After Asia: some unexpected viewpoints on the UK. Intro...

One thing about being an ('integrated'*) expat, is that you get to see your own country from a new angle. I'm not sure if this can be done without a fairly decent chunk of years overseas - and perhaps living in a very contrasting culture helps, too.

When I moved from the UK to Singapore in 2012, I found a lot of things new and peculiar. And yes, also difficult. OK, Singapore partly lives up to its reputation as 'Asia 101' for Westerners. Because most systems are in English, and many things work in a Western-logical way. But if you bother to scratch beneath this convenient surface, it's Asia. This shouldn't be a surprise, right? It looks Western / international, but the value systems underlying the place are not Western. They're Chinese (or I guess Chinese diaspora). With a few other influences - including Malay, Indian - thrown in. And a few aspects which are - as other Chinese diaspora generations in the region will testify to - just uniquely Singaporean. 

Also, working a regional job has allowed me to interact a bit with others around APAC, and view their takes on people, business, politics too.

Attitudes and assumptions - socially perhaps more than in business for me, anyway - are different from what I was used to in the UK. Some of these differences are actually very fundamental (even for a half-Asian person!) but you don't necessarily register this until a bit of time in the new place. I think this is partly because SE and E Asian cultures are relatively a little reserved about expressing opinion; so you need to take the time to stop and quietly observe and take in what others are doing / prefer doing. And also because it is very easy to just make an assumption - a fundamental understanding, even - that one's own 'right and wrong' is correct. This is not entirely a Western-arrogance thing. It exists, I suspect, for most people on this planet! We think and feel that our values are right, because we've known them all our lives, and because a majority of people around us - in our own countries, societies, cultures - think similarly.

But living overseas has highlighted this for me: our value systems might be right for us. Or they might be partially right / pretty good. But there are actually a whole bunch of really quite radically different value systems out there! And not everything in our own setups IS necessarily the right or best way.

So my viewpoints have changed over six+ years in SE Asia. There are European values which I still think are enduringly sound. But others which I really do question now - because it's such a drastically different (while also functional) story in Asia.

I guess on one level this could be viewed as a bit of a mindf***. Having one's lifelong foundations rocked about like this. And living overseas has most certainly had its alienating challenges at times! But actually I feel very grateful for this new group of perspectives.

So, I'm now back in London for a few months. And it feels rather strange! I've been enjoying it. But (or perhaps because) I feel like a tourist visiting my own city. A lot is familiar and comfortable - because I've lived in London for most of my adult life. But I'm currently still outside, looking-in, with some interest and/or bemusement! 

Coming up in this series are some things - from the small and ridiculous, to the larger and more serious - which I have noted as stand-out and different during this stay. 

The New Yorker cartoon

*An expat who doesn't remain ghetto-ised with other expats from their own nation (there are a lot of these!) but tries to make local friends, understand the operations, language and culture of the new place.

The Apam Balik Kakigori

South East Asia is nothing if not diverse. Historically (and partly because places like Singapore and Malaysia were along key maritime trade routes) there has been a huge mishmash of interesting things - and people - melding local influences. Today, Japan and S Korea are fashionable throughout the region, and so you'll find these East Asian colours reflected in South East Asia's  clothing, make-up, food, tech, music, brands, design and more. 


And here's a typical hybrid: the Apam Balik Kakigori. Which I was treated to on my birthday this year, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

Apam Balik is a traditional Malaysian crepe - with Indian origins. It's a folded coconut/rice pancake, containing crushed peanuts, sweetcorn, and sugar. Variations might include fragrant pandan and other ingredients. Apam (appam or aappam) is the name of this pancake in Malayalam or Tamil - as it comes from Southern India. Balik literally means 'to go or come home' in Malay; in this case referring to the folded, turnover aspect of the pancake. 

Kakigori (yes even more kakigori!) is a Japanese shaved-ice dessert, with modern versions quite trendy in hipster cafes region-wide. 

So this was a hipster version of a Japanese dessert, nodding to a traditional Malay sweet, which was already nodding to India. And (even though I am currently quite obsessed with all kakigori) it was also delicious! 

The sweet cream / topping was flavoured with pandan (with lime meringue pieces, actually!) Then there was corn-custard, and surprise sweetcorn and crushed nuts inside the fluffy ice construction.

An apam balik hawker stall in Malaysia

* Pandan is a leaf which gives flavour, fragrance and a vibrant green colour to many South East Asian dishes.


Photo of apam balik stall: HungryGoWhere

Don Don Donki

This opened recently in Singapore, and it seems caused quite a stir. Partly because it was handy, cheap and from (fashionable) Japan. And partly because there were sex-toys openly on sale. According to the media. I don't think they are on sale now.

Don Don Donki is a price-friendly Japanese supermarket. Selling mostly Japanese things (it seems from quite a wide range of products!) And, I think, like its contemporary (the wonderful, relatively sex-free) Daiso, probably set to be hugely popular across SE Asia.

As for the toy debacle, I didn't see them personally (and was overseas when the news controversy broke!) so I can't say how indiscreet they were. But apparently they were portable and for men. And tbf to Singapore, subtle Durex toys are on sale across the nation state's 7-Elevens and pharmacies; it's not hyper-prudish. So was the indecorous story deliberate PR for the Don Don Donki Singapore launch? This seems less likely in conservative Asia. But the store has been a major hit with Singaporeans either way.

I finally got to visit this month. And it was quite nice. Packed to the rafters with decent quality, affordable Japanese things (groceries, pharma etc in this branch). Of course most packaging is in Japanese, so there's an air of mystery for non-readers. But we purchased some ice-cream items which turned out to be ridiculously yummy - hoorah!

