It’s true that after returning to your home country after living abroad for a while, reverse culture shocks start to kick in! 😧 Have you experienced any before? Tell me what they were below! 👀
I used to complain about the MRT often as I commute to school via public transport everyday. When I lived in the UK for 3 months, I really appreciate the public transport here! Felt like my eyes were opened and I realised wow SG's public transport is REALLY good. So convenient, quick (yes i said quick waiting 30+ mins for a train isnt fun and the sudden train delays/cancellation of stops. Finding an alternative route to somewhere you've never been to in another country is stressful) and easily accessible.
Hi Georgia caney, I went for a brief holiday cum study trip to the UK in early March ( Beast from the east period) . I realised that when I went to shops and supermarkets,no plastic bags were given,and lol jus bought their own bags or carried their groceries out to their car. This has certainly positively influenced me in reducing the use of plastics and reusing them whenever possible. Nowadays ,I bring my own plastic bags from home to shops and supermarkets,lunch box and tumblr for food and drinks. U r right,we are way behind in terms of recycling and reducing the use of single use plastics, the culture in too deeply ingrained in Singapore.
I have been studying in the UK for about a year and went back to Singapore in summer. It took me a while to get used to saying "auntie, kopi siu dai" again rather than "Can I have a cup of latte, please?". My friends' excessive use of abbreviations in their speech came as quite a shock. But the greatest shock was not knowing how to operate the self-checkout machines at the Fairprice (which didn't exist before I left for the UK last year). I had used similar ones in Tesco and Sainsbury's but somehow the machines back home were harder to operate because of the different payment options. However, now that I am back to having sandwiches, pitta, wrap, baguettes for lunch, I miss the variety of lunch options back home. I also miss the automatic doors. It doesn't help that the doors here are too heavy to open with one hand. On the good side, I learn how good it feels to hold the door open for the next person (even if he/she is a few feets away) and have others do the same for you. Time for me to pick up some English etiquette and manners!
The thing I love about you , Georgia, is how you always use 'we' and how you embrace SG culture and idiosyncrasies. Can't say the same for all expat vloggers. Hats off to you. I nearby dub thee SG ambassador to the UK emeritus. 😁
Can't agree more. Changi airport is sooooo good. I think Singapore transport system is quite nice. At least its clean, comfortable and organised. The service hours are quite long and I really thank all the staff for working early/late.
I was in the UK (Scotland) for 10 months and when I came back, I was like, how can groceries be so expensive here! But! I couldn’t complain about SG’s public transport system because as much as it breaks down quite often, it’s still much much better than in the UK. And while our healthcare system seems “expensive” and very Long waiting time at our polyclinics, I’d rather this, than having to make an appointment under the NHS for a common cold, and wait 2 weeks to see the doctor. And when I came back, I talked SO MUCH about Scotland, until my family were quite pissed haha.. it’s been more than 2 years since I left the UK, and I still talk about my time there.
I am not sure if it is right to say that plastic bag use in SG is higher than that in the UK though. At least I know that after living for several years in Germany (where recycling is national pride), I've observed that plastic bags are used alot as well. People there still purchase their plastic bags in rolls of 50 for their trash bins at home, while in comparison Singaporeans re-use supermarket plastic bags as trash bags. And I feel that many of the German supermarkets have unnecessary plastic packaging for certain meat and veg items. So in the end plastics are used one way or another in other areas.
Hi Georgia. Make a trip to the east end of Singapore at Pasir Ris. Visit the halus bridge and have a meal in the evening at Tebing Lane. Explore the Sengkang and punggol PCN on bicycles and visit Coney Island too. Try out the pcn network in Singapore, you will be surprised how connected we are via bicycles or electric scooters.
In Singapore, most people live in high rise buildings and the rubbish chutes in newer developments are located outside the house. So a lot of people reuse the plastic bags from supermarkets as trash bags. I stopped taking smaller plastic bags from bread shops or Watson's for instance because they can't really be reused.
Oh they certainly can. My smaller bags are used for soiled clothing after gym or swimming, for instance. In fact, these smaller bags are relatively harder to come by, so they can be reused for weeks.
Singapore means a lot to me as well, having studied and worked there on and off for more than 8 years. It felt like home to me. However, I left the country this June for further education (and some other reasons). Deep in my heart, I hope that I may come back in future. But I don't know where my fate will take me, and that makes me a little sad. But I told my friends that wherever I may end up, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Singapore.
@@JangoMando maybe u just had a bad experience in Singapore? I'm a Singaporean too and I'm extremely proud and happy to be Singaporean and have had amazing experiences and memories
@@JangoMando It's said you attract your own kind. It's not difficult to see why. But what amazes me is despite all your grouses, you have been here for 3 decades? It's my turn to wonder what have you been smoking. Lol
Loved this!!!!! I'm a true blue Singaporean but I had a bit of a different education route in Singapore and the first time I felt like I was speaking "proper English" was when I met a British couple through work and got to converse with them. 😱 it felt therapeutic to speak "proper English" without feeling like I was trying to put on airs
Great video! I just came back to the UK too, I saw you and your boyfriend on the MRT once but was too nervous to say hey, and didn't want to bother you both. Always enjoyed your videos, very relatable haha
for the recycling part, some schools and universities are already taking place in in Singapore. In NTU, my school, we stop selling plastic bags and we I have seen so many people carrying chips and soap and food and drinks around the campus.
Hey Georgia! I did my bachelors in London and currently doing my Masters in Singapore at NTU, and I just want to say I completely agree with EVERYTHING you said, and most of the stuff you said always cross my mind, especially with regards to the groceries and plastic usage in Singapore. Definitely still trying to adjust to life in Singapore, but watching your videos makes it a lot easier :)
Hello! I am currently studying in one of the uni in UK and I am so happy how I can totally relate with your video. Ever since I came here, I developed the habit of bringing a recycled bag around whenever I know I am going to do some grocery shopping or what not. However, one thing for sure is I prefer how bright and sunny Singapore is! It's too cold and gloomy here!
