Written by: Li Xin Rong (19-I4) and Lee En Tong (19-U2)
Designed by: Lee En Tong (19-U2)
“The joy you get from showing kindness to others is indescribable. Just like when I give flowers to people, I feel incredibly happy and get a sense of fulfilment.”
What do you work as in Eunoia Junior College?
可以告诉我你在诺雅初级学院是做什么工作的？
I work as an Operations Support Officer but I also teach students how to garden. I used to grow a lot of vegetables and fruits such as bananas and papayas. However, I don’t garden that often now. I also grew many flowers. *excitedly shows off photos of the flowers he grew*
我是校工。我也帮忙教学生种东西。以前我种了很多东西，现在很少了。香蕉、木瓜和果菜，这花也是我种的。
What did you work as when you were young?
你年轻的时候是做什么工作的？
I came out to work when I was very young as I did not study that much. I started working when I was around 12 or 13 years old. I used to work in a hardware shop, general store and hotel. I also constructed houses. I then moved on to work in a shipyard when I turned 16.
我读了很少书，很小时候就出来做工。我差不多十二或十三岁就开始做工了，做过五金店、杂货店、盖屋子和酒楼。后来，十六岁开始做船厂。
Are there any interesting stories or experiences you had in EJC so far?
你在这里有什么有趣的故事／经验吗？
I used the vegetables that I grew to make salads for the students and teachers to eat. The teachers also used my vegetables to cook Korean dishes. There’s no special occasion, I like to share my vegetables with my beloved students.
我种了我的菜，就会做沙拉给同学和老师们吃。老师们也曾经用我种的菜来煮韩国餐。没什么节日，我只是跟同学分享而已。我很疼爱这边的一些学生。
I heard that you’ve planted many varieties of fruits and vegetables in our rooftop garden. How did you discover your love for gardening?
我听说你在诺雅的花园里种了许多水果蔬菜，其实很好奇你是怎样开始喜欢种菜？你觉得种菜有什么好处？
I enjoy gardening as it is beneficial for the environment. I used to work as a gardener. As my house does not have sufficient space for gardening, I decided to try growing fruits and vegetables in school which was relatively successful!
我喜欢种菜，因为他们是植物，可以环保。我曾经做过园丁。由于家里不够地方，我就试试在学校里种，种了还有蛮好的效果呢!
Besides gardening, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
除了种菜，你空闲的时候喜欢做什么？
Singing. Have you heard me sing before? I sang at one of the school events last year for all the students. If the school invites me to perform again, I would like to sing again. When I was in China, I enjoyed karaoke sessions. I even sang at Getai performances. Do you follow my Instagram or YouTube account?
唱歌。你有没有听过我唱歌？我去年在礼堂里唱给学生听。如果学校请我，我想唱。我在中国的时候也喜欢唱卡拉OK。我有上去歌台表演唱过。你有没有跟着我的 Instagram 或者我的 YouTube？
Are students here generally courteous? Are they considerate users of their environment?
你觉得这里的学生有足够的礼貌和善意吗？同学们会不会为环境卫生着想？
Many of the students here are polite and kind. There is only a small group of students who are not considerate users of the environment but I will teach them slowly and will not blame them for their mistakes.
会有很多有礼貌和善意。只有很少部分的学生不会为环境卫生着想，但我会慢慢的教他们。他们不好我也不会责怪他们的，我只会教导他们。
Do you think it is important that Singaporeans show kindness towards one another? Why?
你觉得在新加坡对彼此善良重要吗？为什么？
It is important because when you treat others kindly, you will definitely be rewarded in some way. The joy you get from showing kindness to others is indescribable. Just like when I give flowers to people, I feel incredibly happy and get a sense of fulfilment.
重要。因为当你对人好，一定会有一个好的福报。那个快乐是说不出来的。好像现在我做花给别人，我的心里也是很快乐的，有一点满足感。
You could tell that Uncle Lye truly enjoys interacting with students here as his eyes light up with joy whenever he talks about the students he formed close bonds with. He even excitedly shared photos of his flower arrangements, vegetables, and videos of him singing. What struck me the most was his kind gesture of gifting me a pot of flowers that he grew and arranged himself. I am incredibly honoured to have had the chance to hear about Uncle Lye’s life and interests outside of school and I am sure Eunoians from the past and present will continue to remember him for being more than just an Operations Support Officer.
The Origin* 