Exactly fifty years ago today, a group of us including Rafflesians Teo Hock Hin (Roy), Teo Oon Hock, Khoo Pong Tiah (Paul) and Mak Fong Keng (from RGS) landed in Sydney with much excitement and enthusiasm to pursue various courses under the Colombo Plan Scholarships.
The locals were also looking forward to the day - no, not for our arrival, as Asian students in those days were more of curiosities than anything else, but to the Decimal Currency Day when the old imperial currency system of pounds, shillings and pence (and other denominations) was to be replaced with dollars and cents.
Of course we were quite familiar with the British currency for we were required to learn them during our school days under colonial administration, even though Singapore was mercifully given the decimal currency right from the beginning of British rule. But just like everybody else in Australia, we had to learn to cope with the inter-conversion of the two currencies during changeover years.
As Australia marks the half century of currency change, we look back at some fond memories!
O
The locals were also looking forward to the day - no, not for our arrival, as Asian students in those days were more of curiosities than anything else, but to the Decimal Currency Day when the old imperial currency system of pounds, shillings and pence (and other denominations) was to be replaced with dollars and cents.
Of course we were quite familiar with the British currency for we were required to learn them during our school days under colonial administration, even though Singapore was mercifully given the decimal currency right from the beginning of British rule. But just like everybody else in Australia, we had to learn to cope with the inter-conversion of the two currencies during changeover years.
As Australia marks the half century of currency change, we look back at some fond memories!
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| Australia's first fifty cent coin. |
O
Hi Kin Mun, I still remember sending you off at Changi Airport when you departed for Australia under the Colombo Plan Scholarship. That would then be in Feb 1966.
ReplyDeleteThat must be the last time anyone dress up for an air flight - everyone was in suit and tie. Soon cheaper flights became available especially through students travel agencies such as STA and the rot set in. Now we deliberately dress down just to prove how frequent we fly, I guess. And of course sending friends off at the airport was just a big occasion too! KM
DeleteThat must be the last time anyone dress up for an air flight - everyone was in suit and tie. Soon cheaper flights became available especially through students travel agencies such as STA and the rot set in. Now we deliberately dress down just to prove how frequent we fly, I guess. And of course sending friends off at the airport was just a big occasion too! KM
DeleteWhat a time that was. I was on a 6 month holiday, awaiting Singapore U's term in June (or July). I remember being nearly killed while cycling to JB and was knocked down by a lorry there. I landed between the front and rear wheels and was expecting the crunch when he stopped. Still had to cycle home. Never told my parents for fear of being yelled at.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, to think that we could be without your stimulating blogs! KM
Delete4 RI boys, Lee Choon Huat, Low Miang Chew, Lim Chin Hian, myself and A St Andrews boy, Chang Yang How arrived in Adelaide 14 Feb 1966 on a Colombo plan medical scholarship. The Commmonwealth office did not hear of us till the day before so only Choon Huat and Yang How got into Medicine at Flinders Univ. and transferred to Adelaide the next year. The other 3 of us did Science at Adelaide Uni and had to compete to get into medicine the next year. We all got in.
ReplyDeleteThose others were inadvertently omitted, there were many more I'm sure, and all arriving in Sydney as there were no international flights to other cities then. I went on later in the day to Brisbane and then Townsville.
DeleteThose others were inadvertently omitted, there were many more I'm sure, and all arriving in Sydney as there were no international flights to other cities then. I went on later in the day to Brisbane and then Townsville.
Delete