It has been 5 months since we moved to the US. The days of packing, shipping, and unpacking are finally over. Our new apartment is now full and to some extent 'Marie Kondo'ed to make it livable. We spent the first few months exploring places, meeting people, learning driving, and actively involving us in every way to make us feel at home. Now with everything set for a routine, I am reminded of home. Not my homeland, but the home we had been nestling safely for a few solid years. How do you feel thinking about your high school friends? You were so close then but out of contact now. Well, we felt that way. We moved out of Singapore after living there for almost eight years. To many, Singapore is a tiny island located on the far end of the Malaysian Peninsula, but to us, the Lion city is more like a dear friend we miss and hope to see it another time. The least I can do is to cherish the evergreen memories of this country and pay a tribute through my words.
You might question what is so captivating about a tiny city? What is so special in an economy with a boring urban lifestyle? As a tourist, you need a maximum of five days to see all the attractions. For a long term resident, the city is not fascinating anymore. The trains are crowded; tall buildings surround us everywhere and the cost of living is so high. Despite these complaints, I can still reason out why we miss the little red dot, Singapore.
1. Walks and Parks: Newton has stated three laws of motion. In metros like NewYork, Hongkong, Tokyo, there is a fourth law, the walking law. Walk. Walk, Walk! Walking is the norm when you live in these places. In Singapore, it is no different either. All the highways have designated paths for both pedestrians and bicyclists. From grabbing a coffee to shopping at H&M, you have to walk everywhere even if you own a damn car. It was very tiring initially but over the years we got the hang of it. We became more active and physically fit. Thirty-year-old me running a half marathon would never have happened if I had not stepped out of cushy couches and learned to embrace walking.
Then there are parks. Across the island, there are more than 300 parks and almost 50 percent of the country is covered with greenery. In weekends, neighborhood parks are our leisure places where we ride bicycles, take quiet strolls and occasionally fly kites. Parks are also the runner's den. You can always see a group of joggers even in the wee hours. Yes, the country is absolutely safe to step outside any time and some shops are open 24x7. I used to run in the nearby park many times past midnight. And nothing drives me faster to slumberland than an exhausting workout, aching calves, and a hot shower. I can assure you will sleep like a log. LifeProTip: Get a pair of good sports shoes and step outdoors. Nature will amaze you!
2. Food Paradise:
There is no sincere love than the love of Food ~ G.B.Shaw
Who doesn't love food? Food gives you fond memories and to a food fanatic, this is your dreamland. From Thai cuisines, Nasi lemak, Indian curries to Fish head soup you have them all here. Some are uniquely Singaporean such as the traditional kaya breakfast set. You can't live here without having this for breakfast or a quick snack. We miss it so much when traveling overseas, our first instinct when we land at Changi airport is to sit at the famous 'Yakun Kaya Toast' and savor this meal. The set consists of toasted crunchy bread filled with kaya jam and butter served with soft cooked eggs and a drink. Dip the bread into the running yolk stirred in with the right amount of pepper and soy sauce and slurp it down with a hot Teh C. All the travel fatigue and insomnia will wash away when this whole combo hits your gut with instant gratification that makes you feel "Okay, we're home"
True it is not only the palate but the mind that connects with food. That is the reason we prefer to cook food at home most of the times and only on special occasions, dine at restaurants. However, one exception is the 'Hawker center' under HDBs. A 'kampong' for the food courts in the mall. Hawker centers are mostly located in a casual setting and serve more like an extended home dining. The food has authentic flavors, cooked and delivered with a human touch. And I can tell you why. My office had a small coffee shop nearby. The Auntie who runs it knows only Mandarin with some broken English and all the Mandarin I know is Ni Hao. Yet she tries to small talk through animated gestures every time we meet. Between me trying to make sense of her speech and she juggling with her other orders, my tea is ready in the most perfect way I desire it to be. Its a Teh C Siew Dai (Hot tea with evaporated milk and lesser sugar). And I remember her taking my order only the first time I came here. Think about it, coffee breaks can be heartwarming too.
