36. At The Checkpoint
Malaysia is the nearest neighbor country for Singapore; just across the bridge with 8 minutes drive (subject to no traffic), you can reach the checkpoint of the other side.
Today, I go to Johor (the state of Malaysia at the most south and nearest to Singapore) with my friend. We plan to have some Malaysia local food and get ourselves a good foot massage there.
We go by public bus, so the journey takes longer time than one who drives. As we need to queue for passport scanning at the custom checkpoints at both countries.
Finally, we are done with the passport scanning matter and heading towards the shopping mall using the link way from Malaysia custom office building.
“You see that fellow?” My friend says.
“Who?” I ask her.
“That guy, he just throws rubbish on the floor. When everyone is in Singapore, no one dares to do that.” She says.
Well, in Singapore, one would be fine for littering. So, many people would keep that in mind that they can’t simply litter.
But for some people when they are out from Singapore, they start littering.
“Maybe they left their brain and manners at the checkpoint.” I reply to her with the instant view that came into my mind.
“Haha… that’s true.” She laughs at my straight to the point elaboration on those people.
Precisely, they just totally forget or ignore about the manner that one should keep no matter where they are. Or maybe, they are too stressed for not being able to throw rubbish when they are in Singapore; and they have to start littering when they are in other countries that does not impose penalty for littering?
Strange people with strange behavior and there are quite a lot of them actually, if you observe.
This story might not be funny at all but I would like to share this ugly fact with you (the reader).
37. Just Bump!
There has been a strange phenomenon in Singapore; well so far, I don’t see such practice in elsewhere if I were to be frank. I raise this topic that concerns me much with my colleague who is from Germany when we are on our lunch break. We talk about anything and it is fun to exchange knowledge and experiences between people that are from totally different background and culture. We laugh a lot when we found or heard of something that is funny enough to shock our own common sense, e.g. Western’s vs. Eastern’s common sense could be different too. Haha…
“Have you ever been in such situation whereby you walk on the pedestrian walkway, and there are few people walking towards you from the opposite direction; and they never give way to you at all. If they three people and you are only one, all three of them will fully occupy the walkway and that make you (the loner) to step onto the grass area (out of the walkway) just to let them walk pass?” I elaborate that ‘rather-barbarian’ phenomenon in Singapore.
“Yes!” He replies in excitement as if he finally found one that feels the same way as him, on this experience.
“Most of the time, youngsters though.” I shared my experiences with him.
“Why, huh? Why they have such a mindset? Pedestrian walkway is supposed to be shared, in both ways (or directions), right? The three of them should at least leave some walking space (where one-person occupancy) for pedestrian from opposite direction to walk, right?” I keep going with my ranting.
“At first when I was arrived here (Singapore), I find it strange too. They are so rude! So now, I just walk my way and let them bump onto me. I don’t care anymore. Fed-up with such attitude they have.” He shares his experience and his solution to handle such weird situation.
“Yeah, of course you can. You are muscular body-builder, alright? If they bump into you, you won’t feel a thing. Me? I’m short and my arms are tiny, if I bump into them, they might be the one send me flying. Haha…” I lay out the fact in a jokingly way.
“Maybe, if I have my shopping bags with me. I would just carry my shopping bags with the arm that would collide with them. Let them bump onto my shopping items instead of my arm…” I am thinking of a self-defensive way to protect myself and my right to use the pedestrian walkway.
“Haha… Yeah, that’s a good idea!” He is delighted with my creative idea.
Hope that those who read about this, would be more considerate when you next using the pedestrian walkway. Kindly take note, pedestrian walkway is for sharing and both ways (not one-way street). This kind of rude attitude really shocks us, especially those visitors and those who never had such rude experience in so many countries they have been to. Put it into ‘common sense’ category, would you please? Thank you.
I can see that this country has done and still putting in a lot of work just to bring the awareness to the community. We have a huge signboard asking people to keep to their left when walking on the footpath or when using the escalator. Well, this might be useful for tourists that first visiting to Singapore so that they won’t collide with other pedestrians especially during rush hours.
But that signboard seems to be there to remind the local residents instead, I think; as many people ignore the needs to give ways but assuming they own the whole footpath. In local community, we have a saying that goes “Is this your grandpa’s road?” which implying that “Is this road owned by your family (or grandfather), that’s why you occupying the whole road and others have to give way to you instead. A sarcastic way of elaborating those rude footpath users.
Recently, we even saw the MRT (i.e. Mass Rapid Transit) company appoints their workers to carry a huge cardboard that was written with “Do Not Talk In The MRT” during the COVID pandemic period. The workers have to bring the cardboard and show it to the commuters; and even have to walk into each MRT carriage just to show it to the face of commuters in there. They need to go to such extend to ‘persuade’ people to do what is right. We all know that COVID-19 virus could be air-borne; but still commuters chatting in the carriage and talking over their mobile phone all the way throughout their MRT ride. Stubborn, ignorance or care less? I can’t tell.
This country is also known as a place that would fine those who litters. This is a clean country if we compare to many countries. But it is mostly come from the efforts of the country in hiring many cleaners or sweepers to clean the rubbish on the roadsides, fields and anywhere that human could visit. It is a pity, isn’t it? I went to other countries, their local residence automatically cautious on where to throw the rubbish and which day would be the rubbish collection day. They have the hygiene practice built in their genes. No need anyone to remind them what to do. Frankly, even a kindergarten child also knows and being taught to throw rubbish into the rubbish bin; but still people littering everywhere… Seems like only when it comes with a penalty (or fines), then only the community would follow the rules and act accordingly.
