john'stravels

8/6/2019 John'sTravels

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Johns

TravelsCharacterizationJohn a Bri'sh na'onal who arrived on Singapore, assigned on a one-year job a9achment

as a journalist. Ini'ally, he felt uneasy and uncomfortable about the prospect residing forsuch a long period of 'me in a foreign country. However as he came across certain people inthe country, he had gradually assimilated into the society and learnt a lot more about thelocals and their perspec'ves about the inux of foreigners, much to his own surprise.Nonetheless, the journey for John was not at all smooth-sailing; in fact he was treated withpeculiar hos'lity in his workspace before he uncovered the true reason behind it.

Terry the local Singaporean who had previously went abroad to study in Britain, and wasthe rst person that John got to know in Singapore. Friendly and helpful, Terry got to knowmore about John, and in reciprocate, introduced a lot more about himself and the local

culture and society of Singapore to John, which turned out to be some valuable pieces ofadvice to John, who certainly did not an'cipate the culture-shock later on.

Taxi Driver the typical Singapore who was rather strong-headed about the immigra'onpolicy, voicing his adamant disapproval to the inux of foreigners, much to the surprise ofJohn, who was slightly taken aback by the extent of misunderstanding between the locals

and the foreign expats. Apparently, the taxi driver was a vic'm of the inux of foreigners,which as a result he lost his previous job posi'on.

Bri0any another Bri'sh expat who had resided in Singapore for more than ve years. In

contrast to John, she felt totally comfortable and at home in this foreign land, and had madea lot of local friends from differing cultures and races. Her presence made John felt morecomfortable as she soon became a good friend of John, who was also willing to share hiswoes and worries with. Moreover, Bri9any was also a point of contact between John andthe locals, as with her help and assistance, John was able to quickly assimilate into the local

society and even befriended locals from different cultural background.

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Themes

Adapta5on

This short story is focused on the perspec've of a foreigner, who was rather

reluctant and uncertain of the prospect of living in a foreign land. It also uncovers the

troubles and difficul'es faced by a foreigner when set foot upon an unfamiliar ground.

Furthermore, this short story also shows that much of the doubts and worriment were

actually developed from the state of a hesitant mind, as it revealed that it was nothing

challenging about adap'ng to a foreign country.

Addi'onally, the short story depicts adapta'on from numerous aspects, such as

befriending locals as well as gePng to know expats from the same na've country.

Importantly, adapta'on is also about understanding the mentality of the locals, as well as

their thoughts and perspec've to many touchy issues, such as the inux of foreigners.

Adapta'on is also portrayed as a need to empathize with the locals, and ensuring that no

misunderstandings could develop between the locals and foreigners.

Mul5culturalism

This short story also illustrate how different cultures can integrate into one, and

how people from different background, by it race or religion, are able to socialize with each

other and understand one another. One example was the integra'on or rather the

acceptance and apprecia'on of other cultures by enjoying their par'cular delicacies, as in

how foreign expat Bri9any enjoyed Chinese food such as popiah, as well as a mul'cultural

food such as rojak , which was a dis'nc've example in depic'ng how different cultures can

integrate through many diverse aspects, and food is simply one prominent representa'on

of a mul'cultural state.

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Johns Travels

Chapter 1: The Stranger

The rejuvenating rush of cool rush of air from the air-conditioning system instantly

heightened Johns sensitivity to his surroundings. For the first time since stepping out of the

airplane, John realized he was in Singapore a foreign land he had never set foot upon

before. Must be the effect of the long, stifling hours of boredom from the flight, or perhaps it

was jet lag, John thought. Desperately craving for a cup of warm, tantalizing coffee, John

trudged his way to Starbucks, en route he was bewildered by the splendid grandeur of the

Changi Airports dcor. Wow, what a magnificently beautiful airport, John breathed. Perhaps it

was not so much of a wonderment of the stylistic interior d cor; instead John was pleasantlytaken aback by the modernization of this tiny island nation. It was a pleasing surprise for John,

whose friends and family in his hometown of Merseyside often spoke of Singapore as the

little red dot, apparently there was more than what meets the eye, he thought. Momentously,

John remembered his purpose of visit as he went past the Times Bookstore he was on a

one-year job attachment as a journalist, or at least that was what he thought he was, since his

job as a journalist was much more flexible, and was more than just reporting on happenings

of the world.

