【明報專訊】“About myself
I am Vera De Waele from Flanders, Belgium. My first language is Dutch; I also speak English and a little French. I am reserved (含蓄) but at the same time, when I know people well I can be very cheerful and enthusiastic.”
The way of living in Belgium is totally different from that in Hong Kong! Since I live with a local family and attend a local school in Hong Kong, I can well identify the differences. For example, in Belgium we respect and appreciate those who are frank (率直) and speak their mind in a polite way. Here in Hong Kong things are the opposite. People prefer a more subtle (含蓄的) way of expressing their emotions, partly because they don't want to offend (冒犯) others. They also consider it embarrassing to talk about their feelings freely. This has been one of the biggest cultural shocks I've had since arriving here in August.
School is also completely different here. Back home all high school graduates get to choose to study at whichever college or university we prefer, and we will be admitted as long as we submit the registration on time. But Hong Kong students have a fierce (激烈的) competition in getting a seat at the university. I can easily feel the pressure mounted on my classmates at school. Everyone works so hard but still they are uncertain about their future. Belgian students work hard too, but luckily we do not have that fear of uncertainty.
Above all things I am most impressed by the food here. I have long heard of this city as a Foodies' Paradise, and I am not at all disappointed. Belgians eat two cold meals a day and one hot meal every evening. Potatoes with vegetables and meat are what we usually have as dinner. Imagine my surprise when I know that Hong Kong people have hot savoury (鹹的) food for breakfast! But I have got used to eating Chinese food now, and have even mastered the skills of holding chopsticks. That said, it took me a while to learn to eat soup noodles, and there are other kinds of food I'm still hesitant in trying.
Christmas and New Year are the two most important festivals in Belgium. Unlike other Belgians who open their presents on Boxing Day, our family open ours on New Year's Day. We'd have a big dinner before going out to watch the fireworks. We also celebrate other festivals which would last for days or even weeks, such as the very popular music festivals Rock Werchter and Tomorrowland. Artists from all over the world will fly to Belgium and perform. People can stay overnight at the camping area. The tickets to these festivals, which would be broadcast on TV, can be very expensive, that's why we also have something on a smaller scale called Couleur Café.
I've had my first Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong not too long ago, and was utterly amazed by the fire dragon performance at Tin Hau. Now I am waiting eagerly for Chinese New Year.
