Singapore Lifestyle Insights – Quirky But Wonderful Singaporeans!

singaporeans They are the citizens of Singapore, an island city-state and the smallest country in Southeast Asia. It is quite small being a small city-state having an area of ​​699 km2 which is the reason for its dense population. Geographically, Singapore is located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of the Indonesian Riau Islands. It is located just 137 kilometers (miles) north of the equator.

Singaporeans are quirky, smart, interesting and a very warm and friendly bunch of people to hang out with. Ask any tourist who has visited Singapore, and they will quickly confirm that the typical Singaporean is courteous, friendly and fun.

CUSTOMS OF A TYPICAL SINGAPORE

singles

Singaporeans don’t speak English; rather, they speak Singlish!

Singlish is simply the localized form of “English” used by Singaporeans.

Despite government efforts to promote the “Speak Good English” campaign in Singapore, Singlish remains a rich vernacular in its own right, and if the language is the ultimate manifestation of a national identity, it should be celebrated rather than discouraged. . In this regard, the government is now redirecting its energies towards encouraging people to develop Singlish as a kind of spare accent; so Singaporeans can speak good formal English at work or when they need to talk to a foreigner.

Shopping

“Shop till you Drop” is a favorite phrase in Singapore.

Shopping is the second national obsession for Singaporeans, second only to food, and the retail rush will instantly seduce you into maxing out your credit cards and emptying your wallet or send you screaming back to your hotel room to tremble beneath. of the sheets.

The best items to pick up are Electronics (which can be cheaper here, but you should shop carefully and arm yourself with the standard retail price before bargain hunting), Art, and Antiques (unless you’re traveling to other Southeast Asian countries). ) and clothes. Books and CDs are also cheaper than in most Western countries.

Orchard Road is the most famous shopping district in Singapore. It is to Singapore what Fifth Avenue is to New York and the Champs-Elysees to Paris: a long line of shops, malls, and arcaded hotels stretching from the top of the street on Dhoby Ghaut, home to Plaza Singapura. in the end. where Tanglin Road begins.

Eating

Singaporeans just love good food! – Eating is THE national pastime, with shopping a distant second!

A typical Singaporean lives to eat and their concern for culinary matters means that finding good food here, at the right price, is no problem. Few places in the world can offer such a diverse, exotic and utterly engaging food scene as Singapore. The city has every imaginable cuisine, for every imaginable budget.

After all, Singapore is a multiracial and multicultural society. It’s no surprise, then, that local food favorites are the melting pot of richness, tastes, and quirks for each unique culture. Singapore is a cornucopia of different cuisines and the variety of dishes available is enough to keep you eating all the time. Whether you like haute cuisine, ethnic foods, vegetarian or spicy local dishes, you’re sure to find plenty of great food options.

kiasuism

“Kiasu,” a Hokkien word meaning “fear of losing,” entered the Singaporean popular lexicon through the cartoon character Mr. Kiasu, whose philosophies include: You must always win; Everything must also grab; jump tail; Keep coming back for more; Look for discounts; It doesn’t matter what they think; Rushing and pushing wins the race; and the winner takes it all! all! all!

Other notable features

Among others, Singaporeans are known to be extremely hard workers; they work long hours every day and sometimes even on weekends. They are also very business minded, especially the Chinese.

Singaporeans have also been known to be deliberately late for Chinese wedding dinners, something that should be corrected. The younger generation is starting to change and sometimes the wedding dinner start time is brought forward just to accommodate this cultural quirk.

Many Singaporeans use shows from a very young age, probably as a result of too much television and close book reading. For adults, you’ll notice an increasing number of them without glasses: the wonders of contact lenses, or even Lasik surgery!

Last but not least, a typical Singaporean hates traveling long distances. It is common to hear complaints that they have been on public transport for an hour to get from one place to another! They may be spoiled, but another way of looking at this is that time is a precious commodity for a Singaporean, particularly when you consider their very hectic daily schedules and the fast pace of life and rat race in this country.

Summary

The above is probably an overgeneralization of Singaporeans – generally good just for a laugh! In general, you can’t help but like a Singaporean for your many wonderful and quirky attributes: honest, sincere, friendly, warm, fun-loving, bubbly and genuine.