To add to your vicarious sensory experience of Singapore we thought we’d share with you some of the sounds of Singapore. Besides the loud booming voices of Maggie Lou and Jack, our ears are constantly being filled with the following:

1. Construction: Although seeing the construction from the 34th floors of our building is amazing (mighty machines galore), the constant jack hammering, dump truck unloading and back up beeps are so VERY different than the peepers, rooster crows (and plow trucks this year) of bucolic Lee.

2. Singlish: The non-official language of Singapore. While business is conducted in English, the mixing of Mandarin, Malay and Tamil (an Indian dialect) have created  a uniquely Singaporean sound. While we’re not exactly sure what we are hearing we do know we here a lot of “lahs” – a Singlish way to put emphasis on what you’re saying or to turn a statement into a question (we think).  Almost, like a Canadian eh, but more versatile. “OK lah?”

3. British English: In your best, most proper English accent, “Please mind the platform gap.” The automated British voices on “lifts” and subways now haunts our every move. The language, while English, is different. Words that we know or have heard are just more commonplace.

lift = elevator

queue = line (n) or to wait in line (v)

pram = stroller

holiday = vacation

4. Debbie Gibson: We’ve heard more Debbie Gibson in the past seven weeks than in the last 20 years.

5. “Handsome boy” and “pretty girl”: Singapore is a truly a city for children.  Maggie Lou and Jack are constantly being cooed over, played with and given candy  from “aunties” (in reference to any woman) all over the city. Shopkeepers come out of their shops to say hello and give sweets – and our children are used to their hands and faces being touched by strangers. Some of Jack’s biggest smiles come from playing games with “uncles” (you guessed it, referring to any man) in our building and in our local hangouts.  Although it took some getting used to, we’ve adjusted to and embraced  this cultural difference.

6. “Do you have a helper?” If we had a dollar for every time someone asked us this, we could afford a whole fleet of helpers! It is very common for families and single folks to have helpers (women, often from other countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, etc.) who live with them and do housework, childcare, errands, etc. While unsure if we would ever embrace this way of life, we (well, Mama, anyway) have been reading up on confinement nannies – women who are hired to stay with families after a birth to help with meals for mom and baby, lactation and massage. No, no one is expecting, we (mama) just thinks it’s a neat concept – an extension of a doula, sort of. Would this ever catch on at home? Read more …

http://sassymamasg.com/guide-to-confinement-nannies-and-services-in-singapore/

Sounds aside, we have had another great week. Our chili crab incident has been redeemed. We have taken in some of the city’s nightlife. Jack and I went sledding (yep, sledding) and it finally rained!

Hot Pot with fungus, sausage, chicken, cabbage, sprouts, bean curd and some unidentifiable veggies. Amazing!

Boat Quay on a Saturday night.

Here are a few more things you usually don’t see in Lee ….