+ Nonetheless, being his first overseas job attachment, undoubtedly John felt an

overwhelming sense of apprehension since this was his first visit to a foreign land. Never

trust a foreigner, John recalled his mother warning him. Even though John had a map of

Singapore in his hands, he felt lost and slightly misplaced. Homesickness probably, he thought.

Nevertheless, the prospect of promotion and an increase in salary was adequate to tempt

John into embarking this overseas job attachment. Brace yourself; John told himself silently,

one year will be over in a blink of an eye. However, such form of self-assurance did little in

stirring up confidence in John, as he was still timorous at the prospect of residing in a foreign

country for a year.

+ After grabbing his desired cup of Starbucks coffee, John immediately hastened his

footsteps to collect his luggage. After waiting and searching for a few minutes along the

conveyer belt, John finally sighted his orange-brownish Samsonite, and desperately trying to

utilize his remaining strength to heave the overwhelming load onto the trolley, but it was a futile

attempt. Exhaustion had evidently gotten into John. Suddenly, a pair of hands appearedseemingly out of nowhere, which grabbed Johns hefty luggage apparently with relative ease,

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and placed it gently onto Johns trolley. John was slightly taken aback by such a friendly

gesture, and turned to face the Good Samaritan. He was surprised to be in the countenance of

an Asian, probably a local Singaporean, John inferred. Thanks a lot, looks like without your

help I wouldnt be able to get my luggage for some time John expressed his heartfelt

gratitude to the stranger, whom replied with a laugh, No problem, first time in Singapore?

+ Perhaps it was his native country where the English people were not particularly in

favour Asians, and John had heard his fair share of accusations of Asians being extremely

unhelpful and discourteous. Instead, John was relieved that apparently much of it were false

claims and unjustified, as he had now came across one friendly and extremely helpful Asian

friend. After a few conversations, the Good Samaritan introduced himself as Terry Lim and in

coincidence with Johns inference; he was a home-grown local Singaporean. As John decided

to express his appreciation with buying a cup of coffee for Terry, Terry told him more about this

island country, Singapore is an unique country, the people generally are friendly and polite,

however true enough there are some people who arent particularly receptive towards

foreigners, especially Caucasians and Eurasians, because people simply view them as a

threat to their jobs and occupations. John simply laughed this off, and was fascinated by

Terrys introduction to his country, while introducing more about himself and his purpose of visit.

John realized, Terry had a slight British accent, which apparently had developed as Terry was

studying in the Oxford University. Many Singaporeans are running around the world, and youwill surely a Singaporean in every corner of the world. Ironically, youll also find people from

every corner of the world in Singapore, Terry said. It was only then when John realized

Singapore was more than a little red dot or an important port city, instead it was, as Terry

proclaimed, a multicultural country, and a melting pot of diverse cultures. With a stroke of

excitement, John finally got himself a brilliant idea on his journalism the multicultural island,

Singapore.

+ The conversation with Terry had been most fulfilling and fruitful. Terry had becomeJohns first friend in Singapore, and John was pleasantly surprised by the courtesy and

politeness of this Singaporean friend. Honestly speaking, I wasnt too sure of this trip. I mean,

I was a little concerned of being in a foreign country, and one has to be wary in a completely

different environment John expressed his concern, which Terry replied in assurance,

Singapore is a really nice country, the security is excellent and so is the people, believe me.

