National Day
Saturday, 20 August 2011
9th August. Every year. People sometimes tend to remember it for the two day break it provides from the hectic school life. But more often than not, it should be remembered for its national significance. Everyday we recite the pledge and sing the national anthem. But what does it mean? What does it mean to be a Singaporean?To me, the most significant part of being a Singaporean is our multi-racial and multi-religious society. There are Chinese, Malay, Indians, Christians, Buddhist and Muslims. Singaporeans are always going to remember the way the MRT is constantly buzzing with different people speaking different languages. They way we celebrate all racial and religious holidays as a form of respect.
The second aspect is the food culture and the idea of Singapore being a football paradise. In Singapore, all types of food are found. Whether it is Japanese cuisine, Korean Cuisine, Chinese food, Malay food, Indian food, all are available for choice. To focus more specifically, chinese food like the hainanese chicken rice, which is not actually sold in hainan, is uniquely found in Singapore, a mix of fragrant rice and chicken. Malay food like the nasi lemak is also special, with coconut rice and ekan bilis and fried fish mix together. Then there is the Indian food, which is known for the indian head curry, which is especially delicious. Such a variety of food is unrivalled throughout the world, and hence, makes Singapore special.
Lastly, it is Singapore's sporting culture. Singapore is a sport-crazy country. While we have excelled at table tennis, it is mainly a chinese sport. What truly unites the country, is soccer. Whenever our lions play, the Jalan Besar Stadium will have a influx of human traffic, more packed than ever. This year, as we bid to qualify in the World Cup 2014 for the first time, much of the same is expected.
August 9 will always be a special day for Singaporeans no matter where you are.