It seems that many students in Hong Kong have negative opinions of exchange students. Some hold the notion that exchange students come to Hong Kong merely to associate with other exchange students and make daily trips to Lan Kwai Fong. Others feel that they make no significant contributions to the university and may even worsen the campus environment by make a ruckus on campus until the wee hours of the morning, and littering. I feel that these prejudices on the part of the local students are unfair and actually greatly hamper the establishment of relationships between local and exchange students that would be mutually beneficial.
Though enjoying the nightlife of Hong Kong is most likely a part of the reason exchange students study in Hong Kong, that is definitely not the only reason. Exchange students are indeed interested in meeting local students and experiencing local culture. The majority of local students are probably unaware of exchange student participation in sports teams, literary magazines, programs helping others learn English, etc. Hong Kong supposedly offers students the chance to gain exposure to Asian culture while being able to function in society using English as a medium of communication. However, on university campuses in Hong Kong the level of English proficiency is surprisingly poor. This is probably what limits the interaction between exchange and local students more so than the disinterest of exchange students. Furthermore, the fact that universities in Hong Kong act as semi-commuter schools with most local students going home every weekend, it is all the more difficult to for relationships to be established.
Local students should be aware that the exchange students have a lot to offer to the university as a whole and to students individually. The low rate of interaction between local and exchange students is partly a manifestation of Hong Kong’s need to improve English education. Exchange students provide local students a wonderful opportunity to improve their English ability and if local students give them a chance, they will greatly benefit from the exchange of cultures and backgrounds, and of course anyone will benefit by making a new friend.

Alan Wong
College of William and Mary, Virginia,
USA