Cross-Cultural Learners' Magazine - Revamped Issue 1

CROSS-CULTURAL LEARNERS’MAGAZINE

匯文子集

ISSN 2521-4160 (Online)

c/o Centre for Advancement of Chinese Language Education and Research (CACLER), Faculty of Education

Rooms 608-613, Meng Wah Complex

The University of Hong Kong

+852 3917 4772

Enquiries and submissions can be sent to the Editorial Board at

lcwtam@hku.hk

ADVISORY BOARD

Chairperson Dr. Elizabeth K. Y. LOH 羅嘉怡博士 (Principal Investigator, PoCSL Project)

Members Dr. W. W. KI 祁永華博士 (Founder, Cross-Cultural Learners' Magazine)

Dr. Mark S. K. SHUM

岑紹基博士 (Co-Investigator, PoCSL Project)

EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-Chief Dr. Loretta C. W. TAM 譚宗穎博士

Managing Editor Ivy M. H. FUNG 馮苗馨

Art Director & Head Reporter Thomas N. H. NG 伍諾熙

Bilingual Editors Bonnie KWONG 鄺宝宜

Reetu RAJBHANDARI

慧桃

Marketing Executive Crystal T. W. CHEUNG 張芷穎

Contributing Writers Dr. Elizabeth HO RAZVI 何劍翹博士

Mr. Joe C. Y. TSUI

徐焯賢先生

Ms. Teresinha RIBEIRO TAM

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Delia Memorial School (Broadway) and Students

• Kwai Chung Methodist College and Student Creative

• Pak Kau College and Student Writers

• Student Support Programme on Chinese Language for Non-Chinese Speaking Students (SSP

Project), CACLER, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong and Student Writers

• Ricci Hall Archives Conservation and Acquisition Project (RHACAP), HKU

• Dr. Kwokchang LAU

• Reetu + Sumi

*This online student magazine is a school community activity of the“Supporting the Learning and Teaching of Chinese Language for

Non-Chinese Speaking Students in Secondary Schools” (PoCSL Project) | Sponsored by the Standing Committee on Language Education

and Research [SCOLAR], HKSAR Government

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

HAVE YOUR SAY IN A DIFFERENT WAY

Dear readers,

Welcome to Revamped Issue 1 “Hong Kong: A Home Away From Home” of Cross-Cultural Learners’ Magazine

(CCLM)!

Due to unforeseen technical issues, it’s been quite a while since our last update. You may notice that CCLM, or《匯

文子集》(wui6 man4 zi2 zaap6 in Cantonese / hui4 wen2 zi3 ji2 in Mandarin), has undergone a major facelift. Back in

those days when CCLM was first founded by Dr. W. W. Ki and his team in 2013, it was one of the learning outcomes

of an Independent Enquiry Study (IES) project that encouraged secondary school students from different ethnic

backgrounds to collaborate with their undergraduate mentors. Now, four years after the magazine’s launch, we are

moving to the state-of-the-art online publishing platform, issuu, to bring brand new experiences to our long-missed

readers.

Bilingual, printer-friendly, and interactive, the revamped CCLM aims to share stories about people from all walks of

life who strive to live fruitfully in the culturally diverse Hong Kong. Our focus is on teens and youth, yet we are not

tied down to certain age groups. We talk to students, teachers, parents, and community members, and report on

their views towards current issues about society and culture. We have lined up a number of authors, too, for existing

columns on Chinese language learning, local food, and ethnic groups in Hong Kong. There will be more of them in

the forthcoming issues, but, most importantly, we need your submissions!

Writings in Chinese or English, paintings, photographs (with captions), image showcases of 3D artwork, and

multimedia productions (e.g. video-recorded standup shows, singing performances, or anything you created that

went viral in your school) are welcomed. I sincerely invite you to go to the “Submissions” ( 學生投稿 ) section in this

issue, and see what your fellow students have already turned in that made them some of the best young creatives

in town.

Last but not least, I would like to thank our funding body, advisors, contributing writers, interviewees, and members of

the Editorial Board who made this revamped series possible. As a magazine by students for students, our multicultural

team of editors are mostly HKU undergraduates, who have taken up this great challenge of succeeding the success

from the IES era while accommodating to the ever-evolving digital world. My special gratitude goes to Thomas Ng

(BA 3), Ivy Fung (BA 2), Bonnie Kwong (BA 2), Reetu Rajbhandari (BSc [SPEECH] 2), and Crystal Cheung (BA 2),

who have devoted so much of their time and effort in restructuring this space for nurturing creativity, intercultural

sensitivity, and second language proficiency among our readers.

This issue and your creative stamina should keep you busy this summer. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Enjoy your exploration of CCLM, as well as the idea of “home” through the lens of the ethnic minority experience!

Dr. Loretta Tam

Editor-in-Chief

HONG KONG: A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

「同為少數族裔的我們都希望 , 終有一天能成功融入香港的生活圈子。」

—— 恆恆、雅珊、瑪莉、妮美亞

“As members of ethnic minority, we all hope that one day, we will succeed in fitting in

the local social circle.”

—— Rithika, Afsa, Sukhpreet, and Nimrah

目錄

Table of Contents

專題

Feature

2

若是不曾走過 , 何以懂得快樂 : 專訪地利亞修女紀念學校 ( 百老匯 ) 學生

Happiness Is Found in Certain Paths: An Interview with Students from Delia Memorial School (Broadway)

16

他鄕的「爾客」: 與尼泊爾裔港人對話

Locals from Afar: Hong Kong Citizens of Nepalese Descent

學生投稿

Submissions

24

伯裘書院、葵涌循道中學 ( 見封底內頁 )、香港大學非華語學生中文學習支援計劃九龍中心

Pak Kau College, Kwai Chung Methodist College (See Inner Back Cover), HKU SSP Project

專欄

Columns

28

學好中文 Chinese Is Not That Hard:

學中文 , 難不難 ?Is Chinese Difficult?

32

徐園食單 Food Journey with Joe Tsui:

吃邊 For the Love of "Heels"

34

歲月回望 Looking Back At Our Own History:

Sons of Hong Kong: The Contribution of Eurasians on the Verge of Japanese Occupation in 1941

38

一期一問 Humans of PoCSL Schools:

快樂是甚麼 ?Humans of Delia Broadway: Happiness

專

題

/

F E A T U R E

中文撰稿、攝影 : 伍諾熙

英文翻譯 : 馮苗馨、慧桃 (Reetu Rajbhandari)

Chinese Text and Photographs by Thomas Ng

English Adaptation by Ivy Fung and Reetu Rajbhandari

2

若

是何

不以

曾懂

走得

過快

樂

Happiness Is Found

in Certain Paths:

An Interview with

Students from

Delia Memorial School (Broadway)

專訪地利亞修女紀念學校 ( 百老匯 ) 學生

印象中的美孚新邨是個很安靜的地

方 : 樓與樓之間的平台很大 , 讓人

可以靜靜地坐上一天。好像還有兩

三個水池 , 不時傳來潺潺水聲。樓

宇看起來有點歷史 , 居民大多都六

七十歲 , 悠閒地過著小日子。地利

亞修女紀念學校 ( 百老匯 ) 正正坐

落於此。它的門口挺隱閉 , 平常人

大概不會刻意往裏面瞧 , 充滿神秘

感 ; 門前還有一大幅視覺藝術科學

生的畫作 , 在道道欄杆阻擋之下 ,

顯得不太起眼。

My impression of Mei Foo Sun

Chuen is that it is a very quiet

place -- the platform that stretches

between buildings is spacious

enough that it allows people to

sit in tranquility for a day. There

seemed to be a few ponds from

3

4

where the sounds of ripples could be heard. In

the buildings with their aged facades, people who

are in their 60s or 70s reside. The location for the

interview, Delia Memorial School (Broadway) sits

in their proximity. The main entrance is situated

in a very narrow space, one most people would

not spot at first glance, which created a faint this

sense of mystery. In front of the entrance was a

large painting by some Visual Arts students, but

the railings blocking made it less noticeable.