Youll have a great time here. Brimming with confidence, John thanked Terry once again, and

picked up his luggage to leave. Suddenly, Terry called John back and asked where he was

about to go. It was then when John realized he was uncertain too, as he was completely

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unfamiliar of Singapores transport system and network, and obviously could not make his way

there on his own. Erm, I think Ive the address here, John reached for his pocket in his Levis

Jeans and took out a piece of paper, on which was written The Shelford, Bukit Timah Road

35. Do you know which bus or train Ive to take to get to this place John asked worryingly,

because he was aware that the most probably outcome was that he would get lost. Dont

bother, take a taxi there instead. Never mind, Ill tell the taxi driver, and Ill pay for the fare

Terry replied courteously. Despite repeatedly refusing to accept this extremely kind offer,

apparently Terry was insistent such that John had no other choice but reluctantly, but gratefully

accepting Terrys overtly friendly gesture.

+ Following Terry to the taxi stand outside the airport, John wondered if every

Singaporean was as cordial and welcoming as Terry. Nonetheless, John had nothing but

gratitude for this complete stranger whom assisted him in so many ways that Terry was

seemingly now Johns benefactor. I must treat him to some luxurious meal someday, John

thought. As Terry lifted Johns luggage into the trunk of the taxi, and went beside the taxi driver,

informing him of the address and placing $20 into the palm of the taxi driver, before turning to

John, saying It was really nice to meet you. Hope youd enjoy your stay here. If you need any

help or assistance, feel free to look up for me. Terry removed a piece of paper from the

notebook in his suitcase and scribbled his mobile number onto it, before passing the

information to an evidently grateful John. As soon as John got into the taxi, Terry closed thecar door, and pointed to the taxi driver who was holding $20 in his hands, saying, Dont

mention it. Take it as a gift from a friend.

**

Chapter 2: The Taxi Driver

As the taxi drove down the Central Expressway, lethargy overwhelmed John as his eye

could barely open now. Suddenly, the taxi driver spoke to John, First time in Singapore, Sir?

Although John was abruptly awakened by this question, surprisingly he was neither agitated

nor angry. Instead, John was pleased to be able to converse with another local, and was

slightly amazed by the taxi drivers fluency in English.

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+ Yeah, in fact this is my first overseas trip. Singapore seems like a nice country. Would

you mind telling me more about Singapore?John asked. To Johns pleasant surprise, the taxi

driver laughed casually, and enthusiastically told him about Singapores history and listed down

all the places of interest for John. Trying hard to control his laughter, John found the taxi driver

to be a little more than zealous and seemed to resemble more of a tour guide than a taxi

driver. At the same time, John was also astounded by the taxi drivers profound knowledge of

Singapore, and curiosity got the better of him as he unconsciously found himself asking the

taxi driver about his own background.

+ The taxi driver laughed, Haha, you wouldnt have guessed that Im a taxi driver if I am

wearing a suit right? Truth to be told, I was an accountant in a major banking company. But

until 2 years ago, my company decided to hire massive numbers of foreign talents. And thats

how I lost my job. Somehow, John managed to detect a stint of sarcasm from the phrase

foreign talent, and evoked a sense of sympathy for the taxi driver who was apparently a

nice fellow. A sudden realization occurred to John that he was also a foreign talent stated by

the taxi driver, and felt a tinge of guilt, although obviously John had nothing to with the taxi

drivers retrenchment. Still, a sense of pity aroused within John, who told the taxi driver, Oh, Im

sorry. But I believe not all foreigners are responsible for the loss of jobs for the locals. Think of

it positively, the influx of foreigners actually help to spur Singapores economy.

+ Despite Johns conviction that the influx of foreigners would have a positive outcome

on the local society, apparently the taxi driver was obstinate that foreigners were an

undesirable group of people, and obviously convinced that foreigners did more harm than

good. It was an awkward situation for John for he was unsure whether he was feeling

exactly welcomed. There was mixed feelings within John initially he was greeted pleasantly

and treated politely by the taxi driver, but at that instance it seemed as though he was being

accused and criticized by the taxi driver.

+ As John sighed and looked out of the car window, he suddenly realized how scenic the

view along the highway is, reflecting the beauty of nature in Singapore. Unfortunately, John was

apparently not in the appropriate mood to appreciate bloom and charm of the eternal summer

in this equatorial country.

