Thank You, Singapore!

Happy birthday, Singapore! 

You are 47 this year and between you and me, we have been together for 14 years now. How time has passed. The first time I "saw" you, that was around 20 years ago (Gasp!), I was only a tourist who cramped into one hotel room with 7 others (4 adults, 4 kids - I was the kid, of course!). I remembered I already loved you lots then. I felt safe and amazed at everything I saw. Of course, I was still a tourist. But there's something about you that I love a lot, didn't know what then. Maybe your gigantic book stores. I was and still a nerd.

In 1998, fate has brought us together again. I was supposed to go to Taiwan but since you are nearer, I came here instead. Within 1 month, nobody thought I was an Indonesian anymore. Then I realized what made me love you more, it's the uniquely Singlish of yours. Believe it or not, it helped me with my conversational English. I picked up fast. I blended in fast. I turned into an Ah Beng overnight and loving it. I don't know why people despise it, it's fun, it has character and it's unique. I don't care what people say, I love the way you talk, Singapore. 

Since it's your birthday today, I would like to express my gratitude for the great 14 years I've had with you:

1. Thank you for keeping me safe. For a girl who just escaped from a riot and witnessed the windows of her house being stoned to pieces, you are heaven. I know I can count on you and never take you for granted because I have lived in a situation when you didn't even know when they were going to invade your house or not.
2. Thank you for having all these awesome food at the most convenient places - everywhere. I used to think I am going to miss the food from my country, a lot. I still think they are the best and tastiest food and I wouldn't be able to get it in Singapore. Sure, some of them still don't exist here but guess what, throughout the year you've impressed me. Look at the choices you have given me when it comes to food. I don't miss the food from my country as much anymore because when I miss them, I just go to Lucky Plaza and I will be a really happy girl. You also have tons of choices which I wouldn't even dream of trying unless I am in those countries - Russian, Turkish, Moroccan, Filipino, etc. How lucky I am to be here! 
3. Thank you for the convenience with your awesome public transportations. I always feel "disabled" everytime I go back to my country because I always have to depend on others (as I don't drive -_-") to commute. But here, I just hop on to the bus, MRT and taxi. They have air-cons!!!!!!! They are clean and comfortable and I can do it all on my own!
4. Thank you for the options in learning. For a curious monkey like me, I have been so fortunate to be exposed in so many interesting things in terms of learning and one of the best learning experience I've ever had is taking up French. I need one whole post to give thanks to that but that's about it for now. My life has changed the day I enrolled myself to one of the best school ever. I wonder what I will be learning next. Your options are pretty limitless.
5. Lastly (though I have many more but I'll just stop here for now cause I need to go somewhere haha), thank you for the trees. I know most of them were grown on purpose but still - thank you. You are a country who really loves its tree so much that they have regular haircuts which make them look stunning. With the presence of the trees around me, I met great creatures like the squirrels, butterflies and my favourite of all - the birds. You know how much I love those birds! I chase them! Muahaha!

You are awesome, Singapore. You have your flaws, of course, who don't, but overall, I think you have done an awesome job. Keep being great. Keep doing what people think you can't. 

Happy birthday, once again. I hope you'll have a great celebration tonight!

Love ya!!!!