Can you believe it’s already three months since I touched down in Singapore? At first, I thought those days would stretch on forever—powered only by adrenaline, IKEA flat-pack decoding sessions, and endless shopping list to fill an empty home. But last week, dropping my daughter off at preschool felt like the final box ticked on my “settling-in” checklist. I exhaled so hard I almost toppled over… only to realize this was just the warm-up lap of expat life. The initial first 3 months in a new country is the perfect lab for spotting culture quirks—here’s what I’ve uncovered so far.

1. From “Power-Nap Queen” to “Energizer Bunny”

Growing up in China, I—like millions/billions of others—swore by the post-lunch nap (and yes, Spain’s siesta culture speaks to my soul). In New Zealand, I honed my 15-minute power-nap to perfection: I’d drift off naturally, wake up refreshed, and tackle the afternoon slump like a productivity ninja.

Enter Singapore: suddenly I haven’t needed a nap in weeks and months. Not because I’m superhuman—I simply have zero downtime between two full-time jobs (corporate strategist by day, unpaid mum-boss 24/7). My brain is constantly scheming, planning, pinging with new ideas. It’s like the whole city injected my bloodstream with double-espresso. In three months, a habit I’d developed over three decades—my sacred nap—has vanished. Should I be thankful… or resentful? I’m still deciding… :D

2. The Great Webcam Conspiracy

In Kiwi land, leaving your camera off on Teams is about as polite as wearing socks with sandals. People expect to have eye contact, smile, nod, maybe even share a “Sorry, muted for dog drama” moment, as a way of showing respect.

Here in Singapore? Cameras stay resolutely off—even in one-on-ones. No “How was your weekend?” no “Love your bookshelf backdrop!” Just a swift 10-second greeting and straight into the agenda. In-person chatter exists, but the ratio of small talk to business is probably 5:95—compared to New Zealand’s leisurely 20:80 or even 50:50.

Is it indifference or efficiency? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the “少管闲事” spirit—mind your own business—that channeled into work culture. Whatever the reason, I’ve embraced that I don’t need to excuse myself for not having my camera on. But if you ever need a pep talk, I’ll be here—camera on, hair spectacularly imperfect.

3. Professionalism on Overdrive

Singaporeans work hard—and with meticulous professionalism. RFPs arrive so detailed they read like legal briefs; colleagues casually propose 10 PM meet-ups to “just wrap up” a project, no shame in carving into private time. In the initial 3 months, my dominant industry is public sector. I also worked with public sector in New Zealand during my time at Microsoft. I can tell you the contrast is startling. Singapore government way of working is more restricted while maintaining transparency. They follow certain procedures and diligently follow them as it’s by law. People outside of government need security clearance to attend any business meetings.

It’s intense, but there’s something admirable about the commitment to process and the confidence to ask “Can we lock this down tonight?” I’m learning to sync my tempo to this high-gear environment—though my Kiwi heart still rejects at 10 PM calendar invites. 6-9pm is my precious bonding time with my daughter. Post 9pm working is my own choice.

4. MRT: The Moving Observatory of Humanity

In New Zealand, my commute was a private soundtrack of podcasts and bird calls driving in my car. On Singapore’s MRT, I’m front-row to a live exhibit of “screen-staring species”: 99% of passengers are glued to phones or blissed out with earbuds. Morning rush: bleary eyes, news-feed scrolls, coffee dreams. Evening exodus: inbox panic-swipes, podcast marathons

In the past 12+ years, I never had the chance to observe so many people at a time on a daily basis. I found it’s interesting to do so. I’m the odd one – staring, researching, mentally drafting this very article, and asking all those humanity-related questions. To them, I must look like a creep; to me, it’s free market research.

5. “Small Talk” vs. “No Talk”

In NZ, you linger over kopi, ask after families and travel plans, and maybe trade a cheeky joke. Here, a brisk “Hi” is considered generous. You try to ask weekend plans—and a quick “yes it was good” would be the definite response.

• Me (internally): “Is this what speed-dating feels like?”

• Them (externally): “(silence)… Next agenda item?”

Lesson learned: in Singapore, real rapport is built in person—and quickly. Once you break through that shell, people are loyal, direct, and refreshingly honest.

What’s next?

After 12+ years soaking up Kiwi quirks, I’m still unraveling Singapore’s hidden rhythms. In a few more months, I’ll likely discover unspoken rules etched into hawker-centre queues or hawk-eye precision on MRT lines. And I promise to report back—camera on or off.

For now, I’m powered by kopi, curious about every cultural nugget, and endlessly grateful that this city keeps me wide awake—both literally and figuratively. Here’s to the next chapter of misadventures, accidental discoveries, and hopefully remembering what “nap” means again.