes and fly to other places. I was smiling unintentionally when I saw people laughing and taking photos with their friends and families. It was pretty noisy. People were talking about their journey keenly; trolleys and luggage were running in hurry; airplanes were racing on the runways. I usually did not like staying in a noisy place, but the airport was an exception. Those were sound of happiness. I spent an afternoon there. I felt relaxing and had a good mood when I went back home.

  After my first journey to the airport, I went there quite often during the whole secondary school period. I went there whenever I was sad, stressful or depressed. It always calmed me down and made me smile. A dream had been developing during those times I spent in the airport. I want to work in aviation industry and airport; I want to work in a place that gave me so much comfort and happiness in these years; I want to work with my friend who is always there whenever I look up and need to be heard.

IEW_Alexandra_The Mysterious Island 1st draft

The Mysterious Island

I believe in destiny. I believe that people we meet, places we go and time we spend doing certain things- are the choices made by the destiny. The destiny that, I believe, every person is building. Every time I look back on my life, thinking deeply about the choices I had throughout my life, I always see the connection between them and how they actually bring me where I am now. One of the best choices I had in my life was joining the Korean traditional dance class, which not only gave me a huge variety of experience, but also, most importantly, brought me to the place that wholly changed my life and future plans.  I call this place "the mysterious island".

I have been attending the Korean traditional dance class since I was seven. No matter how much I was busy with school courses and exams I never missed dance classes. Moreover I used to spend my leisure time in the classroom alone, practicing dances for our perform events. For the last seven years while I have been a part of the dance group we have become quite famous in my country, so we had be given the opportunity to practice somewhere overseas. It was the last summer of my high school when my dance group and me for the first time visited our motherland, South Korea, to practice for one month in the Namdo National Center of Korean Performing Arts.

The center is located in the southern part of peninsula- Jindo Island. It takes five hours by bus to go there from Seoul. So as soon as we arrived in Seoul and got on the bus, I already enjoyed the way to the Jindo Island. While listening to my favorite music, which is all One Republic's songs, I was looking out the window while the bus had passing by different cities and villages. I tried to picture in my mind all the beautiful and stunning views I had seen- wild rice fields sparkling in different colors, as if someone was drawing the landscape; a breathtaking sunrise at the sea, which had a rich palette- mostly orange-red colors, but in the same time mixed with dark blue, so I knew the night was close. The long way to the Jindo Island was full of gorgeous and unforgettable sceneries as if it was saying me that the Island is more marvelous place. We were crossing the bridge that connects the Island with peninsula, and I already saw a relief landscape with small and big mountains. Since it was late evening, the color of the lay was dark green, because the mountains were covered with forests, like under a big green blanket.

The first thing I did when I got off the bus I closed my eyes and deeply breathed the air. The air was very different from Seoul; it was very chilly and clean, mixed with forest and sea odor. Also the moisture in the air made me feel a bit thirsty, so I breathed even deeper.

While living in the center, my group and me have been practicing from 9am to 10pm with lunch and dinner breaks. Even though the schedule was a bit tough, I enjoyed everyday practice, learning more about the Korean traditional dances and culture. Everyday after the evening practice, I took the shower and straightly went for a walk near the center. The air, whether and landscape were exactly the same when I first came. I was walking around as if I was looking for some treasures that the Island might hide from me. But everything what I did is just delighting the surroundings- the dark green dense forests, impressive mountains and see breeze. The summer wind, which was winnowing its way through the grass, was another pleasure the nature gave me every night I walked around. I did not find any treasure, but I definitely found something more significant. I found myself. I found my purpose.

While walking around every night, my mind was always full of thoughts- mostly I was thinking of my future, building plans without even realizing it. I clearly could hear myself, like I was talking to myself. I could better prioritize the things that were the most important to me. I dreamed a lot. I got the dream I wanted to achieve, I got the purpose I wanted to live for. This moment in my life I will never forget. I will never forget the place I was inspired by. I will never forget the mysterious island.  

 

IEW/201301547 Valeriya Bek/ Chapter 4/ Draft

Unknown Solider

            May 2010 was the time when I visited Moscow and all famous attractions of the Russia. After walking on Res Square and observing the great atmosphere of the Russian Kremlin, our tourist group moved outside of the Red Square. We went behind the Kremlin and walked in the park enjoying the warm weather and bright atmosphere of being in such a wonderful place. As I was young, I did not pay too much attention on what the guide is saying and did not where we would go next.

