A Singaporean In Australia

Our 2nd day was mostly spent on waiting for the torrent intermittent rain to stop. It was windy throughout the day. In summer, the folks here dread the wind. Each gust would be like a heat wave, they warned. It wasn't much too good in winter.. I mean spring, or whatever this season was supposed to be, either. If the summer wind is heat wave, this would be froze wave. I suspected I would still prefer froze wave. Oh well, one at the time. We did a lot of chatting with the landlady Joanna that morning.

In the afternoon, I had my first Perth economics lesson. Prices of household items and consumption ingredients could vary a lot even if it was just a street away. That wasn't quite the formula like in Singapore, i.e it is almost always to be cheaper in the heartlands than the city. Even then, the prices of the same items would not vary as much. I caught on immediately at Woolsworth Subiaco when I saw that a 500ml bottle of coke cost $3 at the cashier counter and elsewhere. I remembered reading this in a Singapore online forum where some netizens were giving Australia the thumbs down. One of them cited this as an example. So this wasn't a myth? Am I about to find out about Perth the Singaporean 'hard truths' way?

I couldn't believe my eyes but I remained my usual skeptic mode and did some dribbling around. I was right! In the SAME hypermart, I found a 2L bottle of coke priced at $3, the same price of that 500ml bottle just a few isle away. The only difference was that the 500ml bottle was sold in a chiller. Does it makes sense to you? In freezing conditions, buying a freezing 500ml bottle of coke for the same price as a 2L bottle? Even in summer, should a Singaporean buy that, he deserved to be ripped off or carrot headed, in Singapore language. To the Singaporean who deemed the $3 coke as a universal marker about the affordability of Australia, you should get your head checked.

Moving away from stories about idiots, something interesting happened that night. Apparently, there was a particular Taiwanese housemate who had a knack of depleting hot water in the water tank by taking long showers. We found it wasn't a legend. At 2200 hrs, Joanna and I were found in a situation where we either go to sleep without a bath or do a commando bath with freezing water in freezing conditions. Fortunately my landlady was a resourceful woman. At 2230 hrs, we were in the dark on the way to another suburb. Her friend offered her bathing facilities!

I took the bath first, then joined Jen who was chatting with Joanna's friend. Both of them were Malaysians. As the conversation went I found telling resemblance in both of their characters. Or was these plain Malaysian characteristics? Both of them were young, optimistic, mature, worldly, hardworking and somehow they were extremely willing to open up to share their feelings and stuffs a in manner considered too endearing to Singaporeans. To be honest, I felt small compared to these Malaysian ladies. Many of them are here alone without families by their side. They learnt to take care of themselves, then help to pay for their siblings' education in Australia after they were done with their own. All the Chinese Malaysians families I've known or met more or less operated in the same manner be it they are from Ipoh, Sarawak, Johor, Pahang and probably everywhere else. There wasn't much difference between Singaporeans and Malaysians, we have similar physical appearance, dress more or less the same way, speak almost the same languages, eat the same range of food and even use the same swearing words. If both are birds, I would considered the Malaysian as a free flying, free hunting bird. The Singaporean would be the caged bird that wouldn't even fly away should the cage door been left ajar.

Having to buy all my food supplies, cook every meal or perish made me realised I had been breast fed for 33 years. I missed my mum. I know it sound like a cliche but I have to say it - She is the greatest mum in the world. I didn't realise this only upon my arrival in Perth. I always know but that doesn't make me less pampered when I was in Singapore. Being the son of the greatest mum, you can try and try but you'll never be able to overcome her pampering aura. Besides, who dislike being pampered? I missed chatting with my Punggol neighbours and everyone else in Singapore. I had neither internet nor a phoneline yet. Joanna said the network would be up by Monday. So that would be when I reconnected with folks 3898 km away, wondered how many forgotten me already.

It was a much better night compared to the last. Both of us probably slept through the night. Jen is still snoring as I am typing this. Good. Perhaps she hadn't had the best balanced meals for 2 days, something which I have to work on urgently, at least she is having proper rest and sleep now. Her sinus seems better. I've got to prepare breakfast. Today is Monday and there are tons to do.