“That’s when it hit me, that it’s a bit hypocritical if I didn’t look near me. My aunts were ageing, and they had unfulfilled wishes,” she shared, adding that one aunt – the “brain” – was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease some 20 years ago.
Fong found herself torn between honouring her sense of filial piety and pursuing her individualistic ideals. While she felt a sense of responsibility to her elders, she also found herself looking for an escape hatch.
“When I went back, I didn’t want anyone to have the expectation that I’d be here forever, just in case I realise I don’t like it after all. I just said, can I come back to work? You seem quite shorthanded. Let me help.”
In the beginning, Fong dedicated at least 10 hours every day, seven days a week, to her work. She viewed her role as merely a checkbox item, determined to “learn fast and get out fast.” However, by her third year, she had mastered the craft, and it started to resonate with her. It was also at this point a eureka moment struck.