Meeting between Peter and Paul Chui and Frank Geefay June 9, 2007

Hi Peter and Paul,

It was so great to meet both of you in San Francisco this Saturday (see photo attached-shows too much of my gray hair). Now that I have met and seen both of you I do remember Paul. I think you were the one who had that cool looking hair style that would have appealed to the girls. I took a look at the 1963 class photo again and saw that you were standing to my immediate left. What a coincident that I would meet you almost a half century later to take another photo this time with you on my right and all a few years older. I don't remember Peter probably because you were one form behind me most of the time because of Mr. Wong (I'll let you tell that story). I don't think I hung out with either of you very much because I was somewhat of a square and by the standards of that time you two were quite the 'rebels without a cause'. It was good hearing those stories about the prank played on Mr. Wong, etc. Too bad I didn't know you both better or I'm sure we could have shared some more interesting stories. My life then was not near as exciting as yours.

I still remember all those strict fathers and teachers. I especially remember Mr. Tzau (can't remember how to spell his name) our Form 5-6 English teacher from the American West Point Army academy. Ran our classroom like an army academy. He seemed to scold us more than teach and talk a lot about West Point and America. But he was as gentle and kind as a kitten outside the classroom. He seemed to be very impressed with Marilyn Monroe as I recall. I also remember a Portuguese English teacher in Form 3 by the name of Mr. Vitalis or maybe I am mixing him with the other English Portuguese teacher, who loved to listen to his Victor Borge record over an over again. He turned me into a Victor Borge fan and I've been listened to his comedy performances ever since until he recently passed away. I remember visiting the Portuguese teachers who lived in some kind of community housing for Portuguese bachelors I think. The more I think about those days long ago the more I begin to remember. The nostalgia of these reminiscences makes me feel a little younger. Maybe someone has a list of all the teacher we had from 1961-1963 in Form 3-5 that they could share with us so that I can refresh my memory. I have a pressing need to feel younger as I not so gracefully age.

It is good to know that both of you are doing so well in spite of Yuet Wah. You have a cool uncle with a very liberal and healthy sense of humor showing us that very funny picture of himself 50 years ago. And your mother looks so young for a person of almost 90. Hope to keep in touch. I may stop by if I come down to the LA area or over to Hong Kong. Take care both of you and thanks for the delicious dim sum lunch. Hope you both get to see Ernie. His memory is much sharper than mine and he can probably share far more stories than I, especially with the help of his high school diary. What a treasure the diary and all those photos have been.

Naming & Delivery Ceremony of "Unique Carrier" 及 上海、蘇、杭遊記

大熊星社 (II)

上海遊記 (二零零七年五月九日至十三日)

二零零七年是大熊星社（II）同學驛馬星動的一年。繼三月十一日重回澳門母校粵華之後，五月九日，承蒙懋德航運集團董事長鄭承忠同學之邀請，前往上海參加外高橋造船廠 (SWS) H1075號命名與交船典禮。

五月九日（星期三）上午十時各同學於香港機場集合，下午二時半飛抵上海國際機場。在懋德航運集團之接待人員安排下，入住東郊賓館。該賓館所佔範圍甚大，約為一千二百畝地，酒店建築物三座，佔用只八十畝，酒店外為園林佈置，並與高爾夫球場相連，只見綠草荵荵，樹木連綿，環境非常優美，我們住在第三座。

當晚出席設於浦東金茂大廈天萃庭之歡迎晚讌，一嘗美味之上海筵席。

次日：東道主邀請賓客參加市內觀光，首先登上東方明珠塔，從高處觀賞上海市的景色；繼續前往參觀『豫園』，是上海著名景點之一，當地有名之園林建築物，園內雕樑畫棟，亭台樓閣，為遊人留下很多精美之藝術佳作。午飯設於『綠波廊』。飯後由專車接載遊覽淮海路及其他著名街道，之後回酒店休息並預備出席酒會。

下午六時半各同學盛裝出席該集團於酒店第二樓所設之酒會。抵時接受儀仗隊禮樂之歡迎，是晚冠蓋雲集，各出席嘉賓把酒言歡，觥籌交錯，極一時之盛。

宴會開始，由董事長鄭承忠同學致歡迎詞及祝酒，各來賓紛紛向鄭承忠夫婦回敬致賀，席間有娛樂表演，包括有名的『變臉』、男女高音演唱、魔術及現代拉丁舞，節目多姿多采，賓主盡歡而散。

