My Moo Guorrh
I will say this unabashedly: I love Singapore.
True, making it big is a lot harder for my generation than it was for my dad's; true, the rich-poor/scholar-local graduate gap seems to be widening; true, it is ridiculously expensive to buy a roof over your head, and to own your own set of wheels; true, many things in the civil service can be improved (like the education system, for one).
I am not blind to the hardship of just getting by here either.
But it is heartening to think that people are generally friendly--their much reported apathy, I believe, is a result of paralysing shock when faced with weird happenings (eg: girl falling down escalator/man fainting on road/dead cat) and other similar events that require some immediate social action.
Our religious freedom is also something not to be scoffed at. I am always gladdened to see people reading their Bibles and Daily Breads on the MRT. I cheer them on silently.
And what about the food? the cheap and yummy hawker fare? the nice balmy weather (well most days lah), and, and dotdotdot. The list goes on. But the root of my patriotism is this: this is where I was born, my playground, my school-of-hard-knocks, my wonderland, my heartland. And as a Christ-proclaiming Christian, I am damn lucky to be here.
So, this fine city may not be fine enough to measure up to New York or London or Tokyo, but it is good enough for me.
True, making it big is a lot harder for my generation than it was for my dad's; true, the rich-poor/scholar-local graduate gap seems to be widening; true, it is ridiculously expensive to buy a roof over your head, and to own your own set of wheels; true, many things in the civil service can be improved (like the education system, for one).
I am not blind to the hardship of just getting by here either.
But it is heartening to think that people are generally friendly--their much reported apathy, I believe, is a result of paralysing shock when faced with weird happenings (eg: girl falling down escalator/man fainting on road/dead cat) and other similar events that require some immediate social action.
Our religious freedom is also something not to be scoffed at. I am always gladdened to see people reading their Bibles and Daily Breads on the MRT. I cheer them on silently.
And what about the food? the cheap and yummy hawker fare? the nice balmy weather (well most days lah), and, and dotdotdot. The list goes on. But the root of my patriotism is this: this is where I was born, my playground, my school-of-hard-knocks, my wonderland, my heartland. And as a Christ-proclaiming Christian, I am damn lucky to be here.
So, this fine city may not be fine enough to measure up to New York or London or Tokyo, but it is good enough for me.
posted by hwees at 11:15 PM
3 Comments:
Find it somehow heartening to know that it isn't true that all singaporeans are dissatisfied with our country. think it's easy to forget how much we do have and your post certainly helped me remember them :)
oh yes, happy belated birthday!!
"my wonderland, my heartland"
i like that! yay my kindred singaporean patriot. :)
top 5 small things off the top of my head of things i adore about singapore:
1) the serendipity of kaya toast, softboiled eggs and teh si. ingenious.
2) that christianity is not made into a political animal here. (looking at you Religious Right)
3) fabulous public transport system
4) cheap, good food everywhere anytime. the best.
5) peace, real peace. no guns, no ghettos, no rampant gangs, no war. Now that is cool.
I am proud of you. I myself am an NE queen :)
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