I am in Singapore since three years and I had few moments where I really missed home. I never longed for forbidden fruits like Chewing Gum or hoped to feel some cold snow flakes falling on my head. Hell, we even have a casino and Formula 1 race now.
It's the small things that you really miss, things you take totally for granted where you come from. Here they are not.
1. Watching a Movie Without being Disturbed
Avatar 3D, 11pm show, and I hoped to have a nice cinematic experience. And how wrong I was. There were 3 kids (like 5 year old) just in the two rows around me getting bored and starting to sing, scream and cry after 30 minutes. Parents action, none. The dude next to me had to explain every scene of the movie to his girlfriend who obviously didn’t speak English, on the other side some idiot was happily talking on his mobile phone and I felt once again.. Like every time I watch a movie in Singapore, extremely pissed off.
• Must Read: New Singapore Campaign – Switch It Off Already!
2. Zip-Merge on Singapore’s Streets
No, I am not actually a driver, but I am using vehicles that frequently get stuck in jams because most of Singapore’s drivers havent heard or simply are not practicing the so called “Zipper-Merge” (Def. The vehicles should merge in a zip-fastener manner). In most parts of Europe it is actually law to drive in this economical manner, to avoid jams and problems at bottlenecks. In Singapore people are to kiasu. “Let this car go first? NEVER! I’d rather be stuck here for 5 more hours”.
3. Independent Movies & Good Newspapers
Or simply call it “Press Freedom“. Well, sensitive topic, but as a matter of fact every media in Singapore is state controlled (and censored). International Newspapers and magazines that have published criticism are banned and those who are still here are refaining from doing so to keep their (financially beneficial) location.
As a result the daily news are far far away from containing any useful and well researched in-deep articles. However, things might change once e-readers like the kindle or the rumored iTablet may become more popular.
• Must Read: A Fresh View on Singapore’s Media and Censorship!
4. Cheap Food
Yeah, you might say” What the hell, theres bloody cheap food everywhere”, I agree, but I am talking about the every now and then when the person from overseas needs its monthly portion of good cheese, freshly baked bread, cherries, sparkling water and yoghurt.
As a result of being an island Singapore has to import everything. And that means “our” typically food from home will be more then double the price then we are used to it.
5. Grafitti
“Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing.
And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can
make someone smile while they’re having a piss.” – Banksy
There is not much to say here, just that some good and well done Grafitti is far better then a grey dirty huge wall.
“If you want to say something and have people listen then you have to
wear a mask. If you want to be honest then you have to live a lie.” – Banksy
• Must Read: SingPost + Graffiti = Ultimate Fail
by an Asia experienced 26 year young expat living and surviving in Singapore since years!
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4 Comments for this post
Jan 12, 2010 at 7:45 pm
I agree about the imported foods. I almost cried the first time i went into a supermarket here and realised how much some things from back home were going to cost me. A student budget doesn’t stretch to $11 bucks for a not particularly big box of breakfast cereal!
Jan 15, 2010 at 1:58 pm
It’s the same thing when i traveled to your country. If you detest Singapore that much, you can jolly well return, we don’t welcome people who doesn’t try to blend in as well. It’s not as if your country is any better.
Anyway, you are not providing guide. It’s just your personal opinions. My angmo friend loves Durian and had it with beer. He missed he so much that he just traveled down to eat in Singapore.
Jan 18, 2010 at 11:15 am
“We do not welcome people who does not try to blend in as well.”
This one is so true, Great typical ‘local’ reply. Lol.
Great Blog
Jan 18, 2010 at 11:21 am
@HappySingaporean: There is no need to be so uptight, is there? Come on, this blogger is just stating the facts and airing his opinions, there is really no need to get on your moral high-horse and be so defensive. Don’t visit his blog if you are not happy to listen to his ‘personal opinions’. And bear in mind that you are also just providing your own ‘opinion’ when you mentioned ‘we don’t welcome people who doesn’t try to blend in as well’. You just make fellow Singaporeans look bad.
What the hell….I’m a Singaporean too but I totally agree with the points he stated in this entry! ;-)
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