Singapore is well known around the world and was the main setting for the movie “Crazy Rich Asians”, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. When we first got to Singapore a few days after Christmas, it was hot and humid. Beautiful vegetation and greenery surrounded and flowed through the city. The high rise buildings and the Marina Bay were some of the first things we saw. The iconic sights were breathtaking, and we stopped for some pictures with the Merlion. Singapore is commonly called Singapura which means lion city. When people first discovered Singapore, it was said a lion was spotted on the island, but nowadays we know that there are no lions in Singapore. However, the Merlion is still the national symbol of Singapore.
Over the course of my study abroad, I am excited to learn more about the local cultures and how their culture impacts their overall economy. Singapore has a strong economy from their world-class port, Malaysia is building their tourism industry, and Thailand seems to have a booming tourist industry thus far. From our tour guide earlier in the day, Thailand’s tourism industry continues growing as time moves on, and tuk tuks (a rickshaw or small taxi) are becoming higher paid because of it. This evolution of industries is interesting to hear about, and I hope to continue learning about the economies around the world.
One thing I have noticed while abroad is the impeccable streets of Singapore. The train stations have shiny, reflective floors due to their strict policies about food and drinks being consumed anywhere in the station. There are also strict rules about littering, and people are fined $500 SGD if they drink water or eat at the station. These high standards of cleanliness keep the streets clean. It seems almost impossible to find a trash can sometimes, but somehow it does not cause people to throw things on the ground when they finish.
My experience abroad so far has been amazing, and I hope to continue writing about my travel adventures soon!
