If only

"If only I had been more careful, I would not lose my job." 

"If only I had been beautiful, I would have a boyfriend." 

We usually say "if only" in regrets. We almost never say "if only" when we are happy and satisfied with our life.

Preparing for a trip to Singapore, I have imagined Singapore was an alienated city built by "supermen" and "superwomen” (brainiacs). I have thought of Singapore's harbor and Changi airport as magnificent wonders. I have fantasized Singapore skyline.

3 days visiting Singapore, using its underground train, shopping at Bugis street, discovering Changi airport, observing its harbor, chatting with Singaporeans, I now see Singapore simply an advanced, civilized society that Vietnam would have been, if only....

If only we could have a high-qualified education system valuing science and technology. If only we could significantly upgrade our infrastructure. If only we could have a market-oriented economy and a strong law-based society. If only we could attract and use "supermen" and "superwomen.” If only we could see diversity as a strength not a weakness.

A lot of "if only" have been growing inside my mind, accompanied by bitterness and imagination.

Lee Kuan Yew has said in an interview by Fareed Zakaria," We all know that the more you engage in conflict, the poorer and the more desperate you become. Visit Cambodia and Vietnam; the world just passed them by." Backward education, unstable economy, devastated culture, and dangerous cities are the consequences of wrong decisions made in the previous decades.

Things would never be different for Vietnam if no positive changes happened. Unluckily, it seems that in the near future, I still have to widen my imagination, keeping hoping that one day "if only" could become reality, that one day I could proudly answer “I’m from Vietnam” when asked about my origin.

A beautiful, modern, and green city.

The busiest port in the world. <3