Between Australia, America and Singapore:

- I can survive without the national holidays I got to celebrate in Singapore 20 years before I came here. Although Australia doesn’t get as many holidays as Singapore does, the amount of Christmas caroling they do here (nearly ad nauseum) is enough to overcrowd the effects of the excessive Christmas lightings on Orchard Road in Singapore. And the amount of fireworks Aussie Idol final show gets is comparable to a Singapore National Day.

- Amount of alcohol Australians consume can drown Singapore. (Exaggeration) I’ve been introduced to the drinking culture, and possibly have increased my alcohol tolerance. Unfortunately, the alcohol knowledge did not extend to the classroom where I made up what BAC meant during a presentation. Very embarrassing. By God’s grace though, I’ve got a distinction for that unit.

- I’m just watching an old episode of Oprah on TV, where it was the day before Obama’s inauguration, and they had this ‘America’ song – and I realised the amount of national songs Singapore has (x = existing classics + yearly new songs that become classics + new songs nobody sings because it’s too hard to catch) and the patriotism (country and school-wise) we’ve got instilled in us through the years of education.. MANNN. Maybe that’s why I have slight withdrawal symptoms from not celebrating Singapore National Day.