Photo Gallery - BridgeUSA-FUSIA’s J-1 Internships

2010-06-08 - Over 50 CCIP Session A students took part in the annual Museum Mile Festival yesterday.

With over 31 years of history, 9 museums including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and more along Fifth Avenue collectively open their doors from 6PM to 9PM for New Yorkers and visitors for a mile block party and visual arts celebration. The Museum Mile, a traffic-free, music and art-filled celebration, packed the streets and sidewalks of Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 105th Street.

After interning, students gathered at the 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue subway station. Because there were many museums to visit but little time, after a group photo, students broke off into smaller groups and sampled the varied cultural flavors of the festival on their own terms.

Monica (Qiushi Wang), a student of Lingnan University said, "I read about it; I talked about it. Now I am actually walking along the real Fifth Avenue. Doing this and being able to see all the museums for free was a blast. I am glad that I came."

Joe (U Hang Leung), a student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong commented, "With the pressure and responsibilities of the internship slowly arising, I'm just happy for this chance to… relax."

Ryan (June Kit Fan), a student of the University of Hong Kong who arrived just in time to catch the end of the festival had this to say, "No way was I going to miss this. I am glad that I made it. It was worth it."

Most students stayed up until the end of the festival and then headed back to the housing facility, echoing Ryan's sentiment.

On Friday, June 4, a group of Session A students gathered a FUSIA to go over their process. The roundtable is a CCIP tradition for CCIP and students still fresh in their internships and new to New York City, gathered to share their observations and experiences.

The roundtable consisted of two parts. In the first, students took center stage, speaking about what they gained and observed after their first two weeks of training. Students were asked to share their views on the difference between the place that they imagined and the real New York City, evaluate themselves and their peers, and discuss gains from each assignment. "I'd never expected to have my lunch breaks in front of the Manhattan skyline. The experience was totally unexpected and exhilarating ", a student of Lingnan University commented.

In the second part, students were asked to partake in a discussion that encouraged them to think outside of the student perspective. When asked why the program requires all students, including those who have relatives and friends in New York, to stay together at the Flushing YMCA, Rachel Hoi Ling Yeung, a student of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University answered with applause following, "What's the difference between staying at the YMCA and staying at a dorm in Hong Kong? This is absolutely an opportunity to stay close by our peers so we can share our experiences and get through this together. And that will make our internship in New York significant."

Allen Qi Liu, another Lingnan University student added, "I am impressed by my supervisor. The positive attitude he showed us is going to be ingrained in our minds for good. Working with such a down-to-earth person has been an inspiration to us all."

About the program: The 2010 Cross-Cultural Internship Program (www.exploreinternship.com) brings together university students from Asia and host companies all around New York City, and prepares them for the new challenges posed by the global marketplace. Founded by FUSIA Communications (www.fusia.net), with the support of 34 host companies and 7 universities, the 2010 program has 130 university student participants. For more information, visit www.exploreinternship.com.

2010-08-17 - The Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) successfully hosted an appreciation and networking reception at the Cornell Club in Midtown Manhattan. More than 30 student representatives attended the reception, and expressed their gratitude towards the New York and New Jersey business communities.

Organized by FUSIA Communications (www.fusia.net), the CCIP program provides an opportunity for students get a glimpse of the globalizing marketplace by interning at different host companies in the program. This year, the program has reached 130 students and 34 participating companies.

The reception, organized by the CCIP students, aimed to express appreciation for the meaningful opportunities given by the host companies. More than 40 host company representatives were present. In addition, Zamruni Khalid, the Malaysia Consul; Samuel Pierre, Brooklyn Borough Director; Byron Lee, Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and Raymond Yeung of the Chinese University Alumni Association also came to the reception to show their support.

The reception lasted almost two and a half hours and kicked off with an appreciation ceremony and a video produced by the students. The video documented the students' gratitude to the host companies and their experiences in New York. It was well received and ended with applause and laughter from the audience.

The video was followed by a speech given by Elizabeth Kay, the founder of the program. Elizabeth hoped that students not only gained training experience, but also learned to appreciate those who have contributed to their growth.

Samuel Pierre, a Brooklyn Borough Director, gave a speech on behalf of the Mayor's Office in New York City. He began his speech by saying "Ni Hao" ("Hi" in Chinese). He praised the program's efforts by taking students from Asia and showing them a whole new world.