@@anitacher2412 to be fair, it is much cheaper in Europe to get certain fruits. She bought a carton. Our 4.95 strawberries are usually in a small plastic container with maybe just 10 of them.
@@sunlightdavid Definitely more than 10. Unless the strawberries are very large. I've been buying before so I know. If you buy off season you pay around $6.95 per carton.
been living in australia for a couple years now and sometimes when i go back to sg i say thank you to the bus driver from the back door of the bus and get really weird stares :')
i remember realizing how humid singapore was. never realized it until i'd returned after being away. had to wash my jeans every other day in singapore as opposed to every 1 to 2 weeks in this drier climate.
My reverse culture shock I experienced was that when I went back to Japan in the winter, the restaurant served a glass of water with ice cubes. The waitress looked confused when I asked for warm water... I realized serving cold water is norm over there no matter what season it is... I find it quite strange.
I didnt really live in other country before but i do travel to places and stayed there for at 10days. I do understand abt the lack of food choices, when i travel to taiwan and japan, we have such a variety of choices here.
In my home country, we stand on the right side of the escalator and walk on the left. After returning from a trip to Singapore where you stand on the left side, I kind of had to get used to our escalator system again.
It is so nice to watch this "reverse culture shock" as it served as a warning for would be tourist to UK what to do and what not to do, like waving your hands for waiter/waitress to come take order. I have been correcting many of my friends who thinks that UK and France waiter/waitress are rude (or look down on asians) because when they wave their hands, nobody came to take order. It's just the way things work there and here that's different. It's not a long video, I hope you do these more often, so we avoid making a scene ourselves when we visit Europe, and YES, it is nice to hear that WE (including you) are part of singapore. :) Please share more videos, enjoyed them very much..
Hey! Loved it! Im a Spanish girl living in London and the airports are a big pain in the ass 😂😢! We might move to Singapore this year! Super good advice on your videos! And its true.... you always miss both places and talk about it when ur there! 🤩
I like the way you put your hand on your chest and say 'Singapore means so much to me.' This is such a lovely video, you embraced Singaporesn lifestyle so much. Thanks. I used to study in Newcastle Upon Tyne back in 2012 2015. My biggest culture shock is food selection for lunch. I cant accept the idea of going to Greggs for a lunch. I have to sit and have a proper lunch. Not just some chicken pastry. Haha. I usually fly for my Easter holiday from either Newcastle, Edinburgh or Manchester airport. I tried Heathrow once (LHR - Sofia) for the sake of 'I had been to heathrow' and I regret. Haha. Singlish : Your video is so cool weyhhhh. 😂
I get the same reverse culture shock too. I am a singaporean living in UK and when i listen to Singlish now it's like oooo that's how it sounds like.... not very impressive but kind of comfortable and nostalgic at the same time.
👉🏼 "You've got to be rich to buy strawberries." 😂 I agree with you, Georgia! Recently, we bought some biscuits from M*S on a discount. When we tore away the price tag in SGD and saw the original cost was only GBP1.7, we were shocked at how many times the price had been inflated 😳
My only trip to Heathrow was a red eye flight . Took Etihad and landed about 6am. Good timing as there were not that many flights. Short passport queue and no officers at the customs. you might want to consider that next time. BTW, never ever stopover in India. Always stopover in Dubai or Doha.
I'm living in the UK and born in Singapore. Thanks for mentioning about the 'raising hand' thing.. i never knew it was rude to do so! I won't be doing it here in the UK ever again!!
Reverse culture shock... Interesting. I loved in the Philippines for three years. My reverse culture shock was the way Singaporean would complain on things that I felt was trivial or took a lot of things for granted as compared to living in Manila. Example: Traffic in Singapore is nothing compared to Manila. Driving in Singapore vs driving in Manila. Utilities like water and power outages. I didn't have piped water supply and depended on my water tank being refilled every Wednesday. Power outage was so normal, my house was filled with battery powered devices and loads of candles. But I wouldn't change it for anything coz it thought me patience and being grateful for the things I had back in Singapore. The most wonderful party about living in Manila was the people and that ever famous Filipino smile. Despite all their difficulties, that irrepressible smile was always there.
good lord yes. We complain a lot. It's something we don't see abroad and most expats are just too kind to point it out. I think we are a little pampered because we are used having the best and being titled the best in every thing. It's unfortunate. It might be contributed by the stress most of us are put under though. Stress at work, stress to compete with others materialistically, stress to put on a spectacle to show everyone you're living your best life...
For me, having lived in the US for longer than I have in Singapore, every time I return to Singapore is a culture shock. Somethings stays exactly the same (I.e. my grandma’s house) but the city has certainly changed and grown. I can totally relate to your experience just in a different way. Like how I am excited to chat with my Singaporean friends in the only way Singaporean can...interchanging from English to Mandarin with a few Malay tossed in there. Although my command of Singlish terms is sorely outdated. 😂😂
I've been studying in Denmark for 4 months now and took a trip to the UK a week ago and I can relate so much with this video! It's so hard to find a warm hearty lunch here and bread/sandwich is usually considered a snack/breakfast in Singapore, so I found it really strange that people eat it as a meal on a daily basis. I can relate so much when you said 'I literally cannot have anymore bread'. Also, YES, groceries are so cheap that I've grown to love shopping in the supermarkets! I get my retail therapy done in supermarkets without hurting my wallet HAHA. Can't wait to head back to Singapore and eat all those food omg 😂
We have damn lots of lil island u can try explore. Not sure which are public accessible but if u interest u can go search it up. One or 2 place u can still spot dolphins.
Penang and Selangor state of Malaysia had already join the no plastic bag movement, basically like the UK where you need to pay in order to get a plastic bag. But I think the Malaysian still not used to carry our own shopping bag, so we are still paying for the plastic bag.
With kin in penang (where plastic bags are no longer used in major markets) I can comparatively see that we not very conscious about plastic bag use in Singapore. Just because you limit plastic bag use in major markets, doesn't mean that you can't buy trash bags for home use. AND the idea is that when you pay or get limited amounts of plastic bags (as opposed to being too easily accessible or unlimited) you become more conscious of their use and perhaps use them much more efficiently. Instead on throwing out my trash half-full, I would throw my trash when it's full. I might get started on composting or not cook too much and throw food away because I realise it's the food scraps that become really smelly. Etc etc.