In fact this chain - named Don Kihōte (ドン・キホーテ) though apparently known as 'Donki' there - is Japan's largest grocer. It was rebranded Don Don Donki for Singapore, the phrase taken from the store's own theme song "Miracle Shopping" which was even released as a single in Japan. There are some other Donki brands under the (it seems huge) Japanese umbrella owner, the Don Quijote Group. The original chain (initially called Just Co) has been around in Japan since 1980.

Anyway, here's a video I took in the Singapore store - which we first rummaged around quite late at night, as this supermarket is open 24 hours.

Something 'mikan' (tangerine) melty, mild orange-choc segments filled with ice-cream. Lux.

Matcha (green tea) Mini Milks. Bloomin' yum.

Also on this blog:
Donkey surprise! And the UK case of the bogus burger..

And in your mall this afternoon...

Martial Art of the Month: Japan - Kenjutsu

Kenjutsu practice in Singapore

Kenjutsu means sworsdmanship. It is, needless to say, the sister of the better-known Kendo (most 'jutsu' having a 'do'*). But today they differ quite a lot.

Tbf, this one's kind of amorphous, because there are a gazillion different schools (ryu) and ways of practicing what can be termed Japanese 'swordsmanship'. Kendo and Iaido are both (modernised) members of the family. And Kenjutsu can often be attached specifically to other Japanese martial arts (many Asian martial arts will include weapons training for senior belts). So you might not see 'Kenjutsu' advertised per se. But it does exist as an art which is different from both Kendo and Iaido, if you can find it!

I actually trained with an Aikido club, which had the senior belts weapons policy. I have done no Aikido in my life! But I do have a senior belt in another martial art, and was keen on an equivalent sword art in that (not available anywhere in Singapore at the time). So they let me join. But as I progressed, it did become obvious that knowledge of Aikido practice, movements and concepts would have helped for this one!

What it is
Practice of various moves and strategies linked to martial combat with swords. This includes strikes, footwork, grip, defense, how to use energy to your advantage / against opponent. We didn't 'spar' but we did two-person techniques as well as kata and the usual martial arts training for muscle memory, accuracy and strength. We don't use real swords (katana) for Kenjutsu! Well, the most advanced practitioners might, but only for display and kata. At my school, we used 'bokken' (sometimes called 'bokuto') - a solid wooden weapon of similar shape and weight to a katana. (Quite heavy btw!) But you still need to be extremely disciplined / controlled in training. You can  badly hurt someone with a bokken, and frankly this isn't an art for meatheads. And I guess it's why senior belts are often required before you start.

Why it's fun 
I practiced Kenjutsu for a couple of years in Asia, and Kendo briefly in the UK. And for me, Kenjutsu is by far the more fascinating and applicable. Today's Kendo, like many martial arts, is a modernised, stylised sport; it might look cool with all that kit, and you do eventually spar - but there are a limited number of stylised moves you can actually perform. Kenjutsu, however, is more realistic. So moves might include regular shots to slice the head, neck, wrists, or spear the stomach. But also nifty moves probably more related to original martial practice. For example, slicing off the thumbs (warriors will have trouble holding a weapon without thumbs!), arms, having a go at the knees etc. So there's a lot more variation and combination think about.

Kenjutsu (as I've practiced it at least) is not the dynamic fun of, say, a Karate sparring bout. But the enjoyment comes from the discipline, and the sheer smartness of it. Moves are designed for maximum efficiency and can perform several functions at once. It's seriously clever! To be fair, one might develop an art with some care if one's life depended on it in ancient Japan. Today, there's simply a great satisfaction in training one's body and mind to do it.

What you need
Good control, an understanding of martial arts, plus bokken. We trained outdoors in tropical Singapore (you need a dojo with high ceilings to practice weapons!) But indoor classes would require proper martial arts clothing (gi, hakama etc, it's usually a respect thing!) I believe schools which spar understandably also require a whole bunch of protective gear, similar to that used for Kendo.

Here are some Kenjutsu practitioners demonstrating moves:

* Jutsu = skill/method/technique  Do = way/'way of being'. Ken = sword.

Cyberjaya

This is Malaysia's purpose-built, hi-tech town and science park. At around 30km², tech-enabled Cyberjaya is situated in Sepang, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, anchoring the country's so-called Multimedia Super Corridor.  The town was launched in 1997 with the aim of establishing Malaysia as a go-to/vibrant hub for, well, technology, science, and R&D in ASEAN - and, later on, globally.  (Cyberjaya was created alongside Putrajaya* - a new hub for government.)

Tbh, this seems pretty smart to me. As time has told, tech has become a humdinger in this region (I think moreso than in the West). The agility and speed of nations in SE and E Asia is quite staggering at times; and as they develop and grow, new ideas (tech) are adopted and rolled out quickly. There isn't the cynicism of the West, nor existing alternatives or old ways. Because a lot of these countries are 'new'. So in my view, Malaysia's government (plus McKinsey) was pretty shrewd with the Cyberjaya plan.

But I remember there were lots of jokes locally in the late 90s - heard via my brother who was in KL at the time - about how Cyberjaya would never work. How it was all talk without functionality (and, it certainly seems, local buy-in). Then the place launched, and I kinda heard nothing more. I read that there was a world-class, state-of-the-art 3D movie-making facility there, and a multi-media (now outdated term?) university. But no more news.

