The Changing Face of Singaporean
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JR:
I wonder if the younger generation feel it too. I guess not. My son has a classmate from China. I don't think he cares about if his classmates are \"local\" or not. Just knows that he has fun playing with him. That's the important thing for integration. Acceptance from both sides. In future, when my son does National Service, his platoon mates will be full of 2nd generation \"non-locals\". But then again, not sure what will happen by then...
JR, this reminds me of something. As a kid, I remember conversations my parents had that went,\"He's not local\", and I would ask,\"How can you tell?\" He would reply, \"You just know it.\" He also mentioned \"Accent\". Now, I understand what that means.
As children, they haven't really seen and experienced enough to tell the difference. To the innocent minds, everyone is equal, until the adults start pointing out, and unless it is something obvious like skin color. Some kids, for instance, can't tell the difference between Malays and Indians, and some think all chinese faces look alike.
Now, our children are growing up in a phase like we did during the earlier days when our parents would threaten us with racist remarks like\"Bayi will come catch you if you are naughty\". This time, will it be \"If you don't work harder, the FTs will win your place in school?\"
If only there is no sense of threat, can the children and people integrate more naturally..Unfortunately, the FTs are brought in for reasons that make these threats real. -
DS2 is a minority in his PCF nursery class! Only 3/16 of the kids is Chinese (local or otherwise), a quarter is Malay & the rest is Indian (mainly FT).
When DS1 was a toddler 6yrs ago, we usually saw some local parents & many maids bringing bringing kids to the playground. But the landscape changed esp after the flats reached 5yo & the local moved away. These days locals r out-numbered by FTs at playground anytime. 5-7pm Chinese FT; afterwards Indian FT. Don’t see many maids these days too. -
Vevey:
DS2 is a minority in his PCF nursery class!
:yikes: :yikes: I thought FTs usually choose private schools/international schools of their own country! -
LOLMum:
I called SIA customer service and was served by an Indian FT. They spoke so fast that I could only catch every 3rd word they say.a bit :offtopic: .
as you know it is pretty common to have a foreigner at the end of the other line when you call or receive calls from companies here in singapore.
well, i called a local no recently to get some help to fix my printer. a foreigner picked up the call and not suspecting anything, we went blah blah blah and i gave him my warranty card details.........and suddenly, he said \"oh i see you are calling from singapore.\" and i was :whut: . turned out the my call was transferred to another asian country (though there is a service centre in singapore) and luckily no need to pay for the call.............but am going to check my bill and should there be a charge, gonna kill someone.
I called Citicab and a Chinese FT answered. I could not understand what she was trying to say and I ended up asking her if it was better for me to converse in Mandarin and she was so relieved and grateful. Luckily, the cab came! -
concern2:
True. Children learn racists remarks from their parents/relatives, etc.JR:
I wonder if the younger generation feel it too. I guess not. My son has a classmate from China. I don't think he cares about if his classmates are \"local\" or not. Just knows that he has fun playing with him. That's the important thing for integration. Acceptance from both sides. In future, when my son does National Service, his platoon mates will be full of 2nd generation \"non-locals\". But then again, not sure what will happen by then...
JR, this reminds me of something. As a kid, I remember conversations my parents had that went,\"He's not local\", and I would ask,\"How can you tell?\" He would reply, \"You just know it.\" He also mentioned \"Accent\". Now, I understand what that means.
As children, they haven't really seen and experienced enough to tell the difference. To the innocent minds, everyone is equal, until the adults start pointing out, and unless it is something obvious like skin color. Some kids, for instance, can't tell the difference between Malays and Indians, and some think all chinese faces look alike.
Now, our children are growing up in a phase like we did during the earlier days when our parents would threaten us with racist remarks like\"Bayi will come catch you if you are naughty\". This time, will it be \"If you don't work harder, the FTs will win your place in school?\"
If only there is no sense of threat, can the children and people integrate more naturally..Unfortunately, the FTs are brought in for reasons that make these threats real.
Now, we feel resentment due to the economic implication of the increase in immigrants.
Hopefully, our children will reap the benefits of this new economic situation. -
MandyMummy:
The SIA call centre is located in India
I called SIA customer service and was served by an Indian FT. They spoke so fast that I could only catch every 3rd word they say.
I called Citicab and a Chinese FT answered. I could not understand what she was trying to say and I ended up asking her if it was better for me to converse in Mandarin and she was so relieved and grateful. Luckily, the cab came!
sometime very hard to understand what they say
no racial prejudice but may be SIA cut cost cannot employ those who can speak standard english
write in to complain also no use, some time can hear background noise like laughter and some pranks going on among the staff .......taking about SIA call centre -
Since our kids grow up with foreigners, they do not feel that their friends are foreign. DD has a number of China friends and she has accepted the fact that their Chinese is far more superior than hers. There is no resentment to that fact on her part. DS has multinational classmates but they seem to get along well. He does not see any clicks form based on nationality, they befriend each other based on same frequency and interests.
It is nice to see how kids integrate together regardless of nationality. -
carebear:
it is always the adults that have hang upsSince our kids grow up with foreigners, they do not feel that their friends are foreign. DD has a number of China friends and she has accepted the fact that their Chinese is far more superior than hers. There is no resentment to that fact on her part. DS has multinational classmates but they seem to get along well. He does not see any clicks form based on nationality, they befriend each other based on same frequency and interests.
It is nice to see how kids integrate together regardless of nationality. -
Vevey:
Exactly the same scenario here in my neighborhood! The timing of the occupation of the playground is the same! WahahahaDS2 is a minority in his PCF nursery class! Only 3/16 of the kids is Chinese (local or otherwise), a quarter is Malay & the rest is Indian (mainly FT).
When DS1 was a toddler 6yrs ago, we usually saw some local parents & many maids bringing bringing kids to the playground. But the landscape changed esp after the flats reached 5yo & the local moved away. These days locals r out-numbered by FTs at playground anytime. 5-7pm Chinese FT; afterwards Indian FT. Don't see many maids these days too. -
Anyone try to slang their language to look like a foreigner?
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