The Guangzhou Exchange Tour was successfully organized from 10 May to 11 May. A total of 4 teachers and 46 students gained invaluable experiences in visiting a local boarding secondary school (Guangzhou Si Yuan School), the national level "South China Market of Human Resources" and the prestigious "South China University of Technology".

What gave me the deepest impression is the enthusiasm of the students of the Si Yuan School, as well as their unique pedagogical approach towards learning which is recognized as one of the best approaches in the secondary school in China. In addition, I was also impressed by the talent of their Principals, teachers and students in the talent performance session. Our students got along well with the local students instantly because of their pleasant and warm reception. At the end of the visit, they exchanged little gifts with each other as a sign of their friendship.

The South China Market of Human Resources is a huge centre for recruitment of various entreprises in China. This building alone, comprises of hundreds of recruitment booths, interview rooms, information centres, resources centres, centre of personal portfolio, training centres, internet recruitment centres and conference theatres. We were greatly honoured to be invited to join a seminar delivered by the Deputy Director of the centre and have gained a better knowledge of the career market of China.

We were also warmly greeted by the staff and students of the South China University of Technology. The students were so kind to escort us around the spacious campus and shared with us feelings of their university life. Furthermore, we thank the staff for introducing to us the background, entry requirements and the admission processes of universities in China, giving us a clearer picture of the tertiary education system of China.

Besides the professional academic exchange activities, we also spent a little time on sightseeing and indulging ourselves with the tasty local snacks along the Shangxiajiu Pedestrain Street.

To conclude, this short trip to Guangzhou is truly packed with enlightening activities. It is hoped that more students can benefit from such kind of meaningful event in the near future.

Having been to the Guangzhou Exchange tour, I found out how different the style of teaching and learning is between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. In Guangzhou, lessons are mainly led by students instead of teachers. Teacher act mainly as the instructor, whereas students are divided into different groups and are required to present on different topics.

I think this study method is good, because students can enhance their co-operative, presentation and organization skills when working in groups. These are all essential skills for their future career. Besides, it is also an interesting and relaxing way to learn.

On the other hand, they are self-disciplined. They would line up voluntarily; and are extremely silent and attentive when the teacher is speaking.

In contrast, students in Hong Kong should learn from the students in Guangzhou. Apart from their learning attitude, we should learn to be as sincere as they are. They showed their kindness and encouragement by telling us not to be shy in speaking Putonghua. Therefore, I like Guangzhou and its’ people.

We also visited the South China Market of Human Resources where the recruitment department was full of interview counters. People of all ages were holding piles of their own portfolio waiting to be interviewed. The entire recruitment process was simple, direct and efficient; interviewees just needed to complete the registration form, and would then be arranged to an interview.

After experiencing such an efficient recruitment process, I think Hong Kong should take Guangzhou as an example to establish a personnel-recruiting market. As we all know, Hong Kong is a city with the brisk pace of life. A personnel-recruiting market can facilitate different types of company in recruiting suitable candidates. Most importantly, it allows new graduates to have a better understanding of their needs and directions by having different interviews.

In the afternoon, we visited the South China University of Technology which is a spacious study environment. During the tour, we were led by the students in the university. They were all very friendly and enthusiastic. Also, they were glad to explain to us their lives in the university in the Mainland, and finally we became good friends.

Through knowing each other, I think that although the culture between Mainland and Hong Kong is different, after getting along with the mainland students conscientiously, there is no big difference at all.

On May 5 and 6, 2012, I had the opportunity to participate in the two day Guangzhou Exchange Tour. On the first day, we visited Si Yuan School, and strolled along the famous Shangxiajiu Pedestrain Street. The next day, we visited the South China Market of Human Resources, in that section, we learnt much about the employment situation in Guangzhou. At last we visited the South China University of Technology. Although the schedule was quite tight in those two days, I have learnt a lot, especially having a better understanding of the young people in Guangzhou.

