Week 5 – Culture Shock?

The most glaring difference in Singaporean culture from western culture is obviously how Chinese culture is deeply rooted in it. Even non-Chinese Singaporeans adopted such customs and behaviors. I personally adapted quickly because of my Chinese descent, but I was a little surprised that it had a Cantonese influences considering everyone defaulted to Mandarin in language.

I also learned that the government actually discourages some regular habits in order to “be recognized as a modern, westernized nation.” Things like jaywalking, eating in public, and spitting (things Bostonians also do) are highly discouraged. The latter two can get you fined if witnessed by an officer. The government discourages the use of Singlish and opts for Singaporean English (near identical to British English) as the official standard. All the government advertisements I hear on Spotify are in British accents. These all seem to put up a idealized image for Singapore as in reality; most locals still have these habits.

There are also the little things that are a bit inconvenient. Unlike in London, most people walk on the left side of the sidewalk. This also means that I’m always bumping into tourists while in the city. This is especially difficult since there isn’t a standardized placement of the escalator; sometimes it’s on the left side while other times it’s on the right side. There’s also the complete lack of napkins in any food court. I end up relying on wiping my mouth on my wrist and washing my hands later. Thankfully it’s sociably acceptable to stockpile on a stash of napkins when the opportunity arises.