The Poor Poor Kids in the Mad Mad World.

These days.. when do the kids get to be kids????

I had a few recent conversation with Singaporean parents and parents-to-be and ohh.. the stress.!! The stress!!!

Not too long ago, a boy from ACS jumped off this window to his doom, just to make a point. Did you read about it in the paper???
What's the point? His parents and teachers do not let him pursue his noble dreams of exploring his arty side. The athlete wanted to switch his ECA to drama and was frowned upon. So he diecided to show th world how to make a point. a totally Wrong one, but a point nonetheless.

What's wrong with people nowadays?

My friend's barely 2 yr old son was pressured into a class that teaches him how to read.

WTF? he is 2 yr old for God's sake. Let him be a baby for once.

But what to do, it's crazy society isn't it?

"Is you kid going to this fantastic school for kids? My son is reading ABC already and he's only one and a half!"

"My daughter is 2 yr old and she can count to ten and back! What can yours do?

Fyuck fyuck fyuck...!

These parents are crazy. Really, me and Gan vowed to let our kids have a simple life being kids..
When else do you get to be one anyway?

The moment the poor kid sits on the primary school seat, that's it. The rat race has begun.

Which I think, is horribly ultra damaging. Look at what people have become nowadays.
Loonies I tell you.
Edgy, stressed up young individuals , who are so scared of letting down their parents, scared to be the "not so academic or not so achiever kid" talked about during their parent's bloody parties where they exchange "opinions" and "peer pressures".

Pressure on winning the award of best parenting is it? Ohh.. certainly.. so it's about the parents. isn't it??? It's never about the kids anyway!

Oh, of course it has be measured by the number of medals and certificates and awards and club memberships and scholarships and blah blah..

What happened to simple old FUNDAMENTAL qualities?

Like Integrity.

Creativity.

Identity...


Whatever happened to Wisdom.

I am sorry to say, but I think the quality that most Singaporeans is wisdom.
I am a Singaporean now so I am not being critical for the sake of being critical.

I just really feel so.

The parents are putting their kids as a bloody trophy.
Fyucking stressful to be a trophy. I tell you.

I am not saying those medals and awards are not important, No no!! .. I had my fair share too, It's good to chase after a dream too.. it was good and constructive! But not once, my parents went :" How come yours only silver?? My neighbour kids got 2 golds!!"

NEVER.

Whatever I achieved. They were happy, appreciative and forever encouraging.


So back to me and Gan.

If anyone asked us next time :" Have your 2 yr old gone to special pre-pre-school yet? My super smarty pants baby boy can do sommersaults while reading the newspaper!!! Can yours?"

We'll go :" Sod off, will ya? My baby is happily drawing sunset with tomate ketchup and chilli sauce, while he sits on his toilet bowl.. Thank you! We are contented and happy!!"

They were after something!

I forgot to mention one little thing..

Right after I took my oath at the ICA and declared myself being super faithful to the Republic of Singapore blah blah...

The Commissioner said to me :" Welcome to Singapore"

Before I managed to smile, she passed me a book.

"Do read this book when you have time".


In the car back to office, I opened it up.

the book said : " HOTA "


ORGANT TRANSPLANT INSTRUCTIONS AND MANUAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Barely a day of becoming Singaporean and they want my organs already!

Lol.

hey.. no no.. don't get me wrong. I am all for it man! Back in my student days, I've already signed up with a UK institution who can be contacted to take my healthy organs upon my death.

I just thought ... isn't it a bit too abrupt to be giving me that book on the first day I become singaporean?? Especially if it's the only book to read..???




Hmm....


Okie..

Thanks?


=)

NORTH KOREA.. yikes.. or what?

Very much overdue....



Here's my story on visiting the border on what supposedly is one of the scariest countries in the world with probably one of the most fyucked up gahmens (if dicKtatorship counts), where the farmers are skinny as hell and food tastes like shyit..

They are either "contented" with what "simple" life they get or they are in the torture camp for not liking what they get...which would you be if you were born in North Korea? PREDICAMENT?

GEEZZ..

Anyway, this border is called DMZ- De-militarized Zone, which means it's under UN supervision and not under any country's military supervision.
It's just one plus hour coach drive from Seoul

Here's the 3 D Map of the border. Korea is convenienttly divided into 2 parts by a river.. convenient hor??? So after the war breaks out, half is north half is South..

Can see right?

This is the best shot I can get of North Korea shores with my lousy 5 Mega pixels camera and meagre skills. I think what you want to see is the people,, not the land.. I heard they're skinny and sad and so sheltered and totally physcho-ed and they have no idea that the outside world is so capable of any beautiful things..


























This is the bridge that connects the two. There's a story behind this bridge too.

The late Hyundai CEO who just passed on (suicide if I am not wrong), was from North Korea.

He escaped the bloody place and became super super rich in the South.

He wanted to pay back his dues to his late parents who were farmers so he sent thousands of cows over to help the farms. For this purpose, they built this bridge and he became the first guy who crossed the border publicly in his Hyundai cars and thousands of cows of course.



So noble right?



But that North Korea gahmen ah! Damnn basket.

South Koreans felt so much pity towards them that they started donating rice to the North.

