When Sharon Wong Sin-lam's mother suggested an English language summer programme, the then 11-year-old was nervous about a month at Gordonstoun School in Scotland for a language and adventure course.
'I was wondering about the people I would meet,' said Sharon, now a Form Two student at Ying Wa Girls' School. 'It was my first time away from my family for more than a few days.'
Once there, however, she and her two cousins soon settled into the routine of classes in the morning, sightseeing and sports in the afternoons and evenings. Of the 15 students in her group, they were the only Chinese speakers, the rest coming from Germany, Japan, England and the United States. 'I enjoyed the activities so much and met a lot of friends from different countries,' she said. 'So I had to speak English.'
Sharon's experiences echo those of thousands of young Hong Kong people.
Our World English Schools, with courses at Caterham School and Dulwich College in London, offer English and an activity in the mornings and a similar schedule in the afternoon. 'Our experience tells us that students will become bored if they spend too much time in one classroom,' said Maggie Li Mi-ki, Hong Kong representative for Our World English Schools.
English is not the only language on offer. The Hong Kong Institute of Languages, for example, offers French summer programmes in Champagne, Paris, and Nice. The organisation started 20 years ago as a French course provider and now offers English, Putonghua and Cantonese.