Raymond Yeung, another speaker and representative of the Chinese University Alumni Association, was impressed by the students' video. He praised the program for providing the Chinese University students with overseas internships through its Global Internship Program

In addition, three host company representatives shared their experiences. This included Leith ter Meulen of Landair Project Resources. She gave credit to the program for benefiting not only the students but herself as well. Bee Gee Summers of The Knot, Inc. highly recommended the students' performance. Walter Rivera of Rivera & Colon, another speaker, was deeply impressed by the maturity and professionalism of law students from the University of Hong Kong

The ceremony ended with the song 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)' presented by CCIP students. It expressed the students' sincere gratitude to their host companies, CCIP and the New York and Jersey City business communities.

2010-08-07 - Students of the Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) took part in the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival on Sat, August 7 and Sun, August 8. The festival took place at the Flushing Meadows Lake and attracted over 10,000 spectators. This year, the festival celebrated its 20th anniversary and had its highest number of participating teams.

Students hosted a booth (Chinese Cultural Workshop) and raced in the competition. The racing team, made up of 14 CCIP students and FUSIA staff members, embodied the spirit of cooperation which spanned different cultures. Each participant wore a unique T-shirt featuring a five person icon symbolizing diversity and the synergy of unique differences through teamwork to accomplish great things.

The team took part in four races, including the 250 meter and 500 meter races. Yan Yi (Teresa), a student of the University of Hong Kong was the team captain. She said, "Our team was brilliant! It was our first time rowing. It was a boost to our confidence when the time we set was must faster than our trial. We couldn't have done it without the dedication of our rowers, drummer and steering man. As everyone was fresh, we did encounter some problems in our practice, but it turned out to be a memorable learning experience."

Aside from the races, 12 CCIP students manned the booth: a cultural workshop teaching kids three activities: Japanese origami, Chinese paper-cutting and using water-painting and finger-painting techniques to draw on hand-made fans.

Bowie was involved from the very start of planning. She commented, "We started the planning in April before we arrived. At that time, we had no idea about New York, so it was especially challenging. It is not so much about the achievement, but our participation. I am very delighted that all the volunteers were so friendly and helpful. Even the rowers helped out to in manning the workshops. In short, the weekend was great. We had as much fun as the children did in the workshops."

In addition to the booth and race activities, a group of enterprising business students devised the idea of raising money to cover the booth's expenses by selling burgers. The goal was $310. The students had successfully raised $259.

Hon Man Kwong (Clarence), a student of the University of Hong Kong majoring in Economics and Finance, not only took part in the racing, but also the burger team. He commented, "If you only focus on the figure, you may think we didn't reach our goal. But the friendships we have made, the joy we brought to the kids, and the experience we came away with definitely can't be measure in money."

2010-07-08 - The program was giving the pre-departure briefing to Session A students concluding the 2010 Cross-Cultural Internship Program.

KAY: Good evening. Once again, thanks for attending this gathering. I am glad that many of you had great and fulfilling experiences. Many host companies have been very vocal in their praise on students for their dedication and accomplishments. Here, I want to recognize these students by sharing with you the following remarks.

From DSNYC, "The experience with Oma & Stanley have been fantastic! They have been a true asset to our team and we are sad to see them go. We will miss them very much!"

Hamilton Madison House stated that all three of its interns were enthusiastic, professional, and overall, outstanding.

Victor also received positive comments from Rivera. The supervisor never expected that high a level of English proficiency, professionalism and dedication from a Year 1 student.

SCO's Gloria also received high praise from her supervisor for her proactivness and dedication.

Solera commented that Daniel was a joy to have in the office. In fact, they contacted me personally to let me know how good their experience was.

When asked to nominate students who made great achievements, Envirolution immediately picked Esther, the only winner of the STAR award this session. Esther, please come forward and accept this award.

Congratulations, Esther.

[Esther is given the STAR award]

It's time to hand out the evaluation forms. Students attending the University of Hong Kong please look into your envelopes to find your stipend checks, if applicable. The checks also include the $50 subsidy to your school, which the school has requested that we pass on to the students to cover their expenses. For all other students, please speak to your school contact about the subsidy arrangements.

[Handing out evaluation forms to students]

KAY: Look at your evaluation forms when you get them. You will notice that you're one of the many others who have received praise from the host companies. Even though you haven't been mentioned, that doesn't take away the fact that you have done well.

Next order of business, certificates. We will now distribute the certificates to students who have completed the program in good standing. Because of limited time, instead of calling students one-by-one, please raise your hand when we call your name.

Hold on to your certificate. We will need them a little later when we take the group photo.

[Handing out certificates to students]

KAY: Now, questions and answers. Please speak up if you have questions or experiences you want to share.

