The Red Dot

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover”- Mark Twain.

I had always wanted to experience how it would be like to work in a multicultural place. My prayers were answered when an opportunity came along last year to work in Singapore. I welcomed it with open arms, knowing fully well that a stint in Singapore meant I might have to live all by myself.

Many friends and relatives had already visited Singapore as tourists and brought back with them tales of the towering skyscrapers, efficient public transport system, impeccable infrastructure and safety. It was time to experience the island state first hand. I started reading all I could about the ‘Red Dot’ as I prepared for life in Singapore.

After moving to Singapore, I discovered that there was a lot to the city state that was hard to capture in a single travel guide. There were some puzzling (read comical) situations that I found myself in as I was so used to life in India. One such instance was in the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) where no matter how crowded the train is, nobody every jostles or pushes others for space. In one of my initial days of commuting in the MRT, I was about to alight at the closest station to office which is in the heart of downtown. As I was quite far from the train door and the train was extremely crowded, I gently tried to make my way to the exit, worried that I might miss my stop. A fellow passenger quickly pointed out that the train will not just speed by and doors will remain open until all the passengers have alighted. That was quite a relief!

The Singapore MRT is a great leveler as one sees people from all walks of life relying on it to get around, primarily because owning a car in Singapore is an expensive proposition. The MRT routes are explained through easy-to-read maps and signs prominently displayed at every platform and multiple places within the station. This eliminates the need for bothering others for directions. I have used the subway in NYC and found it confusing compared to the well-defined routes in Singapore train stations.

There is constant effort put in by the transport authorities to ensure that commuters do not inconvenience each other and follow certain basic etiquette. They have a campaign called #StandupStacy that appeals to younger MRT users to be considerate of others, especially elders and offer them a seat in trains. The reserved seats in trains also have interesting signs reminding passengers to be kind to fellow passengers.

Singapore is a pedestrian’s paradise with abundant pedestrian crossing signs and pathways. Pressing the ubiquitous Green Man sign to cross the street is a luxury from an Indian’s point of view. The good quality of sidewalks and connecting roads has made runners, skaters and cyclists a common sight in Singapore. The best part is safety. I do not have to look over my shoulder when I walk home from the MRT station late in the evening. I can let down my guard and move around as I please without any safety concerns. That is a very liberating feeling, especially for a woman. 

Getting essential transactions completed in Singapore is largely free of red tape. Single window digitized transactions are mostly the norm. I was pleasantly surprised when my bank account was opened in a matter of 15 minutes and the VISA card issued to me in the same visit with my name embossed on it. Applying for a cable and broadband connection was equally easy and did not require any follow ups. Interestingly, in line with its digitization focus, the Singapore Government has launched a mobile application to provide a convenient channel for reporting municipal issues. I have personally used this app and found it very user friendly. 

Singapore is famous for being a melting pot of diverse cultures including Chinese, Malay and Tamil influences. One never feels out of place in this rainbow nation with four official languages. There is also an unofficial but more popular fifth language – Singlish (Singaporean English) which is an English-based creole language with peculiar intonation and grammar (‘lah’ is a commonly used Singlish word after any sentence, similar to ‘da’, ‘na’ in India)

Food is said to be Singapore’s national pastime, viewed as a unifying cultural thread. From fine dining to the proverbial Hawker Centers, there is something to suit every foodie’s palate in here. Some of the local favorites are Hainanese chicken rice, Laksa, Hokkien Mee, Carrot Cake, Fried Bee Hoon, Kaya Toast. Milo seems to be a very popular beverage. Most Singaporeans prefer to eat out and do not cook as often as Indians do.

Some other stray observations :

· Money is given and received with both hands

· Greeting your colleagues is not so common

· Ordering tea / coffee in a restaurant could get confusing as it has different names such as ‘Kopi O, Kopi C, Teh Tarik’ based on whether it contains milk / condensed milk

· House addresses are denoted in a specific manner : #03-05 : refers to storey 3, unit 5

· Always keep an umbrella handy as it rains all year round in Singapore!