This 'ang moh makcik' cried during the NDP preview show, here's why

Eve Sewell, a woman who became a Singapore citizen last March, didn't understand why people would get emotional at the National Day Parade.

Until she sat among the audience for the first time, that is.

Eve — who goes by the moniker ang moh makcik on social media — attended the National Day Parade (NDP) preview show with her daughter on Saturday (July 25).

In a Facebook post the next day, she wrote about her experience: "Spoiler alert: I cried."

Eve, a 40-year-old content creator and artist, explained that she had never felt a particularly strong connection to the UK while she was growing up. 

"So when I'd see Singaporeans waving flags, singing every word and even crying during the parade — I didn't get it," she said.

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Eve shared how she did not expect one evening to have such an impact on her, adding that she was grateful she decided to go for the show.

"Thousands of people, including my daughter, were cheering and singing. And for the first time I understood why people cry," she said.

"It took me 11 years to realise it but I finally feel like I belong here too, and I'm proud to be Singaporean."

She moved here in 2015 in order to live with her husband, with whom she has three children.

Eve told AsiaOne that she was overwhelmed by the scale of the NDP preview show while watching it.

"I've been to concerts at the National Stadium before, but it was a different kind of energy," she said, adding that she felt very lucky to be able to attend the show as she heard it's difficult to get tickets.

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Eve particularly enjoyed chapter three of the show, which told the story of Singapore's coastal community, the orang laut.

Describing it as "visually spectacular", she said: "It was so nice to have a reminder of Singapore's origins."

Singing the national anthem was also an emotional affair for Eve as it has only been a year since she took the pledge to become Singaporean, she told us.

Responding to a comment asking why she chose to settle down here, she said: "I chose Singapore because of the people, the values, the sense of family. Somewhere along the way Singapore stopped being the place I lived in, it's become home".

Eve told AsiaOne: "Moving to another part of the world takes a huge leap of faith, and it can be a lonely experience in some ways."

"But the people (in Singapore) have been so welcoming, particularly as I went through my citizenship journey. I will never forget all of the volunteers who give up their time to help us integrate better in the community sessions that I attended," she added.

When asked if she'd like to attend more NDP shows in the future, Eve said: "I would love to, but those tickets are like gold dust. I’m more than happy to be watching the show from home with my family!"

She also expressed delight at her kids' excitement for National Day, adding that her family often gets involved in school celebrations.

"Hearing them sing all of the songs each year makes the experience so special. This year’s songs are so catchy they will be stuck in my head for a while," Eve said.

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com