[Questions and answers]

KAY: Last, please walk up to the front with your certificates. We will be taking a group photo to conclude the session.

[Taking group photo]

KAY: Before you go, I would like to wish you all goodbye and good luck. May you find success at the end of all your endeavors.

[Session adjourned]

2010-07-07 - I. The Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) today announced the Session B activity agenda. Below indicates the program activities:

Post-Arrival Orientation (Week 1): The program will kick off the second session with the post-arrival briefing taking place at the Flushing YMCA on Sun, July 11. The briefing will be divided into three sessions running from 8AM to 2PM, followed by group photos at 2:15PM.

Working Knowledge Training (Week 1): Students who are interested in strengthening their computer skills and software knowledge (such as Photoshop, Illustrator, website building, etc.) will meet at the Conference Room from 7PM to 9PM. The session will focus on working knowledge training. Don't forget to bring your laptops.

Dragon Boat Practices (Week 2): Students rowing in the FUSIA team at the Dragon Boat Festival will be attending two mandatory practice sessions on Sat July 17 and Sun, July 18. Students will meet in front of the Flushing YMCA at 11AM and walk over to the boathouse located at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park for practice sessions.

Museum Tour (Week 2): The program will organize a museum tour featuring the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) on Fri, July 23 from 6:15AM to 11:50PM. Attendance is not mandatory. Students interested in joining, however, will be required to sign up and submit the non-refundable deposit of $16 for the first visit (the second visit will be free) at the orientation.

Mid-Session Gathering (Week 3): The program will be holding the mid-session gathering on Thu, July 29 from 8PM to 10PM for students to discuss their experiences face-to-face. Participation is not mandatory. Refer to upcoming emails for further details.

The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York (Week 4): This year's Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York (http://www.hkdbf-ny.org/) will take place on Sat, Aug 7 and Sun, Aug 8 at the Flushing Meadows Park. We will have a racing team, made up of 14 CCIP students and FUSIA staff members, and co-host a booth with the Flushing YMCA and CCIP student volunteers.

Host Company Appreciation and Networking Event (Week 6): As a token of appreciation for host companies' support and valuable opportunities, the program will host the Host Company Appreciation and Networking Event at the Cornell Club on Aug 19 from 3PM to 5PM. Representatives from both current and prospective host companies, as well as friends and select students of the program, will be invited.

End-Session Gathering (Week 7): Session B students will meet and collect their certificates, evaluation forms and stipend checks (if applicable) at the end-session gathering on Wed, Aug 25 from 9PM to 10:30PM at the Flushing Y's Assembly Room.

II. The following activities are organized by the students:

Students who are interested in visiting DC and Boston can consider going together. At the orientation, we will help interested students form groups.

Students will submit a non-refundable deposit of $30 per event at the orientation. They will decide whether to rent a charter bus (at $1600 plus $100 tip for DC or $2000 plus $200 tip for Boston, price according to information provided by a travel agency; max: 55 students) or take a bus ride that costs about $30 per student. Further details will be arranged by the SAB.

One-Day Self-Guided Tour: Washington, DC (Week 2)

Two-Day Self-Guided Tour: Boston (Week 6)

2010-07-07 - Interning at Envirolution, I was exposed to a plethora of information on energy efficiency and weatherization. As my project for the summer was to develop the education curriculum for training sessions, I was constantly involved in the training process by creating practice questions and schematics for Powerpoint presentations. I was also able to attend numerous conferences and events related to aspects of the green industry, which provided me with a more complete understanding of what my host company did.

As a student with limited working experience prior to CCIP, I feel that this program has been monumental in developing my practical working knowledge. My internship placement has provided me with many opportunities to learn new things and build upon my conversational skills. Additionally, I have also had the chance to improve my leadership skills, both by being involved in the Student Advisory Board and through opportunities and assignments presented over the course of my internship.

While being able to experience the working life in NYC, I have also been able to absorb the cultural aspects of the city when not in the office. Had I not applied to this program, I believe that I would not have had such a comprehensive experience.

During my internship period, there were times when I had to travel around NYC to attend training sessions. At these trainings, I was able to talk to people participating in the sessions (students, teachers, and other training staff), where they learned that I was an intern from Asia. These interactions often led to interesting conversations about cultural differences between the East and West, and even travel recommendations in both Asia and the US.

Throughout the program, I have represented myself in a mature manner, always being conscious of my actions and words. I have tried to set a positive example for other students in the program by being thoughtful and considerate – both in the office and in our living accommodations.

