Complaints
I came across a video today that showed "Singapore Complaints Choir" complaining about anything and everything you can think about.
Yes, Singaporeans are famous for their never ending complaints. Say you're Singaporean, and the first things that come to people's minds are that you're kiasu, kiasi and you can't stop complaining. We complain about the rising cost of living that doesn't come with a pay rise, we complain about the fast paced and stressful lives, and we even complain about our HDBs getting smaller.
Having grown up in Singapore for 18 years, I wouldn't deny that I'm very Singaporean at heart. I complain a lot too. I give black faces when the cashier at the supermarket takes more than five minutes to check out my items. I write "complaint letters" when I receive bad service at restaurants or shops. I expect speed and efficiency everywhere I go, and wouldn't tolerate things that don't go my way.
Now that I'm in KL for more than half a year, I look back and realise that like most Singaporeans, I took my comfortable lifestyle for granted. We need to learn to be more appreciative of the things we have in life. Singapore may not be a perfect city, but which city is? We have our severe limitations as an island country, with very limited resources. I used to hear a lot about how people criticise Singaporeans for complaining too much, but I never really gave it much thought. Only now that I am in another country, with a very different culture, that I start registering these nuances in lifestyles.
I used to hate it when I had to wait for more than 3 minutes for the MRT to come. I would get restless if my bus didn't come in 10 minutes. I never really cherished the cheap (yes, compare with other cities that has the same kind of extensive transport system) and efficient transport system. Now, I hardly venture out of my house or the school (which is less than 5 minutes away from my room) because I have no idea where are the bus stops here and it would take me 1 hour to get to a location that is reachable in 10 minutes by car.
No, don't take me wrong. I'm not complaining about KL. Rather, I was thinking about taking all these into the bigger picture, letting things fall into perspective. Nothing in life is perfect. Things can't always be the way you want them to be. I learnt that, it's about appreciating everything you have, including the bad stuff. Life here can get excruiciatingly slow at times, but people here are friendlier. You have time to stop and say a hello to that friend you haven't met in quite a while, instead of rushing off to your next destination. You'd always be able to find someone to help you when you need it. A senior I didn't know took the trouble to send me halfway across KL, just so that I can get cheaper textbooks. And all I did was to ask a friend to help me ask for directions there.
Even though most people scorn at the idea of studying in KL when I could well go to "better places" like Australia, I never regretted my decision. I'm glad that I persisted in my decision to come here. And I think I'll miss this place when I'm gone...
Yes, Singaporeans are famous for their never ending complaints. Say you're Singaporean, and the first things that come to people's minds are that you're kiasu, kiasi and you can't stop complaining. We complain about the rising cost of living that doesn't come with a pay rise, we complain about the fast paced and stressful lives, and we even complain about our HDBs getting smaller.
Having grown up in Singapore for 18 years, I wouldn't deny that I'm very Singaporean at heart. I complain a lot too. I give black faces when the cashier at the supermarket takes more than five minutes to check out my items. I write "complaint letters" when I receive bad service at restaurants or shops. I expect speed and efficiency everywhere I go, and wouldn't tolerate things that don't go my way.
Now that I'm in KL for more than half a year, I look back and realise that like most Singaporeans, I took my comfortable lifestyle for granted. We need to learn to be more appreciative of the things we have in life. Singapore may not be a perfect city, but which city is? We have our severe limitations as an island country, with very limited resources. I used to hear a lot about how people criticise Singaporeans for complaining too much, but I never really gave it much thought. Only now that I am in another country, with a very different culture, that I start registering these nuances in lifestyles.
I used to hate it when I had to wait for more than 3 minutes for the MRT to come. I would get restless if my bus didn't come in 10 minutes. I never really cherished the cheap (yes, compare with other cities that has the same kind of extensive transport system) and efficient transport system. Now, I hardly venture out of my house or the school (which is less than 5 minutes away from my room) because I have no idea where are the bus stops here and it would take me 1 hour to get to a location that is reachable in 10 minutes by car.
No, don't take me wrong. I'm not complaining about KL. Rather, I was thinking about taking all these into the bigger picture, letting things fall into perspective. Nothing in life is perfect. Things can't always be the way you want them to be. I learnt that, it's about appreciating everything you have, including the bad stuff. Life here can get excruiciatingly slow at times, but people here are friendlier. You have time to stop and say a hello to that friend you haven't met in quite a while, instead of rushing off to your next destination. You'd always be able to find someone to help you when you need it. A senior I didn't know took the trouble to send me halfway across KL, just so that I can get cheaper textbooks. And all I did was to ask a friend to help me ask for directions there.
Even though most people scorn at the idea of studying in KL when I could well go to "better places" like Australia, I never regretted my decision. I'm glad that I persisted in my decision to come here. And I think I'll miss this place when I'm gone...