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Chitchat Singapore - a homecoming

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
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Singapore - a homecoming

7:00 PM Wednesday May 25, 2016
iStock_000037052632_Large_220x147.jpg

Photo / iStock

On February 9, 1973, a few weeks before my 13th birthday, I arrived at Paya Lebar, Singapore's original international airport, to start the best two years of my life and a 40-year love affair with Singapore.

My father was on a two-year transfer with the New Zealand Army and coming from Christchurch in the early 70s to Singapore wasn't so much a shock as a seismic cultural experience.

My life became an adventure of never before seen sights, sounds, smells (durian!) and more than anything else, tastes.

Satay cooked on the back of a bicycle, the Icey Icey man selling ice creams from a motorbike, chicken rice, chillie crab and nasi lemak from the local makan stalls and grape Fanta in a draw-string plastic bag all became my new normal for eating.

I lived in Serangoon Gardens then Seletar, I went to school firstly in Changi, right next door to the infamous prison, then at Woodlands.

Watching Chinese operas on the side of the road or Tamil movies dubbed into Hokkien with Malay subtitles on TV, shopping at the night markets for cheap cassettes at Sembawang Circus and Jalan Kayu and tenpin bowling at Jackies Bowl on Orchard Rd were my new pastimes.

Singapore was the scene of my first kiss; it was sweating at school discos in Nee Soon; playing rugby on The Padang and swimming at Changi Beach on the weekends.

I learned Malay at school. It's still the closest thing I have to a second language.

The Jurong Bird Park had only just opened, it and the new open plan zoo were just two of the attractions of my time there. I learned of its short but moving history, of Raffles, the tragic fall of Singapore in 1942 and its amazing birth as a nation under Lee Kwan Yew, a man I grew to admire as one of the great politicians of the 20th century. I rode the old buses with no windows, through the kampongs and learned Tae Kwon Do at the local sports centre.

I adopted the local phrases - "lah" - as well as many of the local customs, slapping chairs before I sat down to ward off evil spirits for many years after I left.

Leaving Singapore in 1975 remains a painful memory, dragged screaming and kicking on to the plane to return to a New Zealand that seemed like a foreign land.

Singapore had become a place that I knew I would always return to whenever I could and it kickstarted a love of travel and new experiences that has never gone away. The mere mention of it would make my ears prick up.

Over the years I have been back a number of times, mainly for stopovers on my way to other places. I've watched the city change so quickly and radically, and while I miss the Singapore of my teenage years I still always love the way this amazing place has changed.

Four years ago I organised a school reunion in New Zealand with a Facebook group called ANZMBOS (Australian and NZ Military Brats of Singapore). We are the children who attended the schools of the ANZ Defence forces in Singapore through the 70s and 80s and it was amazing to find these people - who all shared the same fabulous memories of their time there and who all say the same thing. "They were the best years of our lives". So thank you for letting me have my little trip down memory lane.

My last visit was five years ago with my wife and one of my sons - a two-day stopover. I wanted to show them the place that meant so much to me, and had driven them crazy with my many stories.

They both fell in love with the new Singapore, the gardens, the shops, the amazing buildings, the zoo and bird park, and yes the food, just as I had all those years before and on my subsequent visits.

Ok lah, so now to the question of where would I most enjoy visiting if I was to come back?

My favourite old haunts for a start, Little India, Arab St and Chinatown. A walk around the fabulous Botanical Gardens, lunch at the Chomp Chomp centre, dinner at Lau Pa Sat and from there a walk down to the waterfront to see the Merlion.

Just to walk across The Padang, where I won a National Schools rugby championship, would be wonderful and then maybe time for a cocktail at Raffles. Bagus!

I would love to take my other son to see the new sights that I have yet to check out, especially The Gardens at Marina Bay, and to go on the Traveller or up to the top of the Marina Sands Hotel and check out that amazing view.

But, as much as I would enjoy the attractions, I would most like to go to find my old house in Serangoon Gardens, and my old school at Woodlands, and most of all to go to Kranji War Memorial - a sacred place to the son of a soldier - and one that means as much to me as Gallipoli does to other Kiwis.

I spent one Anzac Day there as a teenager in 1974, and will never forget the overwhelming emotional quiet in such a busy noisy place.

These, more than any of the tourist sites, are what remain strongest in my memory.

I know when I finally do return it won't be as a visitor or tourist, it will be as a child of Singapore returning home.
Majulah Singapura. Terimah Kaseh.

