Culture Shock..

In this post I'm gonna talk about how "moral textbook-like" Singapore is. When we were in primary school, we used to read in our moral textbooks on the daily lives and norms of the society. The stories and scenarios are always very perfect, innocent and angelic to the point we Malaysians find them too unreal and impossible in real life.

People have always said that the most adaptable country to a Malaysian (other than Malaysia of course) is Singapore. The weather, the food, the geography and the races are almost the same. There will not be any culture shock they said. This is true. I did not encounter any problem adjusting to Singapore. However, it is very surprising as days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, as I slowly discover Singapore, it is very much a culture shock to me. A shock as in how "perfect" the society is here in the Lion City.

In our moral textbooks, we would read that:
1. 小明和小华一起走路上学，放学后一起走路回家。In Malaysia, we hardly see anyone does this. It's too far, too dangerous to do so.

2. 放学后，小明和朋友们到公共图书馆去读书和温习功课。In Malaysia, we hardly do this as well. Highly inaccessible libraries, inconvenient, and also lack of public libraries. And also the absence of this kind of culture in students.

3. 傍晚, 小明和弟弟妹妹/哥哥姐姐到家里附近的公共游泳池/篮球场/羽毛球场去游泳/打篮球/打羽球。In Malaysia, I will pay you RM100 if you dare say that in every housing neighbourhood there is badminton courts/basketball courts/swimming pool. I will pay you another RM100 if the public facilities are well maintained and completely usable.

4. 小华，阿里和木都是好朋友。How frequent do we actually see this in Malaysia? I don't even wanna elaborate further. Sigh.

5. 在巴士/火车里，小明把位子让给一位更需要位子的人。In Malaysia, first of all, we hardly take the bus/train. And how many will actually look around to see if anyone needs the seat more than himself/herself?

6. 小明和小华在巴士站/火车站等巴士/火车。大约五分钟后，巴士/火车就来了。I don't even wanna go into how long we would have to wait for the public bus/train to arrive in Malaysia. *speechless*

7. 在公共食堂吃饱后，小明把碗碟放到碗碟收集处。Except for school canteens, have you ever seen people in Malaysia put back their trays and cutleries in public food courts or even McDonald's?

8. 小明报了警， 警察叔叔三分钟便抵达了现场。Malaysian police force, I'll leave the description to yourself.

9. 小明/阿里/木都长大后立志想要当一名警察/兵士/消防人员，为国家服务。In Malaysia, how many would actually take up such professions for the nobility of the professions and for the country?

I am slowly discovering more and more textbook-like examples like above in Singapore. All of these sum up to one hel' of a culture shock to me. Such jaw-dropping and unbelievable to see how far have the 2 countries drifted apart since the year when both were no longer one.