Hope you're having a very merry Christmas - Town of Walpole

Memories for a lifetimeBy Amanda FlettSeptember 9th 2006 was the beginning to the mostextraordinary week that I have experienced to date, and quitepossibly will in my entire life.With four other students from Albany Senior High school Iwas privileged to extend my studies in the workings ofinternational economics by travelling to Hong Kong.While there we were given the opportunity toexperience the World Economic Forum for Investors hostedby the CLSA Bank. Over 1,100 investors from thirtycountries and 550 CEO/CFO's attended this eventrepresenting 200 of the region’s best companies.It is an invitation-only event which truly illustrates howincredible this experience was, and how grateful to Mr LaurieYoung I am. Mr Young, a former student at ASHS, now theHuman Resource Manager for CLSA, sponsored fivestudents from the school: Rhys Hening, Amy Hetherington,Kathleen Robbins, and former Walpole students MatthewParker and myself, and extended the invitation to ourEconomics teacher Mr Ray Lucas, Gemma Hitchcock andparent Mrs Leanne Hitchcock.For us 'humble country folk', describing this trip as an'eye-opener' would be an understatement. Not only were weable to learn about a completely different culture, we werealso able to experience the workings of the bank and attendguest speaker presentations at the forum which includedkeynote speakers: Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Allan Greenspan.I found the most impressive to be Al Gore. Not onlywere we able to see him in action at the forum as he gave hispresentation on Global Warming, but we were also able toattend the showing of his film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’.During the day, when we were not at the forum, we were atthe CLSA bank. Each student was partnered with astockbroker on the Trading floor who acted as a mentorinforming us of what their work involved, how to operateBloomberg for Indices; the program that they used toresearch the companies, and allowing us to observe millionsof dollars worth of shares being traded.We witnessed the stockbrokers operating up to sixcomputer screens at once as they completed their tradingactivities. It was an inspiration to watch them in action andlater we were given a tutorial of how to operate the amazingsoftware on the Bloomberg premises.This new knowledge was put to good use as when wereturned to the bank we were presented with two case studieswhich involved us working in small groups to research twocompanies. We had to decide on a position we, as“knowledgeable stockbrokers", would hold on thesecompanies. I can proudly say that we had positive feed backon both case studies and were told that our positions weresupported.Most afternoons after our ‘hard day’s work’ were spent doingwhat we all did best: shopping. And most of the nights?Wining and dining again at the expense of Mr Young. Heintroduced us to some exclusive restaurants in Hong Kong,where even the bathrooms emerged as a topic ofconversation. At one restaurant the Ladies room shone inblack marble with assistants standing by to wipe your hands,and the Men’s room was complete with one of the greatestviews of Hong Kong, with one-way glass of course.The Albany SHS group that travelled to Hong Kong:Matthew Parker, Kathleen Robbins, Amy Hetherington,Amanda Flett, Ray Lucas, Gemma Hitchcock andRhys Hening.My favourite night in Hong Kong would have to beattending the CLSA Investors' Forum Gala Party'Notorious'. This included entertainment from some ofHong Kong’s most talented dancers and break dancersand culminated with a concert by Duran Duran.The Sacred TreeIs open in DenmarkFor all your Inspirational Giftsfrom Worldwide cultures.Includes Jewellery, Angelic,Native American, Fairy & Unicorn,Native berry moisturisers,Crystals and Pendulums, Singing Bowls,Gongs, Colourful silk brocade tablerunners, Posters, Books, C.D’s, EssentialOils,Belly Dancing Accessories.Readings and Aura Photographsavailable by appointment.See us on the corner of StricklandStreet and South Coast Highway inthe Denmark BudgetAccommodationPhone 9848 3360 orA/H 9848 1487Walpole Weekly December 29th 2006 — 9