focus group overallreport_2011aug22

Focus group summary

Demographics

No. of students from various countries

No. of friends in Singapore*defined by those that they will meet for meals/ leisure/ non-school purposes

less than 352%

3 to 623%

more than 626%

SIM

less than 3 50%

3 to 613%

more than 637%

Auston

less than 3 50%

3 to 613%

more than 637%

Shatec

less than 367%

more than 633%

Raffles College of Higher Ed-ucation

Impression of Singapore

In Singapore for less than a year


Impression of SingaporeSIM

Positive NegativeCharacter

Friendly taxi uncle

Politics, social, environment, technology

Efficient transportation, back in country wait more than 2 hours

Safety Food convenience 24 hours

Character

Tend to speak fast, tough to understand Aunties and uncles are always in a rush and rude,

Kaisu Kaisee Kaibo share idea to a group usually get rejected resistance to changes 1st impression bad- look down on foreigners


Impression of SingaporeAuston


Some are friendly Skating – Singapore lady offered to teach


More advanced compared to Myanmar Technology - advanced Like the laws, technology Beautiful environment Beautiful country, road are clean Like Singapore for neat and tidy, good

transportation, advanced in education compared to Asian countries

Here have more chances + better salaries for fresh graduates

Character

Not friendly – don’t want to talk to us “I can’t help you” Don’t look friendly Only 1 Singaporean friend FOOD = very greasy and not salty enough “WAY TO THIS PLACE” – no answer, stare,

dismissive, though they are free Don’t provide tissue & tea for free Don’t like Singaporean’s characters Like you are from another planet No Singaporean friends


Expensive cost of living, food, etc. MRT – check their bags often – means they were

being judged by their skin colour

In Singapore for less than a yearPositive NegativeNA Language barrier

Uniform

Impression of SingaporeShatec


Impression of SingaporeRaffles College of Higher Learning

Positive NegativePolitics, social, environment, technology

Weather – better than Mongolia Clean Food – Chinese food here has more varieties

(Filipina)

Activities

Sentosa Universal studios Holland Village Clubbing Gym Botanical gardens – beautiful East Coast – brought by parents’ Singaporean

friends

NIL

Impression of Singapore

In Singapore for more than a year

In Singapore for more than a yearPositive NegativeCharacter

Ideas put forth accepted quite readily New generation able to accept to changes more

readily as compared to older generation


Can talk about politics and army life

Character

Local Indians dislike Indians in India Attitude problem Being critic- not open to no idea, think they are

doing is the best solution-stand for their right, proud

SG guys more friendly than the girl Language barrier Not much common activities that can be done

together Some of the local Singaporean thinks they are

superior in speaking English


Open minded- BGR on the street (come from conservative culture)

Impression of SingaporeSIM

In Singapore for more than a year



CHURCH choir ministry = friendly Most Singaporeans are very nice There are still people who help Singapore is like a home country to her because

most of her growing up memories are in Singapore (stayed here since 14)

Teach her lots of things to school Learnt how to speak Singlish Singaporeans keep introducing their own friends Understand that it’s not 100% kind not possible Help in their living / help us / accompany us /

any problems can tell them Lecturers used Singlish, but the friend helped to

explain Friends will help to create events Malays and Indians are friendlier/ more

approachable/ NOT CHINESE Good experience e.g. go Dutch on the spot Kinder than Koreans – they cheat or hit each

other e.g. money when overseas

Character

Some are pain in the ass and Malaysians too Asked to join their gangs So cold, won’t be able to talk to them, even if we

talk to them One sentence reply = not interested to talk to

you = even face to face Very proud but proud for no reason Neighbours don’t initiate conversations HDB less educated/ more rude compared to

PRIVATE estates Taxi driver family occupy the entire railing ===

scolded vulgarities for moving their clothes the 60 year old = but he apologised

Older generation + Ah Beng’s / ITE = Vulgar NO CLASS = CALCULATIVE Both English and Chinese are not good – but still

proud they know both Don’t mean what they say Hard to make friends when new Meet more foreign friends than Singaporeans

In Singapore for more than a yearPositive NegativePolitics, social, environment, technology

