Jerry, an associate professor, was having this conversation with his younger ex-colleague in a local restaurant during one of her trips back here. The lady is probably in her late 30s, and she has quitted Singapore for Australia for quite awhile.
“Hiya, Ann. It’s been quite a while since I last seen you. I heard you migrated to Australia. How do you like the place?
Ann: Jerry, I must say I can’t stand the Aussies. They are damned lazy. They do things slowly and never seems to put any urgency into things they do. I can’t stand them.”
“Is that so? Just a question, Ann. Why did you choose to migrate to Australia in the first place?”
Ann: “Come on, Jerry. You know. Singapore’s too hectic. Everything’s a rush. It’s so stressed living here.”
Jerry, shaking his head, with a look of dismay on his face, replied: “Then why do you begrudge the Aussies for being laid back? Aren’t they living the life you wanted? Come on, Ann. Give those poor Aussies a break, or else just quit and come back to Singapore.”
Conclusion: You can take a Singaporean out of Singapore. But you can’t take Singapore out of her.
(This might not be his exact words, and the names are changed, but this is a real conversation told to me by the associate professor who rebuked the lady.)
It’s a bee-yoo-tiful note. Just one note, you can buy a few 4-room HDB flat oredi! But hard to get change, you noe?