7th Worldwide Reunion, Hong Kong, February 2010
Reported by Diana Wong '71

Click here for photo gallery of the Reunion.

The official kickoff for this memorable weekend event took place on February 19, 2010 with Homecoming.  There was much excitement on the cobblestone pathway by the sign-in table--from the alumnae, the present student body, the parents, and of course our beloved Sisters and teachers, past and present. Wonderment, laughter, nostalgia, hugs, shouted greetings, and "do-you-remember-me" accompanied us each step of the way to the covered playground.  So much had changed, and yet so much stayed the same.  We reminisced about our time at MCS where the seeds of friendship were sowed, nurtured, and bloomed.  We admired the young welcoming committee members who executed their duties with such poise and grace. There were opening ceremony speeches, confetti showers, Nancy Tong's "paparazzi," and souvenir tables at the Primary School's covered playground. The Homecoming ceremony was highlighted by the presentation of Dah Sing Maryknoll Convent School Platinum Visa Card issued by Dah Sing Bank inside the Secondary School auditorium.  This is designed to be a continuous funding program for MCS as 2% of each dollar spent would be allocated back to MCS. Membership is free but limited to Hong Kong residents.

NY Maryknollers gathered near the statue of Mother Mary (Primary School courtyard) for our own little reunion with ex-pats Maria Lin and Amy Fong.  Anne Kong, Annette Chan-Norris (and husband Evan), Amy Fong, Catherine Cheung, Diana Fung, Emily Limpe (and Tony), Irene Shen (and Fred), Maria Lin, Veronica Li, Yvonne Wong all showed up.  The spouses blended in seamlessly and became part of the MCS tapestry. 

Nancy Tong and her paparazzi videotaped the reunion activities with our consent.  In Nancy's words: Come as you are.  We sat in one classroom (I remember it as my 2nd grade homeroom) and shared our MCS memories.  Nothing was off-limit.  Every prank; every nickname origin; every precious moment was tagged, examined, and augmented with details long forgotten by some but remembered by others. We were so enthralled with our recounting that Nancy's documentary team was totally forgotten at that moment. Later on, we begged Nancy to use her best judgment and editing skill to make it presentable. Emily Limpe, the Chairperson of the 4th WWR in New York, sat in as our honored guest during this "View" session. I'd like to think that Emily was entertained, and will remember us fondly.

The homecoming event was followed by a gastro fest arranged by Nancy Tong at Tai Wing Wah in Kowloon Bay. Some that were absent from the day event showed up for the gourmet event. Every morsel was delicious, even the artery clogging rice mixed with lard and soy sauce. More lingerie got aired; more laughs; more editing for Nancy.

Mai Po Nature Reserve in Yuen Long was next on the agenda for February 20th. Patricia Wu planned the entire outing including the submission of names/passports for clearance, the tour bus, and another forget-Jenny-Craig rustic village cuisine at another Tai Wing Wah in Yuen Long. The only dish repeated at this Tai Wing Wah was--you guessed it--the rice mixed with LARD and soy sauce.

Mai Po housed over 55,000 migrating birds, including Saunders' Gull and a quarter of world's Black-faced Spoonbill population. It also has inter-tidal mangroves along with 24 traditionally operated shrimp ponds (called Gei Wai locally) to provide food for the birds.  Our group tried our best to be quiet, and our feathered friends accomplished the impossible--hushing a group of friends eager to catch up with each other's lives--by being majestic, regal, and graceful.  We were in awe of God's creations.

That evening, Ellen Cheung led the way to another "eat-it-don't-hate-me" meal at a Chaozhou restaurant. The food and service there was 5-star. Ching Hoi Lo Say is my best attempt with the restaurant's name. The chef personally served our meal, and discussed recipes and ingredients with Ludia Fong, our class chef. The fun continued into the wee hours on the 12th floor at the Salisbury YMCA in Grace and Annie's room, aka Party Central.

On THE DAY, a group of us went on a retail therapy outing with satisfactory success albeit a short session (true confession time--some of us missed the Commemorative Mass, but we sent some representatives in our stead). The group headed back to the Y-headquarters to gear up for the crowning event at the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. It was a glorious event attended by two thousand.  Camaraderie was in high drive.  The stars came out--all of God’s creation--those hanging in the sky, and those at the Exhibition Centre. The celebration kicked off with speeches, souvenir presentation, cake cutting (I think there were two cakes), school song, and prayers. The dinner was a ten-course affair. The entertainment included a lion dance and wushu demonstration, Chinese orchestra performance, and a medley of songs performed by Joey Chan, Yvonne Lee, Gigi Leung, and Julia Shek. There was a raffle drawing, a silent auction, and the voting of venue for MCS's 8th WWR. Class photos were taken by professionals and amateurs jockeying for the best angle.

The WWR accomplished its goal--to renew old friendships; to cultivate new ones; to join hands and hearts in rededicating ourselves to our school motto: Sola Nobilitas Virtus. Till we meet again, shalom and God bless.

 

Back to News