------#954------- Dear HKU students (especially some Internationals) who keep complaining about the application of the Chinese language (for some other cases, the Cantonese dialect) in HKU, This is HONG KONG, the place of YOUR CHOICE. When you decided to come to HKU, you should have known that both Cantonese and Putonghua are widely spoken/used in this city and its Universities. Seriously, stop complaining already. Do you see international students who pursue their studies in foreign countries, say France, demand their Universities to conduct every event or publication in English? The fact that most, if not all, courses and talks in HKU are conducted in English is already fair enough. Just ask yourself, have you utilised (or are you even able to) all the resources that HKU has to offer? Hong Kong is one of the SARs of the Peoples Republic of China, and lets just admit it, the PRCs influence is growing exponentially in world affairs in this age of globalisation as the country interacts more with the world. In todays world, proficiency in Chinese will definitely give you the edge over your competitors. Many non-Chinese are even attempting to learn the Chinese language in order to compete effectively in the global economy of the future. As I know, all internationals are required to enrol in a compulsory Chinese course. So before you complain, you should ask yourself: have you fared well in the course? Were you serious about learning Chinese? Did you embrace Hong Kong and HKU with your open arms and mind? Are you grateful for having the opportunity to learn the Chinese language in a Chinese environment? When you complain about the usage of Chinese in HKU, youre in a way disrespecting the importance of this beautiful language. FYI, Chinese is one of the 2 official languages of Hong Kong, which situates the University of YOUR CHOICE. What I am trying to say is that, you should have done your research before you came to HKU. Also, instead of complaining, why dont you start learning the Chinese language? 1 Chinese phrase a day, coupled with some consistent practice, will help you gain a lot in a year. With the growing importance of China and of course, the Chinese language, HKU will never be completely Cantonese/Putonghua-free. Last but not least, I would like to note that this is just my sincere confession and I hope I did not offend anyone. I just dont see any practical benefit from the incessant complaints. Also, it is my view that many of you, especially internationals, can achieve a lot more by making use of the existing HKU resources instead of complaining, complaining, and complaining. Initiatives such as the establishment of the International Society that sets English as its official language, and also the presentation of the various cultural nights in English should really be applauded. Oh and I forgot one more point: Whats with all the trash talk about HKU in this PUBLIC Facebook page? For dignitys sake guys, love it or not, this is YOUR University! Do you really want the whole world to think that you come from a crappy University? A University that produces a bunch of bellyachers (ahem.. losers.. ahem.. you)? You are what you say/think. -Buddha (wanna learn more? enrol in one of the HKU Buddhist studies programmes) Thank you for reading and I wish you all the best in the upcoming exams. Peace out. Sincerely, A very content BSocSci non-local whos been working hard on her Cantonese and Putonghua for the sake of immersing herself in the local culture (which is why she chose HKU in the first place) in and outside of the HKU campus, and also because she thinks that learning a second language can help develop critical and creative thinking skills. HKU is truly an amazing University. Its been 2 years now and.. so far so good.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 15:11:06 +0000
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