Happy Birthday, Lisa!

Lisa and I share the same last name in English (Chinese character is different). She was practically my missing sister growing up in the small town in L.A.

June 1989, I left Taiwan to move to the US. In August, without knowing a word of English, I went to my first school in the U.S. (Okay okay I knew 3 words: 'Joyce' 'Hsu' 'Here'). After the first period, which I still remember it was a Social Studies class, I walked out the class room with confusion and a bit of shame. I had changed school many time before and everytime I adapted quickly. I was elected the class rep (班长）on the first day of my previous new school. I was always confident, strong and aggressive. But at that moment, I was weak, scared and lost (and literally lost, because I had no idea where my next class was). As I stood there in the hallway, this Asian girl came up to me and said "?????" in English. I replied with even more question marks in my eyes. And then she asked again, this time in Mandarin, "你讲国语吗？＂ Never in my life I had been so touched to hear my mother tongue, I nodded to her frenatically.

From there on, we became friends, then best friends, and then sisters.

We (and little Jenny) spent almost everyday together in the next 5 years. We had most classes together. We ate lunch together. We hung out after school together. When we were not together, we were most likely on the phone with each other. We even got scolded by my mom together (my sisters just very bravely stood there with me). Like all other teenagers, we had endless conversations. We tried to cover for each other. We shared our dreams, complaints, happiness and sadness. After I left LA for college, we stayed in very close touch. Then I came to Hong Kong.

I still try to see Lisa at least once a year when I go back to LA. As we both got busy with our lives, we don't get to update each other as often as it used to be. I can't remember the last time I celebrated Lisa's birthday with her and I am sorry I had to miss it again this year. I don't know when it will be that we get to live in the same city again but one thing I know for sure is that our friendship will never end no matter how far apart we are.

Happy Birthday, Lisa!