訪滬第三天：五月十一日（星期五）是『命名與交船典禮』的日子，由大會接送前往上海外高橋造船廠，踏進船廠之道路上，只見沿途插滿錦旗，以示歡迎。

首先，各同學被安排到船廠之會客室稍為休息；那邊廂交船簽字儀式舉行，出席者包括造船公司及船東外，並由美國驗船協會（ABS）見証，懋德航運集團正式由造船廠接收所建造之新船。

十時三十分，命名典禮開始，嘉賓陸續登上貴賓台上，司儀介紹來賓之後，由外高橋船廠領導致開會詞，繼由懋德航運集團董事長鄭承忠先生致辭；接下來就是命名儀式，由鄭承忠夫人為新船揭幕，將該船命名為『UNIQUE CARRIER』，嘉賓鼓掌慶祝，船廠鳴放爆竹助興，大眾拍照留念之後，獲邀請登船參觀。新船排水量十七萬七千多噸，從甲板開始上至駕駛室，已達九層之高，各同學登船到處遊覽，並與船長拍照留念。

十一時許，參觀完畢，各同學離開外高橋船廠，返回賓館，參加命名招待酒會，與各嘉賓共進自助午膳，由鄭承忠同學致謝辭、祝酒及致送紀念品，賓主盡歡而散，為這一回新船命名典禮劃上完美的句號。

各同學的行程並未完結，繼續踏上旅途，開始蘇、杭之行程。

傍晚抵達蘇州，遊覽觀前街，太太團未有放棄購物之機會，滿載而歸。

翌日前赴著名之水鄉，乘船遊覽木瀆，午餐品嚐水鄉風味。下午遊玩同里水鄉，參觀著名之退思園，欣賞有名的蘇州園林，園內環翠山庄，船廳小橋，畹薌樓，水鄉榭及旱船；真是外慧內秀，令人夢裡縈回。

近黃昏之際乘車趕赴杭州，晚餐於杭州的著名的食肆『樓外樓』。

一宿無話，午餐後提早前往景點『靈隱寺』，寺內遍佈古代石鵰佛像，並有緣目睹該寺內博物館陳設之宋‧清名家之繪畫及書法，靈隱寺屬杭州著名景點，遊人眾多，特別是在假日及星期天。回程時祇見旅遊車大排長龍，部份已不准進入。因為行程緊迫，我們需緊貼回港之航班，不能有誤，今提早參觀，確是明智之舉。

在午膳前各同學趁尚餘少許時間，在西湖天地漫步，並於 HAGENDAZ 雪糕店前閒坐一下，該天恰為母親節，趙崇就女兒文琪小姐特為母親獻上芝士蛋糕及雪糕，聊表孝思，各同學太太齊齊合照，渡過溫馨的一刻。

午膳設於西湖的『張生記』，當地名店之一，飯後乘車前往機場回港。

勝地不常，盛筵難再，五日行程匆匆結束，後會有期！

本社對於鄭承忠同學贊助往來機票、酒店及全程接待；梁星棋同學之各項聯絡；鄭觀森同學及趙楊瑞瓊女士對旅行之安排，深表謝意。

趙善威記

2007年5月

出席命名與交船典禮同學：鄭觀柱夫婦、鄭觀森夫婦、趙善威夫婦、趙崇就夫婦及女兒、關敏如夫婦、黎榮樂夫婦、梁星棋夫婦、楊德興同學。

蘇杭之旅：除鄭觀柱夫婦及關敏如夫婦因事提前返港，其餘出席者皆參加蘇杭之旅遊。

Our 2007 Re-Union 畢業四十四年後重回母校記

雪泥鴻爪，時光倒流

畢業四十四年後大熊星社 (Great Bear II) 同學重回母校記

經過一位熱心同學之悉心安排、頻密之聯絡；另加好幾位同學之襄助工作，於一九六三年七月畢業的大熊星社同學，經過四十四年寒暑，再次聚首一堂，踏上昔日上學的途徑，重回母校。

