Have you ever wondered how people in Singapore lived in the past? Well, I have and I have interviewed this amazing person to know more about the past, my Grandmother. I had interviewed my dearest Grandmother last week. Then so, I started the interview with her. “Ah Ma!!! Tell me about the past and your interesting stories!” I greeted her with a cheerful tone, smiling happily. “Ah girl ah, Come here come here. I’ll agree to your strange request and tell you about my life as a young girl when I came with my parents to Singapore. Let me take you back to the past , the life of a young girl, me…….” Ah ma drifted the both of us to the story of the past…. When Ah ma was young, her family decided to migrate to Singapore for a better living . As china had no jobs available, her family packed up their belongings and left for Singapore by ship “ The ship was very smelly and very stuffy as it was very crowded” When they reached Singapore, they lived in a kampong and reared chicken, pigs and ducks. Ah ma had two brothers and a sister. They took turns in cleaning the animals and feeding them . they lived with happiness and joy even though life was hard. They were often hungry but did not complain they ate their food gratefully and never wasted a grain of rice. The eldest then decided to take on a part-time job and earn money, supporting the family with her father. They had no transport and always walked to school together. When bored, they would play five stones, fly kites or spin hand-made tops. My grandmother loved to kites and collect stamps . she showed me her huge collection of stamps of different types, occasionally a stamp form china or nearby neighboring country. They would play with the neighbourhood and chat happily . They never owned a television or hand phone, whats more to say ,a radio. They rarely have sweet, snacks and soft drinks. They only get to drink I during Chinese new year every once a year. Around the house , one could often see stray cats and dog . As my grandmother was a animal lover, she would often feed the strays and treat them when they are injured. Great grandfather was often away from work and great grandmother would be washing or cleaning at other people houses to earn money. They were superstitious and were always helping people . The toilets were dark and dirty, creepy to say. They had to walked long distances to collect water to bathe , to drink after boiled. Ah ma would always heat up the water for her father’s bath, so he would feel more relaxed after a long day at work. Although there’s more technology now and that Singapore is much more technology advanced, my grandmother would still yearn for the olden days where people were much more free and happy . After listening to her life story, felt more grateful for the food and water my mother would always lay out on the table for meals and that life is much easier and that there are less worries. I will try my best to not waste water or food and be thankful and grateful for what I have now which my grandmother does not have in her younger days. Written By: Heng JiaMin (Mayflower Secondary School/Secondary 1 A)