About a year ago, a business colleague from the UK had a meeting in Cyberjaya. His feedback: "A bit of a ghost town". And this week I actually joined friends (with a car) for dinner there. In fact we were visiting a new development, which my pals had worked with. And it was pretty nice! Opened only about a year ago, Tamarind Square is a complex of interestingly designed boutique office and shop spaces - I would say mainly catering for SMEs, although there's a larger retail area with a flagship (?) grocer's, 24-hour bookshop, and other stores. The entire space is bound together by gardens and walkways with creepers. There's a great new-community feel to the place, and I can imagine a smart, young crowd working and collaborating there - with hipster cafes, al fresco eateries, and yoga spaces on hand. Currently however - and OK, this place is pretty new (and not entirely complete) - it is a bit of a ghost town too.

So what happened to Cyberjaya? Well, I didn't get to explore the whole area, but from our drive to Tamarind Square, it seems a lot still is under construction. And to be fair, 1997 saw the onslaught of the Asian Financial Crisis - which was tough for many nations and saw this project being propped up by government. There are tax incentives, and almost no restrictions on foreign talent if you set up in Cyberjaya (as a foreign company?) and I've read that many big globals (IBM, Wipro, BMW etc etc) do have a presence there. And the district is apparently profitable. But it still has that ghostly air. 

Kuala Lumpur and suburbs also still suffer from inadequate public transport. And while the cleaner air of Sepang might appeal, it turns out there is currently only one train station to serve both Cyberjaya and Putrajaya. (And it's part of the KLIA Express - a non-interlinked line!) There are limited buses, too, apparently. But it took quite a drive for us to get from KL out to Cyberjaya - and from what I saw, a lot of the new district is quite sparse. Personally, even with a car, I would not be tempted to invest in a swish residential unit there, and would find it a difficult commute for work: it's too isolated, with not enough locally (yet) to make it worth a relocate. If others are thinking like me, then there is a chicken-and-egg situation going on. Retailers etc will move in when there's footfall. But people won't settle without amenities and retail.

My Malaysian friend had an additional explanation: Cyberjaya was too early. The government was smart to think about it, but the rest of the nation (public, workers, businesses) weren't switched on to tech, and didn't have today's fashionable entrepreneurial spirit back in 1997. So I guess the project lost brand momentum. And if anything needs sparky, up-to-date and forward-looking brand momentum, it's probably tech/R&D. There is also national government support for the majority ethnic group in Malaysia, which (it has been argued) discourages the survival instinct which could be applied to other visionary projects in this region - Singapore as a whole country might fall into this category! - and gets the workforce behind national growth and eventual success.

There are probably 110 other things to consider in Cyberjaya's story. But I really hope that it does become a successful R&D hub, or ASEAN Silicon Valley. Two new MRT stations are set to open in the next five years. That would be a (n overdue) great step in the right direction imo. And who knows, maybe today's creative, entrepreneurial, yoga-loving, crowd will be part of the solution, too? 

Here's some blurb: 
Cyberjaya Malaysia
Tamarind Square 


* Jaya in Malay means 'success' and is applied to countless towns, districts (even stores) across the country. I guess for good luck.

The kakigori story

Yes! At last it's kakigori time. As I've mentioned before, E/SE Asia is a fest of shaved-ice desserts. Kakigori is a refined Japanese one. Alongside options like Korean bingsu, Taiwanese snow ice,  Malaysia's (more street) ais kacang, and a myriad others in the region. This try was actually in Kuala Lumpur, so I can't 100% vouch for the pudding's authenticity. But it's probably closer to the Japanese originals than a London offer would be. 

In Japan there are all sorts of fab, swish-sounding kakigori, like fig, or camembert. I had been hoping for a chestnut one in KL. But they ran out of ingredients and offered tiramisu instead. I requested something milky, but there are fruity options too. 

What Was It Like? 
Light, fluffy shave-ice, topped with a tiramisu beret, and dusted all over with cocoa. Inside, there was more tiramisu, layers of plain ice and syrupped ice, crunchy choc bits and a few cubes of kanten (? a kind of Japanese jelly).  You do not get bored eating this dessert. Aside from the architectural challenge of avoiding collapse (of the pudding, perhaps, rather than self) there are a whole bunch of ingredients going on inside to discover! 

For anyone who hasn't tried decent bingsu etc, it's hard to describe the fluffy ice experience. I can only compare it to exceptionally refined snow, which is so light it is almost not there, and vanishes as you ingest it. There isn't a 'watery' aspect to these desserts. (Though there is with the crunchier street ice ones). 

This particular outlet's 'tiramisu' component was processed, but still pretty edible in context. Like bingsu, the final spoonfuls are sweet and milky (in this case with a berg of heavily crystallised ice, which was a bit less appealing!) 

Like most Japanese desserts, kakigori is not especially sweet. But it's deceptively filling. Looking around the cafe, it seems the way to eat this dish is to share it with a handsome young man. Though having forgotten to bring one, I scoffed this generous portion solo. And felt a bit sick afterwards. A reflection of volume/greed over dessert performance: it IS enough for two!

I visited: Kakigori at Pavilion, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
A tiramisu shaved-ice dessert costs RM16 (USD3.90/SGD5.35)

Also on this blog:

Stupendous Chinese Desserts!

Nosh of the Day: Bingsu

Nerd Corner: the Outrageous Sudoku Shocker

Well it seems in Japan, people rarely call or know sudoku as sudoku (数独). They know it more commonly as nanpure (nam-poo-ray) which is a portmanteau of the English 'Number Place'. Whaaat?

But yes, I was reliably informed by Japanese friends, after 'nanpure' was listed as the Japanese for sudoku in a recent textbook. 

This seemed particularly odd to me - outside Japan we all know sudoku as a Japanese puzzle, with a Japanese name. And yet that's not the case actually in Japan?? 

Pretty much. Which set me off on a bit of delving. 

There seem to be two (maybe interlinked) reasons for this mysterious reversal. 

