Recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarship for Overseas Studies in 2009/10
尤德爵士紀念基金海外獎學金2009/10年得獎者
In Hong Kong, which path would you choose if you are a high academic achiever? The recipient of the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarships for Overseas Studies in 2009/10, Mr. Chris Leung, has discovered his interests in high school. Despite being spoilt for choice as a top scorer, he has chosen to pursue his passion, going down a different path and thrives.
Chris graduated from Diocesan Boys’ School as a straight “A” student. He, however, did not participate in the Early Enrolment of Top Secondary Six Students Scheme launched by local universities. Instead, he took the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB) in Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong. Because of his passion for Mother Nature, he studied ecology and evolutionary biology in Princeton University. The undergraduate program offered him various opportunities to further develop his interest, especially the field trip to Kenya, a three-month adventure with the lions and elephants in Africa.
As his interests towards nature and travelling grew, he noticed Australia’s “Best Jobs in the World” competition. Launched by the local tourism board, the winner would have the opportunity to be an Ambassador of Queensland Tourism for six months with the responsibility to promote the local tourism there. Driven by his love for ecology and the will to explore the media industry, he applied for the competition without any hesitation. He created his application video that features his adventure from scratch, by demonstrating his video-editing and marketing skills, as well as a cheerful, outgoing character on the camera, he managed to get into the final three out of over one hundred thousand applicants. Even though he lost his dream job to a more experienced candidate, he would not have started his journey in the media industry in Hong Kong otherwise. His role as the finalist of one of the most successful tourism campaigns brought him fame and publicity. He was then invited to be cohost a TV travel show featuring New Zealand. A few years later, he hosted the Backpack Series, stepping across Asia, Africa and the Americas.
People may be fascinated by how amazing it is to be paid to travel like Chris but what you see on the TV programmes is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, he was not only responsible for introducing various travel attractions on the camera, but also planning the itinerary, doing thorough research about each place and script-writing, which could be exhausting both physically and mentally. Sometimes, in order to ensure a diversity of content in his shows, he had to go to places or participate in activities that he may otherwise choose not to on a regular non-filming trip. However, the experience had also increased his exposure to different cultures and customs, which he is grateful for.
Throughout his career as a travel program host, the filming trip to Central Asia was among the most challenging to him. Not only did the language barrier and the generally more reserved local culture hamper communication, given that most of Central Asia’s unique attractions were related to its rich historical heritage, the fact that Chris’s background was more in nature than culture meant that he had to spend extra effort on research before introducing each historical site to the audience on camera.
In the past year, most of his travelling programmes and business collaborations came to a halt under the pandemic. He started to reflect and figure out other aspects to develop on and ecology has become his focus. With the help of social media, he has been sharing videos about ecology, environment and some fun animal facts, shaping his professional image which could be beneficial to his future development. He hoped that he could travel or host some thematic tours again very soon.
Now, he has taken up the role of a mentor in SEYSA’s Mentorship Programme, sharing his experiences to our young awardees. He encourages youngsters to explore their interests and develop on their passion. For some, it might seem like a daunting task to take up an unusual path, but like Chris, he has figured out his way through the loss of the competition, challenges in the media industry and uncertainties during the pandemic. “As long as you discovered your interest, you can always adapt and thrive.”
在香港，成績優異的你，會選擇一條甚麼的路呢？尤德爵士紀念基金海外獎學金09/10年得獎者梁彥宗先生在求學期間成績優異，使他比一般人有更多選擇。但他忠於自己的興趣，選擇了一條不同於常人的道路，成就出今天的人生。
梁先生中五畢業於拔萃男書院，是會考八優狀元，但他卻沒有參加大學拔尖，而是選擇花兩年時間，到李寶椿聯合世界書院攻讀國際預科教育文憑課程。喜歡動物的他之後考進美國普林斯頓大學修讀生態及進化生物學，大學課程讓他進一步探索他對自然生態的興趣，特別是為期三個月到非洲肯亞考察大草原動物的生態之旅。
正當他對大自然和旅遊興趣日益俱增的時候，剛好又讓他留意到澳洲旅遊局再次推出一份被稱為「絕世筍工」的昆士蘭國家公園巡護員大使，勝出者會在昆士蘭各地協助推廣旅遊資源。參加者要在比賽中展現出自己影片剪輯和營銷的技巧，同時也要在鏡頭面前竭盡所能地展示自己樂觀開朗和外向的一面。岀於他對大自然的喜愛，以及本身打算向傳媒行業發展的意向，他毫不猶豫應徵了。梁先生在毫無製片經驗下遞交自製短片進行評審，在逾十萬人中成功順利入圍二十五強，再經過一輪篩選後進入最後三強，到澳洲進行決賽。雖然最終落選，但這卻為他敞開了踏入傳媒界的大門。是次比賽為他帶來知名度，輾轉下他成為了旅遊節目 – 「背遊系列」的主持。迄今，他已參與拍攝及製作了四輯「背遊」節目，足跡踏遍了亞洲、非洲及美洲。
很多人會羨慕梁先生受薪旅行的工作，但大家或許不知道他每一趟行程都兼任著規劃，統籌以及主持等角色，旅途中的每一項規劃，包括交通，撰稿都需要梁先生的參與。有時候，為了呈現畫面的多元性，他需要到訪或參與一些自己壓根就不感興趣的地方及活動。但是，他也十分感恩這些機會使他接觸到一些全新的文化和事物。
回顧整個旅遊節目主持生涯，他覺得最有挑戰性的，是到中亞背遊的拍攝。由於語言不通，而且當地人普遍信奉伊斯蘭教，性格普遍比較內斂，再加上當地主打的是梁先生不太熟悉的歷史文化，使到拍攝安排較其他地方更困難。
過去一年，他因疫情關係未能繼續拍攝旅遊節目，其他需要遠赴外地的工作亦要擱置。他開始反思旅遊以外的發展，例如與生態有關的方向。他拍攝了幾條動物、生態以及環境的影片，慢慢建立了一個專業形象。當然，他最希望還是可以在短期內再次踏上旅途，或帶領一些主題式旅行團。
現時，梁先生在尤德學者協會的Mentorship Programme 中擔任mentor，向較年輕的得獎者分享著自己的不凡的體驗，並鼓勵他們探索和發展自己的興趣。對於有些人來說，放棄主流的道路似乎是一項艱鉅的選擇。 但是，對梁先生而言，正因為這條路上帶給他的種種經歷 ── 比賽落選，投身傳媒界，疫情不穩等的挑戰， 才讓他找到只屬於自己的人生方向。他指出，只要認清興趣，人總能找到實現夢想的方法。