A Singaporean In Australia

I live near a vineyard.

It isn't the best suburb in Perth. In fact, in real estate websites, the suburb is often rated among the worst in terms of amenities, schools and entertainment. It isn't the most convenient place to get to either. It fact, whichever way you choose to reach me, it will have be detour a large moat of vineyards privately owned by individuals. I was betting on those land never, at least in my lifetime, to be rezoned by the government into residential, commercial or worst, industrial land. After all, they fall within an important tourism zone, a sector which WA is already quite weak in and constantly seeking to drive it up. It will be insane for the government to rezone these treasures away. 

Or so I think.

The government where I used to live proves me wrong by convincing the populance that sanity is actually its inverse. Since almost everything I treasure in my birth land has been destroyed for reasons that only benefit a minority, I won't be counting my chickens here just yet. With greedy humans everywhere, you never know. What I will be counting instead is my blessings whenever I drive pass grazing horses, cows lazing under the shade and rows and rows of vineyards on the way home every day. May that last yet another day.

It was probably the most busy time of the year for me. Winter have just ended and I have resume work in the backyard. Savvy Steve will not be too happy to see his house incomplete for so long. Judy is still around, though she informed us that she will be returning to Singapore in mid December, officially ending her quest. Angie and Lex came for their initial entry with kids and an elder. There was definitely a big buzz in the household. Judy got along well with the family, since she is into photography and bakery and the guests were professional photographers and their elder, a baker.

Angie and Lex were probably the fastest people I ever heard getting their Australian PR. From inception to approval, it took them slightly less than 6 months. They had only thought about it in March, started taking action in April and there I was, hosting their initial entry in October. I have to emphasize yet again if you want it hard enough, you will do it hard enough. Action speaks louder than words, there is no exception in this case.

I went camping with the family and was rewarded with a nice photograph of Albany and I waking up to the sunrise. Since they have picked Perth as their destination - a rare choice these days because WA's economy is struggling - that may be a start of many camping trips together. While good times last, that is. Angie will often chide me for "not wanting them to come." It isn't that case. If they are some random Singaporeans who came to contact with me informing me they have bought a leaky Nissan for $10,000, I wouldn't care less. However, they are my friends. It will sadden me to see them suffer, if things don't go well enough as planned.

If anything, it is their plans that I have been worried about. But again, who am I to question? I have walked the path differently from the other Singaporeans in Australia too. Who am I to doubt they are unable to overcome the indefinite hurdles that go their way? That is a chapter I will have to archive for now, until my chores are through. They are planning to make their full move in a year's time. I should be ready to help by then.

For now, I have to focus on my work. It has to be finish by the end of this year. There shall be no rest until the tasks are done.