【明報專訊】It's almost seven months since I left my tiny, familiar hometown in Finland and started my exchange adventure here. As I had lived literally in the middle of the fields for seventeen years, my curiosity about living in a hectic and crowded metropolis was one of the main reasons why I chose Hong Kong as my destination. Now I'm staying in Choi Hung with my great local host family. They are always willing to teach me more about living like a "Hongkonger".

My school is in Kwai Chung. I find it funny that many of my peers think Kwai Chung is very far away from where I live. Anyhow, I have come to realise this "attitude" is due to one of the ideas Hong Kong people commonly have - that everything should be near at hand. It is fascinating that now I don't have to travel for hours by car or train from one place to another as people normally do in Finland.

I'm sure Hong Kong is one of the places in the world where nobody can get bored. There are so many different places and events to experience! A few weeks ago, I joined a temple fair parade with other exchange students, wearing traditional Chinese costumes!

Being an exchange student is completely different from just enjoying a trip or holiday. It is about "creating" another life in a different culture and finding oneself a place in a new community. It is an amazing and challenging experience, which I will certainly remember for the rest of my life.

Text : Emma Elviira Tuomela (an AFS exchange student from Finland, first right in the picture)