踏入正門的一刻 , 卻彷彿到了另一個世界 , 溫暖而

耀眼。入口旁是一個大大的獎盃櫃、一份門口告示

密密麻麻地寫著被哪位老師預訂好的會議室 , 還有

個看起來小小的體育室 , 裡面有很多同學 , 好像在

上體育課。下課鐘聲響起 , 緊隨的是兩三道老師廣

播 , 還有絡繹不絕的身影。屈指一數 , 真的想不起

到底自己有多久沒有踏入過這麼熱鬧的校園。這裏

的學生們 , 放學後似乎不會馬上回家 , 卻三五成群

地擠在那彈丸般的校門 , 要嘛逗留片刻 , 要嘛找找

同學聊聊功課 , 享受那教我羨慕非常的課後時光。

沒多久 , 同學們到了。

The moment I stepped through the main entrance,

it felt like an entirely different world, one that was

warm and dazzling. Next to the entrance was a

large cabinet of cups and trophies, and on one door

was written, to the point where the space was all

filled, which teachers had booked the conference

room. There was also what seemed to be a small

sports hall with a lot of students inside, probably

having their PE lesson. The dismissal bell rang,

closely followed by two or three announcements,

5

and it was an endless stream of

figures leaving the school. I tried

counting, but I could not recall

how long it had been since I had

set foot in a campus as bustling

as this one. It seemed these

students did not choose to head

home immediately after school,

and were huddled in small

groups at the tiny entrance area.

They stayed a while, looked

around for their classmates

and discussed the homework,

enjoying that after school time

that I can only envy. Soon, my

interviewees arrived.

瑪莉、雅珊和恆恆都是地利亞 (

百老匯 ) 的中六學生。也許因為

我們第一次見面 , 她們都很正式

地用中文介紹自己。對我來說這

很有趣 , 因為本地華人學生反而

不習慣使用中文名 , 反而習慣別

人以英文名、甚至綽號來稱呼自

己。然而 , 這幾位同學都自信十

足地使用她們的中文名。第一眼

看見她們 , 我還以為她們的廣東

話未必流利 , 誰知道她們的中文

甚至比我更好 , 還一直在訪問期

間 , 指出我筆記上的錯字。幾番

寒暄過後 , 才發現原來她們都在

香港出世 , 但各人的背景不同 ,

走過的路也各異。

Gill Sukhpreet Kaur, Afsa Fatima and Sharma

Rithika are Secondary six students from Delia

Memorial School (Broadway). Perhaps due

to me being a stranger, I recall that at the

beginning of the interview, they gave me a

formal introduction of themselves in Chinese.

This was very interesting to me because we

tend to address ourselves with anything but

our Chinese names: we refer to ourselves in

English, or sometimes with a nickname. Unlike

us, they announced their names in Chinese

with great confidence. At first I thought their

Cantonese would not be fluent, but they took

me by surprise. I dare say their Chinese was

even better than mine, because during our

6

interview, they managed to point out characters

that I had written wrongly on my notes. After a

brief exchange of pleasantries, it came to my

attention that despite the fact that they were all

born in Hong Kong, they were from different

backgrounds and had taken correspondingly

different life journeys.

第一位開腔的是雅珊 , 巴基斯坦裔 , 十七歲。

她言談有趣 , 看似相當外向。這種天真活潑的

性格 , 應該跟她生活背景相關吧。她的家人不

懂中文 , 因此學習上她往往需要努力自學。小

時候雅珊在本地主流小學讀書 , 家人都說她不

懂跟別的孩子相處。因為中文不好 , 她剛到學

校的時候並沒甚麼朋友 , 甚至需要重讀一年。

「慢慢地靠自己努力 , 就適應過來了。」雅珊

告訴我。除了語言 , 她還嘗試努力融入身邊的

群體。小學時大家都習慣自備午

餐 , 因為宗教文化的關係 , 雅珊

的家人會為她準備薄餅。天性開

朗的她 , 午餐時會與身邊的朋友

分享食物 , 於是慢慢地學會與其

他人相處。直到現在 , 她自信已

經完全適應以中文溝通 , 還身兼

地利亞學校聯會的要職 , 協助統

籌地利亞五校的聯辦活動。

Afsa, a seventeen-year-old

Pakistani, was the first to

speak. She had quite a funloving

persona -- her outgoing

personality was fully evident

during our conversation, a

trait that I could only assume

was the collective result of all

the interactions she had had,

day in and day out. Having

lived in Hong Kong without a

family proficient in Cantonese,

she learnt to be self-reliant. At

the local primary school she

attended as a child, her family

felt that she did not get along

well with her peers. When she

first started attending DMS,

her weak foundation in Chinese

meant that she did not make

many friends and even had to

repeat a year. “With effort, I

7

gradually adapted” said Afsa. Apart

from working on her Chinese, her

efforts also included other ways of

integrating herself. In primary school,

where students often brought their

own lunchboxes, Afsa’s parents

packed roti for her to accommodate

the dietary restrictions of her religion.

Being as sociable as she was, Afsa

would offer to share her lunch with her

friends, and gradually, she learnt to

get along with those around her. Now,

she can confidently say that she is

comfortable speaking Chinese, and

even took up a key role in a joint Delia

Schools association, in which she

assisted in organizing events among

five Delia counterparts.

「現在 ⋯⋯ 我很幸福啊 !」說後還

帶有半點害羞 , 接連是幾道清脆的笑

聲。這是瑪莉 , 印度裔 , 十七歲 , 給

人樂天知命的印象。一路走來 , 瑪莉得

到身邊很多人的幫忙 , 對此她十分感

恩。畢業於中文小學的她 , 小學時是班

上唯一的少數族裔學生 , 同學和老師會

為她翻譯功課 , 在樓下公園玩樂時 , 鄰

居又會跟她聊天 , 平日身邊的人也主動

關心她。透過日常生活的溝通 , 今時今

日的瑪莉 , 已能說得一口流利的中文 ,

可以自信地說一句「比之前明白更多

了」, 還能教弟弟功課 , 與雅珊一起籌

辦聯校活動。

“At the moment, I feel blessed!” said

Sukhpreet, with a hint of shyness,

which was followed by blissful laughter

in the room. She is a seventeen-yearold

Indian having all the signs of a

carefree soul. Perhaps because she

would not have gotten by without the

help of others, I felt that she had an

overwhelming sense of gratitude in

life. In her days at a Chinese primary

8

school, she was the only ethnic

minority student in her school.

Luckily, there were many around her

who were willing to lend her a helping

hand: classmates and teachers

helped her translate the homework,

and neighbours chatted with her

when she was out playing in the

park. People around her were keen

to show that they cared about her

by asking how she was from time to

time. Through everyday interactions,

Sukhpreet developed systematic

skills in Chinese communication, and

has since learnt to speak Cantonese

with fluency. Now she could proudly

proclaim that she had understood a

lot more than she did in the past, and

was able to help her brother with his

homework. With Afsa, she organized

inter-school events.

第三位同學是恆恆。她是印度裔 , 十

七歲 , 自小已跟香港人住在同一個社

區 , 因此小學時期學習中文並沒有

太大的難度 , 溝通自然不成問題。然

而 , 後來她搬了家 , 面對陌生的環

境 , 她頓失所措。「後來轉換了環

境 , 幸得鄰居主動幫助我。那時候 ,

新的居住環境很陌生 , 屋苑是新落成

的 , 有很多成年人。我很害怕 , 感覺

很孤單 , 覺得自己大概交不到什麼朋

友了。但後來 , 住在對面單位的鄰居

來了 , 他兒子跟我同年 , 我就有玩伴

了。」恆恆說著 , 聲線突然壓得很低。

於少數族裔同學而言 , 要適應語言環境

早已艱難 , 更何況要一個剛六歲、才上

小學的孩子 , 要離開熟悉的地方、熟悉

的朋友 ? 幸好 , 恆恆也得到身邊不少人

的幫助 , 例如老師、朋友 , 讓她可以安

心學習 , 也能像瑪莉一樣 , 在家裡擔當

起照顧弟弟的責任。

Rithika’s case is a special one. She is

a seventeen year old Indian, and has

lived with locals for as long as she

could remember. Hence, she was not

met with much difficulty in Chinese

learning back in her primary school

days. Logically, communication was

not a challenge to her.” However, I then

moved to a new environment where I

felt greatly detached. Luckily, there

was help from nice neighbours. Back

then, I really considered this living

environment foreign, because the

estate was newly built, and there were a

lot of adults, these were all intimidating.

I felt lonely, and was anxious about

making friends, until the neighbors

across the aisle moved in. They had

a son who was the same age as me,

and his company made me feel far less

lonely.” said Rithika. While she was

describing her past situation, I noticed

that she looked slightly saddened. It

9

is already difficult for ethnic minorities to adapt

to the linguistic environment here, let alone

having to experience that as a six-year-old.

Luckily, Rithika had help from many, including

her teachers and friends. Now, like Sukhpreet,

she is able to take up the role as a home tutor

to her brother.

