Many fellow Singaporeans are familiar with the common misinformation like “you can get caned for doing this” and “Singapore is a part of China”.

But the most ridiculous argument I heard was from an American who claimed that Singapore had no freedom because of…… COE.

He claimed that COE was slavery and communism because Singaporeans can’t easily own a car, ignoring all arguments about how screwed our traffic would be if everyone owned a car.

There was also some post about the mirror maze in Jewel Changi Airport. One American remarked that the maze was dangerous because there could be attackers hiding out of sight waiting to attack tourists. Like pls la do you think every other country is as dangerous as yours.

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard a foreigner say about Singapore?

“Singapore part of China”

I was in Sweden and an ex-UN staff told me they have not been to “that part of China” when I said I was from Singapore. Another Australian couple looked shocked and quickly told me they work in Singapore and love the city.

Next day during breakfast, the ex-UN guy must have looked up on Singapore and apologized to me.

“Singapore banned Coca Cola

My teacher had a story of when he went to a American bar where upon finding out he was Singaporean, they gave him a free Coca Cola because they thought “Singapore banned Coca Cola” and pited him

“Thought Singapore was a made up country”

I did an exchange in LA, and went for a haircut. The hairdresser (blonde female) asked me where I’m from (not surprising) and I said Singapore (obviously). Not only did she clearly not know what or where Singapore was, she thought I was making it up and just trying to be funny with her!

So a bit more context first – this salon was just outside Hollywood, in a part of LA where a lot of aspiring actors and actresses work part-time while attending drama school or auditioning or whatever. I suspect she was one of them… but I think she thought I was that kind of person too! (I wasn’t, I just happened to be tourist-ing the area.)

Her replies were baffling, like “So, what language do you speak in this Singapore?” or “Does this Singapore have waterfalls and forests?” as if she thought I was improvising this fictional place and she was playing along. When I was thinking back on the conversation later on, I concluded that she thought I was practicing some lines or improv or method acting for an upcoming project or audition, so she thought she was “helping” me by playing along.

So not really ridiculous or whatever, but quite interesting haha.

“Singapore a third world country”

I once met a Canadian couple on board a river cruise in Europe. The husband was a lovely man but the wife knew nothing about Singapore. She must have thought we are from a third world country. Once we were served Sourdough Bread and she said: “Now you can go back and boast to your friends that you had Sourdough Bread.”