3. 'Chope'ing: I cannot visualize Singapore without its choping culture. Chope is a custom by which you can reserve seats by merely placing a tissue packet at a food center. Nobody dares to sit there, the seat stays forbidden till the owner of that tissue claims it. The whole choping process resonates with the nation itself. I admit I have done a few times too. But some people go to extreme levels of choping. You can find business cards, office ID tags, car keys even smartphones used as a chope. Seriously, you don't mind keeping an iPhone to hold your seat? I am speechless. Although there is an ongoing debate on whether "To chope or not to chope?", I can only assume it will take years to uproot it entirely from the system, a possibility only when we reach the end of the human race. #chopeit #chope
Similar to choping is their queueing culture. There is a strong belief. The longer the queue better the food or the product. One can affirm Singaporean queuing is an art, as they do it so nicely and fall in place naturally. I am not joking. I have seen long queue lines of people waiting for more than two hours without a hint of tiredness or impatience. A rare incident happened in 2000 when McDonald's had a Hello Kitty promotion. The queues started pouring before sunrise and continued till midnight. When they ran out of stock, the situation went out of control and resulted in some fist fights too. All these chaos for a small plush toy. Imagine how competitive it will be for the rest of the stuff!
4.Travel at ease:
I am not a fan of buses, nor cars as the constant movements give me motion sickness. I had no choice here but to use public transport. To my relief, public transport here is much comfortable, especially MRT. Although not so fast as the Shinkansen bullet trains in Japan, the Singapore MRT does a pretty good job carrying an average of 3 million people every day. The trains are on time and hassle-free, helping many skip the morning traffic during peak office hours.
“A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transportation.”~ Gustavo Petro
I use MRT to reach my workplace, mostly my travel accompanied by silence. In the MRT, commuters tend to spend time by scrolling their phones, playing online games or watching some Korean soaps. The chatty ones must be either the tourists or old Aunties. Coming from India, I find it so odd to see fellow travelers minding their own businesses with least interest for small talks. In our country, people start talking the moment they sit together. It is more of an obligation to talk until they know each other's common interests, political stands, family, ancestry, and continue until they part with teary-eyed goodbyes. I agree that is too much drama. But I hope a smile or a tiny nod is no harm and might add some warmth to anybody's day. Why not try it lah?
5. To each his own:
A child has the freedom to cry when it misses something or someone. Well, as an adult, you cannot cry nor express your longing for home. Singapore being a multiracial and multicultural country, relieves that yearning and gives a bit of home experience to everyone residing here. There are tiny clusters of spaces for each race and culture: Chinatown for the traditional Chinese, Little India for the Indians, Geylang for the Malays, Dempsey Hill for the Westerners and Bugis for the Indonesians. Here you can visit religious deities, shop and dine your native specialties and meet similar people. The country celebrates Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali and other festivals with such pomp and decor, you will be caught in the festive spirit on all seasons. In spite of the occasional tensions amidst the various ethnic groups, I do believe that they all enjoy having a space of their own.
My family loves to travel and we have frequented most of the neighboring countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hongkong. In comparison, Singapore is quite similar to its Asian counterparts on aspects of culture and lifestyle. Yet the Lion city is unique in the way it accommodates outsiders, maintains a self-sufficient economy, ensures safety round the clock and creates a niche on its own.
How to be a Local - Starter Pack:The country has certain drawbacks too. Some people can be xenophobic, complaining and materialistic. People and the Media are controlled and must adhere to stringent laws. Regardless of these shortcomings, one can only say Singapore is a Home away from Home.
1. Speak Singlish
2. Sport a casual Tee and shorts
3. Go crazy for the Salted Egg potato crisps.
Welcome to Lion City!
It is now February and Valentine's day is around the corner. This is the time of the year to remind our loved ones how precious they are in our lives and remember the places that made these memories possible. Singapore certainly holds a fair share of our experience and this tiny red dot will always be my valentine:)
.jpg)
Post a Comment