早於二零零三年三月，回校的秩序已編排妥當，但一場『沙士』風暴，把回校的時間押後了查不多四年。

二零零七年三月十日 (星期六)，六位同學先抵達澳門，為回母校之行動揭起序幕。

次日(星期日) 上午九時，另六位同學攜同家眷在香港港澳碼頭出發，在澳門居住的兩位同學及早在澳門的六位同學齊到碼頭接船，最難得的是，從 Form III 時一直擔任班主任的黃兆川老師暨夫人也在接船行列，一時受到各同學熱烈歡迎，大眾握手相見之時，容顏有改，熱情不減，各同學自道姓名，黃老師竟一一記得清楚，時間和歲月不能洗卻老師對同學之印象，黃老師之記憶力真驚人。

上車後，先到路環之媽祖廟遊覽，此乃澳門新旅遊景點，由台灣人士斥資興建，廟宇巍峨，氣象萬千，在廟小丘上，有一尊白玉石雕刻而成之媽祖像，身高數米，法相莊嚴，垂慈大覺，化道群迷。

稍後，中午的聚餐開始，席訂於路環竹灣餐廳，連黃老師夫婦在內，一共二十一人。各同學頻頻向黃老師敬酒，對老師多年之教誨深表敬意，席間少不了談及往昔之趣事，昔日之頑童，今日之長者，彈指之間，匆匆數十年。

飽餐一頓，在回校之途中，趁機盡覽澳門之風光，路經葡京酒店，水坑尾，高士得馬路，紅街市，蓮峰球場，逸園跑狗場，台山，觀音堂等勝地，部份之景點或大型之建築物，原是舊時之滄海桑田。

經過個多小時之遊覽，旅遊車終於到達母校，由於重建校舍工程在進行中，我們需由後門入校，獲校長孔智剛神父親自接見，最難得是九四高齡，眾人稱為『爺爺』的林文瑞神父，精神奕奕與我們一起談笑，再一次拿出他的珍藏『煤炭片』請我們吃，這一塊小小的『煤炭片』是從義大利運回來的，現僅存半罐，沒有再補充存貨，林神父的心意，無言以為謝。

同學們圍在一起，聆聽校長之說話，校長介紹了母校之重建進程，教育之方針，未來之發展。粵華母校率先響應澳門政府之教育政策，成為最早『入網』之學校，並積極為澳門之教育工作而努力。教育是長遠而沉重的工作，孔校長有信心繼續把粵華中學發展成為港澳著名學府之一。此外孔校長出示一張印有歷屆粵華校長肖像的郵票小全張，作為擴建校舍捐款之紀念品；如捐款一千元可獲贈一張。班長楊德興即時行動，各同學亦不甘後人，反應熱烈，結果推舉梁星棋同學負責收集捐款後交回校長。

校監江志釗神父亦介紹今年復活節將會帶領十五名學員前往中國落後地區，體會當地學童辛苦求學的生活。

林神父領導同學祈禱，並向我們祝福。各同學亦熱心響應林神父的號召，向『明愛』作不記名捐款。

之後，校長帶領我們到鮑斯高神父銅像面前攝影留念，各同學按一九六三年七月影畢業照時同一的排列再影一次。今次回校的同學共十四人，除了部份在海外(八人)或因事未克參加的小部份同學(四人)，可說是六成的同學能再次合照，誠難能可貴。

皇天不負有心人，當大眾重遊英文部校舍之時，竟發現當日拍攝畢業照的地點之樓梯仍在，未被拆卸，於是重新列隊，照足當年的位置，同人同地同點再來一張合照，正是：

雪泥鴻爪，時光倒流

撫今追昔，感慨係之。

在握別之前，校長與各同學在英文部舊址門前再拍照留念，互道珍重，並約期再見！

全體同學，返港後於中環馬車會所晚飯，盡歡而散，並相約在畢業五十週年，即二零一三年，來一次大團聚。

後記：今次回校一遊，承蒙梁星棋同學悉心負責各項聯絡工作，關敏如同學編排活動，鄭承忠同學贊助酒店、船票，張功良同學負責攝影及各同學之熱衷參加，大熊星社II深表謝意。

趙善威記

二零零七年三月十三日

出席同學 (以英文字母排列)：鄭國重，鄭觀柱，鄭觀森夫婦，鄭承忠，張恭良，招再強，趙善威，趙崇就夫婦，何春霖夫婦，關敏如夫婦，黎榮樂夫婦，梁星棋夫婦，盧榮耀夫婦，黃兆鈞，楊德興夫婦。

