The Virgin Mary Statue, the Chapel, the Tuck Shop (Chun Tsai), the Canteen (Mrs. Tai), the Art and Music room on the top floor… the Anchor; Grey, Green and Yellow.

These are images that come to me every time I think about my schooling in Hong Kong, the valuable education I had obtained from Good Hope School.

Getting up in the morning was never difficult, since I knew right after brushing my teeth there will be either “Cheong Fun” or the Soya Sauce King Fried Noodles" ready for me to chow down. As long as there was no oatmeal, I was happy. At this age, oatmeal is quite regular as breakfast for health purposes, but it's still not my favourite food. Eggs Benedict sounds so much better. 

Every morning I had to make sure my hair was completely up with no stray hairs (when I used to have long hair in elementary school), my shoelaces were tied properly and to never forget my school tie and pin (starting Secondary school, we wore a school pin that all GHS girls were very proud of). 

The long morning ride to school was usually very quiet as all the girls were usually reviewing their school work or trying to scramble as much information as possible before their test. Unfortunately, I could not read while inside any vehicle. I get car sick easily and it can be quite bad at times. I just looked forward to seeing the huge milk bottle with a red cap from Kowloon Dairy, it was then that I knew we were close to school. Of course something to do with food again!

Morning assembly on our playground was how we started every school day. Two by two in a line, standing up straight without talking. These were routines that were well coached by our sisters and teachers. GHS was and still is a school that taught many good values to their students. 

Being in a girl's school, there were lots of interesting memories. I am going to share a few that I can still remember and are still grateful for till these days. 

Since Good Hope School is a catholic school for girls, they taught us how to be an individual with good values, disciplined and passionate. When I was a form 1 student (first year of Secondary School), I remembered there was a trial time that it was mandatory to speak in English at all times, even through recess and lunch. It was quite difficult in the beginning since English was not our mother tongue, however, I remember very well how Sister Mary Olga Lam, our principal, taught us how we should think in the language so we can speak the language. Sister Olga, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This has truly benefited me until this day.

Speech Festival, Art Competition, Music Competition and Sports Day provided students with a diversity in their curriculum. From my memory, we all had our favourite clubs. Mine was always Art Club. My favourite part was decorating our “HUGE" classroom bulletin board. If I remember correctly, Lucille, Alison, Connie,Winnie, Catherine, Emi, Jenny, Judy and Wendy were in Geography Club. These are my very good friends still to this days. Other than a very straight academic system, there were a lot of fond memories from the years in Good Hope School before I moved to Canada.

Even though I had never liked Exam week, I always loved to have breakfast in our canteen through that week(normally they do not serve breakfast). I love their "Soya Sauce King Fried Noodles”. Mrs Tai used to have pretty good menu for our lunch. Students always dashed through lunch so they can play ping pong, basketball (that would have been Anna Lee, one of the Lee sisters), study for their afternoon test or simply just to catch up with their club work. Oh no, not for Celine, lunch was always an important part of my day. If I was not eating at our canteen, I would have been eating with Jenny on the second floor balcony looking into our playground(fried egg was always a part of my hot lunch prepared from home). I had always enjoy watching others and appreciating their expressions. Jenny Lau if you ever get to read this, just wish to tell you those lunches were some of my happiest moments in GHS. Thank you for sharing your lunch time with me.

If you were there in the year of '72, you will remember Miss Sin, who taught the Home Economic class. She was very stylish, and straight with her teaching. Here are a few memories that I can recall. She always managed to walked through the canteen when spaghetti was on the menu, and would remind us every time, “Girls, remember to twirl your pasta with a fork…” This is why we GHS girls had very proper eating etiquette. Another memory was the time I needed some help from my classmates (I cannot remember who I teamed up with) when we were in Miss Sin's class. It was my very first time cooking with real flames. We were taught to make fried dumplings, it was fun… we were the first team to finish cooking our dish. We were so proud, and had already had sneaked one into our mouths. It tasted okay, but I thought it was a bit strange. When we finally got to try other teams dumplings, I felt nauseous… ours was not cooked through. That lesson was definitely good to learn. Now after practicing for 33 years cooking for a Tianjin husband, I can make pretty good dumpling. 

Since I love eating so much, Tuck Shop has got to be my second favourite place. Chun Tsai was always busy running, from the back shelf full of glass containers with all our favourite snacks to the goodies tray just behind the cast iron window. It was where we purchased snacks like oyster sauce beans, dry squid, dry sour plum… and many, many more. My favourite part was saving up my 50 cents so I could pay a dollar for my hot dog with two sausages in one bun. I think when it comes to eating, I was pretty clever at such young age.

The art room was my favourite place, and Art Club was my first opportunity to share my passion in art. Learning from the senior girls was the beginning of having art as a big part of my mission in life. Somehow the year before I moved to Canada, I became the president of Art Club. I think that was my very first title ever. Since Art Room was right opposite to our Music Room. We could always hear the wonderful music from choir practice. I always admired how our Choir members could perform such beautiful music. 

There were a few teachers that I wish to salute:

Mrs.King, she was the only teacher on earth (including Canada) that could explain Math to me in a way i could understand (and got a OK marks from). Trust me, I was and still am not very smart with numbers.

Mrs. Lee, for understanding someone could be as dense as me in Physics, and still always smile at me. She used to joke, very seriously, about us falling asleep in the lecture room on a hot summer afternoon. She would ask, “Girls do you need some ice, it may help…” She also understood each of our weakness and in her very own way she helped us to overcome our fears. I had always been scared of flames and always tried to avoid striking a match. When we began to use a Bunsen burner, I always asked for the responsibility to open and close the collar, thinking I could stay away from striking a match. When Mrs. Lee noticed my fear she asked me to strike a match in front of the whole class. I was quite scared, but I did strike my first match in my life.

Other than what I have managed to share with everyone through part of my memories with GHS, our School Song has always been inspirational. 

,,, Good Hope, forever true,

Good Hope, all hail to you!

You lead our gladsome youth

In radiant ways of truth

There we learn the why of life,

There we ready for the strife,

Knowledge is our goal,

Knowledge of the things of earth,

Knowledge of the soul.

Thank you to my late parents who sent me to a school that provided me with all the good morals and values that I can share with my students. To all Good Hope Girls from then till now for all your smiles, encouragement and also for reading my blog. As I always say, I am not a writer, I just wish to share my passion about simple things around me through life.

Good Hope School, schoolmates and pencil crayons allow me to be on the bright side.

Oct 25, 2015 

I'd like to salute all GHS girls. 

I'm so happy to connect with everyone again.

One popular place for our class photo was our school's main entrance. 

It's where all the girls lined up for the school bus after a long day of school.

“Soya Sauce King Chow Mein” was my favourite breakfast
that was served at our canteen during exams’ week.

The hallway outside of our classroom
was a popular place for us girls to bond during recess.
I have to confess, sometimes during a hot summer afternoon,
I would ask to go to the washroom
so I could take a walk along the hallway to wake myself up.

The window was usually where I sat in class for most years,
it had best view to stare through for answers during tests and exams.Anyone still have our school pin? I do.

My favourite snack from our tuck shop.

Thank you Nancy Li for your all your help with photos reference. Great collection of photos that brought back fond memories.