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[mikewang233]

About Me

Hello, everyone! Welcome to my blog and I hope you have fun here. My name is Yinghua Wang, this photo is a graffiti I took while walking in the center of Melbourne, I don't know its backstory, but this graffiti looks very cozy under the sunlight.

I agree with what I read. Traveling is the best way to relax, especially to learn about the local culture and make local friends.

The destination I chose to travel to is Singapore. I am very interested in Singapore's architecture. I would like to learn more about the background of these buildings. The city center of Singapore looks very busy at night, even though I have yet to personally travel there!

[mikewang233]

Blog 3-Consequences of stereotypes

Singapore is often identified as a clean, authoritative country with strict laws and regulations that can lead to fines for even a minor detail of life, such as feeding wildlife. The result of this stereotype is likely that many travelers come to Singapore fearful of accidentally breaking local laws while ignoring the city-state's multicultural and vibrant social fabric. While it is true that Singapore has strict laws governing behavior and public conduct, these laws are designed to make the environment tidier and the society safer, and the results have shown that Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world. At the same time, very few people actually receive fines because with a little bit of care and attention, you won't break the local laws. In addition, Singapore is a country with a multicultural background, and this stereotypical publicity also makes it difficult for people to associate its multicultural heritage, and even makes tourists less interested in visiting Singapore.

Singapore's local essentialism spreads narrow and superficial narratives that blur the city-state's multifaceted and complex nature.

[mikewang233]

Blog1-Symbol of Singapore - Singapore Changi Airport

I am fascinated by creative architecture. When people think of Singapore, they think of innovative, futuristic buildings, and also one of the most famous and symbolic symbols of Singapore -Changi Airport.

The airport began operations in 1981 with only one terminal and one runway. With the annual development of the airport, Changi Airport is now as one of the most beautiful airports around the world, with a total of 27 World's Best Airports awards up to 2020. The creative architectural design of the airport's interiors and its continuous develop of artificial intelligence innovations and technology have made it became a symbol of Singapore. Changi Airport represents Singapore's innovation and its people's perseverance.

The entire interior of the terminal is full of greenery, with a variety of tall trees，just like a dream garden. This also symbolizes the overall architectural style of Singapore. The waterfall in the middle is particularly fascinating，It is about 40 meters high and cascades down from a high place. The spectacle is so impressive that countless tourists stop to take photo of it. However, the best place to take pictures of this spectacular sight is the "Sky Train" between T2 and T3, which surrounds the waterfall and allows tourists to see it up close.

It can be said that Changi Airport is a symbol replicated for the tourism industry, with many tourists seeing the airport as a tourist attraction due to the abundance of entertainment, food, and shopping facilities available at the airport, as well as attracting many tourists who connect flights at the airport. However, as the world's best airport, most tourists find the airport efficient and do not wait in long queues. According to the reports ，there were delays in the airport's immigration checks and that the problem lasted for at least four hours. Meanwhile, the airport's lavish architecture is missing some multicultural elements.It's hard to remind visitors of Singapore's cultural diversity.

Reference

How changi airport came to be. How Changi Airport Came To Be. (2021). https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-17/issue-3/oct-dec-2021/changi-airport/

The jewel changi airport as a symbol of Singapore’s grit and innovation #singaporeway. The Jewel Changi Airport as a symbol of Singapore’s grit and innovation #SingaporeWay. (2023). https://www.sg101.gov.sg/the-jewel-changi-airport-as-a-symbol-of-singapore-s-grit-and-innovation-singaporeway/

Magramo, K. (2023, March 31). “World’s best airport” experiencing tech issues and delays. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/singapore-changi-airport-delays-intl-hnk/index.html

[mikewang233]

blog6-Carrying gum may become risky?

Being one of the safest countries in the world, theft, robbery, and other behaviors are very rare in Singapore. However, many tourists may overlook some small details in their lives, thus breaking the law. Chewing gum is an essential item when traveling. It not only freshens the mouth but also relieves tinnitus to a certain extent when flying. However, bringing chewing gum into Singapore could put people at risk and even get fined.

Back in 1992, chewing gum was banned from being manufactured and imported into Singapore. The reason behind this was that chewing gum waste caused the train doors to fail to close, thus preventing the train from moving correctly, and due to the hot weather in Singapore, cleaning up the gum waste was not easy. As a result, chewing gum is classified as a prohibited item during customs inspections and cannot be brought in, let alone sold, or face a hefty fine.

Honestly, arrests for gum chewing are rare because the behavior is difficult to detect by others, but to avoid the risk, tourists should not chew gum in public, and the act of spitting it out should be avoided as well. If chewing gum is meant to freshen the mouth, some equivalent mints candy can be found in Singapore's supermarkets, which are usually non-sticky and permitted to be sold and eaten. It is also the responsibility of the tourist to check the information about chewing gum before departure and not to bring it into the country.

Overall, this rule may put uninitiated travelers at risk, but the ban on chewing gum makes the streets of Singapore much cleaner!

