I'm visiting the motherland right now, it's been over 1.5 years since I have. As much as I was really, really, really looking forward to escaping the snow and bitter cold in Canada, I have to admit that I'm feeling extra hot ever since I landed. Which brings me to the topic of today's post: my roots. My roots is and always will be Singapore - I was born and brought up here, everything I am today I owe to my country, my family and my friends from here. But this trip feels a little different... for the first time, I feel a little, tiny little , twinge of missing Canada. Usually when I'm in Singapore, it's like - Canada who?!?! I think it just comes from the undeniable fact that now, I am starting to grow roots in Canadian soil as well, starting to relate and grow familiar with things and people over there as well. But that comes with it's own pains... I read this quote somewhere, and it should properly sum up what I'm trying to say: "You will...
I have lived in this country for almost 2 years now, so it is safe to say I have been to shops and bought stuff more times than I can count... and yet I am still so unfamiliar with the currency and terms, that I end up being the lame tourist-like person staring at a handful of coins at the cashier trying to figure out which coins will add up to the amount I need. It is really not my fault. First of all, take a look at the difference in size between the ten-cent coin and five-cent coin: Why in the world is the smaller denomination coin of a bigger size?! It still confuses me two years into living here. Next, Canada has a 25-cent coin (which really isn't that much bigger than the 5-cent coin, but I've made peace with that). In Singapore, we use 20-cent coins. So I still take out 25-cent coins here thinking they are 20-cent coins and mess up my calculations. Figuring out the currency is one thing... I haven't even gotten into talking about the terminology. Canadia...
It's been a while, I know! Today, I'm going to write about every Singaporean's favourite topic to discuss (and complain about) - healthcare. For the uninitiated, let me do a quick comparison of healthcare in both countries: Singapore: Healthcare is NOT free. This means that you have to pay for doctor consultations, hospital visits and prescription drugs. Canada: Healthcare is free. This means that you do not need to pay for doctor consultations or hospital visits. However - please note - you still have to pay for prescription drugs. Needless to say, I have been to the doctor in both countries, for simple problems like having a cold or pain of some sort. And I have to say this - for common illnesses, healthcare is still cheaper in Singapore. Why? Because while I do not need to pay to see the doctor here, I need to still pay full price for the prescription drugs after the visit. In Singapore, while you have to pay for both the consult and the drugs, both items are su...
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