A profile of Chuen Kee Lee
During the ongoing pandemic, everyone is facing unprecedented challenges. Those most in need, such as new immigrants, often get the worst of it. However, some have still found a way to flourish.
Chuen Kee Lee is a first-generation immigrant in his 60s. Twelve years at sea taught him how to adapt quickly. Even during the toughest moments, Lee leveraged the resources he had, immersing himself in learning new skills and adjusting to foreign cultures. Having contracted and overcome COVID-19, Lee cannot wait to embark on a new career path.
“The working situation on the ships is that you work at most nine months on one ship, and then you leave. Then next time it will be another new ship.” Starting his sailing career at 26, adapting to constantly changing environments is Lee’s modus operandi. “The first day you get on the ship, the next day you go to work. You have no choice,” he said.
In 2019 at the age of 60, Lee retired from the Marine Department of the Government of Hong Kong. Tired of the high living cost and the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, Lee desired a less overwhelming environment, and moved to the US with his wife that same year.
“Since we have decided to immigrate to a new place, it does not make sense if we keep our original life habits,” Lee said. The couple purposely chose to live in Bellingham, MA, where few Chinese people reside, actively seeking after more interactions with locals. Getting rid of the pedestrian lifestyle in Hong Kong, Lee got a driver’s license as soon as possible. The couple embraced changes, and was excited about exploring a new way of living.
The couple could maintain their life with their pension and savings on hand, but he knew he wanted to find a job from the outset. For Lee, working is an important part of experiencing American culture. He believes it is a good way to learn about their attitudes about work and life, their social norms, and available resources to him.
Lee and his wife happened upon the Asian American Civic Association (AACA) while spending time in Chinatown. Out of curiosity, they went in and got to know about the job training programs offered at the agency, where Lee noticed the Green Automotive Maintenance Skills (GAMS) Program. Considering his experience and interest in fleet maintenance, and learning about the overwhelming need in the industry, Lee signed up for the program. The industry of maintaining medium and heavy duty vehicles is lacking employees. This is partly due to younger generations’ shying away from hard physical labor, and their lack of requisite technical and professional experience.
Talking to Lee, one can feel Lee’s enthusiasm in learning new things and his confidence in future job-hunting. He was serious and articulate in detailing the content and proceedings of the program – how many courses they had, what their schedule was like, and the exact names of the textbooks they used.
The courses took place from February 18 to June 25. Due to the pandemic, in-person training transitioned into virtual meetings after less than three weeks. Although Lee believes in-person teaching is more effective, the virtual courses did not decrease his passion for learning. Lee remained optimistic and seized the opportunity to learn more about computer technology and software.
In order to be a successful full-time fleet maintenance professional, Lee has to complete the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification test. He is scheduled to take it in September along with the rest of his GAMS class. Lee has been preparing for the exam for a while now. He ordered reference materials and picked them up from the Boston Public Library. As they have not yet opened, he has been studying at home instead of going to the library as he would have before the pandemic.
As part of the program, GAMS students complete a five-week internship. However, the internships were postponed due to the pandemic, but will start soon. Once Lee completes his internship, Lee will be all set for a real job and embark on a new journey after working persistently towards his goal.
In addition to adjusting to learning in a new way, Lee had to suffer through a bout with COVID-19 during class. After getting a fever, Lee went to Tufts Medical Center and tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of February. Since he was not exhibiting other serious symptoms, he was told to self-quarantine and take care of himself at home.
“The 14 days were not easy, I counted it day by day,” Lee said. “Eventually I did not leave the room to go outside until the 16th day.” During that time, doctors called him everyday to monitor his symptoms. He continued to study remotely. “My studies also helped to distract me from my anxieties about the virus. Think positive.”
Looking forward to the next few years, Lee hopes that he and his wife can have a more comfortable life after he gets a full-time job. “I don’t want to worry about not being able to find a job,” he said. He would like to travel more and explore various cultures of people from different walks of life, just like the golden days spent on the sea.