1. The puzzle is not necessarily, entirely, Japanese. There have been a whole bunch of similar number puzzles historically, and worldwide. And in the 20th century the (relatively obscure?) American puzzle, Number Place, made its way to Japan. It was popular, got modified, named sudoku, and later on, re-exported to the West ...where it was a huge hit and generally known as 'Japanese'. But in Japan - unlike the West - the original Number Place moniker still had resonance.

2. This one is anecdotal from another Japanese friend, but makes pretty good sense: the term 'sudoku' was actually copyrighted, in Japan, by a certain Japanese publisher. As a result, other publications could use the same puzzle concept, but they had to call it something else. And nanpure seems to have been the most ready option. Overseas, however, where there was no breach of copyright, all puzzles were presented as 'sudoku'.

Anyway, hope that's provided a little Thursday interest. Time for coffee (with no puzzles) for me. 

- Sudoku itself is a Japanese portmanteau for 数字は独身に限る (suuji wa dokushin ni kagiru) roughly 'keep the digits single'. As you might have guessed, portmanteau words from many languages are popular in Japanese! 

- Nanpure ナンプレ is written in a different script, katakana - reserved for borrowed foreign words.

Anecdotal Note on the British Class System

OK, the British class system is a lot less pronounced now than it used to be. As I've mentioned before, it's socially crass (and occasionally illegal) today to judge others negatively based on their class. (And yes, this should cut up and down across all groups.) 

But there are still things which are commonly acknowledged as indicative of certain classes. And these are sometimes gently mocked in the UK, particularly by the classes which actually exhibit them. For example: the eating of Mediterranean chickpea spread, hummus. Hummus is cheap and ubiquitous in UK supermarkets, but has long been considered a 'middle class' thing - alongside pesto, sundried tomatoes*, craft beers and other artisan foods. Holidays to places like Tuscany in Italy, the South of France, spas or yoga retreats also fall into this category. Middle class people (and the media) will make jokes about this. I suppose what makes some of these things 'middle class' is that they're slightly unusual, popular with other middle classes - or are a sign that you consider yourself cultured in some way. Why have fancy Greek hummus on your toast, when you could just have good old, traditional English jam?

The other day I was reminded of a conversation with a creative (middle class) UK friend, just before I started business school outside London. I should probably preface it by explaining that SPAR is similar to a less glamourous 7-Eleven convenience store chain.

Friend: What's the town like near campus? 
Me: It's a village. Really basic. There's nothing there, only a SPAR. 
Friend: Oh, a spa! How lovely! Well that's something.

* (I think the Mediterranean foods thing kicked off when middle class British Prime Minister Tony Blair once stated he liked eating Italian pasta with sundried tomatoes - and was lambasted by press for saying it!) 



Also on this blog:

Unravelling the British Class System

Matcha of the Day: Matcha Warrior

Yep, that's me. (Well, maybe less of the warrior right now, tbh). But anyway.

This one was a gift brought over for breakfast, and might be artisanal / not widely available (?) It was jolly nice though. Thick and creamy, with a little matcha bitterness and no obvious added sugars. Keeps for a couple of days in the fridge at home.

If you’re in Singapore’s CBD, it might be worth swinging by Lunar Coffee Brewers, which makes it. They seem to have good reviews for their sit-in cafe and food, too!

Lunar Coffee Brewers, 6 Shenton Way, #01-49/50 OUE Downtown Gallery 2, Singapore 068809

Blogger is Crappy

Apologies again for peculiar formatting in some blog posts. As some of you already know, I have an ongoing battle with Blogger doing unexpected things to content, especially with font sizes and the addition of links and photos.

One day I will get a friend-who-knows-code-better-than-I-do to have a look at this.

In the mean time: it's still hopefully legible!

(Crappy - or perhaps 'クラッピイ'? - became the new word for a Japanese friend of  mine recently, and it's catching on!) (The word is mildly rude British slang meaning 'poor quality'.) 

Bonkers British Festivals no3: Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling

This happened yesterday, actually. And it's another one which looks suspiciously dangerous. Despite involving cheese.

Basically, on each Spring Bank Holiday, a village in Gloucestershire rolls a large local cheese down a particularly steep hill. And then a whole bunch of people race down the hill in order to catch the cheese. I'm not sure how many people have actually succeeded - turns out the nine pound cheese can reach speeds of around 70 mph (110km/h) and is pretty lethal with momentum! But what makes this seemingly mundane tradition famous, is the crazy falling, flinging and rolling of the humans.

There are ambulances on hand these days, and injuries / hospitalisation are common - from falling down the hill, or being hit by the thunderous cheese... In fact recent competitions have apparently used a safer, foam cheese instead. And burly 'catchers' are employed to catch the flying people at the end of the race. The full title of the event: Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling & Wake, does make one wonder what the 'wake' actually refers to*!

Winners - basically the first to the bottom of the hill - receive a real cheese as their prize.

This festival is another one which now draws spectators and participants from around the globe. But like the Ottery Tar Barrels, it's an old, local event with obscure origins. Not much has been recorded about it historically, and theories range from roots in a Pagan fertility rite or celebration of Spring (using other foods), to a ritual  left by Phoenicians occupying Southern Britain (?! sounds iffy). Until recently, cheese-rolling was held on Whit Monday - a moveable date in the Christian calendar.

There seem to be current issues with the organisation of this event, its safety, crowd sizes and other things. It still runs, but seemingly in a rather loose way! Today several cheeses of varying size are also rolled, and there are a few heats of the race.

The cheese itself is Double Gloucester - a reddish, semi-hard, fairly strong-tasting one from the region. Quite nice melted on toast, actually. Though you might feel differently if hit by a 110 km/h, hurtling nine pounds of it.

