Translated by YANG Jiahui, Kary (Jockey Club Humanity Hall)

CityU Elderly Academy, with the help of four student buddies, namely Ah Man, Carrie, Ping and Ah Shan, organised a summer residential camp on 30-31 July 2010. It was not only beneficial to our mental and physical health, but also full of fun. I sincerely thank you all!

As things sometimes go contrary to one’s wishes, the night before the camp, the more I worried about oversleeping, the harder it was for me to fall asleep. The next morning I was in a panic when I woke up late. Fortunately, I was on time when I arrived at the pick-up point at the University Circle. Then it was time to elect a male and a female camp leader. My name was called out immediately by a classmate who knew I could hardly refuse the recommendation. Nelson, cool and gracious, with sunglasses on, volunteered to be the other leader.

Upon arrival at the Student Residence, we were allocated to different rooms. There followed a talk on “Emotion and Communication” given by Prof. KWAN Yui Huen. After a big lunch, there were another two talks. One was “10 Tips for the Elderly against Being Cheated” by Dr. LI Chi Mei and the other was “Be a Happy Elderly” by Dr. CHOW Oi Wah. We learned a lot from them.

After the talks came the most interesting part - the cooking competition called “Cook the Real Taste”. We were divided into four groups. There were six members in my group and we collaborated closely. We all devoted our efforts to the whole process, from choosing the ingredients in Shep Kip Mei Market to the eventual cooking.

My group’s dish, “The Coolest Summer Longing”, was suggested by my group-mate, Cecilia. We used different ingredients, including winter melon, pumpkin, egg-plants, tomatoes, green beans, peppers , bean curd stuffed with meat, and pork ribs serving as soup seasoning. Old as we are, we were filled with childhood joy, as if we were young pupils at a wild camp. With excellent teamwork, our healthy and delicious dish was born, and yet we were told that it was 40 minutes ahead of time. I felt a little bit worried. Would the original taste and colour remain for the next 40 minutes?

Finally, at 7:15pm, all the dishes were displayed on the referees’ table for grading. The climax of the competition came when everybody was waiting excitedly for the announcement of the results. First came the “Best Story Award” and the winner was “Smell Stay on, Love Pass On”. The “Best Cooperation Award” was given to the “Wild with Joy in the Buddy Camp“ team. With the announcement of the 1st Runner-up award, “Healthy Vegetables and Beans in Portuguese Sauce”, my group-mates and I knew for sure that we were the champions! I hugged Cecilia with excitement. Everyone applauded and cheered passionately for the teamwork of my group.

The next morning we visited Kwun Tong Christian Family Service Centre, which enhanced our understanding of its services for the elderly and the community, and also aroused our interest in voluntary service. The residential camp at the CityU Student Residence was a fruitful programme and ended successfully in a joyful atmosphere.