(2/3) “When I was Form 3, I decided to stop schooling. My uncle advised me on many occasions to go back to school. I told him I was scared but the fact was I had set my heart out to help my family earn some money.
I remember my results were not too bad at that time, but I chose to go to Bukit Mertajam (another town in Penang an hour’s drive away) to work with a cousin sister sewing Barbie doll dresses.
Every week, we would rest on Sunday and I would go home.
Early in the morning on every Monday, I would cycle my mother to the bus station to board the bus to Bukit Mertajam.
These were the saddest days I lived through weekly. I vividly recall once when we were laughing and talking while cycling and suddenly the bicycle swayed, I lost control and both of us fell on the road.
During those days, mother always waited till I boarded the bus before she heads back home. I wish I didn’t have to leave home for work and could have stayed home to accompany my mother.
At that time, I also had this thought that of being a seamstress or fashion designer; but reality is reality. I had to face the reality in life that my family was not well off.
Not long after I stopped school, I took a chance to work at a neighbour’s beauty salon in Taiping. I was daring at that time and told the ‘taukeh nio’ (lady boss) I had some basic hair dressing skills even though I didn’t know much.
I saw other people could do it and felt that I could do the same too. The ‘taukeh nio’ was also willing to teach me.
After working for a year there, I was promoted to be a stylist and had my regular customers.”
“我怕别人瞧不起，或许别人不一定真的瞧不起我，但我内心总会有这种感觉。
初中三的时候，我决定退学了。伯伯曾多次劝我回去上学，我对他说我不敢。其实，不是我不敢，而是我坚持不要，当下的想法就是想为家里多赚点钱。
退学时，印象中自己的成绩非常不错，但我选择到槟城大山脚，和表姐一起做洋娃娃服装的裁缝工作。那时候每周日休息，我都会回家。星期一是我最伤心的日子，因为得返回工作的地方。
我得骑着脚车载着母亲，老早到巴士站等候巴士。有一次，我們一路有說有笑，突然脚车摇晃失控，我們俩都跌在路边。
那些日子，母亲都会等我上了巴士，再自行回家。每回看着母親离去的身影，都不想到远地工作，想好好地在家里陪伴她。
当时，我还想着可以投入裁缝或服装设计工作，可是，现实终究还是现实，你还是得面对现实生活。
不久后，邻居女儿开美发店需要人手，我便决定到太平去试一试。当时我很大胆，跟老板娘说自己懂得一些基本美发工作，因为心里觉得，看着别人怎么做，自己好像也可以。老板娘也愿意教导我。
工作一年后，我也获晋升为美发师，有了属于自己的客户群。”
The above interview was conducted in Mandarin
Photo and story by Dao Hong
Edited by Christine C
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(This post was first published on April 19th 2018)