社友：莫國興同學。

Friday June 30, 1961

I haven't written in this book for some time. That's because I have been studying for the final exams.
It is over now and I don't think my marks were very good.
After having our Physics and Geometry I went home and had lunch
Then I went to James' house. He and I went to Raymond's and then the three of us went to Mr. Victal's place.
We then went to my house and had some drinks.
Afterwards we went to James house again. Raymond got some books and I got a Physics book.
We plan to go swimming tomorrow. (I recall that we actually swam in the ocean. There were no beaches in Macau. People had built little bamboo huts out over the waters edge where the Guia Circuit meets the ocean. You paid them your fee, changed and went right into the ocean. The water temperature was perfect...although the water was brown with silt)
After dinner I went to James house and we both came back here.
After he left I did some paintings on a sheet of celluloid (I always thought I would be an animated cartoon artist)

Monday June 26, 1961

Today we had our History and English exams. They were quite easy.
I was the second one to finish.
After exams I went to the chapel.
I left school with James
After dropping him off at his house I went home.
In the afternoon, the rest of the boys in our class had their Chinese exam in the afternoon (My brother and I were exempt because we could neither speak, write nor read Chinese) so Victor came over to study Chemistry.
Later Raymond and James dropped by.
James had to give something to Fr. Vandavar so we had to go back to school.
We then went to James house thinking Victor might be there waiting..He wasn't. So we went to Raymond's house thinking that Victor had gone there. He wasn't there either.
James and I rode back with me sitting backwards on the bicycle.

We found Victor at his house
So we all went to James' house.
We joked around and then left.
Later that evening James came over. Mom and Dad went out again looking for a house.
James and I talked a bit, had some drinks and then when my parents returned , James went home.

Sunday June 25, 1961

This morning we went to church (Protestant)
After church mom and dad went looking for ceiling fans.
Tomorrow we will have exams in English and History
I went to James' house and we worked on History.
We studied into the night.
I might as well say something about Macau.
This town does not really belong to the Portuguese. It is owned by the Communists.
Not long ago they had an anti-Communist meeting in the school next door to our house (It was a school run by Nationalist Chinese, I think) They were composed of the Catholic School. They had about 1000 people attending. This town is full of opium dens and gambling houses. There are also a lot of poor people living here.

Saturday June 24, 1961

My mother woke me up in the morning to tell me that James had come by to pick me up.
I was really tired from last night and I had overslept this morning.
Today is the Feast of John the Baptist.
Fr. Krishner is trying to get me to become a Catholic but I don't think I ought to .
Anyway I go to the Catholic Chapel with James whenever he asks me to.
After church James and I went back to my house and had breakfast.
Then it was off to his house.
On the way I stopped off and bought a new pen. It's gold color and looks expensive. It cost $3.20. (in those days we use the old style ink fountain pens)
My brother and I went back to James house in the afternoon and found him sleeping. He said that he might drop by tonight but it's quite late now so I doubt he'll come.

Friday June 23, 1961

We spent three periods today in free study.
Paul Chui, Habang Singh and Lau Yat Man were messing around with my books so I went and sat in the Captains desk.
Fr. Rubini came to the class and told us that we need not come to school in the afternoon.
Victor came over my house and we studied algebra .
Frank went over to Raymond's house.
When we finished I took Victor home and then went to Ramond's house.
I stood outside their house and called but no one answered so I went back home.
Later I went to James house and we spent most of the time fixing the coolers in his father's barber shop.
James came over in the evening and we did a little Geometry.

Thursday June 22, 1961

Nothing much happened in the morning
After school I changed clothes and I went to James house.
Victor Kuan arrived later.
We did a lot of joking around and very little studying.

Wednesday June 21, 1961

In the morning we had three periods of free study. Then in the afternoon we had our Ethics test.
After school I went to church with James and then we went to his house and did some calculus. I know nothing about calculus.
The I went downstairs to his father's barber shop and got a hair cut.
The barbers there always joke about me because I don't speak Chinese.
James' little sister was in the barber shop getting her hair fixed and she was laughing at me. I could see her in the mirror.