I feel you. I was in Korea for just 3 months and I have to speak in proper English (sometimes even fake a horrible American accent) and it just hit me how much I missed speaking in Singlish and Mandarin when I met a fellow Singaporean in Korea, not food but the way we interact with each other. And yes, we do take our public transport for granted, I had to lug my 23kg luggage all over the MRT in korea, up the and down the stairs, on to the escalator cuz there's just 1 lift and it's usually far away and it may not even be on the exit that you are coming out from. And yes, I agree we have a long way to go for recycling. Even though we reuse the plastic bags, but they still get dump into landfills, and how about those smaller in sizes which are harder to reuse as bin liner?
I just got back from London and travelled via Gatwick Airport and found the custom clearance abit smoother and custom officers much friendlier as compared to Heathrow Airport. I agreed that snacks are way cheaper than SG and much more varieties which I had to stop myself from getting too much. I love supermarket shopping at ASDA. How I wish I can move the whole ASSA back home. 😂
Haha YES I went to Gatwick too and actually although it was still chaos at security, the staff were fun and having a laugh with me so that was nice :) AHH ASDA 💛
I'm from Finland and I am going to Brighton 3 weeks in next summer and i am little bit worried about food. Because in Finland we eat 2 warm meal on the day
diesongod lool dw Brighton is great for food. Georgia is not being particularly helpful. As London and other big cities are great for a variety of food
Going to the UK I can definitely vouche on the groceries. Sainsbury and Aldi are like so cheap compared to Giant in Singapore. Heck even Tesco in the UK is cheaper. But Lidl will always steal my heart with their bargains
ONE MOMENT IN TIME That is what you are experiencing. At this moment in time in the year 2018 in a place of your choosing where contrasts of human endavour is so apparent . The fruits of industry and foresight of a generation past were laid bare for all to see, to behold, to amaze, to partake and to enjoy. A place where excellence is a core value that things work if you put your mind to it. For residents and visitors alike, you wonder at the achievements and consciously or subconsciously begin to feel a sense of belonging and longing imprinted in your mind. You would appreciate the "experience" of the place as you would a branded product that you propel you to have a deep affinity for.
Hi Georgia! I stumbled upon your channel and found your content really interesting. I was born and raised in Singapore but have spent the past seven years in Japan; I REALLY felt you when you talked about the groceries and produce, except in reverse lol because YES! Produce is so expensive in Singapore! (And not very fresh!) I really felt it when I had to buy some vegetables to cook for my parents during one of my visits back home. The recycling thing is true, so true; here in Japan we have a really solid system that stressed me out when I first came (burnable refuse on Tuesdays and Friday for my district, and every Wednesday it's a different sort of refuse - plastic bottles, non-burnables, cans, glass bottles, in that order for the month; things like that) until I found out that every supermarket has huge recycle bins that allow you to bring your (washed and dried) refuse to sort and recycle. I can even drop used batteries there. I really like it. There is still a lot of plastic use, however, but people are a lot more aware about how it impacts the environment, and I find that there are a lot more people who genuinely want to make a difference about reducing the use of plastic. :) Thanks for sharing this!
Imported fruits like the various types of berries, cherry, avocadoes etc are very expensive in Singapore. I actually pay more for fruits than I pay for meat in a week. Local tropical fruits are none too cheap nowadays. Prices of everything seem to go north with no U-turn. 😨
Thank you for sharing! This video brought back memories of when I came back from Leeds. I do agree that Singaporeans need to be more active and conscious about recycling. Something I've also noticed is that people do not have the habit of holding the door here, which I experienced back in Leeds. It's just a kind and consideration action for another person. :) But I must agree with the ease at Changi Airport. It is truly a breeze, and makes me look forward to travelling.
Singaporean households can definitely do better at separating wastes. There's nothing wrong with using supermarket plastic bags to for waste disposal, but the number of bags used can be reduced if people take out recyclable bottles/cans/cardboard from kitchen waste and the non-recyclable rubbish. These recyclable waste can be put in a much bigger bag as they don't make homes stink (by the way, people need to understand they are supposed to wash recyclable food containers before throwing them - something I learnt living in London). Yeah, cleaning that sambal paste jar and taking it to the community recycling bin are much more troublesome than just throwing it with other waste down the chute; but we sure should put in more effort reducing what we put in the landfill.
Haha, Heathrow! 🤣 So true, on trips to Europe from the US I will pay more to avoid going through Heathrow!!! What I like are Hawker food stalls on every other block. Also Asian style malls. So many malls here are struggling, but if you divide the space into hundreds of small shops where young folks can start a business it makes the shopping experience more interesting. Think Lucky Plaza on Orchard or Bugis night market... ok maybe not Bugis :)
I can totally relate with you. What I love about singapore is that its clean in my point of view. My country is kinda sucks when it comes to recycling and using less plastic. Total bummer ☹️ And yes, changi airport is the best ❤️❤️❤️
My wish list for a place to live in and call home: 1. Cheap groceries 2. Affordable and diverse eat-out places 3. Environmentally conscious populace 4. Non-wretched weather 5. Lots of places to explore If only we could have it all...!
YES I AGREE WITH THE PLASTIC ONE!! I try not to use plastic bags as much as possible but there’s a lot of people who use plastic bags for almost everything, from general waste to food waste. I guess in a way it’s convenient? 🤔🤔
Speaking of using a heater, you can clearly tell car manufacturers don't bother to build cars properly for singapore. When am i ever going to use heated seats?
