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I just spent 4 days in Singapore. Right now, I am sitting in The Porch café in Sanur, Bali, wondering about how I will share with you, what I will share with you.
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What comes to my mind right now is not about Singapore. It is something that becomes more and more clear to me since the beginning of my journey.
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It does not matter where I am. What matters is my inner state.
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When I am in a great inner state, I have a great experience of the place where I am.
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Sometimes, in the morning, when I finish my yoga session, I am terribly impatient and want to rush and run to « real life », to the external world, skipping meditation. But then I say to myself : « Julia, it all happens within. Take care of your inner world, and your day out there will be much more magic. »
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And so I (try to) meditate for around 20 minutes. And it allows me to feel good and at ease in almost every place I spend my day. This is so powerful.
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(Sometimes, I still do skip it, and I feel like I am skipping school, and I am so happy !)
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In Singapore, I did my yoga & meditation ritual in a corner of my 16 beds dorm, in my backpacker hostel in the heart of Chinatown !
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The first day, it did not feel so comfortable.
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It is a bit strange to share a room with so many people. In the next bed there was an American man getting married the next day with his Filipino girlfriend. In front of me, there was a strange Chinese man in his 50s who seemed to spend his days in his bed looking at his iPhone.
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But people are respectful and calm, the air is fresh thanks to reasonable aircon, and there are curtains on the beds to get a bit of privacy.
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Four days in Singapore.
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It was a dense, tiring (I had a kind of sunstroke – insolation in French – because of the heat !), amazing, full of surprises moment. I was so eager to discover this city that fascinated me.
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Here is a mix of my perception of the city and of things I learned through sharing with people and watching the French documentary « Un oeil sur la planète ».
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Singapore seemed to me an extremely multifaceted city, with expressions of so many identities and atmospheres. Moving from a neighborhood to another, it is like changing country !
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Take Chinatown and Little India as the most obvious examples.
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I found it magic. It is like diving into universes. And then, even within one neighborhood, there are many contrasts in terms of architecture and atmosphere.
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Chinatown – I spent quite some time there because my guesthouse was there : Old houses and skyscrapers, businessmen wearing suits gathering for lunch at the Maxwell foodcourt, and old Chinese people playing chess in the street. Traditional chinese medicine shops selling dry lizards (among very strange other things !) and Korean trendy cafés. Inclusion of so many worlds and possibilities.
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Singapore is a city that embodies business, growth, and capitalism. And there are so many malls and office buildings and high standard hotels.
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…And in the same time I felt that in there was a very religious atmosphere in Chinatown and Little India. Temples, offerings, prayers, music, monks, ceremonies. I loved passing by so many temples.
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Yes, I really saw and felt a subtle, natural, vibrating, energetic mix between Western and Asian culture. I could feel the pulsating rhythm, the fluid intensity, the manifesting spirituality of Asia. And I felt a leadership and proactivity mindset, a way of organizing things, a sense of sophistication (cafés, restaurants, shops) that reminded me a lot of Europe or the US. And then, last but not least, there is a strong consumption atmosphere (malls, advertisings) – which in my view belongs to both worlds.
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I cannot say if it is the best of the West melting with the best from the East. I think this is a very pleasant surface image and perception I had, which certainly hides darker realities. But indeed, I can say Singapore is a fantastic way of getting in touch with Asia’s wonderful atmosphere for those who want to do things step by step (before greater cultural shocks !).
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There is also a real cultural melting-pot : the Singaporean society is composed of Chinese, Malay, and Indian people. And then, there are many expatriates from Western countries. So there is a real cultural mix in the population itself.
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I understood that it is not that easy for foreigners to work in Singapore. As the economic growth is slowing down, the government is creating quotas and making it harder for foreigners to get a work visa.
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At the Impact Hub on Monday night I met a German lady, Marion, who is a cross-cultural coach. Her husband transferred 1 year ago in Singapore with his company. She explained to me that it took her a very long time to get her visa as a freelancer : there was very little information available on internet and in the government offices. She finally ended up going to a manpower agency that hired Filipino ladies as nurses and housekeepers so as to get a paper that she needed to register her company.
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So it is possible, but it is complicated.
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I did not mention it but it is something really striking :
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In Singapore, there is food E V E R Y W H E R E !
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And an infinite variety of food.
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While I was walking in Little India I met Kaesavan.
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I stopped in front of his Indian restaurant, Lagnaa, and he talked to me.
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We ended up having a wonderful and deep conversation. He told me about his story – before he opened Lagnaa. I told him about my journey. We shared about the awakening book « The Power » by Rhonda Byrnes and the law of attraction, about meditation, about the way we saw life and spirituality.
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We had afternoon chai tea and suddenly I was in India. Then he brought me to a music shop close-by and he made me discover his favorite mantra chanting CD : Gayatri mantra by Yesudas.
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I offered him to join me at the Meetup event I had just afterwards at the Impact Hub Singapore – a coworking space. It was a Meetup for coaches about how to develop one’s business as a coach.
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I will continue this story later – as the evening did not turn out as it should !
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Kaesavan, who chose to open a restaurant a few years ago after working for a long time in banking, explained to me that the restaurant and food industry in Singapore is extremely competitive. There are indeed so many possibilities, everywhere, for all budgets. Competition. We’ll come back to that.
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What also stroke me in Singapore is the presence of trees and plants.
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We are in a huge megalopolis and in the same time, it seems that there is space and nature. It allows the city to breathe. There are trees along the streets, gardens, many plants and flowers, parks.
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And not only on the ground. Some building walls are covered with vegetation ; and very high on the skyscrapers, there are often trees and plants – they are part of the architecture design.
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It is very enjoyable.
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Now let’s talk about some of the big challenges in Singapore !
