Leaving home has always been difficult and it's more so now that our apartment is ready. Home is where the heart is. And I left my heart back in Singapore.
I can't stand the filth of this place. By that, I meant the dust and poor air quality. Dallen, the ever reliable indicator of air quality, has started coughing and vomiting (for him, vomiting occurs when his airways are blocked). Even I suffered an asthma attack this morning and had to make use of Dallen's Ventolin inhaler. Every morning I stepped out of the bedroom, I feel dust beneath my feet (no matter how often the floor is being mopped cos the dust from outside flies in). As I looked out of the balcony door, I see the atmosphere filled with dust. Yes, I can SEE the dust. We're almost always surrounded by cloudy vision, no matter how slight. I see dirty vehicles emissions, thick amount of dust on the roadsides being carried around in a gust of wind, and people littering like there's no tomorrow. We get into a taxi and what do we get greeted by? Stale cigarette smell. We stepped into the most stylish mall here and what goes into our nostrils? Fresh AND stale cigarette smell.
We've been back less than a week and so have yet to come across a black-out and the smell of our neighbours burning leaves. But I'm sure these will come to say hello soon.
I miss the cleanliness of Singapore, but I'm glad I left the bitter faces and self-centredness of her ungracious (and disgraceful) population behind. When we go back to the places we used to frequent here, people welcomed us and greeted us with smiles and regards. From the taxi uncles to the mall's doormen and receptionists to the shop attendants and restaurants servers to the baristas at Starbucks to the tempe sellers at the roadside stall. When my boys ran around and made some noise in the malls or restaurants in Singapore, we (the parents) get frowns (and stares) from others, so bad that you'd thought we were making out naked there. Yes, I know a mall is not a playground and there's a time and place for everything. But kids will be kids. So long as they're within limits, I think it's ok for them to have fun. If it's peace and quiet these people want, then perhaps they should just stay home or go to a monastery. I'm not about to deprive my children to please these individualistic humans.
Here, my kids make even more noise and they're looked upon as being lively and adorable. Most passers-by smile at them. Some can't resist the temptation to touch their heads or even give them a light peck on the cheeks (Singapore parents will freak out and start sanitizing their kids). Schoolgirls giggle so much when they see Dayen running towards them you would have thought they saw their heartthrobs. Such is the human touch we don't get in Singapore.
But for me to choose between my children's health and courtesy, I'll choose my children's health, anytime.
