Singapore, nanyang Tecnological University.

For a long time to the 1990s, Malaysia did not allowed her citizens to go to China for fear of Communist influence.

Though I am an ethnic Chinese, I have never been to China. My paternal grand father left China in his 20s almost 100 years ago for Borneo. He longed to return to his land of birth, and died wishing in vain.

NTU was Nanyang University. The funds were raised by the Chinese in the South east Asia region in the 1950s. My grandparents on both sides and my parents gave to the donation drive. My grand fathers used to say they bought bricks to contribute to the building.

The Singapore Government changed it to NTU. Many overseas people were upset. I lived in NTU when my husband was lecturing there. So far, among the Chan clan, Chin, Clan and Kong clan, my oldest daughter is the only receipient to benefit from the donation of her forefathers. She graduated with a bioscience degree and works part time there.

My Dad always went for a walk in the Yunnan garden. He said, I can't go to China, so I pretend that I am in China when I am in the serene Chinese garden