National Day is also a time when many Singaporeans – whether they were born and bred in the country, or have adopted it has their home – are gripped with a sentimental sense of belonging. Julia Vasko, a curator from the US who has spent 22 years in Singapore, considers herself very much a Singaporean.

Vasko has been in and out of Singapore a lot over the past two years, and her sense of returning home always starts the minute she steps off the plane.

“That first wave of dense, humid air that hits my skin, before quickly being replaced by the air-conditioned chill,” Vasko says. “Driving down the highway admiring the perfectly aligned trees and flowers, and the motorcyclists that weave in and out of traffic. Passing by the neighbourhood park and seeing children playing on the same swings that I played on as a child.

“And finding peace in sipping a nice, hot kopi-c [coffee with condensed milk] while listening to the uncles chatting away about their daily affairs. All these seemingly insignificant observations and experiences are what make me feel at home here in Singapore.”

Share This Post