Job Discussion Forums

[nonganT]

John,

thanks for the greeting and the website address. hope you have a good 4 july vacation.

take care

nonganT

[myesl]

nonganT

The comments people made about Singapore before you posted were as tame as could be compared to what people tend to say about many countries. And they were talking about their experience. They didn't say "My friend said there was pee on all the toilet seats." I can feel the spit on my face as you talk. Calm down and learn that people don't have to agree with you.

[double agent]

I was perplexed when I read this post.
Then I paused just for a moment.

And I thought, the original pee post must have been
written by an extremely sheltered upper middle class american, or
Canadian. Absolute very first time away from mummy and daddy.

That even on a Friday night when he-she went to a movie theatre back
home they had good clean sanitary toliets in their HOOD.
That even back home, the local McDonalds, didn�t have kids� parents holding them over the handwash sink so the toddlers could pee right next to you, yes in the sink. And yes they missed.

I have even seen shhhittt on the walls in some petrol station washrooms.
No soap, no paper, no water to even flush the thing. Just an aroma, and yes the grafitti of how good BOB is at giving ..hh eee aa ddd..
and how SHELIA from Australia really wants it so call her.

I have to ask, and maybe you will indulge us all. To the original pee poster WHeRE ArE YoU FrOM, cause I want to live in a pee free state too.

Every city I have been in, worldwide has missing toliet seats, no water,
swarms of flies, worms crawling on the walls of the toliet (ASIA special),
rats not far off. Really where do you live. I am thinking of exploring this place you are from to discuss this international problems of the LOO.

[myesl]

I am not the First Ancestor of Pee (ie original poster), but I wanted to respond to you anyway. Before I start I should also note that I have never been to Singapore, but I have lived for a year or more each in three large East Asian cities (pop.: millions) and one small one, in three countries.

No, I have never encountered such environs in my native land. I'm sure they likely exist, but I am just as sure that they are not the norm. While I have also not encountered the "every" toilet seat with pee situation the Original Man O'Pee did, I am no more willing to debate the lack of cleanliness in East Asia than I am to debate, say, my assertion that Americans are more likely to chew gum while talking to someone than people from East Asia. It seems clear to me.

I don't know where you're from (though your vocabulary narrows it some), but I've met people from all six English speaking countries in the foreign lands I've lived and none of them felt things all too clean.

At home I've never heard of anyone's kid peeing in the sink or someone spreading poop on the walls unless the latter was part of some sort of criminal act. Does that regularly happen where you're from? I have seen mothers helping their 3-5 year old boy pee into a soda can on a moving train in Korea, dog crap all over the place in Taiwan, and pit toilets (holes, not composters) in "modern" Japan, and many other such things. The bathrooms are generally quite bad indeed.

My first post here was to our friend from Singapore -- a place I'd love to visit someday -- simply pointing out that people will and do criticize places. If it's not already obvious where I am from, I'm from somewhere people criticize constantly, even though their facts are often totally wrong and I merely said "Hello" or "你好" or "今日は" to them. I don't think cleanliness is a bad thing

[double agent]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[myesl]

Succinctly, my point was the following: East Asia is in my experience a lot dirter than America, _generally speaking_.

The vocab issue was just part of other comments I made in that post which were hints at where I am from (USA) which I was merely mentioning since you suggested that the original poster was a sheltered upper class Ameican or Canadian. I deifnitely did not grow up "upper middle class". I would say middle class, though I think the statistics (if their is an official designation of such things) would likely peg me as having grown up lower middle class. My overseas living experience was mentioned simply because I wish to suggest I am not sheltered.

Of course, in a sense, I do shelter myself. Wherever I go -- I've lived in three US states and visited more than 40 -- at home or abroad I do stay away fromt the seedier places. I try to stay at decent places and go to mainstream places. Mainstream for folks who live there.

I believe the original poster (who I don't know) was simply responding to someone's question about whether or not Singapore was a good place to go. To give a different example, I've lived in Taiwan twice for a total of 2 and a half years. I'd like to go back. But if you ask me to tell you about that country, one thing, among others, I will tell you is that it's freakin' dirty. It is a consideration, among many others.

If you think everywhere in the world is _on average_, not in extremes, equally dirty, then there's nothing to discuss; we just have opposite views on a subjective matter.

Enjoy

[chi-chi-]

I just wanted to say...thank ya'll for making me laugh. This thread made my day, which was much needed after being on the Japan forum, which has all the ambiance (sigh, sp?) of a sterile hospital being run by corrupt, money grubbing organizations.
"You don't have enough money to pay? And your grammar's not proper either. Damn thee."
I may just consider teaching in this country if I ever go back overseas. For what it's worth, many people I know consider it to be too sterile (their opinion, not mine) but to me, it seems like one of the most worthwhile places in Asia to visit.

[Big John Stud]

Singapore is like any other place in Asia with its ups and downs. however with all do respect I disagree with Kathvit, Singapore is one of the most excting places I have ever had the pleasure to teach and live in!

The nightlife is extremely exciting! So if you are young and high spirited come on down! !

[Ki]

All six English speaking countries? I know that un/official status varies but I wonder which of the main ones you disagree with. Ireland?

[abiollo]

Dear kathvit,

Are you still in Singapore? My family is thinking about moving to Singapore too. I have a 6 year old son and he's turning 7 next month.
How's the singporean school for your kids ?
Do you work for MOE (Ministry of Education)?

I read some negative posts about working for MOE from Job Information Journal before and I cannot get onto that site anymore.
The posts were couple years outdated though.

Can anyone update the working situation with MOE?

Any information you can give will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.