A very dear friend suggested that I should balance my blog with more personal experiences to show my human side. My professional career and personal life have been overall successful. However, like many others, I do not have a fairy tale life and there have been challenges along the way. Over the next few chapters, I would like to share some milestones.
My life began in Hong Kong, a densely populated metropolitan and cosmopolitan city in Asia. My parents were hardworking and dedicated themselves to earning and providing for the family. They were unselfish and the family was always the top priority. I grew up like all little kids, going to preschool, and kindergarten, playing with other kids, and enjoying a good childhood in Hong Kong. I was the number two son, with an older and younger brother.
We had an opportunity to migrate to America when I was 8 years old. Mom and Dad decided it was the right move as America offered a better life for the children and family. The family prepared and made the journey across the Pacific Ocean from Hong Kong to Honolulu, Hawaii. With a family of 6 that included grandma, we boarded the “President Wilson,” a ship belonging to American President Lines in March 1959 for a two-week sail with a brief stop in Yokohama, Japan.
While in Yokohama I had my first taste of coffee.
At the end of dinner that evening, I sat quietly enjoying my dessert when the waiter went around to offer coffee. I had no idea what coffee was but since everyone was having it, I decided to have it also. Totally unsure of adding cream and sugar, I declined it when offered by the waiter. You can imagine the expression on my face when I tasted my first cup of black coffee. There was a first time for everything, and I thought that I would never drink another cup of coffee ever again. What a learning experience!
It was a long trip but after 14 days at sea, we docked at the pier in Honolulu, the site of Aloha Tower, a landmark in the city. There was a lot of fanfare as the ship docked, including music and streamers. One memory of the arrival made an impression on me. Looking down the side of the ship, I noticed several swimmers in the water alongside the ship waving and cheering at the passengers. It turns out that passengers were tossing coins into the water and the swimmers would dive and retrieve the coins. I suppose this was part of the welcome entertainment and a wonderful site.
Disembarking the ship, every passenger received a flower lei and a kiss on the cheek from attractive ladies in grass skirts. I later learned that the flower lei was a Hawaiian custom and has great meaning in Hawaiian culture. It is how Hawaiians expressed their welcome to others, very much a part of the “Aloha Spirit” of the Hawaiian Islands. It is a great custom for all occasions.
We came from a city that was densely populated, with people and activity everywhere, and at all times. However, on the drive to our hotel, I noticed there were very few people on the streets. I remember asking my father,
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