Singapore Has Made Us Different, BUT HOW? // Two And A Half Years On Expats Discuss What's Changed
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- After two and a half years here in Singapore we wondered if it's changed us? Has the culture and environment started to rub off on us now? Have we changed the way we do things because of living here for so long? Take a listen and find out what thoughts we have around this.
Let us know if you now live in a different country and have noticed things you do now that you never used to do. If you've been following our channel for a while maybe you can tell us if YOU think we've changed?
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Thank for this video. I’m 80 years old & I have lived & worked in many countries. My experience taught me that life is what we make of it. Always be positive & turn negatives to positive. 30 years ago I worked & lived in NYC, Manhattan - near Penn station. There was racial discrimination against Afro-Americans. In the office the White people work with the Black people to get work done. After work they don’t socialise. Usually on Friday evening after work we go for a drink - the white people formed a group & the black people form another group. To fit in, I go with the White group one Friday & the next Friday I go with the black group. I was shocked to here a couple of young white ladies saying “the company was wasting money send a young black guy to training. It’s sad.
In Singapore there is no racism - all races & religions treat each other with respect. It’s a great country.
Singapore is also a good base to travel around South East Asia. It would be a great experience to catch a train from Singapore to Bangkok, with overnight stays in some cities along the way.
Good luck enjoy your life in Singapore.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences 😊 humanity needs to learn to love and forgive.. it’s hard I guess. The Singapore to Bangkok on a train trip sounds really interesting! We’ll have to check it out!!
Seen quite a few of your videos. Both of you are cautious and respectful of your comments here. Your honest views will win you lots of respect & friends. Enjoy your stay here.😅😊
Thanks for your kind comment. We take the time to reply as it’s a part of making these videos we’ve come to love. Building a little community and hearing stories from people all adds to it.
My daughter is back in Singapore studying at the Uni and you are absolutely right, she switches from an American accent to Singlish depending on who she speaks to. Glad you folks are enjoying yourself and your kids have assimilated well too.
I do find accents very fascinating/ hope she’s settled into Uni life here ☺️
Great to know your family and how well you have settled down and loving Singapore.
Wishing you and your loved ones, A Blessed Christmas & Happy 2023! 👍🙌
Thank you - the same to your family 😀
Enjoy your channel's wholesome family adventures. Great that you have been open to immerse yourself in local culture.
Thanks Wendy!
Hi Jonty, Could see that you & your family are assimilating well into Sg and our local culture. Best Wishes to you all for a Very Blessed & Joyous Merry Christmas & A Very Blessed Successful & Happy 2023.
Thank you for your kind comment, a very happy Christmas to you too!
Yes, Millie, definitely saw the change in your confidence. Watched Wonderlust from the beginning till now. You used to have shy-smile and spoke lesser leaving most of the talking to Jonty. But now, you are often seen smiling broadly and roaming the island confidently. So glad to know that Jonty, you, Milo and Aspen are feeling at home. Merry Christmas to you all!!!
Aww thank you for these kind words 😌 Happy Christmas to you too!
Enjoy hearing how you both have adapted to life here and changed. Code switching is so normal - I had to do that when I visited UK else couldn't be understood! Merry Christmas and God bless!
Thanks for taking time to comment. You do have to switch certain things and phrases to get understood sometimes. Even accents throw me off in Singapore sometimes.
Hey, first time watching your UA-cam video. Enjoyed every bit of it as you both had been very candid in sharing your thoughts. I could also see great chemistry between the two of you. Love your accent too. Keep up the good work! Will be watching more of your past videos.
Aww thank you! Hope you enjoy our other videos.
Great to have you in Singapore!
Aw thank you so much ☺️
We stumbled upon your channel and we enjoy your videos very much.
We left Singapore in 2001 to live in Melbourne and thru' your videos are reminded of what we experienced when we were living there.
When we left Singapore, we were in our mid forties. The last time we were in Spore was in 2019 just before the pandemic. Through your videos, we get to see the new Singapore through young eyes. And by the way, your kids are lovely!
We will be back in Singapore in a week's time to spend time with my 100 years old father.
Keep up the good work!
I look forward to more of your postings!
Wow thank you so much for getting in touch. I know I replied to your email but honestly thank you for your support, we really do appreciate it. Have an amazing time here!
