Our own people, our own language 8/1/2004 9:20:52 PM
We caught up with some Australian friends in Singapore yesterday.
It made me realise how comforting, enjoyable and relaxing it is to spend time with people who speak the same language, understand the same smart ass remarks, understand and appreciate, satire, irony and ambiguity.
There have been many instance of people complaining that foreigners tend to stick together when they move to another country. Well, as a New Zealander living in Singapore I fully understand why they stick together. The only time I get to speak English with ease is when I am with my New Zealand, Australian, English and South African friends. I don't have to be careful about word choice, diction, or misunderstanding, and I don't have to speak slowly so that they can understand. Yes, English is widely spoken in Singapore, but I have an accent which apparently makes it hard for the local people to understand me.
Yes, I have Singaporeans friends here, but with my own native English speaking friends I can totally relax. That's why people who move overseas tend to stick together. There is a great deal of comfort is spending time with people who understand you and with whom you can freely communicate.
Until you have lived in another country, it is not possible to fully understand this.
