Nik


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Friday, March 15, 2013 @ 12:37 AM PERMALINK

Bear with me while I interupt my updates about Melbourne to talk about something closer to home..

I've been toying with the idea of writing this post for a long time and I don't think there can be a more perfect time than this.

If any of you have come across my Facebook updates recently, you would have noticed that I've started to fall out of love with Singaporeans. This is not because I have become another traveling cliche - I am not another travel bug who 'goes on short trips overseas and suddenly thinks life is better elsewhere'

I just simply cannot take this hate anymore.

I'm not happy that every day I wake up, log on to my Facebook and instead of seeing useless but cute posts of dogs, cats and rabbits, I am faced with stupid, uneducated and uncivilized comments about race. While racist comments are always uncalled for, sometimes these comments breed on completely unrelated topics like, the announcement of the new Catholic Pope.

Yes, it makes my blood boil and I could probably chill a little once in awhile - which is why I am choosing to turn this negativity into an exercise in positivity and focus on what makes me love living in Singapore.

1. The culture

If we took the time to soak in all the culture there is surrounding us - you'd realise how great it is to live on a small island that plays host to a myriad of races.

Have you been to the bazaars during Ramadan? I have and I love it. Last year my friend Hafiz brought me around and introduced me to drinks and food that I've never heard of before. He showed me which stalls were the most popular and explained how many of them are 'regular' customers of the bazaar.

I love Arab Street and its rows of carpets and cloth shops. While it is no longer what many would call an accurate representation of Arabs in Singapore, it is still a nice place to be in and to look around. I have yet to visit the revamped Kampong Glam but when I do, I'm sure it will be heaps of fun too.

A trip to little India also not only allows you to see all the different kinds of food - both North and South Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese, Bangladeshi... It also allows you to see customs and markers that migrants have brought with them - from their nerve-wrecking road crossing habits to their habit of holding hands as a sign of brotherhood..

Chinatown is no exception. Traditional chinese crafts, temples, food...I love it all.

Let's not forget the little enclaves that have started to pop up. 'Little Korea' in Tanjong Pagar, 'Japan town' in the Cuppage area..Our own little Thailand in Golden Mile and all the other areas that I have yet to explore or visit.

The very best part is that all of these cultures are not confined to these places. It is true that they may be more predominant in these areas but even our very own neighbor shops and areas are a mishmash of culture and I adore it.

What I also enjoy is the fact that you can find different cultures in different cultural 'enclaves'. For example, Swee Choon Tim Sum in Little India and a personal favourite, Erich's Wuerstelstand (which sells German and Austrian sausages) right in the middle of Chinatown.

I've never stopped learning about other cultures. Thanks to my parents, I was brought up with a healthy exposure to different cultures. My mum exposed us to different traditions, explained to us different taboos for different religions and let us try different foods and even after all that, I still learn new things all the time.


2. The food

Food is intrinsically with Culture so it would be no surprise to anyone that my second favourite thing I love about Singapore is the food.

I can wake up in the morning and decide if I want to have Prata, Lontong, Chee Cheong Fun, Economic Bee Hoon or Eggs Benedict.. The best part? It is likely that about 3-4 out of those dishes can be found in the same coffee shop or hawker centre.

Our local fare is a mixture of foods that have been brought in by migrants 30-40 years ago. Slowly we've adapted them and now things like Chee Cheong Fun drenched in sweet sauce, Economic Beehoon and Carrot Cake are unique to Singapore (and Malaysia).

I love that I can have Indian food for lunch and decide to have Mexican for dinner and will be able to find out where the best places to go would be. No matter if I have a hankering for Thai or Nasi Lemak, the choice is mine.

Having been close friends with Malay, Punjabi and Sri Lankan girls in Polytechnic, my later teen years were spent being exposed to things like Raita, Dhal, Chappati, Dengdeng, Roti Boyan.

And just like learning about culture, I never stop discovering new things about different cusines . Just last year Hafiz introduced me to Khatirah and barbequed quail and they were completely new experiences for me.

Recently, I also tried Spiced Buttermilk at a Northern Indian Restaurant and that is one drink I'm not going to be ordering a second time. If you ever see it on the menu, try it and tell me what you think.

What makes this all so much better is the relatively low cost. Yes, the cost of eating out IS rising and it isn't the cheapest in the world but a bowl of noodles here still costs about 30-50% less than it would in a city like Melbourne.

3. Safe streets

This could be solely because I've grown up in Singapore and it is my comfort zone but I've never felt very threatened by walking home alone at night. Well rarely at least.. Sometimes after talking about ghosts or watching too many episodes of Criminal Minds, my brain does go into overdrive.

I can come home at 3am and while I still look for strangers lurking in the shadows, I don't feel that my chances of getting robbed or murdered are too high.

I like living in a country where guns (while have been discovered once or twice) are almost impossible to own and that it is unlikely that druggies will pop out and threaten me with contaminated needles.

Perhaps I'll run into kids sniffing glue or smoking weed - if I were really unlucky but even then, pretty low chances.

4. Public transport

Yes. I moan and groan daily about how long it takes my bus to arrive - especially, after work.
Yes, I am annoyed at the increase in train breakdowns but all this doesn't change the fact that hopping into a bus or train costs me about $1 (sometimes less) while it costs Australians approximately $3.50. (based on my visits to three states)

Going to and from work costs me $4 in Singapore, a great deal lower compared to what my friend's tell me they pay for public transport overseas.

Of course there are always taxis. In Singapore, you can always flag a cab down. While cab fares have risen steadily, they are still cheap enough to be used by many people DAILY to gain half an hr of sleep. There are also not many taxi scams running here because all drivers know they are accountable to their companies.

On a side note, I love our taxi drivers. Having had my share of late nights as well as working until the wee hours of the night means that I've met a large number of drivers.

I've met drivers that have told me ghost stories, ones that have offered me jobs, adorable drivers that have waited for me to safely get into the lift before driving off.. All sorts really. They are such interesting people and if they would like to speak to their passenger to alleviate the boredom of driving, I am usually happy to oblige.

5. The slowly rising arts scene

Arts markets, independent jewelry makers, cupcake shops, tattoo artists, blogspots, artists, musicians, cafe owners, social projects, film makers....I could really go on. All these things seem to been on the rise.

Perhaps technology has made it easier to reach out to audiences and these people are simply being seen more. Whatever it is, it does seem that the Arts and small business scene is heating up and while these people face problems such as sky high rentals, censorship, lack of appreciation.. It is so exciting to be part of this, to be supportive of local talents.

My advice to everyone is that if you see a piece of clothing or jewellery that is well made locally, BUY IT.

If you can support a homegrown cafe or restaurant once in awhile, do it.

If you like the music of a local band, buy merch.

Yes, it may seem more pricey compared to buying items made in china or thailand but without our support, these guys will face obstacle after obstacle while consumers pour money into chain shops and restaurants. Take it as your money will go into helping develop the arts scene in Singapore and create more vibrancy to our island. Yes, it may seem like a stretch but every bit of support counts.

So, there you go folks.. 5 things I love about Singapore. If you've been feeling resentful or disillusioned about life on our little red dot, take a breath and think about that makes you happy to live here and perhaps you'll feel better. At least until the next wave of hate arrives.




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