I heart Singapore

Thank you, Singapore!

28 April 2009, 3:36pm

To the organising committee of Singapore Day 2009 in London,

I have to say a big Thank You on an event so well-organised and executed. From the ERP gantry, to the red plastic foldable mats, to the Chope wet tissues and colourful T-shirts, everything was so well thought out and lovingly created.

All throughout the day, I kept thinking about how much hard work you must have put in in order to create such a flawless event, and I felt I must write to congratulate you on the event’s success, and to let you know how much your efforts are being appreciated.

My eyes brimmed with tears as I queued up at the hawker stalls, looking at the elderly aunties and uncles concentrating on preparing their best dishes for us, thinking, “Do you know what? It could be the first time they took a plane and came half-way around the globe, just to cook for us.”

One Auntie kept apologising saying, “Due to the lack of certain ingredients in the UK, I’m afraid my Char Kway Teow may not be as good as it is back home.” I told her, “Don’t you worry about that, we hardly get a spread of authentic food like this, I know it will be delicious.”

I enjoyed being in the company of other Singaporeans, laughing at jokes cracked by local comedians which only Singaporeans would understand, and relishing the warm, fuzzy feeling of being well looked-after by my country and fellow countrymen.

I laughed, I cried, I am touched and to quote what David Gan said in the video, “Yes they may think it’s great to live overseas, but when they have a drink or two, they will still say, ‘I miss home’.”

Thank you for such a splendid day.

C

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29 April 2009, 4:25am

Thank you for the email. You speak of all the “ingredients” of Singapore Day which does include that “warm, fuzzy feeling” as you correctly put it.

It is great that the efforts are noticed and appreciated. And if there’s anything that the Overseas Singaporean Unit can do for you and your family- remember to get in touch with us.

Best regards

National Population Secretariat

新加坡日。感言

嗨妈，你好吗？为什么你没有回我上一封电邮？

星期六，我和秋月一同去参加新加坡日。去后的感觉是，新加坡政府真的是大费周章，又请来新传媒重头艺人（例如梁智强、李国煌）来为我们表演，又请十几个著名的小贩AUNTY，ＵNCLE来现场免费为我们烹煮新加坡小吃，又准备了许多免费的礼包，让我真的感到非常温馨。

有 许多小细节，主办单位真的想的很周到，例如，入门口设了国人熟悉的电子收费闸门，走过时还会“B”一声，让我们还没有进场已经感觉到新加坡式的幽默。

我看到六七十岁的小贩大老远来这里为我们抄粿条，煮鸡饭，那可能是他们第一次搭飞机出远门。他们谦虚地对我们说：“这里有一些材料没有，抄不出家里的味 道。”我说，味道肯定很好，我们在这里，非常难得才有机会尝到家里的佳肴。我吃地多么开心，多么感动。

看到从欧洲各地专程飞来的新加坡人，虽然有很多已经在不同的国家落地生根，但不忘自己到底还时一个新加坡人。引用美发师颜天发在录像短片说的话：“可能他们在国外觉得很好，但是到了最后，喝了两杯，还是会说：”I MISS HOME”

过后还看到了黄根成副总理，他说国家经济不景气，但还是决定花六百万来搞这个项目，为的是要和国人保持连系，让他们知道家里的发展计画，说穿了就是希望我们能有一天回家，不要人才外流。

你说，这笔钱花在我们这些“叛徒”上，值得吗？

起码，我是感动流泪了，是觉得国家好了，是觉得想家了。这应该是达到新加坡日主办单位的目标了吧？

GIRL

Mickey goes camping

This was my favourite Disney cartoon when I was a child, and it could be the reason why I love travelling and why I love corn!

Little projects

I spent my weekend doing very housewifey things, such as going around with my polka dot metal watering can to water my plants,  admiring the lovely tulips I planted in winter, doing the laundry, going to the market to get fresh sea bass and cooking dinner.

On Sunday afternoon, I basked in the warm sun transferring my capsicum seedlings into separate pots, and I finally gotten round to planting my sunflower seeds. I hope they grow to be taller than me!

We’d originally wanted to have a barbeque in the garden but we took so long trying to put together a useless and poorly designed BBQ set that we gave up and stuck the sea bass in the oven instead.

I stuffed the gut cavity with fresh sage, greek basil, chopped garlic, paprika and lime juice to rid the fishy, bitter taste and sprinkled salt and pepper on the fish. It turned out lovely and we had it with Mediterranean vegetables and roasted British potatoes.

