Someone has said that we resist change because we are afraid of losing things as a result of the change. My greatest fear in moving to the new place is neighbours from hell. Fortunately, my new neighbours are generally quiet and friendly.
Recently I moved to a new neighbourhood after living in the same neighbourhood for more than 40 years. It’s only temporary and I will move back to the old neighbourhood next year.
My new home is within walking distance and 5 to 12 minutes away from the MRT station, bus interchange, 4 shopping malls, 3 supermarkets, the regional library, the public swimming pool and jogging track. As a frequent user of the library resources, having a nearby library is a boon to me. When I want to eat out, I am spoilt for choice as there are 3 food courts, 1 hawker centre, and many restaurants and eateries.
I miss the old neighbourhood
Although I appreciate the convenience of the amenities here, I miss the old neighbourhood. I miss the wet market where I can place my order of fresh chicken in advance and collect it later. I also miss my favourite min jiang kueh (peanut pancake) stall. Now I understand why my cousin, who lives in Sengkang, would drive to Toa Payoh where he grew up to eat fried beehoon for breakfast on weekends.
New place, new scenes
This new place is further from the city and going to places like Orchard Road involves travelling on 2 different MRT lines. Hence, I now spend more time travelling and incur more transport cost. I find myself studying the MRT system map to find the shortest route to my destinations. The area around the MRT station and bus interchange is always crowded and noisy. When I walk towards these places, I get approached by seniors or people with disabilities selling packets of tissue paper, bank representatives promoting their credit cards, representatives from different charities asking for donations, representatives from electricity supply companies asking if I have switched suppliers, etc. There will usually be 2 to 3 buskers singing there. I am concerned about my safety when I walk on the shared paths as there are many PMD riders and cyclists coming in different directions. I was almost knocked down by PMD riders from food delivery companies on a few occasions.
When I move back to the old neighbourhood, I will miss this new place for its amenities. However, I will not miss the noise and the crowds. I may just come back here for a haircut and a meal. I have found a hairdresser who knows how to cut my curly hair for only $7 as well as good and value-for-money eats here.
What do you like about your neighbourhood? Is there anything unique there that others do not offer?
This post was originally published on 18 June 2020.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of St. John's Home for Elderly Persons.
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