It had been raining earlier that morning, so the weather was nice and cool (relatively speaking) and the ground still wet as I took a train, then bus, to my destination. I didn’t take any pictures along the way at all due to a desire to hurry, except when I was waiting at the bus stop for my desired bus and looked around at the shop area. It isn’t very common to see multi-level outdoor shop buildings like this in Singapore, though I think it is more common in certain other East Asian countries. Couldn’t say exactly which one though, but Singapore sure has a lot of different kinds of building architectures and layouts.

I then reached the CMPB headquarters, which turned out to be one building in a campus that contained several other Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) affiliated buildings. I checked in past a security checkpoint, picked up a visitor pass to enter the campus and then headed over to the building where my enlistment officer was in.

She eventually came down to the main lobby to usher me into a side interview room, and then told me that due to COVID-19, the medical staff had actually, over the past week or two, looked over my file and provided documentation again and had already decided that they didn’t actually require me to attend a checkup in person. But it was still good that I was there, as she could craft a statement for me (which was a two page thing she wrote up with me detailing my situation and history) and have me vet and sign it on the spot as well. She then also took copies of the supporting documentation based on what i had brought along.

I did almost run into a hitch because most of my main forms proving my transition (the affidavit from my surgeon and family doctor etc) did not list my full name, including my 3rd/4th name, on it, which was what my official name in Singapore still was. Thankfully though there were a couple letters that did mention my full name as well as my post-transition name, I think out of a stack of 30 or so sheets of medical record information that I brought, so they accepted that instead. In hindsight, I think there may actually have been an actual name change certificate at home in Edmonton that might have helped, though I’m not sure if that contains my full name either, depending on what was registered on my passport/ID/citizenship card.

Regarding my Study Abroad eligiblity, she did say that CMPB had no problem with it, but that I should also go with haste to the ICA (Immigration & Checkpoints Authority) office next to Lavender MRT Station to renounce my citizenship as well (and that was part of the written statement that I had to sign, that I would do that), and to give them her name, phone number, and email if they raised a flag due to the pending exemption which she said had been all but granted, to the point where she was able to tell me that it would be granted, but that would still take 2-3 months to be fully processed. She also mentioned that I might run into trouble there trying to prove a link between my old name and new name as well though. Either way, I was aware that the renunciation was needed so that I could apply for my Student Pass to study here, as only foreign nationals were allowed to apply for it, and Singaporeans (even those living abroad coming back to study as exchange students, which was a non-zero number — even my sister had gone through this before) were expected to come back on their own Singapore passport and would be denied for the Student Pass.

The statement took forever to type out, but it was fairly comprehensive, and she read it out to me and then printed off a copy for me to sign. Part of the process of building it also involved me being able to look at my existing file, and I saw odd things like how there was an executor or guarantor or something (perhaps an extended family member? I didn’t recognize the name as it lacked their first name) that was supposed to be the point of contact when we left the country and so was the one whom the authorities had contacted to try to find me, at which point they were told that we were overseas and unlikely to return. They actually did provide our forwarding address in Canada, but the file address was never updated and still had our old Tampines 294 address on it, Part of the reason why, perhaps, was that the letter stated that we were now living in EDMONTON, AMBATA, CANADA. Ambata? Really? Someone failed basic geography. I also noted interestingly enough that they had acquired one of my McNally High School report cards in the file. It wasn’t brought up at all but i wondered where they had gotten it.

Anyway, she then also took some of my documentation to photocopy, and told me to go wait outside in the lobby. I bought a drink while waiting, and since I’ve documented pretty much everything I’ve eaten or drank on this trip outside of water and the tea bags from my homestay house anyway, it was a can of Pokka Aloe Vera White Grape (Less Sugar), obtained for 80 cents from a vending machine in the front lobby of the Central Manpower Base building.

Hopefully that photo wasn’t too illegal. She then sent me on my way, telling me to drop her a line just before I left as well so she could ensure that I didn’t run into any issues leaving the country this time. I’m not sure if this implies she already told ICA‘s border guards and would just be re-confirming on my day of departure, or if she would be leaving things until the last minute again, as I’ve told her my leave date many times, but whatever works…

I also took a photograph outside the building, but still within the campus, of a poster on an external wall that I really liked:

I think the no photographs rule largely referred to inside the buildings so hopefully that one was fine too, because I really liked that quote and wanted to keep it with me. To some extent it’s a  philosophy that I’ve followed on the past two trips I’ve taken, this one and the USA one in Nov 2021. That second part of the quote doesn’t really connect to the first part though huh? “The more you plan, the less likely you will experience chance, therefore live life to the fullest.” What? What sort of conclusion is that. I guess the quote wasn’t planned either.