EIL Intercultural Learning

Its hard to believe that it was over three months ago that I first applied to EIL for the Hong Kong Youth Exchange – back then the prospect of traveling to the city seemed like an unrealistic aspiration that I didn't have much hope of getting. But after a nerve wracking interview my anxiousness turned into excitement and astonishment when I was told that I was one of the lucky twelve young Irish people chosen for this unique experience.
Now that my bag, the biggest one on the trip I'm sure (having the tendency to bring everything but the kitchen sink), is packed and its contents checked a hundred times over its all becoming even more surreal. Orientation day in Cork two weeks ago really intensified my excitement as I finally got to meet the twelve people I would be traveling to the other side of the world with. Eager to make a good first impression everyone was polite and early in the day, as expected, there was the occasional awkward silence. However by the end of Orientation we could already sense a great bond forming within the group and I'm sure that by the time we step off the plane in Hong Kong, having travelled together for almost a full day, we will know each other a whole lot better, and ready to share what can only be described as a once in a lifetime experience.
Our timetable is brimming with exciting activities, with everything from a visit to the Hong Kong Legislative and the Coastal Defense Museum to a day at a Theme Park and shopping being packed into our dense schedule. Also on the itinerary is a visit to one of our Hong Kong Exchange counterpart's home, a very exciting aspect of the trip, and one which we were told to bring a small “traditional Irish gift” as a gesture of our appreciation – albeit if the “traditional Irish gift” does carry a “Made in China” emblem, it is after-all the thought that counts!
There are so many aspects of the exchange that we have to look forward to both in Hong Kong, and during the return Exchange here in Ireland its difficult to sum them all up – so many in fact that I'm sure I wont be the only one who will be finding it hard to sleep tonight. We depart from Dublin Airport tomorrow evening at five, with a brief stop in Amsterdam en route to Hong Kong. The stop is merely a change-over and we will not have time to explore the city of Amsterdam, nor to sample some of its stimulants - not that we would need any – I'm sure we will all be high enough as it is!
With many expectations and very few fears– we're going to have the time of our lives, thanks EIL, we'll send you a postcard ..... or twelve!