回想起第一次接觸中文時的情境 , 她們都不期然

流露出一種耐人尋味的模樣。瑪莉的一句「嘩這

是什麼 !」, 教我出奇不已。直率的雅珊也與我

分享了讀幼稚園時看到中文的感覺。那時候 , 她

一想到自己「一輩子也要學這些 ( 中文字 )」

就會哭 , 因此經常要媽媽在學校門口等她。坦白

說 , 雖然中文是我的母語 , 我有時也覺得中文很

難學 ── 段意、意境、文言、語法 ⋯⋯ 更何況

是少數族裔學生 ? 然而她們沒有放棄中文。恆恆

說 :「只要肯學 , 都會做到 ; 只要努力 , 一定做

到。」這聽起來是老生常談 , 但卻又來得如此真

實 , 教人難忘。這三個堅強而幸運的女孩走著走

著 , 一路都是倚靠身邊不同的人和事 , 陪伴她們

渡過艱苦的適應期。

While recalling their initial exposure to Chinese,

they could not help but show an intriguing

look. I was most surprised when Sukhpreet

summarized the experience in one sentence:

“What is this?!” Afsa, who was straightforward,

shared with me her early Chinese learning

experience. Back then, whenever the thought

of “having to face this (Chinese) for the rest of

my (her) life” crossed her mind, she could not

help but cry, and so her mom had to wait at

the school entrance until she stopped. Frankly

10

speaking, even as a native Chinese speaker, I

find it difficult to understand concepts such as

gist, imagery, old Chinese, grammar, etc. Even

local Chinese students who are educated in

Chinese find the language uneasy. One can

only imagine how much bigger of a challenge it

is for ethnic minority students. Nonetheless, the

girls gritted their teeth. Rithika said something

that I echoed with “If you want to learn, you’ll

do it. If you work hard, you’ll do it.” Although

It sounds cliché, it is evidently true. With help

from those around them, the children who are

persistent and blessed constantly learnt from

their own experience. Eventually, they were able

to make it through the difficult time.

說到與以前的情況相比 , 她們三位都認為現在的

本地華人比較接受少數族裔。雅珊說 :「現在香

港人 , 都會把我們看成跟他們一樣。要是以前 ,

他們只會當我們是懂中文的同學。」瑪莉補充

說 :「現在歧視的情況已經很少。從前 , 自己很

討厭坐巴士 , 但現在不會了。」到底是我們社會

在進步 , 還是我們所稱「少數族裔」的他們很努

力地融入 ? 我猜每個人心中都有自己的答案。於

我而言 , 看到她們快樂無憂的樣子是很幸福的

事 ; 同時 , 自己又深明三幾個成功例子並不代表

什麼。到底還有多少非華語同學 , 每天努力嘗試

融入香港社會 ?

Compared to those in the past, the three of

them agreed that people nowadays are more

open and accepting towards ethnic minorities.

Afsa said, “Hong Kong people nowadays

consider us as a part of them, whereas in the

11

past, they thought of us only as foreign

classmates who could speak Chinese.”

Sukhpreet added, “Discrimination is not

as common. I used to hate taking the

bus, but now I don't. I have had many

successful attempts at taking the bus.”

Is it the society has progressed, or is

it the ethnic minorities have become

more capable in fitting in? I suppose

everyone has his or her own answer

to that. Personally speaking, while I

was truly touched by the smile on my

interviewees’ face, I have also come

to realize that these successful cases

are rare and hardly representative of

the majority. How many are there who,

unlike Sukhpreet, Afsa and Rithika, still

struggle every day to integrate into this

society?

妮美亞是我們的第四位受訪者 , 巴基斯

坦裔 , 十五歲。因為補課的關係 , 她比

另外三人晚到。她手上拿著數份中文試

卷 , 還有一疊老師打印的筆記。同學們

告訴我 , 她在家人的鼓勵之下 , 毅然選

讀最高級別的中文課程。她有禮安靜 ,

起初看起來好像有點怕生 ; 後來在瑪

莉、雅珊和恆恆的鼓勵下 , 她跟我們分

享了學習中文的情況 :「中文好難啊

⋯⋯ 文言文好難啊 , 有些字總會忘記

解譯 , 然而朋友又不懂中文。」我明白

她的處境 , 亦慶幸她有機會來到這間學

校 , 多認識不同背景的同學 , 好好讀書

並成長。

Khan Nimrah Bibi is the fourth

interviewee. She is a fifteen-year-old

Pakistani. Due to a supplementary

class, she came later than the other

three girls. She had with her a few

Chinese exam papers, and some notes

printed out by her teacher. I was told

that with the encouragement from her

family, she was in fact taking a Chinese

course of the most advanced level.

She was polite and quiet, and at first

seemed a bit shy around strangers.

However, with the encouragement

from Sukhpreet, Afsa and Rithika, she

shared her experience of learning

Chinese. “It’s just so difficult, especially

Literary (Classical) Chinese… There

are always words that I can't remember,

and also my friends do not know

Chinese.” Her situation is certainly

understandable, and I am glad that

she had the opportunity to come to

this place and meet classmates from

various backgrounds, and nonetheless

be in the company of, and grow up

with, people who have had experiences

similar to hers.

這是一件相當不容易的事。就像很多香

港人都喜歡學習外語 , 字詞、讀音看起

來也許很容易 , 但論及真正去應用 , 還

要把自己的生活習慣調節為當地節奏 ,

的確有點難度。她們四人在學習中文的

起步比較遲 , 路上一直跌跌撞撞 , 這對

她們之後的學習影響甚深。她們付出比

本地學生更多的努力 , 漸漸培養出一種

華人學生當中少見的韌性 , 並且變得堅

12

毅樂天 , 得到身邊支持與認同 , 以及對

社區的歸屬感。

The task is a difficult one. Many

among us in Hong Kong enjoy learning

foreign languages, and though it might

seem that some single words and

pronunciation are easy to master, to

become fully proficient in a second

language is definitely not a piece of

cake, especially when one finds himself

also having to adjust to a new lifestyle.

The four of them started learning

Chinese later than local students, there

are not without obstacles along the

road, and admittedly long-term impacts

are caused. Having paid more effort

than us the local Chinese, they gradually

develop tenacity -- a quality lacking in

most of the local Chinese students. They

have acquired something additionally --

positivity, persistence, a strong network

of support and recognition, and a

developing sense of belonging to the

community.

現時普羅大眾對少數族裔認識還是不

深。提及到少數族裔 , 我們都習慣把她

們當成在香港生活的外地人 , 思想可能

還停留在以前把他們標籤為「阿差」的

年代。設身處地去想 , 如果自己到其他

國家生活 , 卻被當地人冠上各種社會標

籤 , 生活一定不好過。地利亞這四位女

同學 , 不約而同地對「香港人」這身份

充滿歸屬感。問及她們是哪裏人 , 她們

都說會自稱為香港人。這種身份認同 ,

比我自己的定位來得更肯定 , 早已不限

於血統、國藉或膚色。「雖然我們各有不

同文化 , 但香港是個文化交匯之都 , 當

接觸外界比以前更多 , 就不會覺得自己

只屬於印度。我們在這裡出生、居住、

讀書 , 享受這地方的一切 , 是香港的一

份子。日後我們畢業 , 會在這裡工作 ,

為這地方服務 , 因為我們是香港社會的

一員。」瑪莉說。

I speculate the general public do not

have a deep understanding about

ethnic minorities. Whenever they

are brought up, we have a habit of

regarding them as foreigners who live

in Hong Kong, our mindsets may have

stopped progressing since when they

were still called “Ah Cha”. It is fair to

place ourselves in their shoes and to

picture ourselves migrating to another

country only to be placed with different

labels and alienated by the local

Chinese. It would no doubt be difficult

and upsetting. Yet, to my surprise,

the four girls from DMS felt a strong

sense of belonging to the Hong Kong;

when asked how they would describe

their identity in the context of Hong

Kong, they all agreed they would call

themselves Hongkongers. Even I do

not feel a sense of belonging as strong

-- it was clearly never a question of

ethnicity, nationality or the color of one’s

skin. “Though we are all from different

backgrounds, Hong Kong is a melting

pot of different cultures. When I become

13

exposed to so much more than before,

I feel like I don’t only belong to India.

We were born here, we live here and we

study here. We benefit from everything

Hong Kong offers, and we are a part of

it. In the future, we will graduate, seek

jobs here, and serve this community.

This makes us members of it.” said

Sukhpreet.

