I made up my mind (year 1980)

Decision

Migrating to Australia.

It was a decision, I made. To begin a life in Australia. I was just married and had a son, to migrate to Australia was a hard decision and a selfish one. My mother was unsettled and unhappy because our attap house in the kampong was possessed by the govt. our whole Family squeezed in to a low housing flat at Kim Keat Road, a two bedroom and a family living room. There were crushes in our family, although I lived on my own, my mother would not allowed us to live peacefully. I decide to get away from the family away from unhappiness.

The holy Communion

Sending our two children to Catholic Primary School.

The first school St. Mary my son was not successful. So we went to Staint Pual to register my son and later my daughter in a Catholic Primary School. I was told Govt school was not good so I register my children. There were alway prayer on weekend and parents had to attend. I had to attend church prayer and pretend to be Catholic. On day there was a holy comunion and I had to drink the red wine, the blood of Jesus Christ and to slip a little red wine and I felt jesus was with me for a few day. I am a person any god could accept, I went Thai worship, monk bless me with holy water and I also feel that the god is with me the whole day. I can accept any god and can also be accepted by any god.

Places of worship

Places of worshipping God

I am a god worshiper. The thing I am most concerned is living beside a place of worship. I am not against God worshiping, I am not against any religion, but the noise created by the worshipers. Why can't this people pray without creating so much noises. By the way eastern religions are noisy.

The very strange is I always live near a place of worship. I think god wanted me to live beside a place of worship.

Money

Happy man has spare money.
The people living with or related to a person know you have money

Living with no money set aside for emergency is full of worried
Money can stay put. There is always someone approaching the person and borrow. Life become better, buying until the money is gone.

Our family set some money for emergency, but people living in a family borrow, spend on personnel items. Then again set aside some money, again the money gone, the same reason, but the people learn, now no money aside. But there are the money aside for old age, what will happen to the money? Sure have to spend to "create harmony in the family" but my personnel money for my old age, who give a damn.

,

It could be a beautiful vacation

Cameron highlands and Kuala Lumpur
19th October 2010 to 23rd October 2010

We need a break badly, speaking for ourselves Irene and me. Me lack of rest and Irene too much housework. I had no interest in a shopping holiday. I love sight seeing. I always avoid the companion of née's husband a big mouth fellow who belittled us since young. Née is a reasonable person, Irene often asked me to give her face, and asked me not to crush with her big brother in-law. I can only take this much. Anymore I just can not take it. I had to fix his mouth, he has a way to tell people we are poor. To make himself appearing better then us. it's truth he earns more but making us small makes him happy. Belittle us makes him feel great. Truth is we are comfortable with our means, all of us have our budget. Is the way we manage our money, not about how much we earn, not about those who earn more are superior and those earning less "low IQ" the word he used if he is not happy with anyone also include his wife Nee.

There are many things he had his way, example which outlet to eat and the menu of his choice. He order the same food for many years. He do not accept other food but I just pretend to enjoy the food. We paid for our food, but we eat what he ordered. that is crap. In Cameron Highlands the food was his choice and again in Kuala Lumpur, the restaurant and food was his choice.
Everyone wanted to see KLCC twin towers. Walking some distance I found that we were near Observation Tower. Unwillingly they accepted my suggestion and proceed to Observation Tower. Observation tower was good,everyone agreed, they are able to see the whole of KL. Agreed that we take a cab from Observation Tower, eldest brother -in-law, got into a free shutter bus service and travel down hill. I tried to get cab to twin towers and eldest brother in law walked off. Now he said he was not going to twin towers. Later while walking he mentioned he wanted to go to the twin tower by himself he was going to walk there. I approached a lady for direction and she offered to take us up the mono rail and after one stop walked with us to near the twin tower.We arrived at the twin tower KLCC.

My wife sister's husband

My wife eldest sister's husband
Born into a middle class family.
Completed university education.
Considered himself a person with high IQ but sadly talk down on every in-law.
Too proud of himself. Mention that all in-laws in his wife side is poor. Also mentioned everyone including his wife has low IQ.

During my younger days he and Irene youngest brother-in-law paid for food whenever the family and in-laws eat out. Irene youngest brother in law has better means. I allow him to pay because he often talk down on us, the real reason was, his pay was much more then mine, I can just cover my family expenses with my pay. Irene pay went to looking after the two children. The was no reason for me to pay because he always begin with money, he was earning a lot. We had been looked down by him from young days to old the older age. Now he on pension payout. We pay our food and reminding him he has low income. But this did not stop him from looking down on us. In order not to upset eldest sister we allow him to continue looking down on us.

So, do soul mates exist?

MM painted a wonderful relation with his spouse. We believed him. Sure we believed him.

A perfect relationship, I say yes, we hid our difference, and only our family member knew. We do not tell anyone anyone, or talk some bad things about our spouse. We are just like MM. We hid the bad and show the good side of our marriage. We are perfect we don't cheat. Perfection mean we don't cheats.

Yes, soul mates exist, a mother advises always welcomed, but not everyday or everytime, yes, both she is a mother and a soul mate.

