EIL Intercultural Learning

Next time you find yourself in Asia don't be too taken aback if you are asked by one of the indigenous people, "Whats the craic?", or "How's the form?" - because thanks to the EIL Hong Kong Youth Exchange Programme at least twelve Hong Kongers are now well accustomed to using these distinctively Irish greetings – your expected response will of course be, "the craic is mighty".

Seldom could a group of twenty four young people (12 Irish and 12 Hong Kong) be found with such a fantastic dynamic between them all. Every moment, from the time we walked through the arrivals gate in Hong Kong airport and met our twelve wonderful new friends to the emotional farewell in the departure lounge, was filled with interesting conversation, laughter, singing and learning. There was never a dull moment in Hong Kong, a city whose capability to inspire is only surpassed by the people who inhabit it.

Coming to terms with the heat and humidity was one thing, navigating two chopsticks was another. But as the days past, more and more food began making its way to our mouths, and not the floor as had been the case earlier in the week. The Hong Kong delegates were eager for us to try everything, even the more dubious looking dishes that were served to our tables. Most of the Irish delegates enjoyed sampling the new foods while others remained content with rice and the occasional spring roll – the most adventurous of the group sampling Shark's fin – a very expensive dish in Hong Kong. Tofu, I will admit was a challenge for many of us, particularly for one Irish delegate who was unable to control his facial expression after sampling some in a Shanghai style restaurant.

Music was a prominent feature of the visit, with several of the Irish cohort bringing along musical instruments including the fiddle, the tin whistle, the recorder and one of the female Irish delegates brought with her an amazing voice. Sarah Brazil had everybody's hairs standing on the back of their necks with her powerful rendition of the Cranberries song, Zombie. There is normally a decent singer in any sizable group of Irish people but Sarah was an exception, her voice was the only thing that was truly able to stop both delegations from talking for a few moments over the ten day trip – we just hope she will remember us when she makes it big.

Just over half way through the adventure we were all given the opportunity to visit one of the Hong Kong delegates homes, an aspect of the trip which excited us all. I visited Sohail's house in an area of Hong Kong called the New Territories. Sohail is a Muslim whose family are originally from Pakistan, so we were treated to a traditional Pakistani meal when we visited his home – Irish people enjoying a Pakistani meal in a Muslim Household in Hong Kong, truly an international experience. We all sat on the floor of the living room in his apartment and shared with him and his brothers some of the best food I have ever tasted.

Hong Kong was an incredible experience. Before traveling I had expected it to be an amazing trip, but it did surpass everyone's expectations and turned out to be a genuine experience of a lifetime. Sure some of us may travel to Asia again and visit, maybe even live in Hong Kong, but to be shown the city by Hong Kong people our own age was a truly unique and unrepeatable occurrence. The Hong Kong delegation were the most friendly and most generous group of people I have ever encountered, they were by our side for the entire duration of the trip always willing to answer our questions, help us in any way and of course to have some fun. And fun we did have, from our attempts to pronounce words in Mandarin and Cantonese and the lessons we gave to the Hong Kong delegates in the vernacular of Ireland to the comic genius that is Donal Cullinane, I have never laughed so much in my life.

As we gazed through the windows of our homebound plane, taking one final glance over the dazzling lights of Hong Kong we all wished we could relive the amazing trip we had just experienced – many of us I'm sure will return again some day to visit our twelve new friends in the city where East really does meet West!