Tuesday, June 20, 1961

Fr. Cota and Fr. Kirkland were both absent form class today so we had study period.
The guys in the back of the class got a little noisy so Fr Rubini stepped in.
He called Captain into his office and gave him a scolding because he wasn't able to keep the boys quiet.
On the way home Captain was riding me on the bicycle as usual and we almost crashed into another bicycle. The other guy didn't give a hand signal to turn.
After school Victor came over to our house and we studied Ethics.
We shall have a test on that subject tomorrow.
My mom and dad went looking for a house to buy. Didn't find anything

Monday June 19, 1961

Fr. Cota was absent this morning so we had study period instead.
Fr. Rubini came to monitor us. During study period Fr. Rubini got angry at Habang Singh because he was joking around in class instead of studying
In the afternoon we had our geography test.
The questions were fairly easy.
Captain didn't do so well.
Some of the kids in our school have already finished their exams which were held upstairs next to our classroom.
There's not much to do in Macau and I don't know how I'll enjoy myself during the holidays.
Macau only has theaters and swimming.
It's too moist here.
I haven't written to Eddie or any of the others in America yet. I'll have to do that during the summer.

Sunday June 18, 196

James and Captain went swimming yesterday and I stayed home reading an animation book.
We shall have our geography test tomorrow.
I had to go and get some clothes at the laundry for my mom.
As I came back home one of the girls downstairs (the landlord who lives downstairs has 5 daughters) saw me and ran away. The girls always run away when my brother and I come in the gate.

Saturday, June 17, 1961

We left for school today in a hurry and I forgot my homework.
So before morning exercise Paul Chiu (he forgot his also) and I went home..like we did yesterday.
Fr., Cota came back from Hong Kong where the boys of Form VI are having their exams (GCE).
The kids from the orphanage got to go to the carnival they have in Macau every summer. It's not much...just a merry-go-round and a lot of cold drink stands.
The kids got to go on rides.
Frank and I had to stay home because we are going to have our geography test Thursday.

Friday June 16, l961

This morning we had our reading exam. I got 96/100.
During Physics period, Paul Chiu and I went home to fetch our books...which we had forgotten to bring.
We went to his house first...and then to my house.

Mr. Victal got angry at the boys in the back of the room because they were making a lot of noise.
He asked the offenders to step to the front of the classroom. He made each boy recite 20 words from the dictionary.
This happened again when the bell rang and he let a few of us go while the others had to stay behind.


My mom charged me 20 cents for some books I left laying around the house.

The kids from the choir (at the Protestant Church) came over later that day and went up to our rooftop.
We all had dinner and then dad showed them 16 mm movies he took of our family in America.
the Chinese are a little like the English in manners. They don't joke around like Americans.
After showing the movies of Disneyland ,the San Diego Zoo and Marineland we all went downstairs and sung some Christian songs.
I went into my room to do some studying but the heat got me down.
Finally everyone left. Thank heavens!

Today is my brother's birthday.

Thursday June 15, 1961

No exams today.
I forgot my homework again so during the morning exercise I left and went home to get it.
Day after tomorrow will be the "Dragon Festival"
Dragon Boat races will be held in Hong Kong. The people here in Macau can't afford dragon boats and besides the ocean around Macau is very muddy due to all the silt that comes down from the Pearl River.
My mom said she would start charging us money if we left our school books lying around the house. So far she owes me 3 dollars.
Michael from Form II came over after school and we talked about our school marks.
I'm not sure I'll pass because last year I knew nothing about Algebra or Geometry (In those days our school in Palm Springs didn't teach those subjects until we got into High School). When I entered Yuet Wah this year they had already finished 1/2 the book.

Tuesday June 13, 1961

Nothing much happened this morning
In the afternoon we had our dictation test on "Arctic Explorations"
After the test we had our music exam.
When school let out, Victor Kuan and I went over to find out our marks.
So we headed over to Mr. Victal's house. Several boys had arrived before us and were reciting ten words from the dictionary to Mr. Victal. This was their punishment for something they had done wrong earlier in class.
Mr. Victal thought we had come over to give him his cigarette lighter. He had forgotten it and left it in class.
We checked our papers to see what kind of marks we had gotten.
Mr. Victal wanted me to go to school and get his lighter but I proposed that he should go instead.
So he hopped on my bike and headed off to school
When he returned Victor and I left.

