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!
1. No need to hao lian. My passport allows me to travel to even more countries than the SG passport, because yes, SG is at number 6, that means 5 countries are better than you.
2. You can speak English, so can a lot of other people, how is that a plus point?
3. False. See all those Singaporeans taking Maggie mee with them on tour groups? How is that adaptable?
4. A strong currency is a double edged sword. You may be enjoying it but exporters and visiting tourists are hurting. Notice that Thailand keeps its currency low on purpose?
5. Multi culturalism is hardly a uniquely SG trait.
6. Singaporeans are also perceived as naive, cheapskate and oh, can be heard before seen when you break out into that terrible sounding Singlish.
1) 5 countries are better than us, yes, but we are still better than a lot of thr other countries.
2) In many parts of the world, people are actually not fluent in English, and in SG, almost every Singaporean is very fluent in English.
3)Very few Singaporeans actually take Maggie Mee with us, we do enjoy different cuisines as we naturally eat from different cuisines in SG as well.
4) Sure Thailand keeps its currency low on purpose, but notice how SG is so much more cleaner and has a higher standard of living than Thailand? Our economy is flourishing, and our people are living very luxurious lives compared to the rest of the world.
5) Multi-Culturism is actually quite rare and also the fact that we are a lot more peaceful and harmonious than most countries that have multi-culturism shows just how tolerant Singaporeans can be of different cultures.
6) Singlish may not sound so posh, but you have no right to bad-mouth it. It is uniquely Singaporean and it is a way for Singaporeans to recognize each other when we’re in a different country. I do believe that we can be naive as we live in a safety bubble in SG but I find that Singaporeans do try to broaden their horizons and make use of every opportunity to learn more about the world outside SG.
I feel like you have no right to demote Singapore and it’s culture. How would you like it if we took every chance to criticize your home country? Yes, we’re not the perfect society, but I would bet that even your home country doesn’t have the perfect society either. If Singaporeans want to be proud of Singapore, you shouldn’t discourage that. While you have a right to speak your mind, it would be greatly appreciated if you did it in a nicer way which doesn’t degrade any other person of a different race, religion or culture.
Wonderfully written! Kudos!!
Thanks! 🙂
While I have to concede that both of you have valid points, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that we lead more luxurious lives than the rest of the world. We may be economically and politically strong as a nation, but in the process have sacrificed some of our humanity and freedom.
In all honesty, I appreciate that the Singapore passport allows me to travel to more places than most, but if given the chance I’d spend more time outside of the country than within it.
Having lived away from Singapore for part of my adult life, I believe that the “grass is greener on the other side” argument does have some weight. Granted, I spent my time in a country that was within the top 5 best passports to hold, but the difference between that country and Singapore is quite staggering in some aspects.
I’ll be blunt: I do not like my news to be subject to censorship. I do not like having to notify MINDEF everytime I step out of the country. I do not like having to fight tooth and nail for a job that makes barely makes me enough money to pay the bills and survive on a monthly basis. I do not like the disparity between the rising cost of living and stagnant real wages. I do not like the fact that there isn’t an adequate safety net for our elderly when they retire.
And the country I was in didn’t suffer from any of these issues and yet is thriving.
But I’m sure my concerns are shared by many. Either way, the passport may grant us the chance to travel to many places, but the price we pay for it goes far beyond mere monetary terms.
not everyone gets to travel more den 14days-less than 6mths every time they travel, so reporting to MINDEF to some is not a thing they do ‘everytime’
It’s true that right now, our prices are soaring higher and higher. But you do realize that the average SGean is in the top 20% of the world’s most prosperous, right? Compared to the average lives of people in India and Africa, we are extremely fortunate. We very rarely see homeless people begging on our streets and we live in good clean homes, even if they’re on the smaller side. I do realize that the countries that are ranked higher than SG have even better standards of living, but seeing how small SG is and how little resources SG has, I feel that it is SG being ranked 6th against all these other huge resourceful nations is something to be proud of even if we aren’t the best.
I’m guessing you’re a male. You do realize the only reason you have to report to MINDEF all the time is because they don’t want you to run away from National Service right? Singapore’s army is seriously small, thus it is essential to have a citizen armed force. They just want you to complete your training as part of that citizen armed force.
1) i think the author is not trying to show off in the article. I will assume that the point the author is trying to bring across for this point is that our passport allow us to travel to many parts of the world easily without going thru the hassles of applying for visas.
2) yes many people can speak English, but it indeed is an advantage for us as it can avoid some language barriers when overseas. making things like asking for directions that much easier.
