I have been long awaiting this day! Today one of my favorite bloggers, Bronwyn from Journeys of the Fabulist, has kindly written a post about her neck of the woods, Singapore! Make sure to check out her blog and follow it, because her wit and insight into expat life, travel, and parenting are always a great time! She is an extraordinary writer and person! Thanks to Bronwyn for joining us at And Three To Go today!

In Singapore, people talk about the “Five C’s”. You can use the checklist as a sort of socioeconomic gauge to determine whether or not people have “made it” in the local economy, although what sort of “it” they’ve “made” is left as an exercise for the aspirational reader.

The c’s are often spoken of in derogatory tones, sometimes by people driving their cars from their condos to their country clubs, but actually, I think it’s good to know what you’re expected to want so you can get on with either wanting it, or actively rejecting it in the name of some sort of counter-cultural movement based on k’s or whatever.

In that spirit, today’s Monday Montage (brought to you from Singapore) is a showcase of either the best of what this modern society has to offer, or the emptiest, depending on your point of view.

Cash

I thought we were comfortable on this front. Then recently, I learned that Singapore issues thousand dollar notes and I realised there’s this whole level of cashed-uppedness we haven’t even begun to come into contact with.

Credit Card

Credit cards seem so commonplace it’s almost a shock to realise there are those who aspire to them. (For both these reasons, I’m not going to supply a picture of mine.)

Car

Government taxes have put cars out of reach for many. On the other hand, government town planning and transport infrastructure make this fairly unimportant for practical purposes, and government welfare policy ensures a steady supply of cab drivers willing to work hard for low pay.

Condo

Singapore’s public housing (HDB) scheme has been praised the world over and most citizens call these buildings home, but some still want a private apartment with extra facilities.

Country Club

As far as I’m concerned the only point to owning a country club membership is so you can show off to your friends and guests. As an aside, I’m willing to act as either a friend or a guest. Drop me a comment!

Jenny at And Three To Go here again…I love getting to read about how others live in different parts of the world, don’t you? Thank you again to Bronwyn at Journeys of the Fabulist for sharing about Singapore today (even though her whole family has been sick all week!). You amaze and inspire me Bronwyn!

Now it’s your turn to join in the conversation! Do you feel like the Five Cee’s apply to where you live as well? Do you belong to a country club? Carry thousand dollar bills? Leave a comment and let us know!