Snowy Ho, Betty Law and Linda Lee

Recently there was a friend suggestions on the FB from another friend, Snowy. Suggested friend was Betty Law.

I knew Snowy since the time arrived in Hong Kong in July 1988. Snowy was a high school student then. Snowy struck me as a remarkable individual with tremendous self-determination. Snowy was always mature person, even when she was  a high school student. When I was university-hunting in Hong Kong 1991, Snowy was very helpful to give me a lot of tips. Snowy was graduating with business management around that time from the City Polytechnic (now City University) of Hong Kong. When she learned that I was accepted to the City U to study computer science in 1992, Snowy gave me much advice and made a couple of very important introductions. One such introduction was Betty Law.

Betty used to work at the Student Affairs Office of the City U. Snowy knew my financial hardships then. In fact, though I applied for my under-grad studies then, I did not have a cent of savings and I knew that I had to finance my studies completely by myself. Besides financing my studies, I had to earn a living as well as to send money home, to Sri Lanka, for my family every month. Snowy suggested that I apply for all the available student loans. I applied for grants, loans and bursaries of the City U as well as HKG Government Student Financial Assistance Agency. I received a number of grants and loans from the City U. They were a big deal those days for me. Some grants were about five to ten thousand HKG Dollars (about 650 to 1,200US$). Betty helped me to prepare a letter in support for my Government student loan. The letter stated that I have no family in HKG. Although I was not a permanent resident in Hong Kong, I fulfilled the eligibility criteria for the Government loan, which was 3 years of holding resident (work) visa. I have been HKG for more than 3 years then, although earning a volunteer allowance of 400US$ per month. This also meant that I was exempted from taxes during those years of work. Applying for student financial assistance was a big deal for HKG students. I remember students bringing stacks of documents to support their application, often their parents\’ and siblings\’ income proofs. I had none as I was all alone in Hong Kong. My application was basic and thin. But I had a letter from Betty Law\’s office at the City U explain my circumstances. I think, this letter did the magic. I got a full tuition fee grant for all three years of my studies. On top of that, I received the maximum loan a student in HKG could ever receive. The loan was paid to me in installments during each school term.  I do not remember actual amounts, but I estimate total school fees for three years I studied at the City U amounted to about 10,000US$ or more, which was granted by the HKG Government. Then I also received another 15,000$ or so as a loan. The tricky part was I needed to have a guarantor to sign my loan application, who should be a HKG citizen. I remember asking my good friend Linda Lee, who have just started working in HKG at that time. She agreed without a question. When I look back, I think Linda took a very big risk, knowingly or unknowingly, by being a guarantor, meaning if I failed to pay the loan she would agree to pay. Linda was the elder daughter of a middle class family and was very generous in agreeing to help me. Of course, after graduating in 1995, I began paying the loan and completed paying it in the year 2000.

When I think of these things, I find myself extremely lucky. I do not know how I would have completed my studies. It was in 2011 I got a friend recommendation to re-connect with Betty Law. First, it did not ring a bell. But soon I remember who she is and how important she (also Snowy and Linda) have been to me to complete my undergrad studies.

I wrote to Betty and told her that I would love to meet her this summer in HKG. I look forward this meeting, after almost 20 years.