I came back from an exchange in the UK 5 months back and I could totally relate to quite a few points you brought up. Going grocery shopping in Tesco or Sainsbury was a really great experience when I was there, and they were really huge! I loved how UK treated usage of plastic bags as an uncommon thing while in Singapore, the things i buy will automatically be placed in one. Theres a real lot we can do in our recycling scene in Singapore, and it was the exchange experience that really shocked me. There is just so much to do in the UK, but it was also the weather there that made me love Sunny Singapore. Most of the time it was cloudy in UK, which can be quite depressing after a prolonged period of time :)
I know it's such a struggle sometimes trying to balance out the pros and cons! Be good if I could split my time and just go back to the UK for late spring/summer! 😝
With regards to the "need plastic bag for trash" argument, I think reducing plastic bag usage will naturally occur if people reject single-use items and avoid creating that trash in the first place. And of course recycling too! There's so many blue recycling bins everywhere so there's no reason not to recycle. Imagine how many less plastic bags you'll need for your trash if you produce less trash in the first place and recycle what can be recycled
Georgia, London recycling rates are way lower than Singapore London average only 33% and overall recycling rate in England is 47% Singapore overall recycling rate is 61%.Plastic recycling of course is only 2% its true that can be improve. Its fairly hard to convince Singaporean to give up plastic, likewise it is difficult to convince London to improve its waste clearance recycling rate.
Strawberries don't cost 15 bucks here in Singapore :') There are cheaper options that cost only 4 bucks. You must have gone to cold storage, its quite expensive there :")
I love the UK , I studied there for 3 years , i love british humor , i love scottish accent , i look irish pubs and i love the premiere league..GOD BLESS UNITED KINGDOM
Thanks for your video. I agree that we are lacking in recycling single use plastics and the awareness of how harmful plastics are in our environment. I too am guilty of it but I'm slowly trying to stop single use plastics and consciously trying to recycle plastics and at the same time, reduce my use of it. I started by carrying my own water bottles around and not buying bottled drinks anymore :)
My grocery plastic bags are reused as trashbags. I don’t think people really just dispose their plastic bags here without reusing it as at least as a trashbag.
Which is still putting plastic into landfill? The whole point of steering away from single use plastic is to be able to use multi use bags over and over. Taking a plastic bag from the grocery store and throwing it down the shoot still makes it single use. There plenty of biodegrade bag options you can use to dispense of trash instead that won’t harm the environment which you should give a try!
we need the plastic bags for throwing rubbish down the rubbish chute.. else we'll be throwing rubbish down the chute all soup and all... solve the plastic prob we need to solve the chute problem
I have no solution for the plastic bag and recycling side of things. Definitely should move forward in this area. I have spent a long time like over 14yrs in 1 to 3 months spurts in the uk. The difficulty is almost everyone in the uk drives. So they have their non woven bags in the car so it is convenient. In sg, its odd to just carry grocery bags with u all the time. Not saying it cannot be done. The other thing that i did not kind of like is the councils come collect rubbish only once a week. We have to pay for this (i thnnk) and it is alternate weeks clearing of regular bin and then recycling bin. Each house had just 1 bin each and if 1 bin isnt enough, u have to pay to have a 2nd bin.
I miss hot meals for lunch. Sick of having sandwiches for lunch miss having chicken rice haha. Food at uni is rubbish and expensive and traffic on the A1 to get to Hatfield every day for uni is horrendous 🤣🤣🤣
Wait, there's a different way to summon a waiter / waitress? Isn't it normal to just hold your hand up??? But I've never actually seen someone hold it for long. Usually we'd just wave or try to catch their eye.
It’s true that after returning to your home country after living abroad for a while, reverse culture shocks start to kick in! 😧 Have you experienced any before? Tell me what they were below! 👀
I used to complain about the MRT often as I commute to school via public transport everyday. When I lived in the UK for 3 months, I really appreciate the public transport here! Felt like my eyes were opened and I realised wow SG's public transport is REALLY good. So convenient, quick (yes i said quick waiting 30+ mins for a train isnt fun and the sudden train delays/cancellation of stops. Finding an alternative route to somewhere you've never been to in another country is stressful) and easily accessible.
@@amiraazli haha I'm so glad to hear this!! 😂 I say this all the time to my Singaporean friends, you don't realise how good you have it here!!
Hi Georgia caney, I went for a brief holiday cum study trip to the UK in early March ( Beast from the east period) .
I realised that when I went to shops and supermarkets,no plastic bags were given,and lol jus bought their own bags or carried their groceries out to their car.
This has certainly positively influenced me in reducing the use of plastics and reusing them whenever possible.
Nowadays ,I bring my own plastic bags from home to shops and supermarkets,lunch box and tumblr for food and drinks.
U r right,we are way behind in terms of recycling and reducing the use of single use plastics, the culture in too deeply ingrained in Singapore.
I live in the U.S. now and went back to Singapore this summer. I experienced reverse culture shock too. But i still love Singapore. 👍🏻
I have been studying in the UK for about a year and went back to Singapore in summer. It took me a while to get used to saying "auntie, kopi siu dai" again rather than "Can I have a cup of latte, please?". My friends' excessive use of abbreviations in their speech came as quite a shock. But the greatest shock was not knowing how to operate the self-checkout machines at the Fairprice (which didn't exist before I left for the UK last year). I had used similar ones in Tesco and Sainsbury's but somehow the machines back home were harder to operate because of the different payment options.
However, now that I am back to having sandwiches, pitta, wrap, baguettes for lunch, I miss the variety of lunch options back home. I also miss the automatic doors. It doesn't help that the doors here are too heavy to open with one hand. On the good side, I learn how good it feels to hold the door open for the next person (even if he/she is a few feets away) and have others do the same for you. Time for me to pick up some English etiquette and manners!
The thing I love about you , Georgia, is how you always use 'we' and how you embrace SG culture and idiosyncrasies. Can't say the same for all expat vloggers. Hats off to you. I nearby dub thee SG ambassador to the UK emeritus. 😁
haha I know it's become a strange habit of mine, just slips off the tongue! Thanks so much you're so sweet 😝
Can't agree more. Changi airport is sooooo good. I think Singapore transport system is quite nice. At least its clean, comfortable and organised. The service hours are quite long and I really thank all the staff for working early/late.
A very relevant point about the disastrous plastic situation in Singapore.
