Phortse Sherpa

This article strikes a cord from within, for various reasons. I was living with Pemba's family in 2012 at the Namaste lodge in Phortse. While running the clinic in Phortse, Kumaran was climbing Mt Everest and so was Pemba.

Both his parents and I were anxiously waiting for the return of our loved ones.

The feeling is familiar.... the fear, the anxiety, the uncertainty...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/150410-Everest-climbing-sherpas-mountaineering-Nepal-Himalayas-guides/?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=2015012_invitation_ro_all#

Furthermore, this articles describes much of what I was trying to write on my blog about the life of the sherpa people.

Doctor touching lives in Nepal

Doctor touching lives in Nepal

Strong feelings over 'emotionless S'poreans'

Strong feelings over 'emotionless S'poreans'

How we feel as Singaporeans...

Singapore Ranks as Least Emotional Country in the World

The Gallup world survey got me thinking. I then stumbled upon Indranee Rajah's reply which was apt. Upon returning to Singapore, I realised that we Singaporeans are a unique bunch- when asked 'How are you', we think that the person asking has something up their sleeves. We get caught offguard by questions such as 'How was your day?' or 'How do you feel about something?' I clearly remember my patients being surprised when I ask them 'How are you?'. I have come to realise its a cultural thing.We believe in doing first, then feel later. However, we Singaporeans do feel very strongly about things that matter..... as nicely put by her reply. Not expressing our feelings directly, does not mean we are an emotionless society!!!

Link to Indranee Rajah's reply on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=566996673317306&id=209473372402973

Guardian.co.uk - Singapore is world's least emotional country, poll finds

Guardian.co.uk - Singapore is world's least emotional country, poll finds

Not giving an emotional answer doesn't mean we are not emotional. Everyone has a feeling... its whether we choose to show it. But I have noticed that amongst the people I have met from different parts of the world, Singaporeans do show the least emotion. Unless it involves queueing up for a Hello Kitty doll or getting into the best school!

Perhaps as Singaporeans, we have been trained to follow the rules, to not question and to obey. I remember my Cedar Girls Secondary School principal telling us that we need to 'Think and not feel'. Such is how we have been brought up. But that doesn't mean we don't feel. We just express it in different forms. In the eyes of other cultures, we may be seen to be emotionless. But when they have dwelled deeply into the spirit of the Singaporeans, they will realise that we are in fact the otherwise.

We do show emotions when it comes to the important things. For example, Singaporeans expressing rage at the PRC who was violent with the taxi driver, took his car and drove into the budget terminal, killing the cleaner. So we do show emotions... just not the conventional way or on a day to day basis.