In April, 30 girls accompanied by 3 teachers went on a memorable exchange with Zhenjiang Chongshi Girls' High School. The girls went sightseeing around Zhenjiang, got a deeper understanding of Nanjing history and learnt from local students and teachers, all of which were priceless, valuable experiences.

During the stay, students had lessons for 3 whole days. They gained a lot of new knowledge as the curriculum in Zhenjiang was very different from the syllabus in Hong Kong. Heated discussions during Chinese lessons, humorous explanations during physics lessons and more brought an eye-opening experience to all. The students in Zhenjiang were extremely hardworking and enthusiastic in lessons, always trying their best to learn and discover more. The girls were inspired and motivated to learn from them.

Apart from normal lessons, students also had the chance to interact with students from Chingshi, Qinghai Menyuen Secondary School and Jiangsu University, where they got to know about different cultures in Qinghai and Jiangsu. Girls introduced Hong Kong to them, for example, they shared about Hong Kong's food culture and described the beautiful nightscape of Victoria Harbour. They also attended a psychology talk for parent-children relationship on the second day of the stay. A detailed presentation, lively skit and Q&A session were prepared. Students benefited a lot from this workshop by learning how to communicate with their parents and the correct ways to relieve stress.

On the fourth day of the trip, students were divided into groups and participated in special extra curricular programmes, namely Chinese Dance, Ni Jiao Jiao (Pottery 泥叫叫), Tea Art, paper cutting and Chinese calligraphy. Through these programmes, girls were able to learn more about Chinese traditional cultural activities and different learning styles in Mainland China. The classmates were very friendly and hospitable and helped to guide the girls during the courses. As such classes are not available in Hong Kong, our girls were exceptionally excited during the programmes.

On the 11^th of April, the girls had the opportunity to visit Nanking, where they toured the Nanjing Presidential Palace and the Nanking Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Massacre by Japan. Wandering among the dusty meeting rooms and winding corridors of the Palace, girls took photo after photo, enraptured by the fact that these simple walls once saw famous figures such as Chiang Kai Shek. Abuzz from a morning of excitement, the visit to the Memorial Hall however, reminded girls about a tragic piece of the country's history. Photos, videos and letters described the pain of the Nanking Massacre in great detail, imploring girls to reflect deeply on the tragedy and understand the people who suffered through it. At the end of the day, all agreed that the visit to Nanking had provided them with a valuable glimpse into different areas of China's development in the 20th century, furthering their interest in the period and increasing their knowledge beyond the textbook.

On the last day of lessons, a farewell party was held. The girls were treated to performances by girls from Chongshi Girls' High School, including a dance performance and singing. The girls were deeply impressed by the musicality and gracefulness displayed. Our students also prepared 3 songs and 3 dance performances. Ranging from Korean to Western music and dance, these conveyed the gratefulness felt towards the host school for their hospitality and friendliness in the past three days. On the last day, many found it hard to say goodbye. Hugs were given, photos were taken, and promises to keep in touch were exchanged. As the bus pulled out of the school campus for the airport, girls found themselves turning to look back in reluctance to leave.

On the whole, this has been an invaluable experience. Girls were able to deepen their understanding of the development of China in the 20^th century, as well as experience new styles of learning and school life. This has broadened their horizons beyond the classroom and Hong Kong, becoming a memory that will be greatly cherished.

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