Page 141 - Stories from our Grandparents

Mdm Jamuna rani “I started
working
y name is Lin Hoon Lan. I am 63 years old this year. Born 1963
I have 8 siblings and stayed with my parents for 19 in the mid-
Queenstown Secondary School
years. I used to work at a dessert store in a kopitiam By Achikumar Kishaal 80s and in
Mfor 5 years. I am a true blue Singaporean. those days, we

When I was 8, my siblings and I were am Jamuna Rani and I was born applied jobs through
very poor. Every day, we only had I newspaper advertisements
in 1963. I am now 55 years old.
10 cents for recess. We did not Mdm Lin Hoon Lan My most memorable experience and applications were sent
have enough money to buy bus Born 1955 growing up was when I used by mail.”
tickets to go to school so we By Valencia Lee to play with my neighbours
secretly boarded the bus without Queenstown Secondary School along the veranda and at the Nowadays, we are able to apply
the driver noticing. playground. There were no mobile through company websites. I
phones to keep us occupied. worked in an insurance company
“When the conductor boarded the bus for random checks, we for more than 11 years before I left
lied to the conductor that our mother had paid for the tickets. I was born almost 21 years after to join another company.
We would point at a random woman on the bus and said that WWII, and by then, Singapore Singapore today has a lot of
was already developed with good
she was our mother and that the tickets were with her. When infrastructure and public housing. I high-rise buildings and more
the conductor went towards the woman, we ran down the bus lived in HDB apartments ever since private housing. Technological
immediately.” I was born, so I do not know much advancements have made
about Kampung life. Singapore more vibrant. However,
I was born after the war. We were so poor that we could even there is too much construction
have a proper meal daily, so we had to be very thrifty. My 8 In the 70s and early 80s, we only going on and life is more stressful
siblings and I lived in a very old housing estate at Outram Park. had public housing and private now. In those days, we did not
Usually, we took the bus, which cost 5 cents for children and 10 taxis as modes of transportation. have to worry about terrorism but
cents for adults, or walked to our destination. My first job was Later in the 80s, we had the MRT now, the whole world is living in
near Haw Par Villa at a coffee shop at the age of 40 for 2 years. I and only a few stations. It was fear of terrorism. The one thing I
did not work until I divorced my husband. This is because I had to not as complicated as the train would like to share with the future
take care of my 4 children. My salary was $800 per month, with an overtime system we have now. In those days, generation — be more tolerant
pay of $7.50 per hour. I made coffee in the morning and in the afternoon from public buses were not child nor towards each other. Singapore is a
3pm to 11pm. I also made and sold desserts. handicap friendly but now, it is so multi-racial society and the older
convenient for them to use public generation was able to keep peace
I think that the Singapore today is very clean and safe. I feel that transportation. in the past. I hope you will be able
transportation in Singapore is more convenient than in the past. My to keep that peace for Singapore
message to the next generation of Singapore is to study hard so you to be successful in the future.
can support your parents and family in future. Cherish your family
and loved ones. Do not take their love and kindness for granted.

82 Grandma Stories Grandma Stories 83