Biggest Culture Shocks I Had in Singapore as an American| In this video, I want to share some of the biggest culture shocks I experienced when I first came to Singapore. Let's get started!
One of the biggest culture shocks I had when I first came to Singapore is finding out that a lot of people in their late 20's and even in their 30's are staying at home
with their parents. They've never moved out of their parent's home. In the U.S., if you are in your 30's and you've never left your parents' home, it may be seen as a bit shameful,
but in Singapore it is normal. One of the reasons why someone in
Singapore may be staying with their parents is housing prices are very expensive.
They want to save up before they move out.
Another reason is if you want to purchase a HDB flat. you need to be at least 35 years
of age if you are single.
A third reason may be if you attended university in Singapore,
it is not compulsory for you to live in the residence halls. You have the
option of living in a residence hall but you can also live at home.
In the U.S., depending on which university you attend, it may be compulsory for you to
live on campus for the first year.
In my case, when I went to university, for my undergrad for the first year
I had to live on campus. It was compulsory for us to live on campus.
For the subsequent years, I just rented a room within a home or an apartment,
so I can stay close to campus.
Another culture shock I had when I first came to Singapore has to do with
how fast Singaporeans walk. According to a few articles I read,
Singaporeans are the fastest walkers in the world. I am not surprised because every
time I'm at a MRT station, people are flying by me left and right.
Ironically, I've been told I walk really fast, but I think most Singaporeans
I've met walk a lot faster than I do.
Another culture shock I had in Singapore has to do with the sales tax.
In Singapore, there is something called GST (goods and services tax), which
is currently at 7%.
When you buy things (e.g. at a grocery store), the price you see on the price tag
is the final price you will pay. It is inclusive of GST.
I think it's against the law to not include GST on the price tag.
In the U.S., the price you see on the price tag is oftentimes not the final price you will
pay. The reason for that is because sales tax vary from state to state, and even within
one state, sales tax may vary depending on the county and city you are in.
You will get your final price when you check out at the cash register.
There are five states in the U.S. that do not have a sales tax.
Another culture shock I've experienced in Singapore has to do with the convenience
of life in Singapore.
In Singapore, there are more than 170 malls. You can pretty much find at least
one giant multi-story mall at every major MRT station.
What I really like about these malls is that they all come with grocery stores.
You can get your groceries. You can buy some clothing.
You can buy electronics. You can also get your personal care items or
some over-the-counter medicine all in one place.
In the U.S., if you go to a mall most likely there won't be a grocery store.
If you need to get groceries, you will have to drive to a nearby grocery store to do your
groceries. The fact that there are so many malls in Singapore and you can tackle
all your errands in one mall make it so efficient and convenient to run your errands.
Another culture shock I had in Singapore has to do with the number of foreign
domestic workers in Singapore. As of 2019, there are more than 250,000 foreign
domestic workers in Singapore.
In Singapore, it is common for families to hire maids (live-in maids) to take care of
their young children or their elderly parents. In the U.S., it's not common for a family
to hire a live-in maid. Most people do not hire live-in maids.
Another culture shock I had in Singapore has to do with the state of the art healthcare
in Singapore. I was extremely impressed by the quality and efficiency of healthcare
in Singapore. I really like the fact that even if you are uninsured in Singapore, basic
healthcare is very affordable compared to basic healthcare in the U.S.
I also like the fact that you can pick up your medication right there at the doctor's
office. You don't need to go to a pharmacy after you see the doctor as you would
have to in the U.S.
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Have an amazing day. Stay safe! I will see you in the next video! bye-bye!