Happy Canada Day!
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I learned to sing "O, Canada!" before even landing on Canadian soil. It was on my MP3 player (a.k.a. my mobile phone) and cheered me up on the (many) days when I dragged my feet to work as a nurse in Singapore.
[To paraphrase from Amy Fabulous's article on 24h Vancouver dated 29-Jun-2012.] When faced with a problem, there are 3 options to take:
- Remove yourself from the situation: This is what I did by migrating to Canada. I know that I am probably exchanging one set of problems for another (click here and here), but I'm game to try something different.
- Change it: You can keep trying different methods of changing the situation. E.g. My friend who is making an appeal regarding her clinical failure.
- Accept it totally: From April 2007 when I started my nursing training in Singapore until August 2010 when I left my nursing employment in a Singapore hospital, there was so much shit thrown my way that I wished I was Teflon-coated, so that all the shit would slide-off me. [Click here, here, here and here for some examples.] Yet, I sucked it all up and kept my eyes focused on my ultimate goal -- to complete a goal that I've set for myself. Was it tough? Sure as hell! Was it worth it? Well, as I stand today, I think that I have learnt from my experience and (hopefully) it makes me a better person. The bottom line: I have learnt how determined I can be (once I've set my mind on something); and my past experience makes me appreciate the opportunities and privileges that Canada (especially B.C.) offers to me.
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So yeah, I am happy to have moved* from one red-and-white flag to another red-and-white flag. Cheers to the maple leaf!
O Canada (English version)
O CANADA (English rock-and-roll version)
by DAYLIGHT FOR DEADEYES
*Note: By "moved", I mean "reside". I am still a Singapore citizen.
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteBy now, our family is neither here nor there, and everywhere, and making happiness in whatever way we can, as we carry on in life.
This means that while we'll likely live and die on this tiny island, we enjoy reaching out to the world, and try as much as possible to uphold the niche we struggle to carve for ourselves here.
That is for the best, since we concede to the national slogan that no one owes us a living.
At the same time, we have no need for the petty distinction of stayers and quitters.
Everyone is a world citizen.
That's what makes life so fun, despite its perils, and despite our never being able to leave it alive.
Do keep on! :-)
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and leaving your comment.
> Everyone is a world citizen.
Indeed, in this age of technological and global connectivity, one can easily reach out to the rest of the world even while staying within the Little Red Dot.
Thanks for your encouragement. All the best to you and your family too!
Cheers, WD.