【明報專訊】I have been living in Hong Kong since September 2013 as an exchange student. I fell in love with Hong Kong the moment I arrived in the city. Everyone in my host family is amazing. So is my host school. I am truly thankful that I spent my exchange year there. I am so happy that everybody in my school took very good care of me. I made lots of friends whom I cherish.
My school has a ''house system'', which does not exist in German schools. There are inter-house competitions of all kinds of activities such as basketball or singing. That to me was a completely new experience.
The sports day was definitely one of my favourite days here in Hong Kong. It was very tiring, but it was fun and I spent the whole of it together with my friends and my fellow house members. We showed our support with our cheering, and the sense of belonging simply made me very happy. I felt so sad when it was over that I even cried. Luckily, my friends comforted me.
To celebrate my first Christmas in Hong Kong, I prepared Christmas presents for everyone. As I do not attend Chinese and Liberal Studies classes, I study less than other students. Therefore, in the exam weeks before Christmas holiday I was quite lonely. All my friends had to do their revision. The day the school Christmas party took place, I brought all my presents to school and gave them to my friends. I was so happy giving them something they could enjoy after their tiring exams! And what made me even happier was that I received many Christmas cards and presents in return.
I think I have found lifetime friends in Hong Kong! I can't imagine I could leave this city and never return to it! I will study hard after I've returned to Germany so that I can achieve my dream - attend university here in Hong Kong.
text: Janina Bechtel (an AFS exchange student from Frankfurt, Germany)
■Information seminars will be held on 20, 21, 22 & 28 Feb 2014.
Please visit www.afs.hk for further information.
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