Jonty, we live in Pakenham, about 55 km east of Melbourne, not too from Phillip Island. Your book The local immigrant is not available in our local library network. So I have requested that they purchase your book and make it available for borrowing and to put in in their catalogue. Who knows, hopefully it will lead to greater exposure for your book here in this part of Australia!
Thank you so much!
So glad that you guys have blended in into our culture well 😊
Thanks - I think you’d miss so much if you didn’t. And that goes for any country.
Congratulations 🎉on 7k sub ! I do enjoy your channel 🌈
Thank you - we appreciate your continued support!
Grats on 7k! 🎉🎉 😄 Hope you'll meet your target of 10k! Tis close to Christmas so here's wishing you guys and your kids a Merry Christmas 🎄🎇 and Happy Holidays! ☃☃
On eating out. Yes, weight gain is inevitable if meals are taken / bought from outside daily and there's input, no output; exercises, etc. The culprits are always the noodles, bread, thick soups, food and drinks that are sweet and oily. Things to watch out for. In addition, the time meals are taken and the amount is also a factor.
Thanks for the congratulations 🎉 happy holidays to you too.
I honk in our first year here we ate more as we’d missed certain foods but then realised we can have it whenever so slowed down a bit 😂 a mix of coking at home and take out seems to be a healthier balance for us. We defiantly walk more here though not having a car.
I can see your confidence Millie and it warms my heart. How you present your vlog and your writing I feel so proud. Jonty I can feel you are ‘home’. I know you would fit it anywhere as you are very sociable but being in Singapore has shown me another part of you.
The kids are growing and changing too. I loved sharing time with them on my visit. They are more confident within themselves and the opportunities presented are awesome.
We are all changed when we make our way out into the world. Of course I’d love to be able to be closer in distance, but I feel our connection continues in strength.
Love mum 💜🦋
Aww thank you Mummy ❤️ love you, glad you can see what we get up to through this channel too.
Nice growth on the subs! 10k in 2023 is a definite possibility!
Aww thanks! Good to hear from you again.
Congrats on your 7K subs. Happy holidays guys 😊
Thank you - happy holidays to you too
I read the comments too and i agree i love how you are both respectful and balanced in your comments n not doing anything too dramatic for views.
Aww thank you 😀
You know you’re so right about the switching of accents, Jonty and Millie! We moved to Melbourne when our son was 11 and when he returned to Singapore for National service at 18, he was a 100% Aussie kid with heavy Aussie accent. He then picked up Singlish again after 2 years. He can now switch between Singlish and Aussie English easily anytime depending who he is speaking to, that’s really interesting! When we were living in Melbourne, we hardly had our meals outside because of the high prices and there wasn’t any hawker centres there. Here in Singapore, we don’t really need to look hard at the price list and just order like nobody’s business, I meant in the hawker centres, not those fine dinning setup though 😅
I do find accents fascinating. Ah yes some restaurants you gotta check the prices! How did he find coming back to do national service?
This was an incredibly sweet video. I've watched you all since the beginning!! Wow, the years have flown by haha. And well done on your 7k+ subs!!! Last time I saw it was 4k (I think) 🎆
Thank you! Always nice to see your familiar name pop up in our comments 😊
I'm a few months late in a watching this video but I like your comments and am happy that your family has given us hours of enjoyable vlogs of Singapore. Change is good as long as you're happy!
Switching accents is a funny but a wonderful ability of the mind. My daughter who went to university in Scotland and never returned home to England to live, speaks like a local there but when she's home, automatically speaks English without the accent. It's so strange!! On the other hand, my son who has lived in Spain for the past 14 years hasn't acquired a Spanish accent although he speaks it fluently! Love seeing Milo's and Aspen's antics. So nice to see them grow up. Keep up the interesting vlogs which I look forward to very much. Thank you !
Aww thanks for such a lovely comment and sticking with our channel. Accents are so fascinating! I know I (Millie) say the odd word with a local or international/ American accent!
Have been following you guys from pretty much the start of your new life in Singapore and have enjoyed the ride enormously. I think you both seem more relaxed these days which is totally understandable ;)
It's great to watch your kids grow ... my grand daughters are also 7 and 9 and I wonder how they would go in a totally different environment.
Anyway, I love your humility, and charm. Keep up the great work.
Merry Christmas to you all x
Hello Anne, thank you for your support. Always nice to see a familiar name pop up in our comments. We are proud of our two and how they have adapted to life here. Happy Christmas to you and your family too!