Bit more about event arrangements here: https://www.facebook.com/BrockworthCheeseRoll/

*English learners: a 'wake' usually refers to a vigil, or solemn, social reception after a funeral. But apparently it can also mean 'festival' in some parts of the UK. 
'Iffy' is informal British English. It means unlikely, unreliable or suspicious. 

Also on this blog:

Bonkers British Festivals no2: The Burryman

Bonkers British Festivals no1: The Ottery Tar Barrels

 

 

Malaysia's Zombie Love Affair

Well, we've all been in one of those, right?

But anyway, Malaysia as a nation seems to have a thing for zombies. Often comedy ones. I don't know if this is echoed across Thailand and other SE Asian nations (Thailand makes some excellent, non-comedy horror movies, btw). It's not a thing here in Singapore. But on various visits to Kuala Lumpur I have noted posters for locally-made zombie films - usually featuring Malay actors very poorly disguised as campy ghouls. (This seems to be part of the appeal!) 

My Malaysian zombie intro was many moons ago with an English-subbed version of comedy zombie stalwart, Mamat Khalid's Zombi Kampung Pisang (Banana Village Zombie) - which is hilarious / ridiculous, deliberately low-budget, and worth watching. Currently the genre can also be seen on public transport, teaching us social etiquette!

I've tried to do a bit more cursory research on Malaysia's comedy-horror and zombie flicks, but most articles / clips come up in Malay, which I only have a rudimentary grasp of! Here are a couple more tasters anyway (including additions from Khalid). Tbf an excellent grasp of the dialogue is prob not required! 

Zombi Kilang Biskut  (Biscuit Factory Zombies) a follow up to Zombi Kampung Pisang
KL24: Zombies  Malaysians with American accents (?!) in this B-movie 
Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah   (Ghost Sister Lime Comes Home?!)


PS The Pontianak and other Asian female ghosts
These movies also feature a local folkloric ghoul: the Pontianak (a female vampire/zombie). The Pontianak is supposed to be a vengeful spirit who suffered a stillbirth, was  stillborn, or died in childbirth. The Pontianak can take on the guise of animals, or a beautiful woman to trick innocent men (those dastardly beautiful women, all evil spirits I tell you!) Oddly - or, probably, not so oddly as I suspect there's a historical link! - traditional female ghosts across East / South East Asia have similarities, and look the same: with the long-hair/white-dress thing going on. (See also types of  Japanese Yūrei made famous in The Ring and other classic films.) 


Also on this blog:

My Fave Horror Movies - East & West (distilled!) 

How to BOGOF in SE Asia

FYI, I recently went for cocktails with a friend in Singapore. And obviously we picked a bar with a deal on. In this case, the deal was "1 for 1 Cocktails". Which sounds like a normal sale to me: you get one when you pay for one. But in Singapore, it actually means you get TWO when you pay for one. Hmmm...

In Britain, the same deal would usually be expressed as 2 for 1. Or Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF). 

I guess maybe the Singaporean phrase implies 'like for like'? Or is a version of an ambiguous  Western one I'd never heard of: Buy One, Get One (?)

Meanwhile, over in Malaysia, the same deal is expressed by the grammatically mysterious - but actually easier to understand - BOFO: Buy One Free One. Which is reminiscent of some diplomatic trade of political prisoners. (Also  variations: Buy One Free Two; Buy Two Free One, etc, depending on how lucky you are.)  

Anyway, hope that's cleared things up for some of you global shoppers out there. Probably time to blog off. Tarrah.  

PS In the UK, the term "bog-off!" is slang meaning "very strongly GO AWAY". It should not be used if talking to a boss. And has nothing to do with bargains.

Manspreading

This is the act of men sitting (usually on public transport / in cinemas etc) with their legs so widely splayed apart, that it makes things uncomfortable for the people sitting either side.

OK, turns out there has been a lot of world controversy over manspreading, internet campaigns shaming spreaders (which I don't particularly agree with) and backlashes. But the bottom line is that manspreading (or as it's known among my friends 'attempting the box splits') in public is just plain inconsiderate. And there does seem to be an odd propensity for men to 'spread' and crush females more than other males. Even worse are the spreaders who also stretch their arms out along the backs of their adjoining seats (as one might to a known partner!) It's kinda disrespectful to do all this to any stranger's space. And it's not uncommon to experience being crushed like this in London / Western cities.

But manspreading does not really exist in SE Asia. I have experienced it once from a Chinese guy in Singapore (in five years of living/commuting here!). And, really - praise the Lord! - what relief to be able to travel in relative spatial comfort!

Alright, I know that in general, East Asian men don't have the long legs that some Westerners do. And I do have sympathy with really tall guys anywhere who try to fit into cramped seating. So anyone over 6' 3" (190cm) can probably be exempt from 'spreading' criticism. But even Western men of normal or smaller height spread. A show of machismo? Territorial marking? Ill-fitting jeans?? Thong underwear?? All of the above? 

Whatever the reason, it's not attractive. And not very nice. And I've got to the point where I will politely tell any spreader to kindly remove his leg / arm from my space.

My experience is that in East Asian culture, men - socially and otherwise - are probably less likely to do macho, chest-beating, 'look-at-me'. Which some (FYI not all!) Western men do. I don't know about other cultures. Over in SE Asia, it's just not really the thing to do macho displays on places like public transport. Which possibly explains the lack of manspreading thereon?

OR, Asian men just make wiser fashion choices?

As I've said before, there is still a heap of stuff I admire about the West. But manspreading is certainly not one of them! 

Seems The New Yorker has the same sentiments!