Colin's $5500 prize includes two Economy Class return flights from Auckland to Singapore on Singapore Airlines, four nights' accommodation at Parkroyal on Kitchener Rd and complimentary entry to many of Singapore's top attractions, plus shopping, dining and sightseeing discounts courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board.
- NZ Herald

Copyright ©2016, NZME. Publishing Limited

 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
Qantas had a same (not similar) campaign about 2 years ago where you were supposed to write about homecoming and in their case back to Australia. It was pitched at the huge diaspora in the UK and the US. The entry was online and it was to harvest the emails for marketing. Looks like SIA is doing the same.
 

rurouni

Alfrescian
Loyal
I know when I finally do return it won't be as a visitor or tourist, it will be as a child of Singapore returning home.
haha, regardless of whether he is an "ang moh" or not, I wonder if he would say the same thing if he had been born and brought up in Singapore, and then gone through two years of NS (instead of only two years of fun as a schoolboy in his early teens during the 1970s), followed by a few years as a university student and/or employee (i.e. spending at least the first 25 years of his life in Singapore), before returning to NZ about 40 years ago in 1975 when he was still only a 15-year-old boy:
On February 9, 1973, a few weeks before my 13th birthday, I arrived at Paya Lebar, Singapore's original international airport, to start the best two years of my life and a 40-year love affair with Singapore.........
...Leaving Singapore in 1975 remains a painful memory, dragged screaming and kicking on to the plane to return to a New Zealand that seemed like a foreign land.........
...Over the years I have been back a number of times, mainly for stopovers on my way to other places......
...My last visit was five years ago with my wife and one of my sons - a two-day stopover. I wanted to show them the place that meant so much to me, and had driven them crazy with my many stories.
nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=11643443
 
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Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
haha, regardless of whether he is an "ang moh" or not, I wonder if he would say the same thing if he had been born and brought up in Singapore, and then gone through two years of NS (instead of only two years as a schoolboy in his early teens during the 1970s), followed by a few years as a university student and/or employee (i.e. spending at least the first 25 years of his life in Singapore), before returning to NZ in 1975 when he was still only a 15-year-old boy:

I did my 2.5 years of NZ plus a 11 reservist stints and I have just as many fond memories of Singapore as he does so I can't see why doing NS would make any difference.

In fact NS was full of fond memories too. It was the best time of my life. I earned a healthy allowance with zero real responsibilities, the squash courts were free and the beer was dirt cheap and entertainment was always just a 2 flights of stairs away.
 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
http://www.qantas.com/travel/airlines/welcome-home-competition/au/en
Your chance to bring loved ones home for Christmas

Alice is welcomed home with a hug from her sister and mother
As part of our ‘Feels like home’ campaign, Qantas is offering you the chance to bring your loved ones home for Christmas.
To be in the running to win a share in $225,000 worth of travel for your family or friends anywhere on the Qantas domestic and international network, tell us in 100 words or less who you would like to bring home for Christmas and why.

Click here to view the full terms and conditionsThis link will open in a new window..

Competition winners
NSW/ACT – Brian Knight
NT – Diana Lekias
SA – Elizabeth Lycett
Qld – Rachael Ryan
WA – Deanne Tindale
Tas – Phillipa Ditcham
Vic – Wendy Ross
Vic – Kieran Wallace
QFF winner – Kaye Towers-Hammond
 

rurouni

Alfrescian
Loyal
I did my 2.5 years of NZ plus a 11 reservist stints and I have just as many fond memories of Singapore as he does so I can't see why doing NS would make any difference.

In fact NS was full of fond memories too. It was the best time of my life. I earned a healthy allowance with zero real responsibilities, the squash courts were free and the beer was dirt cheap and entertainment was always just a 2 flights of stairs away.
Then please follow Colin Liddell's example and come back to Singapore as a "child of Singapore returning home". :wink:
I believe there are quite a few members of your esteemed online forum who would love to meet and greet you at Changi Airport. :p
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
Then please follow Colin Liddell's example and come back to Singapore as a "child of Singapore returning home". :wink:
I believe there are quite a few members of your esteemed online forum who would love to meet and greet you at Changi Airport. :p

While I loved my time in Singapore I'm not one to hanker for the past. The Singapore chapter of my life is closed for good and I have since moved on.

Whenever I hop on a plane nowadays it is invariably to get to a place I've never been to in my life. I want new experiences not nostalgia.
 

Dreamer1

Alfrescian
Loyal
I did my 2.5 years of NZ plus a 11 reservist stints and I have just as many fond memories of Singapore as he does so I can't see why doing NS would make any difference.

In fact NS was full of fond memories too. It was the best time of my life. I earned a healthy allowance with zero real responsibilities, the squash courts were free and the beer was dirt cheap and entertainment was always just a 2 flights of stairs away.

Boss, to each his own lah, it is a fact that Singapore (DAN) is the country of Lee k Y, either one accepts it or leaveS, for me, the choice is obvious, it is a matter of time.

