Powerpoint

By: Sarah Yaangh

Traveling to Singapore

What is Singapore? - An anomaly - only island nation that is

both a city and country (Rogers, 2018) - Located off the southern tip of

Peninsular Malaysia

History ➔ First founded founded in AD 1298 &

was named Temasek ➔ Old legend

◆ Founded by a prince, then ruled by kings of Singapura

➔ Modern day ◆ Found in 19th Century by Sir

Thomas Stamford Raffles, ◆ Name adopted in 1819

➔ Was under control of Japanese, Britain, Malaysia, and finally became an independent country in 1965

(History of Singapore, 2018)

August 9, 1965 - Singapore gained independence (J, 2015)

Government Modeled as a Parliamentary

Representative Democratic Republic

❖ 3 branches of government

➢ Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary

❖ Unicameral

➢ Only has one house elected at general

elections voted by the public, then

selected by Prime Minister (Julie, 2018)

❖ Prime minister = head of government

❖ President = head of state

❖ Singapore is known for “political stability,

honesty, effective government, and

successful economic policies” (Hays, 2015)

LanguagesIn the Singapore Constitution, there are 4 languages (S.L. 2014)

1. Malay a. Spoken by Malay population, about 13%

2. Mandarin a. Official Singaporean Chinese dialect used

3. Tamil a. Official Indian language in Singapore (less

than 10%) 4. English

a. Taught and used in schools b. Singapore’s most commonly spoken language c. Uses British English since they used to be part

of Britain

*Fun fact: many Singaporeans are bilingual

Currency ★ 1 Singapore Dollar = 0.73 U.S. Dollar ★ Abbreviated as $ or S$ ★ Yusof bin Ishak, the first Singapore

president, is printed on the dollar (Team, 2016)

★ Fun fact: the largest bill is $10,000, but it is discontinued

Rank of Cultural Variability a. Individualism versus Collectivism b. Masculinity Versus Femininity c. Power Distance - High d. Indulgence Versus Restraint e. Long Term Orientation Versus Short Term Orientation f. Uncertainty Avoidance - Low

*Bolded = Singaporean rank *Data obtained from Hofstede Insights (Country Comparison, 2018)

Individualism vs. Collectivism Definition:

- A collectivist is an individual who believes his/her life belongs to a group. There are no rights for each person. An individualist is an individual that has freedom of choice and makes decisions based upon his/her values.

Picture from Harmony Day in 2016

Singapore’s Rank: Collectivism - Celebrates “Harmony Day” annually to keep the

harmony between racial and ethnic groups (Xiao, 2016)

- Began July 21st, 1997 - Society believes the group needs > individual needs - High importance on community interest and group

activities

Masculinity vs. Femininity Definition: Masculinity describes a country that is motivated by competition, success, accomplishment. Femininity describes a country that values kindness and having a life of fulfillment.

Singapore’s Rank: Femininity - Singaporeans are known to care for others, show

sympathy, and make peace in high-strung situations. - Every year, Singapore celebrates “Kindness Day”

- Important values include modesty and humbleness - Due to the shared values of Singaporean values

- “3) Community support and respect for the individual.” - Encourages society to support one another

Singapore’s Kindness Day

Power Distance Definition: ➢ According to Hofstede, the author of Culture’s

Consequences, power distance is defined as “The extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.”

Singapore’s Rank: ➢ Score: 74/100 (Country Comparison, 2018)

○ Considered high on power distance ➢ Due to how Singaporean roots are based on Confucian teachings

○ Confucian taught on society stability & how power has to be unequally shared ○ Described the different power distance relationships (father-son, husband-wife) ○ Equality was not taught on

➢ Also due to the shared values of Singaporean values ○ “1. Nation before community and society above self.” ○ Great emphasis on sacrificing yourself for those in power to be a successful society

Indulgence Vs. Restraint Definition: Societies are analyzed based upon their ability to control their temptations. Indulgence is defined as those who easily gives into temptation, while restraint is defined as those who have a strong grasp of control

Singapore’s Rank: Restraint - Singapore is very careful in their actions as a society

- Since gaining independence, there has been immense progress in societal development

- Since there are many rules and regulations in place, the population follows them

- This shows the restraint of the individual - Many were raised with values of self-control

Long Term Orientation Vs. Short Term Orientation

Definition: Long Term Orientation is when a society acknowledges its history, but pushes for a more modern approach and is constantly developing. Short Term Orientation describes a society that holds tradition to extreme value and is suspicious of new innovations.

