Let’s face it, life can be hard. We have a lot going on at different times of our lives. How do you disconnect from all the pressure and obligations we have? When do you get some down time?
Travelling is one way, at least it works for me from experience and from feedback I’ve got from fellow travellers.
Quick facts:
- Singapore is an island country in Southeast Asia.
- It is a city state and does not have states and cities like other countries. The country is a well-planned urban area.
- The country has an estimated population of 5,917,600 people.
- The official languages are Malay, Chinese, English and Tamil. The population is a mix of people originating from China, Malaysia, India and others.
- Their currency is Singaporean Dollars (SGD).
- Singaporeans kind of sound like Nigerians when they speak English, hahaha
Visa requirements
i) Valid Passport with minimum of
6 months validity from the date of entry
ii) Photocopy of passport
ii) Previous passports (if
any)
iv) One recent passport size
colour photo with white background (taken within the last 3 months)
v) Completed Visa Application
form (Form14A)
vi) Sponsor Letter of Introduction
(LOI) from Singapore (V39A)
vii) Proof of employment letter
with salary & leave entitlement, employment letter approving annual leave
viii) Pay slips or bank statements
ix) Hotel Booking
x) Copy of round trip air ticket booking/itinerary
xi) $22 visa fee
“Like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives” – a phrase I heard regularly on TV during my childhood. One I’ve come to appreciate now. By the way, if this was part of your childhood, you probably know the TV programme I’m referring to and you’ve earned the right to be called an elder 😊 I'd be keen to know if you know which programme it is.
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| The sun setting over Yangon |
Every sunset and sunrise come with the hope
that we could still do something meaningful. We trudge on through life despite
the many challenges and we sometimes take
for granted the things and people we think will always be there. Someone here
today may be gone tomorrow, and nothing is guaranteed. The line of everyone is
fighting their own battle has become excessively popular. The world is much
harder than it used to be which takes its toll on people in different ways.
Mental health being one hidden part, as it doesn’t instantly show.
May, I’ve heard is mental health awareness month,
and in one way or the other, we all deal with mental health issues. There used
to be so much stigma around admitting to not being okay, but increasingly,
people are able to speak more openly about it. There are also more resources
available now to help people deal with different situations.
In certain
professions, unfortunately, overworking and sometimes burnout is glorified, which leaves people assuming that it is normal. But I know from experience that
speaking out is always the first step to seeking and finding a solution.
Interestingly, I found that the World Health
Organisation (WHO) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
(both UN agencies) have jointly developed a publication entitled "Mental health, human rights and legislation: guidance and practice". See an excerpt below:
"Mental health is growing as a public health priority and human rights imperative, and an increasing number of countries are wishing to adopt or reform legislation related to mental health. However, laws on mental health, currently often fail to address discrimination and human rights violations including in mental health care settings. In order to support countries in this area, the World Health Organisation and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have jointly developed the publication which you can find here: Mental health, human rights and legislation: guidance and practice (who.int)"
Reading stories of some who dealt with major
mental health challenges and came out of it, some were waiting for acknowledgement
or validation which never came. They were brave enough to take the bull by the horn
and seek help, despite the stigma sometimes. In many cases, you have to be your
own hype woman or man and make the best out of the fleeting moments of this
life that you have, which includes your mental wellbeing.
I go on walks early most mornings, in the park close to where I live.
With each passing day, on my morning walks, I get one more nod, one more smile, one more good morning. Different faces are now becoming familiar ones.
There are two older men who do not fail to call out, greeting good morning even before I spot them. A group of women do the same. Different people would smile, some say beautiful, some would nod and of course there are the ones who seem so grumpy and would not look at anyone but remain focused on their path.
Occasionally you'll see young lovers, who cannot seem to get enough of one another. Hugging each other like the other person is about to disappear or kissing like their lives depend on it. I caught myself smiling at the two couples I saw this morning at different spots. I always wonder why they come out to the park so early, especially now with the heat. I digress...
There are women who sell different items, one sells breakfast packs, she would look up and greet me in their language each time. "Mingalarpar" she says so sweetly. Now, I greet her even before she notices me with that one word I know to say so well. The other one sells a local snack, she greets me with a wide smile and doesn't fail to add 'very beautiful'. The third one sells fruit, mostly papaya (pawpaw). I buy from her from time to time, so she points towards her fruit in case I am interested.
