PRC Chinese seeks advice on how to integrate into SG society

Independent Singapore

4 days ago

Photo: Freepik/lookstudio (for illustration purposes only).
SINGAPORE: After an expat asked for advice on Reddit as to how they can integrate well into Singapore society, many commended them for wanting to take steps to fit in, instead of expecting society to cater to them.
In a post on r/askSingapore from earlier this week, u/ Human-Ant-870 described themself as a '25 y/o PRC Chinese here on an EP, about 3 years in Singapore.'
They added that they appreciate the stability, safety, and freedom in Singapore and want to stay long-term.
' The Singaporeans I've met have been warm, friendly, and generally quite inclusive, which makes me want to integrate more instead of staying in a bubble,' they added.
At work, however, since nearly all the employees are also from the post author's home country, they don't have a lot of opportunities to build connections with Singaporeans. They want to have more local friends but are uncertain as to how to go about it, which is why they asked for practical suggestions for good ways or platforms for meet-ups.
'How are quiet foreigners generally perceived, and any small‑talk norms or dos & don'ts so I don't seem aloof? For someone who prefers 1‑to‑1 or small group chats, any approaches that work better here? If you happen to be into lifting, reading, or hiking/nature walks and don't mind a quiet buddy, feel free to comment or DM,' the post author wrote.
Many commenters on the Jul 20 post wrote that they appreciated the author's attitude towards living in another country.
'It is so nice to have non-locals trying to integrate with locals. At least we can see the sincerity on their part,' wrote one.
'Love how the way you type already sounds so Singaporean! Also, kudos to you for putting in this conscious effort to assimilate and integrate with local culture,' another chimed in.
'If only others were like you, having worked with foreign bosses… they tend to force their weird culture at the workplace rather than understand and integrate with the local staff,' a Reddit user observed.
Others readily suggested ways for the post author to make Singaporean friends.
'Off the top of my head… I would say Going for free events/sessions (for example, NLB has a lot of talks/sharing almost every week, especially at the main library)
Going for the free Healthy365 classes – go often enough for the same class, and you might make friends with the other regulars
Going for Meetups for topics that interest you – I'm in the IT industry, and there are TONS of meetups every month.'
'There are also Toastmasters clubs around (toast as in making a toast, not the bread) that support people in public speaking. I find it too fluffy personally, but it might work for you. There is a membership fee, but it should be affordable to a working adult,' another suggested.
'You can also check out Luma ( https://lu.ma) . As a techie, there are many meetups you can attend. There will be many local coders like myself attending such events, and it's fine to speak English or Chinese during the post-event chill session,' wrote a Reddit user. /TISG
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