Life in no 12 sunningdale court northlakes (permanent resident of Australia)

Two year before, I brought a lot of land at Alawa which was just across the road from North-lakes Country-club. The housing there consisted of some housing commission houses and some private home, There were colored people, whites and blacks, some Asian. It was not a good place to raise kids, or to live. Often there were break- in. We sold the land, because the land was situated in the cross roads which was not suitable for home to be build, was believed cross belongs to spirits. Made about 5 K from that sale. We had enough to pay the north-lakes land. Managed to get a loan from the N.T. Housing Commission of 50K. Year 1984. The house was 60K. My brother paid me back 5K. My savings together with the loan I was able to have a place called home. We lived here for 2 years and my wife decided to return to Singapore, my effort was a waste. I lived alone for a while until 2 Malaysian guys rented my rooms. When my wife came to visit me i asked the two guys to leave. Later when I wife left with my children my brother came to live for a couple of months until I sold the house. I moved to put up in Casuarina, my brother flat. Later, both of us moved to Sydney. After 2 and a half year in 1992 I decided to return to Singapore.

Get back to your boat, you are not welcome

Living with the white " get back to the boat"

Is about...
Life in Australia, getting to know my own brother, sister and mother. Also a wake up call, blind trust happen in the family, and you never know some family member cheated you.

The neighbour on the right seem to be having problems with people who are not white. Told us to get back to the boat.

My brother rented a one bedroom flat from a local Chinese Australian landlord for $50 a week. We put up in his place. My brother paid for rent and electric bills. We provided meals for my brother and his Kiwi girl friend. We brought a few tins of milk powder to feed our children. T he kiwi woman opened a new tin each time she wanted milk. She used a spoon she used to scoop coffee powder and scoop the milk powder thus the coffee powder dropped into the milk powder. My wife was depressed.

My brother girl was a strip teaser. One day she lifted up her t shirt and show me her breast. I did not informed my brother because i know she was a bitch.

The people living to the right were a group of biker from Queenland, very nosy and noisy. They were trouble makers and don't like Asian. Told us to get back to the boat.

My brother knew I had 14k and asked me for the money saying he wanted to buy a house. I gave him the money. He used the money as downpayment and got a loan from the bank, he brought a house and we moved into his home.

The life in a new country was blurred. I had a split shift job. In between shift I rushed home riding my racer, rushed to shops to do the shopping and rushed back to work again. My daughter cried slot because she was not used to the new surrounding. This was already bad enough, a female neighbour accused my wife of ill treating my daughter.

There was another problems, that were my mother and sister, without any knowledge, accused us of sucking my brother. They did not know that the house my brother brought, the downpayment was contributed by me. My brother did not informed my mother and sister he cheated us, instead told them we sucked him up.

With a wonderful brother, and family member no matter what happen a family will alway stay a family. Nothing can change that!!!

The life of a cafe operator

Nice to be your own boss, or slave.

Migrated to Australia on 10th February 1981
Returned to Singapore 10 February 1991

This portion was about life in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia



The day begin at 4.30am. Drove my 3litres Suzuki hatchback. Mucus flowed from the eyes due to only 3 hrs sleep per night. Upon arrival at the cafe water heater is switched on, gas pilots lights were turn on. All the Bain Marie were turned on. The cold items were put on the counter. Dessert were on the chiller display fridge. Bacon, ham, sausages were put in the salamander to be grilled. Scamble eggs were cook on top of the gas stove, eggs were cooked. By half past five every item were ready. At six the que were at the door. Business was very good. There was only one thing wrong, I was the chef, the dish washer, the cleaner and also the waiter. My brother was the cashier, the manager, and the public relation officer. Also his job was to deposit the day taking in his bank account. He was nowhere to be found until the shop open at 11.30am for lunch. He vanished again after the lunch. The wash was done by me. The roast was done by my brother, leave in the oven and vanished. The oven has timer that switched the oven off. I did the stews, the veggies, the potato. The worst job was washing up. Washing was my job. My ankles, were very painful due the the long hours standing, stollened and I was unable to walk.
The day finished at 0130hrs at night. Went home clean up the body and to bed. There was a overworked and under paid situation, my brother need cash. He secretly sent money to his girl friend to finance support her holiday. I was paid $500 per month for the hours I put into the cafe. I have a home and land repayment. The car repayment, bills for the water, electric insurance payment and my children school fee. I had to feed my family with the money. I had to ask for more money. Each time my brother told me he need cash!!!

I do not wish to question my brother, I found a job and inform my brother my family need money too.

Such is life, love for a sibling and family goes on, a solution, instead of a conflict save the day.

Time of my life

Can we remember the best moment of our life. In my case the worst time of my life.

Life was not easy. Packed the luggages, the furnished home was left behind. With just the pillows in the arms, the clothing in the luggages $1000 Aussie. We broad a plane and said goodbye to Singapore. Daughter was 11/2 years old and son 3 years old. We put up in my brother's rented 1 bedroom flat. He paid for the rent of the flat and I provide him meals. Managed to save $14000 in the first year. My brother said he want to buy a house. I gave him my $14K and he brought a house. Meanwhile my siblings in Singapore said my family and I were sucking up my brother. I provide food for my brother and his girl friend while he paid for the loan of his home. A year later I brought a parcel of land in no 12 Sunningdale court, Northlakes Countryclub, Darwin, Nothern Territory, Australia, with a downpayment.It was only 27K. We paid a 20% down payment. A year later I got a housing commission loan from the northern territory govt. Got a builder to construct a house, a home of our own.
In the meantime, I was running a cafeteria with my brother, business was very good, my brother, now claimed he is the owner and paid me a wage of $500 a month which is not enough for my family expenses. He took the profit and give it to his girl friend now in Sydney on a holiday. Finally I left the join business and found myself a job. I trusted my brother, and betrayed my trust by cheating. I was so disappointed but kept quite, only god knows.

I learnt my lesson, the person you trust is also a person who can ripe you off.