Also on this blog:

Pseudo-ku : the curse of the 'intellectual'

Not Matcha of the Day: the meaning of "ickypooooo!"

OK, this cost about 2 Ringgit (US 50c / UK 37p) from a convenience store at the airport. And it has that ominous word 'flavoured' on the label. So I wasn't expecting an authentic green tea experience; just a refreshing drink. But really, ickypooooo! 

It's basically green, hyper-mega-ultra-sugared milk. Good grief! I could almost feel my pancreas groaning as I tasted this, and had to chuck it (the drink, not the pancreas) in the bin. Do people really let their kids drink stuff like this? (Please don't let your kids drink this!) 

As I've mentioned before, hyper-sugar is a modern Malaysian special - which is borne out by the new world-topping diabetes levels there. Goodday products are manufactured locally in Malaysia, which probably explains the (surely illegal elsewhere?!) sweetness. All I can say is: AVOID!

Badday: diabetes in a box

English learners: 'ickypoooooo!' is not a real word. It means roughly the same as 'eieeeeeewww!'  (or the Japanese きもおおおいいい) i.e. disgusting, or a noise indicating a recoil. Ickypooooo has a sort of old-fashioned, upper class edge to it, though. And it's used in a slightly humorous way because of this.

#RefuseTheStraw update

I can't remember which week this is. But I've been failing massively with this initiative in Malaysia, not to mention a general daily encrustation with other plastics (bags, water bottles, takeaway packaging.. ). (I'm on the hoof at the moment, so in temporary accommodation, without kitchen etc!)

It's not good. 

But what's a bit better is the acquisition of a reusable steel straw. FINALLY! In fact I was hoping to receive a set in a birthday package - but it turned out that six out of eight parcels sent from the UK were 'lost' (apparently most likely stolen) in the Malaysian postal system. And the straws went too. 

So how delighted was I to find that some friends have set up a scuba travel company, and they're also supporting #RefuseTheStraw as part of its conservation efforts. And for merch, I managed to purchase a very jolly box with a steel straw, cleaner, and clips for keeping my own - reusable - chopsticks. (The box is also made of old shells, apparently, and is biodegradable..) 

How to proceed with hawker drinks, and a few other traditional things here, remains to be seen. But everything else requiring a straw can now be plastic-free for me. A small step in the right direction. Huzzah! 

(More images from my ample hand modelling portfolio..)

If anyone is interested in scuba holidays, btw, you can check out my friends' site here:
https://www.scuba-concierge.com/


Also on this blog:

Operating #RefuseTheStraw in Asia: Week 1 

Bags of Fun! Eco Practices East and West

Work-life-balance East and West

East Asia is famous for tough office hours and dedication to work. "The industrious East" is still a global brand, which has been upheld by the recent economic track records of places like Japan and China. Many cultural aspects from East Asia have also influenced South East Asia (Chinese diaspora, general modelling on successful 20th century practices). And there is a huge energy of growth and change in the whole region - which you don't feel in the peaking (peaked?) West. 

So, all good for Asia*, right? Well, maybe not. My observations of, and conversations about, the Asian work ethic have been unexpected... 

2015-17 was a fairly momentous time for the marketing industry in Japan. Tragically, a young Tokyo employee at ad agency Dentsu died of overwork. In fact the occurrence is not uncommon in Japan: there were apparently 84 deaths in 2016 linked to overwork. There is even a word for it: 過労死 (karoshi - overwork death). The marketing industry worldwide also has a deservedly bad rep regarding employee work and pay. Long hours for free are regularly expected - even factored into  agency business models. It used to be bad enough in Europe; you can only up the ante in Asia. But what was different about the Dentsu tragedy, was public outcry, and an open trial of company executives. Which actually highlighted working hours as a problem. And Dentsu was found guilty of breaching employment legislation. Whether the company's resulting (microscopic) fine, or alleged changes to working hours, really affect things going forward, though, who knows. It seems the death was perhaps more the result of company culture and tacit expectations. Which might not be unique to Dentsu. Or Japan.

In many parts of Asia, 'hard work' in the office does not mean the same thing it does in Europe. It means long hours. Sometimes very long hours. But not necessarily productive ones. 

There are reasons for this. For example, in many East Asian countries (and countries with East Asian influence) it has traditionally been seen as bad form - or a loss of face - to leave the office before your boss does. And your boss (who might be on a humungous salary to justify such long hours) could stay very late. So the tacit ruling is that everyone has to stay very late. It's not about productivity, or results, but a show of 'honour'. 

Japanese friends have told me that they would regularly (deliberately) spend hours during the day 'filling' time (on Facebook, having tea etc) because they knew they would be honourably in the office until 9pm anyway. Even if they had no work to do! 

My experiences in Singapore were not dissimilar. People would complain of the long hours they worked (and they often did!) but I'd note that during the day there was a lot of sitting around, chatting, smoking and doing nothing work-related. This quite shocked me, when I first arrived from London. I'd imagined the pace would be the same, but just for longer - hence 'the industrious East'! In fact the pace was a lot more laid back overall, and 'stretched out' - probably due to decades of this long-hours/late-night expectation. Even in the trendier workplaces, where more reasonable hours were apparently operated, there was an expectation of 24/7 instant availability via phone or email, which was regularly used (so no time is your own!) I know from experience that out-of-hours contact is rarely necessary in my profession (once? twice? across my entire career!) But in Asia there was still a vibe that it had to be done regularly to 'appear industrious'. 

Chats with colleagues also revealed that although a practice might be 'traditional' or 'honourable' it can still be - and was! - resented.

