GUEST COMMENT: I've come over from Singapore to do a Masters in Finance in London - what a week to arrive
There's a saying that as a journalist, news follows you wherever you go. Except that, as you may recall from my first blog, I'm now an ex-reporter, having quit The Straits Times a month ago, and moved from Singapore to London to pursue my one-year Masters in Finance at London Business School (LBS).
How ironic is it then that I find myself caught up in the panic and outrage surrounding the worst riots and looting in the British capital for years. To be sure, my wife and I are still safe, and there's no reason to think that the school's neighbourhood of Baker Street, St John's Wood and Regent's Park will see any trouble.
But while we've not encountered danger first-hand, the mood here is solemn and there is an undercurrent of fear. After the first three days of rioting, many streets are actually more quiet at night and you sense that people just want to be home with their loved ones after work.
The sweet sound of sirens at night
At the time of writing, we are staying at a bed and breakfast in Willesden Green, north west London. Although the area hasn't been directly affected by the riots so far, we've been woken up by sirens blazing in the middle of the night. When we switch on the BBC, reports come in thick and fast of looting and arson. The newspapers also show pictures of London burning and mobs taking over the streets. Night after night, the violence leaves a trail of destruction.
The anger and confusion surrounding the police shooting of Mark Duggan has been said to have sparked the riots. But, as many analytical articles have pointed out, the causes run deeper and the London mess merely underscores the growing social divide among the rich and poor. In my short time here, I have detected some stark signs of inequality. The less well-off roam the streets - one dishevelled man came up to us on the tube begging for money and saying "I'm homeless" - while the rich pamper themselves in spanking new apartments, with their posh cars parked outside.
Willesden has been a temporary place for us while we hunt for a flat nearer school to "let" for a year before orientation begins on August 22. One property agent tells me that fewer studio and one-bedroom flats have come on stream this year because many tenants have chosen to renew their lease instead of buying their own property. It's all down to the bad economy and high employment rate, he says.
Despite the scarcity of small flats near LBS, I hope to find something more permanent soon because I have to move out of Willesden this weekend. One consolation has been the Singapore dollar's strength against the pound. It means I can get more bang for the buck for my new flat.
