An example to challenge oneself

“When I interact with Thomas, we always have interesting discussions. It is enlightening to see his different perspectives on issues such as law and politics. I always learn a lot from his personal experiences. In particular, I really admire Thomas’ tenacity and perseverance in his journey to learn Cantonese. Instead of studying Mandarin, he wanted to challenge himself further by learning Cantonese, which is much more difficult to learn as a foreigner. Thomas strongly believes in immersing himself in the Hong Kong community and appreciating our culture by learning the local language. Despite the difficulties in learning this language, he has been practising by watching the news in Cantonese and engaging in conversations in Cantonese with his colleagues. Thomas has inspired me to do the same to overcome the challenges in learning new skills by practising continuously and improving myself every day.

Thomas is kind, friendly and hardworking.  He also introduced me to his previous mentees. We had yum cha together and I learnt about the exciting journeys and experiences that his mentees have had. I am so grateful that this mentoring relationship has allowed me to meet new people from a diverse range of academic backgrounds. Most of his mentees have already graduated, and I was able to gain valuable advice and insight from seniors who were once in my position. Most importantly, Thomas has become not only my mentor but also my friend. I am sure we will continue to stay in touch for many years to come.”

Mentor: Mr Thomas Rechtsteiner
Mentee (2018-19): Kimberly Cheah, LLB Year 2