馬小姐：

Thank you for the letter. How are you? My host family here is very nice to me. And the host mother has invited me to stay with her for the next year. So I am going to apply for a 2-year college here although it is a bit late.

You can see how happy I am in the pictures. I spend the most wonderful time here, and I think in the next year too. Anyway, I have no problem now. This year passed so fast…I can tell you that if I can choose whether I would like to be an exchange student. I would say “YES”. So thank you very much. You have done a great job.

I am looking forward to coming back to Hong Kong, but also the following year in the U.S.A.!

What's up dude? 不知不覺己在美國生活了半年，時間真的過得很快。有時真的不太能接受自己已在美國，可能到外國讀書，是童年的夢想，不能實現，所以這是不能接受的原因吧！回想起在上兩年（ 2002 年），我和另一位朋友亞英已來文化協進中心聽講座，而當時由於我們的校內成績不太好，而且還有不少不合格，所以對自己的學業和將來的前途都感到絕望，所以我們都想到美國讀書。當一開始聽講座時，聽到前年的交流生說自己的成績「非 A 則 B 」，「很易讀」，「一定能升大學」，當時單純的我和亞英還以為他們在「吹水」，「有無咁易」，但現在，如果我返回香港時，吹的水大得多。

　　到了 2003 年 8 月 18 日，終於是我到美國愛阿華州（ Iowa ）讀書的日子，也是我第一次「搭飛機」，當時我和我的家人都十分擔心，一是接待家庭不好，二是成績不好，三是怕我得罪別人。當我走出機場的一刻，我看見有一個女人十分開心地拿著我的名字（ Welcome to Iowa, Tak-Yin, Yau ），又是把我的姓放在最後，心裡的緊張和擔心，完全忘記了，而我的 Host Dad 則為我們拍照，他們都十分親切和友善。在乘車的途中，見到周圍的環境可以有這麼靚，真的不能相信，而我十分之好的 Host 則帶我到超市買?食，又問我今晚想食甚麼，還記得在超市的第一次中，很像一個啞仔，用手指指這個這那個，那種感覺真的十分特別。回來家後，真的難以置信，有 3 層高、實用面積有大約 4 千呎，要是計花園 5 千呎實有，而這間屋是很清潔和整齊得很，而我 Host 大佬的三百磅身型也是令我覺得很特別的原因之一。之後 Host 爸帶我去自己間房，有雙人床、電腦（但上網很慢）、電視、書桌、大椅等，而且房中還有個儲物室，要是兩房相加，有我在香港的屋那麼大，我當時覺得自己在造夢，有無可能有人對我這麼好，誰不知，這只是好到似吹水的生活的一部份，以下有一些更不能相信的事實。

　　當在之後的那一天，是我踏足 High School 的第一次，由於我的鎮 Jefferson 不算很大，所以只有大約 400 學生，而且己計了隔離 Scranton 這個鎮，所以叫 Jefferson Scranton High School 。而在那天，是開學前的一天，所以是講座和選科，在講座中，我知道今年有 11 個交流生，是有兩個法國， 1 個德國， 1 個荷蘭， 1 個捷克， 1 個巴西， 1 個智利， 1 個意大利， 1 個南韓， 1 個委內瑞拉， 1 個是我。（似唔似世界杯？！）當中以南韓和德國佬和荷蘭妹和我最好朋友，我真的不太相信美國有咁鬼多外國人。而在這間學校，雖然沒有香港咁難，但學的?較實際和實用，不是死讀書和測驗，而且有些小組討論和電腦做報告，所以我十分喜歡這裡的生活，到了現在（ 4 月）我的成績是 4A3B ，己是我在香港時不能想像的。我會考只有個位分數！而我在香港時覺得自己是一個很不出息和沒有用的人，但到了美國，我終於找回自己，知道自己的目標和方向。

