Time Travel
From left: Reyna Harilela and daughter Naomi featured in in 2000; the pair today
demanding attention,” she says.
Two decades later, a 20-year-old Naomi casts the same praise over her own mother. “Mum is kind to everyone. Every time I bring a friend home, she is welcoming and sweet and makes them feel part of the family.” Applauded for her independence by Reyna, Naomi is currently pursuing a degree in modern history at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Though she found it hard being away from her mother during her first term abroad, Naomi has no immediate plans to return to Hong Kong and is looking to a bright future under her own steam.
“It depends on where work opportunities take me but I would love to live in London or Sydney after university. Mum has always given me the space I need to pursue my passion,” she says. One passion the two share is their love of baking. “We’ve always been really close and I love to bake with her,” Naomi says. “Especially when I bake her favourite coconut cake, watching her reaction makes me so happy.”
Reyna adds: “We love to whip up some really fun desserts to enjoy in the afternoon with a good movie.”