Whenever you are moving to another country, even if it’s near in distance and quite similar culturally, there will still be things that you are not used to but that are the norm there. So imagine moving to another continent, from an Eastern country to a Western one where almost nothing looks, sounds or tastes familiar.
Michelle Tiang did just that and traveled from Singapore to Canada, where she has been living for 13 years. She still remembers the things that seemed weird when everyone was a stranger and she still wasn’t familiar with the surroundings and the customs there and shared them in a few TikTok videos.
More info: TikTok
This post may include affiliate links.
Heavy snow, the only time my garden looked as good as everyone else's.
Michelle Tiang is a Rodan + Fields consultant and a mom of three children. She has a following of 1.4 million people on TikTok where she shares videos sharing her life with her family, travels, cooking and taking part in various internet trends.
The woman is originally from Singapore and 13 years ago, she moved to Canada. Singapore is an island country in maritime Southeast Asia and Canada is the second biggest country in the world by land, located in North America.
You can imagine how different these two countries are. Canada is a Western country that isn’t homogenous itself, as it was home to indigenous people and, in the 16th century, was colonized by the British and the French.
Canada is stereotypically known for its very kind people, cold weather and maple syrup. It’s a bilingual country and promotes multiculturalism rather than cultural assimilation or a single national myth.
The country has the 8th largest economy in the world and according to historian Ian MacKay, Canada’s values are "egalitarianism, social equality, and peace.”
That is the worst feeling. Too hot for a sweater but too cold not for a sweater.
Uh..... not usually. At least not in Manitoba. We have the most impatient drivers.
Singapore, on the other hand, is an Asian country that has a history that lasts for at least a millennium, from when it was a maritime emporium known as Temasek. Singapore, too, was colonized by the British, but had a different cultural development from Canada because it combines European and Asian influences. Actually, Singapore has an even bigger cultural mix as it combines Chinese, Malay, Indian and various other ethnicities' cultural heritage.
Singapore is a developing country showing fast economic growth and is known for its fast-paced life in the metropolis where promising businesses are flourishing. The country is known for being a global financial center and being among the most densely populated places in the world.
Most "Singapore Noodles" are just Mei Fun with curry spice and veggies...which I believe originated in Hong Kong.
Both places are considered safe countries with low crime rates and high trust in the police force. They both have beautiful nature and many artworks to show off. However, similarities never jump out at you when you visit another country, but the differences always are painfully visible.
Michelle Tiang highlights some of those differences in her TikTok videos where she confesses her confusion about the climate in Canada or differences in English words she is used to vs what Canadians say.
Not sure if i grasped the meaning well, but i feel like i can relate from my experience being a slavic European in Taiwan for a while. It was like a 24/7 catwalk and i was a clumsy model.
We're taught that anyone 10 years older than you is to be addressed as uncle and aunt. As an adult, that gap stretches, but it's hard not to say uncle (especially) to older men in a business setting although, if you have a good eye for people you can judge who would see it as a sign of respect and who will see it as unprofessional.
Pointing out differences and learning the meaning behind them is always fun and it also challenges your mind because it makes you realize that the way you do things and live your life isn’t the only way and there may be better ones. It helps you appreciate not only the culture you are getting to know, but your own as well.
We would like to hear what surprised you about Canada from the things Michelle mentioned. What are some of your personal culture shocks you experienced when you went to Canada? Did you go to Singapore and learn new things there? Let us know in the comments!
I noticed that when my daughter was going to school. School is not the same as it used to be. I remember getting dumped with more than I could handle. It was actually a widespread problem a lot of students were having.
You got me at "handyplast". Haven't heard this name in Europe either [edit: spelling]
Very often clerks will have to finish some paperwork they did not unnecessarily keep the previous person for. Fair.
Some people look better pale, some tanned. Just use sunscreen people and don't overdose :)
I put on yoga pants once, but people kept throwing water on me and trying to drive me to the shore to release back into the ocean. Also, I'm a dude, so there's that.
Can someone run this through the "I'm 50 and old" filter for me? Is this roughly translated to "Whoa, I'm shook" or similar?
I’m Canadian and was confused by the last few where she’s standing in front of a screen. I’ve never heard any of those expressions. I clicked through to the tiktok and it’s titled “preparing my Canadian kids for Singapore”. So, those are about things said in Singapore, not Canada.
it's not surprising considering the levels of classism, societal pressure and judgement and censorship that seeps from every pore of Singapore. The people are lovely but dang, that place is two steps away from fascism...
Recently, the law which forbid gay sex was repealed so that's a start
Load More Replies... I’m Canadian and was confused by the last few where she’s standing in front of a screen. I’ve never heard any of those expressions. I clicked through to the tiktok and it’s titled “preparing my Canadian kids for Singapore”. So, those are about things said in Singapore, not Canada.
it's not surprising considering the levels of classism, societal pressure and judgement and censorship that seeps from every pore of Singapore. The people are lovely but dang, that place is two steps away from fascism...
Recently, the law which forbid gay sex was repealed so that's a start
Load More Replies...