Singapore Expats

1/ More often than seems reasonable, small businesses (be they restaurants, cabs, convenience stores etc) can't make change.

2/ Credit cards are not as universallyt accepted here as thy are where I come from (Australia) (ie not accepted at supermarkets, some cabs, some cafes etc).

3/ People who think they are speaking English, are not. Mainly, they omit final consonant sequences, use /w/ instead of /l/, /d/ or /v/ instead of /th/, and generally sound like three year olds.
In the first example below, I didn't realise the person was trying to speak English until they got to the last word:
"Mah gur tah ehtah ehtah eh ih vee eh kah batuda begineh" = "My girl talks and talks and talks and in the end comes back to the beginning."
"We weh to wah wah weh" = "We went to Wild Wild Wet"
"Dey seh dey sen da bottoo, I ting iss in da mayoo" = "They said they send the bottle, I think it's in the mail."

4/ Cashiers at the supermarket don't have scales: you need to have fruit/vegetables etc weighed separately at another station before going to the cashier. Seems like a waste of time.

5/ Another supermarket gripe: often when I ask where something is, the staff member will just tell me they don't have it. Cream, hot dog buns, toothpaste ... "Don't have!" Eventually I find it myself but it would be better if they said "Don't know" rather than giving me the impression they really don't stock basic items.

You can, of course, go back to Oz if you don't like it here and it grates too much. I'm pretty sure your were told that this was not like Tasmania, with the exception of two similarities, that it is an island and the people are sometimes strange. You will know you have adjusted when you understand 60 signs you've been in Singapore too long! Welcome to Singapore.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:You can, of course, go back to Oz if you don't like it here and it grates too much. I'm pretty sure your were told that this was not like Tasmania, with the exception of two similarities, that it is an island and the people are sometimes strange. You will know you have adjusted when you understand 60 signs you've been in Singapore too long! Welcome to Singapore.

I think he was only pointing out differences he didn't like. He has set up a 'Some things I like about Singapore' thread too.

I know, but that's not any fun is it?

Personally, I've not had any problems with credit card acceptance. However, I prefer to use my Nets card to reduce the likelihood of fraud. I think it risky to use a credit card regularly. I see CC signs in many places so don't see this as an issue.

The need to weigh produce in its own section isn't limited to Singapore. There are places with the same process in the UK and USA. Yes, it's annoying but manageable. The cashier never gripes here when this is necessary - though they do back home.

I see many things here that work BETTER than where I'm from. Service people show up on time, I can get a replacement ATM card on the spot (no waiting a week for the post), people are friendly and do speak English by and large. (I find it easier to understand the slight Singlish than some some of the Aussies or the Welsh.

You can eat pretty decent food cheaply. You can't get lunch for under $20 in the UK but you can get a fine chicken-rice for $3.

While the rigidity about paperwork bugs me people are unfailingly nice about it - unlike the nasty Charles de Gaul airport staff who don't like giving you the time of day (literally).

And the airport - WOW! One of the best in the world.

No potholes, few traffic jams, and few accidents even though I wish they'd enforce the rules on the motorcyclists.

Anyway...I see no point in making a list of peeves when there's so much that works better than in other countries.

scarbowl wrote:You can eat pretty decent food cheaply. You can't get lunch for under $20 in the UK but you can get a fine chicken-rice for $3.

$20? I'd say $10 now to be fair. But the Sing food is great for the price!

scarbowl wrote:No potholes, few traffic jams, and few accidents even though I wish they'd enforce the rules on the motorcyclists.

I've actually seen on average 2 accidents a week since I got here.



But you're right with the other points, especially services, they are top drawer here and a great price also. Hats off to Singapore!

Chewing gum isn't sold here.. quite annoying for people like me who can't live without it

Ahhhhh but it is. Go to your local pharmacy. You will have to sign for it and it will be dental gum but it is chewing gum!

Daz Voz wrote:1/ More often than seems reasonable, small businesses (be they restaurants, cabs, convenience stores etc) can't make change.

2/ Credit cards are not as universallyt accepted here as thy are where I come from (Australia) (ie not accepted at supermarkets, some cabs, some cafes etc).

