American culture
Over here I live in a suite, where the rooms are each being occupied by either one or two people. Within the suite there are 4 rooms, which means that in total I live with five other people, one of which is my schoolmate from Singapore, but the other 4 are school students from all over East America.
Unexpectedly, they were as curious to learn about Singapore as we were to learning about America. We would spend hours into the dead of night trying as quickly as possible to talk about each other's culture and how it is so different despite years of being exposed to American media. They are friendly, funny and easy to chat with, a trait that is hard to find among Asians living together, who would often just stay within the own rooms under the simple assumption that "if you don't bother me, I won't bother you".
In retrospect, after spending all these days in America, there are a lot of things that I wish that Singapore would adopt from America, and vice versa.
During the trip a lot of the guys would talk endlessly about the lack of safety and the high crime rates in America and that there was often no form of safety whether there was daylight or not. Often, with the police being outnumbered and sometimes incapable, many were left to defend for themselves. The use of narcotics and the notion of sex was always within their schools and the only thing that stopped them these people from following suit is pure will power alone, something I commend them very much from doing.
However the attitude of the people here is better in the sense that people tend to be very encouraging to the endeavors of others. In Asia, we often like to stay "low profile" and "under the radar" so as to be the same as everyone else. In America, everyone teaches you to try and be different from each other. When you mess up on stage, people will applaud you. In Asia, you would receive endless shame and insults.
There are more that I want to say, but alas it is 1.30 am in the morning here, and I must sleep for the day ahead tomorrow.
Cheers,
Matthew Tan
However the attitude of the people here is better in the sense that people tend to be very encouraging to the endeavors of others. In Asia, we often like to stay "low profile" and "under the radar" so as to be the same as everyone else. In America, everyone teaches you to try and be different from each other. When you mess up on stage, people will applaud you. In Asia, you would receive endless shame and insults.
There are more that I want to say, but alas it is 1.30 am in the morning here, and I must sleep for the day ahead tomorrow.
Cheers,
Matthew Tan
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