No Money.. Really No Money!

I'm watching this Chinese Program on Channel 8, 9pm. It depicts the lives of families staying in those 1 room HDB Flats in Singapore.

This show is funny. The way the characters were played, especially the one on Patricia Mok's family. She acts as a lazy mother, alongside with her husband, often pretends to be totally unemployable, and take every opportunity to eat and live for free.

It brought me memories when I was in SGH working as a Medical Social Worker.

While one finds it funny seeing these characters wrecking their brains to be sponsored in many ways, I must tell you it's not funny at all in real life. In fact, it's very frustrating, knowing that they should be gainfully employed, and yet they choose not to, and feels that the whole world owes them a living and therefore should be responsible for them (and their family).

I do not mean that all those who see the Social Workers are like that. There are genuine cases, and even those who felt seeing a Social Worker is shameful.

I've came across a son-in-law settling his deceased mother-in-law's bills because his wife passed away. And he's a rag-and-bone man.

I've came across a rich indonesian taitai who has been paying her god mother's hospitalisation bills just because the old lady is alone with no children.

I've came across suicidal cases where it's not para-suicide, but real suicide attempt, to end her life, just because she's been wronged and thrown into jail. I'm glad that she's now well and independent, as I last saw her being interviewed for her views on the changes in the media.

Although my 2 years in Medical Social Work was short (and extremely frustrating because of the limited resources in the community to help) and the pay was miserly, it has brought me sweet memories which still puts a smile to my mouth whenever I think of how I've helped these people.

Every now and then, I see some in the streets, and also wonder how the rest of the patients are - those I've seen when I did my internship in Woodbridge and when I was in SGH.

It's just so different from where I am now.