School of Continuing and Professional Studies The Chinese University of Hong Kong eNewsletter

Ester Leung, a student of Higher Diploma Programme in Applied Japanese Language, said she would remember her last summer all her life. Ester was among the 10 students who were selected by the School to participate in an internship programme in Japan last summer. She worked at the front office and the restaurant of a hotel in Shirakaba（白樺湖）, Japan, for three months. "Although I am not a hotel management student, I was still able to accomplish all assigned duties. It was a valuable experience immersing in the local Japanese community, and my spoken Japanese has significantly improved," Ester said.

"The happiest experience was that I met a granny in the hotel lobby while I was off duty and we talked for two hours. She treated me like her granddaughter and invited me to visit her in Tokyo before leaving Japan, which I did. Now, I am back to Hong Kong and we are still in touch." Ester said contentedly.

Although she encountered some difficulties during her internship, Ester believed it was an experience that she treasured. "We used honorific language to talk to customers or senior staff in Japan. The internship programme provided me with an excellent opportunity to experience the working atmosphere in Japan and to practise spoken Japanese," Ester said. Upon graduation next year, she plans to pursue her　studies in Japanese Language or work in Japan or for a Japanese company in Hong Kong.

Other summer exchange programmes in CUSCS included a study tour at the University of Toronto in Canada. Dr. Ella Chan, Director of the School, arranged a lunch with the two Higher Diploma students studying there, Jessie and Max. "Dr. Chan asked about our life at the University of Toronto...I never could have imagined I was going to have lunch with her in Toronto," Jessie said.

Do you want to have a memorable and rewarding summer vacation next year? If so, make your plans now and make sure you get the full benefit from it.