I was in the UK (Scotland) for 10 months and when I came back, I was like, how can groceries be so expensive here! But! I couldn’t complain about SG’s public transport system because as much as it breaks down quite often, it’s still much much better than in the UK. And while our healthcare system seems “expensive” and very Long waiting time at our polyclinics, I’d rather this, than having to make an appointment under the NHS for a common cold, and wait 2 weeks to see the doctor. And when I came back, I talked SO MUCH about Scotland, until my family were quite pissed haha.. it’s been more than 2 years since I left the UK, and I still talk about my time there.
I am not sure if it is right to say that plastic bag use in SG is higher than that in the UK though. At least I know that after living for several years in Germany (where recycling is national pride), I've observed that plastic bags are used alot as well. People there still purchase their plastic bags in rolls of 50 for their trash bins at home, while in comparison Singaporeans re-use supermarket plastic bags as trash bags. And I feel that many of the German supermarkets have unnecessary plastic packaging for certain meat and veg items. So in the end plastics are used one way or another in other areas.
Hi Georgia. Make a trip to the east end of Singapore at Pasir Ris. Visit the halus bridge and have a meal in the evening at Tebing Lane. Explore the Sengkang and punggol PCN on bicycles and visit Coney Island too. Try out the pcn network in Singapore, you will be surprised how connected we are via bicycles or electric scooters.
In Singapore, most people live in high rise buildings and the rubbish chutes in newer developments are located outside the house. So a lot of people reuse the plastic bags from supermarkets as trash bags. I stopped taking smaller plastic bags from bread shops or Watson's for instance because they can't really be reused.
Oh they certainly can. My smaller bags are used for soiled clothing after gym or swimming, for instance. In fact, these smaller bags are relatively harder to come by, so they can be reused for weeks.
I'm Singaporean and I really wish we had supermarkets like those you have in UK! The shopping experience must be wonderful!
Singapore means a lot to me as well, having studied and worked there on and off for more than 8 years. It felt like home to me. However, I left the country this June for further education (and some other reasons). Deep in my heart, I hope that I may come back in future. But I don't know where my fate will take me, and that makes me a little sad. But I told my friends that wherever I may end up, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Singapore.
Awr that's sweet! It's always so difficult to know where you're going to end up, and just like you Singapore will always seem like a second home!
@@JangoMando maybe u just had a bad experience in Singapore?
I'm a Singaporean too and I'm extremely proud and happy to be Singaporean and have had amazing experiences and memories
@@JangoMando It's said you attract your own kind. It's not difficult to see why. But what amazes me is despite all your grouses, you have been here for 3 decades? It's my turn to wonder what have you been smoking. Lol
It’s great having you here
Loved this!!!!! I'm a true blue Singaporean but I had a bit of a different education route in Singapore and the first time I felt like I was speaking "proper English" was when I met a British couple through work and got to converse with them. 😱 it felt therapeutic to speak "proper English" without feeling like I was trying to put on airs
Haha yes totally! It was very enjoyable ☺️
Time for you to trade for a UK passport. Don't forget to write while you're there.
Totally agree on the strawberries. My mom-in-law always picked up strawberries at the grocery store when she spent some time with us here in the US.
Great video! I just came back to the UK too, I saw you and your boyfriend on the MRT once but was too nervous to say hey, and didn't want to bother you both. Always enjoyed your videos, very relatable haha
for the recycling part, some schools and universities are already taking place in in Singapore. In NTU, my school, we stop selling plastic bags and we I have seen so many people carrying chips and soap and food and drinks around the campus.
That’s awesome to here!😊
Large Recycling plastic bags were used to be distributed in the past when I was younger. however, Im not sure why it is not implemented now.
Hey Georgia! I did my bachelors in London and currently doing my Masters in Singapore at NTU, and I just want to say I completely agree with EVERYTHING you said, and most of the stuff you said always cross my mind, especially with regards to the groceries and plastic usage in Singapore. Definitely still trying to adjust to life in Singapore, but watching your videos makes it a lot easier :)
Many Singaporeans get fruits and vegetables from fruit shops below HDB blocks or wet markets those fruits are pretty cheap and taste pretty good too
Awesome video Georgia. I subscribed to your vlogs because we are thinking of moving from Australia to Singapore. You vlogs are awesome.
Hello! I am currently studying in one of the uni in UK and I am so happy how I can totally relate with your video. Ever since I came here, I developed the habit of bringing a recycled bag around whenever I know I am going to do some grocery shopping or what not. However, one thing for sure is I prefer how bright and sunny Singapore is! It's too cold and gloomy here!
$15 for strawberries? They don't cost more than $10 at Fairprice...
You can get them for as low as $4.95 when in season. Georgia shops at Cold Storage not NTUC.
I live in CA and just bought a pound of them for $2.99...but try and buy a mango or papaya here!! $$$$
@@anitacher2412 to be fair, it is much cheaper in Europe to get certain fruits. She bought a carton. Our 4.95 strawberries are usually in a small plastic container with maybe just 10 of them.
@@sunlightdavid Definitely more than 10. Unless the strawberries are very large. I've been buying before so I know. If you buy off season you pay around $6.95 per carton.
Around $5 for 250 grams
www.fairprice.com.sg/berries-cherries
Tropical fruits are cheaper here.
been living in australia for a couple years now and sometimes when i go back to sg i say thank you to the bus driver from the back door of the bus and get really weird stares :')
i remember realizing how humid singapore was. never realized it until i'd returned after being away. had to wash my jeans every other day in singapore as opposed to every 1 to 2 weeks in this drier climate.
Hello Georgia i am glad u back in singapore safe and sound. And i am even glad u like staying here
My reverse culture shock I experienced was that when I went back to Japan in the winter, the restaurant served a glass of water with ice cubes. The waitress looked confused when I asked for warm water... I realized serving cold water is norm over there no matter what season it is... I find it quite strange.
When i went cardiff and london for two weeks, I was just aimlessly walking and looking at the buildings and architectures. So much character!
awr yeah so many beautiful places!
Always interesting watching your videos Georgia!!
thanks so much!
I didnt really live in other country before but i do travel to places and stayed there for at 10days. I do understand abt the lack of food choices, when i travel to taiwan and japan, we have such a variety of choices here.
