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Sunday 14 December 2008
Singaporeans’ Habits Abroad Make Me Grind My Teeth
Never mind the accent or our obsession with wearing slippers everywhere. The biggest tell-tale sign of a Singaporean tourist is his eyebrow-raising habits.
Singaporeans’ Habits Abroad Make Me Grind My Teeth
Never mind the accent or our obsession with wearing slippers everywhere. The biggest tell-tale sign of a Singaporean tourist is his eyebrow-raising habits.
By Belle Charlene Kwan, The New Paper 14 December 2008
Here’s a riddle: How do you spot a Singaporean overseas?
Never mind the accent or our obsession with wearing slippers to just about anywhere.
The biggest tell-tale sign is our eyebrow-raising habits.
I spent the last year studying in Melbourne and this once-proud Singaporean now cringes at the sight of her fellow countrymen going about their highly embarrassing ways.
Here’a an example: After a delightful evening at Wicked The Musical watching the story behind the Wizard of Oz unfold at the Regent Theatre in July, audience members file into the washroom to freshen up.
An Asian woman walks towards the paper-napkin dispenser after washing her hands. She’s on her handphone, and her accent is distinctively Singaporean (come on, who else says ‘Neh-mind’ but us?).
She proceeds to pull a napkin out. She goes for another, and another, and yet a few pieces more.
A quick dab of her hands and she tosses the thick wad of napkins into the bin.
A Caucasian lady standing in line behind me asked her friend: ‘Why did she just empty half the napkin dispenser?’
Another example: When Singapore Day came to Melbourne in October, Singaporeans thronged the festival grounds looking for a taste of home away from home.
And food, it seemed, was the top priority.
While standing in line for hours for a free plate of chicken rice, Gurmit Singh and gang entertained the crowd with Phua Chu Kang humour.
The Caucasians laughed and cheered, but the Singaporeans rolled their eyes.
‘So lame. Not even funny, lor!’
‘Wah lau. Go home, lah!’
Overhearing these comments coming from Singaporeans left me flabbergasted. So much for showing Australians our pride in homegrown culture.
And of course, our kiasu-ism follows us across land and sea.
Free giveaways on university campus will see Singaporeans flock like sea gulls to a basket of fish and chips.
Whether it is fruit juice samples, notebooks, or even fashion hair bands, a stream of Singaporeans is inevitable.
‘Wah! Free ah? Take some more.’
‘Wait, call friends. Sure also want.’
Now, why four guys would need 12fuschia pink non-slip hair bands is beyond me.
And there’s more...
Then there are the public transport incidents.
Mothers putting their bags on the seats beside them just so their children can sit when they’re tired of playing ‘catching’ on the tram and causing a racket.
These are also the same mothers who scream at the said children at the top of their lungs in full view of 60 other shocked commuters.
‘Oi! Sit down before I slap you!’
I shake my head, and wish they did not sound so obviously Singaporean.
Perhaps a more neutral accent might help lessen my embarrassment.
Singaporeans seldom hesitate to point fingers and bad mouth foreigners for their eccentric ways.
Perhaps it is time for us to hold our tongues, and first examine the image we display when overseas.
1 comment:
Singaporeans’ Habits Abroad Make Me Grind My Teeth
Never mind the accent or our obsession with wearing slippers everywhere. The biggest tell-tale sign of a Singaporean tourist is his eyebrow-raising habits.
By Belle Charlene Kwan, The New Paper
14 December 2008
Here’s a riddle: How do you spot a Singaporean overseas?
Never mind the accent or our obsession with wearing slippers to just about anywhere.
The biggest tell-tale sign is our eyebrow-raising habits.
I spent the last year studying in Melbourne and this once-proud Singaporean now cringes at the sight of her fellow countrymen going about their highly embarrassing ways.
Here’a an example: After a delightful evening at Wicked The Musical watching the story behind the Wizard of Oz unfold at the Regent Theatre in July, audience members file into the washroom to freshen up.
An Asian woman walks towards the paper-napkin dispenser after washing her hands. She’s on her handphone, and her accent is distinctively Singaporean (come on, who else says ‘Neh-mind’ but us?).
She proceeds to pull a napkin out. She goes for another, and another, and yet a few pieces more.
A quick dab of her hands and she tosses the thick wad of napkins into the bin.
A Caucasian lady standing in line behind me asked her friend: ‘Why did she just empty half the napkin dispenser?’
Another example: When Singapore Day came to Melbourne in October, Singaporeans thronged the festival grounds looking for a taste of home away from home.
And food, it seemed, was the top priority.
While standing in line for hours for a free plate of chicken rice, Gurmit Singh and gang entertained the crowd with Phua Chu Kang humour.
The Caucasians laughed and cheered, but the Singaporeans rolled their eyes.
‘So lame. Not even funny, lor!’
‘Wah lau. Go home, lah!’
Overhearing these comments coming from Singaporeans left me flabbergasted. So much for showing Australians our pride in homegrown culture.
And of course, our kiasu-ism follows us across land and sea.
Free giveaways on university campus will see Singaporeans flock like sea gulls to a basket of fish and chips.
Whether it is fruit juice samples, notebooks, or even fashion hair bands, a stream of Singaporeans is inevitable.
‘Wah! Free ah? Take some more.’
‘Wait, call friends. Sure also want.’
Now, why four guys would need 12fuschia pink non-slip hair bands is beyond me.
And there’s more...
Then there are the public transport incidents.
Mothers putting their bags on the seats beside them just so their children can sit when they’re tired of playing ‘catching’ on the tram and causing a racket.
These are also the same mothers who scream at the said children at the top of their lungs in full view of 60 other shocked commuters.
‘Oi! Sit down before I slap you!’
I shake my head, and wish they did not sound so obviously Singaporean.
Perhaps a more neutral accent might help lessen my embarrassment.
Singaporeans seldom hesitate to point fingers and bad mouth foreigners for their eccentric ways.
Perhaps it is time for us to hold our tongues, and first examine the image we display when overseas.
Let’s show some class, people.
Oi! You listening or what?
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