I'm an Indonesian and I've lived in Singapore for (only) seven years. For the past few months, I've witnessed a lot of preparations, campaign, and celebrations for Singapore 50th national day and today is the national day!
I can't help but comparing my country with Singapore. I've never felt this sentimental about Singapore's national day, but watching and hearing many things saying "This is how we've progressed for the past 50 years" even moved my heart as a foreigner. It is true. Singapore is really blessed and you can see this nation's progress.
I can't help but trying to recall my own nation's golden jubilee. Umm, I can't remember anything. Don't get me wrong, I still love my country, but Singapore's golden jubilee made me think and question myself a lot, as Indonesian, am I proud of being Indonesian merely because of what my civic education text book told me? (We are multi-racial and multi-religions but we are one, we are rich in natural resources). As I stood surrounded by Singapore flags, I wonder..Rich in natural resources, but... where do the riches go? Multi-racial and multi-religions but..all the past violent actions towards Christians came to my head. And of course..the past memory of 1998 riot.
I don't think Singapore only has beautiful stories, I've heard the dark side too. I also believe that my own nation has progressed at least when Gus Dur stepped up (since then we can celebrate our Chinese culture again) and now I see hope in Jokowi, our current president.
Anyway, back to Singapore.
I bumped into Home, Singapore National Day Parade (NDP) song in 1998 and 2004, because I was looking for NDP songs to be taught to my students. I cried when I listened to the lyrics. I've found it sooooo touching (oh well, perhaps I'm a little bit emotional. hahaha). The song really made me question, "Where is home?"
Whenever I am feeling low
I look around me and I knowThere's a place that will stay within meWherever I may choose to goI will always recall the cityKnow every street and shoreSail down the river which brings us lifeWinding through my Singapore
This is home truly, where I know I must beWhere my dreams wait for me, where the river always flowsThis is home surely, as my senses tell meThis is where I won't be alone, for this is where I know it's home
Two years ago I celebrated my first Christmas in Singapore (till then I always went home for Christmas). I told a Spanish priest, "Yeah...Father, this is the first time I celebrated Christmas away from home." Then Father said, "Oh well..this is home."
In the Mass today, I prayed for Singapore as much as I pray for Indonesia (17th August this year is our 60th independence day). Even if I feel annoyed every time I come back to Singapore and encountered rude people serving at hawker centre, I can't deny that I feel at home here, as much as I feel at home in Indonesia. Of course there are so many other reasons why I feel so grateful to be in Singapore. Yeah, grateful, that's the best adjective to describe my feeling now. If it's not because of Singapore education policy (which is critiqued by many locals), I won't be able to study here. Which other country subsidizes foreigners to study in the local university? Studying here really opens my eyes and my heart. All along I've been living a comfortable life in general and in my faith. Here it's not enough to say, "My religion said so." Thanks to Legion of Mary in university, I slowly learned that practicing faith doesn't mean joining many activities or joining many cell groups or Church ministries. I slowly learned about my faith (yes, still learning till now, and will be forever learning) and what it means to be formed, what it means to be called to be holy, and what it means to do apostolate, and...slowly discovered my vocation too (yeah, marriage is also a vocation).
Perhaps some of you may think this post has become a religious post, but you can't separate me from my faith. My faith has helped me to continuously struggle to be a better person, a better citizen, a better resident, a better friend.
And of course, the fact that my boyfriend is a Singaporean made me see Singapore a little bit different now. I want to look at Singapore more as a home, because next time I want him to really feel at home wherever we are. He's truly Singaporean (*in many different aspects, including the stomachache every time he goes to Indonesia*), and unlike me who has been away from my country for 7 years, he's always in Singapore (unless for a short travel overseas like now). However, I thank God that God has blessed Singapore (and the governance of Singapore) in such a way that influenced him in a unique way (in positive, negative, and neutral aspects). I don't want to be perceived as super-pro-National-Service, but I do agree with him that his maturity is partly influenced by his mandatory NS experience. And today, as he is overseas on National Day (again!), I realized that Singapore and him is a 'package'. Once I complained to another priest, "My boyfriend is so Singaporean," and the priest said, "he IS Singaporean." Something is missing from this national day as nobody explained to me about all the army and parade stuff and nobody explained to me about the songs sung during NDP. Hahaha.
Anyway, I had this funny imagination in my head. Next time I'll dress the children in red and white not only on 9th August, but also on 17th August =P (no agreement yet with him. psst!)
There's a place that will stay within meWherever I may choose to go
For me, be it Singapore, or Indonesia, or another country, I really cherish my stay in Singapore now, and this has made me almost cry a few times every time I listened to Singapore national anthem (five times in total since last Thursday in my school!), and always cry every time I listened to Home.
