♥  Happy Birthday Singapore  ♥

Kit Chan's Home, sung at NDP 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7g-PUjbusQ

Music of the moment: How Great is Our God by Hillsongs.Snack of the moment: Aloe Vera Yogurt from CarrefourCurrent book under scrutiny: The Grapes of Wrath by John SteinbeckThought of the moment: "Better get to bed soon."

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Is a country its governance, or... its land?
In Singapore, the boundaries blur quite considerably.  Our country's strongest political critics call Singapore a bastion of warped democracy at best.  A friend once told me how her British friend ran into her room, waving The Economist (I think it was) in her face.

"Is it true, is it true???" she exclaimed.  "Is Singapore really a liberal communist state?" 

I laughed out loud when I heard the story.

Admittedly, I've never thought much about the political intricacies of our country.  In my first year in University, I did write a paper dissecting the significance of the politically indifferent attitudes most of my Chinese peers in RJC had towards our country's governance.  The pursuit of matetrial and career success, I argued, is engineered so strongly into our subconscious curriculum, anything that detracts us from those narrow definitions are socially shunned.  Writing that paper was certainly an eye-opener--but that was just about as close as I got to thinking about our social fabric.  I was, in most parts, ironically trying my hardest to fight against the fabric, fixating myself on pushing definitions of success beyond the lawyer-doctor-scholar labels.  And for all that that struggle brought, the only things that ironically gave me support were the little things that made life so familiarly Singaporean.  

Yes, I went to some of the best schools on this island, but I am also an HDB girl.

Yes, I read Steinbeck and Dostoevsky, but I do it at a hawker centre over a yong tau foo supper.

Yes, I want to go pro in a highly materialistic, expensive sport, but I still feel proud wearing my Tat Sing slippers and using my Good Morning towels.  

And I find that dichotomy, strangely comforting.  For me, it's like drawing strength from roots that stay deeply entrenched in all things simply Singaporean.

From the mee pok, char siew paus, SBS busses, or Zouk!

Obviously, living abroad has forced that perspective about things to treasure in our island state.  I wrote on my facebook status today

"Happy birthday Singapore ♥ your anal-retentive efficiency is much missed ♥♥"
and friend hit back on my wall "I love u Singapore! Keep fining people for smoking, littering and spitting! Yeh! (I am in china now.)"

It was pretty funny, but it also got me thinking about our government.  It maddens me each time a cab driver starts talking and philosophizing about Singaporean governance.  Our government may not be perfect, but it is a bloody good one when you compare it to Spanish systems, or even Dutch ones for that matter.  What good is liberal democracy if you face a 20% unemployment rate, or if disease and pollution runs rampant in your country?

Yes, there are pay offs.  Like stress, and a certain precipitated narrow-mindedness that so easily comes with focus.  But I also know I wouldn't have had the chances I was given, if not for our schools, or for my family that my country helped keep safe to bring me up.  For that, if for anything, I am very thankful.  Thank God for a good, tight government that has seen us through 45 years.  For more good years to come ♥