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Torn between two cultures

Do you feel like you don't belong in your home country? Were you born in one place but moved elsewhere for so long you lost your old ways?

I was born in Peru and brought its customs with me. I never thought I would lose them.

When I first moved here, I used to greet friends, relatives and new acquaintances with a hug. But I was told not to do that because it wasn't a local custom.

Now when I see relatives from Peru, I completely forget to give them a hug. I've lost a part of my Peruvian culture.

I don't even use slang words from my home country anymore. When I return to Peru, I will not feel like I belong there.

Yet I don't feel like I belong in Hong Kong, either. I don't know local Chinese slang, and even though I look Chinese, people discriminate against me. Some laugh when I speak the local language.

I don't know whether I belong to Hong Kong or my home country. It is really difficult, and I feel ashamed that I've forgotten my own culture.

Diana Jackeline, Delia Memorial School (Hip Wo)

MTR hike will create financial burden

These days, prices of consumer goods and services are soaring because of inflation.

The MTR Corporation's plan to increase train fares will lead to lots of problems. I believe the fare hike will create a serious financial burden on most commuters.

Thousands of people travel by MTR every day. If fare prices go up, they will need to spend an even larger part of their incomes on transport. So they will have less to spend on other daily necessities.

Despite rising prices, most salaries have remained the same. That further hurts passengers' ability to pay for higher MTR fares.

I understand that the MTR's operational costs have gone up. But shifting the cost to passengers is not a wise decision. It damages the MTR's public image.

The company should cut its expenditure or raise revenue in other ways. MTR stations could turn off some of their lights during non-peak hours and create more space for advertising.

As a public enterprise, the MTR Corporation should act in a socially responsible manner.

Janet Wong Hung-wa, SKH Tsang Shiu Tim Secondary School

We need new clean fuel guidelines

We need laws to set new standards for clean fuel usage in Hong Kong.

Vehicles here are notorious for causing massive air pollution. That deters many foreign business people and professionals from relocating to Hong Kong.

This will eventually lead to a reduction in many economic opportunities.

A new strategy offers a rebate for clean fuel as an incentive for shipping companies that agree to burn low-sulphur fuel in their vessels. It's a good start but only a start.

I believe that keeping the environment clean is the duty of owners who own private vessels and vehicles. As they benefit from the convenience of having their own transport, they should not expose other citizens to unnecessary air pollutants.

We have no guarantee that most shipping companies will comply with voluntary clean fuel guidelines. They have their own profits at heart so will prefer cheaper fuels.

Therefore, we need laws to require vehicle owners to use low-sulphur fuel. Companies that make progress in the use of clean fuel should be publicly thanked.

The government should use a strategy that mixes punishment with encouragement.

Yang Lam, King Ling College

The wonders of taking walks

You may well be like me: I am under intense pressure with my studies.

To ensure I have good results, I sometimes do revision the whole day.

To ease the pressure, I like to take walks. That helps me relax and refresh my mind.

Doing sports has the same effect.

Many of you may think taking walks and doing sports can be a waste of time. But you shouldn't let your life be just about studying.

Give yourself a chance to discover the small pleasures of life and the world around you.

And what better way to do this than to take relaxing walks when you are stressed or tired?

Kwok Yun-kwan, Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College

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