Our hawker food are pretty affordable and inexpensive. Of course if one often eats at restaurant, it'll definitely make food seems expensive in Singapore. There are plenty of shops around HDB neighbourhood which sells fruits cheaper than the supermarkets.
Next year frequenting the local markets for fruits and veg will be more of a priority 😀 hoping one nearer to our place opens in the next year, some HDB blocks are completing soon.
Always enjoy your channel. Love your comments and your frankness. Hope you get to your goal of 10 k subscribers
Thanks so much! Appreciate your sub 😀
Always loved watching videos of your family lives n adventures. U are an inspiration to others. Keep striving forward in the coming years. 👏👏👏
Thank you for your kind words!
Excellent video, and so thoughtful - many thanks. There are so many detailed comments that I would love to make that it would be a very long comment! I'm writing this on a wet, grey day just before Christmas in the UK and wishing I was somewhere warmer. Enjoy your Christmas in Singapore.
Hey there Tom, nice to hear from you again. Hope you’re staying dry in the Uk, I think it’s starting to heat up a little according to my Mum’s weather reports 😅 happy Christmas to you too
@@WONDERLUSTworld Certainly warmer than it was a week ago. But our daughter lives in Mississippi in the US. They’re only on the southern edge of the extreme cold that’s sweeping the US, but even they’ve got temperatures of -11°C last night and tonight.
Wow!! We have just been away - do look out for our new episodes to see the weather we encountered! Hejeh
Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Merry christmas. Been watching your videos some friday mornings in the mrt since the kids were small...
Always a familiar name on our comments 😃 thank you for your continued support.
Hi, Singapore can be quite cheap if you know where to eat and both of you have given my wife and i plenty of places to try when we next visit Singapore, don't worry about the trains being 3 minutes between them, try 40minutes or not at all in Victoria Australia , Thanks again for the UA-cam delights and keep the Kids involved with everything you do, it's a great life experience for them that will help them later on in life Philltheflyer
Hey again! Yes 5 mins wait for a train isn’t really that long 😂 funny how things change like that. When I grew up in the Uk in the countryside there was ONE bus every 45 mins so if you missed that, tough! Happy holiday planning!
There are pros and cons in every country but somehow the system in Singapore isn't perfect but it works well and most importantly, Singapore government is very efficient.
There are indeed - from what we’ve seen and experienced as a family here it’s been positive. We know others have different experiences - as in any country, we’re here to share ours and the wonder no matter what. Thanks for your support.
@@WONDERLUSTworld no worries. I travel to a few countries and usually stay there from 3 to 6 months and I tend to observe how the country works and etc. I too will share my view with my overseas local friends. Merry Christmas to you guys.
It takes time to get to know the country and the people. Singapore fits well with us as a family 😀 good to experience other countries too.
@@WONDERLUSTworld S'pore is a good place for an individual or family.
Nice vlog on the subject of reflection on life.
Actually, I feel it's not that you've changed because of moving to Singapore over time, but more like being influenced by the surroundings and culture. All the same, it's nice to notice one's changes and reflect on whether it's for the better or otherwise.
Here's wishing you all (including your extended families):
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023!!!
MAY ALL THINGS PLEASANT, SWEET & NICE (PLUS HEALTH) FOLLOW YOU ALWAYS!!!
😉😁😆
Thank you 😊 a very happy Christmas to you too and here’s to a great 2023!
Hello Millie and Jonty !
Change is a fact of life, it's handling them well that makes a difference to how you live. I love watching your channel because there's a strong sense of being positive, you both are unafraid of assimilating, embracing Singapore with open minds (warts and all) and with much sensitivity. So lovely to see your kids growing up with an invaluable perspective to a country and the people.
Speaking with a local accent isn't bad thing, just necessary, and as you said, it pretty much depends on who you're conversing with. If I spoke grammatically correct English to some people here I would come off like a snob, and the look on their faces would reflect "waaaah lau, this woman got potato in her mouth or whaaaat ???!!!". Potato to mean eating too much of it and sounding Caucasian 😄
🌲🌲🌲Have a wonderful Christmas, much success in 2023, more happy adventures exploring Singapore and the regions around us🌲🌲🌲
Thanks for taking the time to write this comment. A potato in your mouth?! That phrase made me chuckle. 😅 a very happy Christmas to you! Excited to see what’s in store next year.
