Though physically small, Singapore

is an economic giant. It has been

Southeast Asia's most modern city
for over a century. The city blends
Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian and
English cultures and religions.
In the city, there is no need for a car.
Public transportation is excellent and
walking is a good way to explore the
city . All major attractions are also
accessible by tour bus. Since the city is
only 60 miles (100k) from the equator,
the tropical temperatures do not vary
much. Rainfall is fairly evenly
distributed through the year.
Singapore is a cosmopolitan society where
people live harmoniously and interaction
among different races are commonly
seen. The pattern of Singapore stems from
the inherent cultural diversity of the island.
The immigrants of the past have given the
place a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Indian,
and European influences, all of which have
intermingled.
Each racial group has its own
distinctive religion and there are
colorful festivals of special
significance all year round.
Although the festivals are special to
certain races, it is nonetheless
enjoyed by all.
Most Singaporeans celebrate the major festivals
associated with their respective religions. The variety
of religions is a direct reflection of the diversity of
races living there. The Chinese are predominantly
followers of Buddhism, Taoism, Shenism, Christians,
Catholics and some considered as 'free-thinkers'
(Those who do not belong to any religion). Malays
have the Muslims and Indians are Hindus. There is a
sizeable number of Muslims and Sikhs in the Indian
population.
Chinese Temples
Islam
Hinduism
Christianity
Others
Chinese Temples
Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and ancestral worship
are combined into a versatile mix in Chinese temples.
Followers of the Tao (The Way) adhere to the teachings of
the ancient Chinese legend, Lao Tzu. They are concerned
with the balance of the Yin and Yang, which are opposite
forces of heaven and earth, male and female. Feng Shui,
literally translated as wind and water, also originated from
Yin and Yang. Ancestral worship is common and the spirits
of the dead, like the gods themselves, are appeased with
offerings.
Most Buddhists are of the Mahayana school although there
are some from the Theravada school. In Singapore, the
Buddhist faith is linked with Taoism and the practical
doctrine of Confucianism.
Islam
The Malays in Singapore are Muslims. A few of the
Indians are also Muslims, but even more uncommon
are the Chinese Muslims.
Islam has a fundamental influence in the lives of those
who follow the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad. The
religion involves praying five times a day, eating only
"halal" food, fasting during Ramadan, and going to
Mecca on the Haj (pilgrimage). Halal food means food
that has been specially prepared as according to the
religion's dietary requirements.
Hinduism
As the Indian immigrants migrate to
Singapore, they brought with them
Hinduism. The early temples are
still the central points of rituals
and festivals, which are held
throughout the year.
Christianity
One will be able to find Christian churches of all
denominations in Singapore. They were actually
established with the arrival of various missionaries
after the coming of Sir Stamford Raffles. Together
with Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism, Christianity
is considered one of the four main religions today.
There is quite a large number of Christians on the
island.
Others
Minority faiths are not forgotten. There
are at least two synagogues for the Jews
and Sikhs. The Zoroastrians and Jains
are also represented in Singapore.
 The four official languages of Singapore
are Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and
English. English is the most common
language used and is the language
which unites the different ethnic
groups. Children are taught in English
at school but also learn their mother
tongue to make sure they don't lose
contact with their traditions.

xpatriates and foreigners may encounter language
problems in the beginning of their stay in Singapore as
many Singaporeans use Singlish to communicate.
Singlish is a mix of English with other languages mixed
into the English, sometimes phrases can end with
funny terms like 'lah', 'leh', mah'. Chinese commonly
use their own dialects to communicate, and
sometimes, inter-dialect groups don't understand one
another's language, as the language is vastly different.
Except for Hokkien and Teochew, which have a closer
link. The Malays use the language among their fellow
races and the Indians speak Tamil. But whatever the
race or religion, the country's community unite as one
nation, where most religious or racial gaps are being
bridged.
 Singapore English has its origins in the schools of
colonial Singapore. In the nineteenth century very
few children went to school at all, and even fewer
were educated in English. The people who spoke
English and sent their children to English medium
schools were mainly the Europeans, the Eurasians
(people of mixed racial ancestry), some of the
small minorities, such as the Jews, some of the
Indians and Ceylonese, and also a group of
Chinese people usually called the Straits Chinese,
who had ancestors of long residence in the region,
and who spoke a variety of Malay usually called
Baba Malay which was influenced by Hokkien
Chinese and by Bazaar Malay.
 Singapore English grew out of the English of the
playground of these children of various linguistic
backgrounds who were learning English at school.
As more and more of its people experienced
learning English at school, English became widely
spoken, alongside Singapore's many other
languages. Since Singapore became an
independent Republic in 1965, the use of English
has increased still further. For many Singaporeans,
English is the main language. Many families speak
English at home and it is one of the the first
languages learnt by about half of the current pre-
school children.
Singlish
Singapore English usually come from other
languages spoken in Singapore, especially
Malay and Hokkien. Speakers of Singlish are
not necessarily aware of which language
they are from however.
Example:
 habis - finished
 makan - to eat
 chope - to reserve something
 cheem - difficult, complicated
 ang mo - a white person
 rojak - mixed, a mix of
 liao - finished, the end
 kiasu - afraid to lose mentality
 Speakers of Singlish will usually end his
sentence with a distinctive
exclamation. The three most common
are ah, lah, ley and what.
Examples:
 OK lah, bye bye.
 Don't like that lah.
 You are going there ah?
 No parking lots here, what.
 The price is too high for me lah.
 And then how many rooms ah?
 It is very troublesome ley.
 Don't be like that ley!
 I'm not at home lah. That's why ah.
 The Rose of
Singapore
 This book is an autobiographical account of the times
that Lee Kuan Yew lived in. It spans the years 1923 to
1966 and gives first hand glimpses of Singapore during
the British Colonial rule, the horrors of the Second
World War, the cruel occupation by the Japanese,
freedom from the British, merger with Malaysia,
followed finally by the expulsion of Singapore from the
Malay Union.
 The conversational and intimate style of story-telling
make the descriptions poignant: when LKY describes
domestic hardships during Japanese occupation, when
he describes how he is unable to cope as a student in
London, when he narrates the political struggles of an
emerging leader who is trying to appeal to a culturally
diverse population, such examples abound. Intricate
details like the process of glue-making for a makeshift
business during the World War or details about how
he learnt a local language well enough to sound
convincing to the native speakers, come directly from a
man who has a sharp mind, is hands-on and is
completely grounded.