Be aware, there are a lot of fines on wrong doing here in Singapore.
38. No Need Blusher
One of my self-love actions, I decided to go for Traditional Chinese Medical Treatment. The major different to Western medical treatment, Traditional Chinese Medical Treatment is more towards boosting or restore the body health, naturally through the helps from medical herbs, heal the body from within, slowly and steadily. We can’t rush and want to the quick results as Western medical can do. Most of the medical herbs are from plants – its roots, leaves, flowers, seeds, even its gum. All comes from nature. I believe both Western and Eastern medical treatments have their unique methods and effectiveness in healing humans. I won’t judge which is good and which is not. There are times where one would opt for both treatments. Simply because no one wants to fall sick or suffer any health issues.
When one is announced by doctor that he or she only have a n-period of lifetime, many will definitely look for other ways to recover, if he or she is not the type to give up on fighting for their own life. There are many cases, where the patients really manage to prolong that ‘limited lifetime’ of theirs through other medical treatments; they live longer instead. Of course, positive thinking in one would be an important factor in fighting the illness as well.
Most people are more familiar with Acupuncture, Acupoint body massage, Cupping, Foot Massage, and so on. Those are related to the treatments that take into account thorough understanding of how human body built is; and trying to smooth bloods flow or unblock the veins in the body. Same objectives as we try to get from Swedish body massage or Thai body massage, i.e. to relax our body and relief those body pains or stiff muscles.
I let the female doctor take and examine my pulse through my wrists. I find this very magical every time she does this. From the pulse rate, and the strength of each pulse beats, she can tell where gone wrong in my body. I have her team to help me to cook or boil those medical herbs that she has identified for my body needs. It is not convenient for me to boil those herbs for hours. Their center has specific machine to boil the herbs and pack it into ready-to-drink packages. All I need to do is to warm up the packaging before drink it, just like what we sometimes see from those modern Korean soap drama. Very convenient, thanks to technologies.
“Continue to take note on what you should eat and what you should avoid. When you are getting healthier later on, your ‘Qi’ (i.e. the ‘balanced-energy’ in one’s body that monitor their health and body stamina) in your body will allow you to shine from within; pink blush can be seen through your fair skin. But right now, you have so much stress and your eyes look tired. Your skin complexion is a little yellowish (applicable for Asian only).” The doctor says.
I reply to her “Yes, that’s why whenever I take photos, I need to ‘edit’ (meaning I need to rely on those photo-shop apps).”
“Haha~” She laughs. “Keep up with your proper food intakes and continue with your herbs intake, you would have that kind of results (as seen on ‘edited’ photos) as well; no blusher needed.
“Okay, sure. Thank you, doctor.” I thank her; and come back to the center to collect my medical herb packages tomorrow as they need time to cook it.
39. To Shopping Mall By Public Bus
Hooray, this weekend I go to Johor (i. e. a state of Malaysia in it most south but near Singapore) alone for some shopping. I plan to go to one of the biggest shopping malls in Johor, but I need to go there by bus due to quite a distance from custom checkpoint.
When I am at the bus station, there are so many buses, each with different destination’s signboard on it.
I approach one of the bus conductors to ask for which bus heading to that shopping mall.
“Hey, boss. Which bus goes to ‘Bukit Jambul’?” I ask him.
In Malaysia, we sometimes address people as boss, be it a hawker, a sales assistant, or even a friend. We don’t mind that at all, and sometimes it brings a smile to the person you call them as such. It is just one of the local ways of addressing people besides ‘uncle’ and ‘auntie’.
“What? ‘Bukit Jambul’? Where is that?” he replies with a big question mark on his face.
(Oops… I said the wrong destination name. Wrong ‘Bukit’ mentioned. ‘Bukit Jambul’ is at my hometown at the north of Malaysia. I should have mentioned ‘Bukit Indah’ instead.)
“Haha… my mistake. That is in Penang not Johor. Which bus to ‘Bukit Indah’?” I smile and explain to him.
“Oh, I see… that bus at the 2nd lane. It is departing soon.” He replies and directs me to the correct bus to take.
On the bus to ‘Bukit Indah’ shopping mall, I smile when recalling this silly act of me. And I share it with my parent at night, over a phone call. They all laugh at me.
40. Not Even A Sip?!?
In Malaysia, there is traditional practice in the past but I am not so sure if this is done by most people now a day – when a boy is entering voice-changing stage, the parent or mum will cook them pork soup with groundnut’s root.
Many years back then, when my brother entering this stage during his secondary schooling time, my mum did prepare him this soup. The reason being this soup will somehow help to boost their height; and boys will ‘shoot up’ and growing tall, like a bamboo.
When I came to realize this traditional practice, I went to my mum and ask her if she ever cook it for brother. I wasn’t around during that time, I guess, which is why I didn’t know about this tradition until years later.
Mum replies “Yes, for your brother to drink and grow tall.”
“How come you never cook for me?” I ask instantly.
“That’s for boys to drink when they change their voice; not for girl.” She explains to me.
“Not even a sip?!?” “I want to grow tall too. Another 5cm is better than nothing.” I throw tantrum at my mum.
“Silly girl!” Mum ignores my nonsense complaint. She knows that I was just joking with her.
How I wish I could have at least 160cm height. My 155cm never grow a single millimeter ever since my age of fourteen. Sigh…
Haha… I am the shortest in my family members.
