Wild chickens and no ketchup? UK woman lists out things that confused her when she moved to Singapore

Moving to a new country brings new experiences.

For Jess Bergman, who goes by Jess_whitneyx on TikTok, her move from the UK to Singapore in 2022 has resulted in a few encounters that have been quite baffling to her.

On Tuesday (Jan 30), the fashion model shared a TikTok video listing some of these observations that have left her confused since being here.

@jess_whitneyx Things that confused ne when I first moved to Singapore 🇸🇬 #singaporetiktok #singapore #singaporetrending ♬ original sound - jess_whitneyx

One of the first things Jess observed was that chickens are freely roaming around in Singapore.

At first, she thought that there must be a farm nearby and that someone had lost their chickens.

However, as she spent more time in Singapore, Jess realised that there aren't exactly that many farms here.

So what's up with the chickens?

"No one is explaining why there are chickens running around on the streets in Singapore when there are no farms around," she said.

When a commenter asked where she was seeing these wild chickens, she replied: "Go to Tanjong Pagar. Last time I saw them was outside Botanic Gardens MRT. Many of them."

Another observation that seemed a little peculiar to Jess is related to food—condiments, in particular.

Jess is used to having ketchup as a main condiment, whether it be at a fast food joint or restaurant.

She also wondered why Singaporeans "always opt for" chilli sauce instead.

Sticking to the topic of food, Jess pointed out one particular food item that she has not been able to wrap her head around—bird's nest.

"Is it a food that is called 'bird's nest' and it costs $380? Or is it a very expensive bird's nest?" Jess asked.

Confused (in a good way)

Experiencing something different from what we are used to can also bring new perspectives on one's way of life.

Having previously lived in the UK, it's relatively normal for Jess to keep her shoes on when entering a home.

In Singapore, though, the norm is to remove one's shoes before entering the home, and the UK expat realised how this actually "makes a lot of sense".

She added: "I don't understand how I've survived my entire life walking into people's houses and keeping my dirty shoes on."

Hawker centres also made it on her list of observations.

Think of it from her perspective: A variety of food in a single location where you can "buy a meal for $3". 

"What do you mean I can fill my entire stomach for $3? How is that possible? How do these companies survive?" she asked rhetorically.

In the comments section, netizens chimed in on some of her observations in the video.

"I’ve been here all my life and the chickens confuse me too," one TikTok user commented.

A few netizens were also curious to know which hawker centres Jess was going to for $3 meals.

ALSO READ: 'I eat chicken rice 3 times a week': Swiss expat reveals 'weird habits' she picked up after moving to Singapore

amierul@asiaone.com

No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.