Clueless Diva

Random musings

This may totally be hard to understand but these are some observations and thinking-out-loud stuff I wanted to unload here.

1) Kids in Sydney are way nicer than the ones in Singapore. I was working at the customer service counter at Sembawang Shopping Centre eons ago and we had a free ice-cream day during one Saturday when I was on duty.

I had with me a box of paddle-pops to distribute to all shoppers' kids who have spent at least $10 that day. Kiasu Singaporean parents dragged about 10 kids each and asked me for ice-creams to bring home for the kid 'they didn't bring' that day. Kids did a round-about turn and came back asking me for more ice-creams and feigned innocence when I pointed out I gave them an ice-cream about 5 mins back.

2 weeks ago, we had a Friendship Weekend event in our church and I was in charge of distributing free Magnum ice-creams to all who attended the service. I tried to give the little children more ice-creams but they were all so shy and polite. They clenched their one Magnum, mumbled their thanks and shook their heads and smiled when I offered them another one to 'take home'. So nice. Not greedy at all. So I tried to give their mums extra ice-creams, but they all said no, thanks. What a difference! Mind you, they are all Koreans, so they are still Asian mums, but wow, they are so different from Singaporean ones. I would like my child to be that polite too.

2) Ernest and I did our Asian grocery shopping at Burwood and were chatting to each other and getting ready to pay the nice Auntie at the counter when she started asking us where we are from and what we are doing here. We replied that we are Singaporeans and we work here. Since here 2 years ago. She started chatting with us and we found out that she is Cambodian Chinese and came to Darwin to open a grocery store 20years ago. Then she came to Sydney to settle down and opened this grocery store in Burwood. Her Mandarin is very good.

We had a nice chat and we shared about Singapore. We told her she must visit Singapore one day and she said she should. We also learnt that Asian grocery business is hard in Sydney as there are so many competition. We concurred with her but she said we will have many chances succeeding in life as we are young. I thought it is such a timely and wise advice. Not many shopkeepers will stop and chat with you everyday.

And we certainly never experience that in Singapore. That Auntie is nice.

4) It was the night of the NRL finals between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storms. Ernest and I were walking back to our car with our shopping and we saw a family in the Melbourne Storm colours. The little girl was swinging her flag as she came towards us.

I called out to the family and asked, Did you guys win? The mum replied cheerfully, No, we lost. 40 to 0, love. And the family walked on. Ernest and I laughed along with them and continued on our way.

5) We had our very own Singapore Day in Melbourne the weekend that has just past. I read the SgForums and I had quite laugh. You can read about the posting and the replies here.

I still cannot get over the fact that Spaghetti is considered one of Singapore's national dish.

While Singapore Day is a very nice event and well-organised, I am amused at Singapore government's attempts at wooing back wayward Singaporeans to go back 'home'.

Alison asked me if I will relocate back to Singapore. When am I ready to 'stop playing' and come back home. I think maybe this question will never be answered.