Danald asked how much my father influence me on the choice of majoring engineering. My answer is not at all.
My Daddy was in Taiwan when I graduated from HS- the high school you all visited. I communicated with my Daddy by writing letters. The letters must go through Hong Kong through the Big Brother who helped us for over 12 years to keep my family in touch. We did not have telephone or computer then. My Daddy wrote us probably 4 times a year. In one of them he mailed us a check of $100 or $200. It was more than enough for three of us to live for a year. My Mom was a very good budgeter. My Mom could read my fathers letter, but she could not write. So, my Mom asked my to write letter when I was only 9 or 10 years old. Even all the neighbors asked my help to write letters to their sons or daughter in Shanghai, just across the river.
My uncle – my Mom’s younger brother had the best education in our extended family at that time. He was a high school graduate. He did not have chance to go to college due to family financial difficulties. After he graduated from HS, he became a pharmacist since he knew a little bit English. He always wanted me to go to college. As a matter of fact, he wanted me to go to Soviet Union for further for studies in 60’s. I was very happy and eager to learn Russian when I was in high school and college. I majored Engineering because it had good job prospects at that time.
Life sometime is hard to say. Few years later I left Mainland and went to Taiwan to learn and finish my college education. Then I came to the USA to earn my graduate diploma.