Group 4 - NE moments

1) WHAT HAS THE TRIP TAUGHT YOU ABOUT ANOTHER CULTURE?

I have learnt that different countries have different and unique cultures, in terms of food, religion and the way of life. The people in UK are also very polite and friendly! There were even several of them who smiled at us even though they didn't know us. For example, during one of the days when we were sightseeing, a group of people were all dressed up and our tour guide asked one of them if there was a wedding. The woman replied that they were going for baptism with a warm and friendly smile. This is rather different from singapore and I have learnt to accept other country's culture. In London, I saw people briskly heading towards to their offices in the morning. They look very energetic and lively. They are very eager to go for work. Unlikely, Singaporeans are quite lazy comparatively whey they are doing their jobs. They will be usually sleeping in the bus when they are on their way to their work. Hence, I feel that they should be more active and brisk like the British people. This will only come true when Singaporeans love their job. In Singapore, normally workers like cashiers and bus drivers are like “robots”. They would just carry out their job without any emotions or smiling at the customers and passengers. In London, it’s totally different. The cashiers in the supermarket welcome their customers with a big smile on their face and would say “hi”. When the customer leaves, they would wave to them. I think Singaporeans should also develop this friendly nature like the British people. This would enable Singapore to be place where the people are very bonded and united.


2)WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE BRITISH PEOPLE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE SINGAPORE?

The people here are very friendly and approachable. The service provided here are also very good and we felt very welcomed. Singaporeans should really learn from them. We should also be much more relax and calm. We can learn to be more sociable and friendly to the other citizens in Singapore and not just be so selfish at times. There were lots of pubs and clubs in London. Wherever we turn, we could see cathedrals. Basically, The Culture of London concerns the arts, music, museums, festivals and other entertainment. There are over 240 museums in London. Among them, the more important one is the British Museum. London has centres of worship for a multitude of faiths. There are many Christians, Roman Catholics, etc. There are also Freethinkers.

3)WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THE BRITISH CAN LEARN FROM SINGAPORE?

UK can be more streetsafe like Singapore. I feel that the British should smoke less. Even though there are people in Singapore smoking, but it is much less compared to the British. This happens the most in the city areas. At least 60% of the adults are smoking! Even though this might be part of their culture, it is bad for health. The people here can also consider to have a much more healthier breakfast and refrain from eating too much sausages and bacon. Mainly, I think that cleanliness is the first thing that British should learn from Singapore. It is very hard to find ribbish bins in London. Therefore, people over there just become laze and throw their rubbush on the ground, thus resulting in dirty roads and pavements.

4)AFTER GOING ON THIS TRIP WHAT ARE THE ASPECTS OF BEING IN SINGAPORE THAT YOU HAVE LEARNT TO APPRECIATE BETTER?

In Singapore, the streets are much safer, even at night. I feel more secure to wander about on my own in SIngapore than in London. There is also a wider range of food in Singapore due to our diverse culture. I am also glad to be able to live in a multi-racial society. It allows me to understand and learn more about other races. This can help to widen my knowledge on other cultures. Living in Singapore is also more convenient and things are cheaper in Singapore! I have thoroughly gained a sense of belonging after the 10 days UK trip. I really missed Singapore. I have always wanted to migrate to soe other Europe countries and leave from Singapore. Now, I regret for thinking like that. According to me, there is no other country that could be like Singapore. Npthing could replace its harmonious people, the green beauty and the lifestyle. I think that I am very privilleged to be a Singaporean. I could also appreciate the efforts in Singapore to instil in citizens a sense of nationalism.

-Carin Loh, Wong Wee Ming, Dayna Hui, Azlin, Florence Chua!