I frequently catch my mind wandering, however, to my significantly relaxed past, or to the possibility of living up to the typical 'Indonesian teenager dream' - A life saturated with time-wasting activities: Hanging out in malls, having interesting conversations, and driving throughout Jakarta while enjoying the night lights. Now I am a typical Singaporean good boy - doing all my homework diligently, drowning myself in a multitude of tasks and projects, and abiding by a perfect conduct of behavior.
My cousin being a PR here, Singapore was the main destination for my childhood holidays. Those were really fond memories: Eating good food, chilling and playing with my relatives, away from Indonesia's timeless traffic congestion and toxic pollution. I was very (and now still) fat! So I was very terrified of the prospect of studying in Singapore for three reasons: 1. Compulsory fitness program (my cousins told horror stories about tough clubs) 2. Learning Mandarin (back then I thought that everything here was taught in Chinese) 3. Generally stressful levels experienced by my cousins studying here!
Many apologies, but now I see Singapore in a significantly different light. After studying here myself, I discovered that numbers 1 and 2 do not really matter, but number 3 really does. It's just the air here, I reckon. By the time I got back to Singapore from Batam when my holidays ended, I felt very restless, and my parents immediately pointed it out. (It was 29th of December 2011, I still had a week of holidays ahead of me before the school would have started)... Well, it's a country where a pregnant lady walks faster than (a typical) Indonesian scholar, hehehe
So now I officially declare that I give up. I surrender. I put my hands up. The typical Indonesian teenager dream will never happen. But at least, along with that, I am parting with my naivety, with my vanity, and with my useless stresses and pressures. So allow me to embrace the year ahead, with quiet confidence, and with peacefulness.
Truly Indonesia's Finest,
PS: Haha I used to find the Singaporean girls' uniforms very funny, akin to what the nurses wear. Now I know that it goes by the name of pinafore :D My Indonesian female friends brand these pinafores as blouses for pregnant ladies LOL
Many apologies, but now I see Singapore in a significantly different light. After studying here myself, I discovered that numbers 1 and 2 do not really matter, but number 3 really does. It's just the air here, I reckon. By the time I got back to Singapore from Batam when my holidays ended, I felt very restless, and my parents immediately pointed it out. (It was 29th of December 2011, I still had a week of holidays ahead of me before the school would have started)... Well, it's a country where a pregnant lady walks faster than (a typical) Indonesian scholar, hehehe
So now I officially declare that I give up. I surrender. I put my hands up. The typical Indonesian teenager dream will never happen. But at least, along with that, I am parting with my naivety, with my vanity, and with my useless stresses and pressures. So allow me to embrace the year ahead, with quiet confidence, and with peacefulness.
Truly Indonesia's Finest,
PS: Haha I used to find the Singaporean girls' uniforms very funny, akin to what the nurses wear. Now I know that it goes by the name of pinafore :D My Indonesian female friends brand these pinafores as blouses for pregnant ladies LOL
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