Mum

I found out the other day that in her wild youth my mother was engaged to a guy in Majorca but because my uncle didn't send her her birth cert she couldn't get married. The more I talk to my mum the more I realise what a wildcat she was. She 's travelled and backpacked more places than I've been and has had more romances with guys from all over the world than I have. It's decidedly uncool to say it but my mom's cooler than me. I've never had her courage to just dive into things headfirst with no worries about tomorrow. And that's what my mom did. She left Singapore at 20 to go to Canada to study and work at night to remit money back to my poh poh. And then she saved the rest so she could go travelling around the world.

She went by bus across the world, she's been to Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq and the only place she has yet to see is Africa. This summer, we're going to Africa or Tibet together. And maybe I'll get to see more of whom my mom really is. Because I still think I have a lot to live up to.

I think a lot of my mum still lives in my cousin and me. On the surface we're pretty placid and mild then every once in a while our crazy side flares up. For my cousin, it was numerous tatoos and piercings (while working in the ministry) and for me, it's every once in a while when I start running in the night at 2 am just because I feel like it. Right now things are pretty calm for me, I'm completing my degree and am in a steady relationship but I know things will change once again. And I can't wait. I'm my mum's daughter.