「現在一定會 , 特別當我們長大後 , 有

過很多不同經歷 , 慢慢地就會建立起這

種感覺。以前有人問道 , 我們會說自己

是巴基斯坦人呀 , 或者會叫自己『少數

族裔』。由不懂學到懂 , 我們經歷了很

多不同的事 , 例如被人欺凌 ⋯⋯ 這些路

我們都一一走過 , 並克服了困難。我住

在這兒 , 以前會說『啊 ! 有香港人 !』

, 但現在不會這樣想 , 反而是 ⋯⋯ 不會

說是一家人 , 但覺得自己是那社區的一

份子。」雅珊如是說。

“Now it definitely does. Especially when

we’re older and experience even more

-- we’ll slowly build up to that feeling.

Before, when people asked, we said we

were Pakistani, and we called ourselves

an ethnic minority. We have learned

now, when we knew nothing before; we

have been through so much. Bullying,

for example. We have been through it

all, and we have overcome it. Living

here, we used to say ‘Oh! Look at the

Hongkongers!’ These days we don’t

think like that. Instead… I wouldn’t say

we’re family, but I do consider myself a

member of this community,” said Afsa.

「平時我會叫自己做香港人 , 因為相比

起印度文化 , 我更熟悉香港文化 , 家人

更為我起了『香港小姐』的綽號 , 弟弟

也常叫我『半個香港人』。雖然我是印

度人 , 但同樣是香港人。我們跟香港人

都會說中文 , 可以溝通 , 有著某些相同

的習俗或文化 , 所以並沒什麼分別。」

恆恆補充道。

“Usually I’d call myself a Hongkonger.

And because I know more about Hong

Kong culture than Indian culture, my

family dub me ‘Miss Hong Kong’, my

brother even call me a ‘half Hongkonger’.

Although I’m an Indian, at heart I’m

a Hongkonger too. Like any other

Hongkongers, we speak Cantonese,

communicate in it, celebrate the same

ritual and culture, so we do not differ by

much” Rithika added.

離開的時候 , 我看到獎盃櫃上隱隱約約

寫著的 , 是地利亞的校訓「和而不同」

。能夠在一個如此溫暖 , 又帶著濃厚人

情味的校園學習 , 真的非常幸福。有

時我們華人會習慣把自己放在較高的位

置 , 以為自己在這地方土生土長 , 就開

始排斥外來人士。香港的情況可能已經

比其他地方好一些 , 政府有各項幫助少

數族裔人士融入社會的政策 , 又有地利

亞 ( 百老匯 ) 這種海納百川的學校。到

底「少數族裔」這標籤 , 能否讓大家正

確認識瑪莉她們這類學生 ?「少數族

裔」相對於「多元族裔」, 我比較偏向

14

後者 , 因為她們的文化也是構成我們社

會的重要元素 ; 唯有這樣稱呼她們 , 才

能給予她們一個公平的身份。

得快樂」。她們走過 , 所以快樂 ; 你們

走過 , 亦能快樂。別怕 , 我們在這兒 ,

因為大家同是香港人。

On my way out, I vaguely saw on

a trophy cabinet the motto of DMS

Broadway “Harmony in Diversity”. It is a

blessing to study at a campus with such

warmth and friendliness. We often tend

to think highly of ourselves, as if our root

entitles us to exclusivity. The situation in

Hong Kong may be better than some

other places, the government has put

forward different policies targeted

at helping ethnic minorities, and we

have schools such as Delia which are

greatly accepting to various ethnicities.

Is “ethnic minority” a correct label for

people to learn of them? If we are to

compare “ethnic minority” with “ethnic

diversity”, I tend to prefer the latter, as

we cannot be in denial that their cultures

are important parts of our society. In

Hong Kong, the term “minority” should

no longer be legitimate, instead, the

concept of diversity is what currently at

play. They will only be given an equal

status if we consider them as a part of

our diversity.

寫到這兒 , 我有想過自己是否一廂情

願 , 以偏蓋全地美化大多數少數族裔的

生活環境。一想到雅珊她們身邊可能還

有很多朋友被社會忽略 , 內心不禁糾結

起來。倘若各位同學看到本文並有所共

鳴 , 請記著 :「若是不曾走過 , 何以懂

Up to this point, I have doubted if it is

just my wishful thinking -- attempting

to generalise and beautify the

circumstances most of the ethnic

minorities are under. Whenever I think

of the fact that there are many friends

beside Afsa who are neglected by the

society, I cannot help but struggle. If

you find echo here, please bear in mind

“happiness is found in certain paths”.

Don’t be afraid, for we are here, for we

are all Hongkongers living under the

same sky.

THOMAS NG

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Thomas currently works

as Head Reporter and Art Director for Cross-Cultural

Learners’ Magazine. He majors in English and Fine Arts

while minoring in Journalism at HKU.

IVY FUNG

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ivy currently works as

Managing Editor for Cross-Cultural Learners’ Magazine.

She is reading English at HKU.

REETU RAJBHANDARI

Reetu is of Nepalese descent and received most of her

education in Hong Kong. She is currently Bilingual Editor

for Cross-Cultural Learners’ Magazine. A speech therapistin-training,

she is fluent in English, Chinese (Cantonese and

Mandarin), as well as Nepali.

15

專

題

/

F E A T U R E

Locals from Afar:

Hong Kong Citizens of Nepalese Descent

他

鄉

的

「

爾

客

「

與尼泊爾裔港人對話

「我夢想有一天 , 我的四個孩子將在一個不是

以他們的膚色 , 而是以他們的品格優劣來評價

他們的國度裡生活。」

── 馬丁路德

“I have a dream that my four little children will

one day live in a nation where they will not be

judged by the color of their skin but by the

content of their character.”

中文撰稿、英文翻譯 : 馮苗馨

—— Martin Luther King Jr.

攝影 : 馮苗馨

Chinese Text and English Adaptation by Ivy Fung

Image Sources: Ivy Fung, Internet

16

Sumi

Reetu

17

18

我成長於一個南亞裔人士為數不少的社區 , 卻因生活圈子不同 , 一直未有主動認識

他們 , 因此對他們的了解一直流於表面 , 甚至有一定程度的誤解。從前我總覺得香

港只是他們的短暫的避難所 , 認為他們只是居住於此的外地人。直至大學 , 我因學

業與工作的關係 , 得以對他們認識更多。Reetu 和 Sumi 是其中兩位我在校園認識

的南亞裔朋友 , 她們同樣來自尼泊爾 , 在香港已生活了超過十年。從我們三人的對

話中 , 我得以透過她倆少數族裔的角度 , 看到另一群香港人的世界。

Though I grew up in a community with a considerably large South Asian

community, I did not have any South Asians in my circle and had therefore never

had the opportunity to get to know anyone from that background. Consequently,

my understanding of them remained rather superficial, and even misguided to

some extent: I believed they came to Hong Kong merely to seek temporary refuge,

and only thought of them as foreigners who happened to be living here. It was

not until entering university that I gained a deeper understanding of them through

assignments and work. Reetu and Sumi are two South Asian students that I got to

know on campus. They are both from Nepal and have been living in Hong Kong

for over ten years. In my conversations with them, I was allowed a look through

the eyes of an ethnic minority into the world of a somewhat different group of

Hongkongers.

「父母態度和學校環境讓我快樂地學習中文」

“My parents and school created a positive Chinese learning environment”

初與 Reetu 相識時 , 我已對她一口流利且標準的廣東話感到驚訝。土生土長的她 ,

在學習中文的路上並不盡艱辛 , 反而充實快樂 , 她把這一切歸功於父母和學校。

When I first talked to Reetu, I was surprised by how fluent her Cantonese was.

She was born and raised in Hong Kong, and explained that her experience with

learning Chinese, far from being unpleasant, was quite enjoyable. For this, she

credited her parents and school environment.

她的父母在中國留學時相識 , 一九八九年移民到港 , 成為香港公民。他們會說普通

話 , 在本地社區可基本溝通。雖然他們並不精通中文 , 但身體力行去支持她學習中

文。每當 Reetu 在學習中文時遇上困難 , 他們會幫忙查字典、問朋友 ; 她做中文功

課時 , 父母又在側陪伴。

19

Reetu’s parents met when they were studying in China, migrated to Hong Kong in 1989

and later became naturalized citizens. They spoke Mandarin and, with that, could

handle basic communication in Hong Kong. Though they did not excel in the Chinese

language themselves, they were very supportive when Reetu was learning it. They

tried to help whenever she had trouble with her Chinese studies: they would look up

unfamiliar words with her or consult their Chinese friends, and used to sit by her side

while she completed her Chinese homework.