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The development of the population, the economy and the city on a limited portion of territory
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Singapore is very small island city-sate – around 700 square km ! Seven times intra muros Paris or half the size of Los Angeles.
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This constraint triggers a lot of creative ideas, especially as far as architecture is concerned. Over the last years, the city has expanded upwards and on the sea.
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In many places where I went I saw constructions in progress.
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…There are many efforts to develop the city architecture while being careful about preserving harmony and « breathing areas ». Building is mainly vertical, and there is a focus on the well-being of inhabitants. On the need to preserve a natural environment.
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They also try to provide within the buildings many facilities such as a supermarket, basic needs shops… Sometimes even schools, as in the Pinnacle.
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Here is a video I made for you ! – A guided visit of the skywalk at the 50th floor of the Pinnacle buildings – sorry English-speakers, I am only starting to make videos so for now I do not feel so at ease to do it in English. So it is in French but I will try to do the next ones in English !
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There is a dramatic need for space… In the documentary I watched, it is said that researchers are currently studying the impacts of living/working under the ground, without sunlight !
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Singapore is also a territory that has few natural resources.
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The main resource for the development of the economy is the people and their brain.
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It is a place where efficiency and performance are paramount. It creates a lot of competition globally. Education is extremely important.
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In the documentary, they show parents bringing their babies to intellectual stimulation classes ! In the metro, I saw advertisings that shocked me, because it was so much about beating up schoolmates. It was not exactly the collaborative economy mindset !
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And for me this is wrong. I am starting reading « Never eat alone » by Keith Ferrazzi and I totally agree with him when he expresses that in our interconnected and horizontal world, individual success depends on our ability to leverage network through generosity and without expectations. What goes around, comes around. Whatever we give, we will receive. We’d better stop « keeping score » and start giving ! This is the way the Universe works.
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(Speaking about collaboration… the awesome OuiShare Fest 2016 is taking place in Paris on May 18-21. A unique place for inspiration, sharing, experiencing. High quality event.)
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Anyway.
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Things are extremely well organized in the city. At the airport, in the metro… there are permanent efforts to make sure people do not loose time.
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…We do not really see it but it is closely looked after. It is also a very safe place where wealthy people can feel protected.
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The government provides a lot of help – processes and financing – to entrepreneurs and businesses so as to attract investment and so that the economy can keep on growing.
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Speaking about the government : it is managed as a private company and what matters most is performance, meritocracy, efficiency. Salaries can be extremely high in order to attract the best talents.
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The government is also worried about demographic decline and birth rate. It has its own dating sites for single people ! And in order to get certain advantages you need to be married and have children.
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Environment care is also present in Singapore.
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When I arrived at the airport, I could read in the bathroom a sentence like : « When the earth has no more trees, you have no more toilet paper ».
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It reminds me of a great (very short) Tedtalk about saving paper while drying hands that I saw at a TedX Ieseg in Paris last year : watch it here !
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« Shake, shake, shake ». I remember this sentence (almost) each time I wash my hands in a public place and now I am more caring about the environment. Little streams make mighty rivers.
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However, there is still so much waste… especially because of the takeaway eating industry (straws, food & drink packages, napkins).
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Speaking about this, one thing that does not exist in Singapore is : gums ! Because it creates waste and makes public places dirty. So there are no gums in shops and you can get a fine (amende) if you leave a gum on the ground in the street.
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Before going to Singapore, what was very present in my mind was the reputation for control, rules, forbidden behaviors and related fines.
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…It is a city that concentrates immense wealth and in the same time it is one of the safest place in the world. The government institutions are almost invisible (I have barely seen a policeman) but things are tightly under control.
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I could feel it at the airport when I arrived and took a taxi. There are many signboards in the streets and in public buildings that show what is forbidden to do : carry a durian (the smelly fruit), eat or drink, film or take picture, throw waste in the street, spit, cross the road outside the crossing, … Citizens are also involved in making sure rules are respected : denunciation (délation) is commonplace.
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Sometimes while I was crossing a street anywhere or walking on a lawn or taking a picture I had a sudden moment of stress : « Ohhh ! maybe it is forbidden, I don’t want to get arrested in Singapore !! » It did not happen haha !
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Last but not least : in terms of weather forecast, in Singapore there are no seasons.
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The weather is the same all year long (contrary to HK, Manila, or Seoul for example). Hot – around 30 degrees – and a little humid – with some rain and storms.
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All in all, I really had a great experience of Singapore.
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It is a place where it is easy and comfortable to move around and explore.
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The architecture is amazing, there are so many different places with a real and singular soul.
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There is spirituality. It is moving and changing and vibrating. But it is much calmer and relaxing than other Asian capitals. There are so many things to do. It is organized and safe. There is an infinite choice and diversity of restaurants and cafés.
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There seem to be a cultural life – even if I did not have the time to discover it, I only went to the National Gallery.
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…There are coworking spaces and coaching meetups – all I love ! Very interesting people to meet.
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I felt it was a really nice place to discover. Energetic Asia with a comfortable cosmopolitan openness and organization. I thought 4 days was too short. Maybe I’ll come back… !
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In the end, it is all about the experience you create there.
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The mindset in which you are, the people you meet, the situations and opportunities you create… It all starts within your thoughts.
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Tips ! To have in mind if you go there…
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It is really hot during the day !
I felt that people were quite individualistic and rushing : if you ask them they usually help you, but they do not care as much as in other parts of Asia.
Life is quite expensive so it is better to earn money there to enjoy all that the city offers.
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Une réflexion au sujet de « Discovering Singapore »
Un œil de journaliste et de photographe qui s imprégne bien de la spécificité de cette ville matérialiste qui a su devenir un modèle pour les autres pays d Asie
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