What is your Singapore experience

[Wd40]

But a word of caution: I have seen countless expat vlogs where people left “wherever it was they were from” motivated by this idea that somewhere else would be better. It often ends in disappointment, because they just find other things they don’t like in the new place. I think the bottom line is, no matter where you live, it can “be a blast” to live there depending on how you view/live it.

I will never forget one American expat I frequently had lunch with back in 2008, he looked at life as this big opportunity to experience all the wonderful things around him and truly got the most out his time in Singapore. It really made me realize how my perceptions were holding me back and I needed to change.

My username ‘malcontent’ is a reminder of that dimmer perspective that I had in my earlier years living in Singapore. I’m glad I snapped out of it.

It is also about place and time. I beleive in this concept of Maslow's hierarchy. When we are poor, we are looking for physiological needs, then once those needs are taken care of we are looking for love and belonging. So Singapore was great for me when I was young and I was after financial security, I had a great time. But then I wanted to settledown and I realized that was not happening in Singapore. I would keep working for another decade and that would only add to my networth but it wont change my life. Thats when moving back to my home country made sense to me. Now I am among my own people, I understand the language, I can hear conversations and not feel like an alien, like I used to feel in Singapore. I am first class citizen in my country even though it may be 3rd world country. I would rather be that than being a 3rd class citizen in a 1st world country.

So it is about time and place.

[malcontent]

The bluff where we frequently watch the sunset has these tall palm trees that naturally curve toward the sunset. I can’t seem to get the photo to sit vertical no matter which way I flip it.

[Wd40]

But a word of caution: I have seen countless expat vlogs where people left “wherever it was they were from” motivated by this idea that somewhere else would be better. It often ends in disappointment, because they just find other things they don’t like in the new place. I think the bottom line is, no matter where you live, it can “be a blast” to live there depending on how you view/live it.

I will be brutally honest with this, "If you are a minority in your own country in terms of your views or your identity or whatever, you would rather want to move to another country and be a minority". It is much more easier to ignore the problems in another country and live a detached life like a tourist, thats how most expats live in Singapore.

But if your view are aligned with the majority of your own country, then you are like part of the mainstream of your own country. Like for example in Singapore, whoever is benefitting from the policies and are voting for the majority party, they align with the mainstream ideology that Singapore is the safest and best and world outside is bad. They would never leave Singapore, they benefit from the system.

For me, I am a bit like that from India, I belong to the privileged class and I have not been ever discriminated against in India, so I feel I am part of the mainstream society. Whereas in Singapore, I am suddenly undesirable, 3rd world trash in the eyes of the people. So as long as you are in the lower levels of the maslows hierarchy you are okay to ignore this and just focus on making money.

[malcontent]

@Wd40 - I think you are onto something here, but whether you are mainstream or minority, the central tenant of my favorite philosopher applies. Epictetus’ philosophy is built on one core realization: you are not disturbed by external events, but by the judgments and opinions you form about those events. The outside world is entirely neutral, and your suffering is entirely self-created through your interpretation.

[Strong Eagle]

Speaking of Maslow's hierarchy...