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Excuse Me Sir, You’re Sitting in My Lap

By jeni | July 17, 2008

Let’s talk about personal space. I like it. John likes it. You guys probably like it. Most Americans do. I’m not talking about giant penthouse apartments or 8 bedroom houses with six-car garages or huge SUVs or anything like that. I’m just talking about the little box of space that SHOULD be around me when I’m walking down the street or standing on a train or in the queue for the movie (yes they say queue here instead of “line” so that’s what I’m going to say too). 

In Singapore, and I think in a lot of Eastern cultures, they don’t really have the same sense of personal space that westerners have. Every day, I walk down Orchard Road, either to go get coffee or do grocery shopping or, like today, to take the MRT to meet John for lunch. Usually the street looks something like this. 

Lots and lots of people. Fine. I know this is a big city. I know lots of people live here. I know they all want to walk around and shop and do the same things I do. And I guess I’m okay with that. I mean they should try to empty out the city whenever I’m about to go outdoors, but these things don’t always work that way. 

But what I’m not okay with is the constant touching and running into each other and just general lack of regard for the fact that I am trying to live and breathe right next to you! I know this happens a lot in big cities, like New York of course, but it just seems magnified here. Maybe it’s the heat.

Case in point: The steps on an average escalator here are probably two feet wide. Yet you feel the need to stand on the same step I’m on, even though there is a free one below me. Oh and forget about moving out of the way if we’re coming toward one another in the same general path. It’s every man for himself at that point. If we smack into each other like bowling pins, so be it. All’s well that ends well right? 

Which brings me to another point. DO NOT SMILE AT THE NATIVES. Meaning everyone who lives here unless they are clearly an expat or a tourist. John’s colleagues were already making fun of him for being a “smiley American.” Apparently they get confused by us smiling at each other all of the time because in Singapore, a big toothy grin, or even just a little baby smile, toward a stranger usually means you’re interested (you know, in THAT way) in said stranger. 

So now of course, I’m totally scared to smile at anyone. Instead I just walk around scowling. Now I’m the angry American. Don’t look at me. Don’t touch me. Don’t smile at me. And definitely don’t stand on the same escalator step as me.

Topics: culture clash | 4 Comments »

4 Responses to “Excuse Me Sir, You’re Sitting in My Lap”

  1. errrka Says:
    July 17th, 2008 at 8:43 pm

    ahh ha! glad to see i’m not the only one out there posing the “bitch face” 😉

  2. agor Says:
    July 18th, 2008 at 1:06 am

    Have you been stuffed into a train by workers wearing white gloves? Let me know how that goes.

  3. dave Says:
    July 20th, 2008 at 4:23 am

    I’m standing right behind you.

  4. KShumaker Says:
    July 20th, 2008 at 10:51 am

    Same escalator step?! That’s asanine.

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