JUNE 2019
Fel Castañeda, Senior International Tutor
Countries: Colombia, Costa Rica, Canada
Languages: English, Spanish, French, a little
Cantonese
Q: How is connection important to you?
Connection is the way for us to show empathy and
compassion. As social beings, we use connections
to fulfil our desires not to feel alone. Of course,
individuals are all different, and we bond over
different things, but the need for connection is the
same – this is what makes us human. This is what
humanity is always looking for.
Q: In what ways can we can bond with each other?
Art, food, home, literature… it's less about the
culture which the individual is brought up in, and
more about shared experiences that go
beyond a specific space and time.
No one exists in isolation.
Q: What connections have you
noticed here in HK?
I’ve noticed a disconnect between
students and their education.
Students have the desire to connect,
Left: Studying in Canada. Right: Making friends.
certainly, but the system sometimes leaves them
disengaged. Students often focus on their grades, but
not on the process of gaining skills. The mentality
discourages them from finding greater purpose. This
is happening in much of modern society, which,
unfortunately, promotes such values. Eventually,
people become indifferent and lose hope and passion,
as well as the drive for changing for the good. It boils
down to being honest with oneself while striving to
do better in different ways. Only then can we build a
genuine connection with ourselves and our potentials.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
BY RACHEL LAI
Noga Zaborowski,
International Tutor
Countries: USA, Israel, Brazil
Languages: English, Hebrew,
Portuguese, a little Cantonese
Q: How is connection
important to you?
To me, connection is super important.
I think empathy is pretty much the most important
value in the world, and empathy is what you need to
make connections. I think a lot of global issues and
inequalities exist partially from a lack of empathy. In
the end, we’re very social beings. Everything we do is
somehow motivated by our relationships with other
people and our desires to influence them.
Q: Now that you have been at EdUHK for a year,
how have your connections changed?
The longer I've lived here, the more I've learned
about the local mindset. At first, I thought life in
Hong Kong was completely different than what I
encountered previously in the West. But as time goes
on and I adapt to the patterns of Hong Kong life, I
understand people’s actions and thinking more and
more. I think it’s been really good to live in Tai Po
for this reason, as I can connect with “more local” life
rather than the expat-heavy world of the Island.
Q: What’s been your strongest connection in HK?
Definitely language. I’ve been learning Cantonese
this year, which has helped me connect with people
a lot better, from students in the halls to shop ladies
at the market. People are always surprised to hear
me speaking even a few broken words! Language is
such a powerful tool, opening the door for further
conversation and connection. I hope to keep working
on my Gwondungwa even if I leave Hong Kong!
Left: With family. Right: On top of Hong Kong.
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