Three students heading to Japan for a month-long academic and cultural exchange are prepared for a series of questions about the handover. Fanny Cheung Chau-wah of City University, Carmen Chan Ka-man of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Tang Yu-nin of the University of Hong Kong will fly to Sophia University, Tokyo, for the 23rd Japan Airlines Scholarship, beginning today. They will join 40 other students from 12 countries and regions across Asia and Oceania in study programmes, field trips and a conference. Ms Cheung, an international business graduate, said she faced questions about the handover when she travelled in Europe. 'I told people I don't worry about it, but this time I do hope I can explain things to people who ask,' she said. Ms Chan, a Year Three anthropology major, told Campus Post that her encounters with foreign students, especially those from the United States, convinced her that sometimes they were more familiar with Chinese issues than she was. 'The US students could recall very accurately details of what China has done. I was surprised by that. Sometimes, they would ask for my opinion about certain events I hadn't even heard of,' she said. Ms Chan was also involved in an exchange programme with Yale University and the Chinese University last summer. Mr Tang, an architecture major, is expecting to observe modern and traditional Japanese construction methods. 'Japan is famous for its expertise in using space in architecture, but we can't appreciate this in textbooks. This will be a good change for me,' he said. Shaw Kwok-yiu, a City University building graduate who was part of the exchange programme last year, said the exposure to foreign culture opened up his world. 'The programme gave us three home-stays in Tokyo, Yokohama and Kumamoto. 'It was the third place that was unforgettable for me. I lived with a Japanese family for several days and the scenery was like a postcard,' Mr Shaw said. The three will stay in Japan until August 28, attending four summer sessions as part of Sophia University's Asian studies classes. All 43 exchange students have written a 1,500-word essay on popular culture, with particular reference to music's global appeal.
