39 Reasons That Make Singapore Home

Whether you live in a bungalow at Bukit Timah, a condo in Tampines or a HDB flat in Jurong, there is sure to be something in your neighbourhood that is special and distinct to you. As a tribute to 50 years of nation building, here is a list of 39 iconic sights and sounds that make Singapore home.

##1. HDB Blocks

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Only in Singapore can you find these HDB blocks that come in every colour of the rainbow.

##2. Zouk

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Our iconic nightclub Zouk has become synonymous with its neighbourhood, Jiak Kim Street.

##3. Koptiam

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Craving for roti prata, mee pok, or a cup of kopi? You have everything under one roof.

##4. Community Centres

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The only place where you get to see aunties channeling their inner Beyoncé during Zumba sessions.

##5. MRT System

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Our love-hate relationship with the MRT system that connects us to every neighbourhood

##6. Street Names

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We love our fruits so much that we named our roads after them. (Magis means Magosteen in Malay). Is there a Durian Street?

##7. Sentosa Cove

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Where Tony Stark lives.

##8. Superstitious Singaporean

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When fengshui becomes our number one consideration during renovation.

##9. Matilda House

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Who doesn’t know about the history of the Matilda house? Creepy…

##10. Reservoirs

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There are 17 reservoirs in Singapore. Kiasu? Nah. More like kiasi, survival mode on!

##11. Kiasu Parents

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Have to live within 2km radius of an elite school? Bring it on!

##12. Black and White Bungalows

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The grand dame of Singapore bungalows.

##13. The Kampong Spirit

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The camaraderie that came with a kampong spirit

##14. Coastline

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Whether you are living in East or West coast, you can always find cargo ships resting along our coastline.

##15. Last Kampong

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Kampong Lorong Buangkok is our last surviving kampong in Singapore.

##16. Heartland Malls

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Wherever you live, there’s bound to be a heartland mall located near you whether it’s Jurong or Tampines Mall.

##17. The Pinnacle

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Our grandest HDB achievement – The Pinnacle@Duxton – is the world’s tallest public housing building.

##18. How to Train Your Dragon

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The only place where you can claim that you travelled through the belly of a dragon.

##19. All Hung Up

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Only in Singapore will you see underwear openly flapping in the wind like victory flags.

##20. Mama Shop

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Our beloved mama shops where Indian uncles in sarongs sell our favourite tidbits at the void deck.

##21. Public Libraries

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We are a nation of bookworms! There is almost one public library in every neighbourhood.

##22. National Day

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We love our country and we’re not afraid to show it. Majulah Singapura!

##23. EIP

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Our Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) helps you make friends of different races living in the same block.

##24. BTO

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“Dear, shall we get a BTO?” is a question that sends many Singaporeans blushing as it is one of the greatest local proclamations of love. Those in their 20s and 30s will know what we mean.

##25. Multipurpose Void Deck

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From hosting exuberant Malay weddings to solemn Chinese funerals, void decks bring people together.

##26. Abbreviations

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EC - Executive Condominium, BTO - Build-to-Order, DBSS - Design, Build and Sell Scheme, HDB - House Development Board. The never-ending list of acronyms.

##27. CPF

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We don’t know many other countries with schemes in place that make saving compulsory to help pay for a house.

##28. Bird Singing Corners

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You’re missing out if your neighbourhood lacks a birdcage-touting uncle who boasts about the five-octave vocal range of his prize-winning mata puteh.

##29. Residential Cat

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Our neighbourhoods will not be the same without them roaming the void decks with their nonchalant expressions.

##30. Karung Guni

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The blast of a horn followed by the throaty bellow of “Karung Guni!” is familiar to anyone growing up in a HDB flat.

##31. Ice Cream Man

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Do you remember the excitement you felt when the ice cream man rang his bell?

##32. Local Barber

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Things you see in an old neighbourhood – barber shops with their signature barber’s pole that hypnotise us with the spinning red, blue and white colours.

##33. Bomb Shelter

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More than a bomb shelter, Singaporeans have turned them into storage rooms. A+ for practicality.

##34. GRC

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When just one Boundary Road divides Serangoon into Marine Parade and Aljunied GRCs. Why is Serangoon in Marine Parade?

##35. Green Corridors

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Mint, pandan or chilli padi. Name it and you will see it growing along our HDB corridors.

##36. Changi Airport

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That tingly feeling you get when your Singapore-bound flight lands and the air stewardess announces, “For those of you returning home, welcome back”.

##37. Garden City

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Growing in clusters on overhead bridges, carparks, or along road dividers, brightly coloured bougainvilleas are a common sight in Singapore.

##38. Lee Kuan Yew

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Our founding father together with other pioneers have housed an entire nation.

##39. Our Beautiful Skyline

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At the end of the day, we are proud to call Singapore home.

This article is done in collaboration with MustShareNews.com. A one-stop platform for social, viral and relevant news for today's generation of Singaporeans. Keep up with the freshest news and perspectives here (hyperlink: https://www.facebook.com/mustsharenews).

39 Reasons That Make Singapore Home

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