What's In a Name?

My hubby and I took this all day cultural training on Saturday. It was very helpful and informative. There is so much I can talk about but I'll start with names. It seems easy enough. However, in Singapore it's extra complicated. This is because there are a number of cultures all on this very small island. Unlike the United States, Singapore does not consider itself a "melting pot" but a place where people come from all over the world to live in harmony. The country is predominantly made up of 4 cultures: Western, Chinese, Indian and Malay. Each has its own name structure and it is important to know 1) Who you are speaking to and 2) How that person should be addressed.

Chinese: Chinese names are structured like so -- Family___Generational___First Name. So,
Tan Kheng Lee is not "Tan." He is Mr. Lee or Kheng Lee. The generation name is decided by the eldest member of the family. So, brothers/sisters and cousins will all share the same generational name.

My Chinese Name: Johnson Suzanne Alicia (this is what my checks say believe it or not!)

Malay: Malay names are structured like so -- Given Name___son of___Father's Given Name.
bin means "son of" and binti means "daughter of."

My Malay Name: Alicia binti Don :-)

Indian: Indian names are generational. If you are Sikh, your last name is automatically Singh. If you are not a member of the Sikh community your name is structured like so --
Grandfather's given name___Father's name___Your given name. Women take on a different name structure when they get married which is-- Your name/your husband's name__daughter of__ your father's name.

My Indian Name: AliciaMichael daughter of Don

So, as you can see, it all depends on who your talking to. I'm glad we learned this early on in our stay. Although the local people will excuse your rude behavior because they assume you don't know any better, knowing this information helps me understand why so many people call me Mrs. Alicia.

Safety in Singapore

In the subways of Singapore they show these mini "movies" on safety tips. Today was the first day I actually paid attention and was amazed. First, the video showed all the attacks in the last few years on subways like London and Mumbai. I mean, they don't just mention the attacks but show bloody victims and bodies and all the ugliness that went along with those tragedies. Then the video says "DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO US." After the blood comes the actors showing how we should be aware of our surroundings on the train, watch those who look suspicious and report any bags that are left alone.

Safety is a number one priority here. They don't mess around. I've been reading about the drug cartel activity and the drugs that are brought into the US. If you are caught with a large amount of drugs in Singapore, they hang you! As one unlucky American boy learned years ago, you are cained for graffiti or defacing property. The penalties for committing crimes are so high that people don't even risk it here.

I know these punishments sound extreme and they are but (the big BUT), something is working to keep this population of 4 million safe. It's a nice feeling to live in such a peaceful place. There are signs on every taxi here that say "Low crime doesn't mean no crime." It's a statement to remember. But I do enjoy walking to the corner at 1am to get yummy Chinese food. Safety has its perks!