Jobless graduate don’t feel proud to be a Singaporean anymore
Hi Gilbert,
I chanced upon your website while Googling support for unemployed.
Your website appeared before my eyes and I read the posts with a sharp pain in my heart.
Your website gives me an avenue to voice my inner feelings that I have been concealing.
Letting go is important, but it’s hard for now.
Being able to air it out helps alleviate the build-up anger and pain within my heart.
As a pure Singaporean, it never dawned on me that I would someday become a part of the unemployed community in my very own country.
Despite the changes in our environment and leadership, I have always loved my country.
In fact, I feel very proud of Singapore, especially in the way she has marketed herself to the world in recent years.
Wherever I was, I was always proud to say that I am a Singaporean.
But
ever since I got retrenched during Chinese New Year this year, I felt ashamed of myself.
I’m educated and experienced, yet I’m jobless in my own country.
I have friends who are foreigners in Singapore. They have jobs, but here I am — jobless in the country I was born, bred and educated.
Some years ago, when I went overseas to work, I always missed Singapore.
I always felt good hearing SQ saying “Welcome home”.
Even when I was out of Singapore for a mere two weeks, I would still miss my country — not just the wide array of fantastic food, but the sense of safety when walking alone in the streets.
In fact, I even missed some of the nice government leaders.
This freedom and security are not always present in certain countries like the one I went to work for for two years.
The country is so unsafe to be alone in the streets.
Life then was just work and work.
Born in a poor large family, my demise Dad ,who belonged to the past era , had repeatedly emphasized to us the need to work hard in order to stay alive.
I was a faithful follower of my Dad’s guidance.
Old PAP leadership.
I worked my way up, through part-time studies to secure my hard-earned diploma, advanced diploma and degree. Great story of struggle through adversity and on to success. PAP fighting the Communist.
Sadly, even being equipped with these plus overseas exposure in leadership position is no immunity from retrenchment. Hard truths from Lee Kuan Yew.
Welcome to the real, transformed and rapidly evolving world.
PAP's very words no less.
While it is only human to feel down, let’s solidify as one and support each other in the search of hope.
Our lives are worth more than our jobs and it is time to reinvent ourselves.
I am still finding myself but have decided to have a career switch by doing something I enjoy — like teaching, writing and researching.
Again, it is going to be challenging.
Because I lack the typical 3-5 years experience expected from such jobs.
But let’s press on.
Being alive itself is a hope.
Together we can build hope for our fellowmen and women.
Let’s jia you! Cheers
Tomorrow will be better. Chow Weng Fatt sends you his regards.
...Upgrade your self. Upturn the Downturn. Sing Hokkien Song. Ai Piah Jia Eh Yiah. Lim Swee Say sends you his compliments.
Annie
Editor’s note: The writer has 20 over years of experience in procurement in the engineering industry and a degree in business administration.
- See more at:
http://www.transitioning.org/2014/0...e-a-singaporean-anymore/#sthash.i822EgqC.dpuf
