Page 35 - Stories from our Grandparents

Mr Tan Swee Siam BORN 1942 Despite the fun, there were tough times for us too. When we did

By T erry T eng Joon Seng not have enough money, we would just eat porridge or biscuits
for our meals. We would eat Chee Cheong Fun and Kway Teow
Pasir Ris Secondary School
noodles on other days to fill our stomach. We did not have any
fast food nor Western, Japanese or Korean
food choices back in our generation.
t was a usual weekday morning and I would usually head out to have
my breakfast. I was going to meet my old friends at a coffeeshop in Meals would end with desserts like ice
Serangoon to catch up on old times. As my bus turned into Serangoon balls. It was actually Ice Kachang, but
INorth Avenue 1, I glanced at the signboard for the road name and found
it familiar. Then, I remembered, it was the now-gone kampong which was my shaped in a ball. We enjoyed that the most
home for more than forty years. It was previously known as Jalan Hwi Yoh. as it was flavourful and cold. Ice Kachang
machines were operated manually instead of
I had vivid memories of living in the kampong. All my
childhood memories took place there. In the past, mechanically operated today.
life was all about fun and adventures. Everyone Technology in the past was way different
in the kampong had many friends and all of from now. Black and white televisions were common and there
us were very close. My neighbours and I often weren’t any other forms of electronic gadgets like the phones or
raced each other to school. We often played laptops we have now. There was only one way of long distance
games such as marbles, five stones and soccer. communication, which was by writing and sending letters. In our
In the past, we were fearless and would climb up school, we often had pen-pals that would allow us to write to
trees and even go fishing on a sampan with our each other and start a new friendship.
friends without adult supervision on weekends. On
rainy days, guppies and tadpoles would be found I must say my current lifestyle is much more relaxed back
swimming in the drains and we would compete when I was younger. Life in Singapore has changed so much,
with each other to see who could catch the most. from the types of games, food and technology. The current
generation should not take things for granted, and spend
more time with their family and friends, just like how the
kampong generation used to be.

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