From my participation in the Student Advisory Board, I was able to gain insight on the importance of the involvement of students in the planning process of activities. The program aims to meet the needs of the students, while also helping them to learn and develop practical skills in the working world – without input from student representatives, it is difficult to achieve this.

An internship experience in the US is certainly different than the experience you would get from interning in Asia. In Asia, the focus is placed on the work and generating an end product, whether it be a report or a project. However, in the US, the office environment calls for the development of communication skills and networking abilities. This difference is instantly noticeable when you begin interning.

The advice I would give for future participants is that you need to keep an open mind. We are all here to learn, and without being open to new ideas and experiences, you may miss out on opportunities. Furthermore, students should be proactive. If you have nothing to do at work, don’t sit around and wait for your supervisor to come around and ask if you have enough to do. I believe that supervisors appreciate students who take initiative in the workplace, and those who ask questions to clarify assignment details.

Lastly, the most important piece of advice I have to offer future participants is to take every opportunity you have while living in NYC to go out and explore. The city is waiting for you!

2010-06-25 - The Cross Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) with special thanks to Columbia University, the United Nations and others, is proud to announce the list of student activities for the first session of its 2010 summer program in New York. This also marks a very special step forward in student involvement: students were given the opportunity to suggest and then decide themselves on the activities that would be made available.

This summer, the Cross Cultural Internship Program will be providing four very special activities for Session A students. The activities will include a tour of the United Nations, a campus visit to Columbia University, a walk along Fifth Avenue for the Museum Mile, and a roundtable on healthcare reform.

The first activity, at the Museum Mile Festival, is scheduled for June 8. It will have CCIP students experiencing an art celebration with over 50,000 others and breathing in a big breath of New York as they go down from 105th to 82nd Street, touring nine of the country's finest museums.

The next two activities, both scheduled for Friday, June 25, will be a visit to the Columbia University campus and then a dash back downtown for a tour of the United Nations. The Columbia University campus tour will once again be back on the activity roster due to positive feedback from CCIP's 2009 students.

Students will then trek to Morningside Heights and gather on the steps of the Low Memorial Library. From there, they will receive their first glimpse of one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the state of New York. Afterwards the students will head down to midtown for a guided tour of the United Nations. There, CCIP students will come to understand the work of the UN as it is presented to them through young guides of worldwide backgrounds not unlike their own.

In addition, there will be a roundtable given by Atlantis Health Plan taking place at the Flushing YMCA on June 10. Jeffrey Meena, a seasoned healthcare consultant with over 20 years of experience in both the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, will be leading the discussion. He will be giving a presentation on healthcare reform, one of the most talked-about topics in America today.

Special thanks go to Esther Chi-Ting Wong of Hong Kong University, who helped the program come up with the 2010 activities. For her efforts, Esther was recognized at the Session A orientation and given two tickets to the Queens Botanical Garden. Student's choice and these activities all represent a very special step forward in student involvement. This will undoubtedly push CCIP's evolution and growth forward in new and exciting ways.

About the program: The 2010 Cross-Cultural Internship Program (www.exploreinternship.com) brings together university students from Asia and host companies all around New York City, and prepares them for the new challenges posed by the global marketplace. Founded by FUSIA Communications (www.fusia.net), with the support of 34 host companies and 7 universities, the 2010 program has 130 university student participants. For more information, visit www.exploreinternship.com.

2010-06-08 - Over 50 CCIP Session A students took part in the annual Museum Mile Festival yesterday.

With over 31 years of history, 9 museums including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and more along Fifth Avenue collectively open their doors from 6PM to 9PM for New Yorkers and visitors for a mile block party and visual arts celebration. The Museum Mile, a traffic-free, music and art-filled celebration, packed the streets and sidewalks of Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 105th Street.

After interning, students gathered at the 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue subway station. Because there were many museums to visit but little time, after a group photo, students broke off into smaller groups and sampled the varied cultural flavors of the festival on their own terms.

Monica (Qiushi Wang), a student of Lingnan University said, "I read about it; I talked about it. Now I am actually walking along the real Fifth Avenue. Doing this and being able to see all the museums for free was a blast. I am glad that I came."

Joe (U Hang Leung), a student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong commented, "With the pressure and responsibilities of the internship slowly arising, I'm just happy for this chance to… relax."

Ryan (June Kit Fan), a student of the University of Hong Kong who arrived just in time to catch the end of the festival had this to say, "No way was I going to miss this. I am glad that I made it. It was worth it."

