09

I was just 22 years old when I moved to Singapore in 1997. I came here for a job opportunity, and I intended to stay just a year (maybe two).  I was a young, fresh university graduate, and I had my whole life in front of me.  Singapore was to be only a brief stop on the road to adulthood, a short excursion in Southeast Asia.  I had no idea that 14 years later I would still be here, nor that I would affectionately call Singapore my home.

I am not sure when or how it happened, but somewhere along the way Singapore became special to me. Perhaps it was the melting pot of Asian cultures or the beautiful tropical climate or the close proximity to so many exotic destinations that made me fall in love with Singapore.  I can't really put my finger on one thing.  It's all of these things, and more.  But Singapore is not perfect.  Nowhere is.  As we know, love is not without its frustrations.  But we love despite the imperfections.

Inevitably, Singapore has changed and grown, and as the years have slipped by, the city has expanded and the landscape has been altered so dramatically that sometimes I barely recognize it.  But no matter how many casinos or luxury condominiums or shopping malls or office skyscrapers pop up (literally overnight), wonderful little communities and tiny cultural enclaves seem to endure.

I've made it my mission recently to seek out and explore something new in Singapore every week.  So far I've discovered a charming coffee shop in Tiong Bahru, an amazing vintage furniture shop in Bukit Batok, and a new restaurant at Dempsey Hill.  This week, perhaps I'll visit a photo exhibition at a local gallery or explore the small neighbourhood of Siglap.

I feel like I've grown and changed alongside Singapore, and -- although I sometimes long for "the good old days" -- ultimately I feel that we are both better for it.

Happy 46th Birthday, Singapore.  I hope to celebrate many more with you.

See more of my iPhoneography elsewhere on this blog or on Flickr.