Monday, June 12, 1961

We had our English composition test today.
Mr. Victal picked ten titles..one of which was "The Use Which Man Has Made of the Forces of Nature".
Captain had memorized a composition from a composition book. He thought Mr. Victal would let us pick our own titles. But it turned out just the opposite. He ended up having to write down the one he had prepared.
We got a letter from China. Since my dad has agreed to buy fertilizer for the Chinese government, they have gone a step further and asked for $20,000 US.
We've had an invasion of cockroaches.
The town has quieted down since the festivities Saturday

Sunday June 11, 1961

In the morning we went to church (Protestant) and afterwards had lunch at a local restaurant.
As usual I had "stewed fish over rice".
In the afternoon we went to James's house and begged him to come with us to Raymond Chu's place so we could all study Physic's together.
James was just about to go to bed because he was very tired.
Anyway, we went to Raymonds, studied and then we gave Raymond and James a ride on our bikes to our house. They wanted to go to the book store but it was raining so they stayed at our house till the rained stopped.
Right now they are having basketball matches next door so it's hard to concentrate on studying.
(When we first arrived in Macau we rented a house. We live on the second floor of a two story building. The landlord, his wife and 5 daughters live downstairs. Right next door there was some sort of gymnasium.)

Saturday June 10, 1961

We have a holiday today.
I got dressed, ate and then went over to James Lai's house with my algebra book.
Unfortunately he wasn't home.
So back home I went.
There were army soldiers everywhere. They were marching up and down the street in their tan colored uniforms.
People thronged the streets and stores.
After I got home James and another one of his friends came over.
We played records and then hopped on our bicycles and rode out along the water dikes all the way up to Don Boscos school.
In the afternoon I went to James house again. We sat around and joked. Then I took him on my bike to his teacher's place...and I went home.
When I arrived at the house I found Raymond and his brother, Patrick, waiting for me.
We all had planned to work on Physics with Frank.
When Raymond left, he forgot his pen...which I am using to write now.

It's night time now. and Frank and I have just finished having a big debate with my dad about Communism.
It all started when dad read an article about how the American's were planning to launch a space ship to the moon. "That's ridiculous..impossible " , dad said.
That's how the debate got started.
The argument, as usual, turned from Russian satellites to freedom of the press..and from there it lead to Communism.
During the argument dad offered us 10 dollars to prove that newspapers could run without advertisements.

Friday June 9, 1961

Today was "Sacred Heart of Jesus" for the Catholics.
In the afternoon today we had our gymnastics test. I wasn't able to do my exercises so I think the teacher gave me a failing grade.
"Egyptian" (I recall a fellow student who went by the nick name "Egyptian". I can't remember who he was. Maybe later in the diary it will come back to me. Most students had nicknames. I remember some of the names :"lady","the nun", "pig". ) gave me some stamps from his stamp collection in return for some stamps from mine.
Tomorrow there's going to be a big celebration in honor of Luis de Camoes.
He was one of Portugal's most famous poets. So the day is a holiday and we are off from school.
There is suppose to be a parade of soldiers. I don't care about it.
It gives me more time to catch up with my maths.
We are going to have our composition test on Monday. But I don't need to prepare for anything.

Thursday June 8. 1961

Nothing interesting happened at school today.
This morning I forgot to bring my homework to Maths so I had to rush home and get it during the morning exercise drill (we all had calisthenics out on the main courtyard every day. It was compulsory. Everyone had an assigned spot on the field and roll was taken. If you weren't in your spot...not good )
It rained again as we were going home for lunch
We have much to review in maths. Mr. Wong, our new math teacher, goes much faster than our old teacher, Mr. Olivera.

Wednesday June 7, 1961

School went on as usual
When the bell rang it started raining just as we were leaving.
I went down to get my bicycle but the rain wouldn't stop so I went back upstairs to the classroom to wait it out.
By that time I was soaking wet.
We waited and when the rain finally did stop we all headed home for lunch.
In the afternoon Victor Kuan came over to our house and we studied a little Physics.

Tuesday, June 6, 1961

This is the third week since I have started making entires into this journal
It rained again today.
During the Physics experiment some boys in one of the Chinese classes got into a fight.
They got a scolding for it.
James gave me his negatives to develop (back then we developed contact black and white prints from negatives in our bedroom at night when it was dark) but my dad had used the plug for the extension cord so I couldn't use the light for contact printing.