@@WONDERLUSTworld ❤
Go to Jurong Lake Garden. 5 star nature
We would love to go back! Chinese gardens is beginning to open again too!
Please keep going. Love ur contents. Believe it or not u have been to more local spots than me.
Haha we’ve heard that a few times!
After watching several videos I keep thinking Jonty reminds me of someone but I couldn’t recall who. Now I remember… Jonty, to me the way you sound reminds me of this former radio DJ, the late Chris Ho.
We’re not sure who he is. I did find a video of him on UA-cam - which aspects of him remind you of Jonty?
@@WONDERLUSTworld I think it’s his voice and the way he speaks. Not exactly alike, but it just reminds me of him.
I’ll take a listen!
For health reasons, do not eat out too often. Food from hawker centers are more sweet/salty.
Yeah can be 😀
WowLaoEh 😳 your........... . .
*Bhudda jumpin over the wall EARS !*
Longing for Longevity, If I *must* spew !
😊 🙏🏻
Thanks….I think!
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks!!
rent a car, do a road trip to Sunway Lagoon themepark in KL, Malaysia. you can do your bit of driving, wifey shopping, kids be nuts in the themepark
That sounds fun. Hiring a car would definitely mean we could get around a bit more and I do like the sound of a road trip!
my 9yr old sends me GIFs all the time as well - its annoying. I too have a 9yr old and a 7yr old. I noticed the change in Milo's accent! Can't believe which video it was but I remember going "what's wrong with Milo's accent" Milo sounds more "British" in older videos (I've been watching since you guys were planning to move to Singapore). Congrats on 7k subs!
Thanks for your continued support! The odd word from Milo slips out in a different accent and I find in particular it’s when he’s learnt a new word with the accent of his teacher it sticks more.
☺👍👍
Thank you!
Millie looks younger now than 2 yrs ago
Well thank you - you’re my new favourite subscriber 😂
There are no 1 complete perfect country in the would and Singapore is not one of them. But we are try to do whatever is right n comfortable. Each n everyone have it own like n adaption so I hope u guy find Singapore is the one for you. Thanks for sticking around here. Do contribute n progress with us. Greeting from a Singaporean. Merry Christmas.
Thank you for getting in touch. We find Singapore fits with our family life and values very well. Happy Christmas to you and here’s to a great 2023.
@@WONDERLUSTworld good to know
Waits 20 mins for a train in UK : "Ah, That's normal"
Waits 5 mins for a train in SG : "5 minutes!!!!??? What's taking you guys so long"
hahahah
😂😂 that’s truth right there!! Heheh
Yes to brollies in the sun ... skin cancer is a thing!
Gotta stay safe…and cool!
turn more materialistic??
I don’t think so. We have a money savings plan and look to buy second hand where we can for most things.
Whot?!!! 2.5yrs already!!!! Time is insane.
Some recent events made a blow to my language confidence. I wasn't able to switch to proper English as smoothly as me making online comments when american customers appeared. 😭😭😭
3rd world sgreans/foreigners gotta be the most glaring negative experiences, i guess. Putting feet up on seats in public transport, talking loudly in public transport, smokers drowning bus stops n walkways in 2nd hand smoke, old ppl spitting everywhere etc.
It does seem to have passed quite quickly!
All those people that you mentioned existed everywhere in every country.
@@kamariahabdrahim6963
Japan: am i a joke to u?
Yes you’ll always find some I guess.
No perfect World or Utopia only in Heaven. Our life on Earth is temporal and we are just passing through.
36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:36-38
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
We want to explore as much of the world He made as possible!
@@WONDERLUSTworld
Yes, God wants us to….however, in
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25-26
14 For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven.
15 With Jesus’ help we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of his name.
16 Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to him.
Hebrews 13:15-16
Always putting Him first ❤️
UK is under going changes after brexit. With Ukraine war, things are upside-down. Power issues, strikes and all that. Here is more predictable at the moment. Hope u guys are happy.
Hey Kenny, we’re very happy here in singapore. Rising costs in the UK have had an impact on our friends and family there.
Awesome video! You are absolutely right, in most major western cities, it will be very hard pressed to eat out often on most income. Btw I have lived in both NYC and Singapore, and it's not even close. I think even a city like Geneva is way more expensive. That said if you own a car in Singapore that will push up the cost of living quite a bit. Outside of that, Singapore is actually very affordable.
Thanks. It also comes down to how you choose to live and shop. I’d love to visit NYC one day!