Lack of Possibilities in Singapore

Hi.

It has been almost two weeks since I got back from my 15-day trip around Thailand, and until now, I am not completely over the whole thing. There is just so much I love about traveling, and even with Thailand itself, that I just can't help but wish that I wasn't stuck in Singapore for an extended amount of time.

I think that the thing that upsets me so much about being back in Singapore is the lack of possibilities.

Back in Thailand, especially in Krabi, you could get on public transport and there's a high chance you could end up having a lovely conversation with someone during your ride. How often did I step up to talk to people? Not often, but it makes me so happy knowing it's an actual possibility.

During one of our rides, this lady beside us was snacking on watermelon seeds, and out of nowhere, she offered me some. I didn't have any, but man, did that make me happy. If someone in Singapore did that, number one, they would be fined a ridiculous amount because you can't eat on public transport, and number two, it would be extremely weird and unwelcomed.

The devil's advocate may say something like, "there's always a possibility! You just have to step up and talk to people!". Yes, yes I can, but it will be incredibly unwelcomed for the most part. I might end up being called crazy on someone's Twitter or, even worse, STOMPed. It just isn't the norm for Singaporeans, and I don't like how that is an issue. Of course not every Singaporean is like that, but it is a great majority. It just doesn't feel as easy to approach someone here in Singapore as it would anywhere else, as far as I've experienced. 

The main path for people here in Singapore is to go to polytechnic, or even better, a good junior college, followed by going to a good university, preferably local but a reputable overseas one could work too I guess, then going straight to work to provide for your parents and future offspring, preferably in business, engineering, or basically anything that is not the arts, then living like that until you can afford to retire. Of course that whole ordeal is slightly exaggerated, but from what I've seen, if you're not following that path, there is not a lot of space in Singapore for you to grow, and if you are able to follow that path, there isn't much space in your life for anything else.

My points may be slightly exaggerated or be seen as a stereotype, but it wouldn't be seen as a stereotype if it wasn't as big enough of an issue, right? I think anyone who has lived in Singapore for long enough would understand where I'm coming from.

Now I do not, by any means, hate Singapore. I am a Singaporean and I love Singapore, but for completely different reasons than, say, how I love the Philippines or Thailand. Singapore has amazing modern architecture, amazing public transport system, it has one of the top education systems in the world, it's orderly and is safe enough where I can walk home alone at 3am and feel completely safe. But beyond that, Singapore just isn't for me in the long-term, and that is just me.

I hope you all find the place where you should be, or at least the place where you want to be. Currently for me, it's on Bamboo Island, just constantly screaming about how amazing the water is. (And yes, a post about my trip, including photos, will be coming very soon!)

Goodnight.