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Dr. Suzy Lara Rosales with husband Dr. Ki Young Lee and their children. |
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Egged on by her own parents she left for the United States 20 years ago to pursue advance studies at the University of California at Davis City. Last month she returned home briefly for a reunion with her parents and the rest of the family here, a woman fulfilled. She has scaled the pinnacle of her academic aspiration and she is holding a position in the academe in Canada rarely achieved by her countrymen. More significantly, she has married a man who fitted into her ideal husband: intelligent, industrious, hardworking, understanding and yes, handsome by any standard.
Dr. Jesusa “Suzy” Lara Rosales now, 44, first completed her basic education, elementary and high school, at the Universidad de Sta. Isabel here in Naga City. Then she took up BS in Animal Science at UP Los Baños. She went on to finish her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at UP Diliman. But that wasn’t the end of the academic road.
At the University of California in Davis City, spurred by the proddings especially of her father, she first completed her Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine. That paved the way for her acquisition of her Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Pathology.
At the University of California in San Francisco where she worked as Research Biochemist she continued to undertake post-doctoral research and training, vastly elevating her level of proficiency.
When husband Dr. Ki Young Lee, now 49, was offered a bigger job as professor and scientist at the University of Calgary in Canada, Suzy was also promptly recruited as scientist, both being highly qualified for the job.
Her Korean-born husband whom she lovingly calls “Hun” holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Molecular Biology. He also took a post doctoral course at the Stanford University. As soon as Hun migrated to America he worked as researcher at the National Institute of Health at Maryland. But like Suzy, his thirst for professional growth was insatiable and perhaps because his intellectual capacity was ready to absorb more. A lieutenant in the South Korean army, of which he is more proud than his lofty position at the University of Calgary, Hun finished his Ph.D. in just 3 ½ years. It would have normally taken at least five to six years.
Hun and Suzy are now Canadian citizens but the couple and their four children seemed to enjoy very much their vacation here although they did not have enough time to visit Caramoan, hometown of Suzy’s parents, Atty. Florencio Rosales and Dr. Nelia Lara Rosales. Recurring bad weather also prevented them from visiting the family estate at Batikoraw Island in Garchitorena where a new vacation house had been hastily built for their expected visit. Their children, Katrina, 15 who is a student at the Western Canada High School, Brianne, 7; Nikko, 5; and Christoff, 3; may all be residing already in Canada but they would be coming back every time there is a chance because they simply loved the places they went to during their month-long visit, punctuated by the eruption of Mt. Mayon. And they have not even gone to their parents’ hometown which concededly has the best tourism potentials in this part of the country.
“When the Caramoan coastal road is completed we shall come back and be among the first to use that road which you in the CRANE have endeavored to revive“, Suzy assured.
Has Suzy found any difficulty adjusting to the culture of her Korean-born husband? “Not at all”, Suzy who always talks glowingly about Hun readily answered. There are many similarities between Korean and Filipino culture, and besides Suzy and Hun share many commonalities. Both are amiable, bright, frank and straightforward but understanding, dedicated and focused and share the same philosophy in the matter of bringing up their children.
They wanted their children to devote their time first and foremost to their studies. Boyfriends, for instance, are taboo for very beautiful Katrina at this stage according to her parents who are both strict disciplinarians although at the same time doting and affectionate to their children, especially Hun. Dining one time at Crown Restaurant here in Naga City Hun kept on running after their two playful boys and telling them gently not to mess around with things they saw. Just the same, despite their father’s pleadings the two lovely kids went on with their fun disrupting Hun’s appetite for Filipino dishes.
Simply stated, it means that they want their children to grow up like their parents.
