Good morning everyone,
I‘m Chris Wong and I‘m a Form Six student from Happy Secondary School.
Today, I’m glad to be here to talk to you about the joys of being a teenager in Hong Kong. Let me kick off with a question: Does anyone sitting here not feel happy being a teenager in Hong Kong? Well, I believe that there’s so much joy to be teens in Hong Kong.
First, teens in Hong Kong can enjoy the “9-year free education” subsidized by our government. You don’t need to pay the school fees but you can enjoy the primary and secondary education. Also, don’t forget that the quality of education here in Hong Kong is of “world-class” standard! Our education system is recognized internationally. So, when compared to your counterparts who are deprived of good quality education in less developed places, teens like you in Hong Kong are more competitive worldwide and have a more promising future.
Second, teens in Hong Kong can keep abreast of time and enjoy the high technology electronic gadgets like “iPhone 4S” and “iPad”. Doubtless, these names are familiar to all of you, right? It’s so common for you to surf the Net on the MTR or when waiting for a bus. You can download “apps” from iPhones and the downloaded games can entertain you whenever you feel bored. Owning the electronic gadgets means you can say goodbye to boredom. Moreover, these electronic gadgets shorten the distance between you and the ones sitting next to you. You can ask your neighbours for their Facebook account names and you can then keep reading their updates. Isn’t this powerful magical gadget making a great change in your life?
Let’s not forget about the freedom of expressing your opinions on the Internet. There’re no restrictions on the type of text you can post on the Internet and certainly no “internet police” to delete your posting. You can express your views about the performance of the chief executive. You can comment on the policies carried out by the Hong Kong government. You can also say something about your personal life. There’s no need to be afraid of the secret police. Compared to teens in those countries where censorship is the rule of the day, teens like you in Hong Kong are much more fortunate.
Moreover, Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city and teens like you can have a taste of different cultures in town. At Christmas you can admire western decorations and enjoy Christmas carols. You can also celebrate Chinese New Year, get red packets and appreciate lights in auspicious colours everywhere. Experiencing different festivities is a wonderful experience for all of you, right?
Maybe some of you will disagree with me as you can only live in a small cubicle flat and there’s tremendous academic pressure to excel. But be thankful always! When you compare yourselves to those living in poor countries, you’re so lucky that you don’t need to walk for miles to get to school or you don’t need to cook with wood chopped from trees.
I firmly believe that there’re lots of joys in Hong Kong waiting for all of you to feel. Stay optimistic and you can find countless joys being a teenager in this city. Thank you!