Before I begin the actual content of this blog post, it is essential that I first reflect on my own culture and identity in order to become a good global citizen and visitor of Singapore and Malaysia. Though I was born and raised in the U.S., I never actually thought about what was a normal part of my culture. However, knowing that culture includes behaviors, attitudes, and values, I believe the U.S. is known for its risk-taking behavior and free-thinking attitude. Those in the U.S. usually take action first and ask questions later, and are inclined to speak their thoughts freely without shame or remorse. There is a lot more emphasis on being a bold and free individual in the U.S., with plenty of space to grow and make your own choices. Personally, I think of this aspect of my culture as a positive yet negative thing. While people are free to figure themselves out and make their own decisions, there is the potential for conflict arising from opposing opinions and carelessness. Additionally, while I am grateful for the ability to think for myself, I still dislike the risk-taking behaviors of the U.S. since they tend to cause trouble more often than not. Even so, someone out of the U.S. may view this cultural aspect in a similar manner to my own. Depending on the country, there may be people who like the free-thinking attitude of U.S. citizens and still dislike it for how it causes unnecessary trouble. They might not even understand why the U.S. has more free will than most other countries too, perhaps questioning the “freedom” of the U.S. and maybe even challenging it. Considering this, I suppose reflecting on my own culture and the potential views of others may help to prepare me for when I finally engage and compare the cultures of both Singapore and Malaysia. Doing so might help me to realize the differences between our cultures, and what I may have taken for granted while living in the U.S..
Having said this, let’s move on to the actual point of this blog post, which is my very first thoughts on Singapore! Immediately just by entering the airport, I saw a lot of differences between my culture and Singaporean culture. In the airport, there was a lot more emphasis on being clean, sustainable, and respectful of your environment and fellow passersby. I was honestly alarmed to learn that eating and drinking are not allowed in public transport, and you are always expected to uphold the rules and clean up after yourself. Compared to the U.S., the airport was almost spotless and completely new, and the railways were too. The airport also had many tourist attractions, such as the digital waterfall, and the indoor forest with a large pool of water in the middle. Such areas were also taken great care of and were definitely the main attraction and beauty of the airport. Just observing these few attractions has made me excited to discover and learn more about Singapore for these coming few days!