In this two-day trip, I was most impressed by the performance of the students from Si Yuan. Though the students who we interacted with are of similar age, I found that there are lots of differences between us. Since Si Yuan’s students are embracing a form of education which is similar to military training, teachers are more stringent when treating students, they need Si Yuan’s to be exactly obedient to their commands. For example, when shifting classrooms, students are required to line up and walk silently. On the contrary, asking Hong Kong students to remain silent in class is never an easy task. Therefore, generally, mainland students are more self-disciplined than students in Hong Kong.

In addition, as Si Yuan School is a boarding school, students can have a regular pattern of live. Every morning, they have to wake up at six, and do exercise in the sports ground. After school, they will participate in various extra-curricular activities such as singing and playing football. What’s more is that there is a self-study time for them every night after dinner. At ten o'clock, they will rest. As I observed, they have very few recreational activities in school, because they can only use the computer once a week when they go back home. Comparing with Hong Kong students, we have a lot more freedom. From this, I realized that perhaps Hong Kong students are given too much freedom that we can hardly be self-disciplined enough in managing our time wisely. As a result, bad habits such as staying up late and being addicted to playing video games developed.

On the second day, I got to know more about the employment situation of mainland as well as the information about Hong Kong students studying in mainland universities. After that, I noticed that Hong Kong students are no longer having advantages over mainland students because the mainland has been developing rapidly these years. Yet for one thing students from Hong Kong are standing on a vantage point is that Hong Kong students are more capable with using English, both writing and speaking. I worried that if we continue to be stuck in the mud and be stagnant each day, while the others keep working hard to fulfill their goals, we will sooner or late be defeated. It is doubt that mainland students are excellent models for us and we should learn from their persistence and hard work.

I am very glad that I can join this activity because I have learnt much about lives in the mainland, and most importantly, I have made friends with Si Yuan’s students. Now, we still keep in touch with each other through Weibo and QQ. It is hoped that our schools can provide more opportunities for students to explore the outside world as it will be a memorably and precious chances for us to broaden our horizons.

五月十日至十一日我們一行四位老師帶領著四十六名中四及中五學生到廣州交流兩日一夜，行程包括探訪一所寄宿民辦中學（思源學校）、國家級的人才市場（廣州南方人才市場）及華南理工大學。

令我印象最深的是思源學校師生的熱情款待，以及觀摩到他們獨特的教學法，並見識該校老師校長及學生的才華等等。我們的學生很快已和該校學生打成一片，最後更交換禮物，依依不捨地離開！

南方人才市場的規模使我驚嘆不已！它是跨地區的國家級招聘中心，佔地足有一整幢十多層高的大樓，內有大型招聘攤位，設有即席面試取錄機制。還有檔案中心、資源中心、網絡招聘中心、培訓中心及大小型會議廳等等，我們更有幸獲中心副主任安排到其中一個中型會議廳聽他的講座，而老師們更獲邀坐在主席列呢！

華南理工大學的景色十分優美，地方寬廣，山明水秀，學生們的細心招待及講師們的詳細講解均值得欣賞！唯課室內欠缺香港人不可缺少的一種設備-----冷氣機！

我們也到「上下九路」步行街走了一趟，品嚐美食之餘，也有機會親身了解當地最受年青人歡迎的地方。

總括來說，雖然是匆匆的兩天行程，但也給予我們師生一次非常深刻的體會。盼望將來能舉辦更多交流體驗活動，讓更多同學獲得這些寶貴的經驗。

在今次的廣州交流之旅中，我了解到香港和廣州的學習方式十分不同。他們的課堂主要是由學生主導，以分組的形式去匯報不同的題目，老師只擔任指導的角色。

我認為這種學習方式很好，因為在分組的時候，可以增進彼此之間的感情。還有這種的學習方式十分有趣和輕鬆，學生可以學到很多不同的技能，例如:表達、分工和組織等，這些都對將來的工作有很大的幫助。

另外，內地學生十分有紀律，他們會自動自覺排隊；當老師說話時會保持安靜，在拍手、坐姿和站姿上，都很守規。

他們又十分友善和熱情，當知道我們並不擅於說普通話，都鼓勵我們不要害羞和多作嘗試。

廣州交流的第二天，我們先到達廣州南方人才市場參觀，隨著梯級，我們首先來到招聘部門，全層佈滿了招聘及面試的小攤位，而不分男女老幼也拿著一疊疊個人簡歷，在各攤位徘徊，熱鬧得很。

