Dear friends and countrymen,
I am a Singaporean living and
working in western Europe. I graduated from the UK in 98 and headed
home(SG) to start my career.
However, by 99 I decided to return to Europe after a year in a country that favour "foreign talents"(FT) at the expense of local boys.
Most of my friends were having a hard time looking for jobs after graduation, with the economic downturn of the 97-99, and an influx of foreigner working for local terms. We homeboys were really at a disadvantage.
Given the same age group, Local boys
have 3 years less work exp. due to NS. We also may be recall for
reservist activities while FT will never be. From an employers' point
of view if I am to employ on local terms the choice is a no-brainer.
Coming
to Europe, I got a job doing export sales. Given that I am a Singapore
Chinese my language skills (English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien)
made me a "foreign talent" in Europe.
Now I have also mastered the local language. I am assign to the East Asia market and my dialect was a great help. It allow me to network with business people within these 2 dialect very well.
In Singapore I am just an AhBeng with a degree.
But out here I feel appreciated and treated as an equal.
My wife who is European gets better treatment in Singapore than me.
All those talks
about rasism in Europe or USA you get in Straits time is only to scare
people from venturing out. There maybe rasism in Europe, but nothing is
worse than been discriminated in your own country.
Even though I
could have taken up citizenship here 6 years ago, I am still proud to
remain Singaporean. I believe that one day there will be real changes
and Singaporean can really feel that they truly have a say in their
country and have real ownership over it (just like my father shouting
Medaka with LKY at the padang all those years ago, feeling proud to be
the first generation of Singaporean).
I am lucky to be able to
learn dialects from my parents and refine my Hokkien during NS when I
am assign to the Hokkien platoon. I know alot of chinese friends that
can hardly speak mandarin or indian friends that can't speak Hindi.
Now
with both India and China the new Asia Economic power, they regret not
learning their dialects as it was not a cool thing to speak them back
in the 70s and 80s.
My advise to Singaporean is
1. start standing up and ask question. It is our country and I believe that everyone should have a say.
2. Opposing a government or a political party in a country don't make one unpatriotic. The ruling party is only a steward of the country acting for the best interest of the people.
3. We should be grateful that
there are dissidents from Singapore. At least there are some people
that love Singapore enough to dare make a differences.
Sadly our steward has crown themselves King and the people's interest are just a figment of their imagination.
Ah Beng from Europe
http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/2010/01/letter-from-shermaine-chan.html
Now with both India and China the new Asia Economic power, they regret not learning their dialects as it was not a cool thing to speak them back in the 70s and 80s.
I always wondered why this was so.
I never understood why dialect chinese's own language must be suppressed in their own country and have an alien language imposed.
I know the reason now.
Those who don't know the history of Singapore and the politics of Singapore in 1950s can never understand why dialects are suppressed and alien language imposed.
The key to everything lies with lky. It lies with what lky really is.
But I cannot stay too long on this topic, because if I do, I will start to have evil thoughts again on lky.
As Govt foreseen China to be the next economy powerhouse, Govt said we must learn Chinese and even higher chinese so that we can communicate better with PRC peoples in near future.
But when i go China to do business with Chingtao beer company, the Chinese there talk to me in American English, they are learning English and higher English....something is very wrong leh. They even asked me to speak English to them, so that they can learn, but you know my English lah, half past six one....so, learn English or Chinese??? Are we in the right direction??
so do u suggest laughing at the istana or lookin at it angrily?
the PAP should be overthrown.
But if the PAP is overthrown, what will happen to singapore airlines?
Originally posted by Hitman_:so do u suggest laughing at the istana or lookin at it angrily?
i suggest masterbating at it
.......................i think a good future is an illusion unless u are part of the lucky few/sounds like a nightmare to me.
!
..................sad larr...spore cant organise to fight own battles!!end up masturbating and not much work results from fire put in!!whats wrong with everyone??u dont have someone to unite all of you ???
do u want to grow old and die surfing internet for porn??then what??IS THIS WHAT U ALL WANT???TO BE CONNED EVERYDAY BY EVERY SINGLE COMPANY POLICY AND LEGISLATION THATS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE??
IS THIS HOW U ALL WANT TO DIE?
Interesting to see a self proclaimed ah beng with money from his non-elite parents affording an education in the united kingdom. Interesting to know that our country has no place for him but has place for local grads.
Further, i'm surprised to learn that foreigners in europe wants to learn the dialects, hokkien, cantonese, shanghainese, punjabi, hindi, tamil etc when mandarin and english would surfice. Bloody interesting.
Originally posted by Larryteo:the PAP should be overthrown.
This correct idea seems to be spreading. That is good. If the idea takes root, PAP can be overthrown.
We have to do our very best to promote this idea.
We have to spread the gospel about the propaganda this crap corrupted government has. They are no different from Chen Shui Bian in Taiwan
Originally posted by Larryteo:They are no different from Chen Shui Bian in Taiwan
At least Chen Shui Bian stepped down from power and Taiwan is a democracy.
Originally posted by ztreyier:At least Chen Shui Bian stepped down from power and Taiwan is a democracy.
Yea.
Ah Beng in Europe? Come back to Singapore and talk dialect lah. Talk loud loud so all can hear. Kuku bird.