Glad you made the point on excessive use of plastic in singapore! I'm hoping locals here are more conscious of the plastic use.
In my home country, we stand on the right side of the escalator and walk on the left. After returning from a trip to Singapore where you stand on the left side, I kind of had to get used to our escalator system again.
haha same in the UK!
It is so nice to watch this "reverse culture shock" as it served as a warning for would be tourist to UK what to do and what not to do, like waving your hands for waiter/waitress to come take order. I have been correcting many of my friends who thinks that UK and France waiter/waitress are rude (or look down on asians) because when they wave their hands, nobody came to take order. It's just the way things work there and here that's different.
It's not a long video, I hope you do these more often, so we avoid making a scene ourselves when we visit Europe, and YES, it is nice to hear that WE (including you) are part of singapore. :)
Please share more videos, enjoyed them very much..
Hey! Loved it! Im a Spanish girl living in London and the airports are a big pain in the ass 😂😢! We might move to Singapore this year! Super good advice on your videos! And its true.... you always miss both places and talk about it when ur there! 🤩
I like the way you put your hand on your chest and say 'Singapore means so much to me.' This is such a lovely video, you embraced Singaporesn lifestyle so much. Thanks.
I used to study in Newcastle Upon Tyne back in 2012 2015. My biggest culture shock is food selection for lunch. I cant accept the idea of going to Greggs for a lunch. I have to sit and have a proper lunch. Not just some chicken pastry. Haha.
I usually fly for my Easter holiday from either Newcastle, Edinburgh or Manchester airport. I tried Heathrow once (LHR - Sofia) for the sake of 'I had been to heathrow' and I regret. Haha.
Singlish : Your video is so cool weyhhhh. 😂
I get the same reverse culture shock too. I am a singaporean living in UK and when i listen to Singlish now it's like oooo that's how it sounds like.... not very impressive but kind of comfortable and nostalgic at the same time.
👉🏼 "You've got to be rich to buy strawberries." 😂 I agree with you, Georgia! Recently, we bought some biscuits from M*S on a discount. When we tore away the price tag in SGD and saw the original cost was only GBP1.7, we were shocked at how many times the price had been inflated 😳
My only trip to Heathrow was a red eye flight . Took Etihad and landed about 6am.
Good timing as there were not that many flights. Short passport queue and no officers at the customs.
you might want to consider that next time. BTW, never ever stopover in India. Always stopover in Dubai or Doha.
I'm living in the UK and born in Singapore. Thanks for mentioning about the 'raising hand' thing.. i never knew it was rude to do so! I won't be doing it here in the UK ever again!!
I think raising the hand you can get away with, it's just holding the hand up for a long time would be weird to do haha!
Reverse culture shock... Interesting. I loved in the Philippines for three years. My reverse culture shock was the way Singaporean would complain on things that I felt was trivial or took a lot of things for granted as compared to living in Manila. Example: Traffic in Singapore is nothing compared to Manila. Driving in Singapore vs driving in Manila. Utilities like water and power outages. I didn't have piped water supply and depended on my water tank being refilled every Wednesday. Power outage was so normal, my house was filled with battery powered devices and loads of candles. But I wouldn't change it for anything coz it thought me patience and being grateful for the things I had back in Singapore. The most wonderful party about living in Manila was the people and that ever famous Filipino smile. Despite all their difficulties, that irrepressible smile was always there.
Wow that’s super interesting thanks for sharing! It’s definitely eye opening and makes you’d appreciate your situation more I think! 😊
good lord yes. We complain a lot. It's something we don't see abroad and most expats are just too kind to point it out. I think we are a little pampered because we are used having the best and being titled the best in every thing. It's unfortunate. It might be contributed by the stress most of us are put under though. Stress at work, stress to compete with others materialistically, stress to put on a spectacle to show everyone you're living your best life...
For me, having lived in the US for longer than I have in Singapore, every time I return to Singapore is a culture shock. Somethings stays exactly the same (I.e. my grandma’s house) but the city has certainly changed and grown. I can totally relate to your experience just in a different way. Like how I am excited to chat with my Singaporean friends in the only way Singaporean can...interchanging from English to Mandarin with a few Malay tossed in there. Although my command of Singlish terms is sorely outdated. 😂😂
I've been studying in Denmark for 4 months now and took a trip to the UK a week ago and I can relate so much with this video! It's so hard to find a warm hearty lunch here and bread/sandwich is usually considered a snack/breakfast in Singapore, so I found it really strange that people eat it as a meal on a daily basis. I can relate so much when you said 'I literally cannot have anymore bread'. Also, YES, groceries are so cheap that I've grown to love shopping in the supermarkets! I get my retail therapy done in supermarkets without hurting my wallet HAHA. Can't wait to head back to Singapore and eat all those food omg 😂
We have damn lots of lil island u can try explore. Not sure which are public accessible but if u interest u can go search it up. One or 2 place u can still spot dolphins.
Hi Georgia, welcome back to hot and humid Singapore!
I just wonder which supermart you went that strawberries cost $15. In Fairprice, it costs $4+ to $6+ per box.
Penang and Selangor state of Malaysia had already join the no plastic bag movement, basically like the UK where you need to pay in order to get a plastic bag. But I think the Malaysian still not used to carry our own shopping bag, so we are still paying for the plastic bag.
With kin in penang (where plastic bags are no longer used in major markets) I can comparatively see that we not very conscious about plastic bag use in Singapore. Just because you limit plastic bag use in major markets, doesn't mean that you can't buy trash bags for home use. AND the idea is that when you pay or get limited amounts of plastic bags (as opposed to being too easily accessible or unlimited) you become more conscious of their use and perhaps use them much more efficiently. Instead on throwing out my trash half-full, I would throw my trash when it's full. I might get started on composting or not cook too much and throw food away because I realise it's the food scraps that become really smelly. Etc etc.