 

Yep, an inevitable negative of the long-hours thing, is that people lose out on their own lives. Time with friends, family, to pursue hobbies, sports, romantic time, down time, cultural time, inspiration time, adventures, and all sorts of other things get scuppered for the long-hours office culture. Sometimes even without the compensation of extra pay. And many Asian people loathe it. It seems that regardless of region or culture, people worldwide have similar basic needs. And being able to own your own time - or at least a decent proportion of it - is one of them. (To lose this time while actually doing nothing important at the office seems like a double whammy to me!) 

In the UK (in my industry, at the same relatively senior level) the working style was different. I'm not saying that it was the perfect solution, or that it was stress-free - in fact in many was there was higher stress. But we worked pretty intensely during the day. It means that we could get the business results, and still leave on time to enjoy our evenings and weekends. And there is increasingly a culture where nobody is quietly frowned-upon for doing so.

For example, I'd get in at 9am, make a coffee, then be at my desk constantly, 100%  occupied with work tasks, until lunchtime. And the same in the afternoon. Meetings were ideally kept short, direct, to minimise 'lost time'. No lolling around, chatting or social media (except during lunch hour if I wanted to). Business school was a further refining of this work-style - with most teams working to Pareto to maximise returns on (very) limited time. That was part of the training. 

Misconception: so the Asian view that Europeans 'have it easy' is not quite correct. We work very hard, but we try to work smart, so that we can also enjoy 'life outside'.  Plus many companies now encourage this, and judge us on our results, not time at our desks, or on our phones. 

For most EU countries, the maximum legal employee working hours per five-day week is 40 (48 for a six-day week). It's averaged out, and there are exemptions for some professions. But eight hours per day is the standard rule. And economies do not seem to have suffered for it. In fact some of Europe's most work-life-balance aware countries (Germany, France, The Netherlands, Sweden) are also its most prosperous. 

Management experts (albeit probably Western ones!) agree that happy, enriched people, with a handle on their own time, actually have higher productivity and buy-in during their shorter work hours, and benefit businesses more. (Resentful ones, obviously, far less!) And for the creative industries especially, I always wonder how great ideas can flourish if experiences / inspirations are limited to the workplace. 

I'm not doing a whole 'West is Best' thing here (most of you already know that I'm fairly aware of that bias!) And one can't argue with the success of the Asian tigers. People do things differently. And achieve goals differently. But when described to my Asian colleagues, they nearly all thought the more intense Euro-style sounded pretty good, especially if it allowed evenings and weekends on their own terms. In fact, some of the younger people already had exit dreams and plans: to step out of the rat-race once they were solvent, and opt for more work-life-balance. 

I've noted East and South East Asian countries are often places of contradictions. In many ways they can be socially ultra-conservative, staunchly unwilling to alter tradition. But this alongside (or perhaps because of?) fast economic growth, agility, innovation and change. 

The work-life aspect is one social tradition which might change soon for this region. And we can probably thank the Millennials for this! There are some things I admire greatly about the new Millennial generations over here. While they're labelled as faddy and entitled (which is sometimes true) they're also questioning a few daft traditions, and turning them on their heads. 

Low-conception (an aside!) 
I also have a theory about the declining birth-rates in countries like Japan and Singapore. A drop governments and economists have worried about for a while. Of course it is a problem with some complex socio-economic roots. But if you're in the office until 9 or 10pm daily, this seriously limits your social time (finding a partner), time for getting to know him/her, or romance WITH an existing partner. AND probably the energy to feel generally happy, relaxed and romantic in the first place. Does this help bring on healthy new generations of bouncing babies? In my view, Asia's long-hours office culture seems to be at odds with a lot of the region's traditions of children and family, as well as modern economic considerations. Increased work-life-balance could be a serious win-win for Asia! 


* I'm using 'Asia' to apply to the East and South East Asian countries mentioned in this post. For ease. I do realise that it's a huge continent full of diversity. Just as Europe is. (And I've also referred to Europe in the general sense, to make broad comparisons with East and South East Asia).

** The Pareto Principle suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of your tasks. So that 20% should be identified, and strongly prioritised. 


Also on this blog:

People, damage limitation, Dentsu and debacles

Ovens. And kitchens (where I rightly belong)

Here's something that surprised me a bit when I moved to affluent Singapore: no ovens. Sometimes even: no kitchens. Hmm.

The latter is rare these days. But I've been shown expensive converted apartments to rent, which had no kitchen. Not even a fridge! And I know that quite often if you rent in a shared space (with landlord on-site, which I thoroughly do not recommend in Asia!) you might be barred from cooking or any use of the kitchen. I think it's generally viewed as pretty shoddy by everyone's standards these days, but it still happens a lot. And unscrupulous rental agents will often try to fleece foreigners into believing that it's 'normal' to pay full price for no kitchen facilities at home. (It is not normal!)

The background to this is that home cooking in places like Singapore is simply not the big deal that it is in the West. Traditionally, people in SE Asia often prefer to eat out instead - not least at the myriad affordable hawker stalls in the region. (I've seen no equivalent to these in the West.) In theory, if you have a good hawker centre nearby, you can buy local food created by specialists, for probably a lot less than it would cost to make it yourself. AND in the days when electricity etc were not always available - no need for storing ingredients at home, or cleaning up afterwards either! A decent Singaporean hawker centre will offer a range of local dishes, desserts, juices, coffees, beers etc; it's pretty comprehensive. And I can see the appeal. 

The UK - especially outside cramped London - is very different. The kitchen is the heart of the home. We enjoy home cooking - and today it also guarantees avoiding unhealthy or chemical ingredients added by vendor or to supermarket-bought meals*. Plus it is far too expensive to eat out daily in the UK. But as well as this, the kitchen is the place where meals are eaten, and family and friends will congregate - for socialising as well as cooking, working and many other things! 

