Travel's Experiences

I may write another blogpost about travelling in your old age in a few years' time. I met a truly remarkable gentleman who still remembered World War II vividly. He was born in 1938 and he is still travelling between Central Europe and New Zealand which is home to him now. If one is open to strangers and to strike up a conversation, one can learn much about different cultures, history and including a first hand account of WW II. My new friend told me that his father died during the War when he was 6 years old and life was extremely hard whereby until he was a teenager all he thought about was getting the next meal to fill his stomach. He asked me how I learned to speak English well and I told him I attended University in New Zealand. He told me he had only 4 years of formal education but he speaks good English as well and seems to be learned in many things, a life well-lived with many struggles and difficulties.

But the unexpected moment for me yesterday was at the queue to clear personal items and lo and behold my former Supervisor was in the queue behind me and we exchanged a few words and having met up by chance again later we went for a hot chocolate and talked for an hour. He was on his way to Melbourne for his research leave. That really completed the list of people whom I wanted to meet in New Zealand. It was a windfall because within a week I met both my supervisors and had long and fruitful conversations with them. 

My supervisor asked me about my experience teaching in Singapore and I guess at the back of his mind, he was thinking about why I should leave the job just after 6 years. So I told him a few things and because his flight was more than 3 hours ahead of time, we had plenty of time. I told him that I did not think I felt I could adapt to Singapore's society despite me being granted permanent residence. I spoke about the two cultural traits - first, conformity and being overly cautious. I told my supervisor I would speak my mind when occasion demanded it and Singapore would be too restrictive even within the Christian community. A strong conformity culture is not for me. Everyone seems to follow the crowd and and herd mentality is evident especially during times of crises like Covid-19 pandemic. Second, I told my supervisor that I am a risk taker. If he had read my book, he would have known. I also told him that I needed to utilise my Malay which I can't really do in Singapore and that having published two books in Malay I have left a legacy for the Church in Malaysia by way of spiritual resources. Finally, I added with a note of realism that I chose to return to the mission field in Sabah while I am still in my 50s which I know I could not do if I were in my 60s. Age catches up with everyone and I prayed to the Lord about my 85-year Croatian friend whom I met and that I would have the strength to travel half the world at his age. Kyrie Eleison!