London might not tick all the boxes for a great city, but it still has a lot to offer

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By Christy Lau, Tak Nga Secondary School
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By Christy Lau, Tak Nga Secondary School |
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I read the article, “London isn’t quite Hong Kong – but it’s still an unforgettable experience anyway” (Young Post, January 15). I was surprised to hear that London isn’t all that great, but I’m happy that its education system is still well respected.

Given that London is such a big, well known city, I would have expected it to be very advanced and for everything to run smoothly. Yet it seems that many of its aspects, such as public safety, transport, and food, are of a lower standard than in Hong Kong. For instance, the London subway is overcrowded and often suffers delays.

However, student accommodation in London is much better than in Hong Kong. London is a very welcoming place. For international students who have not yet adjusted to life there, I would imagine their new surroundings would help to make them feel more at home.

In addition, the universities in London provide high-quality education. Most courses offer students hands-on experience, such as offering opportunities to teach underprivileged children.

Although London has some drawbacks, it’s still a great city with a lot to offer.

Christy Lau, Tak Nga Secondary School

From the editor

Thanks for your letter, Christy. I must say when I travelled to Britain’s capital city I had a good time, but my visit was very brief. Cities, like people, have a “lifespan”, I like to think. When they are young, they are agile and things work well. But as the city grows, it becomes more difficult to accommodate everyone that wants to live there.

Some cities, like Hong Kong, constantly reinvent themselves. This draws criticism from people who wish to preserve certain buildings. Other cities put more emphasis on preserving the past, and you can see this in many European cities today. Maybe they don’t have as much wealth as Hong Kong does, or maybe they spend more money on looking after their citizens than Hong Kong does.

Britain constantly updates its education system to be as effective as possible. In that respect, the West still dominates the world. But even that is changing.

Susan, Editor

Edited by Charlotte Ames-Ettridge

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