These Chinese structures are icons in Singapore. For a long time, Malaysians were 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 4th generations removed from China, and this is the closest I been to China.
NTU, Nanyang Technological University was originally privately raised by the Chinese people of South East Asia, including my grand parents. 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.
The Nanyang university of Singapore transitioned from a Chinese University to an ultra modern one funded by the Government.
When the Water Engineer went to teach in the University in 1990, it became NTI and then NTU, a fully fledged university and he became an associate professor. 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. This year, after leaving 6 years ago, I went back and my friends made me as welcomed as though I never left.
http://annsnowchin.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/international-day-of-kindness.html
These two photos were taken from the 11th floor in the university accommodation at Nanyang Meadows. These are for this week's meme, Get High.
The first ever Youth Olympic Games (YOG) was held in Singapore from August 14 to August 26 2010. Athletes range from 14 to 18. New Zealand has participants.
This event is close to my heart. The Youth Olympic Village is located in Nanyang Technological University. For more than half of my adult life, I have lived here as an ex pat faculty wife. The campus is full of greenery. I planted many trees that is now given a number.
The photo shows the university's oval, and on the right the swimming pool. It was here, I trained for my 10 km Marathon running. My friend L. trained with me at 6 am in the morning, we added 800 metres per day. Later, we did our circuit of running round the university campus. The day, we completed our 10 km, we High 5ed. We ran 10 times before we ran the real thing, among the Marathon greats from Ethiopia and Kenya.
It was all worth while. I show my students my medal, especially this year during the Olympics games. They fight over the medal, and some kept asking it if really was mine. "You ran the marathon?"
Get High
...with your camera.
As in shoot from above.
7 comments:
It is lovely to see the architecture you enjoy.
Great to see where you trained. Congrats on the medal.
QMM
loved your story. the shots of the university are nice. it is a wonder that after 4 generations you still think of yourself as Chinese. Americans also have this sense of ancestry... In Brasil, even though most are from countries don't think of themselves as Portuguese or spanish or Japanese - just Brasilian. (except those that family are from Italy - then they say they are Italian....)
What a great running story! I'd love to see your medal too.
Great photos this week.
I agree with Cheryl. It would be great if a topic gave you the opportunity to show us your medal.
Singapore will always hold a special place in your heart because of the wonderful memories you had here. Hope one day we have a chance to meet face to face.
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