Floating Around the World

I was sitting in class just this morning when I heard someone start speaking with what sounded like a moderate British accent with a slight lilt on certain phrases. As he kept speaking, I kept thinking...is this person Singaporean? Is he? He really sounds like it!

So I turned around and asked him~

Bravo, me! Courage in the face of facing strangers! And guess what, he was Singaporean! I knew my linguistics training hadn't been for nothing.

It was so nice to chat a little with him about Singapore and to share some of my kaya bread.

Earlier this week I was looking through my cell phone, trying to decide which texts to delete (that's handphone and sms to those of you in Asia). Reading through the Singlish short-hand and remembering the times with my friends made me slightly teary. It's just like how listening to Big Bang's Guh Jit Mal will forever remind me of Fall 2007 in Korea with Tammy and Samm, except I have many more special memories of Singapore.

This week I came to the conclusion that the only way I've ever been able to move on was to slowly forget how good the past was. That's how I finally let go of my memories of my summer in China two years ago. Looking back, I know I had to do it because I had so many classes to take, so many responsibilities to fill. I knew that no matter how much time I spent pouring over those photos and gifts from my students, I couldn't bring back that same feeling again. But then, a year later, I left to embark on a whole new epic journey of cultural experiences and here I am, unable to forget again. I guess I never really did let go of trying to find that same feeling again.

Sometimes I wonder if I had grown up in Asia, would I have been as enamored with it as I am today? Or am I just destined to forever straddle the boundaries of two widely different cultures?

To end this on a more (potentially positive) note, here is my new favorite song ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag-S_e0jE9U

I've already got my Korean roommate humming along to it, I intend to share it with everyone I come accross. I love Stanley Huang's music. You had absolutely no idea.