We spent English period rearranging the tests schedule. It was a difficult job.
It's getting so boring in Macau. I can't wait to get out of here.
Nothing much to write about either

Monday , June 5, 1961

It rained hard again as usual.
In the afternoon Fr. Kirkland wasn't feeling well so we had a "free study" period.
We are getting nearer to the tests dates and I don't know if I'll have much time to write in this journal.
I don't read as many books now because it hurts my eyes. I'll have to get glasses during the vacation.
We are revising for the final exams.
Yesterday in the South China Morning Post I read that President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev met and talked for a long time in Vienna.
Communist China objected to the meeting...but tough luck for them.
My dad has decided to buy fertilizer and send it to China because he supports the Communist cause. His relatives in China have been begging him to do it because for every ton of fertilizer sent to China, they get some rice or something.

Sunday, June 4, l961

In the afternoon James Lai and Raymond Chu came over to our house
Both of them had gone to see Mr Victal.... but he wasn't at home.
We all joked around and listened to records.
My dad needed some gasoline. He was trying to make rubber glue.
So we all went out looking all over town for gasoline.
It rained really hard part of the day.
It's the hardest rain we've had so far.

Saturday June 3, l961

Today it rained quite heavily in the morning
The hall of the school is filled with pictures which are to be voted for (I don't recall what this was. Must have been a drawing contest or something)
Mr Vital asked Raymond, James Lai, Frank and I to come over to his place and listen to records tomorrow but I can't go because my mom got mad at me for wrinkling my Sunday clothes.
James Lai came over in the evening and we talked and did some algebra sums.
We went to "junk alley" (that was a street in Macau that sold a lot of used things...books and stuff. Many were just poor people who had a few odds and ends to sell on the sidewalk. Sometimes they would have good English novels and books so we were always on the lookout)
before dinner to see if there were any good books or not. There wasn't.
Not much to do here in Macao. Business is going on as usual and the Communist are getting the upper hand here. That's because the Portuguese government is too weak (I don't recall much about the political situation in Macau at the time. Not sure what I was referring to)

Friday June 2, 1961

When we were having our morning exercise drills it began to rain. I never saw such a scramble for shelter. The whole exercise court was cleared in less than 15 seconds.
Today Frank and I got to school and found we had the wrong books.
He thought it was Tuesday. I thought it was Thursday.
I rushed home to get the exercise books that Mr. Victal had asked us to help him check for his Form II class.
I went first to my house and then to James.
I got back in time before the bell rang the second time (I think there were two bells. The first was to call us to class. The second was to signal that everyone not in class was late)
Mr. Victal got mad again today (because the boys were talking).
The boys in the back of the class are the most talkative.
He asked all the offenders to step forward to the front of the class.
Mr. Victal once again invoked Fr. Rubini's name.
That was enough to get the boys in the back to step up in front of the class.
The lessons started again.

Victor Kuan and I went to Mr. Victals after school and we listened to one of his comical records, checked some more exercise books for him and chatted some. Nothing much to do except study now since the heat is too oppressive.

While we were at Mr. Victals, a postman came and Mr. Victal tried to converse with him in broken Chinese (as I recall Mr Victal was either born in China or lived in China for a long time.
I think he came from Shanghai area. I recall him telling stories about old China. I remember vividly his description of the time he witnessed someone in China being beheaded..how they dragged the frightened man out. And when they cut off his head his teeth kept chattering. Funny how some recollections stay with you)
Mr Victal lost 4 dollars playing ping pong against some other boys and by the time Victor and I had finished correcting a stack of exercise books, he had lost another 2 dollars. Mr. Victal complained that there was nothing else to do around here.

Thursday, June 1, 1961

Today James Lai came over and picked me up for church. We went to the school chapel. (in those days the chapel was above the central courtyard where we did our daily exercises. Is it still there?)
After church I went to his house to get some study books and we then went to my house.
The door was locked so I had to go to the orphanage for the key.
The rest of the day we studied.
In the evening I studied by myself since James had to go home and Frank had gone to the orphanage to paint the new shower.
I slept on the couch in the living room where there is a nice breeze.
It is still quite hot.
The Laos bit is clearing (Fighting broke out between the Royal Lao Army and the Pathet Lao in 1960; in 1961, a neutral independent government was set up under Prince Souvanna Phouma, based in Vientiane) and South Africa now has a white president ( -May 31, 1961 South Africa becomes a republic. Charles Robberts Swart becomes the first State President of South Africa)