ok, so i have lived for a semester each in singapore and hongkong but don't have any written reflections on my experiences there.
so, here i go, trying to write a few words...
singapore - what a country! in many aspects.
people: very nice people, mostly. and the singlish they speak is just plain beautiful. haha. i feel it is similar to how russell peters mocks them arabic ladies speaking in a resturant/cafe. one day, my friend lost his backpack, which had a camera, his passport, cell phone and what not, in the mrt, but got it back after 2 days. you cannot hope to get a backpack back after losing it in most countries.
when it comes to singapore's fame for cleanliness, first i thought it is a little over-exaggerated cuz i saw constructions every here and there. + the suburb that i live in, in the usa, is just as clean anyway. but i guess what is the most striking to many is that the whole country, on average, is very clean.
food: oh man, how i enjoyed the tamil food in singapore - some of the best foods i have had. and sooo cheap la! atleast compared to the prices in all these western countries. + the black pepper crab i had in that jumbo seafood restaurant in clarke quay was very good.
politics and all that: didnt get to study much of it. have read a few articles that suggested that the singaporean governance/laws are not quite a copy of other western systems but custom built to suit the country's social/economic aspirations. i know that the singaporean government office holders are paid very well.but all kinds of people seem to enjoy the basic necessities of life. i dont recall seeing any beggars or a very poor person.
Nepali viewpoint: i asked a few taxi drivers about their views on nepalis in singapore. they have a very positive image of nepalis. they are happy that gorkhalis form a crucial part of their security system. one taxi driver, i remember, gladly told me a story of how the gorkhalis bravely caught one of the most notorious international criminal in the forests of singapore. so, i was a proud nepali walking in the streets of singapore.
aru testai ho...dherai lekhe jasto lagyo...pachhi edit garumla. hongkong ko barema ni lekhna baki bhayo, pachhi lekhumla. adios.
note to myself: write about the humidity, nightlife, NUS, architectures...etc..etc..next time.
