After a long wait, 15 HKMU Student Ambassadors were dispatched on a 15-day study tour to New Zealand on 20 June. They completed a project course on product sustainability in Lincoln University, stayed at different host families, had guided cultural visits in Christchurch and excursions in the surrounding country, and explored their own sites of interest in their free time.
'In the food lab, we tasted four ice cream samples and learnt about our physiological responses, our sensory perception and environmental factors as captured by biometrics. I was engrossed in academic research studies based on experimental evidence and big data analysis. This knowledge will be important for my goal to develop as a future data scientist.'
'During the briefings of our excursions, Mr Daryl Streat of Lincoln University would always remind us to think about how different things work together to support sustainability. As a result, we developed the habit of looking at our surroundings in light of sustainability concerns.'
'At Lake Tekapo, the clouds freely strolled across the spacious sky, while snow mountains stood at the back of the milky blue lake. I appreciated the effort New Zealanders put into preserving nature and thought about what more Hong Kong could do. On Castle Hill, herds and herds of sheep wandered on the fields, chewing the fresh grass, lying down to enjoy the sunshine, doing nothing. I went back to basics of life: walking, eating and breathing slowly …'
'My host family took care of me so well like I was part of the family. They even planned to visit me in Hong Kong next year! Together, we baked an apple pie, had movie nights with popcorn, visited Corsair Bay, tried the most delicious doughnuts, and went shopping at Westfield. Zusana, the mother, also brought me to watch her daughter Izabella's Maori New Year performance at school.'