Happy birthday, Singapore!
Lord, please bless Singapore!
I can't help but comparing my country with Singapore. I've never felt this sentimental about Singapore's national day, but watching and hearing many things saying "This is how we've progressed for the past 50 years" even moved my heart as a foreigner. It is true. Singapore is really blessed and you can see this nation's progress.
I can't help but trying to recall my own nation's golden jubilee. Umm, I can't remember anything. Don't get me wrong, I still love my country, but Singapore's golden jubilee made me think and question myself a lot, as Indonesian, am I proud of being Indonesian merely because of what my civic education text book told me? (We are multi-racial and multi-religions but we are one, we are rich in natural resources). As I stood surrounded by Singapore flags, I wonder..Rich in natural resources, but... where do the riches go? Multi-racial and multi-religions but..all the past violent actions towards Christians came to my head. And of course..the past memory of 1998 riot.
I don't think Singapore only has beautiful stories, I've heard the dark side too. I also believe that my own nation has progressed at least when Gus Dur stepped up (since then we can celebrate our Chinese culture again) and now I see hope in Jokowi, our current president.
Anyway, back to Singapore.
I bumped into Home, Singapore National Day Parade (NDP) song in 1998 and 2004, because I was looking for NDP songs to be taught to my students. I cried when I listened to the lyrics. I've found it sooooo touching (oh well, perhaps I'm a little bit emotional. hahaha). The song really made me question, "Where is home?"
Whenever I am feeling low
I look around me and I knowThere's a place that will stay within meWherever I may choose to goI will always recall the cityKnow every street and shoreSail down the river which brings us lifeWinding through my Singapore
This is home truly, where I know I must beWhere my dreams wait for me, where the river always flowsThis is home surely, as my senses tell meThis is where I won't be alone, for this is where I know it's home
Two years ago I celebrated my first Christmas in Singapore (till then I always went home for Christmas). I told a Spanish priest, "Yeah...Father, this is the first time I celebrated Christmas away from home." Then Father said, "Oh well..this is home."
In the Mass today, I prayed for Singapore as much as I pray for Indonesia (17th August this year is our 60th independence day). Even if I feel annoyed every time I come back to Singapore and encountered rude people serving at hawker centre, I can't deny that I feel at home here, as much as I feel at home in Indonesia. Of course there are so many other reasons why I feel so grateful to be in Singapore. Yeah, grateful, that's the best adjective to describe my feeling now. If it's not because of Singapore education policy (which is critiqued by many locals), I won't be able to study here. Which other country subsidizes foreigners to study in the local university? Studying here really opens my eyes and my heart. All along I've been living a comfortable life in general and in my faith. Here it's not enough to say, "My religion said so." Thanks to Legion of Mary in university, I slowly learned that practicing faith doesn't mean joining many activities or joining many cell groups or Church ministries. I slowly learned about my faith (yes, still learning till now, and will be forever learning) and what it means to be formed, what it means to be called to be holy, and what it means to do apostolate, and...slowly discovered my vocation too (yeah, marriage is also a vocation).
Perhaps some of you may think this post has become a religious post, but you can't separate me from my faith. My faith has helped me to continuously struggle to be a better person, a better citizen, a better resident, a better friend.
And of course, the fact that my boyfriend is a Singaporean made me see Singapore a little bit different now. I want to look at Singapore more as a home, because next time I want him to really feel at home wherever we are. He's truly Singaporean (*in many different aspects, including the stomachache every time he goes to Indonesia*), and unlike me who has been away from my country for 7 years, he's always in Singapore (unless for a short travel overseas like now). However, I thank God that God has blessed Singapore (and the governance of Singapore) in such a way that influenced him in a unique way (in positive, negative, and neutral aspects). I don't want to be perceived as super-pro-National-Service, but I do agree with him that his maturity is partly influenced by his mandatory NS experience. And today, as he is overseas on National Day (again!), I realized that Singapore and him is a 'package'. Once I complained to another priest, "My boyfriend is so Singaporean," and the priest said, "he IS Singaporean." Something is missing from this national day as nobody explained to me about all the army and parade stuff and nobody explained to me about the songs sung during NDP. Hahaha.
Anyway, I had this funny imagination in my head. Next time I'll dress the children in red and white not only on 9th August, but also on 17th August =P (no agreement yet with him. psst!)
There's a place that will stay within meWherever I may choose to go
For me, be it Singapore, or Indonesia, or another country, I really cherish my stay in Singapore now, and this has made me almost cry a few times every time I listened to Singapore national anthem (five times in total since last Thursday in my school!), and always cry every time I listened to Home.
Happy birthday, Singapore!
Lord, please bless Singapore!
