Yu Hoi Kwan

A Dream Fulfilled

‘Congratulations! You have been chosen.’ I was in ecstasy when I received those words from my teacher, as I knew that I was able to achieve my dream, the one I had been looking forward to for a whole year. And eventually, I could say that I  had a wonderful time considering the happy memories I experienced in the dream.

Everything was different to reality in that lovely dream where you could feel the rural atmosphere from the vast grassland and 2-to 3-storey housing with triangular roots. It is so relaxing and comfortable when you lay on the grass, take a nap, and enjoy the afternoon sunshine. The river flowing in town looked so elegant, so enchanting that I once fell into it! But every time I would wake up when I was down in the river again…

This image still appears in my mind nowadays. And instead of letting the image fade away, I have a clear impression of the dream which happened last summer. But every time I recall the dream which lasted 3 weeks, I am sure that it is not a nightmare, but a fascinating dream, as I had such a superb experience in that dream. Without a doubt those 3 weeks in the England have to be the best time which I will never forget.

A few years ago, I had been awaiting for such an opportunity to travel abroad, to explore the world, and meet more friends around the world. However, my family could never afford such an expensive trip. As a result, I was once really disappointed until I discovered the Rotary Scholarship, which sponsors 2 students in our school to go to England for a 3-week study tour. Then I told myself, I must work hard to be awarded this scholarship. And after loads of work and preparation, I had my interview with the Rotarians. Frankly, I didn’t expect myself to beat the other six candidates, and it was only when I received the phone call from the teacher that I was selected to join the study tour along with my friend Emily and 3 other students from Tin Shui Wai Government Secondary School. I was in ecstasy and I almost screamed in the restaurant. It took me so long to calm down as I had been waiting for this chance for so long, but for the first time everything I had dreamt of before suddenly came that close, that it felt like it was within reach. Everyday before the trip seemed so long as my soul had already flown to England. So I got everything ready and I started my dream.

Cambridge is the town where the dream started. There you can surely feel the fine atmosphere of learning from the University of Cambridge and the colleges packed in the city. The River Cam running through the city probably adds a sense of elegance to Cambridge. In addition to that, the classical buildings and architecture are also the essence of forming that beautiful place.

During the 3 weeks, we studied in a summer school called 'Select English '. In fact, studying abroad is something brand new for me. I was a little nervous, but at the same time I looked forward to a new adventure that I might come to experience. But once we had the first glance of the school, we were amazed by it as it was as elegant as an hotel. We knew that the school life was going to be very different from that in Hong Kong, and it was. We had smaller classes, but they were also much more interactive. We participated in all kinds of activities that required cooperation and communication with our partner and classmates compared to the uni-directional teaching style adopted by a majority of teachers in Hong Kong. The lessons also included daily life knowledge, such as planning for a 25-day round the world travel in which we had to search for all the transportation methods and the tourists attractions we would visit at each place using computers. Besides, we also did a project in groups to invent and present an all new product to our classmates. We were all quite innovative that we successfully created some products with great new features. My team invented an application called 'iPick' which allowed us to find anything in just a second. We also drew beautiful graphs to illustrate its functions. Of course this project was a break from my normal classes, but this kind of learning out of the box sometimes allows us to be more innovative and more engaging in the lesson. A teacher even taught us some British slang such as 'dog' for a phone and 'buzz' for phone call. All of this created a relaxing atmosphere for the class and it allowed us to learn with passion.

After school, we also participated in various extra-curricula activities which made the trip more fruitful. One of the most enjoyable activities got to be punting. Running along the University, the River Cam is undoubtedly an icon for Cambridge where we can not only enjoy a spectacular view of the University but also relax on the boat and play with the little ducks. And it was even better when we played some soft music. Nevertheless, I enjoy being a punter more. Striking the long pole down onto the river bed and pushing the boat slowly forward, I found it wonderful as the one who guided the boat forward. After a few practises, I could steer the boat stably and I felt so proud as if I were a professional punter until one day when an accident occurred.

The last time we went punting, I didn't want to miss the opportunity, so I volunteered to be the punter for the last time. At first it was very smooth as we enjoyed the last time we punted along the River Cam. We took selfies and played with the ducks, trying to catch every moment of the journey. However, things didn't go as expected when we arrived at one end of the river. I didn't realise the existence of a bridge and I crashed into the bridge with the long pole which threw me into the water. I struggled and slowly swam back to our boat. I was radically wet but what concerned me the most was frankly speaking my phone, and of course it was broken.

Desperately, I took off my clothes and put on a jacket, and we raced the boat back to the pier. We received help from the staff and all the students around. The principal helped me launder the wet clothing while someone else helped me with my phone, and I rushed back to my homestay to take a shower.

I was touched by the scene. I felt the warmth from them as if we were a family. They may not know me but they lent a helping hand to me no matter whether they knew me or not. It showed the kindness of humanity.

But without my friends, the activities were nothing. I made lots of friends from the school and the student disco, and along with the friends who came from Hong Kong, they all added fun and joy to my trip. We played football on grass, visited museums and churches, shopped till we dropped, and shared our happiness and sadness together on the trip. We even celebrated my 16th birthday in Cambridge which added another unforgettable moment to my life. And now , I still keep in touch with them. They made the trip more memorable, and that's a significant difference that they made to this sweet dream.

But now the dream is over, and we have to keep on striving for our goals in reality. However the happy memories will remain in my heart for the rest of my life, and every time when I recall this memory, it will remind me of that beautiful dream, and will motivate me to keep moving forward , to work harder for another opportunity and for another dream.

Finally, I have to express my immense gratitude to the Wan Chai Rotarians and our school board members. Without them everything would not be possible. I have gained lifelong memories and precious experience from the generosity of both parties. Thank you for all.