I Was Once A Foreigner

From the rough Southern China coastal town, I boarded a junk for my journey into the future
An unknown future 我的明天 filled with uncertainty, danger and opportunity 危机
A three months journey into the unknown except destination was some distant land in the Southern shore下南洋

I left my motherland, a poor pauper
But, not leaving was never a choice; its between famine, poverty and the deep blue sea
I may starved and drown; I may find new shores - that's enough motivation for me to board the broken junk to journey into the unknown with hopes shining brighter than the summer sun

The journey was harsh, food was scarce and water rare
If there was a chance to die, this was it! But, the intention was to survive not to die
Dying or 'to die' 生死由天 was not in the dictionary; we escaped from the clutch of death to prosper not to perish大难不死必有后福

南洋 the southern seas was a sea of hope

I toiled and toiled; it was sweat and tears
Every cents saved was remitted to my home town to feed the dearest at home
Distance and loneliness did not break my spirit; its not about survival, its about prosperity

Nobody will risk their life just to survive; for that you need not leave home

Swiftly prosperity sweeps in and a new era begins
There is always hope if you survive; waiting to die is more trying than finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
Nobody can be any smarter nor wiser to believe the World will end because it just won't

Don't, and never, give up

I was once a foreigner in the newfoundland
Today, I am the Kapitan, the indigenous, the founder ... in my own dreamland

I make my bed and lie on it; You have a choice