Early this month, I mentioned that Singapore needs more good news. Today, Team Singapore delivers us a silver medal. I don’t know how my fellow citizens feel. I am ecstatic. And in my state of ecstasy, two questions still linger on my mind: What does ‘Singapore will at least get a silver medal’ mean? And how do you measure Singaporean-ness?
The first question is a strange one. Of course any country that enters the final match will get a gold or a silver medal. So why this mindset that we would at least get a silver? No clue. I have watched the match and I think we have proven to be a worthy opponent against China. Well done Team Singapore. You guys have done us proud.
The second question puzzles me too. No offence to some of my friends who may not regard our national table tennis team members as Singaporean as they could be. I too come from a far away land and call Singapore my home since 1998 – the year that I sworn in. Is a one year old Singapore born baby more Singaporean than a new citizen who has sworn in for a year? Hmmm …
To measure Singaporean-ness, I guess we can only observe actions. Check these out:
- One who is born or sworn in as a Singaporean
- … and he/she has done something very patriotic
- … and he/she has done something very unpatriotic
To me, only case #3 makes me roll my eyes. Otherwise, you are my beloved country mate whether or not you have yet exhibited observable patriotic actions.
Last October, I was at the airport waiting for Cynthia’s plane to touch down. There was a huge crowd with people all cheering. That puzzled me. I would be shocked if I was to come out from the gate and meet this crowd. Some foreigners smiled in awe. Then I caught the Welcome Back Team Singapore signboard (see picture above). And that was the first time I heard of Team Singapore.
To those who are in the Team Singapore and are out there in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, many congratulations. You all have only yourself to challenge and better. One world, one dream!
8 replies on “Singapore Won A Medal, I am Ecstatic”
I am very excited too!! I am a Singaporean, based in Beijing for work purposes. It feels great to see Feng putting up a brave front when pitted against Wang Nan. Well done, Singapore!
Sarah – Wow, you are right where the action is! What great opportunity it is to be in Beijing right now.
Yep. Well done Singapore. We are on medal ranking 53 now. I am so happy to see our country being listed in the overall medal standings.
As you know, I was not very estatic. I heard it was an exciting match but China proved too good!
I am not xenophobic for sure – I welcome everyone here as long as they love my home as much as I do! Just that some reports I read made me go “Hmmmmmmm. is it?”
Nevertheless, I do think they deserve all the credit they should get – Congratualtions Team Singapore!
G – Oh, we were up against the top two table tennis players in the world! It was tough but it was a real good game. Some of the exchanges were simply world class. I could only imagine how our Singapore women table tennis team may have felt. Having left their birth country, joined our national team, only to return to China and compete.
As for those reports you read, I agree. That would be case #3 for me, at an individual basis.
[…] in the Beijing Olympics. It is the nation’s first Olympic medal in 48 years. Wilfrid Wong is ecstatic. Posted by Mong Palatino Print Version Share […]
Actually I think its the entire environment and experience, and not jus because of my home/family is in Singapore? Like feeling attached, getting used to (how the MRT trains are, how to get about, food, habits), feeling at ease/comfortable in the environment…?
Oh haha I was responding more of Singaporeness, though I saw the threads above about the table tennis game. Haha. I support the Singapore team but I will agree that the China team did a great job! The balls seemed to be flying from one end to another!
Si Ying – You brought up a good point. In terms of the Singapore’s way of life and the history, new Singaporeans like myself would miss out.
Can one still love one’s country with little recollection of the past but with eyes fixed to the present and the future? I surely hope so.
Ya, that game was great. Watched more like a game of exhibition. And check out the smiles on these girls’ faces when they had a really good exchange of ping pong. Awesome stuff!