　　到了 1 月尾，我開始找大學。於是我亞媽 Becky 知道有一間很好外國人計劃的大學，叫 Graceland University ，是一間 4 年制大學，由於我知道這間大學是 4 年制，所以會貴很多，還沒有甚麼寄望。到了 2 月 3 日，大學說我可以拿一些（鋼琴和成績的）獎學金，所以我便和 Becky 一起去。到了 Graceland ，覺得環境不錯，有 Golf 場和泳池，所以我十分鐘意這裡，而負責外國學生的 Tina 也是一個十分好的人，她整個上午和下午陪我參觀大學，而且有問必答。到了中午，我要為獎學金而彈琴，而這位教授是一位博士，他竟然給我 US$5,000 大元的鋼琴獎學金，令我十分開心，之後的 6 天我都不能睡覺，而加了 High School 成績好的獎學金，我有 US$11,000 （大約 $85,000 港幣的獎學金應該破了文化協進中心的紀錄）。由於這間是 4 年制大學，所以如果沒有獎學金要 US$21,000 一年，而我則只需用 $9,000 ，包食，包宿，包保險等等，使我很開心，而且 Graceland 在 Iowa 是一間很好的大學。（註：我真的很開心，由於這大學不是只給一年的獎學金，而可以給四年，所以四年我可以慳 US$44,000 ！）

　　到了 3 月，由於 Host 知道 8 號是我的生日，而 Host 大佬則在 20 號生日，而在電視知道 Las Vegas （拉斯維加斯）是一個很與別不同的大城市，而由於之前 Host 保證帶我到 Chicago （芝加哥），所以便問我想去邊個。當然，一個正常的香港人都想去拉斯維加斯多過芝加哥，所以我便決定去拉斯維加斯。到了 3 月 15 日，我們終於出發，由於在這天落大雪的關係，所以飛機遲了 32 小時才起飛，但誰不知這是一件好大好大的好事！！！到了 Vegas ，我們是入住 MGM Grand ，是全世界最大的酒店，而由於我們遲了，所以職員說細房被人組滿，所以給我們 29 樓最頂的總統套房， 2 層高，有無敵的 2 層落地大玻璃，可以見到機場，有酒吧，有升降機，有廚房，有桑拿局，有按摩池，有投射電視等等，要是真正價錢是 US$3,000 一晚，而星期六、日可以到 US$7,000 一晚，而我們只給 US$100 一晚。而且，在 Vegas 的酒店真的很與別不同，在 New York New York （在裡面有過山車玩，我也玩了 $10 ，十分貴！！！），是在 MGM 的對面，模仿得很似 NY ，而且又有自由神像，又有條紐約橋，用作做 show ，還有 Luxor ，是一座金字塔，上面還有一道燈，在夜晚會射上天，一道很光的燈。而且還有獅身人面像。而 Paris ，則是很有法國巴黎 feel 的酒店，在裡面的鋪頭也很有特色，十分華麗，當然 ?? 是最特別和最美的。而 Bellagio ，這酒店則全 Vegas 最貴的酒店，有很出名的嘖水池，嘖上十幾層高，而且長成 200 米，十分壯觀，而我在 Vegas 則輸了 10 元在老虎機。在 Vegas 有很多趣事，不能盡寫，敬請原諒。

　　在最後，我想在此多謝文化協進中心的所有職員，和馬小姐給我的機會，而我覺得來美國除了改善英文，在高中有好成績和可以在一年後升大學外，反而我覺得能了解不同文化、學習西方社會的生活態度、結識世界各地的朋友和與陌生的 Host 相處、尊重別人等更加重要，雖然幾萬蚊到外國讀一年書，對很多家長是一個負擔，但我相信在美國生活 1 年後，從中得意的，是用錢買不到的，最後，祝大家生活愉快和充實，互勉！！