3) I would agree Singaporeans bring instant noodles overseas, but I must say is not majority. There are various reasons why they bring it overseas. Some Singaporeans are used to having supper but some countries is hard to find food selling late in the night not including fast food chains. Also there are those that bring just in case they really can’t get used to the food especially so for the older generations.
4)I do agree with you on it being a double edge sword. There are pros and cons for strong currency which had both been touched by the author and yourself.
5) Another point that I don’t think the author is trying to bring out maybe misunderstood by you. I think the author is trying to point out that being a multi cultural country allow us to understand other countries culture better and easier so as to minimize cultural shock and avoid cultural conflicts if possible.
6) I do agree there are those who can be naive, cheapskate, etc. I myself as a Singaporean do feel embarrassed if I encounter such fellow Singaporeans overseas, but there are always such bad apples in every country be where you are from. It does not represent the whole of the country citizen. Also, like another reader said, Singapore is not a perfect country, so you can’t expect everyone in Singapore to have perfect English, especially the older generations when they might not have gone thru english education like the younger ones. I will not say English is our native language, as different family may use other language in their own family, but English is our first language so as to allow easier communication between the different races in Singapore. As for Singlish, usually when in a group like friends or family overseas, we Singaporeans will automatically use Singlish to each other, but we do try to use proper English when communicating with the locals. Also, you may find Singlish unpleasant, but is what make Singapore unique, and can also maybe say Singlish is Singapore’s native language. Also some foreigner find Singlish interesting and colourful as there are some words in Singlish that can be used to describe things which may not have an equivalent in English or other languages.
Let me reply you in Singlish. Eh! Don’t step like you so good hor. This post is about Singaporeans and how awesome it is to be one la. You come here want show off for what? Want compare your country better for what? Watch as we magically literally don’t care if your passport is better than Singaporeans’.
For a small country, we are doing so well on our own. LOL. Yes, we are not perfect but I don’t see the point in dissing this post. This post did not harm anyone so I don’t get why you are acting like a retard?
Harry… If your passport is so great, mind telling us where u come from? We might then see it from your perspective.
I’m in Nouméa, New Caledonia, and the French people I know love instant noodles. My boyfriend thinks IndoMie is a treat, and the two boys I know have it everyday for lunch. What’s wrong with eating instant noodles? They’re very affordable, convenient, and they taste good.
I’m Singaporean and yet I fully agree with Harry
then im sorry but you’re a retard.
Sad to say you doesn’ t appreciate or even take for granted for what you have in you country. There is always criticism because they wanna compare. The thing is, it worth comparing~
I agree with you and Harry! I’m a Singaporean as well, but I’ve been living in another country for the past 10 years. Having a Singapore passport does have it’s perks, but I wouldn’t want to live in Singapore. Mainly because of censorship in the media and the annoyingly strong sense of patriotism that I get from the people.
How No. 3 ‘We Adapt Easily to Food from All Around the World’ is our advantage?? Go to other major cities like NY or London. They practically have every cuisines from every continents of the earth. I have yet to see cafes in sg selling Brazilian’s Caipirinhas or Ethiopian’s foods.
Very weak article.
Lol, “fluent english”.
In addition, Singapore is among the least corrupted countries in the world: http://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results
KIASU is a wonderful singaporean trait, as exhibited by anita!!
nabey siao eh y’all relax leh, the author is just trying to say something nice about our country don’t wet blanket all lah
Thanks God! Gina and Bob apparently excluded their so-called “Warning message to their fellow travelers ” ! But still persisting to keep their controversial ” 7 reasons why….”. As an accredited Iranian tour guide, I met them just a couple of days ago upon their arrival into Iran from Central Asia. When I visited their website I took offended by their Warning Message to their fellow travelers. Once I finished reading it , I firmly criticized the Un-ethical adjectives they used in describing the Tajik street beggar who was only a youngster girl! Gina + Bob called them as ” Voracious Leech ” ! Needless to say, writer should care about dignity of the people they write about them, let alone if they want to attach her photo in such a public page like their website. On the other hand, begging itself is not regarded as CRIME! If I were them, I’d try to sympathize with the miserable girl by giving a hint to the social causes of the issue that you can see even in heart of Europe!! Furthermore, they are sponsored by North Face, and such a photo showing them wearing North Face jacket with the miserable beggar would be a publicity for the brand?!?! Upon their arrival, implicitly I advised them to try to get experienced during their trip yet even before visiting their website. I wish theIR fairly long ” Odyssey ” would bear so useful fruits to both of them. Nobody has the right to DISREGARD ethics of writing and photography simply by some unacceptable or unnecessary excuses.
