'If the train says it's leaving at 2.02pm, it's leaving at 2.02pm': Exchange student from UK reveals his culture shocks in Singapore

What is often seen as a quirk is sometimes the way of life—yes, we're talking about the cultural shock one faces when moving to a new country.

A British-born content creator, who goes by AJ, faced something similar, having lived in Singapore for four months now. 

He took to TikTok to list down some of the cultural shocks he experienced.

@ahleeyoo You don’t deep some of the rubbish your own country does until you leave 😭 #exchangestudent #studyabroad #singapore #cultureshock ♬ Nasty (Instrumental) - Russ

Which side do people stand on the escalator? 

Well, this depends on where you come from. "In the UK, you stand on the right, and people walk up on the left," AJ mentioned. "But [in] Singapore, [it’s] the other way around."

That being said, he justified standing on the left side of the escalator by drawing parallels to British driving habits, where people drive on the left and reserve the right lane for overtaking.

The second culture shock is the polarising temperatures indoors and outdoors. To illustrate his point, he talked about how it can be a blazing 35 degrees outside, and in his lecture hall, he is shivering in his t-shirt and shorts.

It’s no secret that Singapore has the reputation of being a spick-and-span city. 

But AJ noted that to understand how clean Singapore is, one has to be here.

"In the UK, there [are] bins everywhere, but people [will] be throwing their hopes and dreams and everything in between on the floor," he quipped.

Whereas in Singapore, AJ mentioned, people have the decorum to hold onto their rubbish until they see a bin.

He also commented on how public transport is clean as well, mentioning how you’re not allowed to eat and drink on buses and trains. 

He also commended Singapore’s public transport system's efficiency: "If the train says it’s leaving at 2.02pm, it’s leaving at 2.02pm."

Last but certainly not least, he talked about how over here, people don't say "bless you" when someone sneezes.

However, he did mention that it might be a "UK thing".

In the comments section, netizens were curious to know the origins of saying bless you when someone sneezes.

One user mentioned it stems from back in the day during the black plague and how sneezing was a symptom of it.

Another user pointed out how when we sneeze, our heart stops beating for a second, and bless you is a way of saying you're lucky that you're still alive.

Other users were confused by the escalator etiquette in the UK.

One user noted how in Australia, just like in Singapore, people stand on the left side of the escalator too.

While another user mentioned how the driving style in the UK should extend to where people stand and move on the escalator. 

ALSO READ:Singapore-based British woman lists biggest culture shocks after moving back to UK

venkat.gunasellan@asiaone.com

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