Singapore Mythbusters

This is random for this blog, but I wanted to add it because I had fun writing it, hehe. 

Two years ago, I studied abroad in Singapore. I was supposed to keep a blog and post about my travels, but around midterms, I slacked and didn't get around to posting what I wanted to post.

A few weeks back, I was looking around my old files and I found an unfinished Singapore blog post that I enjoyed reading. I'm a big believer in passing on knowledge and these are some things I really wanted people visiting Singapore for the first time to know. You can consider them epiphanies I had throughout my trip. I hope you enjoy it. 

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If you’ve ever watched an episode of Mythbusters, you know how this works. If not, here’s the gist: the TV show hosts consider a common myth, experiment to see to what extent it is true, and then give a final verdict. The myth could be busted (not true), plausible (true to an extent), or confirmed (true).

Before coming to SG, I had a few ideas as to what this city was like based on Youtube videos and Internet surfing. I’m happy to say that in these past few weeks, I can now confirm (or deny) seven common Singapore myths. And yes, I do realize most of these are food-related.

1) Do not jaywalk à Plausible

At first, I was petrified of walking across a street without the “okay” from the little green man, even one that was four steps long. Singapore has a lot of cameras posted in inconspicuous areas and I did not want to risk being fined S$1,000 during my short stay here. However, I noticed that the locals didn’t mind a bit of jaywalking across the smaller roads, especially when there were no vehicles in sight in either direction. Usually, it’s best to follow the locals, but I still wasn’t convinced. It wasn’t until my visit to Little India that I changed my mind about jaywalking.

Little India is part of Singapore, but the second you step foot within its territory, the rules slacken and bend – for the sake of safety, of course. The walkways are packed with people, so much so that people spill onto the streets. It’s important to walk quickly and, when the close to clear, cross when you can. Otherwise, you might obstruct the sidewalk and cause more foot traffic. The drivers in Little India are familiar with the constant flow of people, so they cruise carefully, especially when someone is walking literally a foot away from their car.

When I entered “Singapore” again, I could see how the locals who jaywalked did so with a similar caution. They rarely crossed large intersections without the light or small streets when there was traffic, but using common sense, they’d cross when the coast was clear. I haven’t seen anyone being taken away or fined yet. That is not to say that it doesn’t happen, but I can say it doesn’t happen often. I still wait for the green man, but when it’s clear there aren’t any incoming cars and a group of locals decide to cross, I usually cross with them. Safety in numbers, right?

 

2) When eating out, leave your table without cleaning up à Confirmed

Yeah… please do this. It may seem rude in the U.S., and I definitely still feel guilty leaving a mess, but there’s good reason why you should definitely not clean up after yourself when you eat outside in Singapore.

The workers rely on this as part of their jobs of maintaining the restaurant. Some places try to incorporate tray areas and little signs on the tables encourage customers to bring their tray there. Still, these eateries still have workers who are disgruntled when you follow the signs. Perhaps they saw this as invading their work area, like if I walked into the kitchen and snatched the wok from the chef’s hand. For instance, one time I thought I would hand a worker the tray since he was tidying up near the tray area, but the man curtly waved his hand, said something that wasn’t pleasant, and gestured me to put my tray back onto my table.

A bit rattled, I did as he asked and resolved to never try putting my tray away in any form again. Now, I mostly just gather my leftovers and trash in a neat pile and leave before I start doubting myself.

 

3) You always have to dress up for class because the standard for fashion in Singaporean universities is higher than that of American universities. à Busted

They recommend that you don’t wear your sweatpants to class, but does anyone really care? Not really. Yes, many students do prefer wearing business casual (button-ups and slacks for men and a wide array of blouses and skirts for women) but there are equally as many students who make do with a classic shirt and shorts.

If you go to class in athleisure, you won’t get odd glances and the teacher won’t kick you out. I’ve seen students who do turn up in greasy buns and probably what they slept in the night before, but we’re all too busy taking down notes or discussing a question. Just wear what you’d normally wear.

 

4) It’s hot and humid every day, so only pack shorts and light summer wear. à Busted

Jeans at the Botanical Gardens.

An all black outfit to Orchard Road.

Heavy coats sold in SG malls.

It is humid and hot, but not unbearable -- you get used to it.

The longer you stay there, the more you fall back on your usual fashion sense. I also regret that I didn’t bring more non-summer clothes; it gets cold indoors because Singaporeans blast that AC. I was shivering in two of my classes because I didn’t bring a jacket and wore shorts. And my roommates and I now know enough to bring an actual blanket when we go to SMU Labs, which is their student study/activity center. Point being, yes bring light wear, but more importantly, bring layers. You’ll out yourself as a tourist if all you wear is breathable Hawaiian floral shirts. If you’re really worried about the heat, I’ve learned to bring around a water bottle everywhere I go.

 

5) Bring tissue packets/wet wipes when eating out. à Plausible

Most places do have a napkin dispenser, especially restaurants. But definitely bring wet wipes/tissue packets when you eat at an outdoor hawker center, especially when you’re having satay or chili crab, yum. But mostly, we use packets to “chope” seats, which is to place a tissue packet or another item on the table to tell others the seat is taken. It’s not considered rude to claim a seat and no one has stolen anything I’ve placed down. There is a distinct tissue packet culture here: most locals bring a packet and sometimes you’ll find people selling packets, and only packets, on the street. Anyway, it’s not an absolute necessity to bring one every time you go out to eat. You can just as easily use a bottle or a stray pamphlet.

