On October 30th, ten Secondary 4 girls travelled to Zhuhai, arriving in just under 2 hours thanks to the convenience of travel via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HKZMB). We then went to Zhuhai No.1 High School, where the first thing we realised was how different our learning environments are. Their campus is a lot bigger than ours, and includes 2 cafeterias, a fishpond, even peacocks! The students in Zhuhai were all very warm and friendly, so we felt really comfortable when interacting and talking to them.

The students at Zhuhai No.1 High School have a very packed schedule, with classes starting at 7 a.m. and ending late at night at 10 p.m. However, they have a 10-minute break between each lesson, a nap time after lunch in their dormitory and 2 physical education lessons every week, ensuring that they have sufficient rest and exercise. They attend ECAs once a week only. We were fortunate enough to participate in one during our visit, in which some of our students joined their choir rehearsal. Compared to us, the scale of their choir is much larger, leaving us speechless when we first stepped in the room. Everyone was very welcoming and even invited us to sing along. We were truly impressed by their vocals, and learnt different techniques from the conductor. It was a pleasure to learn from a choir in the Mainland, making it a really memorable experience for us.

We also had the chance to visit Kao Yip Middle School in Macau. We toured their new building and learned more about different kinds of education; their students were really curious and very interested in our school’s way of learning as well. We found ‘cross-form education’, where students of different forms attend lessons together, particularly interesting. Although we only had a short 2-hour exchange, we formed strong bonds with the students in Macau and gained a lot of knowledge about an environment that is different yet similar to ours.

The days flew swiftly by, and the 5-day trip ended in the blink of an eye. We bade farewell to the friends made on this trip and left with the memories of an eye-opening and unforgettable experience. We thank Miss Y.M. Tsang for accompanying us through these 5 days, and thanks must also be given to the teachers and students of Zhuhai No.1 High School for welcoming us and treating us so well. Last but not least, we would like to thank Mrs. Lau for offering us this precious opportunity to learn about Chinese culture and build friendships with the students in our sister schools. The memories we made on this trip will be forever cherished.