Dear Daughter...(Letter 3)

Dear Lu Meng, May 27 1992

Received your May 18 letter two days ago. Glad you passed your clinical at Mt. Royal Hospital. How many more hurdles do you still have? You should be back from your holiday by the time this letter reaches you. How was it? Full of fun as usual? Incidentally are you financially ok? Has that tooth of yours gradually fallen into line with the others? Your wisdom tooth is still bothering you? We are uneasy about it if you are not.

I have got your Subang membership card and golf tag (just in case you want to try this game and get yourself bitten by the golf bug). Grandma had her eye checked, verdict a successful operation. I was informed lately that cataract can be removed by laser (probably painless). Can you find out at your end before my turn to have mine removed...

As regards yourself, I strongly advocate that you practice your profession for, say, 3-4 years so as to be an occupational therapist in every sense. In order to equip yourself paper-wise and open for yourself other fields of opportunity, I reiterate that while working MBA should be pursued thru either part-time or correspondence course, if available. You know that MBA is not that difficult and you can get it if you want. If you want, you can bend your interest towards it, channel your energy to it, and make time for acquiring it.

As regards going into business, I know you are not at all serious about it. Nonetheless for your mental exercise I put these few questions for you to think about:
- What capital is needed?
- What are the risks?
- What is the current volume and future potential? (i.e. matured, saturated market or growth market)
- Competition: How competitive in the market place? What edge you have got over others or what edge others got over you?
- What support do you have? (what credit lines you expect to get)

Before Mum takes over in her 'gossip column' in the ensuing paragraphs, we close with advice:
- Maintain good health, both physical and mental
- Work hard (always)
- Play hard (when in appropriate occasions/circumstances)
- Tolerance: Do exercise tolerance
- Conflict/Differences: Resolve quickly and amicably
- Thinking/Planning: Think ahead/Plan ahead
- Additional item (Food for your thought): Quality of life in Australia vis-a-vis Malaysia's on a dollar-for-dollar earning basis

Well, looks like I have given you enough home news as well as so non-sense. So, bye Dad.

Dear Daughters...(Letter 1 & 2)

We went back to KL on Boxing Day and I had to clear some of my stuff from the old house.. stacks of letters, cards and photos.. kept from more than 20 years ago! Initially, I thought of just chucking them out without the hassle of glancing through the contents.. but thankfully, I didn't cos I found AUD$500 and S$150 (old currency) inside 2 envelopes! We suspect Mum probably hid the money a long time ago and forgot all about it? Anyway, I also found letters from my dad to my sister and my while we were studying in Melbourne.. brought tears to my eyes as I re-read the handwritten words of wisdom which seemed to speak volumes now as compared to the yester years..

Dear Alison/Jaclyn,

How are both of you? Do write to us about your daily routine, living conditions etc. instead of letting our foggy ideas do the imagination. We are in a position financially to see both of you thru university education. We would like you two to have basic amenity and comfort in your sojourn in Australia. Please have regular nourished meals to maintain your good health. From Alison's earlier letter we presume you two are not at the same campus. Do we presume right?

Probably you two would like to have a TV. If you do, go ahead and buy one. If it is costly, let us know, wait until we send you the money as you two must take care of your living expenses first. We suggest a TV set of 16" or 18" of there about. As regards to the brand, 'Sony' which gives the best colour, is preferred. Next is 'National'. Avoid other brands if possible. When you two have your own TV one thing you two must not do is to become TV bug gluing yourselves to TV and neglecting your books.

Slight diversion but of no less importance is command of English. If one speaks and writes well good and powerful English, one can command admiration and respect. In your working life in later years, such English will be a valuable asset. To improve your English, read magazines, journals, newspapers (of national circulation), books. By such readings, you get facts, ideas, inspirations and what goes on in Australia and around the world. Try to read one newspaper, you will be surprised to find out what you don't know and therefore, how much you can learn...
- Do live together amicably like sisters
- Do tolerate each others' faults and shortcomings
- Don't quarrel
- Don't call each other names
- Work out a list of what you two want us send by post
One can always work hard, study hard and have fun (if one enjoys such) at the appropriate time and occasion. Do try to endeavour to do to that end. Bye.

Caring from Lu Sean, Mum and Dad 27/2/89

P.S. Coming back to English again, by mixing with educated Aussies, you two should improve your spoken English (Good proper English with no rojak).