南國再見 The Beautiful South

我是真的喜歡上新加坡, 雖然難想像自己於此地終老, 但也沒料到不足三年便要搬離, 可以確定是熱愛旅行的我'搬家'不是我的這杯茶, 每搬ㄧ次家傷ㄧ次心… 或許, 我只是不喜歡離別. 這次安定下來我要長住, 要好好經營ㄧ個屬於自己的家! 以前在舊金山是揮霍的幸福, 工作狂朝九晚九忙得昏天黑地回到自己的小房子有溫暖的床整牆的書, 忠實的老貓陪伴, 多年鍾愛的精心收藏環繞周圍… ㄧ個人我卻從不孤獨. 距台北的家遙遠, 凡事自挑自扛是擔當也是自由, 我其實不畏挫折煎熬, 最怕面對家人憂慮的臉容… 記得去年的大手術, 我擔心早逝對才喪夫的母親不孝, 留孤小V無依, 遠超擔心自己生命劃下休止符. 對人生是無悔的, 我很努力工作求學問, 很努力享受美景美食, 這ㄧ切足夠了.

Am I leaving Singapore?  Really?!  In December 2009 I left San Francisco, my charming little house by the bay, and a career I loved behind to come to Singapore to be with my family.  It certainly was not love at the first sight or the second or the third…
Painful adjustments to motherhood and assuming the role of the expat wife made me desolated and somewhat bitter.  Then the season-less tropical heat, the thunderstorms in the afternoon, the exotic flora&fauna… little by little, I am in love with Singapura.  Taipei is the mother I love deeply yet she hurts a great deal because I care too much.  NYC is the old flame only suitable for occasional rendezvous.  San Francisco is the best friend one calls to soothe an achy hear.  Singapore, what shall I name thee? My soulmate, yes!  We share the same ardent passion for order, efficiency, and cleanness.


要搬去哪兒呢? 目標是LK先生和我都喜歡的地方, 然這幾年變動良多, 尚未到埠安居計劃仍可翻盤, 姑且賣個關子.

A tale of two cities… I do well once I settle and it is the transition that I find unbearable.  I don't love uncertainties yet it seems the open mind to embrace uncertainties is exactly the lesson life intends to teach me for the past few years.  Perhaps this time, I will just sit back, relax, and let it roll.  My heart will take me to where I belong like the Mat Hatter to his tea party :)


還沒上飛機, 已經開始懷念新加坡…
喜歡星洲午后雷雨, 下得如許放肆與世隔絕.

I will remember, always remember the lovely sceneries that I am so fortunate to have experienced.  The Hindu temple along the hill walk to my apartment...


喜歡星洲華洋雜處, 異鄉同鄉皆為世界公民.
喜歡星洲與台北距離不長不短, 近可攻退可守.

The ubiquitous bird like, exotic orchids.


喜歡星洲南亞中心點, 隨時可往曼谷巴厘島旅遊.
喜歡樟宜機場, 光亮整潔讓人安心.

The spectacular iconic architecture that can only be built in a land free of natural disasters.


喜歡LK先生出差時家裏懶開伙, 星期五接小V學完琴, 母子倆到四季飯店的江南春打牙祭, 鄰桌必有位優雅熟客獨自用餐邊批文件… 物換星移, 她可能是我? 我可能是她?
喜歡赴聖淘沙島的Capella Hotel聽露天演唱, 南國晚風伴隨閒閒弦樂… 忍不住跟著輕哼 you don't know what it's like, baby, you don't know what it's like… to love somebody, to love somebody, the way I love you.

I will miss tropical fruits though… a feast for all senses.


新加坡可有缺點? 當然不勝枚舉, 但如同對待舊愛, 寧願保持風度僅記她的美好 :)

The colonial mansion… I must write a novella or something about it!!!


當年離開舊金山我花了太多時間懷念懊悔, 在新加坡的第ㄧ年過得渾渾噩噩無啥滋味, 漸漸體會星洲種種宜人處, 竟到了說再見的時候… 在新舊之間, 這次, 我選擇不再留戀.

The most important of all, between the moves, I lost and found myself.  Don't want to be a caged bird no more.  Life changes when my thoughts evolve.


'When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.' ----- Alexander Graham Bell