there's no place like home
Incidentally, I now live in Kansas, the place Dorothy refers to when she repeats the phrase "there's no place like home" and clicks her heels in the movie The Wizard of Oz. This movie is a popular rerun in Kansas, especially over the holidays.
I've been thinking of the country i grew up in a lot lately, as well as what five and ten year plans i should make. As the common saying goes, to fail to plan, is to plan to fail. So plan right? At least if your plans fail, you'll land close to where you wanna be.
Sigh. I'm thinking more of my 1-2 year plan, what do I want to do, what doors will open, what skills do I have to make myself competitive in the current job market.
I enjoy my job, and I try to repeat that often. But as with all jobs, it's a task that could be less than fulfilling, with long hours in conditions that not many will tolerate well, hence it pays well. Rather well, considering that requirements for this job are somewhat surreal; 2 years experience and the ability to pass the State's written test (done on a computer).
Do I feel at home here, I keep asking myself. It sure is easy to slight into complacent comfort of owning my own home and car, and being able to pay my loans off within 5-7 years.
This is in stark contrast to many of my old classmates and peers in Singapore who spend on a car what i spent on my house, and spent about 10 times more on their house, taking probably thirty years with a dual income family to pay off their mortgage.
First world problems right?
While I may sound unreasonable whiney, (even to myself as i type this), there are benefits to living in an advanced technological and vibrant cityscape of Singapore with its legendary education system, exceptionally clean streets and melting pot of many cultures and cultural food; this goes in contrast with rural Kansas that is 90% white and 5% minorities and 5% refugees (this statistic is greatly guesstimated, http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/20000.html turns out 84% white isn't too completely far off), living in the countryside surrounded by farms. At least I am thankful for friends, family, and fiber (for high speed internet connection, in my extremely tiny town of about 300, the nearby town with 12000 people don't have fiber).
Also, there's an advantage of being privy in the city to high tech gadgets being marketed to you first; such as this issue;
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3054330/innovation-by-design/the-secret-ux-issues-that-will-make-or-break-autonomous-cars
I would some day like a self driving car, especially on long road trips where i get road hypnosis after 3 hrs of driving, and have to stop for about 10 minutes.
also, i came across a gem of a blog on a friend's facebook post;
https://alywinchew.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/siao-ah-go-back-to-singapore-for-what/
it's titled with colloquial Singlish, but has some points that resonate with me. It is going to be hard to afford to go back to Singapore, what with inflation and property cost rising. Also, it's hard to give up having a front yard, backyard with playground, and a quiet neighborhood where kids play all around, to the race of trying to outdo everyone in tiny Singapore (which has 5 million people, and climbing rapidly i last heard)
I try to go home to visit once a year, especially on Chinese New Year, and am impressed by the rapid developments all across the island. The big question that sits in my mind is, will I still be competitive there, after being away for a decade now.
I've been thinking of the country i grew up in a lot lately, as well as what five and ten year plans i should make. As the common saying goes, to fail to plan, is to plan to fail. So plan right? At least if your plans fail, you'll land close to where you wanna be.
Sigh. I'm thinking more of my 1-2 year plan, what do I want to do, what doors will open, what skills do I have to make myself competitive in the current job market.
I enjoy my job, and I try to repeat that often. But as with all jobs, it's a task that could be less than fulfilling, with long hours in conditions that not many will tolerate well, hence it pays well. Rather well, considering that requirements for this job are somewhat surreal; 2 years experience and the ability to pass the State's written test (done on a computer).
Do I feel at home here, I keep asking myself. It sure is easy to slight into complacent comfort of owning my own home and car, and being able to pay my loans off within 5-7 years.
This is in stark contrast to many of my old classmates and peers in Singapore who spend on a car what i spent on my house, and spent about 10 times more on their house, taking probably thirty years with a dual income family to pay off their mortgage.
First world problems right?
While I may sound unreasonable whiney, (even to myself as i type this), there are benefits to living in an advanced technological and vibrant cityscape of Singapore with its legendary education system, exceptionally clean streets and melting pot of many cultures and cultural food; this goes in contrast with rural Kansas that is 90% white and 5% minorities and 5% refugees (this statistic is greatly guesstimated, http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/20000.html turns out 84% white isn't too completely far off), living in the countryside surrounded by farms. At least I am thankful for friends, family, and fiber (for high speed internet connection, in my extremely tiny town of about 300, the nearby town with 12000 people don't have fiber).
Also, there's an advantage of being privy in the city to high tech gadgets being marketed to you first; such as this issue;
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3054330/innovation-by-design/the-secret-ux-issues-that-will-make-or-break-autonomous-cars
I would some day like a self driving car, especially on long road trips where i get road hypnosis after 3 hrs of driving, and have to stop for about 10 minutes.
also, i came across a gem of a blog on a friend's facebook post;
https://alywinchew.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/siao-ah-go-back-to-singapore-for-what/
it's titled with colloquial Singlish, but has some points that resonate with me. It is going to be hard to afford to go back to Singapore, what with inflation and property cost rising. Also, it's hard to give up having a front yard, backyard with playground, and a quiet neighborhood where kids play all around, to the race of trying to outdo everyone in tiny Singapore (which has 5 million people, and climbing rapidly i last heard)
I try to go home to visit once a year, especially on Chinese New Year, and am impressed by the rapid developments all across the island. The big question that sits in my mind is, will I still be competitive there, after being away for a decade now.
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