There is one good thing about Hong Kong being an international city is that it is always easy to…read morefind places to pick up languages, Japanese, Korean, German, Spanish, etc. Since I used to work in one teaching English and also learning German currently, I guess you will not be surprised to know that I also did take some courses on Spanish. (Unfortunately I stopped for a while as too many languages are too overwhelming for me). Spanish currently comes to second to Mandarin regarding to its number of native speakers around the world. And of course I do not need to tell you how useful it is to pick up one extra language. If you are looking for Spanish, I would recommend this one as this is relatively more popular than the others (as the owner used to be a celebrity in Hong Kong and it does not hurt to have that kind of publicity.) As a matter of fact, what I like about this place is the variety of classes they offer. While most language centres (excluding English ones), aims at teaching teens and adults and they deal with more practical stuff like grammar and vocabulary, this one offers playgroup and classes for kids as well and there are some social activities that allow you to fully immerse yourself in the Spanish world. For some reason, Hong Kong parents have been urging their children to learn one extra language as young as possible excluding English and Mandarin; Spanish seems to be a hot pick for all. I totally agree with this as this is the golden age for learning languages. So basically if you study here, you can have a life-long education on Spanish as early as possible. Another good thing about this place is there are at least two teachers who used to teach at my university so I can guarantee you they are really good teacher.

"Willkommen beim Goethe Institut Hongkong!"…read more Hong Kong is an international city and sometimes if you do not speak more than two or three languages, you may not be that of a competitive candidate in the eyes of employers, especially pretty much everyone hear speaks 3 languages already including English, Cantonese and Mandarin. If you are looking for a foreign language to pick up, and you are a big fan of Europe, try German. If you have decided to learn German, I have at least heard of two places in Hong Kong that are well-received. One is Goethe Institut. Located on the 14th floor of Art Centre in Wanchai, it is a non-profit German cultural association and it has branches over 159 countries to date. It mission of course is to promote cultural exchange and the study of German language. At times you may see some exhibitions at the gallery next to the reception that provides more information on German culture. There is also a library where you can borrow German textbooks, books, CDs or DVDs so that you can fully immersed yourself at home. As for the quality of the teaching, I have to say that it highly depends on the teachers. You will be expected to have a new teacher in every new term (which lasts around 9 to 10 weeks), therefore, chances are you may know quite a few teachers. Personally, there are quite a few good teachers there unfortunately I cannot go into details here but all I can say is they are i) a very funny male teacher who can make the class rather interesting; ii) a young male teacher who writes down the articles whenever we are introduced to a new noun; iii) a tall female teacher who comes up with interactive games to play with us, iv) a female teacher who sounds really professional. Though I have to admit it is not much useful to know German here in Hong Kong but who knows, it might come in handy one day and it certainly looks rather dashing to be able to have basic conversation in German; that might go a long way.

From the owner: The Goethe-Institut is the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany with a global…read morereach. We promote knowledge of the German language abroad and foster international cultural cooperation. We convey a comprehensive image of Germany by providing information about cultural, social and political life in our nation. Our cultural and educational programmes encourage intercultural dialogue and enable cultural involvement. They strengthen the development of structures in civil society and foster worldwide mobility. With our network of Goethe-Instituts, Goethe Centres, cultural societies, reading rooms and exam and language learning centres, we have been the first point of contact for many with Germany for over sixty years. Our long-lasting partnerships with leading institutions and individuals in over ninety countries create enduring trust in Germany. We are partners for all who actively engage with Germany and its culture, working independently and without political ties.

Highly recommend this tutoring school. Antonio, my tutor, has an effective system of teaching. Very…read moreprofessional and warm personality. I have a private lesson for 90 minutes at home. Excellent!

From the owner: Spanish Tutors Hong Kong is a professional education platform with the aim to provide high quality…read moreeducation to students through exam-oriented interactive Spanish lessons conducted by highly qualified Spanish teachers in Hong Kong. These can be arranged in our facilities or in your home. Over 90% of our students achieve top 10% grades in Spanish exams (A/A* for IGCSE, A-level; 6-7 for IB Spanish).

From the owner: 首爾韓語中心…read more成立這個韓語中心是秉承推廣韓國語言及文化給各界為目標，為港人提供專業的韓語指導，幫助學生學習正確的發音、文韓文法及句韓語子。通過韓語教授，增進學生對韓國文化、風俗的理解，互相交流互相學習。

My experience with Stanford Swimming School, specifically at the International French School in…read moreTKO, was very poor. After agreeing with them to keep my son enrolled through the winter - with the school pressing us to do so - the school failed to follow up on their part of the bargain, specifically around the availability of a coach my son particularly liked. We decided to withdraw him from the class and the school agreed to give us a refund for the lessons he did not attend. However since December we have not seen any of the promised money and the School admin keep coming up with excuses implying that the payment is being processed. Which is obviously not true. I have lost all my trust in them and definitely do not recommend anyone to use their service.

Run by the Stanford Swimming Club, there is a little-known swimming pool out in Pok Fu Lam, in the…read morebasement of a local shopping centre called Chi Fu Landmark. I say a little unknown, as it seems to only be frequented by dive clubs, children's swimming classes, and a handful of local residents who are obviously in the know. However, it is a real gem of a swimming pool. Unlike appearances (seemingly to be only for club and class swimming), the pool is in fact open to the public, with a membership of course. Unlike many of the HK public pools, as it is a privately run business, the facilities are clean and well kept. The pool is 25m long, and nearly as wide. Deepest is 2.3m, with shallow areas at both ends. The pool is kept nicely warm, with the dry area suitable air conditioned. The pool itself is in lanes, so even when there are classes, there is usually somewhere for individual swimming. There are lockers (HKD20 refundable deposit), hot showers, but no vending machines or water fountains. There is a food court and a Park n Shop just outside in the Chi Fu Landmark, so snacks and drinks are readily available. Membership starts at HKD280pcm, with a HKD28 per swim. Their website is now in English, but seems to only cover the classes service.