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It has been nine months since I moved to Singapore and started working for BrandsFever. I remember my collagues taking me to dinner one day. They ordered Tom-yum for me and told me that this is all that I can eat from now on. That was a joke of course.

Singapore is a very expat friendly country. After 10+ years of living in İstanbul, it is almost effortless to survive here. The biggest difficulty I have faced is the cultural difference. I have grown up to believe that I was the eastern guy. Only after living here for a while, I realized that I was western. Without a doubt.

Communication is more indirect and subtle here. Our way of to-the-point talking usually goes overboard, fails to convey your message and you end up where you have started. This was quite frustrating for me at the beginning. I still haven’t mastered the art. But I have come to realize that I am just a guest here, a stranger and therefore I am the one who should learn and to adopt.

I have quoted a dialogue from Outliers below to give you a better idea of what I am writing about:

Kwacang (boss): It's cold and I'm kind of hungry.
(meaning: Why don't you buy a drink or something to eat?)

Mr. Kim (employee): How about having a glass of liquor?
(meaning: I will buy liquor for you)

Kwacang (boss): It's okay. Don't bother.
(meaning: I will accept your offer if you repeat it)

Mr. Kim (employee): You must be hungry. How about going out?
(meaning: I insist upon treating you)

Kwacang (boss): Shall I do so?
(meaning: I accept)

Also there are certain things that will probably catch you off-guard if you are unfamiliar with asian culture. In western world, no sometimes means yes. Here, yes sometimes means no. In fact, for me, yes has just been a polite no more often than not. Possibly because I am such an Ang mo.

Something interesting happened just this morning. When I was riding the elevator the gentleman told me it is floor 3, when it stopped the the third floor. This is kind of like a big gesture here, he saved me from the embarrasment. Because as it usually happens you dash out of the elevator and if it’s not the ground floor you make a fool of yourself. I think this elegance is the defining characteristic of the eastern culture.

It has been nine months since I moved to Singapore and started working for BrandsFever. I remember my collagues taking me to dinner one day. They ordered Tom-yum for me...