This has been the case for many centuries (for non-aristocracy at least!) I guess one of the key factors historically was that the fire or stove used for cooking also provided vital warmth (and light) during colder, darker months. So that room became a popular place to hang out. And by the 1950s and 60s it had even become fashionable to show off your kitchen as a nicely designed social space! Even with today's central heating comforts, and perhaps less self-consciousness, we love our kitchens. And it's considered pretty nice to have one large enough to accommodate a table and chairs for eating and socialising, as well as all the facilities for preparing food.

So to a Westerner, the idea of an apartment which actually has no kitchen is crazy - even barbaric! And not a home. A point seemingly lost on Asia's dodgy property agents.

So, back to that stove thing. Even though most modern homes in Singapore have fully equipped kitchens, you might be hard-strapped to find an oven. Ovens are just not common in this region! I have rented a number of very nice apartments in Singapore, but none had an actual built-in, proper, Western-style oven.  Because it's not the West. You'll get a modern hob, microwave and other white goods. But no oven/grill. Most East / Southeast Asian cuisines do not use ovens often, if at all. They use steamers, woks, pans... An oven is not a priority in a modern Asian development. And I guess if you really want roast chicken or pork, you can go to your hawker specialist for it! 

Expat Westerners wishing for reminders of home have to purchase strange, flimsy, portable ovens, which resemble large, old fashioned TV sets.  I've never seen these in Europe! You'll need the space to put one, too.

Proper ovens are expected in all UK kitchens. Because a huge part of our cooking involves baking, roasting and grilling! And as I've said before, we actually DO have good local food in the UK - but you need to find it home-cooked. For some reason it never took off in restaurant form (fish & chips plus soggy 'pub grub'** is not the real story!) Think melty apple pies, roast dinners with all the trimmings, dover sole, hotpot, Welsh rarebit, crisp hot-cross buns, shepherd's pie, jam tarts, cakes, crumble... They all require an oven/grill. And of course these days most of us cook tasty dishes from our neighbours in Italy, France, Spain, Greece, which also require baking and grilling. 

I've been lucky I guess. I'm British, but also half Asian and can adapt well enough to oven-free, East Asian-style cooking over here. My upbringing was in an English country cottage - but with a rice cooker and plenty of ginger. UK pies and tarts have still been frequently missed, though! 

*The addition of chemicals and unhealthy ingredients is now a problem with hawker foods in a number of SE Asian countries.

** 'Pub grub' means 'pub food' (grub is slang for food). It refers to the usually hearty but not excellent meals you can find in affordable pubs across the UK. Your roast dinner here might be microwaved, for example. It is not a reflection on the best of UK cooking!


Also on this blog:

The Hawker Centre

On or Off? The Shoe Thing

A Tale of Two Poké

Poké. A thing from Hawaii. And my new obsession.

OK, poké (pokay) is a little pretentious and fashionable in SE Asia right now. But it is still very delicious. And perhaps after some months in Malaysia, where it is next to impossible to find not-unhealthy food (another blog post about that soon!) it seemed even more satisfying. But anyway, I would thoroughly recommend trying these bowls out.

What is it / are they? Poké is a Hawaiian mixed salad with Japanese influence. (There is a large Japanese community in Hawaii, as some of you probably know.) It is made with raw fish, traditionally tuna, with sauces and chopped veggies and fruits added. I think Poké was originally a starter, but today's global outlet bowls are usually served on rice, and are large enough for a main meal. The Poké here in SE Asia tends to involve a choice of standard fish/protein with marinade, rice, salad leaves, and then a whole range of veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds to top it. Vegetarians can opt for tofu instead of fish. All these items are picked using a tick-sheet, which you hand in to the cashier. And if you can opt for a decent, chemical-free, sauce to go on top, it's a pretty healthy meal!

Here are two outlets I've visited in SE Asia:

Aloha Poke, Singapore
Pros: VERY delicious! Not least because the fish marinades were so flavourful you didn't require additional dressing. All bowls include lime, though you can choose another dressing if you want it. I had wasabi salmon and upsized to add peppered tuna. The other toppings were fairly standard and to my taste: avocado, fish roe, edamame, seaweed, pineapple etc. Good quality ingredients.
Cons: Avocado (which you pay extra for) was just a small ice-cream scoop of mashed fruit. Service was surly. 
Price: SGD16.90/ MYR50.22/ GBP9.27 / USD12.84  (upsized, with two proteins + avocado)
Seating: yes.
Branch I visited: Aloha Poke, Citylink Mall by City Hall MRT, 1 Raffles Link, #B1-65, Singapore 039393
http://www.alohapoke.com.sg/

The Fish Bowl, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Pros: Also tasty, but given the difference in price, a very good deal! You also pay extra for avocado, but it's a generous portion and well worth it. The usual toppings are here with more nuts and seeds to pick from at no extra cost. Sweet/sour mango is tasty. Nice friendly team serving you.
Cons: You need to pick the more flavoursome ingredients / toppings here to avoid a slightly bland experience. The bowl comes undressed, and the optional dressings include some unhealthy (and I suspect chemical!) options, so choose carefully! Fish roe was poor quality (processed?) Again, given the reasonable price here, one just needs to choose well; the other ingredients are fresh and healthy.
Price: SGD7.37 / MYR21.90 / GBP4.04 / USD5.60  (for one protein + avocado. To upsize for extra protein and toppings costs an additional MYR6.00)
Seating: four small tables, but larger groups can use the general food hall seating area.
Branch I visited: The Fish Bowl, Pavilion mall food hall (between Papa Rich and Beard Papa!) Level 1, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur