Singapore vs Others

more than just hearing outsiders' opinions as a host, here at the winter YOG i got to know more about what they think of singapore without the pressure of being patronising.

i was talking to nick (usa) and luke (aus) about the american presidential race and luke asked me if something political recently happened in singapore, cos he's been reading my politically charged fb posts. when told about the watershed elections, he asked if singapore's become less conservative, and that struck me.

he had stated an assumption and hence given me a new perception - right or left, the sitting government, especially the longer they do, will become the conservatives. the opposition will always evolve into the radical or the liberal.

on another occasion, talked to the two african girls diacounda (sen) and ellina (zim). since they're distinct from singapore and innsbruck, plus the fact they're from a place very different, i wanted to know how their experiences have been.

1. the language factor. most singaporeans speak english, making the city a suitable host for an international event. austrians dont, although i pointed out europeans dont really give a damn about english anyway. but note, this comment came from diacounda, a native french speaker. she knows a little english because english is universal.
2. the people factor. singapore is hardcore in haolian to the world, and the moment we won hosting rights to YOG i knew we'd nail it. them both complimented how there were volunteers everywhere in singapore, who were helpful. here, which i can verify with my own experience, volunteers are scarce and i hate to say this but oddly angmohs may be a nice bunch but those running these Games are not. i suspect there's a lot to do with innsbruck having hosted two senior Olympics so this is no big deal really.
3. the food factor. cos they're african and im asian and i can empathise. angmoh food is really not for us. singapore's dining hall had several sections catering to different taste buds. here it's just angmoh food that pei lei and ji ye (chn) also disapprove of. rice is a halfhearted attempt with nothing to go with it, while the same breakfast of breads, cheese, eggs and bacon every day is hardly appetising.

on another occasion, the monkey brothers ben (isr) and arnel (uru) mentioned singapore's death sentence for drug possession. so we assessed the three countries.

arnel is shocked by singapore's system. uruguay, for being such a scary place, has no capital punishment. but then he argues uruguayans probably rather die than go to their prisons.

the death sentence exists in israel but, almost paling in comparison, is only meted out to nazi criminals. ben is of the view that allowing tobacco freely yet hanging people for possessing grams of powder is simply hypocrisy.

when IOC reporter alan and i were casually talking, i asked what he thought of singapore. and he was frank.

"really boring. the people are wonderful, but the place is very boring. there are so many malls. there's nothing other than shopping."

mind you, the fella's canadian, and that place cant claim to be any exciting.

he talked about a nice young volunteer whom he worked with, who told him about the social ladder in singapore.

"he has so much pressure to do well in school. his parents run a food stall, have barely any day off in a year, and their biggest dream is that he doesn't take over the stall. why?" he wondered, unable to comprehend anything other than that selling food is a legitimate, good and honest job.

and finally.

ben: why does singapore have a conscript army like us?

me: because we're in the same situation.

ben (turning serious): no you're not. indonesia? malaysia? tell me, do your neigbours want to kill you?

me: ...

ben: can you go to malaysia anytime you want?

me: yes.

ben: your government just wants you to panic.