HONG KONG – In the final installment of the “人人和平 School Tour,” actor-singer Amy Lo and singer-songwriter Lester Lam visited Diocesan Boys’ School to share their childhood aspirations and hard-earned lessons about chasing dreams. The event, which also featured a surprise appearance by veterinarian Dr. Angel Ngo, encouraged students to explore their ambitions while facing the sobering realities of career paths.
Lo, who now works in entertainment, revealed that her childhood dream was to become a vet—a notion that was quickly complicated when Dr. Ngo took the stage. “When I found out Angel was coming, I really wanted to rush down from the stage and just listen,” Lo said. “I thought vets were real heroes. As a kid, I naively believed I wouldn’t have to deal with people, only animals. But after hearing Angel, I realized vets interact with people all the time. That dream shattered.”
Still, Lo said she was deeply moved by the veterinarian’s calm demeanor. Speaking privately with Dr. Ngo afterward, Lo learned about the emotional toll of the job. “There are a lot of hardships, because it’s all about life and death,” she noted.
Though Lo ultimately became a singer and actress, she believes she still impacts lives through her art. “When facing criticism, I find the harshest voice is my own. Sometimes I’ll dwell on a single bad note all night. That can be tough, but I think everyone should have that self-criticism—it’s a basic form of responsibility.”
On managing stress, Lo said methods vary by person. “For me, it’s sleep or exercise. I love the pain after pushing my muscles to the limit.”
Addressing a common fear—that dreams cannot pay the bills—Lo offered a visceral analogy. “You can’t eat your dream. A dream is like someone holding your head underwater. You struggle with all your might to come up for air. If you fight that hard for something, that’s what you truly want to do.”
Lester Lam, who dreamed of being a radio DJ since childhood, chose to enter the music industry as a singer-songwriter. “It’s still music-related. As a singer-songwriter, I share my stories with people. When I get stuck writing a song, I go back to my original intentions. Even if the response isn’t what I hoped, I remind myself I can’t control everything. But if I release a song, I believe it deserves to be seen.”
Lam dismissed the idea that pursuing a dream leaves no time for other things. “It’s about priorities. If you love something enough, you naturally make time.”
Growing up in Malaysia, this was Lam’s first visit to a Hong Kong secondary school campus. “Everyone seemed a bit nervous, including me. I’m still a little shy, but walking around brought back a lot of memories from my own school days.”
The session concluded with the artists urging students to explore widely while young, emphasizing that failure is part of the process. “Don’t be afraid to try, even if it doesn’t work out,” Lo said. “That effort is never wasted.”
