Monita
BORn
Hong Kong
year of birth
1957
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This sewing cushion started my journey to the UK, I left Hong Kong to come here in December 1975. I was just 17 and just finished my secondary school and I decided to travel to the UK on my own. All I brought with me was a suitcase and guitar, very romantic isn’t it? I felt like a little John Denver! I was not scared of anything, you think you can take on anything. In those days, when there isn’t fear, you just do whatever you must do. I think that's the story of me as well, I was the adventurer of the family.
This cushion was bought in a Korean souvenir shop because the plane stopped off at Korea and Paris. I saw it was quite cute and it's stayed with me for all these years, everywhere I go. It really signifies my journey as an almost naive young girl who made the decision to come by herself to start a new life in the UK.
It's been with me all these years, even if it wasn't meant to be that sentimental it’s gathered significance because I’ve used it for such a long time, there are very few things that I've had that long. This sewing cushion has more history than all the things in my house because it travelled with me throughout life. I can tell my daughters to cremate it with me. It’s still here with me and these cultural things will stay with you and they make up who you are.
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這個縫紉墊開啟了1975年12月我從香港來英國的旅途。當時我17歲，剛剛讀完中學。我決定一個人來英國旅遊。我只帶了一件行李和一把吉他。聽起來是不是特別浪漫？我感覺自己是約翰丹沃！我當時天不怕地不怕，覺得什麼都能幹。那個時候，只要不怕，你就做你應該做的事情。我覺得我就是這樣，我們家愛冒險的那個。
這個墊子是在韓國的紀念品店買的。當時飛機經停韓國和巴黎。我覺得它很可愛。這些年我去任何地方都一直留著它。它象徵著一個年輕，甚至有些天真的年輕女孩決定一個人來英國開始新的生活。
這些年我一直留著它。雖然我並不多愁善感，但它背後的意義很深。我很少有保留了這麼長時間的東西。這個縫紉墊比我家裡的任何東西的歷史都久，一生陪伴著我。我要告訴我的女兒把它和我一起火化。它如今還在陪伴著我。這些有文化價值的東西會一直跟隨著你，塑造著你。