Patchworks: A hundred years of memories
I'm an international student studying at NTU Singapore, and I love spending my weekends walking around the city and soaking in the local culture. I love watching people go about their daily chores, it's a habit that's clued me into the Singaporean way of life and made me love the little quirks that make the islanders so unique!I'm always curious about people and their perceptions of Singapore. Like an adolescent with a growth spurt, it's taken a couple of decades for Singapore to transform itself from a teething, hiccupping infant to a sophisticated, wondrous city. The sky's the limit! But what of the Singapore that was? What about the yesterdays that we've swept under the carpet?My quest for the answers to these questions led me to participate in a heritage project by the Patchworks team which speaks to the elderly, chronicling their personal life experiences which reflect on Singapore's past and her growth through the years. 
Cross-posted from Yesterday.sg on 18th June 2009.
http://yesterday.sg/2009/06/patchworks-a-hundred-years-of-memories/
This is how I first visited The Saint Teresa Home for the Aged in Khatib, and waited in its peaceful environs to meet gentle old Mr. Wee. Ten years ago, a stroke paralyzed the right half of his body and limited his speech abilities, but his spirit is undeterred and his mind is still bubbling with stories of his past. His recent baptism was an important event for him; he seems visibly happier and more contented. Mr. Wee spoke to me about his care-free life as a young bachelor in Singapore. His stories were nostalgic pictures of life in the 1960s. Speaking to him led me not only to better understand Singapore's blood-stained history but also clued me into the trials and tribulations that Mr. Wee's generation was forced to confront during those turbulent times. My talk with Mr. Wee has impacted my own perspective on life too!
Take a minute to reflect upon where your life fits into the larger picture of things. Where is life taking you? Your past may hold the key to your future. Make sure you know where to find it! Explore your Singaporean identity at the 'Patchwork of Reminiscences' blog.
Take a minute to reflect upon where your life fits into the larger picture of things. Where is life taking you? Your past may hold the key to your future. Make sure you know where to find it! Explore your Singaporean identity at the 'Patchwork of Reminiscences' blog.
Cross-posted from Yesterday.sg on 18th June 2009.
http://yesterday.sg/2009/06/patchworks-a-hundred-years-of-memories/
