Macao developed very rapidly in the past few years accompanied with a variety of changes. What do you think of those changes? Accept them with pleasure, or with reluctance? You may often hear voices from local residents, Hong Kong, or even people from the mainland. But have you ever heard opinions from those who left Macao for study and then came back? Sometimes, it is hard to see things clearly if you are standing too close. Leave and return, you may have a different perspective.

Miss Ha, who came back to Macao after three years of study in Taiwan, thinks the biggest difference in Macao is the number of tourists. According to the data from the Statistics and Census Service, there were 2.5 million tourists who came to Macao in December 2012, and the total number in 2012 was 28 million. “Macau is getting more and more crowded and noisy, you can see mainland tourists everywhere, no matter in the streets, or in shops, even if I go to Kiang Wu Hospital, I see them,” Ha said.

In addition, she pointed out that there are more and more places in Macao using simplified characters. “Once I was on the bus, I saw some notices were written in simplified characters, I felt very strange and uncomfortable. I think it’s fine to use simplified characters in hotels, but I really can’t accept that in buses.” She said that she loved Macao very much, however, when she came back, she felt a bit disappointed. “Sometimes I may think it’s not our Macao, but theirs.”

Miss Ao Ieong who came back from Australia, has a different opinion from Ha. She considered those changes the inevitable results of being a world famous city. In her point of view, the retail and catering services are worse than before. She said that Macao as a tourist city, retail and catering services are very important; nonetheless, the city’s higher price index hasn’t brought corresponding quality services. “Prices sometimes are higher than foreign countries, but sales persons are impolite, some old restaurants are still here, but food has lost its good flavor,” she said.

Moreover, Ha and Ao Ieong also indicated that there are so many new pavement constructions in Macao. Ao Ieong said that the original intention of the government might be to improve the traffic flow; however, sometimes it makes the situation worse. “Even though there is one more bus, I often find it difficult to get on it,” Ha said.

On the contrary, Mr. Ieong who came back from England commented that the tourism industry in Macao has advanced at a higher speed, he pointed out that besides the World’s Heritage attractions, there are more and more new scenic spots which have been built up to attract tourists, including hotels in different designs, different flower exhibitions outside the Taipa Houses-Museum, the pavement design and so on. He also praised the government decision to add two more emergency numbers 110 and 112 so as “to ensure more people’s safety”. “...considering mainland tourists, they may also need help in Macao, it’s pretty good, it can make a good impression on tourists,” he said.

Although they thought Macao has changed a lot and many things they could not find again, it is the only place in the world that they can find a unique commonality. “Maybe foreign countries are better than Macao in some ways; however, Macao is the only place I can find people who have similar feelings and thoughts as mine. No matter, how many changes have taken place here, Macao people maintain their uniqueness in certain aspects,” said Ao Ieong.