Many still stare at me in fascination. Children tug at their parents when they pass, in wonder of the difference I suppose. This morning was interesting, I was offered flowers by one of the older men and his wife.
I had seen people with the same kind of flowers but didn't think much of it. The group of women also had flowers and were taking photos, they pulled me in for a photo. I saw the same flowers in the office with a colleague and asked her what they represented. According to her, normally these flowers bloom in April for the water festival but were late this year and have just started to bloom with the first rains.
And I slowly realise that I'm becoming part of the flora and fauna here. This place I currently call home.
NB - Mingalarpar is hello in Myanmar language
Laos had been high on my bucket list for years so when I had the chance, I just had to visit. I visited in February 2024.
Quick
facts
- - Officially the Loa People’s Democratic Republic, the only landlocked country in South East Asia, it is bordered by 5 countries (Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand).
- - It’s capital and largest city is Vientiane and the people speak Lao.
- - They have an estimated population of 7.8 million people.
- - The local currency is called Lao kip
Visa
Process
I wrote to
the Lao embassy in Yangon where I live, to make enquiries and was told as a
Nigerian passport holder, I needed the following:
- - Letter
of introduction from where I work
- - Proof
of funds (pay slips/ bank statements)
- - Visa
fee of $35
- - Hotel
reservation
- - Flight
booking
- - 2
passport photographs
- - Copy
of passport data page
- - Passport
with at least 6 months validity
As no visa application had been treated for a Nigerian at that Embassy before, I was told that my application would be sent to their Ministry of Foreign Affairs for approval. The lady seemed worried and asked if we had an office in their country, so they could apply for me. I told her I was in no hurry and would wait for the approval. The approval only took 2 weeks!
I moved to Yangon, Myanmar, in May 2023. The Golden Land as it is called, is a country like no other, peculiar in many ways. I've heard some people still refer to the country as Burma which is the former name, but the name was changed to Myanmar in 1989. The people however, are still referred to as Burmese.
One thing that stands out is how Burmese people are polite, they would not openly get annoyed as it is does not reflect well to openly express anger or irritation. Even when people struggle with something, you'll hardly get an outright NO. Losing face is something people would not do, so they might say okay or beat around the bush. In all that, you are 'not allowed' to lose your cool as it is not taken well :-) If you put too much pressure, they could shut you out. And you'd never hear a thing even if it were killing them. However, they are always eager to help when they can, which I think is sweet.
My arrival was anything but pleasant because of my nationality. I was treated shabbily and told clearly that it was because of my nationality, but I'll save that story for another day!
In speaking with people, I noticed not many people know of this country or where in Asia it is located. So I've put a map below for reference - see the red arrow? The flag is also beneath the map.
Flag below
Biola reflected on the recent events that she had had to deal with. Her life had been upended in a way she never imagined would happen. She thought that she had things figured out until that fateful day. She had been so consumed by her career and getting ahead that she neglected everything else and everyone who was dear to her, until her world came crashing down.
She got home, late as usual. I’m home she
called out but emptiness came back at her. She went to her bedroom, something
was different, but she couldn’t figure it out immediately. Then she went to
give her a son a kiss, something she did every night. But he wasn’t there. Then she noticed, a lot was gone from his room. She ran back to her room and opened the
wardrobe. A good lot of her husband’s clothes were gone. She called,
frantically, but he didn’t answer his phone. She was in a panic, she wondered
why. She saw them in the morning before she left for work and all seemed well. Or
so she thought.
Her husband was everything she had hoped for;
supportive, loving, manly and he held his own. He had things going for him as
well, but drew the line when it came to his family. He poured his all. He never
missed any event his son was to attend, he showed up for his wife’s events and
she was so proud of him. He hinted at her taking him for granted many times but
was one who shied away from confrontation, so he would say his piece then move
on. As work got more demanding, there were more late nights and she was
grateful to him, as he catered to the home front.
Let’s face it, life can be hard. We have a lot going on at different times of our lives. How do you disconnect from all the pressure and o...
