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Indian techie on how Singapore changed him as a person: ‘You feel guilty if…’
An Indian techie in Singapore, Aman, shares how living there transformed his views on cleanliness, safety, and civic sense.
An Indian techie based in Singapore has opened up about how the city changed his perspective. Aman, a senior software developer, says that he has lived in Singapore long enough to realise that he is not the same person he was when he landed there.
The Indian-origin techie listed a few ways in which his behaviour has changed since he moved to Singapore. (Also read: Indian man in Singapore contrasts work culture, says in India you beg for leave but abroad you only inform)
More focus on cleanliness
The first thing that changed was his viewpoint on cleanliness. Aman said that since he moved to Singapore, he has stopped looking for a “trash corner”. Instead, he now feels guilty if even a receipt falls out of his pocket.
This change is unsurprising, given that Singapore is widely considered one of the cleanest city-states in the world. “The floor is so clean, your brain treats the whole city like a temple,” said Aman.
No more ‘jugaad’
Aman said that in Singapore, he finds late-night walks therapeutic. Back home in India, walking alone at 3am can feel like an “adventure sport,” he noted.
“You stop looking over your shoulder. You start looking at the stars,” said the Indian software engineer.
Moreover, while Indians may pride themselves on their ‘jugaad’ mindset, it does not work the same way in Singapore. “The jugaad mindset, it dies a slow death,” said Aman.
He noted how a person’s vocabulary also changes in Singapore. From long sentences, people move to “Can” or “Cannot”.
Civic sense wins
But the most important change that comes from living in Singapore is that people finally understand civic sense. Aman said that he now finds himself queuing up automatically, even if there are just two people in the line.
“If there’s no line, your brain actually glitches,” he said. “You clear your own trays. Not because of the fines, but because you finally understand what civic sense is,” he added.
The Indian techie said that Singapore teaches consistency. “Consistency in cleanliness, consistency in safety, and consistency in the way people respect each other’s space. You stop being the guy who looks for shortcuts and start being the guy who clears his own tray,” he wrote.
