Happy Birthday, Singapore

 


Credit: Sheng Long Photography

The great thing about the 9th of August is that it gives you a shameless excuse to celebrate the best things about Singapore — excessive food intake, loud noises and taking out that flag you keep in your bomb shelter for display once a year.

Despite all the imperfections of this nation and YouTube rants on why some people may not be proud to be Singaporean, we still have good reasons to love this place. In fact, we have 50. On our Nation’s 50th birthday, we give you a story on why Singapore will always be my home.

 

1. Welcome to Singapore

 

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2. There is no shame in ‘public housing’ 

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_HDB.jpgb2ap3_thumbnail_HDB2.jpgb2ap3_thumbnail_HDB3.jpgLike these? Check out 15 Singapore homes so beautiful you won’t believe they’re HDB flats.

 

3. And public transport rides are not always awful

 

Lorong Boys, Amazing Musicians in Singapore MRT!!
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Lorong Boys, Amazing Musicians in Singapore MRT!!

 

4. Every Singaporean kid has contributed to this garden city

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_BY3ziGGCQAAkPVx.jpgSource: Mumsgather

 

5. But some kids recognize others’ contributions as well

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_977617_672575036093302_1092550555_o.jpgLike this two-year-old who gives out sweets daily to construction workers working near his home. Read about it here.

 

6. We are a pretty confident bunch of people

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_anf.jpgSource: BicoastalBitchin

 

7. Who are unafraid of some PDA with strangers

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_1462603_669767769712838_2087746352_o.jpgSource: Humans of Singapore

Upgraded from free hugs to free kisses already.

 

8. Because we know that sharing is caring

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_1048054_401871739919253_1171048919_o.jpgSource: The People of Singapore

 

9. Our uniformed groups make us laugh

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_scdftwitter3.PNGb2ap3_thumbnail_scdftwitter2.PNGSource: Twitter 

 

10. And sometimes they make us slightly teary

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_1888720_686985074699014_1591352647_n.jpgb2ap3_thumbnail_10153654_686985421365646_351145665_n.jpgSource: Republic of Singapore Navy Facebook

Heartbreaking photos of the Navy men bidding farewell to their loved ones before embarking on Operations Blue Sapphire for three months.

 

11. We hate to admit it but we are a little weird sometimes

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_chope.jpgSource: The Huffington Post 

 

12. Doing eye exercises before recess

 

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Source: eye-exercise-for-good-vision

 

13. And the things that make us happy are definitely one-of-a-kind

 

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Source: SGAG Facebook

 

14. We enjoy drinking our favourite beverages out of little plastic bags

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_kopitabao.jpgSource: Vanessa Poh 

 

15. And we eat bread with ice cream

 

 

16. We all tell white lies, sometimes.

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_excuse-me.jpgSource: The Little Drom Store 

Translation: Behind, Hot!

 

17. Love him or hate him, we have one of the greatest politicians alive

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_limpeh.jpgSource: skl0 

 

18. Who can be quite trendy

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_BQLNJ8KCMAAVXCn.jpgSource: Twitter

#newbalance #ootd

 

19. His son, our current Prime Minister, knows how to have fun sometimes

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_LHL.jpgb2ap3_thumbnail_LHL2.PNGSource: Lee Hsien Loong Twitter 

 

20. We dance to the same beat

 

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21. And when we come together we create a wave

 

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22. And of course, FOOOOOOD

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_food.jpgSource: SGfoodonfoot

 

23. Our love for cheap, good food transcends generations

 
 

 

24. Despite the crazy amount of calories we consume, we are still one of the world’s healthiest countries

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_healthiestcountry.PNG

Source: Bloomberg

 

25. All thanks to The Great Singapore Workout, I guess?

 

The Great Singapore Workout
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The Great Singapore Workout

 

26. Or the upgraded Great Singapore Workout?

 

 

27. We are very serious about education

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_apq2jd9_700b.jpgSource: 9gag 

Location: National Junior College

 

28. But we bend rules for the love of World Cup

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_10502117_10152256884677029_8233056087565670633_n.jpgSource: 987FM Facebook 

 

29. And we are happy to share this love with others

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_ST_20140627_VNAWCOWORLDCUP_443188e_0.jpgThis Singaporean moves his TV set outside his landed property so that everyone can enjoy watching World Cup. Read about it here.

 

30. We retain our sense of humour even in the midst of exams

 

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Source: Twitter 

 

31. Superheroes are everywhere in Singapore

 

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Source: Betshopboy

 

32. Everywhere

 

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Source: STOMP 

 

33. EVERYWHERE

 

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Source: Language Log

 

34. Though sometimes, not without irony

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_batman.PNGSource: BBC 

It is a tough name to live up to.

 

35. Dear Justice, where art thou?

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_justice-tnp.jpgSource: The New Paper 

 

36. But you don’t need superpowers to do good

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_3_93.jpgb2ap3_thumbnail_1_107.jpg
Source: Twitter 

 

37. To those we often take for granted

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_GtOrEot.pngSource: imgur

 

38. And even to the most unexpected ones living among us

 

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Source: Twitter 

 

39. And non-living things

 

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Source: Shocking Facts Archive 

 

40. Sometimes we can do it in unexpected ways

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_551yahoo_isaacandruby.jpgSource: Deborah Choo 

 

41. And it definitely is possible to love thy enemies

 

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Source: STOMP 

 

42. There are definitely still sides of Singapore that we have not seen

 

Source: Justin Ng 

 

43. Stories that we have not heard

 
 

 

44. And people that we have not met

 
 

 

45. Perhaps it’s all about your perspective

 
 

 

46. The world may mock us

 

 

47. A lot

 

 

48. But this song will always get us

 

Singapore National Day Video - Home - Kit Chan
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Singapore National Day Video - Home - Kit Chan

 

49. So much so that we did our own version

 

Everyday Singaporeans Sing
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Everyday Singaporeans Sing "Home" by Kit Chan (SG50 MV Cover)

 

50. Happy birthday, Singapore

 

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