7 reasons why it’s NOT so awesome to travel as a Singaporean !
1. You are NOT the only nationality who ‘ get to travel to almost anywhere in the world with your so-called powerful passport.
2. You DO NOT have no problem with the rest of 1,200,000,000. people in the world! Verbal communication is neccessary but NOT enough to understand and sympathize with people of the world. As an evidance, your remarks about the miserable youngester girl beggar in Khojand of Tajikestan who you likened her in your (deleted) report to ‘ Vorocious Leech ‘ !
3. You are NOT the only nationality who adapt easily to food from all around the world
4. You are Not the only who get to travel more by stretching your strong Singaporean dollar.
5. You are NOT able to adapt to different cultures and backgrounds because unlike what you write in the 5th, reason of being so awesome to travel as Singaporean, your multi-racial nationality did NOT allow you to be more comfortable and TOLERANT towards people from different backgrounds and cultures including towards the miserable Tajik youngester girl beggar in Khojand whom you likened her as ‘ Voracious LEECH ‘ ! Fortunately (or unfortunately because I could ask your friends to have a look on it )you apparently deleted your report from your website!
6. You are NOT the only who generally well liked by people around the world
7. Exceptionally in this case, I absolutely agree with you; You do REALLY have so much to learn and see from the rest of the world, of course if you don’t disregard ethics of writing and photography and never call human being(the girl beggar) as ‘ vorocious LEECH ‘ ! Or you can apologize from her or people of the world if you practically want to prove you have learned some thing in your trip!
Why do we travel? Regardless of the Pros/Cons below, I’d like to turn your attention to very basic question preceded above. Apart from Overseas travel/tour essentials such as passport,money,visa, Do we ever need any extra particular pre-arrangement(s)? Is it enough to be very well-supplied by modern travel gears? Or we really need essential non-materialistic readiness too? I do believe a traveler needs not only strong passport, strong currency, strong ……, but also moral essentials e.g. enough readiness to be more tolerant and more considerate in his/her words and actions.
Travel is a formidable challeng. From the very moment you step out of your home country, you inevitably become your country’s ambassador; your words/actions would inevitably represent your culture,country and people. That’s why we are highly expected to be more considerate about our deeds in such a way that we and our home country can glorify each other. Every people of the world has some sources of pride; Civilization, culture,…..and of course the people those are affliated to them. Granted we have pride-worthy civilization, culture,…., they necessitate such a good people who can practically represent them. The better background, the graver responsibility to preserve it. We do owe our identity to our civilization,culture and our home land. On the other hand, they call us for their preservertion. Every individual can take pride to his passport,money,….. as much as he/she can properly represent them especially abroad. Nationality/citizens glory must be BILATERAL! I can glorify my nationality,passport,currency etc as much as they can glorify their concerning people.
I presume we should avoid such nationalistic debates especially with un-ethical language! When somebdy decides to go on a long distanc trip, he/she is expected to WIDEN his/her outlook horizon or better say , to INTERNATIONALIZE his/her outlook horizon. And it’s possible only if we practically AVOID persisting on NATIONLISTIC issues like Singaporean passport, Singaporean currency or Singaporean ……….! If I were Gina/Bob, I wouldn’t address such controversial nationalistic issues like passport,currency,etc.
Concluding with my regret of reading such UN-necessary comments initiated by the young couple’s article about ‘ 7 reasons why……. ‘.
8. Thieves & Thugs will definitely target Singaporeans (Rich by default)
Writer probably wanted to share & highlight how awesome our passport and how much convenience it gave us. Singaporean must appreciate the time & cost savings in getting visa to foreign land. Holding an SG passport, most of us will not know how tedious is the procedures for visa application, unless you have ever assist a non local in visa applications. Going to Countries without visa upon arrival = no last minute travel plan. Going to countries with visa upon arrival = join the long queue ..
Point number 5 was made rather naively in my opinion. You are able to adapt to other cultures because you have mainly been travelling in Asia (giving you more cultural similarities than say if you were in South America), and also because you have been travelling and thus, meeting people of different backgrounds.
Yes Singapore is a cosmopolitan state, but how often do you ever see locals interacting with foreigners? In fact most Singaporeans don’t know how to approach foreigners. Schooling with two other races does expose us to much diversity either. Those two other races still live in Singapore, are are Singaporeans ultimately and thus there is still so much cultural similarity.
I am Singaporean, grew up there and live in Sydney right now where there is SOOOO much more cultural diversity than in Singapore. Perhaps in your point, you were trying to sound politically correct by saying what they taught us to say about Singaporeans in school.
Safe travels 🙂