back in singapore

i didnt miss home when i was in japan, but it’s undeniably nice to be back.

lying in bed half asleep in the morning with the sounds of other family members moving around outside my door, it’s as if i’d never left. it’s the same being in my grandma’s house – the same place where i’ve spent lots of time since i was born – it feels as if japan never happened.

singapore is the same though. i’m still waiting for the culture shock that EVERYONE says is going to happen.

no doubt, you see things with different eyes. when i came out to the departure lounge at the airport, i was struck by the number of indian and malays around – a sharp contrast to japan, where virtually everyone is fair skinned and east-asian looking.

i’ve grown used to the smooth, soft japanese toilet paper, even if it crumbles and dissolves or tears when you’re trying to wipe.

the service standards back here are quite terrible, and i really wanted to slap the teenager working at sistic today, when i got NO eye contact, a slight slam which accompanied my tickets being placed on the counter, and a surly, barely murmured “thank you”. someone should teach that young punk better manners.

i’ve also, today, experienced the quietest bus and train rides that i’ve had in a long time. commuter noise i can deal with, but it was very different not having countless announcements bombarding you throughout your ride.

i was once told by one of the japanese women i interviewed by my thesis that singapore’s trains are slow, and i didnt believe her back then. but now i do have to agree that our trains are slow compared to those in japan. haha. it’s like sitting on the tsurumi-ryokuchi subway line in osaka, which everyone hates cos it’s so slow. heh.

 

NB: i went out again the day after i wrote this, to tampines mall and central, and received far better service. I feasted on mussels at Brussel Sprouts at Robertson Quay too, and the service there is EXCELLENT. I attribute that to its location in the expat area of singapore.