You have to live out of Singapore to appreciate what we have.
Why do I like it here?
- Friends / family
- Everything works. We are efficient. Nowhere else comes close. Not the US, not Taiwan and definitely not Australia. It takes weeks to work the government services bureaucracy.
- It is very livable here. We have parks, clean air & portable water off our taps. Low crime. You can walk along the streets without worrying about being mugged/murdered/harassed. Yes, it sounds very lame, but you know what, when you are looking for a home - this is an important fact. You need to be alive in the first place!
- Cost of living is low. Increasingly this is less true, but we are still reasonably cheap. Although, healthcare is getting a little out of touch with cost of living, you need to invest in medical insurance. If you don't buy a car and choose HDB apartment living - life is comfortable.
- Growing sophistication. We are getting to first world living. There's F1 races, lots of activities like ballet in Fort Canning, the Singapore symphonic playing in the Botanic Gardens, lots of concerts and musicals playing in town. If you like sports, then there's a whole plethora of running events, triathlons, cycling groups...
- Open mindset. The Singaporean is very adaptable and accepting. In all my work places, I work alongside Malaysians, India Indians, China Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Americans, Australians... It's a way of life. Of late, there's some unhappiness towards people from India and PRC - but the overall attitude in the offices is still very healthy. More than I can say for anywhere else : in Taiwan/Korea/India/China - they only accept their own. In US & all western countries - the White will rule. Here, everyone's equal, the foreigner is accepted totally, not politely as a guest/an outsider.
- Food. It's true! We have every cuisine available on this tiny island! You get very spoilt for tastes!
- A stable and good government. There is no corruption - just look at our South East Asian neighbours, nuff said. Look at the political infighting in the US and Taiwan. The enemy is outside, people. Let's close ranks, accept our differences, work together as one Singapore.
What can be improved?
- Stop whinging. People are so quick to complain yet are prepared to do nothing about it.
- It gets claustrophobic. Small country and inward looking people - we tend to all look and criticize. I catch myself several times. If we can all be less kaypo and more supportive/loving please? Starts with me. Today.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-flipside/letter-staying-put-singapore-005809050.html
In Taiwan, they like to start each sentence with, 如果你真的爱台湾...
If you truly love Singapore, take an active step towards making this the country you want it to be. Offer constructive criticism, help out at the grassroots level, join a political party, do something rather than just bitch!
No comments:
Post a Comment