I feel you. I was in Korea for just 3 months and I have to speak in proper English (sometimes even fake a horrible American accent) and it just hit me how much I missed speaking in Singlish and Mandarin when I met a fellow Singaporean in Korea, not food but the way we interact with each other. And yes, we do take our public transport for granted, I had to lug my 23kg luggage all over the MRT in korea, up the and down the stairs, on to the escalator cuz there's just 1 lift and it's usually far away and it may not even be on the exit that you are coming out from. And yes, I agree we have a long way to go for recycling. Even though we reuse the plastic bags, but they still get dump into landfills, and how about those smaller in sizes which are harder to reuse as bin liner?
I hear you. I get that every time I go home to SG...
I just got back from London and travelled via Gatwick Airport and found the custom clearance abit smoother and custom officers much friendlier as compared to Heathrow Airport. I agreed that snacks are way cheaper than SG and much more varieties which I had to stop myself from getting too much. I love supermarket shopping at ASDA. How I wish I can move the whole ASSA back home. 😂
Haha YES I went to Gatwick too and actually although it was still chaos at security, the staff were fun and having a laugh with me so that was nice :) AHH ASDA 💛
Your reverse culture shock is like my first time experience in the UK.
I'm from Finland and I am going to Brighton 3 weeks in next summer and i am little bit worried about food. Because in Finland we eat 2 warm meal on the day
diesongod lool dw Brighton is great for food. Georgia is not being particularly helpful. As London and other big cities are great for a variety of food
Going to the UK I can definitely vouche on the groceries. Sainsbury and Aldi are like so cheap compared to Giant in Singapore. Heck even Tesco in the UK is cheaper. But Lidl will always steal my heart with their bargains
Lidl is bae!!!💛
This is really cool! There is so much to explore in Singapore. What is one of the most unique places you have visited in Singapore?
ONE MOMENT IN TIME That is what you are experiencing. At this moment in time in the year 2018 in a place of your choosing where contrasts of human endavour is so apparent . The fruits of industry and foresight of a generation past were laid bare for all to see, to behold, to amaze, to partake and to enjoy. A place where excellence is a core value that things work if you put your mind to it. For residents and visitors alike, you wonder at the achievements and consciously or subconsciously begin to feel a sense of belonging and longing imprinted in your mind. You would appreciate the "experience" of the place as you would a branded product that you propel you to have a deep affinity for.
Hi Georgia! I stumbled upon your channel and found your content really interesting. I was born and raised in Singapore but have spent the past seven years in Japan; I REALLY felt you when you talked about the groceries and produce, except in reverse lol because YES! Produce is so expensive in Singapore! (And not very fresh!) I really felt it when I had to buy some vegetables to cook for my parents during one of my visits back home. The recycling thing is true, so true; here in Japan we have a really solid system that stressed me out when I first came (burnable refuse on Tuesdays and Friday for my district, and every Wednesday it's a different sort of refuse - plastic bottles, non-burnables, cans, glass bottles, in that order for the month; things like that) until I found out that every supermarket has huge recycle bins that allow you to bring your (washed and dried) refuse to sort and recycle. I can even drop used batteries there. I really like it. There is still a lot of plastic use, however, but people are a lot more aware about how it impacts the environment, and I find that there are a lot more people who genuinely want to make a difference about reducing the use of plastic. :) Thanks for sharing this!
Imported fruits like the various types of berries, cherry, avocadoes etc are very expensive in Singapore. I actually pay more for fruits than I pay for meat in a week. Local tropical fruits are none too cheap nowadays. Prices of everything seem to go north with no U-turn. 😨
Thank you for sharing! This video brought back memories of when I came back from Leeds. I do agree that Singaporeans need to be more active and conscious about recycling. Something I've also noticed is that people do not have the habit of holding the door here, which I experienced back in Leeds. It's just a kind and consideration action for another person. :) But I must agree with the ease at Changi Airport. It is truly a breeze, and makes me look forward to travelling.
In Australia we no longer use plastic bags in supermarkets.
When I came back to Singapore from UK during my uni summer holidays, I kept saying "How many Pounds and Pence...". I just couldn't switch back.
Cant you do a programme dexicayed to caning in singapore
One more lovely thing about uk , scones and tea , white cliffs of dover, british etiquette , lovely people !
Ahh YES the best!!
Try to use Luton or Stanstead airports , via Amsterdam . A very good vid , many thanks .
Singaporean households can definitely do better at separating wastes. There's nothing wrong with using supermarket plastic bags to for waste disposal, but the number of bags used can be reduced if people take out recyclable bottles/cans/cardboard from kitchen waste and the non-recyclable rubbish. These recyclable waste can be put in a much bigger bag as they don't make homes stink (by the way, people need to understand they are supposed to wash recyclable food containers before throwing them - something I learnt living in London). Yeah, cleaning that sambal paste jar and taking it to the community recycling bin are much more troublesome than just throwing it with other waste down the chute; but we sure should put in more effort reducing what we put in the landfill.
Love this video!💜
I agree with you on the plastic bag and recycling movement and how we are so far behind. Much more needs to be done about this!!
Aww good old Tesco ♥️ it was super interesting watching this video, thanks for all the insightttt! I want to go back to Singapore :)
Thanks for watching! ☺️
Hi Georgia, may i know the title of the song at the end of the vid? Thanks.
Mate Heathrow Airport is the 7th in the world, its bigger than Gatwick definitely tho.
Haha, Heathrow! 🤣 So true, on trips to Europe from the US I will pay more to avoid going through Heathrow!!!
What I like are Hawker food stalls on every other block. Also Asian style malls. So many malls here are struggling, but if you divide the space into hundreds of small shops where young folks can start a business it makes the shopping experience more interesting. Think Lucky Plaza on Orchard or Bugis night market... ok maybe not Bugis :)
I can totally relate with you. What I love about singapore is that its clean in my point of view. My country is kinda sucks when it comes to recycling and using less plastic. Total bummer ☹️ And yes, changi airport is the best ❤️❤️❤️
My wish list for a place to live in and call home:
1. Cheap groceries
2. Affordable and diverse eat-out places
3. Environmentally conscious populace
4. Non-wretched weather
5. Lots of places to explore
If only we could have it all...!
sounds perfect!!!
we already have no 2 and it's called the hawker centres.
Sounds like UK except point 2 and 4.
