Gabriel Low – Beijing Kids

Making Chicken and Mushroom Pasta, Family Style

Michelle Zhang — Sat, 30 May 2020 05:00:48 +0000

Cooking and eating together with family members has declined in recent years, with families growing more and more distant from one another. For the past eight weeks, my G100 class has focused a lot on cooking meals and dishes for our family members to eat. I, for one, have found cooking to be quite therapeutic.

I could go on and on about the benefits of cooking with your family. It can strengthen the bond between family members, help relieve stress, and can even allow you to pick up a new skill. Not only can it help build bonds and pass time, but it can also construct a healthy family dynamic. One with love, support, security, belonging, and care. A healthy family dynamic is often built by spending quality time together, like going out for meals together, watching movies as a family, or holding family game nights regularly.

Nowadays, family health is often neglected for things that may seem more important, like school and work, and a lot of families no longer take the time to bond or build up a strong sense of trust and togetherness. As a result, family members are often uncomfortable and awkward around one another, and hardly interact and communicate with each other, all apart minding their own business.

Family health also has an impact on mental wellbeing. Someone who may be in an unhealthy mental state of mind may choose to make poor decisions that can further worsen the original problem. Instead of going outside to exercise and workout, which will benefit both mental and physical health. One may choose to stay at home and comfort eat, which can then worsen his or her physical health in the long run. We have never really known much about the importance of eating healthy. We buy cookbooks about healthy recipes, people know and recognize things like the food pyramid, and TV programs promote the importance of a healthy and balanced diet. And yet, we pick fast food over a proper meal and struggle to maintain a healthy diet.

Healthy, homecooked meals are harder and harder to come across. Cooking healthy meals, be it with, or for your family members can help improve their overall health, as you are in full control of what you eat, so it’s an easy way to get your family to eat well. Cooking as a family can also unify family members, getting some quality time together out of a delicious meal, and going past the typical family stereotypes. And in a world where technology is such a huge part of our lifestyle, cooking, when done with other members of your family is one of the few remaining activities that can be considered as an engaging, offline social activity.

Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients

1 Chicken leg (sliced)
7 Cloves of garlic
4 Mushrooms (sliced)
Chicken marinade
Cooking cream
Pasta (the type of pasta is up to you)
Butter (1 tbsp)
Salt
Pepper

Method

In a pot, heat 1 tbsp butter over low heat. Season the sliced chicken with chicken marinade. Salt and pepper is also an alternative.
When the butter has melted, spread it out in the pot before adding in the sliced chicken. This is to make sure the chicken does not stick to the pot.
When the chicken is about halfway cooked, add in the garlic and mushrooms. Let the pot simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Next, add in the cooking cream. Stir the ingredients into the cream before simmering for 2-3 minutes.
Serve over pasta.

Gabriel Low is a year 7 student from the Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing). Originally from Singapore, he has lived in Beijing since 2015. He enjoys playing football, watching movies, and listening to music. He is currently contributing to beijingkids as a student correspondent.

KEEP READING: How to Make Your Own Quick and Easy Dumpling

Photos: Unsplash

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 May issue

Kids on the Frontline of a Cashless Society, but How Do They Feel About It?

Michelle Zhang — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 03:00:27 +0000

Humans have been using cash for over 40,000 years, but now that we’ve entered the 21st century, money has undergone an inevitable change. All around the world, we are transitioning from traditional paper currency to what people call, a cashless society. And living in China, one of the leading countries in transitioning to a cashless country, thanks to the likes of WeChat Pay and Alipay, seeing these changes happen is something to watch.

As a child, I haven’t had much experience with using e-payment apps such as WeChat Pay or Apple Pay, but that enabled me to watch what was happening from the sidelines. According to ForexBonuses.org, China has undergone the highest growth in cashless payments over the last five years. In fact, when I first arrived in China, most people were still using cash to conduct payments. It wasn’t until three years later that my family decided to make the switch from cash and coins to cashless payments.

All of these things were new to me. Back in Singapore, my home country, conducting payments without cash was not all that popular. I still received pocket money in the form of cash, I paid for my food with cash, and never thought of the possibilities of today.

Hoping to find out how others of my generation view digital currency, I decided to ask a few of my peers what a cashless society meant to them.

When asked for his thoughts on living in a cashless society, Gerard S., year 9, told me, “It is much easier to pay without cash, since you don’t have to worry about not bringing enough money, and there’s no extra weight carrying my cash around.”