**

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mind my cooking. John was elated at the prospect that he no longer needed to walk so far to

get his dinner, and was even more jubilant as he had discovered such a wonderful and friendly

neighbour. Finding the offer too good to decline, John accepted with heartfelt thanks, and

offered a cup of coffee in return for Brittany, his new neighbour.

+ As they were merrily sipping their cup of warm coffee, John had learnt much more

about Brittany she was 35 years old, and an expatriate from England, who worked in

Singapore for more than 5 years as an executive officer in one of the major banks in

Singapore. They shared their own information, and Brittany was certainly most helpful by

assuring that she would be assisting John in assimilating into the diverse cultural background

of Singapore. She had definitely provided some much needed information about Singapore to

John, who was clueless what was a Rojak or Popiak when Brittany mentioned about the local

food and delicacies. Sighting Johns clueless face, Brittany laughed aloud and said, Like you, I

was also dumfounded and lost when I first came to Singapore. But the people I met here are

all wonderful and they helped me to integrate into this exquisite society. Ever since I set foot

upon this country, I have fallen in love with the local delicacies. Yes, Rojak and Popiak are

some delicious local food which you must try! No trip to Singapore is complete without tasting

these two mouthwatering dishes!

+ John was expectedly excited at the prospect of getting to savour the numerous localdelicacies, and was even more pleased to have such a courteous neighbour who had

wonderful experiences in the country, which incited some confidence into John with regards to

his long-term residence in Singapore. He privately hoped that he would genuinely enjoy his

one-year stay in Singapore, and to avoid conflict with the locals. With his new neighbour who

was also a British native, John found much comfort and company, in which he was now less

homesick and less disoriented with his surroundings.

**

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Chapter 4: The Office

+ RRRRIIIIINNGGG... In a fit of frustration, John slammed the ear-piercing button off, and

was desperately craving for a longer period of sleep when he suddenly realized that today was

his first day at work. I cannot be late, otherwise bad impression on me, John thought.Summoning all his determination and will-power, John heaved himself out of the relaxing bed

and shuffled his way reluctantly to the bathroom to wash up and prepare for his first day in the

office.

+ After grabbing a quick breakfast composing of a slice of bread with jam and butter,

John dashed out of his apartment and rushed to catch a taxi. It was 7am in the morning, and

he was expected to be at work by 7.30am. Luckily enough, along the way John did not

experience any traffic jams, and somehow he managed to arrive at his office in the CentralBusiness District (CBD) in time.

+ The sun was sizzling hot, and coupled with the intense humidity, it was certainly not a

pleasant day for outdoor activities. John had never felt as relieved as he went passed the

glass doors entering into the air-conditioned building. As beads of sweat trickled down his

neck, John rushed to lift and was zealously adjusting his askew tie, and combing his hair

properly. Clearing his voice for the final time, John breathed in deeply and opened the doors of

the office confidently. He greeted everyone in the office with a hearty good morning!, but was

crest-fallen to observe that no one in particular actually took notice or paid any form of

interest and attention to his presence. Weird, John thought, these people should be more

forthcoming towards their new colleague, or at the very least, acknowledge his greetings.

+ Definitely not the best start in the office, John thought. Already distraught by his

unreceptive colleagues, John was now reluctant having to meet the boss of the office. He

hesitated for a moment, before confidently knocking the door, proceeding in when a voice

boomed, Come in! Slightly daunted in the presence of a rather towering man who seemed to

be of a local Singaporean, John smiled sheepishly as he introduced himself. So youre on a

one-year job attachment is it? Cant believe our head office in England made such a ridiculous

move. All right, move along, get to know your colleagues I supposed theyre friendly enough.

Your desk is on the far right of the office. If theres nothing more, off you go then the boss

commanded. Johns mood was even more dampened apparently even the boss seemed to

dislike his presence, or even to some extent, found John redundant or something. John was

totally dumfounded mixed feelings evoked within him, confusion and disheartenment.

Although it was clear that John had not been feeling good since the morning, instead he felt a

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sense of indignant he had no inkling of an idea why his colleagues and boss were treating

him with such oppressive hostility.