            After a several minutes of walking in the park, we stopped in front of the tombstones made of red brick.  The Iron battle flag laid on the tombstones is hanging above the ground as if it can fall down at any moment. Laurel brunch and helmet solider with engraved the star lying on the battle flag makes understand every one the meaning of this monument. In the middle of the memorial there is a bronze five-pointed star in the middle of which the eternal flame warms the heart of every person standing near the monument. The bronze inscription above the star says: "Your name is unknown, your deed is immortal"

            For me, as a person who was born in Russia, Unknown Soldier's grave is a favorite monument because even people who do not know the history of the Russia can see the monument on TV every ninth of May, the Day of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War. However, when I saw the monument and eternal flame that is slightly growing in the wind at the tombstones in real life, I started to feel the pride and love of the country and the tears from the eyes made me understand the importance of the commemoration of the heroes who fought during the war and was giving their live for a life of today's generation.

            The deep silence has scared me and I hear the heartbeat of people standing near me. Even children who were laughing several minutes ago were standing in front of the star asking their parents what does this memorial means very quietly. I did not want to leave this place because I could not breathe and make a step for leaving. The feeling of gratefulness and apologize that a lot of unknown soldiers make us see today the blue sky and green grass.

IEW-PangWingPui/1st Draft a children playground/ 10-1-2016

 When I was in primary school, I lived with my maternal grandparents because my mother was busy with her work. After finishing all the daily homework, almost every day, if the weather was good, my grandmother and grandfather would bring me to play in a children playground. It was located in one of the normal public housing estate in Hong Kong, in fact there are usually a few playgrounds in one estate, so you could always find one near every residential blocks. They were very similar, but I thought the one which was the nearest to my grandparents' home was the most interesting because the slide was a bit longer and there was two extra swings. I thought it was a higher level playground compared with the others, and that was the reason why it was bustling.

  The rush hour in the playground was around 4pm to 6pm, it seemed that all the children in the estate has come to play there. It was surrounded by two residential blocks, thus every weekdays at that period of time, those flats which its windows faced toward the playground would hear the big noise from the playground. Screaming, laughing and yelling. But it was normal, no one would ever complain about that. At that time, Children did not own a computer and there were no smart phones or I pads, so playing in a playground was our most important entertainment.

   The floor was laid by square rubber safety mats, chequered with red and green colour like a big chessboard. The size was around a half of a basketball ground. The sharp yellow slide on the right side and a green seesaw, a yellow merry go round and two brown swings on the left side. Except one side of walkway which is next to the slide, another sides were surrounded by trees and benches that the housewife mothers were sitting and chatting under the shade of trees while their children were having fun with the playground equipment. My grandmother usually would chat with some of the housewife mothers on the bench and my grandfather would sit aside and listen to the radio in the pocket of his shirt.

  The playground was a social network of the children. I met many new friends there, many new friends who were not from my same school. We usually played hide-and-seek, it is the most excited and interesting game ever. When the catcher were on the floor, I would run to the upper side of the slide, when he/she come up, I slid down, but sometimes I was not fast enough to run. The game would be joined by more and more children as more children has arrived the playground. In the playground, I saw many children were running around. With the sound of heavy breath, their faces turned so red and their front hair blew up because they were running so hard. A child were running around the merry-go-round with one hand holding on the handle for turning it quickly, the children standing on it were laughing happily. There was full of the smell of the sweat. At this moment, their mothers would call them to stop for few minutes and drink some water. So do my grandmother.

  After 5 o'clock, part of the children has left, they were unwilling to leave because the game wasn't end and many children were still there. But they had to listen to their mother. My grandparents spoiled me so much that they would let me play so long until the game ended. The sky turning darker, children were going home, they playground returned to quiet. I went home with my grandparents and grandmother started to prepare for dinner. When we left the playground, they would always asked me with smile " Did you have fun?". I would answer surly" Yes!! I had." with a sweaty and red face.

  I miss the simple life when I was living with my grandparents. Every time when I walked pass the playground I think of the happy time when I was in childhood time and the love of my grandparents because they spend those time in the playground just want me to be happy. I appreciate so much they bring me the memory of children playground. Nowadays, children are in high stress in the busy schedule of heavy homework, dancing class, math class, music instrument class and so on. The children playground is no more bustling as before. Some of the equipment were renewed and some of the equipment were even removed. It is hard to find a swing and merry-go- round in most of the children playground now. Sometimes I think I was lucky to born in that decade.