求職的經驗 , 令她的父母深明學習廣東話的重要 , 因此決意把 Reetu 送到雙語教育的本

地學校就讀。由於她是校內唯一的南亞裔學生 , 學校沒有特別班措施 , 對她中文程度要

求並沒有降低。此外 , 學校老師的鼓勵 , 使她力求進步 , 即使老師只要求寫一篇三頁長

的日記 , 她都會寫足五頁。

From their experiences in seeking employment, Reetu’s parents realized the importance

of Cantonese proficiency in Hong Kong and opted to send her to a local school that

offered a bilingual education. There, Reetu was the only South Asian student, meaning

there was no special class (for non-native Chinese speakers) in which she could have

been placed. Nor did the teachers lower their expectations regarding her Chinese,

holding her to the same standards as her Chinese classmates. In addition, Reetu’s

Chinese teachers were very encouraging, which pushed her to work harder on the

subject. When she was asked to write three-page journals for homework, she insisted

on filling up five pages.

「在香港不懂廣東話很難生活」

“It’s difficult to get by without Cantonese in Hong Kong”

Sumiᅠ 來自尼泊爾一個雪山小鎮 ᅠPokhara, 五歲移民到香港。由於她的父親不太喜歡哥

哥當時就讀的非主流學校 , 於是安排了她入讀本地學校 , 成為是校內寥寥可數的尼泊爾

人。由於就讀於 ᅠIB( 國際高中課程 ) 法文班 , 她的廣東話不太流利。雖然在校內同學對她

的中文程度十分包容 , 但學校而外她還是難免受到不友善的對待 , 例如在餐廳點餐時 ,

侍應會表現得不耐煩。慶幸的是 , 她尚能以基本廣東話與雜貨店店員溝通 , 購買日常用

品。她坦承 , 廣東話不佳對她日常生活有很大影響。

20

Sumi is from Pokhara, a city by the foothills of the Himalayas. Her family migrated to

Hong Kong when she was five. Because her father was unhappy with the non-traditional

school her older brother was attending at the time, he enrolled Sumi in a local school

instead, where she was one of a small handful of Nepalese students. However, having

studied in the IB French class, she was not as proficient in Cantonese. Though her

classmates were very understanding, prejudice outside of school was inevitable. For

example, waiters would become impatient while taking her order. Fortunately, Sumi is

able to talk to shopkeepers in basic Cantonese when purchasing daily necessities. She

admitted that the language barrier has been of great inconvenience to her in her daily

life.

「我有權稱自己為香港人」

“I have the right to call myself a Hongkonger”

問及兩人的身份認同 , 她們異口同聲地表示自己是尼泊爾裔香港人 , 是不折不扣的香港

特區公民。雖然尼泊爾的血統不能被遺忘 , 但香港所給予一切同樣重要 ,Reetu 與 Sumi

對香港有著強烈的歸屬感。Reetu 指雖然尼泊爾文是她的繼承語 , 卻不是第一語言 , 認

為自己稱不上是正統的尼泊爾人。說得一口流利廣東話的她 , 認為自己比其他在港尼泊

爾人更本土 : 每當被本地同學問及國籍時 , 她又大方承認自己尼泊爾裔的身份。Reetu 言

語間流露出到對兩地同樣的關心 ── 無論是論及尼泊爾的人才流失 , 還是香港的政治前

途 , 她都能侃侃而談 , 抒發己見。

When asked about their sense of identity, Reetu and Sumi both declared they were

Hong Kong Nepali, and no less of a Hongkonger than anybody else. They believed

that while honoring their Nepali heritage was essential, equally important was what

Hong Kong had given them. They therefore felt a strong sense of belonging to the

city. Reetu added that Nepali was her heritage language but not her first language,

which makes her question whether she can identify as a typical Nepali. Being fluent in

Cantonese, she felt she was more local than most Nepalese in Hong Kong, at the same

time, when her Chinese classmates ask about her nationality, she is happy to tell them

she is Nepalese. During our conversation, Reetu revealed her concern for both places

-- whether it be on the brain drain in Nepal or the political future of Hong Kong, she was

passionate in expressing her views on the topic.

21

「我以少數族裔身份為傲」

“I am proud to be part of the ethnic minority community”

Sumi 能操流利尼泊爾文 , 訪談間甚至能教筆者以尼泊爾文自我介紹。她對自己的背景十

分感恩 , 她認為作為少數族裔 , 學會了放下對膚色的成見 , 待人接物時更客觀全面。同

時 , 她也很重視香港人的身份 , 她認為香港的資源令大眾生活有基本保障和尊嚴。主修

新聞學的她打算立足香港 , 撰稿報導身邊事物 , 尤其關於在港尼泊爾人的生活。

Sumi is fluent in Nepali and even taught me to introduce myself during our interview.

She says she is grateful for her ethnic minority background because it has taught her

to be objective when forming judgements of others by looking beyond the color of their

skin. She also values her identity as a citizen of Hong Kong, saying that the city has

enough resources to fulfil the basic needs of its people. Sumi is currently a journalism

major and would like to be based in Hong Kong in the future. She hopes to cover

stories on the lives of Nepalese in the city.

她又提及有少數族裔自我設限 , 害怕和華人交朋友。她鼓勵大家 , 爭取族裔平等不一定

要到立法會發言 ; 對身邊的人友好包容、彼此願意互相了解 , 便可放下對族裔的偏見。

她以她父親為例 : 他積極融入本地社區 , 常以廣東話與鄰里溝通 , 主動與樓下保安用廣

東話閒聊 , 因此人緣甚廣。

Sumi also pointed out that some in the ethnic minority community limit themselves

because they are afraid or less confident when socializing with Chinese people. She

22

encourages us all to be friendlier to those around us, reminding us that passing laws

in Legco is not the only way ethnic equality and inclusion can be achieved. Rather, it

is through mutual understanding that racial prejudice may be put aside. Sumi believes

her father is a good example, as he is proactive in his efforts to become integrated

into the community. He often talks to their neighbors and starts conversations with the

security guard at their building, all in Cantonese. Because of this, he has made a lot

of friends.

Reetu 和 Sumi 飲水思源 , 並沒有因為香港的生活而摒棄尼泊爾人的身份。膚色讓她們被

釘上「異地人」的標籤 , 然而她們樂於接受自己的背景與文化 , 並擁抱香港的一切 ; 非

華裔的她們也是香港人 , 跟其他族群活在同一天空下 , 為本地社會增添不少色彩。

Reetu and Sumi remain grateful for who they are -- living in Hong Kong has not led

them to turn their backs on their Nepalese identity. While the color of their skin means

that many are hasty in labelling them “foreigners”, they have readily embraced their

background and heritage, as well as everything Hong Kong has to offer. Reetu and

Sumi are ethnically Nepalese Hongkongers, who are becoming a young intellectual

force in the society while living in harmony with other ethnicities.

IVY FUNG

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ivy currently works as Managing Editor for

Cross-Cultural Learners’ Magazine. She is reading English at HKU.

23

學投

生稿

/

S U B M I S -

S I O N S

學

生

投

稿

Students'

Submissions

團年飯 , 是在節日時全家人相聚在一起吃

飯的家庭活動。不同種族都有吃團年飯的

習俗 , 各有特色。

韓國人就會吃米糕和米糕湯 , 而越南人就

會吃雜菜 , 炸餅 , 還會喝茶和汽水。尼泊

爾人和巴基斯坦人會吃一樣的食物 , 例如

咖哩雞丶黃豆丶烤餅丶餃子丶炒麵丶湯麵

和咖哩角等。菲律賓人會吃不同的食物 ,

例如雞肉和豬肉 , 配飯丶意粉或餅等等。

由此可見 , 不同的食物反映不同文化 , 而

各種各樣的人喜歡不同味道的食物。

團年飯

文 : 韓嘉欣

香港大學非華語學生

中文學習支援計劃 ( 九龍中心 )

24

今天中文班小息時 , 愛美和潘妮瑪分享了

她們帶來的家鄉特色小食 Pakoda, 實屬佳

品 !

