Friday, July 18, 2003
Back to the City
The question I get so often is " Why Melbourne? Why overseas? " Mom claims I sound happy over the phone (as apposed to the inconsolable girl that was sobbing on the phone 6 months back). I was merrily grinning when I left at the airport. I hate to mislead anyone into having the notion that I'm utterly deviod of any affection for Singapore. Behind that grin where the usual uncertainties and a strange sense of loneliness. I certainly miss my best friends in Singapore and wish fervently that I could smuggle them in my luggage over to Melbourne. However I must say honestly that although I crave the stability of the friendships I've already established, I also yearn for a new environment and a chance to discover new friends.
Perhaps the reason why I feel comfortable in Melbourne is because I don't have a fascination with the omnipresent chinese serials in Singapore. My shakey grasp of the Chinese language and my lack of interest in all things associated with it probably works to my advantage here. But I don't find that I'm losing my identity as pseudo singaporean. I still speak brashly in Singlish with my friends in our time together. To the angmohs, I have to speak unblemished English to promote better comprehension, but I don't find it so much of a chore because I usually communicate with them only in class. Even in Singapore, I highly doubt the tutor will be amused if I ventured an opinion peppered with "las" and "lors". And no, i'm not utterly trying to escape from my roots. My buddhist classes are held in Chinese, and I 've found that I actually enjoy the language more and more.
I guess I do miss having a family to dwell with. It gets quiet here without my sister to gossip with at night, without my brother telling me various anecdotes and without my parents to listen to my verbal diarrhea. I do call my friends in SIngapore but perhaps much less frequently. It's a very quiet life but I've had fun in the last semester be it hanging out or getting lost in a mountain range with my clique, mugging and freaking out with HH, gossiping till the wee hours with Ivy, or simply attending dharma functions and university.
Melbourne no longer seems like a strange, bewildering land. It feels welcoming because I know that that there will be people there waiting for me and more will arrive soon after. And if all failed, I would be seeing my friends back home in 4 months time. Perhaps that was the reason why I left Singapore with a smile.
The question I get so often is " Why Melbourne? Why overseas? " Mom claims I sound happy over the phone (as apposed to the inconsolable girl that was sobbing on the phone 6 months back). I was merrily grinning when I left at the airport. I hate to mislead anyone into having the notion that I'm utterly deviod of any affection for Singapore. Behind that grin where the usual uncertainties and a strange sense of loneliness. I certainly miss my best friends in Singapore and wish fervently that I could smuggle them in my luggage over to Melbourne. However I must say honestly that although I crave the stability of the friendships I've already established, I also yearn for a new environment and a chance to discover new friends.
Perhaps the reason why I feel comfortable in Melbourne is because I don't have a fascination with the omnipresent chinese serials in Singapore. My shakey grasp of the Chinese language and my lack of interest in all things associated with it probably works to my advantage here. But I don't find that I'm losing my identity as pseudo singaporean. I still speak brashly in Singlish with my friends in our time together. To the angmohs, I have to speak unblemished English to promote better comprehension, but I don't find it so much of a chore because I usually communicate with them only in class. Even in Singapore, I highly doubt the tutor will be amused if I ventured an opinion peppered with "las" and "lors". And no, i'm not utterly trying to escape from my roots. My buddhist classes are held in Chinese, and I 've found that I actually enjoy the language more and more.
I guess I do miss having a family to dwell with. It gets quiet here without my sister to gossip with at night, without my brother telling me various anecdotes and without my parents to listen to my verbal diarrhea. I do call my friends in SIngapore but perhaps much less frequently. It's a very quiet life but I've had fun in the last semester be it hanging out or getting lost in a mountain range with my clique, mugging and freaking out with HH, gossiping till the wee hours with Ivy, or simply attending dharma functions and university.
Melbourne no longer seems like a strange, bewildering land. It feels welcoming because I know that that there will be people there waiting for me and more will arrive soon after. And if all failed, I would be seeing my friends back home in 4 months time. Perhaps that was the reason why I left Singapore with a smile.
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