3/ People who think they are speaking English, are not. Mainly, they omit final consonant sequences, use /w/ instead of /l/, /d/ or /v/ instead of /th/, and generally sound like three year olds.
In the first example below, I didn't realise the person was trying to speak English until they got to the last word:
"Mah gur tah ehtah ehtah eh ih vee eh kah batuda begineh" = "My girl talks and talks and talks and in the end comes back to the beginning."
"We weh to wah wah weh" = "We went to Wild Wild Wet"
"Dey seh dey sen da bottoo, I ting iss in da mayoo" = "They said they send the bottle, I think it's in the mail."

4/ Cashiers at the supermarket don't have scales: you need to have fruit/vegetables etc weighed separately at another station before going to the cashier. Seems like a waste of time.

5/ Another supermarket gripe: often when I ask where something is, the staff member will just tell me they don't have it. Cream, hot dog buns, toothpaste ... "Don't have!" Eventually I find it myself but it would be better if they said "Don't know" rather than giving me the impression they really don't stock basic items.

All on my top ten list of gripes as well, but you left out a great one about the grocery store: 5 people should not be restocking shelves in the same aisle on a busy Saturday, or any other day for that matter. This job should be done before and after store hours. Why should I have to ask the people who work there, to 'excuse me' when I'm the customer? Of course I always say excuse me, because my Mother wouldn't have it any other way, but it sounds like I'm apologizing for trying to negotiate the aisles around their stupid carts and stacks of stuff while paying exorbitant prices for nearly expired food. It's gauling.

Daz Voz wrote:1/ More often than seems reasonable, small businesses (be they restaurants, cabs, convenience stores etc) can't make change.

2/ Credit cards are not as universallyt accepted here as thy are where I come from (Australia) (ie not accepted at supermarkets, some cabs, some cafes etc).

3/ People who think they are speaking English, are not. Mainly, they omit final consonant sequences, use /w/ instead of /l/, /d/ or /v/ instead of /th/, and generally sound like three year olds.
In the first example below, I didn't realise the person was trying to speak English until they got to the last word:
"Mah gur tah ehtah ehtah eh ih vee eh kah batuda begineh" = "My girl talks and talks and talks and in the end comes back to the beginning."
"We weh to wah wah weh" = "We went to Wild Wild Wet"
"Dey seh dey sen da bottoo, I ting iss in da mayoo" = "They said they send the bottle, I think it's in the mail."

4/ Cashiers at the supermarket don't have scales: you need to have fruit/vegetables etc weighed separately at another station before going to the cashier. Seems like a waste of time.

5/ Another supermarket gripe: often when I ask where something is, the staff member will just tell me they don't have it. Cream, hot dog buns, toothpaste ... "Don't have!" Eventually I find it myself but it would be better if they said "Don't know" rather than giving me the impression they really don't stock basic items.

My number 1 gripe definitely has to be the locals co-ordination! I must bump into about 10 Singaporeans daily. I even notice when there are tiles on the floor in the MRT and I'm walking straight they will veer off to the side and end up right in front of me. Many times I have stopped to let people go in front of me in an aisle only for them to stop in the middle of the aisle and making me squeeze past. I have had to sop being courteous to ladies now as a result! I'm just glad I don't have to drive in this country!!

They drive much the same way.

Here's a few for your list.

1/ Beer/alcohol excise duties tends to sober up a drinking session when the bill arrives.

2/ Warm humid tropical weather, and the need for aircon in every building to escape it.

3/ Grassy patches that itch if you were so inclined to sit on it in said weather.

4/ The ills of a society with a high percentage of dual-income parents who engage domestic help. Giving rise to children brought up by maids - giving rise to youths growing up with the concept of 2nd class citizens who will pick up after them. - also, giving rise to the 'substituting parental time/love with money'

road.not.taken wrote:All on my top ten list of gripes as well, but you left out a great one about the grocery store: 5 people should not be restocking shelves in the same aisle on a busy Saturday, or any other day for that matter. This job should be done before and after store hours. Why should I have to ask the people who work there, to 'excuse me' when I'm the customer?

This is also one of a major annoyances in such places for me. THey completely do not care about anything but what they are actually doing and are oblivious to any incoming traffic regardless restocking shelves or moving through the store, The last one is practiced country-wide in all possible places so no wonder.

It's the much vaunted worker-drone syndrome in play. Can only process small amounts of data at a time and thinking is verboten.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:It's the much vaunted worker-drone syndrome in play. Can only process small amounts of data at a time and thinking is verboten.

Yep, no multi-tasking. Another good example is when writing e-mails to local companies: you may ask as many question as you want to but typically only one is answered.