“I have found it much easier to use WeChat Pay,” expressed Elim K., year 7. “Although at first, I found it confusing and hard to use, it is quite easy to get used to, and it is more convenient than using cash in many ways.”

I later posted a survey on the Secondary School communications channel at the Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing), asking about the forms of payment that are used in my school. Out of all the students that answered, 32% use WeChat Pay, whereas 1% choose to use Alipay, as opposed to using their student lunch cards.

Despite the allure of cashless societies, no country has transitioned completely to using no cash at all. Although there aren’t any countries that have fully made the switch to a cashless society, there are many that are rapidly having their population adapt to conducting cashless payments. For some people, going cashless might seem ideal, but for others, it could be a complete nightmare. Either way, only time will tell if a country decides to make the move to go completely cashless, and what exactly that will look like.

Gabriel Low is a year 7 student at Yew Chung International School Beijing (YCIS Beijing). Originally from Singapore, he has lived in Beijing since 2015 and is currently contributing to beijingkids as a student correspondent.

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 March – April issue

Stirred, Not Shaken: “I Just Want to Be Around People Again”

Drew Pittock — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 05:00:43 +0000

As the COVID-19 Saga continues to draw out, families and teachers have committed to staying safe and infection-free, much to the detriment of their social and professional lives. Fortunately, Beijing expats are a tough bunch. In this series, we asked folks to share their stories of being stirred, but ultimately not shaken, by current events.

Through the eyes of Charlie L. and her family, Beijing is an old friend. Living in Beijing since 2008, she is an avid sports player, and has grown used to the sights and sounds of the place she calls home. But with COVID-19 now in full flight, she and her family are confined to the walls of their home. Although the development of the Coronavirus has prompted her to remain at home, she longs to be able to socialize with society again.

Charlie L.

Are you a Beijing Oldie or Newbie?

I am a Beijing Oldie. I’m originally from Hong Kong, and I have lived here since 2008.

What do you do in Beijing?

I attend school here in Beijing, I occasionally visit famous sites and landmarks. I kind of just live like a normal citizen in Beijing.

When you first heard about the outbreak, did you take it seriously or did you take it with a grain of salt?

I didn’t really take it seriously at first, but my parents did, since they experienced a similar situation during their childhood, so I was forced to take extra precautions.

Would you say that you have cabin fever? If so, how has it manifested itself?

I do not have cabin fever. The place I feel safest in is my apartment, I don’t mind staying inside my home since I have a lot of things to do in my apartment. E-learning has taken up a lot of time, and during my free time, I write songs among other things.

How has this outbreak changed your school-life daily routine?

Because of e-Learning, all my work and classes are on my computer, school is now attended at home and I no longer need to get dressed in my uniform and wake up two hours before 8am. I just need to wake up and walk to my desk.

What do you most miss about Beijing BC (Before Coronavirus)?

I miss being able to be around other people, I miss playing volleyball or badminton, being able to go to cafes and shops without worrying about being infected. But what I miss most is being able to go out without wearing masks, using hand sanitizer every hour and doing other precautions.

A few scenes from Charlie L.’s life in quarantine

What have you discovered about yourself during this time? Have you discovered new things that bother you or phobias that you never knew you had?

I discovered that I hate having an untidy room, especially my workspace. I have always been fairly organized with my room, but now that I’m constantly in it, I start to notice small details like dust on the floor, random hair ties lying around, and it annoys me so I put it back to where it’s supposed to be. I guess you could say that I have become hyperaware of my surroundings.

Once all this is over, what do you plan on doing? What do you most look forward to going back to?

When this is over, I really look forward to socializing again, whether that’s being in a classroom with classmates and teachers, or going out with friends for lunch, I just want to be around people again.

Gabriel Low is a year 7 student from Yew Chung International School Beijing (YCIS Beijing). Originally from Singapore, he has lived in Beijing since 2015. He enjoys playing football, watching movies, and listening to music. He is currently contributing to beijingkids as a student correspondent.

Photos: Courtesy of Charlie L., Gabriel Low

Students Attempt to Crack the E-Learning Code

Drew Pittock — Sun, 08 Mar 2020 03:00:28 +0000

The outbreak of COVID-19 has now affected 56 countries and territories around the world. This has also forced schools around China to remain closed until further notice, with classes scattered around the globe, and students stuck in different time zones and environments.

To make up for the closure of schools, many of them have adopted an e-learning system, where students and teachers conduct live lessons through video conferences. Over the past few weeks, students and teachers alike have been trying to figure out the knacks of this whole e-learning system, and to settle down wherever they are in the world.

