LIFE in China might seem remote to many children in Hong Kong, some of whom may have their own ideas of what it is like over the border. A group of students who went to China on a study tour late last year discovered that life there can, in fact, be very different to what they imagined it to be. The two-day tour, organised by the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong, gave 43 children, aged six to 14, an insight into life in Guangdong province. Queenie Tam Wing-ni felt that people in China were not that much different from those in Hong Kong. ''At first, I thought the people were very rude, but I don't think so now. I met some students who impressed me so much with their gentle and polite ways,'' the Form Three student said. But there were times when Queenie felt things were better at home, when she compared public behaviour, especially with regard to transport. ''Where I stayed, people never line up for buses or other transport. And some who pay for standing room take a seat,'' the 14-year-old said. Ngai Wing-sum was much impressed by the farming life in China. The Primary Five pupil was sad to think that some people, who depend wholly on their agricultural output, were faced with a poor harvest this year. ''There was almost no yield in lai chee this year for the peasant we visited. Even for the little harvest he had, there was no buyer. There were so many oranges left in his home, we tried to help him by eating the fruit,'' said Wing-sum. It was the first time Wing-sum had seen well water being used instead of tap water. ''You have to be strong to press the pump handle. I was glad I tried. That's really experiencing life in China,'' the enthusiastic pupil said. It was Cheung Chi-ho's second visit to Guangdong. He said the tour was an opportunity to see another side of China. ''People always visit the tourist spots. They are fascinated by the beautiful views but see nothing else,'' Chi-ho said. The participants all had different experiences on the trip, but they all agreed the tour was an invaluable experience. The group visited primary and secondary schools, a children's activity centre and peasant homes.
