Hard lessons I learnt:
1) Pick your friends wisely when young, becoz once we hit middle age it's different. People tend to have commitments and find making new friends a chore. Besides, all relations take time and effort to grow
2) Water tend to seeks its own level
3) Never give unsolicited advice and help of significance. Most people, least in SG will never even say "thank you".
4) Been around several developed countries. Fast paced and $ focused environment makes people pragmatic, friendship is a luxury.
5) Never tell your personal problems to them. Somehow, I find that certain majority race in SG has an attitude/psychological disorder and would love to see their own kind fall hard in the face. It is a self-loathing race, including their country of ancestry.
This is my perception, pretty sure I am right and I make no apologises for that.
6) The duration of the friendship does not matter, people can just walk out due to convenience. Doesn't matter if you helped them many times in the past. In fact, I never ever brought them up nor use them as an emotional blackmail.
7) Never tell the truth, even if you try to be as tactful as possible. Smile, give a general PC one-liner and leave the scene asap. Always expect the other party to behave the same.
8) Never, ever be afraid to say "NO". Even if your friend is a gorgeous chick/stud/whatever [ insert appropriate term ].
9) Do not expect reciprocation in a friendship, no matter how long the friendship duration. Give what you deem appropriate and be done with it. For my case, I would never give anything again.
10) I was young, naïve and stupid, but never again.
