SINGAPORE: A 22-year-old foreigner from Sweden shared on social media that he was surprised when he learned so many locals wanted to leave the country.
“I keep noticing [that there] is a strong desire among many Singaporeans to leave, whether it’s for the UK or somewhere vastly different from Singapore,” he wrote on r/askSingapore on Sunday (Mar 2).
“It surprises me because I love this place, and I struggle to understand why so many people feel such a strong urge to leave their own country. Maybe it’s just the people I associate with—mostly in their twenties within a temporary phase in life, similar to what made me leave Sweden in the first place, but back home, I rarely hear people say, ‘Yeah, I live here, but I plan to leave anyway.’”
The foreigner shared that he moved to Singapore two years ago and that his experience in the city-state had been overwhelmingly positive. “Singapore has been great to me. I wake up every day feeling grateful to live here, and I’ve really enjoyed my time so far,” he said.
Seeking to understand why so many Singaporeans are considering a future elsewhere, he asked, “Does anyone know why this is? Is it something cultural, economic, or just a generational mindset? I’d greatly appreciate some different perspectives!”
“Grass is greener on the other side; it’s not rocket science…”
In the discussion thread, many Singaporean Redditors explained to the foreigner that many dream of leaving the country, not because it’s not great or safe, but because it can feel limiting and claustrophobic.
In larger countries, if someone feels stuck, they can simply move to another city to reset their life. Whether for better job prospects, a change of pace, or a new adventure, there’s always somewhere else to go, but in Singapore, there’s no such option. Once someone has outgrown their surroundings or needs a break, the only way to truly start over is to leave the country entirely.
One Redditor added, “SG is too small. No chance to invest to break free from poverty. Stressful pace of life. We operate like autopilot. Everything is getting more expensive. Not many nature places to explore. More and more mental accidents have happened in recent years. Being controlled tightly.”
Another commented, “If you were a citizen who grew up here and served national service as local men do, you would feel much differently.”
A third echoed this sentiment, writing, “Because you haven’t lived here in SG from young to be jaded and dissatisfied. Now, the same question can be deflected to you, ‘So why do you leave your home?’ Maybe the answer will be similar in some ways.”
Others, however, suggested that the desire to leave might stem from a lack of exposure to the world beyond Singapore. They pointed out that many locals may not fully appreciate what they have, as they haven’t had the chance to experience life elsewhere.
One Redditor stated, “Grass is greener on the other side; it’s not rocket science. Every country will have its citizen unsatisfied with their country.”
Another shared, “As a Singaporean who left the country to live and work in North America for a couple of years, I am glad I have returned to Singapore. People complain about the hot weather, but I really did not enjoy being in the winter time, around 4 to 6 months of the year. Having a child overseas was no fun either. I enjoy the support (familial and government) I get here.”
In other news, a Singaporean woman who’s currently “8 months pregnant with an obvious bump” took to social media to call out MRT commuters for ignoring priority seating etiquette.
“I realized that people in MRT don’t care (about priority seating) because I’m still pushed and squeezed around. I’m not that entitled to demand a seat during peak hours, though my journey usually takes 15 stops, and I just stand throughout, but I have encountered a few instances that felt unfair,” she wrote on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum on Friday (Mar 28).
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)