I first met Fawzia at a CUWO function in the autumn of 1996. We had both arrived in Hong Kong with our husbands who were professors at CUHK. We instantly became good friends at that first meeting and stayed in contact through all these years.
Fawzia was sometimes out of town in the U.S., Sri Lanka or traveling around the world as she loved to do. Whenever we were in Hong Kong at the same time, we got together for profound talks, walks and lunches. She often invited me for lunch at their place and her food was divine. The last time we got together for an extended lunch was in May 2010 shortly before Tim and I left Hong Kong to move to Canada. Fawzia must have prepared about 8 dishes, all fabulously delicious. Then we went for a long walk near CUHK and talked about our future plans. We had hoped to travel to Sri Lanka together or meet up in Canada or Hong Kong again. I regret that I never got to see Sri Lanka through her eyes.
Fawzia was among the most upbeat people I’ve ever met; always smiling with that beautiful smile and laughing in such an infectious manner. I know she loved teaching and was so happy at Shue Yan. And of course we talked about books since we both loved reading and also music and concerts we’d been to, sometimes together.
The last message I got from her was before Christmas. I had sent an update of our year and she replied from Heathrow Airport; she wrote in an e-mail: “I know we’ll see each other again, somehow, some way.”
As a final comment, after the holidays were over this year and I was taking down star sculptures hung from my chandelier, for some reason, I left a tin angel I’d just bought in Mexico, suspended in the centre of the light fixture. The next morning, we got word of Fawzia’s death and I knew my colourful angel was still floating between heaven and earth.
Charlotte Weiss, Victoria, BC, Canada
(February 18, 2012)
Note: CUWO stands for the Chinese University Women's Organization. CUHK for the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