整個招聘過程很簡單、直接和省時間，只要填妥報名表，便可即時進行面試，以及決定是否聘請。

見識過這新鮮的招聘方法後，其實我認為香港也應仿傚廣州，設立一個人才市場，眾所周知，香港是一個生活節奏急速的城市，一個人才市場可方便不同類型的公司快速地招聘人才，十分具經濟效益。

接著，我們前往廣州華南理工大學參觀，那兒可說得上是山明水秀，鳥語花香，環境寬大優美，是一個讀書的好地方。在參觀期間，一直有就讀該校的學生帶領，他們全都表現友善熱情，很樂意向我們講解內地大學生活的狀況，最後我們甚至無所不談。

通過互相了解，我認為內地與香港的文化雖有不同，但認真相處起來，並無分別。

這趟廣州交流考察之旅，帶給了我一個難忘的回憶！

思源中學，一所以「寬鬆教學、嚴謹紀律」為教學方針的學校，確實讓我留下了深刻的印象。思源的同學，雖然不是全國數一數二、名列前茅的學生，在旁人的眼中，可能也只是普通的中學生而已；可是，他們擁有一樣大部分學生都可能缺乏的東西，那就是對學習的熱誠和主動。

我想香港學生對「填鴨式教育」也不會陌生吧？我們無時無刻都接受著這種教學模式，著重「死記硬背」的傳統教學，學校單向式灌輸知識予學生。但思源中學提倡一種以學生為主導的新教學模式，課室四面都設有黑板，一堂課五十分鐘，老師上十分鐘，剩下的時間全留給學生討論和發揮。一個創新的教法，讓思源的學生變得比同齡的學生更主動和更充滿自信，而且，還讓他們對學習有著一股熱情。

我們一起上的那一堂中國歷史課，第一次嘗試這種特別的教學模式，對我而言，一開始真的很陌生和不習慣，可是，思源同學們的學習氣氛感染到我，使我很快就已經可以融入他們的學習環境當中。

臨別時，我們雙方均依依不捨，紛紛交換聯絡方法和禮物。坦白說，我從來都沒有想過，我們會在僅僅一個下午的相處，便對思源的同學們產生如此強烈的感情。我想，那可能是因為他們的開朗、熱情和自律，是我們缺乏的吧？我可是從心底裏欣羨他們呢！

此行尚安排大家到上下九路購物區參觀，體驗廣州的生活實況。林蔭道上，車水馬龍，川流不息。商店裏的商品琳琅滿目，人們精心挑選自己心愛的物品，到處是歡聲笑語，熙熙攘攘，好一番繁榮的景象。廣州自清朝以來已是對外開放的城市，歷經變化，現在換上新裝，成為國內數一數二的繁榮大城市。這次交流讓我更認識我們的祖國，期望她走向富強，走向國際舞台，中國人向世界展現新貌。

今次的廣州考察之旅使我獲益良多。思源學校的教學模式與香港學校有很大的分別，老師只用十分鐘講課，其餘三十五分鐘由同學進行分享以及小組討論，同學可利用課室四個黑板向其他同學展示資料。在這上課模式下，思源學校的同學十分主動地學習，且十分投入課堂活動，所以同學都對學習內容瞭如指掌。另外，思源同學的紀律更令我印象深刻，他們在老師一聲令下便整齊列隊，用他們洪亮的嗓音喊出口號。他們的主動性和紀律都很值得我們香港學生學習 。

我們亦到南方人才市場參觀，從現場所見，很多應徵人士都在招聘會上找尋合適的工作。南方人才市場與香港的招聘會有很大的分別，應徵人士可在現場直接與招聘單位進行面試，不用像香港般，先在招聘會向招聘單位申請職位，再另約面試時間，好處是可以節省時間，使招聘單位能盡快找到合適職員，而應徵者亦可節省時間。就是因為這創新的招聘方式，使南方人才市場聲名大噪，更成為中國七大人才市場之一。我們也不得不驚歎中國的創新思想，為就業市場帶來新景象。