Singapore is good – laws and safe


Cost of living = cannot hang out every week because the places are the same

Even if you’ve money = no PLACE To go Every mall has the same shops = VERY

EXPENSIVE MIGHT AS WELL shop in Thailand because the

stock is from there DON’T GO OUT BECAUSE it’s expensive MRT are crowded = people push you When living in HDB, playing in poker games –

complain to the police COMPLAIN CULTURE Don’t like culture – almost 80% I dislike Voice and tone not nice – talking on MRT/bus –

they give you looks if you’re a Chinese Work – feel stereotyped that companies don’t

hire foreigners (eg job ads) DON’T LIKE Singapore is small + weather is HOT



COOL friends Many other international students = FRIENDLY Introduced to friends


Clean, safe, no homeless Culture – that there are 3 different races in one

island Efficient transportation Convenient for daily needs Can mix with people around the world Best study standards in Asia Government is very organised – economy,

transportation, etc. Language – all 3 languages spoken fluently

Character

No Singaporean friends Hear people speaking Singlish / mixed languages Rude attitude/ NOT hospitable / Self-centred =

not willing to help Cut others’ speech Egoistic Ignorant / Don’t smile / think I’m weird if I smile


Weather too hot and humid Air-con too cold Uptight Robotic Efficient only to a certain extent Singapore food (tasteless) Mixed languages even by lecturers = CANNOT

UNDERSTAND = should use proper English TRANSPORT – NOT so efficient POLITICAL – HK can strike not in SG!

Impression of SingaporeShatec


Stereotypes – based on my skin colour Cannot fit it in, no friends in Sec 1 (1st year here)

Activities

Shopping @ Bugis, Orchard Explore @ Chinatown, Little India


Many family members here/ married Singaporeans too

Food – many choices – from many different countries

Impression of SingaporeRaffles College of Higher Learning

What do you think the local students can do to make your stay in SG more meaningful?


SIMCHARACTER • Different perspective- student express it should be a two way communication• Be more open, friendly and speak slowly • Be friend with a heart and not just a project • Hope to have people to translate from English to Chinese to him (China student)• Hope to interact and be in their small group instead of being isolated• Hang out more and learn more about them• Foreigners also tend to be their own group as well, is a both ways communication.

POLITICS, ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL, TECHNOLOGY• Hope to learn more about SG culture, to share different culture together, find out more about festivals• Not interested in Shopping mall, keen in historical places, a club, interactive, opportunity

ACTIVITIES • Hope to have combined orientation with the SG and foreigners • CCA activities, interactive• Want to visit some exciting places and explore more of SG• Events – games and events• Camping and outdoors activities like picnic• Try and experience more local food• Do social work together – going through bad times together/ to serve the elderly together • Build more programmes to interact and combine with Singaporean and foreigners


Auston MEDIA• Stop reporting only the crimes/ bad things that foreigners do… Singaporeans do the same too!• Stop siding Singaporeans/ Stop stirring Singaporeans’ emotions/ hatred towards foreigners• Media can play a part in saying good things about foreigners• Thai girl who fell onto MRT and need to amputate legs, NOT because she was dizzy, but she was PUSHED

onto the tracks. SMRT promised will support… instead of the S$50,000 fees

SERVICE/ CHARACTER • Be more gracious e.g. stop pushing on public transports• Improve service because service not so good, examples:

– ICA = tell them to check the internet– Public places like banks / hospitals / phone companies = SLOW! In Korea, slowness in such services will be sued!

• MORE TRAINING on kindness and attitudes• Want to have Singaporeans friends• Bring us around Singapore places of interest which are free

POLITICS, ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL, TECHNOLOGY • Show the foreign students avenues to make some income to offset the high living costs (no avenues now)• The governments shouldn’t restrict (by law) all PI students from working• Make salaries similar for foreign workers… it shouldn’t be different for the same work!• More opportunities for foreigners e.g. job website, 80% looking only for Singaporeans• Decrease discrimination: Why not hire PI students though both PI and local institutes are


Shatec LANGUAGE• Speak more English• Don’t judge people by their skin colour – e.g. Don’t speak to me in Mandarin

because I look like Chinese• Speak in the language to make them feel welcomed

AVAILBILITY• Meet us! We are young people and we should hang out!• Hardly meet any Singaporeans at all!

BE OPEN• Foreigners are more shy!• So Singaporean are the host and should initiate the conversation first!• Make us feel welcomed!• EXAMPLE:

Singaporeans didn’t answer him at all when they asked them to play basketball!

LOOSEN UP!!


Raffles College of Higher Learning LANGUAGE• Explain Singlish to us, especially those from taxi drivers!

AVAILBILITY• Meet us! HANG OUT!!

CULTURE• Share with us traditions/ customs

ACTIVITIES• Bring us out to explore Singapore• Invite us to their homes! Show us how a HDB flat look like?

focus group overallreport_2011aug22

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