Misconceptions about your home country from Singaporeans

[from England]

"what language do you speak at home?"

[Not a yodeler]

Swedish = Swiss

But I wouldn't blame any Singaporean for that. I've met British and Irish who can't really differ.

[Ears]

I think misconceptions also lead to poor listening comprehension.  Once I booked a flight to Basel ( Switzerland) - pronounced it very carefully - and discovered later that the travel agent booked me on a flight to Brussels.  Then at the money changer, I asked for Swiss Francs and they gave me French Francs.

[7-11 Clerk]

My aerobics instructor came back from her first trip to the US.

"You know it's brilliant! I never realized how successful Singapore companies were."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that America has our 7-11 stores over there, too!"

[landlord]

That all Westerners have rampant sex!!  This is what annoys me about some Asians.  Years ago, I invited a friend to come over to stay with me.  She's divorced with a child and she happily accepted the invitation as she badly needed a holiday but couldn't afford it. 

The first thing my landlady asked me is:  "Is she going to bring men home ?"  - AARGGHH !!!

that should say something about your habits observed by your landlady. usually birds of a feather flock together.

[down under]

Singaporeans often tell me that New Zealand is a big country. Compared to Singapore, I guess it is??

Best misunderstanding I ever heard was from an American. Within 5 minutes of meeting me he said, "Ma'am, I don't know what language you speak in New Zealand, but your English is quite good!"

Lots of Canadians, Americans and others think NZ is attached to Australia by a bridge or highway. They are shocked to find that it's a 3 hour flight away.

[Yes]

Kiwis are often irked by some Americans who have never ever heard of NZ.  Once, in London, a Kiwi was asked by an American if he could do NZ on a holiday, both North and South Islands in 2 hours!  I thought that's funny.

It takes a lot of patience to deal with unusual questions about one's country.  Lastly, it's also about humility.  No matter how "great" or "prominent" our homeland is according to our perceptions, there are still a lot of people who really have no clue about it.

[Great world of china]

A friend once related this to me. After meeting, a group of americans asked the locals. "Can you tell me how do I get to great world of China? Are there any transport I can take"? They told the group that it is few hours flight away.

Spore is not part of China!!!

[WALL, perhaps?]

A friend once related this to me. After meeting, a group of americans asked the locals. "Can you tell me how do I get to great world of China? Are there any transport I can take"? They told the group that it is few hours flight away.

Spore is not part of China!!!

Did you mean the Great Wall of China? Who says 'the great world of China'??

[hibiscus24]

Once, to me: "India... do they have air-conditioning there?"

My reply: "Yes, but there isn't electricity so you can't run the air-conditioners."

(She believed it.)

[ToI]

A write collar local worker (in MNC!): "India? Do they have English news papers there?"

[Hope Not]

I'm lucky - most Singaporean simply have a blank face where I say where I am from (Estonia) - the braver ones will ask 'where is that?' when I reply "near finland and russia, on the baltic coast' the usual reply is silence or a blank look followed by "is it cold there?"

Being from a small country has certain advantages! The worst I got was "so you are russian eh? women must be hot eh?" (from a Taxi uncle) the most bizzare was "wasn't that an Eskimo colony once?" (I kid you not) but mostly just blank stares as their brains fail to bring up any sterotypes to fling forth... 

I hope you are not the one I spoke to a few years ago. When the person said "Estonia", I mentioned though I've heard of the country, I can't really place it on the map. Asked if it belonged to the former Eastern bloc, near Yugoslavia, etc. He looked at me shocked.