是次的廣州交流考察之旅令我獲益良多，我以往較少機會參加類似的活動，這次的機會讓我進一步擴闊了自己的眼界。

第一天的旅程令我印象深刻。由於我第一次到廣州，所以對所有事物都多加留意。到達思源學校，與廣州的學生進行學術上、言語上、文化上的交流，讓我更了解在內地上學的情況。思源學校同學的熱情招待融化了我們，我們很快便投入在活動中。但我發現中港兩地的文化差異頗大，就以言語為例：縱然我們能與思源學校的同學以廣東話溝通，但我們的同學卻在使用普通話上未算流利。此外，拜訪思源學校亦令我認識了一群新朋友。可惜當天的行程趕急，我們沒有太多的時間作更多生活上的交流，彼此間充滿不捨。不過，我們之後仍以網上平台互相聯絡。

至於遊覽上下九路步行街，我們品嚐到廣州的美食，同時也進一步了解廣州的居民生活。廣州的治安比我想像中的還要好，居民質素頗佳。我的同學在遊覽時，背包的拉鍊忘了拉上，一位年輕的小姐十分熱心地追上來提醒我們。這事令我反思到現今部分香港人缺乏助人的心態，亦令我對廣州的居民留下良好的印象。

第二天的行程則較緊密。廣州南方人才市場王主任的演講讓我更了解內地的工作環境與前景發展。同時，也彷彿在提醒我要好好裝備自己，迎接未來的挑戰。惟拜訪南方人才市場的時間不足，我們只能略看。

下午遊覽華南理工大學，數位大學同學帶領我們遊覽校園，他們解說清晰，能就我們的疑問作出解答，增加我們對內地升學的了解和認識。他們的校園佔地十分廣，我們只參觀了一小部分。華南理工大學的建築十分優美，與香港的大學相比可以說是有過之而無不及。可惜華南理工大學的老師只簡單說明了入學條件等資料，我們未能完全掌握。

最後，我十分享受是次的廣州交流考察之旅，不但擴闊了眼界，亦增進了中港兩地同學間的友誼，相信將來我仍然會銘記這段難忘的交流考察之旅。也十分感謝校方給予我這次難得的機會，為我的中學生活增添了美好的印記。

本年五月十至十一日，我有幸能參加由學校舉辦的廣州交流團，第一天我們與廣州市思源學校的學生進行交流，然後參觀聞名已久的上下九街道。第二天，我們到訪南方人才市場，了解廣州市的就業情況，最後亦參觀了華南理工大學。雖然兩天的行程十分緊密，但我獲益良多，特別是對廣州市的青少年有更深入的了解。

兩天的行程中，我最印象深刻的是與思源學校的學生交流。和我們一起活動的是高一、二班的學生，與我們年紀相若，但我發現他們與香港的學生有很大差異。由於思源學校採用了類似軍訓式的教育，老師們對學生較嚴苛，要求思源學生事事依照指示。例如由一個地方轉到另一地方上課，學生需一個跟著一個走，期間不可交談。相反，要令香港學生不要在上課時交談已是一件不易的事。由此可見，國內的學生一般比香港學生守紀律。

此外，思源學校是一間寄宿學校，學生的生活較香港學生規律。他們每天早上六時起床，要到球場跑圈，下午放學後，又參加各類的課外活動如唱歌、踢足球，晚上規定有自習時間，十時準時回房休息。我發現除周末假期外，學校的生活都甚少有娛樂活動，相比起香港，學生則有很大的空間。我反思到，或許香港學生就是因為被給予太大的自由，以致我們常常不懂自律，沒有良好的時間管理，養成生活的壞習慣如晚睡晚起、沉迷打遊戲機等。

第二天的參觀令我更加認識內地就業的情況，以及香港學生到內地升學的資料。這次活動讓我明白到，香港學生到內地發展的優勢已逐漸減少，因為國內正在不斷進步，在很多方面上，內地學生和香港學生也是很接近，唯獨在英語水平上，香港學生則佔有優勢。在別人不斷進步的同時，若我們繼續停滯不前，糊里糊塗地過每一天，他日別人就能趕上我們。香港的學生好應該向內地學生學習！