邱德賢

04 年 4 月

邱德賢（ Anson Yau ）忘記了介紹自己：

本人是一位土生土長的香港人，住在屯門，由於在香港飽受死讀書的教育制度。而且去美國讀書一直是童年夢想，所以在 03-04 年參加交流計劃。在香港常被老師忽略的學生，自己雖然想出色的成為一位商人及鋼琴家，但在香港被別人看低和睇小，根本沒有機會發展，所以知道交流計劃便決心在美國發展，而發覺自己和香港是兩個人。

Hey kids!!! Stay cool and don't get over-excited…… I know you want to receive newsletter from us again!!! So how's everything going? Christmas in the U.S. is very different from that in Hong Kong right? Some of you told us that you'd got SOOOOOOO many Christmas presents that were probably more than what you had ever received for your life!! Is that the case with you? And many of you have sent us Christmas cards, letters, photos, e-mails…THANK YOU! We do treasure your news a lot and we hang all the cards in our office! You know what, we had a big Christmas party in our office on Dec 24. The office was crowded with our staff, ex-parents, ex-students and friends! The party was fabulous! Want to look at the photos we took? Here you go!

Oh…our topic this time is CHINESE NEW YEAR! Hohoho…miss the festival? Hey, take this as an opportunity to tell the host family what it is about Chinese New Year! Teach them how to write 揮春 and the tradition of giving out Lai-See packets!! Anyway, we hope you are having a great time in the U.S. Remember, you are most welcome to share your news and experiences with us. Just write to us to add fun and color to this newsletter!! Also, we would be happy to receive messages from parents too! Feel free to share your son's or daughter's news with us, and give them some encouragement!!

How is it going on? Can you still remember me? I'm Wong Yuet Wa. This year's exchange student! Thank you for sending me the pretty Christmas card. I like it a lot. This is an awesome Christmas I ever had! I got a lot of presents from my host family and my friends in school. So how is Christmas in HK this year? Do you guys have a wonderful Christmas? My host family and I are planning to go to North Carolina to visit her sister there. That is quite far away from Missouri where we live. But I can't wait. =) It will be fun!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

This is Katie. I am in Kansas. I am very happy to receive the mail from the Cultural Link office. And I have a wonderful memory of the X'mas, because X'mas here is so different from that in Hong Kong. Anyway, it's nice to hear from you guys.

Hey…hi everybody. Here is Wu Yan Wing. I have already received your beautiful Christmas Card. And thank you for sending me the newsletter. It is so good. We can share our feeling of our new lives and get some news about Hong Kong. Thank you so much.

In USA, I can feel everyone is very nice. My host mother is a manager of exchange student program in USA. So I can meet some other countries' exchange students sometimes. It is very nice. The school style is totally different from Hong Kong's. But this is not bad. Everything is good. Take care!!!

Yo~ How're you guys doing? This is Billy (Chiu Kin Pong), an exchange student of 03-04. I'm in Spokane right now. Although Spokane is the second largest city in WA state, it is so quiet and boring that you cannot imagine. This is good for me though, coz that makes me concentrate on study~

I wanna share a dumb thing with boys. Please don't mind me, girls~ What I'm gonna share is about my hair. It's too long and I'm afraid of taking a haircut here, coz America boys' hair style looks quite weird~ haha~ I guess most of you got this problem, right? I tried to cut my hair by myself and I suck -_- ~

Well~ I hope you guys are doing fine in your cities. A few months to go, don't waste your time to sit and wait till June, do as best as you can on your study and apply for colleges~ Yea~!!

Finally, I want to ask Miss Ma~ Is there any chance for exchange students to meet each other when we get back to HK? Or Share our experiences to the exchange students of next year? (CLC: of course you're most welcome! We will send you the details in April! Thanks for your interest in sharing with our new students! ) If so~ I will see you guys later ~_~

Hi! Merry Christmas to you all. I am Lam Joy Yan. The Christmas in U.S. is very different from Hong Kong. There is a lot of snow here that I never experienced before. My host family's house is full of Christmas decorations with different kinds of collections. They put candles at the window and Christmas lights outside the house. It is just like a winter wonderland. I also received lots of presents from my friends that I never received so many before. I am now looking forward to go ice skating and sliding during Christmas.

