Living with Strangers in my Own Country

When I tell people I rented a bed space sharing a room with three other girls, they would immediately ask me: “are you a Singaporean?”

"Yes, I am born and bred in Singapore.  I am 100% Singaporean." 

"Then why are you sharing a room with foreigners? Don’t you live with your parents? Do you not have siblings?" they continued to ask.

I stepped into a “new world” and change the way I live the day I shared a room with 3 other girls in a terrace house in Eastern Singapore and living with strangers in my own country. 

Are renting rooms and doing room-share only meant for foreigners?

I don’t blame Singaporean taking it for granted that it is a norm here to own your property, to live with parents or to live with siblings, because even foreigners have the same mentality.

The common reaction I get from foreigners is – “oh, I thought Singapore is a rich country and the government takes care of everything”.

My plans to buy my own public housing apartment is beyond reach now that the cash-over-valuation of between 10 to 20K S$ for a flat with holes in the ceiling and defects you cannot spot and the housing agent commission and the repairs and renovation costs etc are too much for me to bear even though the sum in my CPF account is enough for me to own a three room HDB flat without a housing loan. 

So, I have to settle with living the boarding style minus the headmistress. (smile)

It takes more than just living with people you are not familiar with. 

First and foremost, getting along with roommates is utmost priority.   Harmony is conducive to calm and peaceful living, therefore, it is beneficial to make adjustment in our attitudes and lifestyles which in turn, creates harmonious relationship.

By adjustment of attitude, I meant, no small things is worth spoiling the relationship with people.  Bear in mind that everything are shared, such as, space, utilities and time, so you need to give and take, make the best of it.  

Going into such situation with the right attitude will spare us unhappiness and inconvenience as we live and get along with people.

On the way to the supermarket, try asking your room mate if she wants something and offer to pick it up for her. In the long run, it is always worth maintaining a harmonious relationship with people around you, not just roommates. 

Give  your roommate something that she needs, let your roommate use something that was needed and not available to her at that moment, it is not the giving that matters, it is the attitude of extending hospitality and friendship, and your roommate will pick up on that and do the same.

Getting angry with your roommate? Get out of the situation and cool off.  Words spoken in a fit of anger and at the wrong time could ruin relationship and it is always not worth spoiling the relationship.

Overall, it is not too bad going with the change which is enough to let me overlook the disadvantage of not having my own space for privacy when I needed it.

I am satisfied living where I am now and living with strangers that keeps me company.