27 April 94

Dear Jackie,

It is really a valuable experience for you to live and study in Hong Kong for a year. Families and schools are different from your home country, Japan. In the coming September, you will live in my family and become my schoolmate for a year. Now, I am going to share with you how to spend the coming year to the fullest advantage both educationally and socially.

Being a Japanese, you will find studying in Hong Kong interesting and exciting. In Hong Kong, we have to read a lot of texts, and  sit for a lot of tests every week. The studying schedule is tight and tough. The teachers set assignments and projects at the beginning of the term, and we have to hand them in according to the set deadlines. Besides, we have to concentrate in class in order not to miss any points that teachers make. Through a year of hard work, you will certainly find yourself efficient in performing any task.

Jackie, I think you'll find the subject `Chinese Language and Culture' interesting. The objective of the subject is to widen the students' horizon of the knowledge on the Chinese social customs and raise their interest in this aspect. Since you are a Japanese, and you are interested in Chinese Culture, certainly it will be one of your favorite  subjects in the whole S.6 curricclum. Furthermore, the course aims at training us how to communicate socially with one another. In this way, we acquire communication skills through individual presentation and group discussion. After studying this course, I believe you'll be familiar with Chinese culture, and improve your Chinese standard.

Being a form six student, you will find yourself more sociable than the time when you were a junior form student. Since our class is composed of thirty-three students, there are many chances to communicate with one another. Moreover, as there are many group projects and experiments for us to work on, you'll make more friends through the concerted effort in order to complete the task successfully. I am sure you'll make a lot of Chinese friends within a month's time.

A S.6 student should try to make friends with junior form students. Since form six students usually are the chairmen or the heads of  certain societies, you can have many opportunities to organize activities in schools. Through organizing various functions, we acquire leadership skills. After being a leader, you may become friends with some teachers and students. Therefore, you should participate in more class and school activities.

I do hope that you find my suggestions feasible. I'll meet you at the airport when you come to Hong Kong. Write to me if you decide when to come.

With Best Wishes,

Chris Wong.