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Introducing our International students...

Kingsley Lui —

Kingsley Lui (Ho Tung Lui)

Hi, Hello, Ni hao. Thank you to everyone at King’s for welcoming me into the school. I started as a Year 11 student at the beginning of 2020 and met so many international students from around the world. Luc from Switzerland was one of my good friends.

We all experienced ‘lock down in New Zealand’ after only six weeks of living in Dunedin and starting at King’s! Looking back, it was much better than what my family experienced back home in their lock down, so I am now very thankful but it was strange to move to the other side of the world, and then have to stay in one house.

My family made the choice for my sister and I to study away from Hong Kong to continue to improve our English, to increase our educational opportunities and job prospects in the future. It was also for me to become more independent and ‘mature’. I think my mother wanted me to do a bit more for myself. My sister suggested I chose Otago Boys' or King’s High School in Dunedin but because of my name “Kingsley” I chose King’s, which I thought that was quite fitting.

A key reason for choosing New Zealand from my family’s perspective was ‘price and quality’. To study in NZ is much cheaper than America, safer and more peaceful. We are both very thankful we are in NZ. Once the decision was made to come to New Zealand my family came out first and we travelled around parts of the country including Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown, Wanaka and Cromwell.

We were impressed by the ‘quiet’ and the opportunity to ‘relax’. Hong Kong is a very busy city and quite congested. My first impression was of surprise at the amount of farm animals e.g. cows and sheep everywhere. We enjoyed all the food especially chicken, chicken pies, chicken burgers and fried chicken. I eat more beef in Hong Kong and now I find I eat more chicken. I like most foods in NZ, but my favourite are the meat pies which I had never had before.

I live in the ‘New Territory’ area of Hong Kong and took a bus for about one hour to school which runs from 8am to 4pm or later. I would usually finish around 6pm and then attend swimming training. This would take me to around 9-10pm and then I would have dinner with my family. It was normal for me to go to bed around midnight and get up around 6am.

My passion is the gym in NZ. I go 4-5 times a week and follow a set programme. The opportunity to go to a gym isn’t possible in Hong Kong due to the long hours at school and then swimming every night after school.

Since starting at King’s I have tried Waterpolo in Term 4 2020 which was completely new for me. I also play Hand Ball and I’ve taken Outdoor Education as one of my subjects. This has been another new challenge that I wouldn’t have had in my school back home. I enjoyed the recent Rafting trip and the events organised by the International Department.

Schooling in NZ is much better for me. The teachers aren’t as charismatic in Hong Kong as they are at King’s. Teachers here care about my learning and progress in a more personal way. In Hong Kong I studied 16 set subjects as a Junior. This changes when you are a Senior having slightly more choice.

I like Dunedin because it’s easy to get around. My sisters and cousins live here and go to Otago Girls' High School. I just started to learn to Surf so I will look forward to doing that again in summer. I hope to go to university in NZ and continue Visual Design or possibly Gym and Fitness Training.

If I was going to tell a friend to come to Dunedin, NZ, I would say it’s a great choice because the weather is good – it’s not overly hot or humid. It’s a safe, peaceful city and easy to meet up with friends. The homework is manageable, and I am doing better in my studies at King’s than I did back home.

Thanks to everyone for helping me settle in at King’s and work towards my future success.