Ayah Allah God Sign the Truth: Lee K Y is Dan
禔示:新加坡(旦)頭任立法院仗昰歬總理李光耀(旦)亽弟弟李祥耀
http://ekey-esir.blogspot.sg/2015/11/blog-post.html
 

rurouni

Alfrescian
Loyal
While I loved my time in Singapore I'm not one to hanker for the past. The Singapore chapter of my life is closed for good and I have since moved on.

Whenever I hop on a plane nowadays it is invariably to get to a place I've never been to in my life. I want new experiences not nostalgia.
But according to the wonderful PAP government, Singapore should be your "home", "truly" and "surely":

[video=youtube;qAARv0uCTJs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAARv0uCTJs[/video]

[video=youtube;qTkVG6lWvwY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTkVG6lWvwY[/video]

Whenever I am feeling low
I look around me and I know
There's a place that will stay within me
Wherever I may choose to go
I will always recall the city
Know every street and shore
Sail down the river which brings us life
Winding through my Singapore

This is home truly, where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me, where that river always flows
This is home surely, as my senses tell me
This is where I won't be alone, for this is where I know it's home

When there are troubles to go through
We'll find a way to start anew
There is comfort in the knowledge
That home's about its people too
So we'll build our dreams together
Just like we've done before
Just like the river which brings us life
There'll always be Singapore

This is home truly, where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me, where that river always flows
This is home surely, as my senses tell me
This is where I won't be alone, for this is where I know it's home

This is home truly, where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me, where that river always flows
This is home surely, as my senses tell me
This is where I won't be alone, for this is where I know it's home

For this is where I know it's home
For this is where I know I'm home


The Mini-stars even sang it about two months ago:

[video=youtube;u5gEEUeOhco]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5gEEUeOhco[/video]

:p
 
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tonychat

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Talk so much sinkie crap and still stay oversea.. Wahahaha... Is that an insult or an admiration?
 

Satyr

Alfrescian
Loyal
@Leongsam
This was not his home to begin with, so how can it be a homecoming ? "Home" is one of those over-used words often used to manipulate emotions. In this case, used very effectively, to win an award. It is well done of course, kudos to him. Home is not where you live, or have lived. It is where you belong. All the new immigrants coming here will never truly consider this their home.
 

syed putra

Alfrescian
Loyal
malay was the second language back then. the language of the archipelago and spoken by most "pasar style". not anymore.
 

frenchbriefs

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
my homecoming story of singapore.hope i get to win 5000 dollars.

How many people whose left this godforsaken island and lived in another country for months or years,came back to singapore and cant wait to get the fuck out again in less than a week?on the last day of my 3 month sabbatical in australia,I wanted to weep when i had to leave this paradise and go back to this shithole called home.when I got off the plane at changni airport,I was immediately greeted by a blast of hot furnace air that punched me in the face,reminiscent of the 365 days of singapore weather.it was like standing in front of the exhaust and the blast from the radiator of a SBS bus as it pulls away.the shock from the heat was like a punch in the guts,waves of memories and and flashbacks surging thru the neurons in my brain like totall recall,memories buried deep within chasms of my brain of a world once long forgotten.there was a sinking feeling in my guts,the feeling when nightmare is becoming reality.it was like waking up in a nightmare in a mad max world,in the hellish desert and merciless sun,a world of freaks and madness and destruction.as i stepped into the airport terminal i was greeted by a sea of sinkie peasant faces and the chattering roar of thousands of peasant chinkie accents as they go about their daily peasant lives.oh god how i missed australia and the real world and the australian english accents.this land of freaks.my head rolled back towards the sky,as i prayed to god to please kill me now as i stepped into a peasant taxi driver's cab.

[video=youtube;UvlIFVgdn1Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvlIFVgdn1Q[/video]
 

johnny333

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Seletar was older and before that farrer park also got airport

Probably other smaller airports were used but I was referring to "Intenational" Airports for civilian use.

Old enough to remember Kallang. At that time travelling by ship was also popular because it was more reliable & I think cheaper than air.
 

johnny333

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
...I was immediately greeted by a blast of hot furnace air that punched me in the face,reminiscent of the 365 days of singapore weather.it was like standing in front of the exhaust and the blast from the radiator of a SBS bus as it pulls away.the shock from the heat was like a punch in the guts,waves of memories and and flashbacks surging thru the neurons


I returned from Canada in winter where it was dry & the temperatures there was from 3 degrees to minus 30's, compared to Spores 34+ degree temperatures.

I had to take cold showers in the middle of the night because I couldn't sleep because it was so hot. Even with the aircon going at full blast it was difficult. Not only do you have to re-adjust to the heat, your body also has to re-adjust to the humidity.
 
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