Most students stayed up until the end of the festival and then headed back to the housing facility, echoing Ryan's sentiment.

On Friday, June 4, a group of Session A students gathered a FUSIA to go over their process. The roundtable is a CCIP tradition for CCIP and students still fresh in their internships and new to New York City, gathered to share their observations and experiences.

The roundtable consisted of two parts. In the first, students took center stage, speaking about what they gained and observed after their first two weeks of training. Students were asked to share their views on the difference between the place that they imagined and the real New York City, evaluate themselves and their peers, and discuss gains from each assignment. "I'd never expected to have my lunch breaks in front of the Manhattan skyline. The experience was totally unexpected and exhilarating ", a student of Lingnan University commented.

In the second part, students were asked to partake in a discussion that encouraged them to think outside of the student perspective. When asked why the program requires all students, including those who have relatives and friends in New York, to stay together at the Flushing YMCA, Rachel Hoi Ling Yeung, a student of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University answered with applause following, "What's the difference between staying at the YMCA and staying at a dorm in Hong Kong? This is absolutely an opportunity to stay close by our peers so we can share our experiences and get through this together. And that will make our internship in New York significant."

Allen Qi Liu, another Lingnan University student added, "I am impressed by my supervisor. The positive attitude he showed us is going to be ingrained in our minds for good. Working with such a down-to-earth person has been an inspiration to us all."

About the program: The 2010 Cross-Cultural Internship Program (www.exploreinternship.com) brings together university students from Asia and host companies all around New York City, and prepares them for the new challenges posed by the global marketplace. Founded by FUSIA Communications (www.fusia.net), with the support of 34 host companies and 7 universities, the 2010 program has 130 university student participants. For more information, visit www.exploreinternship.com.

2010-05-23 - The 2010 Cross-Cultural Internship Program (CCIP) officially kicked off with the orientations, both the pre-arrival and post-arrival briefings, which took place in Hong Kong and New York.

Taking place every summer from May to August in New York City, the program emphasizes East-West cultural exchange and brings together university students from Asia and host companies in New York City, and prepares them for the new challenges of the global marketplace.

Divided into two seven-week sessions, the program has placed students in companies all around the NYC area which specialize in a variety of fields such as advertising, product design, pharmaceuticals, real estate, finance, law, nonprofit, etc.

Leith Ter Meulen, the President of Landair Project Resources, a company specializing in real estate and a second-year host company participant commented, "We had a wonderful experience with the interns last year. They were bright, inquisitive, and ready for whatever challenge we put before them. They also taught us important cultural lessons about doing business in China that we applied right away. Our whole team is so excited about participating in FUSIA's internship program for our second summer and we are eagerly looking forward to accomplishing a lot of work with the new interns between now and August."

This year represents a significant step forward in the evolution of the program. It has grown to 34 host companies and 130 students of the program's partner universities such as the University of Hong Kong and the National University of Singapore along with the newcomers such as the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Macau University of Science and Technology.

"What makes this year more exciting is not just the increased participation but that the program is receiving more support from companies and universities working hand in hand to foster the growth of the next generation of global professionals from Asia," said Elizabeth Kay, founder of CCIP and the President of FUSIA Communications, Inc.

About the program: The 2010 Cross-Cultural Internship Program (www.exploreinternship.com) officially kicked off its summer internship program. The program brings together university students from Asia and host companies all around New York City, and prepares them for the new challenges posed by the global marketplace. Founded by FUSIA Communications (www.fusia.net), with the support of 34 host companies and 7 universities, this year's program has 130 university student participants. For more information, visit www.exploreinternship.com.

2010 - Dear Laura,

Thank you for having me in Design and Source. I feel that what I’ve gained through these seven weeks cannot be pinpointed down into sections and spread out in a sheet. For the bulk of what I’ve learnt, was not from the various projects completed on the computer screen, but by merely being in Design and Source. It is the people, and the environment, that give me such inspiration.

I remember you reading out Design and Source’s mission statement in one of our weekly meetings, and although I don’t remember it that well anymore, having just heard it once, I remember having an instant pang of admiration. You mentioned that while building a business, you wanted to not only provide decent jobs for a small group of people, but to contribute to the world in a small way. And with this, to me, you are one of the most successful people I know.

