We all become ambassadors of our country when we travel. Have you ever wondered how others viewed your country and the lenses people put on when they talk to you? The discovery starts when you tell them “I’m from Singapore”

“Singapore? That’s China right?”

“No. Independent country. South-east asia. South of Malaysia”

“Yeah, but that’s still in China. It’s like how the Hongkies and Taiwanese will say they’re not China when they still are.”

Maybe she knows my country better than me, I thought. I was accustomed to this question that I had earlier formulated and memorised a template reply for the FAQ. But this lady was ‘one level up’. Or maybe this:

“I heard you can’t chew gums in Singapore.”

“Rules relaxed recently. Could get them with a Doc’s prescription. Some quit-smoking thing going on.”

“But I heard if you do that you will be jailed and caned!”

“No.”

“What if tourists don’t know the rules and commit them unknowingly, and get caned? That’s why I don’t dare to go Singapore!”

Perhaps we should look at tourists visiting Singapore with admiration. They could have braved coming here to check out what’s exactly happening here. On another occasion:

“I know, a British colony”, she smiled.

“Once upon a time.”

“Oh so it’s part of Malaysia now?”

“No. Independent country. South-east asia. South of Malaysia.”

“KL and Singapore, right? Like New York and Washington are in the US.”

It wasn’t ancient history that Singapore was a colony or part of Malaysia. Perhaps the information remained etched in their mind since school-days, when it was still true. These were times I trained myself in developing patience and compassion. On other occasions, I heard some assumptions which sounded absurd.

“You Chinese?”

“No. Singapore.”

“You know kungfu?”

That wasn’t the only person I met who thought all Chinese knew kungfu. Dedicated Hollywood fans. That’s akin to saying all ang-mohs speak English.

Cheers

Kimchi Ice-cream