 

6) Singaporeans are obsessed with food. à Confirmed.

I asked a new Singaporean friend about her thoughts on this. She responded that it’s not that Singaporeans are obsessed with food but rather food is so ingrained in their culture that they can’t help but think and talk about it all the time. Singapore is composed of many different cultures and from those culture came the famous hawker center, which is almost the foundation of Singaporean eatery. Not many people cook in their homes, and it’s expensive to do so. Why buy groceries when you can get a quick, towering plate for S$3? The locals dominate the food scene. You would be hard-pressed to find a popular corporate-run food chain. The only two I can really think of are McDonald’s and Starbucks.

Hawker center vendors specialize in a few recipes passed down through generations. These recipes are rarely influenced by only one culture but, throughout the years, the family would incorporate what they’ve learned from other cultures around them. For example, you’ll see this around a lot: Peranakan cuisine. My housemates and I guessed it was Malay food, but we were only partly right. Peranakan food is interchangeably known as Nyonya, which literally means Peranakan women but refers to aunties who are known to make the best local food. This cuisine was brought by the descendants of Chinese immigrants who settled in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. If you want a quick way to describe it, it’s Malay-Chinese food, but really, it’s a product of the melting pot of cultures.

My SG friend also said (though I disagree) that there’s not much to do in Singapore but shop and eat, which is why many foreigners have this idea that the average Singaporean indulges in luxury and cuisine on a regular basis.

During fifteen-minute class breaks, all but maybe two or three students in a class of forty hurry out the door. The first time this happened, I got up instinctively from my seat because of how suddenly everyone moved. They came back with breads, drinks, chips, even little combo sets in hand. I’ve seen a girl bring back a steaming bowl of ramen and a sausage during my Legal Theory and Philosophy class. The room is then filled with drool-inducing aromas and the crinkle and crunch of plastic or paper bags as the break ends – the professors don’t mind. Where do the students go? Nearby convenience stores like Cheers and underneath SMU buildings where food stops line the ground floor like Gongcha, a curry place, and a bakery. The lines are incredibly long but go fast since the store owners are prepared for the daily heavy flow.

Before long, I too was eating out all the time, buying snacks between classes, and hunting for the latest interesting food. My roommate and I hit Bugis Street Market a few blocks down our apartment. It’s one of the largest outdoor markets in Singapore, nestled between buildings and almost hidden from view, and it’s packed with quick fried grub. My housemates and I made it a nightly ritual to shut our eyes, point to a random spot in Singapore, take a metro or a bus there, and find the nearest hawker center. And when it’s late into the night, Singaporeans indulge in a second dinner of sorts called supper. It’s common to grab a few friends and look for gleaming signs and smoking windows and sit in in a popular 24/7 restaurant or bakery run by locals. My roommate and I have eaten at the 24/7 Indian restaurant a street down from our apartment more times than I can count. Whenever SMU Christian Fellowship, a student organization I joined, finishes up their evening meetings, they flash a slide on the projector: Supper in 30 minutes. And bars are aplenty. I don’t go out often but one of my housemates went out almost every night for bar experiences with friends.

I don’t think Singaporeans are innately gluttonous. I do agree with my classmate that Singaporeans were shaped by a food-centric culture. It’s almost impossible not to be obsessed with food when living in Singapore.

 

7) No eating or drinking on the MRT. à Confirmed

As much as Singaporeans love food, they definitely respect this rule. It’s treated differently than the jaywalking law. While they do bring food and drinks on board, I’ve never seen any of it come close to their faces. My RD told me this story in which she brought a drink (it was either coffee or water) on board. Out of habit, she took a sip. Instantly, on the loud speaker, a voice politely reminded the riders (namely, my RD) that consuming food or drinks wasn’t allowed on the public transit. You could say it was a coincidence, but this announcement is not usually played. My RD has been living in Singapore as an ex-pat for a number of years, so she was aware of this and knew that it was more likely that the announcement was meant for her. Think I was crazy for being careful about jaywalking? They do watch the footage from the cameras placed everywhere. My SG classmates even warned me to watch how I act and what I say. Some were even excited to study abroad themselves where cameras weren’t hidden everywhere. I guess the authorities are just picky with what they chose to enforce. My RD was embarrassed enough to never make the same mistake again and shares the story as a cautionary tale to us visiting students.

Singapore may let some things go, like jaywalking, but I can confirm that they are strict with the no eating/drinking on board rule. Especially durians. There are set fines for many offenses, but the durian ominously has a blank fine amount. This is probably because of the strong stench durians give off. One time, my RD was gifted a free durian by a friend at the friend’s house. When heading home, my RD was turned away at the MRT and the bus stop. She could not even get a taxi or a Grab (their Uber) to pick her and her husband up. I believe she and her husband had to be picked up by friends at night because they could not use the public transportation system to tout their fruit.

If I were to guess why this particular fine is enforced, Singaporeans pride themselves on their clean streets despite being a heavily populated city of 5.8 million people. This extends to their MRT and general public transportation system. Most Singaporeans do not have cars, and cars are expensive, both to buy and to get a license for. With the population heavily dependent on public transportation, Singaporean officials probably thought it was best to keep these utilities clean, thereby enforcing a hefty fine on food and drink.