London this weekend for Singapore Day at Hampton Court, I can’t wait!

Youths and Hats

Two interesting exhibitions I am planning to check out the next time I’m in London.

Unordinary People at the Royal Albert Hall, an exhibition celebrating the self-expression, idealism, frustrations, resilience and creative vitality of young people the World over. It features an eclectic selection of cultural photography, video and essays sourced from all around the World and documents the history, lifestyles, fashions, hairstyles, music and subcultures of young people from the 1960s to the present day. From 21 April to 24 May.

Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones at The Victoria & Albert Museum, uncovers the rich seam of fashion, style, inspiration, craft and technique inherent in every hat. The exhibition follows the life of a hat through the stages of inspiration and creation, to the salon and finally to the client who gives the hat its ultimate purpose and flourish. From 24 February to 31 May.

Sky Captain

Watched Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow with R at home the other night. Apart from the colours, treatment and lighting in the film, I didn’t think much of the plot. It’s a bit War of the Worlds meet Jurassic Park. But I was captivated by Gwyneth Paltrow’s pretty hat, beautiful red lips, luscious blonde locks and her trusty Argus C2.

Don’t eat me!

What do you do with a paper mache pig and a human wolf? You take 1,300 pictures of them and make an animation! This video directed by Takeuchi Taijin is truly brilliant, especially the part when the wolf jumps into the sink. Refreshingly creative, found through Wallflower. Enjoy!

My Secret Life

The home I grew up in … had a lovely Clayderman piano my parents bought for me, lots of different mongrels, a He-man toy collection, clucky chickens, mango and papaya trees, tapioca plants, one Barbie doll, plenty of doggy fleas, a bicycle, yummy home-cooked food and people who love me.

When I was a child I wanted to be … living in a tree-house.

My greatest inspiration … is George Hogg and Somaly Nam.

The moment that changed me for ever … London, June, 1999. I had been offered a place at Queensland University of Technology. But my week in London inspired me to come to the UK instead.

I ride … on the waves of opportunities and adversities.

If I could change one thing about myself ... Where should I start?

At night I dream of … lots of disturbing and morbid things it worries me.

What I see when I look in the mirror … All my imperfections!

My style icon … People on the streets, you included!

The shop I can’t walk past … without stopping and cooing over every cute thing in stock is AnBC by Kinokuniya.

A book that changed me … The Alchemist.

The person who really makes me laugh … When R is not around, Jack Black and Hugh Grant.

My favourite work of art … Earth and all the amazing living things you find on it.

My favourite item of clothing ... Skinny black pants from a neighbourhood shop which has now closed down.

All my money goes on … food, bills and savings.

You wouldn’t know it but I’m very good at … thumb war and wrapping presents.

You may not know it but I’m no good at … maths and ironing.

If I have time to myself … I would walk around town, snap lots of pictures, visit new places, cook and bake something different, watch sappy films and blog about life.

My house/flat is ... work in progress but slowly coming along.

My most valuable possession is … my brain and my mother.

The most memorable event in my life … Spending 36 hours in Shanghai at the height of the SARS outbreak, all in the name of love.

My favourite place … Quite possibly Japan.

The best invention ever … Razor blades, otherwise we will all have hairy underarms. Eek.

I wish I’d never worn … my hair like a blonde poodle in 2000.

In 10 years’ time, I hope to be ... a beautiful mother with a healthy child; a successful social entrepreneur and a happy teacher.

My greatest regret ... Not continuing with my piano lessons.

My life in six words … I take the path less travelled.

This Easter

The weather was brilliantly warm and sunny. H came to visit and we went to see the spring lambs in the fields, we climbed a hill with beautiful yellow gorse bushes to get a panoramic view of my village, and we walked 8km through country lanes to get to Coed-y-Mwstwr for lovely afternoon tea with Welsh cakes and scones.

We made prawn wonton soup on the first night and on the second night I whipped up some creamy pasta with salmon and mushroom. R treated us to his delicious signature crepes for dessert and we just spent Easter Sunday wandering around town and having sashimi at my favourite Japanese restaurant.

On Bank Holiday Monday it got cloudy and I got lazy, so I curled up on the sofa to have cereal with yoghurt while watching Lassie on the telly.

What did you do on your long weekend?