Tag: children

#13- Because home makes me smile

DSC_0355-1Been back in Singapore for awhile now. I think I am slowly integrating “back” into my life. Much as I try to think that things will be the same as before, it will never be the case. I think I have grown on so many levels the last 8 months, having gone through many major changes which required a huge level of maturity and commitment. Time continues to move, people change, and things change so quickly these days that I find it really difficult to continue where I left off before I started my journey.

One big change upon returning here is the newfound sense of appreciation and gratefulness for my life in Singapore. Indeed, I think I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to grow up in Singapore. I’ve been checking out my own city skyline in the last week a couple of times as I’ve had friends visiting, and suddenly I realised how beautiful home is. The people, the sense of familiarity, food, and everything else is really amazing. I have to admit I have always taken all of these for granted.

Even though I still miss the simplicity of village life in Myanmar, coupled with the innocent laughter I hear each time I see kids there, I am still really happy to be back at home, with my family, friends, and everything else. Life is beautiful, and everyday, there is a reason for me to smile.

~~ululatetravels

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#11- Thoughts on Childhood

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We met this little boy at one of the random pagodas we tried to climb up in Bagan. He was really curious, and yet behaved in a really warm way, sharing about the pagoda with us in whatever little English that he could speak. The bulk of the communication was done through pointing and gestures. At the end, we were thinking if we were supposed to tip him, as this was always the case in SEA. To our surprise, he simply said bye to us, and signaled for us to make our way down the pagoda.

I enjoyed the short encounter with this kid, as this reminded me of the innocence that children have. Circumstances, more often than not, take that right of childhood away from them, evident from the neighbouring countries we have traveled to.

Children should be allowed to enjoy their childhood, regardless of where and what sort of families they are born into, and this is definitely an area I hope to make a difference to, if given a chance to.

As I look at how the children in the city are spoilt rotten with the introduction of first world “necessities” such as Ipads, Iphones, tablets, I cannot help but think that I was lucky to be born into a time where I could enjoy my childhood in a tiny village back in Hong Kong in the 80s, where I lived in wooden houses. Even though we did not have any of the luxury that we enjoy today, I definitely think that we were all happier then. Much of it was filled with running around the tiny village with my neighbours, and getting screamed at by the adults as we ran around the neighbourhood. I think I miss that pure happiness, and am ever more so thankful that I had the opportunity to enjoy my childhood.

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