Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020complete | Page 454

“Why do you think Cantonesia was such a success - what was combined?” “I think it was two things: firstly, each country had something to bring to the table, Hong Kong provided a global port and a flourishing economy, being the link between the East and West, Macau brought entertainment and extremely good tourism, and China brought sheer industrial power as well as a lot of capital, land, and resources. Altogether, it created a super-country. Another thing that contributed heavily was the quick integration of the population, most of the people were receptive and were able to adapt to the lifestyle of Cantonesia.” - While the director was quite accurate in pointing out the reasons for success, from an average citizen’s perspective, integration was an incredibly difficult process. Compare it to immigration. Even though we stayed in the same place, there were immense shifts in culture as well as changes in other aspects, such as transportation, borders, or even education. For a person to completely change their short and long-term plans, leaving only a skeleton of their former lifestyle without a choice...it caused a great strain. I still remember when I finished Year 8 as a fourteen-year-old and had to move up a grade into a completely different school, as the school system had changed; I had to leave all my friends and memories behind without a second thought. Although it is indisputable that my new school was much more fitting for me and less of a commute, it took a strain on my mental health, and for years, I felt bitter. It did not have much of an impact on my schoolwork, but it was still there. Cantonesia was and is still full of opportunities. One could be poor but still get into a good school through the new education system if they had talent. People who wanted to follow an unconventional career path could do so, due to the funding and resources for such endeavours. Social security and welfare were much improved, helping the impoverished survive and retake control of their life. It changed my life! I could never afford to go to university back when I lived in Hong Kong, and there were no programs for me to do so. Through the education systems designed for equity, I secured a grant to study Journalism, due to my outstanding English grades, and eventually became an investigative journalist. I would not be typing on my laptop, drafting this article if not for Cantonesia. It changed others’ lives, in similar yet different ways to mine. Someone I knew with a facial defect, affecting their ability to find jobs, underwent a surgery to help him, he now lives a normal and happy life, working as a businessman. People stuck in generational poverty were able to go to college for the first time, and become graduates through seeking help. Alcoholics and drug addicts could use the public mental-health and rehabilitation programs and recover from their illnesses. Countless lives have been touched, and greatly improved by Cantonesia. - Fragments of the past still remain: the gleaming casinos of Macau are still booming businesses, the famous trams and ferries of Hong Kong still operate daily, transporting passengers from all around the globe, all together piecing together the present. Cantonesia is a place in which individuals flourish, where society is peaceful, where the environment is thriving. In it, I see hints of the future to come – more technology, more advancement, more efficiency; Cantonesia is like a healthy body, each city being a vital organ. Thank you, Cantonesia. Thank you for providing our citizens with resources for us to fulfil our goals. Thank you for fostering a lively and prosperous city. Thank you for everything you have done.