Very dissapointed...

[lindsayvine]

I'm 31. I'm a nice and genuine and friendly guy. I'm from the UK. Since arriving in Singapore I thought there'd be a "closer" ex-pat community or even a "nice" community of sorts...

Why is it that every (and I mean every) white person (no matter if they are from America, France, Russia or Wales) never smiles or even lets on at another (obvious) ex-pat? When I walk past construction sites and see Sri Lankans or Indians - I smile, I nod. Every single one of these great people smile and nod back. Some even say hello.

C'mon people. We are all in the same boat. In a new country. Far away from 'home' and to smile and say hi or even just acknowledge one another with the slightest of nods would be a huge leap forward.

To the ex-pats... let us be friends!

[nakatago]

Uh, not everyone here is white.

I'm not white.

[JR8]

I'm 31. I'm a nice and genuine and friendly guy. I'm from the UK. Since arriving in Singapore I thought there'd be a "closer" ex-pat community or even a "nice" community of sorts...

Why is it that every (and I mean every) white person (no matter if they are from America, France, Russia or Wales) never smiles or even lets on at another (obvious) ex-pat? When I walk past construction sites and see Sri Lankans or Indians - I smile, I nod. Every single one of these great people smile and nod back. Some even say hello.

C'mon people. We are all in the same boat. In a new country. Far away from 'home' and to smile and say hi or even just acknowledge one another with the slightest of nods would be a huge leap forward.

To the ex-pats... let us be friends!

This is something that I have touched upon before. The only thing ex-pats seem to despise more then other ex-pats is the locals and then a rung or two down from that tourists (usually even more-so if the same nationality).

You won't get anything from the average ex-pat on the street Lindsay. My advice would be to join sports and social clubs. For some reason people behave totally differently when under that umbrella.

[JR8]

Uh, not everyone here is white.

I'm not white.

Don give me that negro $hit

[nakatago]

Uh, not everyone here is white.

I'm not white.

Don give me that negro $hit

[JR8]

^^^^ LOl. Don't know how you manage to conjure up these apt cartoons and jokes at the click of your fingers.

(laughing in a relieved way also that you got my joke, rather than eagerly rushed to find it offensive)

[bigroundeyes]

some ppl are like tis ...see status ....

human life is short .....pls treat everyone equal

with our smile we can bring happiness in other 's life

[JR8]

Reminds me of the first week in Toa Payoh when we last moved over.

You don't see a lot of expats in TP, well even less back then than now. I got into the lift and whatdyaknow a white guy. So I introduced myself smilingly saying 'Hey a white guy! You don't see many around here!' and the guy looked at me as if I was stark raving bonkers, he just squinted and said 'What?'

And yet if we had have met under some 'permitted auspices' (a condo meeting or, sports club event etc) I'm sure we would have got on just fine.

Funny thing is after a while living there I would have probably responded in the same way he did. There is a kind of extreme snobbery* that sets in over time. I'd be fascinated if anyone can explain it to me...


* for want of a better word

[sundaymorningstaple]

Suspicion?

[JR8]

You're too suspicious SMS

Seriously though, there is a real snobbery thing, and maybe you're way way beyond even noticing.

p.s. You said yesterday you're in SG for a few more years. Thought you were on your short-stick?

[sundaymorningstaple]

You're too suspicious SMS

Seriously though, there is a real snobbery thing, and maybe you're way way beyond even noticing.

Probably.That or I just don't give a s**t.

p.s. You said yesterday you're in SG for a few more years. Thought you were on your short-stick?

I've got two outstandings. My son & NS and my MiL.

[JR8]

Probably.That or I just don't give a s**t.

Hehehe.... yeah, it's probably one of those

I've got two outstandings. My son & NS and my MiL.

No chance of an advance party recce then? You know, 'just to make it easier for those that have to follow'.

[/quote]

[carteki]

Tis an interesting question - and something I've noticed too.

Couple of theories:

1) Extreme mobileness of most people here. Here for 2 years and then gone - a while back I met some "lifers" and they were saying that you really weren't even spoken too unless you'd been here for 5+ years and planned to stay - they weren't going to waste the energy.

2) Life is not so different from home, therefore there is no need to band together to form an enclave to "protect yourselves from the locals" and there is a critical mass of foreigners here that there is no need to befriend every new body on the street.

3) And to the people living in the more local areas - it possibly is a turf thing as in "hey, I'm the foreigner here living amongst the locals - who do you think you are?"

My 2c...

[x9200]

I.... don't get it. Normally I don't smile at the strangers that pass me by on the street - timing, general setting - they don't smile at me neither; but I do it whenever there is a bit more personal contact area, the lift etc., and it never ever happened I was not smiled back. I am actually rather asocial so typically the other person also initiates the conversation and often the smiling part. I was told ones by a friend of mine that I look a bit like a terrorist. Do you think there could be a link?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yeah, first time I met you, you reminded me of a terrorist. The second time, just an overweight terrorist!