【明報專訊】There is nothing special about my hometown but it is completely different from Hong Kong. A big difference is that Switzerland is spacious. In the evening, you would easily walk down the street completely alone. That has never happened to me in Hong Kong!

Before I had come to Hong Kong, I only knew it's a big city in China and a wonderful place to go shopping in. Now to me Hong Kong is a beautiful city where Chinese and Western cultures are mixed. People here are so friendly and they try to help me even though I don't speak Cantonese well.

In Switzerland most people are quite secretive. It can be very hard for a new comer to make friends. Yet, my first day of school here, I was affiliated very friendlily by my classmates! Two girls decided to ''assume responsibility'' towards me. For example, they have had lunch with me and told me everything I should know about the school.

Another thing I really love here is the food! In Switzerland I thought Chinese eat rice and ''sweet and sour pork'' every day. I used to love Chinese food in Switzerland but I found that most of the foods I used to think as ''normal'' Chinese foods aren't eaten a lot here. And we don't have any street food in Switzerland. At first I found street foods to look a bit disgusting because the stands on the street here didn't look very hygienic, but I've learned to ignore that soon because I have discovered street foods here are extremely delicious! Hygiene in restaurants and food stands was indeed a culture shock to me at first but now I know I was mistaken.

I've learnt in Hong Kong never to form an opinion about anything until I've learned more about it. I have learnt to be responsible for my actions because my parents are not here. I am really happy that I have become very independent. I am looking forward to the months ahead here!

Text: Ruth Esser (an AFS exchange student from Switzerland)

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