During the June / July holidays Francois Scholtz attended a summer school at the University of Hong. Here is his report:
Pre-departure
The application for the University of Hong Kong, or HKU as it is known, is not difficult but it is a long process. The initial application was done quite in advance as compared to some of the other summer exchange programmes offered by Stellenbosch. There are many forms to complete and it is best to do these as accurate and as soon as possible.
Having completed the online application for HKU, it took several weeks before I heard back from them to know that I was accepted. Once I heard back that I was admitted to the courses I had applied for, namely Mandarin ARTS1501 and Chinese Dynasties ARTS0012, this is where the application process became critical. I had to e-mail a letter of acceptance back immediately as well as courier the original with proof of payment of a caution fee. The caution fee was HK$350 and payable by bank transfer or cheque. Due to costs being quite high I asked the finances office whether it was possible to pay it by credit card. This was however not possible but the solution was that I could pay it upon my arrival in Hong Kong.
Together with my acceptance I had to complete my visa application. One requires a special study visa to be able to enter Hong Kong and attend a university. Applying for this visa can be done in two different manners as the application form sent to me explained very well. The one way is to do it yourself by going to the Chinese Consulate with the necessary forms and payment. The other way, which I chose, was for the CEDARS office of HKU to sponsor my application and then they did the application for me in Hong Kong. This is a slightly more expensive way but it makes the process easier. There was however a problem with my forms and it took about two weeks before they let me know about this. The whole process, they advise, takes between six and eight weeks. Having only sent my correct and completed forms three weeks before I was to enter Hong Kong I was not sure whether I would have my visa in time, but I did receive it in time and the process went much faster than expected. There is no need to send your passport with the application; instead they courier the sticker to be placed in your passport.
I also applied to stay in a residence hall of HKU. This can be done by the earliest in May and it is better to do it as fast as possible then as the spaces are very limited. Living costs can be quite high in Hong Kong and the cheapest place to stay is definitely at a hall. I only heard that I was accepted to stay in a hall very late, but the reason is that because space is so limited they only know if there is room quite late.
On the topic of flights there are many options, the earlier you book the better, but only book once you have been accepted by HKU. There are many different specials and I chose a direct flight with Cathay Pacific.
Hong Kong
Arriving in Hong Kong was great. Being my first time in Asia it was going to be a completely new experience for me. And that it was. Having taken the A10 bus from the airport, which is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, I arrived at Wei Lun Hall an hour later. My home for the next four weeks. I had a very friendly roommate from Mainland China and we got along very well.
Mandarin was a four week course whilst Chinese Dynasties was a two week course. I thus had my mornings open for the first two weeks. However, in Mandarin we wrote three tests a week so this was mainly used as study time. Mandarin is not an easy language but I progressed quite quickly. The course is intensive so each day you learn new words, characters, sounds and sentence constructions. I soon learnt that I was from Nánfēi and my Chinese name was Fù Lánkè. But more on my studies in the post-Hong Kong section.
There was more than enough time to explore this vibrant city between all the classes and study time. It took about two days to figure out how the busses worked. They drive in circles and not up and down on the same route. But soon Marizahn and I were becoming locals in Hong Kong. Hong Kong basically consists of a series of islands. HKU is on Hong Kong Island and this is where the main business district is. Then there is Kowloon and the new territories and many smaller islands around Hong Kong. Transport is very easy to use and you are spoiled for choice to reach your destination. When travelling in Hong Kong you can use a ferry, the MTR (subway) and taxi not to mention an abundance of busses going in all directions as well as trams on Hong Kong island.
I believe one should always make the most of a trip and see and absorb as much culture and knowledge as possible. I had two guidebooks and my good sense of direction that took us in and all around Hong Kong. There is a lot to do and see so one needs to limit yourself. The best is to make a list and plan on which days you want to do what. We saved our excursions to other islands for the weekends. This included a day in the markets of Kowloon, from the Jade Market, to Ladies’ Market to the very famous Temple Street Night Market. The name of the game is bargaining! We also went to the fisherman’s island of Cheung Chau for the day by first taking a ferry there and then hiring bicycles to cycle around between the beaches, temples and island centre. Lantau was another day excursion on another weekend which is very beautiful and completely different from the city which one could not believe is only 45 minutes away with the MTR. On Lantau there is the very famous large bronze Buddha and temple as well as a cove off the town of Tai O where there are white/pink dolphins. We tried to see them but it was unfortunately too windy on that day.
Post-Hong Kong
It is always easier to analyse a situation after its occurrence. Even though I had realised the value of this immense opportunity before I had even departed South Africa, it was only truly after I had returned home, and more specifically Stellenbosch campus, that I am able to grasp the experience.
HKU itself was very interesting in that it is a very famous university not only in East Asia but also globally by being ranked the 30th best university. The campus culture is very diverse with many full time exchange students as well as many that attended the summer programmes. The two modules I took were small classes which allowed a better learning experience with many discussions between the lecturers and pupils. It is especially in my Chinese Dynasties module that I was able to hear opinions from students of different backgrounds where this was a great advantage.
In this module I gained an overview of Chinese history and the development of the country over the different dynasties. We had to prepare a fifteen minute presentation at the end of the module where you had to compare current China to that of its history and how its development has led to where it is today. The opinions and presentations of the Mainland students were invaluable as this provided a side to China which I would not have been able to gain anywhere else in Hong Kong.
Mandarin on the other hand was also extremely interesting but challenging. One has to learn not only the pinyin and tones of words but also the writing of the characters which was a completely new principle to me. I am now able to read and write basic words as well as speak in basic conversations or ask certain questions and respond thereto. In this class the lecturer also provided basic Chinese customs and polite gestures or words. This will help me a lot in my career forward. To the Chinese you are seen as a Westerner and it is only once they are aware you know their customs and can speak their language that they will open up to you and treat you as one of them. This is a priceless lesson I was taught.
The experience as a whole is invaluable and recommended to anyone who has the opportunity. I was very fortunate to have been able to go and I therewith wish to thank Stellenbosch University for this immense opportunity and being able to be afforded this bursary. It has truly enriched my life.