But alas, the gahmen in the North will take this rice and sell to Japan.. then take the money to build nuclear bombs.

Aimed towards who?

South lor.. How ironic right? Eh.. your people got nothing to eat until so skinny then you got money to build nuclear bomb to take over the world? I think he never do his math right also..and his people no food so weak, den how to fight others also.. where's your wisdom tooth Mr Kims!?

























Many love messages were left on this bridge gate. Many familes were separated because of the division of the Korea lands and many have not been able to meet one another.



Recently at this peace bridge, many families managed to meet up but only for a mere 15 mins, after that they were chased back to their poor lands.


Reasons probably being abstaining them for conspiring for an escape or getting information.. or maybe letting them know how beautiful life can be at the South or anywhere else in the world for that matters.

They probably think that the world is only as big as North Korea and a tiny bit of South Korea. They probably don't know that Singapore exist or Britney Spears.. They don't know who the hell is super-dishy-shaggable Chace Crawford from Gossip Girl too.. Sigh...
or even Enrigue Iglesias who is my mom's dream boat!...
The aunties in North Korea SO POOR THING!!!!

They probably think that Kim Jong Il is the most handsome man they've ever seen in their life. SHITES!!

Ok better not say so muich, the bugger may have passed on by now.

Here's some stone emblems at the bridge. This place is a very touristy spot.

Check out the touristy Walton babes...















Many monuments were put up to honour who died while fighting the Korea wars.

Here are some miniature houses laid out at the fore shores of North Korea, just across the river.

Very under developed of course, most of their lands are just farms and poor little government housing blocks.

Many South Koreans ventured into their lands for business though. But very smart. They give the North Koreans very redundant, no value-add, out-going projects... like building a walkman.. or home phones.. or portable big big radios... you know.. things that we bought like decade ago.. which are pretty much obsolete now.. This is to make sure that the North Koreans remain backward and donkey-like.

Else, maybe give them some cheap-labour work for sewing or handicrafts or making that traditional Korean costume, win - win situation mah.. South needs cheap labour, North needs work.

Other than this, hardly any friendliness exist between the two countries.

North Korean GangGhem Mountain openned for South Korean tourists to visit recently. But an old lady got shot there not too long ago so I think people stopped taking their chances up there too.

Tsk.. seriously, can't someone wake their idea up or what...

This story so sombre I don't like!

To end on a better note. Let's see a hiao chio bu posed on the train that supposed to run from South to North Korea.. but the railway got bombed liao.. so it's now just some antic lying around for bored tourists to take advantage of.

An yeong ha seyo!!!!

Next up --- Taiwan!

$150 will solve my identity crisis

I may have mentioned this story before.

My name is Marcelly Suhali. It really is. with two L.
I have been born with it and have grown up and into an adult with it.

2 yrs ago, I got my blue Singapore IC.

They wrote : Marcely Suhali.

I comprain!!!
I was upset of losing an L. It's like Raymond becoming Ramon, like Barry becoming Bary.

It was life- threateningly upsetting... trust me.. if you lose an alphabet in your first name, will you be very happy?? So, I went on an adventure to find my lost L.

Apparently, silly, cock-eyed, government clarks in Indonesia couldn't type people's names very well. So, they missed out an L and my passport said Marcely. I realised it's not possible to convince ICA to change my name unless I change the one in the passport first. And the only way to change the spelling in the passport is to prove it with my birth certificate...
I'll show em'!!

So, I took my lawful birth certificate and checked...

It said:

Marcely Suhali.


DARN IT!!!


Sigh... I've been statutorily conned all my life.

So that was 2 yrs ago.. I still managed to limbo between Marcelly and Marcely on my different credit cards, emails and name card. Basically, a serious identity crisis.

Recently, I renounced my Indonesian citizenship, gained my Singapore citizenship, and went to the lawyers to get the documents done.

The clark asked : " You wanna change your name??? We can do a Deed Poll for you, $150 only.."

Me: " Change my name ah??? To what?"

She: " Anything you want lah.. You want put middle name, Chinese name, maiden name.. anything..all same $150.."

Me: "Ermm" I thought of my lost 'L'...so I had an idea.." How about just add an L"

She: " Huh?? Just add an 'L'.. Aiyoh.. are you sure just add an L? you can put any extra name one, Christian name, middle name...??"

Me: "Waitt ahh... I call mom.."

Me: "Mommiiii! I gonna do deed poll.. Add one L for $150. What do you think ah?"

Mom: " Do lah.. you always complained you lost one L"

Me: " Hmm.... $150 for just one L lor.."

Mom: " Why? You think bo hoa is it??? Then add 3 Ls lor!! Cheaper for each L"

Me: "Heh Heh.... Dont want.. ok mommiii.. thank you.."

(ps: bo hoa - not worth the $) So I got mine done... Now I am legally Marcelly Suhali!!! YAY!


I think the $150 is worth every penny. I got my identity back.

The only other sad thing nowadays, is whenever authorities look at my deed poll,
as I told them I've change my name, ...

More often than not, while looking at the deed poll intently, this is what they say, with a sincerely confused face:

"What's the diff ah?.."

Bbrrrr....


Say hi to Marcelly!!