Singapore’s Rank: Long Term Orientation ● Score: 72/100 ● Singapore definitely holds its society at long term orientation because

of its constant adaptations to the modern world ● Singapore strongly emphasizes keeping an open mind and finding a

new approach ● In only a span of 50 years, Singapore became one of the richest

places on earth (Zarroli, 2015)

Uncertainty Avoidance Definition: Uncertainty Avoidance describes how population deals with the fact that there is no predicting the future. They can either avoid or face the unknown. The rank is determined by how a society reacts to uncertain situations.

Singapore’s Rank: - Score: 8/100

- Considered very low - Singaporeans do not avoid the future, rather they plan far ahead. This

is how they have progressed in such little time as a society - Singaporeans are very well behaved

- Many households raise their children in structured and strict styles

- There are many fines put in place and the population takes it very seriously. Rules are followed the majority of time because people are respectful

Faux Pas Common mistakes in Singapore

1. Mocking superstitions ○ Superstitions are still part of Singaporean

culture so it unacceptable to make fun of their beliefs

○ Ex. of superstition: If you sing in the shower, you’ll never find your soulmate (Hiyat, 2014)

2. Leaving shoes on when entering a home

○ It is important to take off shoes before coming into any home

○ In Singaporean culture, they value cleanliness

Faux Pas Common mistakes in Singapore

3. Smoking in public areas

○ There are strict smoking regulations put in place that must be followed

4. Tipping

○ Tipping here is unnecessary and looked down upon. Most operations include a goods & service tax (7%) & service charge (10%)

Receipt showing Singaporean taxes

Faux Pas Common mistakes in Singapore

5. Walking on the right side ○ Singapore has right hand drive cars,

meaning they drive on the left side of the road. This creates an unspoken rule to keep to the left side of the road if you are a slow walker or driver.

6. Snapping a photo, eating, or drinking on the Metro

○ The Metro is meant for entering and exiting and you may be fined up to S$500 for taking pictures, eating, or drinking

Faux Pas Common mistakes in Singapore

7. Forgetting to flush the toilet ○ If you don’t flush the toilet in a

public restroom, you may be fined S$150

8. Chewing gum ○ Selling and importing gum is

banned and you may be fined S$1000

9. Spitting ○ Spitting on the streets is banned

and you will be fined S$500

Faux Pas Common mistakes in Singapore

10. Calling older folks by their name

○ It is respectful to call all your elders “aunty” or “uncle” regardless of their cultural relation to you. You may not greet them by name

11. Sitting at tables with packs of tissues on them ○ Tissues placed on tables are a way to chope (reserve)

the table. Disregarding the placement is seen as rude

Faux Pas Common mistakes in Singapore

12. Showing your feet ○ It is seen as rude to point your toes

or show the sole of your feet. For example, you shouldn’t place your feet on top of the couch or table

13. Pointing your fingers as someone

○ It is rude to point your fingers because having proper body language is important in Singaporean culture

*All info on faux pas obtained from various articles (Lee, 2015) (Brinded, 2015)

Flights to singapore ★ There are a plethora of airlines

that fly into Singapore such as…

★ Average flight cost (round trip): $800-$1000

★ Example:

○ San Diego -> Singapore from now - March through United Airlines = Around $880

Quarters Hostel ❏ Affordable option ❏ $30-70/night 2 beds

Accomodations

Hotel G Singapore ❏ Mid-range hotel ❏ $100-125/night

❏ 1 bedroom

Accomodations

Marina Bay Sands

Luxury Hotel

$400-$500/night

Accomodations

Important Info before Traveling ● IDENTIFICATION:

○ U.S. Passport needed to receive a visitors pass ○ Valid License/ID

● VACCINATIONS: ○ The CDC recommends getting hepatitis A, hepatitis B,

typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, meningitis, polio, MMR, Tdap, chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia and influenza (Julie, 2018)

○ Majority of people have already received these vaccinations

Exchanges ➢ Exchange money at changers in Singapore city

for the best rates! U.S. dollars are accepted. ➢ Ex. of places:

○ The Arcade at Raffles Place, Money changers at Lucky Plaza (Chan, 2018)

Best Time of the Year to Visit... ❏ Singapore generally remains hot and humid all year round. ❏ Average temp: 81F

July-September: Very festive time of year. Events such as The Great Singapore Sale and the Singapore Food Festival occurs during this time. This the best time of year because the city is very active.

