Thursday, July 15, 2010

Friday shootout: Transition

The Nanyang university of Singapore transitioned from a Chinese University to an ultra modern one funded by the Government. When I was growing up in Borneo, my grand parents and parents donated to build the Chinese University outside China. I was told that many of our Chinese ancestors owned a brick. We teased our grand dad if they gave him a number and the coordinates of his brick.

When the Water Engineer went to teach in the University in 1990, it became NTI and then NTU, a fully fledged university. To date, of all the children in the Chan clan, only my daughter D attended the university. I spent sixteen of my adult years here, and the best thing is I made many friends from all over the world.




These Chinese structures are icons, and for a long time, Malaysian are not allowed to visit China. Coming to these Yunnan Garden served to kill two birds with one stone. They were in the university they funded, and they got a feel of China. I felt the same too, as I am 4 generations removed from China, and this is the closest I been to China.

Some of us gardening enthusiasts requested the university for a plot of land. At first the plants grew but later, the rain washed away the top soil, and plants didn't grow. Now, it it a back to nature plot. My legacy of ferns, bananas and peace lilies remain an eye sore of neglect to some, but a gem to me when I went to visit last year.

When we arrived in 1990, there were lots of greenery, and we stayed in the only Staff Residence. Soon, they were digging up and building and building. Some one mentioned that Singapore is liken to a Lego land. Overnight a building can be torn down, and another built very quickly. These are the staff residences. There are lots of other buildings I have posted in my sites.







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FMTSO Theme for July 16 - Transitions - Member Voice by Redlan
Words by Redlan...

"Our town has full of transitions. Things are always changing and evolving. Situations that seem stable and constant can change in an instant or over days, weeks, months or years.

I completely believe that photography and telling the story of transition while you are in it, or before or after you go through it- has a huge, positive impact. When you embrace the opportunity to capture an event or a series of events, you're making layout memories to your own experience of transitions. This is priceless and powerful."

I think what may help here if you have a photo that you can bring out of your archives, and now that may be different, changed, evolved today. I am probably missing the mark but this may help some of you.

12 comments:

Jama said...

Singapore changes too fast, if you ask me! even as a local, I see new places coming up, while the old are either refurbished and transformed into something better or totally gone!

Anonymous said...

Hello Ann, I have not been by to visit for sometime. I don't know why.I have had so much Blogger trouble in the last few months, I am just so aggravated. My son has been working on it and I hope it is better. That trouble takes the fun out of blogging. Thanks for stopping by. I enjoyed your post tremendously.
Blessings
QMM

Kerry said...

Wow lots of building going on there. Did your daughter study engineering when she attended the university?

spiritsoflena said...

I enjoyed looking at these buildings.

Ginny Hartzler said...

This is interesting. Some of these buildings are pretty, I love that pretty little pagoda! So these three things that you planted still survive? How wonderful! I have heard that the buildings go up very quickly there, but I wonder if they take time to make them safe? I saw a show about some buildings in China that came doewn in a earthquake, some were schools, and they had not been built right, the victims parents marched to the local capitol and demanded justice.

~JarieLyn~ said...

I just love the white and red buildings. This is an interesting post you wrote. I like that your plots still grow.

Las Vegas is in a constant state of change too and like your city buildings are torn down fast and can be built really fast too.

Sue McPeak said...

Such an interesting post, Ann. Great photos showing the transition from the traditional buildings to the modern structures. Enjoyed the dialog, as well. Very informative.

Ah Ngao said...

Such a good record of transition, Ann .You have a beautiful weekend,yeah

In the eye of the beholder said...

You're right, places change so fast you can't keep up. I just went to a town I lived in grade school and could hardly reconize the place I used to live, it had changed so much.

GingerV said...

this tearing down and rebuilding in large cities is so true. In Rio they seem to never tear down and don't maintain - so looks ratty.
as usual great post

Pauline said...

A really interesting shoot out, Ann. I enjoyed your story and the photos.

Unknown said...

I always love you posts Ann. so informative and fantastic photos.