對小孩子來說 , 玩具是生活上不可缺少的

物品 , 幾乎每個小孩子都擁有自己的玩

具。

Pakoda 是一種巴基斯坦街頭小食。Pakodaᅠ

有四種味道 , 十分豐富。當你咬第一

口時 , 你會感到又酸又辣 , 當你再咬多幾

口 , 會嚐到既鹹又甜。

以下是做 Pakoda 的步驟 :

首先 , 預備洋蔥 , 馬鈴薯和兩至三種麵

粉。然後 , 清洗乾淨洋蔥和薯仔 , 並且把

它們切成一塊塊。接著混和那些材料。最

後 , 搓成一塊塊圓圓的小球 , 把它們炸

熟。

玩具有各種各樣的外形。例如在顏色方

面 , 分別有紅色丶黃色丶紫色丶黑色等不

同色彩 ; 在大小方面 , 一些較大型的玩具

就像一部手提電話般大 , 而那些較小型的

玩具就像成人的手指一樣。玩具不只在顏

色和大小方面不同 , 形狀上也不一樣。有

些玩具像動物 , 有些像植物 , 有些像文

具。

玩具也有不同的功能。除了可用作娛樂 ,

還可建立友誼、訓練思維和消磨時間等。

Pakoda

玩具

文 : 崔漢娜



文 : 韓嘉欣



25

水果

文 : 崔漢娜、Monima Pun



石榴像紅蘋果 , 外殻像樹皮般皺。一小顆一小顆的果肉

外包了一層薄膜 , 像半透明的蜂巢 , 而且像一粒粒紅寶

石。它的汁液又甜又酸 , 味道非常豐富 !

火龍果像草莓那麼紅 , 有一根根青綠色的手指伸出來。

果肉又柔軟又多汁 , 是白色的 , 而果核則像一粒粒的黑

芝麻。它的汁液像糖果般清甜。

書本

文 :Monima Pun



對學生來說 , 書本是生活上不可缺少的物品 , 幾乎每個

學生都擁有自己的書本。

書本有各種各樣的外形。例如在顏色方面 , 分別有藍

色、黑色、白色和紅色等不同的色彩 ; 在大小方面 , 一

些較小型的課本就像一個手提電話一樣 , 而那些較大型

的書本就像一部電子手賬一樣。

書本也有不同的功能。除了可以用來學習新詞語 , 還可

增進課外知識和用來溫習英文、中文、歷史、數學和生

物等。

總而言之 , 書本有不同的外形和功能 , 深受學生喜愛。

26

洗手

經過這件事後 , 我明白到洗手的重要性。

文 : 李家碧

伯裘書院

星期三 , 我放學後 , 小明和我踢足球。之後 , 我回家看桌上有四個士多啤梨

杯子蛋糕。我感到非常肚餓 , 所以立即吃蛋糕。正當我媽媽阻止我 , 並說 :

「你的手很骯髒 , 快點去洗手 !」我回答 :「但我差不多吃完了。」

晚上 , 當我正在玩電腦遊戲時 , 我肚子突然十分痛 , 我大叫 :「媽媽 ! 媽

媽 ! 快點來 ! 我的肚子很痛 !」母親聽到我的呼喚 , 很快便來到我身旁 , 並

安慰我說 :「明天我帶你去看醫生 , 現在好好休息。」

第二天 , 媽媽帶我看醫生。醫生說 :「因為你進食前沒有清潔雙手 , 所以現

在肚子痛。現在你的情況需要打針。」肚痛真的折磨人 !

經過這件事 , 我學懂了吃東西前要好好洗手。

雪糕

經過這件事後 , 我明白到不要一次過吃太多雪糕。

文 : 艾李

伯裘書院

星期一晚上 , 我在電視看見了一個廣告 , 那個電視廣告關於雪糕 , 我們可以

在雪糕盒中抽中一部遊戲機 , 我感到很興奮。

星期二晚上 , 我和我的祖母一起去購物。在市場中 , 我看見了那款電視廣告

裏的雪糕 , 我嚷著要祖母買給我 , 希望可以抽中遊戲機 , 所以買了四盒。

回到家後 , 我一次過吃了四盒雪糕 , 吃到桌面一塌糊塗 , 被媽媽責罵。但

是 , 我沒有理會 , 一心只想抽中那部遊戲機。

星期三早上 , 我肚子非常痛 , 要不斷去洗手間 , 最後 , 我去了看醫生。我明

白了不要一次過吃太多雪糕。

27

專欄 / C O L U M N S

學好中文

Chinese Is Not That Hard

學

中

文

,

難

不

難

?

Is Chinese

Difficult?

文 : 何劍翹博士

英文翻譯 : 鄺宝宜

Chinese Text by Dr Elizabeth Ho Razvi

English Adaptation by Bonnie Kwong

28

當《匯文子集》邀請我替他們寫

文章時 , 腦海中閃現了很多和非

華語學生相處的情景 ; 有些是甜

甜的 , 有些則是澀澀的。我想 :

如何令這些甜甜的回憶變得非常

甜 , 而把澀澀的變得有點甜呢 ?

秀的學生 , 當然痛下苦功 , 每天

抽空努力温習。那麼成績普通的

學生呢 ? 作為非華語學生的老

師 , 我很希望幫助他們學好中

文 , 解決記憶生字、詞語的問

題 , 給他們真正需要的關懷。

When I received an invitation to

write an article for Cross-Cultural

Learners' Magazine, my mind

flashed back to times spent

with the non-Chinese speaking

students once under my

tutelage. Some memories were

sweet, while some were bitter.

I found myself wondering: how

does one make sweet memories

even sweeter, while making bitter

memories bittersweet?

學生面對公開考試的時候 , 壓力

肯定大。中文成績好的學生 ,

當然希望在公開試 , 如 GCSE 或

GCE, 獲得 A* 的成績 ; 成績中

等的同學 , 亦希望考取不錯的分

數 , 爭取進入大學。可是 , 中文

的生字、詞語這麼多 , 怎可能把

它們一下子全部牢記呢 ? 成績優

When students face the

public examinations, they

are undoubtedly under great

pressure. A student who excels

in Chinese would definitely wish

to achieve an A* in the GCSE or

the GCE. A mediocre student

would hope for the same when

fighting for the chance to attend

university. But how can students

memorize in an instant the

many vocabulary words in the

language? Those with excellent

grades have certainly put in a

lot of effort, and made sure to

set aside time for revision each

day. So what about those with

less outstanding grades? As a

teacher of non-Chinese speaking

students, I wish to help them

improve their Chinese, solve their

29

problems with memorizing vocabulary

words, and, above all, to give them the

care that they truly need.

須對詞彙有一定的認識 , 但未必需要牢

記每一個字怎樣寫。在大部分情況下 ,

只要看到詞語 , 能說出意思便行了。

為了應付考試 , 同學要記的生字、詞

語的確很多 , 但撫心自問 , 他們是否

需要牢記所有東西 , 才可以應付 GCSE

或 GCE 中文考試呢 ? 想要多了解閲讀

篇章的內容 , 詞彙固然非常重要 , 但寫

作呢 ? 以非華語同學的中文程度 , 究竟

是否需要那麼多詞彙呢 ? 我覺得未必。

During preparation for exams,

students must memorize a lot of

vocabulary words. But when we

think about it, is it really necessary

for them to remember everything

before facing the GCSEs or the GCE

Chinese examinations? In order to

understand the content of a passage,

one’s vocabulary bank is certainly

important, but what about writing? Do

non-Chinese speaking students really

need that rich a vocabulary, based on

their standards in Chinese? I believe it

may not be so.

無論我們的母語是什麼 , 寫東西時候

總有「執筆忘字」的時候。解決方法

很簡單 : 只要用另一個詞語來代替就可

以了。但閱讀的時候 , 如果不明白文章

裏面的生字、詞語 , 雖然可根據上文下

理 , 猜測詞彙的意思 , 但成功猜中的機

會 , 往往只有五成。這麼說來 , 我們必

No matter what our mother tongue

is, we all have experienced that “slip

of the tongue” moment when writing.

The solution is easy: just use another

word to replace the forgotten one.

But when reading, it is hard to guess

the true meaning of a word if you do

not understand it. Of course, you

could infer the meaning from the

context, but the chances of getting

it right are fifty-fifty. That said, we

must have a certain understanding

towards the vocabulary, but it may

not be necessary to remember the

brushstrokes of each word. Under

most circumstances, it is fine as long

as you are able to say the meaning of

a word upon reading it.

回想還在中學教書時 , 我起初要求學生

們能夠默寫所有學過的詞語。但 , 有一

次 , 一位能力較弱的學生 , 向我大發脾

氣 , 説 :「老師 , 您知道嗎 ? 我也有用

功過 , 試著牢記那些詞語 , 但我記不了

那麼多啊 ! 前一晚讀熟了 , 第二天早上

起來後 , 便忘記那些字怎樣寫了。我該

怎麼辦 ?」那時 , 我才明白 , 能夠完整

默寫中文詞彙 , 特別是對非華語同學來

說 , 並不是一件容易的事。

30

When I think back to my time as a

secondary school teacher, I remember

how I first required students to be able

to dictate every word they had learnt.

