unSingapore

Nowadays, everywhere I go, I see foreigners, in front of me on the streets, beside me in the lift, behind me during lectures, right in front of me during tutorial discussion, etc. Singapore no longer feel like Singapore anymore. I feel like I've just migrated/moved to a foreign country. And they still want to talk about sense of belonging in Singapore? haha it doesn't quite feel like home anymore. I'm not used to the infestation of the foreigners in Singapore.

According to statistics, 75% of the population are Singapore RESIDENTS while the remaining 25% of that are foreigners. And out of that 75% residing is Singapore, there are foreigners who obtained permanent residence in Singapore. So the true proportion of Singaporeans residing in Singapore is actually lesser than 75%. Singapore is getting more and more like little China or little India. haha actually, Singapore is one little mutated China in the first place. We're the mutated Chinese. Our ancestors come from China and its heritage is "sort of" passed down. How much history and understanding of customs do we know in Singapore's Chinese society today? There are many customs and practice that I dont know either.

I always wonder why Koreans and Malays wear their traditional costumes on special occasions while we Chinese dont get to wear Cheong Sams during our special occasion. Maybe you'll say I'm crazy for saying this because wearing a Cheong Sam in big hot Singapore is like roasting a chicken in the oven, but I still feel it's quite cool to wear it leh. How come others could be so proud of their own cultures and heritages while we Chinese cant? Why are there some who try to worship English as if it's the holiest language on earth, disowning their very own mother tongue? Shame on them. Coming to uni is really an eye opener. They're Chinese who simply act as if they couldnt speak fluent Chinese even when they can! What are they trying to prove by disowning Chinese? I cant understand and dont understand it. There's nothing to be proud of if you can speak profound English yet unable to speak fluent mother tongue. There's nothing for me to admire in a person who dont even know where his roots are from. It's a joke when dumb guys are making a joke (in a bad way) out of China people.

aye, I feel bad when I see my chinese getting worse. There's seriously something wrong with the education system. Why do we have english proficiency lessons in univeristy but not chinese proficiency lessons? Why getting at least a D7 in AO chinese is sufficient for one to be admitted into university without chinese proficiency lessons? I understand our courses are conducted in English that's why we have English proficiency lessons, but why not in chinese as well? You mean it's not important for us to learn our mother tongue well? If it's not important, then why did we call Chinese our mother tongue in the first place. And why is English my first language while Chinese is called my mother tongue and of lower importance? My first language (that I first understood and spoke) is Chinese, and so is my mother tongue. I'll say my second language is English loh. I know the first language thingy differs in every household, but I just dont like it that English named as my first language.

Actually shouldnt Chinese feel proud that they've learnt one of the most difficult languages in the world? That's what people say lah. Shouldnt the Chinese be proud that they had such a long long history, and the wheel and axle system was invented by Qin Shi Huang?


Back to topic, Singaporeans should actually learn the good practices from others and at the same time resist bad practices from the outside world as well. Good practices like being considerate to others (eg. not smoking in a crowded place or eateries, or even better, public). Smoking should be banned globally. Waste of precious finite resource only. Some more it adds to air pollution. Another considerate move will be like returning utensils like we always do in school to the collection point or not dirtying the toilet seats when we use them. Like even the rural toilets that I've been in Sikkim are quite well maintained, even though we have to pour water in to flush the toilet or even just dig a hole to shit in. At least I dont remember seeing shit or pee all over the place. I wonder why in such an "educated" country is there such "uneducated" behaviour? Actually, Singapore is only a country of high literacy, not education (according to my definition).

Today's stats test is bad. I was late and I was in such a fluster I cant think properly ): Sian. Wasnt really a tough paper and could have done well but not after being late. Yihui, why do you always learn things the hard way? Sigh, you should have left house at 0645 this morning for the 0805 paper! DUMB!