Thoughts on Home

It was a sunny Friday afternoon. I had knocked off at noon, and drove to Stonehaven hoping to catch pictures of Dunnottar Castle in the afternoon sun. The sun was not to last though, as fog overcame the town within minutes of my arrival, which was followed by storm clouds, then rain.

Whilst waiting for the rain to subside, I had lunch at the Marine Hotel bar, one of the oldest establishments at the Stonehaven harbour, and it was with great fortune that an elderly man and his son of 40ish years sat at my table. I came to know the following during our half hour chat:

• The old man lived in the southwest of Scotland, and his son was based in London. They were in Stonehaven to visit the old man's sister, who was 81 years of age.
• The Marine Hotel used to be the only 'local' around, and it has grown and become more family-friendly over the past 60 years.
• The old man still enjoys his beer and an occassional whiskey, though Laphroaig would be considered too peaty.
• The old man was born in Stonehaven, and despite living and experiencing many parts of Scotland, still considered Stonehaven his home.
• The son had left Stonehaven aged 9, but had a lot of affection for the town, as he had many pleasant memories upon returning each summer.

The last 2 points set me thinking. I have lived in Singapore most of my life, changing residences 5 times in my 30 or so years, each time within the same district. The question is - How attached is one to his place of birth/first residence?

Personally, I feel quite attached to District 15 of Singapore, the East Coast District. It could be due to a number of factors:

• I was born here
• I attend church here
• Many friends (previously from church) live around the area
• It is close to the beach, where the air is fresher without the smells of industry (e.g. chocolate, paint etc)
• It retains a sense of history, with the neighbourhoods of Katong and Joo Chiat granted Heritage status to be "preserved", despite the rest of the district redeveloping at a rapid pace
• I feel it has a majority English-speaking community, with a large number of Eurasians living in the Siglap area. I could be wrong here, but it's just the vibe I get.
• I do not feel enveloped by high-rise buildings unlike other "new town" neighbourhoods

These 2 Scots, both older than me, had their own reasons for calling Stonehaven home, having spent a majority of their lives many more miles away from "home" than I have been.

I guess there is not much of a point to make here, but I do hope that in 40 years time, I can walk around District 15 with the same positive feelings the 2 Scots have towards their hometown, with all my reasons above intact.