Ting Tsz Ching Stella 4A

Summer Paradise

This summer holiday, I flew to the UK to have a fruitful 3- week study program in Cambridge. The UK was totally different from Hong Kong. There were not many tall buildings and the air was fresh. I could see a really wide sky as blue as the sea which I can rarely see in Hong Kong.

Regarding my school time in Select English, we got classmates from different countries, which meant that we all spoke in different languages and we could only use English to communicate during lessons. The teachers liked to give us group work or controversial topics to discuss. We were all free to speak our mind. The group work not only helped brush up our English, but also enabled us to know each other better.  After lunch, we usually have one more lesson before an activity or two. Among all these activities, I liked punting the most. When you were punting, you had to balance yourself; otherwise, you would fall into the river. I felt exhausted after punting, it seemed that my arms did not belong to me anymore. Yet, I enjoyed it a lot. The views around the River Cam were spectacular. There were ducks and clusters of flowers. Sitting on the boat and chatting with friends was really an amazing afternoon activity.

Let me share with you my quirky anecdote. I woke up earlier than usual because I wanted to have a ‘Full English Breakfast’. Since my friends were not interested in joining me, I had to eat alone. I took the bus in a light-hearted mood and walked for 5 minutes to a restaurant. There were a few people inside and I was the only little Chinese girl there. People inside were looking at me like, ‘Did you go to the wrong place?’ I found a seat and felt awkward. An old woman came and told me to order food at the bar. I ordered a ‘Full English Breakfast’ and went back to my seat. When I checked the restaurant out, I began to realize that it was a pub. Then the meal came. I finally understood why it was called “Full English Breakfast”. There were bacon, eggs, sausages, grilled tomato, mushrooms, toast, beans and marmalade. It was so substantial that I was extremely full after finishing it all! It was delicious but too oily for me. I was not hungry during lunch time so I gave my sandwich to my friend. It is a special experience for me to eat a “Full English Breakfast” in a pub alone.

We had a stage performance ‘Select Got Talent’ on the last day of the second week. Our class chose to perform the song `Summer Paradise’. We practised and thought of moving together. Though we sang out-of tune and moved clumsily, we won the best musical award. We had a farewell party for students taking the two-week course on the same day and everyone cried. Although we still had one more week, we were sorry as we could not see them anymore. On our last day, we hugged our friends and the staff from Select English with heavy hearts. We really did not want to leave.

I will never forget the time spent at Select English, in Cambridge, in the UK. It is the most unforgettable summer holiday I have ever had. We didn’t make an itinerary but we experienced another living style in the UK. We learnt to take life easy. I will always miss the relaxing life there. It may be bit exaggerating to say that in the UK we live but in Hong Kong we survive. I am so glad that I made friends who came from different nations and learnt about their cultures. It was such a summer paradise. I must thank Wan Chai Rotary Club and the school for giving me this golden opportunity. It helps me realize that the world is big, and there are still too many things waiting for me to try and to explore. I hope I will be able to gain more life experience in the future.