Reference

Metz, E. (2015, March 28). Why Singapore banned chewing gum. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32090420

Singapore, N. L. B. (n.d.). Chewing gum is banned. https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=57a854df-8684-456b-893a-a303e0041891

[mikewang233]

Fines for being naked at home?

Singapore has always been known for its strict laws, which are equally strict on people's behavior in public. According to Singapore's (Public Order and Nuisance) law, there are penalties for exposing oneself to public view, which means that walking around naked in a private home can also be penalized if a neighbor finds out and reports it. However, this law is not alarmist, as back in 2009, a man was eventually punished with over $2,000 for being caught naked in his home by a neighbor.

This was a culture shock for me. In my country or some of the places I've traveled to, there aren't any laws against personal behavior in private homes other than against the rules to play DJ music in a home. Especially during the summer time, when it's over 30 degrees , it's very common and the fastest way to get out of the heat to be naked at home.

In Singapore, where most people choose to live in high-rise buildings, it seems easy for neighbors to watch them at home. So, even at our home, people must be cautious; imagine the embarrassment of forgetting the towel during the shower and worrying about being seen by the neighbors.

Two residents of an apartment complex were reportedly photographed while showering without their knowledge. This incident goes beyond cultural differences and highlights a clear violation of privacy rights. It is crucial to respect others' privacy, including refraining from taking pictures without their consent. To avoid such situations, it is advisable to draw curtains in advance or consider living in an apartment without floor-to-ceiling windows.

Reference list

Goh, G. (2022, March 18). PSA: Appearing naked in public view is illegal, even if you do it at home. SingaporeLegalAdvice.com. https://singaporelegaladvice.com/appearing-naked-in-public-view/

Thet, N. (2020). “as a result of my upbringing, I am properly clothed at all times”: When s’pore made nudity in own home illegal (in public view). Mothership.SG - News from Singapore, Asia and around the world. https://mothership.sg/2020/11/singapore-nude-own-home-legal/

[mikewang233]

blog4-Meaningful Participation - Teaching Basketball

Basketball is a sport that promotes teamwork, strengthens physical fitness, develops team spirit and improves communication skills. At the same time, the basketball culture of music, clothing and sports shoes has a significant share in the consumer market. In Singapore, basketball is highly popular among the major sports and, therefore, has a wide audience.

As someone who has been starting to play basketball for many years, I think I am well suited to teach basketball and make more people fall in love with the sport. This is because teaching basketball involves a wide range of things, including dribbling, shooting, team tactics, and physical fitness related to jumping, to name a few. What's more, basketball teaching doesn't need a specific location or a specific court; it can be anywhere, such as correcting the way players shoot, using tactics on the basketball court, and dribbling methods and techniques. Online basketball lessons are also a great way to get involved and it can open up instruction anytime, anywhere.

[mikewang233]

Blog2-Street art in Singapore-Arab Street

Did you know that in Singapore, street art, such as graffiti on buildings, must be legally approved by the local government beforehand? However, that doesn't stop people from being passionate and creative about street art. Street art graffiti can be seen in the bustling city center, streets, alleys, and even cafes.

Arab Street, one of Singapore's renowned art districts, is a testament to the city's vibrant street art scene. The walls of coffee shops and bakeries are adorned with colorful graffiti, each piece a representation of Singapore's indigenous culture. These artworks, a major draw for tourists, serve as a living testament to the city's rich cultural heritage.

On Arab Street, the street art that attracted me the most was the work of Yap Yew Chung, whose street art style is different and focuses more on the details of everyday life and people. This piece of his artwork on Arab Street depicts the culture of Kampong Glam and the daily lifestyle of teenagers, adults, and older people at that time.

Kampong Glam was once a Malay settlement, and the word was officially coined as early as 1820; where Kampung represent for "village," and "gleam" was a type of Melaleuca tree that grew in the area and was used in the construction of ships. With time, Singapore's indigenous culture has disappeared. This work aims to promote the indigenous culture to tourists, and it took Yap Yew Chung 25 days to complete the street art graffiti, even in the hot weather.

Arabian Street is a distinctly 'unofficial' tourist attraction, as it showcases Singapore's unique indigenous atmosphere and multiculturalism. However, its charm comes mainly from its strong Malay culture, where tourists visit to experience the local culture rather than the hustle and bustle of a typical tourist attraction，it also contrasts sharply with the downtown area on the side.

At the same time, graffiti is not regulated in Singapore, so the publicity here is definitely weaker than in the downtown area.

Image1 from- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/kampong-glam-the-artistic-side-of-singapore/articleshow/101219410.cms

Image 2 from-

Reference

Ghosh, P. (2017, February 9). The history of Kampong Glam in One Minute. Culture Trip. https://theculturetrip.com/asia/singapore/articles/history-of-kampong-glam-in-1-minute

Tay, S. (2023, August 14). Mural artist gives kampong glam A glam up. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mural-artist-gives-kampong-glam-a-glam-up