“I was a primary school English teacher for over 38 years. Over the years, I taught at many schools serving the fishing communities of Hong Kong, near the typhoon shelters in Ap Lei Chau, Sai Kung, Sha Tau Kok….My favourite part of the job was to see kids transform over the years and get into good secondary schools. It’s very fulfilling. Some of my students even became famous TV actors! I enjoy writing and languages. Many years ago, I won a prize for my poetry in the US. I started off my career teaching English at a school in Tai O, where I met my late wife. She passed away from colon cancer a few decades ago. We had three young kids at the time, and I was working and studying part time to complete my teacher training. It was a very tough time. Luckily, my parents were around to help me with childcare. My kids are all grown up now and I see them during the holiday seasons for family gatherings."

「我以前係一個小學英文老師，做咗超過38年。咁多年嚟我喺唔同嘅漁民子弟學校教過，近住鴨脷洲、西貢、沙頭角嘅避風塘……我工作中最享受嘅部份就係見到啲學生一年一年咁成長，入到好嘅中學，係好有滿足感嘅。我有啲學生甚至做咗電視明星！我鍾意文字。好多年前，我嘅詩喺美國得過獎。我一開頭係喺大澳一間學校教英文，喺嗰度我認識咗我太太。佢幾十年前因為大腸癌過咗身。我哋嗰時有三個小朋友，我仲一邊做嘢一邊兼職讀緊教師文憑。嗰時係一個好難嘅時期。好彩有我父母喺身邊幫手照顧小朋友。我嘅仔女而家都大晒啦，過時過節我哋就會聚埋一齊見面。」

“After retirement, I moved into the Helping Hand Self Care Home. At first, I did some part time work, like helping out with the hot meals project to distribute meals to our residents and to the community. I then began volunteering, and would go twice a week to the Father Sean Burke Care Home to accompany the more dependent elderly to their medical appointments. I was also elected the Chairman of the committee for the Self Care Home by the residents, and acted as a bridge between the residents and the management team. I got 107 out of 124 votes - I guess they liked the fact that I used to be a teacher! Elderly people can sometimes be rebellious, stubborn and unreasonable - just like kids! But as I learned from my days as both a teacher and discipline master, all it takes is often just a little patience, care and understanding." 

"There is a lot of independence at the Self Care Home. About 2 to 3 residents share a flat, and have lunch together during the week. We all get along very well. Every day, I do at least 6000 steps to keep fit. I’m very grateful to be settling down here, and am happy that I can contribute my skills to help out where I can. My diary is usually pretty busy, but I like to stay active. I love to sing, to dance, to travel and to play the Rummikub tile game - which I’m pretty good at. If I had one message for young people, it is to develop a good work ethic, and to be considerate and kind to others!”

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「退咗休之後，我搬咗嚟伸手助人協會嘅老人之家。一開頭我會幫手做啲兼職工作，好似係幫手送餐俾我哋嘅院友同埋附近有需要嘅人。之後我就開始做義工，一個禮拜會去兩次伸手助人協會畢尚華神父護老頤養院，陪比較弱嘅老人家去覆診。我仲之後被院友選為委員會嘅主席，作為院友同埋管理層之間嘅溝通橋樑。我喺124個院友當中得到107票，我諗佢哋鍾意我以前係做老師啦！老人家有時可以好百厭, 固執, 硬頸同埋唔講道理，好似細路仔咁！但係喺我做老師同埋訓導主任嘅日子裏面我學到其實我哋需要嘅好多時只係小小嘅耐性, 關心, 同埋理解佢哋！」

「喺伸手助人協會護老院呢度有好大嘅自由度。大概兩至三個院友會喺一個單位裏面住，一齊食晏。我哋呢度大家相處都好融洽。每一日，我起碼會行至少6000步去做運動。我好感恩可以喺呢度安頓落嚟，亦都好開心可以貢獻我嘅技能去利己利人。我嘅日常時間表都幾忙㗎，但係我都好鍾意有嘢做。鍾意唱歌 ,跳舞, 去旅行同埋玩數字麻雀，我都幾擅長㗎。如果我有一句說話同啲年青人講，就係叫佢哋建立一個好嘅工作態度，為人着想同埋對人善良。」