+ Trudging wearingly to his desk, John could not find any source of motivation to start on

his assignment. He was completely preoccupied by the burning question in his head: Had I

done something wrong? Why was everyone viewing me as though I was a threat or an enemy?

It seemed to be true though, as John observed that his colleagues were deliberately avoiding

him, or trying to shun him off whenever he asked for assistance or merely voicing his queries

to them. By lunchtime, John was completely overwhelmed by the feeling of oppression, and

struggled to maintain his concentration on his assignment and trying desperately to fend off all

the worries and doubts, however in vain.

+ As John grudgingly made his way to the staff canteen, and ordered a set meal of

Western food, he sat down alone in the enormous canteen, and felt a stinging sense of

loneliness and isolation. Never had John felt so neglected before, and for a spilt moment a

tinge of regret aroused within him. He suddenly remembered of the times he had company

from Brittany, his friendly neighbour, which was completely juxtaposed to his current situation.

As he ate his meal in awkward silence, John observed, from the corner of his eyes, that his

other colleagues seated afar from him, were eyeing him surreptitiously, and some were even

pointing at him. It was obvious to John that those people were talking behind his backs,although they were clearly oblivious to his awareness of their actions. Maybe they were

laughing at my demise, John thought, or mocking me being a loner.

+ Curiosity overwhelmed John as he decided that he wanted to understand what their

conversation was about, and as soon as two male colleagues from that table set off for the

toilet, he had them followed stealthily. Hiding behind a closed cubicle, John heard one of them

saying, Hey, have you seen that new colleague of ours, that ang moh, looks like hes not so

welcomed right?, then replied by the other, Yeah, cant be helped, of course. Even ourcompany is hiring foreign talent. Of course well fear for our job security. Who knows, tomorrow

you might be replaced by an ang moh. Better be careful, dont go to near that fellow.

+ Finally, John understood what the whole issue was about, and realized that his

colleagues were afraid of his presence might impede their job or even force them to lose their

job. Suddenly, John recalled the conversation with Terry and the taxi driver they were being

honest and what they had mentioned was true the locals were extremely worried about their

job security with regards to the influx of foreigners. Definitely these people should never be

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blamed, instead they deserve out empathy, John thought. Relieved that it was all a case of

misunderstanding, John walked out of the cubicle, which gave the two unsuspecting

colleagues a rude shock. Although John found it slightly uncomfortable and awkward, he

decided to offer an explanation, Im really sorry for eavesdropping, but I cant help it. Since I

came into the office this morning, for some unknown reason Ive treated coldly and

indifferently, and Ive been feeling upset the whole morning. I understand why you guys

responded in such a hostile manner, and I honestly dont blame you guys for being like that.

However, I just want to let you guys know that Ill not be threatening your job security

whatsoever, and Im actually here only for a one-year temporary job attachment.

**

Chapter 5: The Days After

+ In a blink of an eye, a month had nearly elapsed since John had set foot upon the

Singapore soil, and everything had been smooth-sailing so far. John began to enjoy his

residence in Singapore, and was quickly adapting to the humid and warm equatorial climate.

More importantly, John had successfully assimilated into the diverse cultural society of

Singapore. Much of the success should be attributed to Brittany, whom enthusiastically

introduced her friends of different race and cultures to John, most of whom he had befriendedwell. Furthermore, John had taken a liking for Singapores numerous delicacies, now he could

not do without a plate of Rojak or Char Kway Teow which were Johns two favourite mouth-

watering dishes.

+ In the office, everything went well, unlike the unexpectedly terrible first day. Despite all

the misunderstandings on Johns first day at the office, all the colleagues now treated John

warmly as one of their own, and even frequently inviting him to their houses for parties or

celebrations. In his office, John had also gotten along extremely well with other colleagues,even those from different races, which their unique cultures continued to be a source of

fascination for John. As John reflected on his first day in Singapore, he wondered why he had

hesitated or even at some point of time, regretted coming here. It had been certainly an

enjoyable stay, and as promised, John had met countless of wonderful people whom treated

him like family and made him feel just at home.

+

The End

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john'stravels

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