1

I bumped into Deborah on LinkedIn, surprised to reconnect with my colleague at Motherwell College, a further education institution in Scotland.

She was one of my Scottish friends and co-workers in the UK. Until today, from time to time, my memory flashes back into my first job period in the UK, which I could never forget for the rest of my life.

I have not been back to Scotland for some years. I don’t feel foreign there because of the smiling faces of Deborah, my colleague, Stephanie and Ross, my neighbor, John, my landlord, Pam, my tutor at University of Glasgow, and, more importantly, Anne McColm, my line manager at Motherwell College.

I raised the question to Deborah, “How is Anne? I have written to her many times but there is no reply. ”

“I am sorry to let you know that Anne has passed away. I attended her funeral, which was well arranged. Everything was fine with her. ”

My eyes were blurred with tears.

2

The moment I met Anne she interviewed me to work part-time for Motherwell College 4 months before my graduation at University of Glasgow.

She looked like a kind grandma. The feel proved accurate when she told me a year later that the reason why I got hired was I was called Andrew, the same name with her beloved grandson. She raised her eyebrows, smiling at me mysteriously along with Deborah at lunch.

She implied that she was at the age of retirement. But I doubted it. Might a retiring director in International Office work so hard as she did?

She looked a bit old and tired when she tapped the keyboard of her computer slowly with two fingers. But she was quite young and energetic when she moved here and there to see if everything was fine with her team.

I was amazed by her Scottish kindness when she approached me and asked, “Are you OK, Andrew? Are you sure? You want some coffee or tea?”

It was cloudy, windy and rainy in Scotland. But with Anne, I could expect sunny days any time.

3

Four months later, as an MBA graduate, I started working full-time for Motherwell College, my first job overseas. Undoubtedly 17 years ago, an MBA degree was welcomed on job markets not as neglected as today.

I was one of few Chinese students who benefited from first PSW (post-study work) visas in the UK, allowing international graduates to work at least 2 years in Scotland while 1 year in England at that moment.

My key task was to propose a roadmap into China markets, recruiting students and raising profile of Motherwell College.

I took a week to finish the first long draft, which was “astonishingly quick” from Anne’s perspective. She even said that I “changed the culture” here.

I wondered if that might be the first time for Motherwell College to learn about “China speed”, if you like.

I could feel her admiration and motivation when she spoke to the Principal about my proposal along with me.

4

Ever since I have come to realize that Anne was the first and last line manager to sincerely admire and motivate subordinates from the higher education institutions I have worked with in the UK.

In other words, that was the best period of time I enjoyed working in the UK.

The suggestions and proposals I made were fully respected when Anne approved them. She also paved way to making them happen, especially when some departments of the College seemed not efficient to support.

I could hardly imagine a lady in her 60s had so much passion to explore a new market. She fought for her target.

Later I learned that she praised me to demonstrate her getting tired of red tapes. With her support, I got enough budgets for new brochures in Chinese, agent events in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities of China, video making of Chinese students on campus, etc.

We even set up the first China Office among all the Scottish colleges.

Anne was my mentor for career in higher education of the UK. But her pioneering spirit impressed me so much that I even thought this was the way the Scottish or British institutions worked.

I was totally wrong though. In fact, she was an exception.

5

Much honoured I was invited to her home and had dinner together with her and her husband Sandy, a handsome guy who looked like Sean Connery.

Anne’s mum was in her 80s and she took care of her in the house nearby. Anne’s busiest moment was Christmas when she welcomed sons, daughters, grand-children all day long.

She was pleased to see that I was family oriented as well and kind enough to bring gifts for my wife and daughter. But what made her dumbfounded was when she learned that I did not believe in God.

Anne seemed a conservative religion believer and went to the church every Sunday. Frankly, I believe in her and her kindness.

I wrote down my experience at Motherwell College in my first book about overseas study in the UK, where I used “Anna” to imply Anne McColm in the chapters concerned.

As the Tomb-Sweeping Day is approaching in China, I miss Anne and the time working along with her, the best experience I have ever had in Scotland.

God bless you, Anne. Wish you all the best in heaven. Miss you.