7 reasons why it’s so awesome to travel as a Singaporean
As we reflect while travelling, we’re always down to one conclusion, and that is how blessed we are for being able to travel as a citizen of Singapore. Here are 7 reasons why it’s so awesome to travel as a Singaporean.
1. We get to travel to almost anywhere in the world with our powerful passport
Due to our good relationship with many countries, our Singapore’s passport (ranked 6th in the world) allows us to travel to 167 countries without applying for a visa. Some of these countries include exotic destinations like Kyrgyzstan, Zimbawe, Tanzania, Iceland, Morocco, Fiji and many more! For most of the other countries where a visa is needed, our Singapore passport allows us to obtain it at a lower fee as compared to other nationalities. For example when applying for a visa to Iran, we only needed to pay 50€ (inclusive of administration fees) as compared to the exorbitant fee of 150€ for citizens of China.
2. We have no problem communicating with the rest of 1,200,000,000 people in the world
Our ability to speak fluent English allows us to communicate almost anywhere in the world! Even in countries where English is not their first language, most of the people will still try to learn to speak English as it’s considered to be an international language. According to Wikipedia, 1,200,000,000 people in the world speak English either as their first or second language and English is definitely the most spoken language among travellers. However, if we need our conversations to be more discrete, we can always fall back on our trusty Singlish (Singapore version of English) or mother tongue to communicate with other fellow Singaporeans.
3. We adapt easily to food from all around the world
The wide array of food cuisines in Singapore allows us to be more versatile and able to adapt easily to the different food choices from other countries. Our tastebuds are used to sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spicy food from the different ethnic groups – Chinese, Malays, Indians, Westerners and others!
4. We get to travel more by stretching our strong Singapore dollar
The political and economic stability in our country is an impetus for the strengthening of our Singapore dollar. A strong currency also means we’re able to better afford the food, accommodation, transport and other travel expenses in many other countries.
5. We are able to adapt to different cultures and backgrounds
Our multi-racial nation allows us to be more comfortable and tolerant towards people from different backgrounds and cultures. We grew up with a diverse mix of people in school and neighbourhood, and for the men, they get to bond together in the army for 2 years. This upbringing leads to an empathetic group of Singaporeans.
6. We’re generally well liked by people around the world
Tried and tested! During our travel in Central Asia, we were surprised when most of the locals knew about Singapore and immediately gave the thumbs up upon hearing that we’re Singaporeans. Generally, there are not much negative stereotypes about Singaporeans and so far we’ve only received praises about our beautiful country!
7. We have so much to learn and see from the rest of the world
Travelling from one of the world’s safest and smallest countries, you have everything to gain and learn from travelling out of Singapore. It was definitely an eye opener for us as soon as we stepped out of this little red dot. During our 9 months #footprintsacrossasia journey, we slept in a yurt with a nomadic family in Mongolia, camped under a blanket of stars at the Gobi Desert, climbed the world’s most dangerous mountain in China, dealt with corrupted police, visited the ancient ruins of the Great Silk Road in Central Asia and so much more!