Of course, I meant if we could have ALL of 1 to 5 - no links missing :P
Ooo don't forget about the Meal Deals for only £5 from Tesco, Sainsbury's etc. :D Oh oh! And the tons of ready meals and puddings from M&S... *drools*
Haha omg yes I used to live off Meal Deals at uni! 😜
How did you cope with the homelessness in the UK? Here in Leeds, it seems to get worse by the week. Much younger people and more women.
How do you compare Tesco or Sainsburys (my favorite in the UK) to Walmart?
Never been to a Walmart :)
YES I AGREE WITH THE PLASTIC ONE!! I try not to use plastic bags as much as possible but there’s a lot of people who use plastic bags for almost everything, from general waste to food waste. I guess in a way it’s convenient? 🤔🤔
I know I know and that's the issue- it's just TOO convenient! But great job on trying to cut down anyway :)
Speaking of using a heater, you can clearly tell car manufacturers don't bother to build cars properly for singapore. When am i ever going to use heated seats?
I came back from an exchange in the UK 5 months back and I could totally relate to quite a few points you brought up. Going grocery shopping in Tesco or Sainsbury was a really great experience when I was there, and they were really huge!
I loved how UK treated usage of plastic bags as an uncommon thing while in Singapore, the things i buy will automatically be placed in one. Theres a real lot we can do in our recycling scene in Singapore, and it was the exchange experience that really shocked me.
There is just so much to do in the UK, but it was also the weather there that made me love Sunny Singapore. Most of the time it was cloudy in UK, which can be quite depressing after a prolonged period of time :)
I know it's such a struggle sometimes trying to balance out the pros and cons! Be good if I could split my time and just go back to the UK for late spring/summer! 😝
In Msia, Cameron Highlands, strawberry is cheaper than UK, so as groceries! =)
Fortnite UTube and they taste so good in Cameron highlands! 🍓😋
I was expecting comparison of the tube (ie public transport) from London to SG....
I mean yeah that’s always a shock haha but I tried to avoid the tube like the plague this time around 😂
@@GeorgiaCaney The tube is quite a scary experience riding it....
Expensive and the seats are full of dust. Do not tap on them. lol.
With regards to the "need plastic bag for trash" argument, I think reducing plastic bag usage will naturally occur if people reject single-use items and avoid creating that trash in the first place. And of course recycling too! There's so many blue recycling bins everywhere so there's no reason not to recycle. Imagine how many less plastic bags you'll need for your trash if you produce less trash in the first place and recycle what can be recycled
Totally! :)
shirt grandmother 3 (ba) for males and females? culture garment in viet nam maybe 1900 - currently?
Georgia, London recycling rates are way lower than Singapore London average only 33% and overall recycling rate in England is 47% Singapore overall recycling rate is 61%.Plastic recycling of course is only 2% its true that can be improve. Its fairly hard to convince Singaporean to give up plastic, likewise it is difficult to convince London to improve its waste clearance recycling rate.
Nice specs 😊
Strawberries don't cost 15 bucks here in Singapore :') There are cheaper options that cost only 4 bucks. You must have gone to cold storage, its quite expensive there :")
So then they do still sell for $15 in Singapore? Lol
I love the UK , I studied there for 3 years , i love british humor , i love scottish accent , i look irish pubs and i love the premiere league..GOD BLESS UNITED KINGDOM
haha so sweet!
Fair commentary
Thanks for your video. I agree that we are lacking in recycling single use plastics and the awareness of how harmful plastics are in our environment. I too am guilty of it but I'm slowly trying to stop single use plastics and consciously trying to recycle plastics and at the same time, reduce my use of it. I started by carrying my own water bottles around and not buying bottled drinks anymore :)
That's awesome Russell great job! :)
Interesting you use “we” when talking about Singapore 😬
My grocery plastic bags are reused as trashbags. I don’t think people really just dispose their plastic bags here without reusing it as at least as a trashbag.
Your eye color is so beautiful
I always reuse my plastic bags and it’s really useful for trash. Definitely not single use.
Which is still putting plastic into landfill? The whole point of steering away from single use plastic is to be able to use multi use bags over and over. Taking a plastic bag from the grocery store and throwing it down the shoot still makes it single use. There plenty of biodegrade bag options you can use to dispense of trash instead that won’t harm the environment which you should give a try!
Enjoyed yr video.
Did you noticed that most plastic bags used in most supermarkets and pharmacies in SG are biodegradable.
we need the plastic bags for throwing rubbish down the rubbish chute.. else we'll be throwing rubbish down the chute all soup and all... solve the plastic prob we need to solve the chute problem
I have no solution for the plastic bag and recycling side of things. Definitely should move forward in this area. I have spent a long time like over 14yrs in 1 to 3 months spurts in the uk. The difficulty is almost everyone in the uk drives. So they have their non woven bags in the car so it is convenient. In sg, its odd to just carry grocery bags with u all the time. Not saying it cannot be done. The other thing that i did not kind of like is the councils come collect rubbish only once a week. We have to pay for this (i thnnk) and it is alternate weeks clearing of regular bin and then recycling bin. Each house had just 1 bin each and if 1 bin isnt enough, u have to pay to have a 2nd bin.
The reusable bags are foldable so you can literally carry them in your bag on the way to the super market. No issue at all :)
Just want to kindly point out a typo, i.e., it is 'REVERSE', not 'REVESE'.
thanks I changed! 😜
I miss hot meals for lunch. Sick of having sandwiches for lunch miss having chicken rice haha. Food at uni is rubbish and expensive and traffic on the A1 to get to Hatfield every day for uni is horrendous 🤣🤣🤣
Aw no :( :( I'm not looking forward to that eventually haha
I would like to go to UK sometime :)
I was about to sleep but then i received a notification...oh wellsss
hehe THANK YOU! 🙈
Wait, there's a different way to summon a waiter / waitress? Isn't it normal to just hold your hand up??? But I've never actually seen someone hold it for long. Usually we'd just wave or try to catch their eye.
Now I know it's not just us foreigners who are quietly suffering in the queue at Heathrow passport control.. :D Agree Changi is incredibly efficient
PART 2 !!!!