A trip to Duke University! (
atas and branded one, mai xiao xiao)
Just like to share something about why i wanted to come to the US. Hmm I personally feel actually qte a number of Singaporeans, especially the 'squeezed' middle-class actually succumb to a variant of the American Dream, or at least crave to experience the freedoms of 'better stuff' and 'better systems' in the US,as compared to sunny singapore.
I count myself as one of those who may have at one time or another subconsciously succumbed to this thinking that yeah Singapore is clean and safe and orderly, good place to get and retain a job, but not so sure if it's the kind of environment i wanna bring my own kids up in.
Yeah one might dismiss this as just another typical case of 'the grass is greener on the other side', but somehow the allure of the American Dream is distinct, as much as we hate its foreign policy, Singaporeans liekme may still somehow hold a certain craving for expereincing living in the US. Perhaps Singapore really has too much pop culture influz from the US, perhaps we only read the State's Times everyday.
Education seems to be one of those case in point where an overwhelming number of Singaporeans may attest that perhaps a US education would be better, especially at college level. This certainly seems to be corroborated by the gahmen, since many top gahmen agencies insist on sending their brightest brains/potentials abroad for a college education. In fact, we just met up with quite a number of them at Duke University, just 30 mins' bus ride away, but swarming with perhaps 20-30 Singaporeans,mostly 'gahmen 'scholars', while there are only 2 full-time mother-father scholarship singaporean kids here studying, and 8 of us on the pioneer joint degree program. Even the American Dream doesn't escape from the ruthless elite-based classification/strata of the Singapore psyce.
Yup, since i mentioned grand old Duke, might as well throw in a few pictures i snapped.
This was the 1st time i took a bus here in the US, kinda cool experience, along with my fun bunch! Yay we hooked up with more Asians, all easger to explore gothic Duke!
There you go! Gothic archtitecture that defines Duke. This is the chapel i believe, and it looks really old. The main entrance was like this long straight road you had to pound for about 3 mins, all the while having little peripheral view due to the hedges on the side, training your eyes on this tall building only, kinda like a scene out a castle or Lord of the Rings.
Archtitecture typical of most buildings in Duke. I noticed the masonry and the way they laid the bricks was vastly diferent from that of UNC. So i presume they were either built at very different times or had very diferent origins.
This is where you throw your hands up in the air and thank Singapore for its orderly systems, especialy when it comes to things like lining up, even for a public bus. And thank Singapore for the largely dependable and affordable public transport system. I still disagree with the principle of fare hikes every now and then and the lame official reasons given, nevertheless.
But c'mon Singapore! We have procrastinated long enough and prospered enough. It is time to remove the veil from invisible citizens like the elderly and disabled! Mandatory facilities on public buildings and transport to make them wheelchair and disabled-friendly!