But once, a student who was rather

weak in Chinese protested against

this. She told me “Miss, do you know?

I have tried very hard to memorize

those words, but I can’t remember

them all! The night before I was able to

remember them, but the next morning,

I forgot how to write the words! What

should I do?” It was then that I realized

how difficult it was to dictate all of the

Chinese vocabulary words, especially

to non-Chinese speaking students.

有了這份理解 , 我終於頓悟了。從此以

後 , 對程度不同的學生 , 我便有不同的

要求。能力高的學生 , 我當然希望他們

能夠默寫所有學過的詞語 ; 至於程度稍

遜的學生 , 我只要求他們能夠默寫基本

的詞語。比較艱深的詞語 , 他們只需說

出詞語的意思 , 不需完整默寫。因此 ,

在中文默書的時候 , 我把不常用的詞

語抽出來 , 讓學生用英文寫出詞語的意

思 , 這就可以了。

With this epiphany, I finally understood.

From then on, I began to have different

requirements for my students based

on their ability level. With students

who had a high proficiency, I hoped

for them to be able to dictate all of the

vocabulary words. For those who were

slightly less proficient, I only required

them to be able to dictate the basic

vocabulary words. As for the more

complex words, they only needed

to remember the meaning, and they

need not dictate the entire word. That

was why I only required my students

to write out the English translation of

seldom used Chinese words during

Chinese dictations.

各位朋友 , 你們覺得這個方法怎麼樣 ?

有空不妨試試看 , 希望對你們學習中文

有幫助。

And what do you think of this method,

my young friends? Give it a try if you

have the time, and I hope it will help

you when studying Chinese.

DR. ELIZABETH HO 何劍翹博士

Dr. Elizabeth Kam-kau Ho, lovingly known as Mrs. Razvi

to her students, had seven years of teaching experience

with Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) students in Marymount

Secondary School, an all-girls Catholic school in Hong

Kong. In 2009, she earned her doctoral degree from the

University of Hong Kong (HKU). Her research interests lie

in the understanding of the cultures and emotions of NCS

students.

BONNIE KWONG

Bonnie currently works as Bilingual Editor for Cross-

Cultural Learners’ Magazine. She is a graduate of

Marymount Secondary School and Mrs. Razvi was her

assistant homeroom teacher in Form 1.

31


徐園食單

Food Journey with Joe Tsui

JOE C. Y. TSUI 徐焯賢

Having graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a bachelor and a master in Anthropology, Mr.

Joe Tsui has a successful writing career in various genres, including but not limited to war, detective, fantasy,

sci-fi and children readers. His works often top the chart of young readers’ favourite books. He is also a frequent

and reputable speaker in over two hundred talks and seminars on creative writing. Tsui is actively involved in

promoting Chinese literature, and inspiring the younger generations to write.

32

吃

邊

1

文 : 徐焯賢

自幼愛吃香口的食物 , 一條長長

約二十片的方包 , 吃完第一片連

皮後 , 就開始想如何才能夠吃到

最後一片也是連皮的。害怕被媽

媽責罵 , 從來不敢打開另一面 ,

只好老老實實地吃 , 吃到差不多

一半的時候 , 就伸手到末端抽出

最後一片。每次都為這「壯舉 2

」

而自豪 3

, 殊不知卻被媽媽、弟弟

暗笑了很多遍。

長大後已經不吃那種長條型的麵

包 , 但沒有改變這特別的飲食習

慣 ──「吃邊」, 現在每次到麵

檔 , 總愛點一碗魚片河。每次店

員放下碗子時 , 總急不及待看看

有沒有那種被炸得金黃、切成三

角形的魚片頭。起初以為是喜歡

它們有多面被油炸過 , 貪它們香

口 , 但後來才慢慢發現是另一回

事。

4

筲箕灣有一間以片頭河馳名的麵

店 , 每次前往總愛喚一碗來吃。片

頭河顧名思義就是除了魚片外 , 還

多放兩片魚片頭在上面。一碗捧出

來 , 金黃的片頭鋪在上面 , 色澤鮮

明 , 相當誘人 , 每次都把魚片頭放

到最後才吃 , 吃後大感滿足。

不過總想提升滿足感 , 曾經去過一

間賣整碗都是片頭的店子 , 但吃後

的滿足感不但沒有提升 , 反而有一

陣失落 ; 思前想後才發現 , 香口或

許是其次 , 重點是罕有 5

。一碗河粉

6

偶爾有一塊片頭 , 感覺是珍貴。

一整碗都是片頭的話 , 片頭就顯得

不珍貴。「吃邊」的可貴是因為罕

有 , 如果每一口都是它們的話 , 滿

7

足感並不會增強。其實道理很顯淺

: 美味的食物不能多吃 , 一小片已

經很足夠。

1 吃邊 : 作者造詞 , 意指吃食物的邊 , 如麵包皮

2 壯舉 : 偉大的動作或行為

3 自豪 : 為某人或某事而感到光榮

4 馳名 : 有名氣

5 罕有 : 少有

6 偶爾 : 不太經常

7 顯淺 : 明顯和淺白

33


歲月回望

Looking Back At Our Own History

Sons of Hong Kong:

The Contribution of Eurasians

on the Verge of Japanese Occupation in 1941

Text by Teresinha Ribeiro Tam

Photographs by Thomas Ng

34

“Ethnic minority” has been a buzzword for sometime

in Hong Kong. In most cases, the term refers to

South Asian and Southeast Asian migrants in Hong

Kong, particularly the Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalese,

and Filipinos. Nonetheless, such classification, at

times, leaves out an important ethnic group in Hong

Kong: Eurasians.

Just a little bit of history here. Hong Kong, during

the period 1841 to 1997, was a British colony. Due to

East-West encounters and intermarriages between

Europeans and Chinese, a new ethnic group,

Eurasians, emerged at the turn of the 20th century.

Fluent in both English and Chinese, these Eurasians

acted as a bridge between the colonists and the

local people, and many of them had become

prominent compradors, tycoons, and politicians.

Younger generations of these forefathers continued

to thrive as elites of Hong Kong society before the

Second World War. Nixon T. H. Leung, Founding

Co-convenor of the heritage preservation

organization Ricci Hall Archives Conservation

and Acquisition Project (RHACAP), The University

of Hong Kong (HKU), pointed out that HKU has

long been a hub of internationalization. Many top

graduates of government and mission schools,

35

including Eurasians, were drawn to

this first (and the only in those days)

university since its founding in 1911.

Among them, there were two distinct

sub-groups: “Eurasians”, those of

mixed European (mainly British) and

Chinese ancestry, and “Portuguese”,

those of mixed Portuguese and Asian

ancestry with roots in Macau.

Prior to the Battle of Hong Kong in

1941, Hong Kong was already facing

the threat of Japanese occupation.

Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps

(HKVDC), with a significant presence

of Eurasians and Portuguese, offered

auxiliary support to the British Army at

the frontiers. A quick stroll down aisles

of massive tombstones in the Stanley

Military Cemetery on the Island side

revealed the huge number of tragic

casualties for the arduous defense of

Hong Kong. Mr. Leung, half-kneeling

in front of a headstone inscribed with a

Portuguese surname, told us the story

of Joaquim J. Guterres who graduated

from HKU in the early 1930’s.

Born into a Portuguese family

having resided in Hong Kong for a

few generations, Joaquim went to

HKU after finishing matriculation

at St. Joseph's College. He was a

HKVDC lieutenant and took up the

responsibility of safeguarding a key

military stronghold, Mount Davis (near

Kennedy Town). As a Portuguese

national, he could have retreated to

Macau, a then Portuguese colony and

war-neutral zone, but he bravely stayed

on the frontline and fought till the end

with his company. He unfortunately fell

into the hands of the Japanese army,

became a Prisoner of War and died

painfully at the mere age of 33.

Another case was Algernon Ho (Ho

Hung-ching), who was fresh out of

college shortly before the outbreak of

war. A paternal grandson of Ho Fook, a

successful Dutch-Chinese comprador

and philanthropist in Hong Kong, and

36

a member of the equally prominent

Lo (Rothwell) and Zimmern families

on his mother’s side, Algernon was

born into the local upper class and

attended HKU in the late 1930’s. In the

eyes of modern-day Hongkongers, he

might as well stay away from the war

given his background and resources.

This had never happened though

and he actually joined the HKVDC as

a gunner. During the Battle of Hong

Kong, he was stationed at the Sai

Wan Battery (in Chai Wan). After a

long and strenuous fight against the

Japanese, Algernon sacrificed his

life on December 18, 1941, together

with a number of his fellow Eurasian

defenders during an attack.

