フィリピンで働くオンライン英会話講師から見たシンガポールレポート第２弾です
Culture
It’s amazing how such a tiny country has so much to offer. Being in Singapore will take you to many parts of the world (in sense, at least).
Chinatown is everywhere and there’s no excluding the Lion City. Besides the fact that most people in Singapore are of Chinese decent or are Chinese, their culture also has a huge contribution in the society – and is quite apparent too.
The Chinese Garden also known as the Jurong Gardens is the place to go if you want serenity whilst conjuring the spirit of ancient China.
The garden is really beautiful in daytime but I heard it’s as beautiful at night time as well. It’s unfortunate that I wasn’t able to visit the garden when all its shimmering light are dancing in the dark of the night. But truly, this place is heaven on earth. Peaceful, calm, and relaxing are some of the most suitable words to describe the place.
Malaysia, being the closest neighbour accounts for great influences as well. In fact Kuala Lumpur, the capital city, is just 5 hours away by bus from the northern region of Singapore. So you can just tell that a side trip to Malaysia is as easy as pie when you’re in Singapore. Another trivia, Malay is the official language of the country although English is mainly used and serves as a link between different ethnic groups.
The Johor-Singapore Causeway as viewed from the Woodlands Checkpoint in Singapore towards Johor Bahru, Malaysia, is the link between Singapore and Malaysia.
From where my sister lives, she’s worked in Singapore since 2007, this border with Malaysia is just minutes away (that’s how close Malaysia is from Woodlands, Singapore). In fact, I remember when we went jogging I could see JohorBahru or people just say JB on the other side while I was standing at Woodlands’ jogging area which is basically the Woodlands Waterfront. The sunset was breath-taking, and the view? Just simply magnificent!
Apart from Chinese and Malay, Indians are also commonly seen frolicking across the country. Dating back in history, the Indian civilization was one of the early settlers in Singapore. Depicting the importance of Indian culture, one of the towns is named “Little India’.
The colors, the food, and the people – definitely will be mistaken for the ‘real’ India.
I have not really frolicked in this side of the country, however, from what my sister has told me there are a lot of interesting things about Indian culture. One thing, they like colors and that can be quite apparent in their fashion. And if you’re into spicy food, Indian food is what you’re looking for. Unfortunately for me, I can’t really stand very spicy food. So I think I’m going to pass.
Plentiful of other nationalities can be spotted in Singapore’s nooks. Caucasians, Africans, Middle Eastern, you name it and you’ll find it somewhere in this tiny country.
Clark Quay is a popular hotspot for people that love nightlife. This is also famous for its colourful shops that offer international cuisines. On top of that, the River Boat Cruise is one of the top activities you can enjoy in this area.
Ahh, the sound of music never fails to brighten my night, I mean, make my night lively and more interesting. Clark Quay is where you can find the coolest and hippest in Singapore. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the kind of person that drinks a lot, but in the entire Singapore, it’s in Clark Quay where I found the most unique bar. And there are plenty of others too.
On the downside, getting drunk in Singapore is expensive. As what my friend told me, your pocket’s going to get drunk first and then get ulcer before booze would start getting into your brain. Haha! That was a good chuckle. xD
名古屋大 物理工学科卒、米国の大学院にて原子核工学修士を取得（アメリカ留学）。２０代はGEやBCGといった一流外資企業で語学力を活かし外国人のエグゼクティブへ英語でのプレゼン経験も多数有。理系でありながら、実用英語技能検定１級、TOEIC980点、IELTS7.5点。著書： 一生食える「強み」のつくり方
今まで習得してきた「英語力(米国大学院)×財務スキル(GE)×戦略立案力(BCG)」のかけ算で、オンライン英会話学校バリューイングリッシュを設立。同校の学長を務める。多忙な留学・社会人生活の中でも、効率的に次々とスキルを習得する「学び方」のノウハウには定評がある。