In this interview, Athene Yao describes her attitudes towards education, her immigration to Calgary, Alberta and her work experiences.
Athene Yao was born in 1942 to a middle upper class family in Shanghai, China. Her mother was a math teacher and principal at an elementary school. As a result, Athene was able to start school at an early age. Like her mother, she excelled in math and studied
physics in university.
She came to Hong Kong in 1962 and had three children with her husband, whom she met in Shanghai. She disliked Hong Kong for the lack of job opportunities and felt its education system was too tough on her children.
She and her family arrived in Calgary, Alberta in 1977. She held low-paying positions at 7-Eleven, Calgary Inn, and at a school cafeteria. Athene recalls an instance of racial discrimination, when staff at the Calgary Inn forced her and other Chinese employees to work during their lunch hour. She quit that job after two weeks. At this time, Athene also took evening courses in drafting and geophysics, which eventually led to work as a geophysical technician.
At the time of the interview, Athene saw great potential for personal growth in Canada, and encouraged her children to partake in fun activities such as hockey. She hoped to help her children strike a balance between exploring their interests and staying academically focused. She remarks that had it not been for her strict academic training
early in life, she never would have been able to go back to school in Canada.
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