10 Things I DID NOT Know Existed Before Moving to Singapore| Hi! I'm Jean. In this video, I want to share 10 things that I did not know
existed until I came to Singapore. Let's get right into this video! Click
the subscribe button and the bell icon to join the discussions on living abroad in
Singapore. One thing I didn't know existed until I came to Singapore are
no durian laws. Durian is a controversial fruit that people either
tend to love or hate. It is very popular in Southeast Asia, including Singapore.
Because of the strong odor of the fruit though, it is banned at many public
places in Singapore including the MRT and the buses. If you do bring some durian
on the MRT or the buses, you may be fined. Another thing I didn't know
existed until I came to Singapore is milo. Milo is a chocolate and malt
beverage commonly found in Asia, Oceania, and South America. It was invented by an
Australian in 1934. In Singapore, milo is sold at convenience stores, supermarkets
and even at vending machines!
Another thing I didn't know existed until I came to Singapore are HDB flats.
HDB flats are public housing that is subsidized for Singaporeans. Unlike
public housing in other countries that cater to the lower income class, people
of various social classes live in HDBs. More than 80 percent of Singaporeans
live in these HDB flats. Another thing I didn't know existed until I came to
Singapore is the COE. Before you can purchase a car in Singapore, you need to
have a certificate of entitlement which allows you to own and operate a vehicle
for 10 years. The COE alone can cost anywhere between $25k-$50k+.
This is excluding the cost of the car. Another thing I didn't know existed
until I came to Singapore are hawker centers. Many people will tell you that
it's where you can find the best food here in Singapore. Hawker centers are
structured food centers that contain many food stalls selling a variety of
food. It is where you can find the most affordable and authentic Singaporean
food. Hawker centers are iconic to Singapore. Many have been around
since the 1950s and 1960s. If you are looking for a cheap Michelin gourmand
awarded meal, try Tian Tian Chicken Rice at Maxwell hawker centre.
Another thing I didn't know existed until I came to Singapore is Tiger Balm.
Tiger Balm is an ointment that is good for relieving aches. It helps with the
common cold. I like to use Tiger Balm for mosquito bite relief Tiger Balm was
introduced in Singapore in the 1920s by two brothers who also opened Haw Par
Villa. Haw Par Villa is a unique theme park in Singapore where you can learn about
Chinese mythology. Today, you can find a wide range of Tiger Balm products at the
local drugstores. Another thing I didn't know existed until I came to Singapore
are fish skin chips. The first time I saw several people carrying the Irvins Salted Egg
bags at Changi Airport, I was really curious. Over the years I have been in
Singapore, I've tried some other brands of fish skin chips. It wasn't until
recently that I tried the Irvins Salted Egg chips. There seems to be a huge hype
around this brand. The chips are really good, but I feel like the other brands I
have tried are just as good!
Another thing I didn't know existed until I came to Singapore is the sweet
chilli sauce that is often eaten with chicken rice. I'm not too great with
spicy food, but the first time I tried the sweet chilli sauce with chicken rice, I
was immediately addicted. You can find some sweet chilli sauce at supermarkets
like Fairprice. Common ingredients in the sweet chili sauce include ginger,
chili, sugar, and vinegar. Something else I didn't know existed until I came to
Singapore is choping. Choping seats or reserving seats is unique to the
Singaporean culture. At many food courts and hawker centers here (especially
during the busier hours), you often have to reserve seats with tissue packets,
business cards, or umbrellas among other items. That way, you'll ensure that you will
have a seat after you collect your food.
Something else I didn't know existed until I came to Singapore is Singlish!
I've mentioned the use of the word "can" in my previous culture shock video. If
you haven't watched it, you can watch it up here after you finish watching this
video. When I first heard someone use the word "can", for the most part, I can
figure out what they meant, but there were some others Singlish words people
used where I had no clue what they were saying. On one occasion, we were hanging
out with one of my husband's friends. She was talking about food. She said, "
That's damn shiok!" I remember I just sat there and I was just like, "What does
shiok mean?" I think it was one of the first times that I was meeting his
friends, so I just kind of kept quiet. Shiok means feeling really happy. Another
instance was when someone said, "You can makan!"
I think we were talking about traveling somewhere and she just said, "Oh! You can makan!"
I was just like, "What does that mean?" It means to eat and it is a very
common Singlish word. Thank you so much for watching! If you have any comments,
please leave them down in the comment section below. I will see you in the next
video coming out very soon! Bye bye!