S.C., The Science Teacher

I thought that we were settling down in our life in Hong Kong.

But it was not to be.

Neither S.C. nor I had any specific long range plans at that time. I was content to be a librarian. And I thought S.C. would eventually find a different job besides teaching, since teaching was not really his 'cup of tea.'

Unfortunately, the Degrees he obtained in the U.S. were not recognized in this British Colony. There did not seem to be any possibility for him to get a research job.
  
Hong Kong population had exploded to three plus millions, at that time. The island and the peninsula together were not really very big. So the city had to expand towards inland, towards New territories. But most people preferred to live in the city, because that was where the jobs were.

The underground had not yet been built, neither was the tunnel linking the island with the peninsula. Going into New Territories, you had to ride a train. Coming into the City, you would take the train. Then, you still had to use the public transport once you got into the city.

There were efforts to reclaim land from the sea - it was not enough. And really the only way to increase the number of living spaces in the city was to go Up  - the buildings started to be taller and taller. And the buildings were built very close together. Yes, it was  crowded and noisy. Unless you had owned space before the population explosion, you had to be quite rich to afford free standing homes with gardens. Most people lived in high-risers. 

With increasing numbers of families, there had to be an increasing number of schools being opened - to educate the children. Schools opened up in very crowded areas - even in parts of the high-risers. Oftentimes, roof tops were playgrounds. 
No Greens.

S.C. was teaching High School kids, teens to be exact. The school was not in a desirable area on the island. The children were somewhat rough and tough; and oftentimes, not well-disciplined. He did not relate to the kids and he hated his job.

He also was not happy with the crowds and the constant noise. We lived on the sixth floor of one of the high-risers near Star Ferry on the peninsula. It was a new building at that time. And the location was considered desirable. But it was crowded.  

For those of us used to HK, the crowds and the noise did not bother us. But not to S.C.
After being in the U.S. for some fourteen or fifteen years, he had gotten used to having space and quietude.

We talked about what should we do, and he said that he would like to go back to the States, if there was a way.

I already told you that I was the submissive "little wife." Right?

I said that if that was what he wanted to do, we would try to find a way.

But we did not know how? 

One day at work, someone told me that since I was a refugee from China and since I was working for the U.S.Consulate, I should qualify to immigrate to the U.S. under the Refugee Relief Act For Chinese Intellectuals, and would have priority. 
I said, "But, my husband is not a refugee."
My colleague said that my husband could apply as my dependent.
Well, that was the first time that I had the taste of American Democracy.  I was under the old-fashioned idea that only the wife would be considered as a dependent to the husband, and not the other way around.
And I was wrong.

So I told S.C., and we put in our application. His old buddy, C.C. of Houston, TX, was our sponsor.

Our parents were not happy about this. S.C.'s mother, in particular.