*dimsumdolly* - the different morsels of the life of a foodie

Myths Dispelled

I find myself having to dispel many myths about Singapore when I'm abroad. The first comments I hear from people when I tell them I'm from Singapore is that "Oh, Singapore's very clean" or "I heard that Singapore's very clean" (depending whether they've been there before). That's a fact, and here I have to give credit to the diligent efforts of the cleaners and road sweepers. Left to their own devices, Singaporeans would leave their country looking like a rubbish dump.

But let's get back to the myths that I have had to dispel time and again.

Myth 1: Fingers are chopped off as punishment if a person's caught stealing.

My well-meaning student who wanted to matchmake me thought that for each time a person is caught stealing, a finger is severed as punishment. So if you are caught stealing 10 times, you can start practising to write with your mouth/feet. Whatever suits you.

Of course I had to tell her that such medieval and draconian forms of punishment are not practised in Singapore.

Myth 2: If caught littering, you'll be thrown into jail.

I've had to dispel this myth countless times. I tell them that it's not so serious a crime that warrants a sojourn in the gallows, and if caught the punishment is a fine. The money of which probably goes into the buying of the numerous rubbish bins which line the streets of Singapore. So really, there's no excuse for littering!

Myth 3: If caught chewing gum, you'll be thrown into jail.

Again, I have had to explain that it's alright to chew gum that's been bought overseas. Just as long as they're not selling it commercially.

Apart from those three myths mentioned above, the other thing (wouldn't call this a myth) I've had to explain time and again is my ability to speak and write English. I have to explain that English is my first language, and English is the lingua franca in Singapore etcetc.

It gets a tad tiring to go through all these explanations, but I'm glad to do it as I'm happy to let others know more about my country and also to dispel some of those myths. In my own small ways, I'm acting as an ambassador for my country. :)

Posted by DSD at October 17, 2003 4:09 PM