There have been many changes in the

once populous Eurasian community

after the Second World War. On the

one hand, a good number of nativeborn

Portuguese had fled to migrant

countries like the US, Australia and

Brazil from the war-torn Hong Kong,

while many more moved back and

forth between Macau and their birth

place. The Eurasians, on the other

hand, remained as an important, everdynamic

ethnic group in Hong Kong

with new additions and traditions.

What had led the Eurasians, including

the Portuguese, to stay and fight in the

defense of Hong Kong? We couldn’t

help but wonder if a love for one’s

birth place, a sterling character and

the noble spirit of determination were

good answers to this decades-long

mystery.

TERESINHA RIBEIRO TAM

Teresinha is a Hong Kong-based writer and journalist

of mixed Chinese and Portuguese ancestry. She writes

in English, Chinese, and French, and now covers topics

in education and the arts for Cross-Cultural Learners’

Magazine.

THOMAS NG

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Thomas currently works

as Head Reporter and Art Director for Cross-Cultural

Learners’ Magazine. He majors in English and Fine Arts

while minoring in Journalism at HKU.

37


一期一問

Humans of PoCSL Schools

快

樂

是

甚

麼

?

Humans of Delia Broadway: Happiness

編按 : 自己很少把快樂與日常發生的事掛

鈎 , 看到她們如此青澀、純真 , 教人羨慕

非常。或許 , 這就是年月在身上走過的痕

跡。我的快樂大概是種「返璞歸真」的感

覺 : 一個假日的下午 , 找片草地躺下來 ,

呷一口最喜愛的巧克力。天空是蔚藍色

的 , 片刻又吹起一陣秋風 , 野草隨風飄

動 , 輕撫肌膚。很多時候 , 一個空閒的下

午 , 一杯美味的飲料 , 一群常伴左右的知

己 , 已能帶來無窮的快樂。快樂大概就是

如斯清晰的感覺 , 像初春的微風沁入心

扉 , 又像晚秋的斜陽帶點和煦 , 為灰白的

生活中悄然添了道粉色的痕跡。

文 : 伍諾熙

Chinese Text by Thomas Ng

English Adaptation by

Ivy Fung and Reetu Rajbhandari

FOREWORD | I seldom associate my

routined events with happiness, and so

it makes one envy to see how green and

pure the DMS girls are. This is perhaps

what growing up leaves us. My happiness

is somewhat “a return to innocence”--

spending an afternoon on a piece of

open grass while sipping my favourite hot

chocolate. The sky is blue as you see it,

and in a moment or so, the Autumn wind

gently sweeps in, leaving the wild grass in

motions that softly touch the skin. Often,

a leisure afternoon, a favourite drink,

or a couple of bosom friends, suffices.

Happiness is a feeling as such, it is simple

and clear, like breezes in early spring,

and like the setting sun in late autumn,

which is adorned by a tinge of warmth

subtly leaving a trace of pastels in our life.

38

恆恆 Rithika

“

我覺得可以融入華人生活圈 , 是令我感到快樂的事。跟自己種族的人在一起固然快

樂 , 我們擁有共同的語言 , 溝通並沒有什麼問題。在華人圈子生活一開始會很害怕 ,

害怕他們因語言障礙而拒絕與我們主動溝通。後來 , 有華人主動來跟我溝通我都會感

到快樂。猶記得我在外參加課後班的第一堂 , 大家都因為語言障礙沒有人與我溝通。

到了放學之後 , 我無意中聽到他們在聊有關韓國的話題 , 之後走過去搭話。看到他們

被我嚇到的樣子 , 我忽然覺得以這樣的方式帶給他們驚喜很有趣。所以 , 我覺得能融

入香港人的生活圈子比較快樂。

I see being able to fit in the Chinese community as something that makes me happy.

Hanging out with people of my own race is definitely happy, since we have a common

language, there is not much difficulty in communicating. It was intimidating to live in a

Chinese community at first, I was afraid they would avoid to start a conversation with

us due to our language barrier. But now, I feel happy whenever a Chinese approaches

me to start a conversation. I can still recall the first lesson in an extracurricular class

outside of my school, nobody talked to me because of our language barrier. When

the class ended, I heard them chatting something about Korea, so I came up and

joined their conversation. Watching them being surprised at my attempt, I found that

interesting. So, I find fitting in the Hong Kong social circle happy.

39

瑪莉 Sukhpreet

“

快樂是令我開心的事 , 只要能令大家快樂我就快樂。我的生活很快樂 : 我令家人自豪

時的快樂 , 我在學習方面得到好成績的快樂 , 超越自己目標的快樂 , 還有很多其他方

面 …… 總之令我快樂的事有很多。我現在居住的地方也令我快樂 : 相比以前 , 自己

與全部鄰居熟絡起來 , 甚至有些少數族裔的朋友不懂中文 , 他們家會主動來找我教他

們。現時中文能力比以前好 , 沒再被以前的溝通障礙影響。這一方面能把自己的知識

教授予他人 , 另一方面又可以融入社區生活 , 到樓下閒逛時有人主動打招呼 , 不開心

時又有人安慰 , 那就是快樂。

Happiness is what lightens me up, I feel happy as long as I make everyone happy.

My life is happy: it is when I make my family proud, when I achieve something

academically, or when I am able to surpass my goals, there are a lot more… All in all,

there are many things that cheer me up. I am happy with where I live: I am much more

acquainted with all of my neighbours than I was in the past, even for some ethnic

friends who cannot read Chinese, their family come find me for help. My Chinese is

better than before, I am no longer restricted by language barriers. While I am able to

impart my knowledge to others, I am also fitting in the community, a greeting when I

stroll in the streets, a few words of comfort when I am upset, this is what happiness

means.

40

雅珊 Afsa

“

這可能是種比較主流的想法 , 但我認為快樂就是幫助別人後的感覺。我在社區中心當

義工 , 一直有去老人院探訪老人 , 又做很多手工送給他們。這是令人高興的事 , 而最

近也發生了件很高興的事。那天下午我坐巴士 , 到了某站有很多長者上車。長者多數

不會到上層 , 正當下層有很多年青人都沒有讓座的意思時 , 有個行動不便的婆婆上了

車。一刻 , 他們都把目光投射到我身上 , 就在我讓座的時候 , 我隱約聽到那婆婆不停

在讚我。還有個華人女士。那時候沒有很多人有讓座的意思 , 我特地帶她去找座位。

我認為讓座令我感到快樂 , 還有被稱讚都讓我感到快樂。

This might sound a bit ordinary but I think happiness is the feeling after I offer help

to somebody. As a volunteer in a community centre, I pay regular visits to seniors in

elderly homes, and make many handicrafts for them. These are all gratifying, and

recently something just as pleasant happened. The other day, when I was taking

the bus, at one bus stop, there boarded a lot of elderly who do not usually walk

to the upper deck, and when many youngsters in the lower deck did not intend to

give their seats, an elderly with physical disability got on the bus. For a moment,

people projected a look at me. When I gave my seat, I vaguely heard an old lady kept

praising me. And also a Chinese lady. There were not many who had the intention of

giving their seats, so I deliberately led her to mine. I think offering my seat makes me

happy, and being praised too.

41

妮美亞 Nimrah

“

快樂就是能夠取得好成績 , 能夠幫到其他人 , 還有食物。有次試過下雨沒帶雨傘 , 一

個華人女生主動與我分享雨傘。這是令我快樂的事 , 因為自己一直幫助別人 , 但從未

試過其他華人幫我。我的快樂 , 就是快樂。

Happiness is to have good grades, to help others, and to enjoy food. There was a

time I did not bring an umbrella when it rained, a Chinese girl came to me and shared

her umbrella with me. This is what makes me happy, because I have always been

helping Chinese people, but it has never been the other way around. My happiness

is simply happiness.

THOMAS NG

REETU RAJBHANDARI

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Thomas currently works as Head

Reporter and Art Director for Cross-Cultural Learners’ Magazine. He

majors in English and Fine Arts while minoring in Journalism at HKU.

IVY FUNG

Reetu is of Nepalese descent and received most of

her education in Hong Kong. She is currently Bilingual

Editor for Cross-Cultural Learners’ Magazine. A

speech therapist-in-training, she is fluent in English,

Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), as well as Nepali.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ivy currently works as Managing Editor

for Cross-Cultural Learners’ Magazine. She is reading English at HKU.

42

Dipped in a Rainbow

彩楓

Sadiyah Khan

Kwai Chung Methodist College

葵涌循道中學

Cross-Cultural Learners' Magazine - Revamped Issue 1

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