I was so bored after my first daughter was born, so I sent her back to Hong Kong when she was 13 months old for my mother to look after, and I came back to the UK to work.
Wai
我係76年嚟Leeds嘅。點解嚟Leeds？因為失戀囉！
我喺香港出世同長大，我家姐就去咗英國。嗰年佢有個朋友喺英國返香港準備結婚，佢就托個朋友嚟我嗰度攞D衫返去英國比佢。佢嚟咗攞完衫，點知後來佢去到紅棉道婚姻註冊處門口同佢個未婚妻嗌大交，結唔成婚。佢返咗英國之後，我家姐同我講，原來佢當日一見到我就好鐘意我，婚都唔結話要娶我過英國！當時1976年，我啱啱同喺加拿大嘅男朋友分手，英國都幾好吖，於是我就嚟咗英國了。
我一開始嚟Leeds，之後喺利物浦住咗兩年做車衫。個鬼頭老闆對我好好，我英文唔好，我重記得佢畫公仔比我睇話要加我人工哈！但係我唔鐘意利物浦又黑又污糟，於是我就返咗Leeds。之後做過中餐館洗碗，不過個大廚摸我Pat pat，我又走啦。後來返Burberry車衫，個老闆同其他manager又係對我好好，重升咗我做supervisor。不過其他部門D supervisor唔知點解唔鐘意我。有一日老闆問我Weiyi做咩唔嚟開會。原來係supervisor專登唔通知我。咁我又走囉。跟住我又去學校做清潔，做做吓又做咗supervisor哈！唔知點解呢，可能我有自己主意，又唔驚講出嚟，人哋話我係leader喎。
88年我開外賣店。開頭無生意，我帶3個小朋友去派menu，派咗之後即刻好多生意。但最辛苦係對付D壞仔。有一次有壞仔喺後門掟石頭掟爛個窗，我call差佬，好耐都唔嚟，點知佢嚟到問我，你有無親眼見到佢喺地下執舊石嚟掟你隻窗？重話我呢區好posh佢都想搬嚟住喎。之後有一次，班壞仔成班人一齊大力拍我隻窗，我好嬲！你知唔知我點，我揸㗎車出去追佢哋9條街嚇佢哋！後來反而係佢哋call差佬。我之後賣咗間外賣店，又開一間又賣一間咁，做咗大約10年，宜家退休囉。我鐘意唱歌跳舞，宜家日日帶隻狗去散步。我好鐘意户外活動同行山，不過唔鐘意種花園。我屋企個花園D草係假㗎！
我大女喺London，2女同細仔都喺Leeds。我生咗第一個女覺得好悶，當佢13個月大時就帶咗佢返香港比我阿媽湊，我自己返英國繼續做野。到佢3歲先接返返嚟。2女同細仔就一直喺英國長大。我2女18歲嗰陣返香港生活、結婚生仔。5年前佢為咗D仔女搬返返嚟Leeds。有一件傷心事未講比你知。我個仔細嗰時，有一晚收工返屋企，我仔問我你做咩唔去街，我話我要喺屋企陪你囉。佢講咗句說話令我到今時今日都重好傷心，佢話「我要你陪嗰陣你無陪我，宜家已經唔駛你陪啦」。宜家講我都重會眼濕濕，但至少佢會講我聽。我同我大女無計傾。佢話點解你淨係送我返香港比婆婆湊，唔送細佬妹返去？
我宜家自一個人住，得閒整野食送比朋友。我踢走咗我老公10年囉，佢住old people’s home，我哋重有來往嘅。佢好爛賭，又唔做野，結果我一早知佢係咁我唔嫁佢。開頭好辛苦，但至少仔女買屋我可以Contribute到，宜家嘅生活都enjoy，就係咁囉。
I was born and grew up in Hong Kong. My elder sister had come to the UK. One year, a friend of hers was coming back to Hong Kong to get married, so she asked him to drop by our house to collect some clothes and bring them back for her. After he had collected my sister’s clothes, he had a fight with his then fiancée at the registrar’s front door, and ended up... breaking up with her.
Later on, after he went back to the UK, my sister told me he had fallen love with me at first sight, and he wanted to marry me instead. That was 1976 – my boyfriend in Canada had broken up with me, and I thought the UK was alright, so here I am.
I first arrived in Leeds, then spent a couple of years in Liverpool working in a sewing factory. The boss was really nice to me. My English wasn’t good, I remember he drew pictures to tell me he was giving me a pay rise. But I didn’t like Liverpool, it was dark and dirty, so I left for Leeds. Then I worked in a Chinese restaurant washing dishes, but the chef touched my bum, so I left there too.
Then I worked in a sewing factory again, this time in Leeds for Burberry. The boss and managers were really nice to me, and I got promoted to be one of the supervisors. For some reason other supervisors didn’t like me. One day my boss asked me “Why weren’t you at the meeting?” It turned out other supervisors decided to hide the meeting from me. So I left. Later on I worked in a school as a janitor, and I was made supervisor again! I don’t know, maybe because I’m not afraid to speak my mind, people say I’m a leader.
I opened a takeaway business in 1988. It was quiet at first, then I brought my three children with me to deliver the menu. Business picked up dramatically afterwards. But it was draining, because there were gangs of youths. Once a stone was thrown through the back window. I called the police and it took ages for them to come. When they came the officer asked me, if I have seen with my own eyes that he had picked up a stone from the floor and thrown it at my window. The officer also said I was lucky to be in a posh area, he would have like to move here himself.
Another time a whole gang of young people banged on my front window. I was so so mad and guess what, I drove my car and chased them down the street! They had to call the police then. Then I sold the takeaway business and started another one, sold it again and so on. After about ten years I managed to retire. I love singing and dancing, and I walk my dog twice every day. I love the outdoors especially hiking, but I don’t like gardening. It is astroturf in my garden!
My eldest daughter lives in London, second daughter and youngest son are both in Leeds. I was so bored after my first daughter was born, so I sent her back to Hong Kong when she was 13 months old for my mother to look after, and I came back to the UK to work. I brought her back to the UK when she was three.
My second daughter and youngest both grew up in the UK. My second daughter went to Hong Kong to live and later got married and had children. Five years ago she came back to Leeds for the sake of her children’s future.
There’s a sad memory I haven’t told you yet. When my son was little, one day after work I came home. My son asked me “Mum why aren’t you going out?” I said “I am staying in to keep you company” . He said “You weren’t there when I needed you, and now I no long need you to be here”. I still tear up now. At least he told me how he felt. My eldest and I no longer speak. She said “Why did you send me away, but not my sister and brother? “
I live on my own now, cook for my friends occasionally. I kicked my husband out ten years ago. He is living in an old people’s home now. We still have contact. He’s a gambler and doesn’t work. I wouldn’t have married him if I had known. It was tough at first, but at least I was able to contribute when my children bought their homes, and I enjoy my life now. That’s about it!