A flurry of activity - OSU launches Overseas Singaporean dot com

So it's been a hectic week again, brain cells have been working overtime after an interesting weekend here in little Brisbane, where Singapore almost took back stage on a world stage (Ok ok. Only in Australia)

Present Weekend. A soccer tournament is organised by our good friends the Bruneians, I have lunch at an UMNO fair at which I see heaps of our Singaporean malay friends, and the packed Indoneasian family event "All for Indonesia Fair" entertains me for a while in UQ on their lawn. I look forlornly at the Indonesian Flag flying high on one of the 3 masts next to the Australian Flag on the UQ Clock Tower. If not for the Singapore Business Dinner and Dance, with that which the High Commissioner attended, I would have been really dissapointed.

Looking back to March, I've waited with excitement since I heard that the OSU unit is being launched, given a heads-up by reading an entertaining blog entry made by my friend in London who attends that Official Launch of the OSU. Little Al' is amused by her peers reaction.

It is followed by weeks of planning and excitement. Finally, we will be able to get their attention and grow the support on overseas soil - While we still care, while we still have passion, and while we sing the National Anthem on foreign soil with pride. E-mails, heated conversations with peers and proposals to the academics in positions at educational institutions, and even e-mails to government sectors to bring their launch to Brisbane follows. (I presumed that they would launch in Sydney instead - Proved to be true.)

July late, I travel to Sydney to meet up with my friend A.Chin at 4th Friday drinks at the Swissotel with other Singaporeans, we have a ball of a time and an after party at Darling Harbour. Great friends, great company.

August 5th, I travel to Sydney to finally meet the planners from Contact Singapore and OSU in an attempt to get them to be involved in our our collective excitement and also purpose. It was time to stike while the iron was hot! We still had the brains, the organisational manpower and most importantly. We still Believed, and we still had that Passion.

Why is it that our patriotism only lights up when we are overseas? Perhaps it is a more recognisable feeling, assisted by the fact that and we escape from that self-depreciating attitude we are surrounded by at home. "Who wants to be a patriotic Singaporean? Xiao-Ah?"

August National Day Rally, finally the PM admits that they do need to look at the overseas Singaporean. And I am excited, we might not be the be all and end all of everything. Even then, we still are a substantial community overseas, and most times if you scracth beneath the surface of that heck-care attitude,you will find that we still love our country, although we do make lots of noise and complain heaps - Like any other Singaporean.

August 26th, the www.overseassingaporean.com website is launched officially at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney again, and I receive a call from the Hilton function room where the webchat has just ended, and we're all excited and the movers and shakers will be in touch. Perhaps there is something happening. Maybe, this time in Brisbane.