In 1962, more girls appeared in TLS and foremost in my mind was my relative, Chellenga.
Chellenga was a very determined young lady at that time and she set her sights high. I knew that she aimed at becoming someone in life. She wanted to be educated to the best of her abilities. Life was not easy for someone from the rural areas.
This was the year before Malaysia was formed.
The atmosphere was full of tension and most of us were not so sure of things around us. But what we did was to study very hard.
When the Iban girls got together it was a very warming to the heart of a Form Two boy who did not have much in the mind. The other Iban girl was Halena Jeluing who also arrived in 1962.
In later years Chellenga went to teach in an Australian school in Katherine where she raised three children, Austin, Mark and Sura with her husband, Holt Thompson. The family would often come back to Bintulu and Miri to visit old friends.
When someone is back from overseas, the ex-TLS students would have the opportunity to have a get together.
Thus Rosalind Assan, Johnny Bana, Chellenga, Joan Tze would have a chance to meet up, bringing along our bunch of children. It was comforting to be with old friends. And Chellenga would be most happy to meet up with us.
Once Holt bought a chainsaw to bring home and we were really delighted by his down to earth attitude. We also found out that Chellenga grew mangoes in her backyard and sold them in the market.
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