What an amazing journey!
Nineteen students and three teachers from four Hong Kong schools visited Scotland from 5-10 Nov 2018.
Students were so excited to meet their buddies and well-hosted in their families. They started their school attachment on the second day of the visit. They attended lessons and joined activities in which they could experience the school life in Scotland
All students and teachers had a debriefing session, which was chaired by Mr. Archie McGlynn, at James Gillespie’s High School on Thursday. Students and teachers exchanged our views and spotted the differences of the lifestyle and education between Hong Kong and Scotland. We also had a nice dinner at Black Ivy after the briefing session. What a wonderful and memorable time!
We participated in the 7th SCEN Youth Summit on Friday at Perth Concert Hall. The theme of the Summit was ‘Scotland – China our future’. Hong Kong students shared their learning outcomes with over 300 audiences. The presentation was really impressive and reflective.
Thank everyone for the contributions to this trip. We look forward to seeing everyone soon.
Below are the reflections of the participating students.
Badger Jenny Varunee (4M)
I have learnt quite a lot during my stay in Scotland, especially about the school culture between Scotland and Hong Kong.
I have noticed that they also take advantage of technology in teaching, I really like this technique and I do recommend it in all teachings as it is entertaining for the students.
And the benefit from the classes is that the teachers give loads of chances for the students to express their own opinions and debate on them in the end instead of stacking them with notes.
I really appreciate that the organisers organise a trip for the students just before their exams to calm them down and balance their stress without too much homework, but it is still better to give them more practice.
What I think that stresses them out are before and after school activities, many students and including my host siblings, they got to get up at five o’clock in the morning to go swimming just before school and also got other activities right after school, some say it relaxes them before school starts and it keeps them healthy, but it can also take up most of their time for studying and sleep which is not as healthy for an adolescent.
Overall, different schools have different benefits and negative sides. It also made my trip enjoyable as the schoolmates, host friends, siblings and families all have smiley faces and are very caring, which is very welcoming for me.
Chung Sze Ki (5M)
“What is the highlight of your trip?” Someone asked me.
“Absolutely is the ceilidh dance!” I grinned.
A ceilidh is a traditional Scottish social gathering, it always involves dancing and playing Gaelic folk music. It is much more than simply enjoying Scotland’s musical heritage, it is a great way to get people up and dancing! My buddy, Kirsty took me to the Summer Hall in Edinburgh and joined the ceilidh with her friends. It was definitely a dreamy night that the cheerful atmosphere deeply attracted me.
During the term break holiday, I went to Scotland and stayed in a host family for five days. My buddy, Kirsty, is a super kind and beautiful person who tolerates my poor English friendly. In those days, I went to James Gillespie’s high school to experience the school life in Scotland. At the same time, I attended the Youth Summit and met many foreigners who can speak Chinese,
In addition to campus life, the time after school is also very attractive to me. We went shopping, watched movies together, and ate a lot of delicious food. This sounds very ordinary, but the extraordinary thing is the person who did these things with me.
Scotland is a beautiful country that made me feel like I was living in a fairy tale. There is a pink sky where showed me a double rainbow, there is a Blackford Hill where showed me the magical sunset. What makes me more happy is it also gave me some friendship. This is not the first time that I went to Scotland, but it made me love Scotland more.
Lam Man To (4M)
First of all, I must stress that it was an honour for me to participate in this year’s 6-day-trip to Scotland. For me personally, it is the first time that I have ever stepped out of Asia, and most certainly the first time to visit Europe, a continent so far away and with cultures so foreign to my own.
After this trip, I realized that there were a lot of hidden cultural differences littered around the school, the streets and in my host family’s home. The first thing I realized when I first saw James Gillespie’s High School was that they had a very humongous campus with multiple buildings. When I went there with my host on the weekdays, I found out that the way they teach and learn is a bit different from how we do it. One thing that struck me the most was that in Science, they had to wear lab coats when doing practicals, while in Law Ting Pong, we only need to wear goggles during experiments with potential hazards. I also felt that there was not a lot of work brought home compared to the amount of work that students in Hong Kong had to complete. However, I suspect this was more about the schools themselves.
When I arrived at the host family’s home, I cannot help but feel a bit jealous of the massive size of their house – two floors above and a basement below, with the addition of a small yard. While staying with them, I noticed more differences between my home and theirs. From the internet, I have heard that in the UK there are two faucets, one for hot water and one for cold water. To my surprise, I found out that it was true. I also felt that my host was very independent. He was able to cook breakfast and takes a morning job to deliver newspapers to earn pocket money. I firmly believe that I can learn a lot from my host.
Besides that, streets in Scotland have its own special style. Houses with British style walls, rooftops, doors and decorations are very commonly found, unlike in Hong Kong where they remain as a special historical monument. During the first day in Edinburgh, my host family was kind enough to bring me to a hill nearby and climb to the top. Although there was no metro in Edinburgh, I felt comfortable and relaxed during the 20-minute-walk. It was a very healthy lifestyle I believe should be promoted everywhere in Hong Kong. I am also pleasantly surprised to see that despite Edinburgh being the capital of Scotland, there are very large fields of nature for the locals and tourists to enjoy for free, not to mention that they were very well kept.
In the end, I believed that I have learnt a lot from this trip about the differences between Scotland and Hong Kong. It was always pleasant to explore and learn more about the people that make up the rest of the world.
Lam Kai Wing, Karyn (4M)
During the term break, my schoolmates and I went to Edinburgh as exchange students. We went through Asia to Europe and finally arrived in Edinburgh. It was a wonderful experience.
After we arrived, we went up to the hill with our host families and experienced their activities of daily living. I saw a magnificent scene. On the second day, I went to school.
We walked to school through the town. The school is as big as the universities in Hong Kong. There are many buildings inside. Pupils need to go to different buildings when they have lessons. Moreover, the pupils welcomed us with a friendly atmosphere. On the fourth day, the music teacher told us to go to the theatre and enjoyed a performance. The pupils performed on different instruments, such as guitars, volins, flutes, etc. Also, the pupils taught us a Scottish dance. It was great. On the fifth day, we went to Perth and joined the 7th SCEN Youth Summit. Many schools presented their experiences of the education system as well as the Chinese culture.
On the last day, my host family took me to the airport and ended the journey by giving the others a hug. This trip was really unforgettable to me. And I think hope that I can meet them again. Thanks.
