6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..

After quite a few 'the world is really small hor' moments during last Sat's dinner, this newspaper article struck really close to heart..And the last 2 paragraphs echoed exactly how i felt during my vagabond days in UK..

..While Singaporeans moan constantly about overcrowding and a city that seems to be bursting at the seams, a population of 5 millions is still tiny. The consequence is that the denizens of our little island don't just live by the poverbial 6 degrees of separation, but by 5, 4, or even 3.

The upside of playing the 6 degrees of separation game is that in 2 minutes, you've struck up something - or someone - in common with the other person. She can't be that bad if she knows a friend of mine, you tell yourself.

The downside is that it can all go the other way. In an ideal world, everyone should get to begin on a clean slate. But on a few occasions, after going through the rigmarole of who-knows-whom and from-where, i've often made snap judgments about what 'type' the other party is.

"Oh, she's part of 'that' crowd'," i've caught myself thinking. "Not really my cup of tea then."

And what if you have a few skeletons in your closet?

The dozens of associations that link Singaporeans together in some way give us away too freely. Even thousands of miles away from home, you can't escape who you are, who you used to date or the mistakes when you were a freewheeling teenager.

Eventually, at a house party of chicken rice and Tiger beer, someone will catch your eye and say 'Hey, weren't you the one who..' before launching into an embarassing tell-all about the time you lost your bikini top at Zoukout.

Suddenly you realise: Yah man, Singapore is really that small. No doubt, having an intricate network of social relations is a boon. Perhaps that is why we feel a great sense of community towards fellow Singaporeans when we meet them on our travels. But the grapevine that comes with it? I'm not so sure.

People often ask me why I love London. In this respect, I love the anonymity of being in a big city, where i can lunch alone in a park without bumping into someone i know. I love that human interaction is more unpredictable, that i get to meet people outside my usual circle of friends.

I love that because many people here have come far and wide and from varying backgrounds, no one has a clue - or gives a damn - about who you once were..

(Edited by ZXL; Source: Sunday Lifestyle, 12th July, by a Singaporean journalist based in London)