From this internship I take away two lessons. 1. The importance of an amiable office environment. 2. The value of determination, strong will, and charisma. I was brought up to think and prepare for a future where work would be stressful and harsh, and I had always believed that “a happy office environment” was just a myth in which companies tell their employees to aim for. Design and Source showed me how different things could be; I was amazed not only by how nice and patient everyone was, but by how closely knitted your family is. I think having dogs in the office sort of sums up that. People are not colleagues, but friends, and even sisters. I guess this is only possible by having honesty, respect, trust and understanding. Everyone works as hard as ever, and most importantly, though work may be stressful at times, everyone still holds some level of contentment. In other words, people are happy. Though I might not go into Business in the future, you have shown me the beacon of what I should strive to achieve in the work place. And you have given me faith, that yes, it is possible to work and be like a family.

In fact, I think what defines you is not how great our sales are, but how your colleagues see you, and I remember William telling me the first day I came how you are the most gracious boss he has ever worked with. You are the biggest inspiration I’ve gained from my days here. As I‘d told Claudia and Lin, to me you are the perfect combination of grace and charisma. It amazes me how you can direct a business and seem to make it so effortless, all the while knowing how much discipline and strength you must possess within. I remember Robert Frost saying “Being the boss everywhere is lonely. Being a female boss in a world of mostly men is especially so.” I can’t imagine how much determination and strong will it must have taken for you to achieve what you have achieved. Many women of my generation are just starting to rise above those archaic social preconceptions; and yet you are way ahead of your time. Your incredible foresight in Terraskin, your respect for us even when we are merely interns, your strength, all these show me how excellence and true success is accomplished. I see so many flaws in myself in your limelight, may I be half the person you are in thirty years. I wish I could have known you better, and I’m sure I would have been inspired even more, but I’ve learnt so much just by have you as my boss for 7 weeks. Thank you for that.

This has truly been an amazing experience, which makes it hard to say goodbye. As life goes on, we must learn to let go, and move on. Yet my memories remain, and forever will I remember Design and Source.

Thank you so much for having us.

Love,
Oma

2010 - To me, the working part in this program is always not the most important section. I joined this internship because I want to boarded my horizons and see the American culture and how the world is like outside Hong Kong. To achieve the most here, I tried to do two things.

First of all, I try to meet new friends as much as I can, including participants of CCIP and strangers. So far, I have made friends with different nationalities and they all have different backgrounds and their own stories. There are so much that I learnt from these people For example, I met a French guy called Will here, he came here to learn English and meet girls. From him I realized what sociable means, he can talk to anyone! He can make anyone laugh. Another example is a Japanese girl called Konago, who comes here to learn dancing. She came by herself with no friends and relative here. She told me how difficult it was at the beginning with her poor English, people barely understand what she was saying. From her, I can see the passion and determination for dancing. I also learn about culture of their countries when I talked to a Spanish and a Mexican who both live on the same floor as me do.

Another thing that I do to make the best use of the trip is joined New York Cares. New York Cares is the city's leading volunteer organization, bringing vital volunteer support to thousands of nonprofit agencies, public schools, and other deserving organizations.

There are dozens of projects in New York Cares that you can choose from. So far, I had been in two projects. One of them is reading bed-time story to children in family shelters, this is really a big challenge for me as I tell a story in an interesting way in a language that is not my mother-tongue. Another one, which I like more, is to give computer skills tutoring in a Spanish computer center, which is comparatively easier to me and also allow me to talk to other volunteers in the sections.

Tips for future participants are: be prepared:

You should be prepared in both attitude and knowledge.

You should have a correct attitude before joining the program. Make sure you know what the program is for and what you can get from the program, do not have an unrealistic expectation. Another thing is you should do research before you come here and try share it with other participants, you will always find out important things that you have missed through sharing. Be prepared! And you will enjoy the program very much!

Download	Universities	Date/Time	Location
	National University of Singapore (NUS)	Jan 12 (W), 2011 2:30PM to 4:30PM	University Hall Auditorium, Level 2, Lee Kong Chian Wing, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road
	The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)	Jan 14 (F) 4:30PM to ~	LT2, Lady Shaw Building B>
	City University of Hong Kong (CityU)	Jan 17 (M) 2:30PM to 4:00PM	83 Tat Chee Avenue, CY303, 3/F, Cheng Yick Chi Building Students of other universities can join this session
	The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)	Jan 18 (TU) 2:00PM to 5:00PM	Amenities Centre S-208
	Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST)	Jan 19 (W) 3:30PM to 5:30PM	Venue: Contact International Office
	Lingnan University	Jan 20 (TH) 4:30PM to 5:30PM	Only available to selected Lingnan students
	University of Hong Kong	Jan 21 (F) 1PM to 2:30PM	LG109, KK Leung Building Contact CEDARS for more