My Career as a Star
Article written by Yung Mei Ling
I lived in England for many years and I know what it's like to be in a foreign country. My mum still lives there and is now a resident.
Although I was dependent on her, England was another home for me, but I still had to use the word "guest" because it was still a foreigner's country, and when everyone around me was red-bearded and green-eyed and full of "ghost" words, while I still had black hair and yellow skin, I could not feel a sense of belonging, let alone commitment.
But at the beginning of my return to Hong Kong, I was also in a state of fear. At least in England I had my mother to take care of everything for me, and I could even get angry and be a bit naughty. But when I returned to Hong Kong, the place I had lived in became a strange place and I had to start all over again.
At the beginning after the pageant, I gave myself a two-year 'trial period', during which I had to at least give myself a chance to make my way here. I think it is important for me to try out the same way I did when I was in the beauty pageant, not whether I was selected or not.
Being one of the 15 finalists and being invited by TVB to be the host of "Woman today" also confirmed that I wanted to stay in Hong Kong and develop my career.
My way of life is actually closely related to my career and my friends. I never dreamed that I would become a star, let alone that this is what it is like to be in television.
I have to work day and night (if that's still a routine), I have to be a chivalrous woman with a sword and a gun, and I have to attend many receptions and banquets after work, and I have to face people from different walks of life. I don't have a regular day job, or even a regular salary, but I like it.
It's a physically demanding life, but it's a colourful one. The lovely thing about Hong Kong is that it allows for this variety. Hong Kong people work tirelessly, but they also know how to invest. The people of Hong Kong work tirelessly and at the same time know how to engage in life to create a colourful society. Seeing what Hong Kong has built now is not even close to what I saw here a decade ago. I believe that in the so-called "shadows of the future", we have a lot to live up to.
I believe that Hong Kong will continue to prosper despite the so-called "shadow of the future", perhaps this is just my wishful thinking, but we don't need to think too much about it.
Source: The Fairy of the World, Yung Mei Ling. p35-37
Commemorating the first anniversary of the death of Yung Mei Ling / Starlight Publishing
Source: http://www.barbarayung.net/
我的明星生涯
住在英國，住了這許多年，客處異鄉的感受我很清楚。雖然，媽媽一直住在那邊，已經是落籍的了。
而我與她相依為命，英國也就是我的另一個家，但我仍要用這個「客」字，因為那始終是一個外國人的國度，當周圍的人都是紅鬚綠眼，滿口「鬼」話，而自己依然是黑頭髮、黃皮膚，實在產生不出歸屬感，更遑論投入！
不過在返港初期，我的心情也是戰戰兢兢的。在英國起碼有媽媽在身旁，為我打點一切，甚至可讓我發發脾氣，使一下小性子，而且那是一個熟悉的環境，無論我投入與否，熟悉的東西總不會帶來恐懼惑。但回到香港之後，這個我曾居住的地方反成陌生之地，一切需從頭開始。
阿翁選美時起初，我給自己定了兩年「試驗期」，在這段期間，好歹也要讓自己在這裏闖一闖。參加港姐競選，其實也是闖一闖這脾氣在作祟，我想人生貴在左一為阿翁選美時的樣子嘗試，入選與否反在其次。
成為十五名入選港姐之一，被無線邀請作為「婦女新姿」的主持人，也堅定了我要留港發展的念頭，反正兩年的限期未過，我已得到不少可貴的經驗、實在也樂於繼續嘗試，直至成為黃蓉，我知道我是不能毅然隻身回英國去的，因為在香港我已有自己的事情，自己的朋友及一套屬於自己的生活方式。
我的生活方式其實也與我的職業和朋友息息相關。本來我從沒夢想自己會成為明星，更加想不到幹電視這行原來是這樣子的。
晨昏顛倒，日以繼夜的工作程序（如果這仍算是程序的話），本是手無搏雞之力，卻要舞刀弄槍變成江湖俠女等等，工餘之後又要出席很多招待會宴會之類，面對不同階層的人，最要命的就是必須發輝強大的忍耐力和抑制力去對抗那些聳人聽聞的煲水新聞，所以在我的生活裏沒有上、下班時間，沒有固定的日常工作，甚至沒有固定的薪酬，但我喜歡這種生活方式。
這是一種體力透支的生活，但卻多姿多采。
香港的可愛就在於它容許這種多姿多采的存
在，香港人孜孜不倦的工作，同時也懂得投
入生活去共同製造一個五色璀燦的社會，看
見香港現在的建設，與我十幾年前在這裏所
見的，相距又何止千里。
我相信在所謂「前途陰影」之下，香港仍會繼續繁榮的，也許，這祇是我一廂情願的期望吧，不過也不用我們多想，盡力做好自己本份就是了。
資料來源：人間仙子翁美玲．P35-37
紀念翁美玲逝世一週年／星輝出版
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