Meanwhile... Feb-April: There are many outdoor activities during the Spring season. November-January: There is heavy rain

*Info obtained from “Make My Trip” (Chi, 2018)

Transportation According to a 2017 article written by Lee, there are plenty modes of transportation:

➔ Walking - Very easy and affordable to walk everywhere

➔ Mrt/LTR Metro system - $10 a day with the EZ link tourist pass

➔ Sightseeing Hop On/Off Bus - $40 for 24 hr duration

➔ Cable Car - Great experience! $30 for 30 min

Day 0 Today’s theme: Traveling 7:55 AM - Flight from SD to SF Airport $800

10:55 AM - Flight from SF Airport to Singapore Changi Airport

8:15 PM - Arrive in Singapore

10 PM - Check into Hotel - Marina Bay Sands $400/night

11 PM - Sleep

*Today’s Total Costs: $800 + $400 (8 nights) = $2000

Singapore Travel Itinerary

Day 1 Today’s theme: Crazy Rich Asians 10 AM - CHIJMES Hall $0

➔ Tour the location of Colin & Araminta’s wedding ceremony

11 AM - Raffles Hotel $0 ➔ The hotel Nick & Rachel stayed at. Known for their

tea in the lobby. 12 PM - Bukit Pasoh Road $10

➔ Enjoy lunch where Rachel & Peik Lin shared a heart to heart over sushi. Can also explore the local shops at the Chinatown Heritage Centre

3 PM - Gardens by the Bay Supertree Grove $6 ➔ Bird’s-eye view of where Colin & Araminta had their

wedding reception 6 PM - Newton Food Centre Roughly $15

➔ Singaporean Street Food Vendors. First stop in Nick & Rachel’s trip to Singapore

*Today’s Total Costs: $10 + $6 + $15 = $31 (Carrey, 2018)

Singapore Travel Itinerary

Day 2 Today’s theme: Zoo Day! 10 AM - Singapore Zoo $24

➔ Reviews say it takes about half a day to tour the entire zoo ◆ View all animal exhibits & live shows ◆ Enjoy the various eateries Roughly $15

3 PM - River Safari $28 ➔ Take a boat to see the various aquatic animals

6 PM - Cable Car Tour $10 ➔ Take a 30 min. ride to see a bird’s-eye view of Singapore

7 PM - Fei Fei Wanton Mee $15 ➔ Try Wanton Mee, a famous Singaporean noodle dish

8 PM - Lantern Rooftop Bar Roughly $15 ➔ A great view of Singapore’s nightlife, and in close proximity to

Marina Bay (hotel)

*Today’s Total Costs: $24 + $28 + $10 + $15 + $15 = $92 (Zoo, 2018)

Singapore Travel Itinerary

Day 3 Today’s theme: Singapore Eateries Taste Test! 10 AM - Ya Kun Kaya Toast $2

➔ A famous Singaporean cafe with various toasts 12 PM - Sungei Road Laksa $8

➔ Laksa is noodle dish composed of Chinese & Malay flavors 2 PM - Outram Park Yahua $8

➔ A restaurant that sells Bak Kut Teh, a pork dish boiled in tea 4 PM - Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee $12

➔ Hokkien Mee, a fried noodle dish 6 PM - Hup Hong Chicken Rice $3

➔ Famous roasted chicken rice dish 8 PM - Pure Pandan $2

➔ Try the signature Singaporean Pandan dessert

*Share dishes with friends to save your appetite! *Today’s Total Costs: $2 + $8 + $8 + $12 + $3 + $2 = $35 (Lui, 2018)

Singapore Travel Itinerary

Day 4 Today’s theme: Universal Day! 10 AM - Universal Studios Singapore $57

➔ Theme park on Sentosa Island ◆ 7 themes & zones

➔ 28 rides - Top 5 include Battlestar Galactica, Transformers, Revenge of the Mummy, etc.

➔ Various shows, attractions ◆ Sesame Street Show, Madagascar Show

➔ Tons of eateries $20 ◆ Discovery Food Court, Oasis Spice Cafe

➔ Reviews say it takes an entire day to fully enjoy the park

8 PM - Marina Bay Sands Light Show $8 ➔ Return back to the hotel for a 15 min. water light show

*Today’s Total Costs: $57 + $20 + $8 = $85 (Advisor, 2015)

Singapore Travel Itinerary

Day 5 Today’s theme: Free Activities Day 10 AM - Breakfast at Marina Bay Sands

➔ Complimentary Breakfast provided 12 PM - Singapore Botanical Gardens

➔ Great view of green lawn and exotic plants. Plenty of trails to explore

3 PM - Marina Barrage ➔ Dozens of people come here to fly a kite together

5 PM - Sentosa Shores ➔ Beautiful beach to relax & perform outdoor activities

8 PM - Singapore Buddhist Lodge ➔ Visit the Buddhist temple and receive a free complimentary

meal

*Today’s Total Costs: $0 = Free!

