These days I've been asked pretty often how I feel towards returning to Singapore.
My standard answer: a mixed feeling of happy and sad.
The happy's:
1) I'll have help... lots of help from grandparents.
2) I don't have to worry about my kids catching a cold. No more thick winter clothes.
3) My kids will finally learn how to read and write! Yay! No need to pretend that I pseudo-homeschool. which I don't anyway.
4) I can go for affordable spa treatments!
5) No need to cook every day if I don't feel up to. Food is everywhere!
The sad's:
1) No more Own Time Own Target mentality. Gotta return to the workforce.
2) No more suka-suka lunch with this mom or that mom, or extended birthday brunches.
3) No more shopping in the quiet morning hours, e.g. 9.30 am at supermarket, or 10 am at shopping malls, trying on shoes and clothes!
4) No more quiet moments... Frankfurt is after all a small place, compared with the over-crowded Singapore.
5) No more cool, dry weather... back to the steam-bath Singapore, perspiring all day long!
6) No more fun picnics with my kids in our backyard Botanical Gdns.
7) No more bake sales in the preschool to occupy a couple of my mornings.
8) No more lack of homework from the preschool.
9) No more sledding in winter.
10) No more strawberry picking in the summer.
11) No more no more no more no more no more...
Aiyoh... so many the sad's???!!!
Ok... I know you moms in Singapore will cheer me up. Yeah, give me more happy's to look forward to...
At the very least, there's always the FREE beach!
4 comments:
Happiness is having chaitaukuey, charkueyteow, yucharkuey, kengchaimaifun (economical beehoon), cheecheongfun, meepoktar, yongtaufu, kueypng (chicken rice), arkpeng (duckrice), wantanmee, or-chian, etc etc etc anytime you feel like it. MAJOR PLUS!!
On the other hand, in my case at least, my kids definitely fall sick more easily in Singapore than when overseas. When we're back for some days, itchy eyeslah, itchy noselah, followed by runny nose, coughing etc.
Anyway, with your positive and cheerful attitude, I'm sure everything will be great after the initial settling-down period. Luckily you're going home during the fun festive seasons.
Wow... thanks for cheering me up... or hmmm, is it fattening up???
I think I'll be shuttling my kids for various enrichment classes.... I'll be too kiasu-crazee, always hyperventilating.... won't have time to think of the sad's anymore...
Btw, I heard that HFMD is pretty contagious...
Brian had HFMD when he was 2+, a couple of months after starting half-day childcare. Horrible experience, poor baby. Trouble is some parents continues sending their kids to school even when kids have fever etc. You should see the amount of greenish flowy snot on some kids at childcares in Singapore.
Uh-oh...
Kristin will catch whatever bug there is... She's always in fashion with whatever snot the rest of the kids wear... oops!
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