Grass is greener on the other side. So?

Having been away been away from home for 1.5 years may not seem too long to some for me to continually harp on that fact. But to me, that 1.5 years away from Singapore is a big deal; when I left GST was at 3% and now its at 7.


Blessed to still have...
I feel extremely blessed to leave home and come back to still see that buildings, most persons, streets and livelihoods I left behind still around. For others, homecoming may be to relatives and friends lost to natural and/or developmental disasters, childhood places wrecked and emptied by terrorism or crime.

Perhaps sometimes this security we enjoy in Singapore is taken for granted until one lives abroad and not enjoy the same magnitude of daily-life security. Because its often taken for granted, we, I, often forget to factor in this security as a reason why I'll like to settle down here in the long term.

Re-learning to love the grass...
Other than wanting to see my family, I wanted to come home this Christmas to re-discover Singapore, to once more fall in love with this island. This island I left behind for my new home in the UK, in Warwick, but the same city I will return to in 6 months to work, live, play and breed in. Despite being filled with apprehension, I knew it was for the better if I could re-kindle the romance.

I was afraid, and still am, I would no longer find Singapore attractive. The grass often being greener on the other side, I'm afraid of loving being in the UK and Europe and coming home to live would be a pain. Not because I'm atas or high-klass. But because when you move to a new place, and you know that you'll be there for some time, you do your utmost to assimilate and love your new environment; knowing I was going to be in the UK for sometime, I soaked myself in its culture, sights, sounds and therefore, oddly, home becomes a little strange. So I'm re-learning to love the grass here.

I was afraid to lose all the new-found treasures I discovered, and grown to endear, in my life overseas; English tea, French chocolat et les croissants, modern art, theatre, Continental makan, rolling hills... But these past couple of days of re-discovering bits of Singapore, I find these fears rather unfounded, perhaps even laughable. Other than the overly humid weather, I have underestimated what my tiny little island-city home has to offer.


Rolling through some Singapore grass: through rolls (of digital film)
I am not much of a story teller. But I wish to share some moments as I rediscovered bits of Singapore, rolling through local, itchy, muddy cow-grass (OK! I'm not literally rolling or having an affair with grass! Its just a metaphor). Come, join me in my little tour through the lens of my camera.

Sanctity@Portsdown Road

"even the best fall down sometimes..."



scenes from my ideal home. home, not house.

where my kids will play.



are words enough?



once military barracks, now tranquil homes.



taking peeks around Portsdown in the trusty car.



discovering a chocolatier and a italian restaurant.

Colbar, 40 years ago served as the canteen for the British troops in the nearby camps. After the Brits fled this tiny island to fend for itself, the remaining "brave" expatriates played football in the empty fields on the weekends. Colbar then became beer-and-makan after these matches. Daddy used to come here after football in his younger days. Today, it has been at its new location for 4 years, constructed to as close detail as the original house.

to be kontinued...

Uncle T