What does the newbie need to watch out for?

[longstebe]

What would be the best advice to give to newbie tourists or workers looking to relocate to SG.
Also some of the local slang what you would come across on a day to day basis needs explaining like the words used for certain people. Aunty would be one of them.
Sometimes I'm lost in this forum. Well, I am a dafty so that doesn't help.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Remember that this country's infrastructure is 1st world, the population not necessarily so.

http://www.talkingcock.com/html/lexec.p ... &op=LexPKL

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?tit ... arch&ns0=1

These two will give you a good start.....

[Wind In My Hair]

Remember that this country's infrastructure is 1st world, the population not necessarily so.

As opposed to the population of which country? C'mon SMS, we haven't had a good fight for ages so let's have at it!

What would be the best advice to give to newbie tourists or workers looking to relocate to SG.

Longstebe, I'd ask them not to talk to other expats or read this forum so they can come and form their own opinions instead of coming with pre-conceived notions. An open mind (instead of judgments about how things "should" be) is a rarity and what I like most in foreigners. It's also what I try to bring to other countries myself.

[sundaymorningstaple]

And what, pray tell, was wrong with my statement?

The fact that I called the infrastructure here 1st world? Or the fact that for once I didn't generalize or say everybody but instead left it a deliberately ambiguous "not necessarily so"?

Far as I can see, it doesn't need a comparative. 1st world is nothing more than an "ideal" is it not? I don't think there are a number of fixed criteria that has to be met but, instead, a general perception. In fact, I believe what the US is generally led to believe is different than what the UN espouses and all has changed since it's inception after the end of WWII. Therefore as the world and it's perceptions have changed over the last 60 years, then the definition is always in a state of flux. It also has to do with the perception of the viewer does it not?

[Calmday]

SMS when Singapore gets a good TexMex restaurant I will agree with 1st world infrastructure. Until then it’s just a nice, modern place to live with a great infrastructure.

[longstebe]

Fair comment Wind about forming my own opinion.
I do believe in doing as much research as you can before visiting a place especially if it's for a long period of time.
My post was more directed at things you would come across on a day to day basis not so much as a whole.
For instance housing agents,MRT,weather,places to avoid not openingly speaking about goverment etc.....
By the way, nobody has explained the Aunty thing yet.

[vbelle]

Aunty is how you call older women...its a form of respect...
say...you have a local friend, you dont call their parents with their name, but with Aunty and Uncle..

weather: hot all year round...but been rain a lot lately...
MRT: quite frequent..clean..the annoying part is when you try to get out..everyone just try to get in as soon as the door opens..and they dont really let you come out first

[Wind In My Hair]

Vbelle is right about Aunty. It's the local version of Ma'am or Miss. Uncle is like Sir or Mister. For relatives and close family friends, the names follow eg Aunty Longstebe and Uncle SMS.

[longstebe]

Vbelle is right about Aunty. It's the local version of Ma'am or Miss. Uncle is like Sir or Mister. For relatives and close family friends, the names follow eg Aunty Longstebe and Uncle SMS.

Can we not have it the other way around please, Uncle Longstebe and Aunty SMS.

[sundaymorningstaple]

You are the one with the long hair. I'm the one with NO hair!

[Wind In My Hair]

I don't think there are a number of fixed criteria that has to be met but, instead, a general perception

Just having some fun with you SMS. My perception of class is that it's a beautiful paradox: Only a classy person (or country) is in a position to think that another is not classy, but a classy person would never think that.

[longstebe]

You are the one with the long hair. I'm the one with NO hair!

[Wind In My Hair]

Can we not have it the other way around please, Uncle Longstebe and Aunty SMS.

Good one, Longstebe

On that note, here's a lesson on local slang: guess what's it means to say to a man "Don't be so Aunty!"

[ex-pat]

Aunty is how you call older women...its a form of respect...
say...you have a local friend, you dont call their parents with their name, but with Aunty and Uncle..

For ang moh to call local friends parents uncle and auntie seems uncool to them....Never heard an ang moh saying those words....unless its their relative maybe.

[x9200]

Vbelle is right about Aunty. It's the local version of Ma'am or Miss. Uncle is like Sir or Mister.

But with the respect it is a bit tricky. At work, all our nice elderly cleaning ladies are called aunties but I've never heard anybody calling uncle our boss