Singapore is a victim of many misconceptions. Here
are a few common ones:
“Singapore…that’s in China,
right?”
Nope. Singapore has never been a part of China,
Japan, or Maryland for that matter.
“That’s the place where you can’t
chew gum, isn’t it?”
While it’s true you can’t buy gum in
Singapore, as long as you stock up before you
arrive and/or don’t mind traveling periodically
to just over the Malaysian border to buy it, you
can chew away!
“Ok, so I can chew gum, but isn’t
it a police state?”
Actually, days may pass before a visitor to Singapore
will spot a single police officer or even a police
cruiser. The truth is that the police rely on
strategically placed cameras on roadways and in
public places to spot disturbances. They can arrive
on the scene quickly in case of law-breakage or
an emergency. So don’t expect to find a friendly
police officer to ask for directions but do expect
one thing – a feeling of being safety.
“So they’ll come after me if I even
jay walk, right?”
Well, jay walking is not exactly condoned, but
almost everyone does it - and gets away with it,
too.
“But they caned that American kid there
a few years ago for painting graffiti, didn’t
they?”
This form of punishment, a tradition that goes
back to the time Singapore was part of Malaysia,
is still practiced in Singapore, but it is usually
reserved for serious offenders such as drug traffickers.
“Dropping cigarette butts, spitting,
and some other unseemly habits in a public place
will get you a fat fine, won’t they?”
Well, this can actually happen, but who wants
to do that anyway? Come and see what a clean city
can look like.
“Singapore is located just a notch above
the Equator so it must have unbearably hot and
humid weather year around.”
Actually, the weather in Singapore for most of
the year is remarkably pleasant - more so than
in Washington, D.C. in August, for example. Average
temperatures hover around 90 degrees Fahrenheit
all year long, but it doesn’t ever hit 100.
Unlike less affluent places in Asia, Singaporeans
are cool and comfortable. In fact, Singapore is
widely known as “The Air-Conditioned Nation.”
“Singapore is not ‘truly Asia.’”
Granted, Singapore is heavily influenced by American
and European culture, but rest assured, Asian
culture prevails. There are plenty of savory oriental
dishes, ancient customs, festivals, and Buddhist
and Hindu temples to remind you where you are.
“Ok, so Singapore’s part of Asia.
Doesn’t thatmean that it won’t be safe
to go out at night? And aren’t the streets
teaming with people?”
Singapore is without doubt one of the safest major
cities on the planet. We should all be so lucky.
Streets are busy but not crowded, thanks to a
terrific subway system. Traffic tie-ups are surprisingly
rare on an average day.
“A safe island-city? Then there must
not be manyinteresting things for a visitor to
see or do.”
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Singapore’s compactness
means you can go out and see the sights, then
come back to your hotel without exhausting yourself
in the process. The number of attractions in Singapore
is actually increasing each year thanks to a government
effort to increase tourism.
“Don’t a lot of people get sick
traveling to Asia?”
In Singapore one needn’t worry. In fact,
the health standards are as high or higher in
Singapore than they are in the U.S., and the tap
water is safe to drink.
“If I stand out too much in a crowd I
might feel uncomfortable.”
Actually, one of every four people living in Singapore
is a foreigner. Singapore is a model of a multi-racial
society. No one will give you a second glance.
“The language barrier makes me uneasy
about traveling to an Asian country.”
Thanks to far-sighted education policies implemented
more than a generation ago to promote the economy,
everyone you encounter speaks English, including
the cab drivers.
“Americans may find Singapore a more
regulated society than they are used to in the
U.S.”
It’s true that failure to wear a seatbelt,
for example, can lead to a hefty fine in Singapore.
But having such rules to protect public health
or to maintain the peace among its disparate population
becomes understandable as one looks at Singapore’s
brief history as a nation, its size and geographic
location, and its vulnerability to outside influences.
Singaporeans willingly obey the law because they
see that it benefits them.
