Welcome to Singpinoy : The Filipino Expatriate's Guide to Singapore. Learn how the Filipino adapts to this tiny yet amazingly rich city-state. What is life in the Lion City really like? Is there more to it than its world famous restrictions and fines? This website is an attempt to answer these questions and more. It aims to serve as a guide for Filipinos (and non-Filipinos, too) planning to live and work in Singapore.

SINGAPORE (AN INTRODUCTION)

The Land. Located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, equatorial Singapore's average daily temperature is 26.7 degrees Centigrade. (Light clothing recommended; shorts and mini skirts are a staple for locals). It can rain any time of the year but the heaviest would be from November to January. There had been reports of death by lightning so precaution should be taken during thunderstorms. Unlike in the Philippines though typhoons are unheard of. Volcanoes? I know of only one - the man-made VolcanoLand in Sentosa Island!

The Lion City would have a total land area of 646.10 square kilometers if some 60 small islands are included in the measurement.

The People. Singapore is peopled by descendants of immigrants. They trace their roots mainly to the Malay Peninsula, China, India and Sri Lanka. At present four major ethnic groups are distinguishable : the Chinese, the Malays, the Indians and the Eurasians. The mingling of these subcultures result in a truly colorful multi-racial nation. How they manage to co-exist and still retain their ethnicity is a wonder.

Language. There are 4 official languages in Singapore - Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English. Malay is the national language but English is the language of administration. (Mandarin) Chinese is also gaining popularity, in recognition of China's burgeoning power in the region. In hawker centres and in housing estates however, a unique type of language is being spoken. This is known as Singlish , Singapore's claim on the English language. You'll get to hear English with its grammar modified to suit the Singaporean tongue. The marriage of English and local languages resulted in such expressions as why you so like that?,can or not?, cannot tahan (translation : can't stand it), etc. Then there's the ubiquitous 'lah'. For your very first lesson in Singlish : Punctuate your sentences with 'lah'. :)

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cyberwanderers have surfed to this page since 19 Jan 97

Last updated 07 Feb 1997

Copyright 1997 mtbattad.E-mail me for comments and contributions.

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