So, to find out more about how lessons are going for students, I asked a few of my peers from the Yew Chung International School Beijing (YCIS Beijing).

When asked about her e-learning experience, Year 9 student, Sofia D. said, “I am currently enjoying Chinese, art, and science. I think the most challenging class is PE and drama classes. PE is very hard for me because we need to exercise from home, and a lot of us are in uncomfortable places to be exercising.”

“Classes I am enjoying are math and G100, they both make learning great fun and give you a chance to step away from your devices,” says Emil D., Year 7, when asked which classes he has been enjoying. ”But without actually seeing a teacher, it’s very hard, especially when you’re stuck on a task.”

Emil D. is currently in Germany, seven hours behind local Beijing time. “I don’t really like being seven hours behind local time, just because I can’t attend live lessons. Being able to attend live lessons would make it easier since you have a teacher to ask questions.”

Working from South Korea, which is one hour ahead of local time, Subin C., Year 7, had a similar take. “I had some challenges when I started e-learning because of the time difference, but eventually I got used to it.”

Although the use of e-learning has helped students stay up to date with their learning, it often involves looking at the computer for long periods of time. This can lead to negative effects on students’ health in the long run.

Bryan C., Year 7, is one such student who has experienced these negative effects. “I feel tired every day because I’m staring too long at the computer, and my appetite has gone down recently as well.” As Bryan C. is currently in Beijing, it means very little time outside, and ultimately being confined within the house.

As the number of COVID-19 cases increase worldwide, it is still unclear when schools can reopen. What’s more, the virus is aggressively urging more and more schools around the world to close for the safety of the students. As it seems for now, we may still be using the e-learning system for a while.

Photos: Emma Matthews Digital Content Production via Unsplash, Gabriel Low

From Quarantine to E-Learning, Students React to Coronavirus

Drew Pittock — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 03:00:39 +0000

The recent outbreak of the coronavirus has now affected 28 countries around the world and has infected over 40,000 people globally. The virus is believed to have emerged in December last year and had been traced back to a market in Wuhan that was known for selling wild animals.

Many families are disappointed that schools in affected areas are closing until the government gives further notice. Some schools have already adopted an “E-Learning” system, where students can use their electronic devices to learn from home, and teachers can set tasks and assignments for students to complete, or even hold “live” lessons with available students through video conferences.

“E-Learning is a lot less of a hassle for me,” says Emil D., year 7. “All you have to do is pull out a device, and you can access school from anywhere around the world. It may seem intimidating at first, but all around, it’s a great experience.”

Although this system allows students to be able to learn despite the closure of schools, some feel that the system is confusing to grasp, and isn’t as effective as traditional teaching.

“E-Learning takes you out of the classroom, but it also takes you away from peers and classmates that help you in school,” says Alicia S., year 11.

With travel restrictions securely in place, the plans of many have had to be altered. Many are adopting a “wait-and-see” attitude, waiting for the situation to settle before confirming plans to travel in and out of China.

With the virus affecting over 40,000 people worldwide, measures that are taken to control the spread has increased dramatically. Many precautions have been taken, including some countries banning flights and quarantining nationals returning from China.

In South Korea, all arrivals from China will go to a special quarantine area specifically set up for the country. In Singapore, surgical masks are handed out to every household through a community collection point, where residents can collect their mask at the community center in their neighborhood. And in Guangdong Province, robots have been deployed at a public plaza to scold passersby that are not wearing masks.

With many schools staying closed until further notice, waiting for the virus to pass is a sea of mixed emotions. Some feel frustrated that their plans have had to be altered. Others are happy to be having an extended break. I decided to get opinions from a few of my peers to see what they think. Many of them have had to reschedule or even cancel their flights due to the ongoing epidemic.

“Originally, my family was planning a trip to Zhangjiakou to go ice skating,” said Bryan C. year 7. “But because of the virus, we had to cancel the trip and stay in Beijing.”

Many others have also planned to stay in China, but given the recent surge in cases, have been trapped at home to stay safe from the virus.

“The coronavirus has been really annoying for me. Many of the stores selling food have closed, and it is becoming difficult for me to get food because of the outbreak,” says Akira T., year 8.

When asked about the containment efforts that have been made to slow down the spread of the disease, Gerard S., year 9 said, “I think that the efforts taken to control the virus are logical, and China is doing a decent job fighting the spread from heavily affecting other countries, through shutting down the hard-hit cities to prevent more cases traveling out of Hubei Province.”

Photos: simplilearn.com, Gabriel Low, unsplash

Gabriel Low – Beijing Kids

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