It was a sigh of relief when we collected our MCE results. After studying for 11 years in the same school, many of us were eager to get on to the next phase in our lives. Some to embark on a career, some to move to another level in their studies. Thus we said our goodbyes without any regret. Little did we know that some of our goodbyes were to span over 40 years. The only contact I had with former classmates were Liu Ah Moi and Hong Huang Kiow, because they lived in the same village Then there was Chia Choy Min, who together with me, attended Form 6 and also enrolled in the same university. We kept contact intermittently . Family, careers overshadowed other concerns. Forty years later, most of us are experiencing empty nest syndrome.
When Ai Kin (Eva), who had emigrated to US, returned to BP, she met up with some ex-classmates and the idea of having a class reunion was mooted. Siew Khim took action and began contacting the friends she knew, and one thing led to another. Within a short period of 2 months, they had contacted about 75% of our classmates (there were about 50 of us in 2 classes). A date was set: February 28 2015. An organising committee was formed (mostly those still living in BP). A WhatsApp group was set up. The messages flew fast and furious as classmates began exchanging information of their lives. As the day drew nearer, excitement began to mount. We were like girls preparing for their 1st prom Night!
The BIG day arrived. There were tears and laughter as the girls met up.
Squeals of exclamations : You haven't changed! You look great! vibrated the room. Everyone began talking at once. It was like school days again. Our teachers always called us the 'Chatterbox Class'. The principal, Rev. Mother Vincent called us 'The Rubbernecks', because we used to crane our necks left, right, back, front, to chatter to each other. It was mayhem as the girls moved around, hugging each other.
Order was finally restored when Sarama Abraham (our ex-class monitor and head girl) called everyone to sit down. Then the sharing began. Laughter again as we saw ourselves in the powerpoint presentation put up by Siew Khim (again, this lovely lady had contacted friends for their school photos)
Here we were: Standard 6 (1965) graduation photo. Little did we know how our paths would be. Yours truly is in 2nd row, 3rd from right. Chia Choy Min, 2nd row, 2nd from left. Siew Khim, front row, 3rd from left. The principal, Rev. Mother Frances DeSales. Miss Yeoh, our class teacher on her right and Miss Ramlah, the Vice principal on her left.
Form 5 (1970), just before our exams with Mrs. Tan, our form teacher. Front row (L to R): Hong Chui Sang (after school, operated a kindergarten of 200 children; Chia Choy Min, lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore; Phyllis Tan, took up a variety of jobs before finally answered God's call to pastor a church, Yours Truly, Lily Chong, our Miss Malaysia. 2nd row: Lam Sze Yin, in banking, Tan Buan Na (deceased), Helen Yap, now in Melbourne, Ng Bee Lian, nurse in Adelaide, Rita Khan, in banking and the lovely Leona, in Kuwait Airline.
Here we are - Our 1st class trip to KL, Ipoh and Penang. How young and shapely we were then! :-). 5th from right is Sarama Abraham, our head girl. Couldn't make out who's the 1st girl, but 2nd girl (with white handbag) is Vickneswari, followed by Gurvinder Kaur and then Lee Hoon. Slightly behind Sarama is Lim Hui Lin (very good artist) and in front of Hui Lin is Liu Ah Moi '
Our mini skirts were rather tame. L to R: Swee Lan (what happened to her?) Lea Hwa, now a nurse in Sydney, Chui Sang is behind, middle is yours truly, followed by Choy Min and Bee Lian. Sze Yin is behind Choy Min.
The 2 ladies on the left were the only 2 Malay girls in our class. Laila and Aisyah. Heard that Laila was matron in one of the hospitals.
In spite of our diverse backgrounds, we formed friendships that last through all the years. There were no meaness or spitefulness in our friendship. There were no primadonnas in our group. The thread of connection, now re-established, united us as a class once again (judging by the traffic in our Whatsapps Group - which has been traveling fast and furious months after our 1st reunion.
How the years had flown!
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