I really like the school life here. I study a lot of fun subjects here like interior design and hilltop choir. I dance and sing in the choir and have lots of fun with my choir members. We join lots of competitions and school functions and wear very cool costumes. During spring we will go to St Louis to have competition there. I am looking forward for that date to come. I am also a member of future business of America and drama club. I help to put make-up on the actors in the last play. It's really fun and learnt a lot of stuffs on the stage. The students here are very enthusiastic and high spirit. They make their own T-shirt to support their teams and involve in all kinds of competitions. During these few months, I have learnt many things here and become more independent. I am very glad to join this program this year and thank you everyone in Cultural Link Centre that helps me a lot. I will send more messages about my experience here in the future. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This is Leung Hiu-Lam~ I have been in America over 4 months already!! I enjoy living with my host family very much. They are very nice to me~ Our host family took us to some different places around California, so we had a lot of fun~ I have a host sister who is an exchange student also. We both are senior, so we can help each other for homework. At school, I got 5A 2B until now. I'm happy. My other host sister will have a wedding on January 4th, so I can have an experience for an American wedding!!~ Take care!!

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to you for all your help. May you have a joyous holiday.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 04!

Hey, you all. This is Vega, I just finished reading the newspaper from you all, and now, I want to share some of my experience in TX this year so far.

I am now living with the Domke's family, my mom has 5 sons. They all grow up and have their own place to live. Every holiday they will come back and have fun together. All of her grand children are all boys too. She wishes to have a girl and so she chose Minni and I to be her daughters this year. Minni is from Germany, she is tall and skinny....and I, just about right! Anyway, we have lots of fun together.
Remember in August, when I first come here, everyone were so nice to me. Because of that, I met lots of friends in school and church, that's why I got lot of chance to hang out with my family and friends. Every Friday during the football season, we went to watch football game, I don't really understand the rules but I still yell when they got a point. During the football game, I set with my friends. We chat a lot, and I enjoy being their friends. And because I join tennis in school, so when they have football games in my own town, I don't have to pay.

The 5th to 7th of December, I joined the winter retreat in church. We went to the North side of TX. That was cold, almost freeze me. In that retreat, we prayed and played, I also did some bible study, and after that day, I was baptized! I had been a Christian since I was in high school in HK, but never have a chance to be baptized, now I was! I feel so happy after that and I don't feel lost again.

For the coming Christmas, we do a lot of shopping, clean our house, decorate the Christmas tree, etc. We have so much fun! I am proud what I did on the tree. By the way, Merry Christmas guys!!

Hi! This is Carrie, Wu King Chun. Time is passing so fast. I can't believe I have already been here for more than 3 months. Then, I'll be back like after half a year. Here Wisconsin has got a lot of farm, so country feel, and today it's -19 degree Celsius outside...O my god! I almost eat potatoes every day. They eat a lot potatoes here...well, and I'm a super potato lover. I love chips, mashed potato or French fries...so it doesn't matter and I won't bored or hate eating it almost everyday. I haven't told you my host family. They are so nice to me. I enjoy living with them. My host brother and sister they both so funny. Their personality is kind of like me. I tell you another thing. I'm a senior. I am so glad that I can graduate this year because I'm 16 and I'm supposed to be a junior. When I first came, I could choose subjects that I like to study, because my host mom teaches in my school. I was in her history and psychology class. I'm gonna tell u my grade rite now...Well, I 'm doing well in school. English and Psy got B, and others were A...so I hope next time I got all As! Send my regards to everyone. We are packing out stuff and ready to move around these 2 weeks. My new house is built by log. That is an expensive house everybody desires for it because log is so expensive and it is all built by my host dad. He is a carpenter and I probably spend this Christmas in Chicago cuz all my host mom's family living there. I am so excited about the first Christmas in here and I've seen the snow here. It is amazing!