MATILDA - I LIVE IN SINGAPORE!

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to live overseas? Reader MATILDA tells us all about her life in SINGAPORE...

Matilda says:
I live in the North-East region of Singapore, the Sengkang area; I live in a flat in a high rise building. I'm thirteen, and I go to an all-girls school; the school day lasts for about eight hours. In my school, the students are very united and the teachers are really nice too. Our uniform is a pale blue short-sleeved dress - the weather here is Summer all year round, so it's pretty warm, but you do get used to it! As a student, one of the most important times in your life is when you turn twelve, as that's when you take your Primary School Leaving Exam (PSLE). Each secondary school has a certain cut-off point when it comes to grades, so to find a place at your chosen school, your PSLE score must equal or excel their cut-off point. It's a stressful year but also the most fun and memorable one of primary school.

The food in Singapore is a mix of Chinese, Indian, Malaysian and Indonesian influences. Some of the favourite dishes include satay (meat skewered and marinated in turmeric, grilled over an open fire), roti prata (a fried, flour-based pancake cooked over a flat grill), and bak kut teh (a chinese soup containing pork ribs, herbs and spices). The picture is of a dish called hokkien mee, which I cooked myself. There are lots of restaurants here, but local people like eating at food courts as you can get such a wide range of dishes.

Singapore has a rich and varied history; more recently it was a part of British Malaya for many years, and ruled by the Sultanate of Johor. It was a major trading port. Singapore became part of Malaysia for two years, and then became independent in 1965. It is a very cosmopolitan country, where east meets west. One of the things I love most about Singapore is that there are plants almost everywhere you look. There are many amazing parks and reservoirs here, and although it is very densely populated and built up, the abundance of beautiful flowers can take your breath away. I guess that's why Singapore is known as the Garden City! In Singapore, we are a mix of cultures and religions but on the whole we get along fine - and the mixture makes Singapore the unique place it is. I love it, because it's the place I was born and where I've grown up, and I have come to love so much about my country. I feel very proud to say I am a Singaporean!

Cathy says:
Wow... I've been to Singapore for a mini tour a few years ago and I agree it is a stunning country, a real mixture of East and West and very modern, too! Do YOU live outside UK/Ireland? COMMENT BELOW if you'd like to tell us more about YOUR country, or just chip in with a comment about Singapore!