(Feed, 2016) (Mai, 2018)

Singapore Travel Itinerary

Day 6 Today’s theme: Shopping Day 10 AM - Orchard Road

➔ A 2.2 kilometer long road of various shops. Great place to buy souvenirs

12 PM - Chinatown Street Market ➔ Discover the Chinese culture and try out various eateries

3 PM - VivoCity ➔ Largest shopping mall in Singapore with luxury shops

5 PM - Haji Lane ➔ A very narrow road with cute little shops

8 PM - The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands ➔ Features a long pool in the middle of the mall. Very aesthetically

appealing

*Today’s Total Costs: Can probably spend around $500

(Gary, 2018)

Singapore Travel Itinerary

Day 7 Today’s theme: Sightseeing Wrap-Up 10 AM - National Gallery Singapore

➔ Holds numerous Southeast Asian art pieces. Known as the largest visual arts venue in Singapore

1 PM - Arab Quarters ➔ Contains various historical buildings as well as modern

renovations 3 PM - Merlion Park

➔ Half fish & half lion structure that represents Singapore 6 PM - Odette $210

➔ Enjoy a marvelous 6 course fine dining experience on your last evening

8 PM - Singapore Flyer $25 ➔ To end the trip, ride the giant ferris wheel that displays a

360 degree view of Singapore

*Today’s Total Costs: $210 + $25 = $235 (EditorialRead, 2017)

Singapore Travel Itinerary

Cost Breakdown Day 0: $2000 Day 1: $31 Day 2: $92 Day 3: $35 Day 4: $85 Day 5: $0 Day 6: $500 Day 7: $235

Total Cost: $2978

References Advisor, T. (2015). How long spend in Universal Studios? - Singapore Forum. Retrieved from

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294265-i1748-k4308559-How_long_spend_in_Universal_Studios-Singapore.html

Brinded, L. (2015, September 29). 9 ways to embarrass yourself in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/9-tips-to-not-embarrass-yourself-in-singapore-2015-6

Carey, M. (2018, August 10). Where Was 'Crazy Rich Asians' Filmed? Retrieved from https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/where-was-crazy-rich-asians-filmed

Chan, S. (2018, August 13). The 5 Best Places to Exchange Money in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.thebestsingapore.com/best-shopping/the-5-best-places-to-exchange-money-in-singapore/

Chi, S. (2018). Best Time To Visit Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.makemytrip.com/travel-guide/singapore/best-time-to-visit.html

Country Comparison. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/singapore/

EditorialRead, H. (2017, July 20). Sightseeing in Singapore: 10 must-see attractions and places of interest in Singapore. Retrieved from https://thehoneycombers.com/singapore/singapore-sightseeing-attractions-places-of-interest-visit-visitors-tourists/

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https://goodyfeed.com/10-places-that-offer-free-food-in-spore-that-is-if-you-dare-to-take/

Gary, R. (n.d.). 10 Best Shopping Places in Singapore - The Best Places to Shop in Singapore. Retrieved 2018, from http://www.singapore-guide.com/singapore-shopping/top10-shopping.htm

Hays, J. (2015, July). Government of Singapore. Retrieved from http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Singapore/sub5_7c/entry-3172.html#chapter-0

History of Singapore. (2018, September). Retrieved from http://www.localhistories.org/singapore.html

Hiyat, L. (2014, January). 20 Crazy Things Our Singaporean Mothers Believed. Retrieved from https://thesmartlocal.com/read/20-things-our-mothers-believed

Hofstede, G. H., & Xu, L. (2008). Cultures consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations =wen hua zhi zhong:jia zhi, xing wei, ti zhi he zu zhi de kua guo bi jiao. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

J., M. (2015, March 22). How Singapore gained its independence. Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2015/03/22/how-singapore-gained-its-independence

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https://www.passporthealthusa.com/destination-advice/singapore/

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Lui, S. (2018, July 11). 30 Famous Local Foods To Eat In Singapore Before You Die. Retrieved from https://sethlui.com/best-local-famous-foods-to-eat-singapore/

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