Discovering the Locals from Singapore

Schedule

One thing is that here, I can wake up by 7:00am, and then go back to sleep at 10:00am, and sleep until 3:00. I have never been that jet-lagged, maybe because I have only been up for 48hours maximum while travelling, that's when I went in US, and I did not have that much to bother. 
→ Whereas here, I was all on my own, and on the Saturday night, I went to sleep by Saturday morning at 1:00am plus  (that's how you say hours here, 7 plus means whenever after seven, eventhough it can be a bit different whether it is 7:05 or 7:50....). 
In the US, I started ultimately school, out-goings, activities...
→ Whereas it is not the case here. I am starting homework from my school and mission from my company, but could not find the will to impose me a schedule, to have proper meal times. Well for the first two days, that was a mess. I am even not sure if I was really tired or just being lazy, probably both. 
Anyway, I started to make my « housekeeping » activities, and to go out with my host family.

۞ First thing I learned, is that my Family are Malays, they are not Malaysians, but do speak Malay. First confusing thing figured out. Then they are Muslims, and I like the way they always exchange greetings, I leanrt and could do it with my host's parents: you kind of stroke the person's hand then touch your heart with the same hand. Moreover, they call older females Kakak (reads "caca", yep, meaning poop in French) and older men "abang" (reads "aban").

۞ They carry their father name, and they are named after their gender: the host's son name is Akid, his father's name is Anuar, he is a boy (Bin) so he goes by Akid Bin Anuar. My host goes by norlinah Benit Bakar (her father's name).

۞ Then, people here are not urbans. They live in a city, but are not urbans. They do not walk, and eventhough the public transportation is so long and expensive, they take it ALL THE TIME. My host explained me that this is because they are so tired of their work, than they do as less as possible. Also, they have big places of consumption, especially food, everywhere. This is too bad, because I do not feel like you are living you know: the only things you do are work-eat-home and rest - work - eat - home & rest. My host explains me that in Singapore people aregetting lazier, fatter, life is getting easier and the city keeps building and updating every single area that is empty or estimated too out-dated. She tells me it is too fast and usually not really usefull.

Yep, I learnt how to eat with hands. You actually use the rice just as we, french people, would use bread to gather food and eat it. Exactly just as we can see on TV. I know Africans do that as well.

۞ Also, they do many things at the same time, and call it « multitasking ».

Always using every single part of their body d: I even see her picking up stuff that dropped on the floor with her feet, very fast! It's a matter of saving time (;

۞ Besides, there are black-skinned peoplehere! But they are, well, not African black-skinned people as we are used to in France. Here, they are Indians. Still feel a little less disorientated, although it is weird.

۞ Traditional locals' « shop houses », just like you can see in documentary, on TV with things hanging on everywhere, food smell surrounding you, all kind of stuff with all sizes. I like it because it is narrow, and you feel like this is a typical asian market.

۞ Finally, one insane thing about Singapore is that nothing is free. Like absolutely nothing: neither water or speed ways (well we do pay highways through the tolls, but not our common fast roads, such as those which allow until 110km/hour). Nothing is really public here. Singaporeans are aware of the fact the government charges everything, but think since you are hardworking, you get enough money, and if you are low-income you get enough help from the government. I do like that state of mind. We promote initiative and personal success.