Caught between two worlds

When I returned to Singapore this time, things have stayed the same. And they have definitely changed.

The same house and bed. My family is still there. I met with the same friends I have spent so much time with.

But my parents are visibly older. Many of my friends have married and some of them actually have children. And many of Singapore’s roads and buildings have changed in dramatic ways.

It feels like home but in some indescribable ways, it doesn’t feel totally familiar.

The ghost of a memory, Singapore seemed to be a shade removed this time.

Similarly when friends and family ask me “so what is it like working in the United States?”, I’m unable to captivate them with expected larger than life Americana vignettes. Since I have been working in Boston for more than a year, they probably think my life is what they see on American sitcoms. They are really looking for mythology, the archetype American life of big houses, fast cars and unimaginable wealth.

Unfortunately I drive a Toyota, have 3 housemates even when I’m 30 and I don’t think my sorry bank account will impress anybody.

So they are not convinced when I say “Working in the states? Boring lah, the same lor. Go to office, come back, eat, sleep.” They think I’m hiding juicy details, private enjoyment I’m not sharing.

But really American working life is probably alot more boring than Singapore. I don’t have as much friends to hang out with, going out is expensive and nothing here is really a short hop away.

New York Times had two excellent articles that spoke to my feeling of transcience:

1.  “World Banker and His Cash Return Home”, 3/17/08

2. “A Guide to the French. Handle With Care”, 3/23/09

I particularly liked the world banker story cos he comes from Asia and he shares the conflict of east versus west, poverty versus affluence etc

In the article, he says “On bad days, I do feel lonely in a way that I can’t explain”.

It’s a feeling I know too well.

New york times’ best new restaurant in Boston? Who knew?

Shocker of shockers!

Frank Bruni of New York Times just proclaimed Japanese restaurant O Ya in Boston to be the best new restaurant in USA. Frank, are you kidding me?

I have heard many wonderful things about O Ya – amazing food, wonderful presentation, ingenius use of japanese ingredients and very off-putting prices.

Photo credit: Erik Jacobs, New York Times

But best new restaurant in the US? Hmmmm…. generally I haven’t had really great food here in Boston. Even the really expensive restaurants have been underwhelming so far, I haven’t had a meal here where I could gush to my friends about.

Compared to Chicago, Boston neither has the low priced hole in the wall discoveries nor the amazing high end restaurants like Charlie Trotter’s, Alinea or Everest.

The only restaurant here that I have been truly impressed by is Ten Tables and that’s it. It’s kinda sad when you think about it.

Can O Ya change everything? Will I reach gourmet heaven there?

I’m going to make a reservation and bite the bullet of paying $200 for a sushi meal. After coming back from sushi heaven Asia….

Frank, you own me $200 if O Ya’s nothing short of amazing.

it sucks to be you

It’s probably every Asian diplomat’s wet dream for his/her country to land on the front page of New York Times.

Except when the country is on the front page to be ridiculed.

Singapore is featured on New York Times’ front page by this rather snarky article: “Terror Suspect Eludes Posse of 4 Million”.

Two weeks ago, Mas Selamat bin Kastari, an alleged leader of a terrorist group in Singapore, escaped from a high-security prison. He escaped through the bathroom window on a bathroom break.

Since then, Singapore’s security forces have gone all out in ensuring every citizen is aware of the threat and is full alert. Numerous posters have been plastered everywhere in the island and SMSes were sent to all cellphone users to keep a lookout for the escapee.

So unfortunately it’s an embarassing moment for Singapore now.

There has always been a strong sense of schadenfeude when international and regional media report on the woes of Singapore. Neighboring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia are always gleeful when something unfortunate happens to this little threat of a country – “so what if you’re the richest country in South East Asia? See! I knew you were not infalliable!”

Sadly we are not infalliable.

And we have never claimed to be so the whole “Singapore has screwed up” party just really annoys me. Why can’t they just treat us like any other Asian country – “oh another screw up? okie lor, like that lor, what to do?*”

*singaporean speak for “oh another screw up? that’s fine. That’s life isn’t it? What can I do about it? Nothing”

i’m bacccckkkkkkk

I survived the 27 hour plane ride back to my sunny island and here I am gouging myself to premature piggiehood.

It’s amazing to be back, to see family, hang out with friends and generally be lazy and gluttonous.

I do feel a little surreal, everything is familiar but foreign at the same thing.

It’s definitely home but it’s home seen through a slightly colored cellphane.

David Archuleta’s soul mate

What’s with all these kids and big voices?

What are they feeding them?

Little Charice Pempengco is a shape shifter – she’s a little Filipina girl by sight but close your eyes and she morphs into an old black lady belting her lungs out!

Amazing.

David Archuleta should marry her and their kids will take over American Idol for the next 10 seasons. He’s 17, she’s 15, they’re perfect together!

Listen and weep:

1. Charice on Korean show Star King

2. Charice’s duet with scary korean singer

3. Charice on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”

So where in China is Singapore?

So the next time my clueless coworker asks me where Singapore is, I’ll be sure to direct him to this fab fab youtube video.

okay okay so he wouldn’t understand 90% of the video nor will he know that Singapore is far far away from China but that’s not the point.