"Livin' it up in Lion City!" is a podcast about life in the sunny island of Singapore, where friends and I talk about our experiences and our takes on stuff happening on this little red dot. I'm a guy from India living in Singapore for more than a decade. We're not experts, celebrities, or captains of industry - this is all about regular conversations, with regular people. Hope you enjoy this little podcast!
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We have a chat with Maria Isaeva, a long time resident of Singapore who recently left the country, about identity, about integration, and what it means to call Singapore home.By Rindo Ramankutty
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Racism: Why is it so hard to talk about it in Singapore?
1:14:05
1:14:05
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1:14:05Racism is a touchy topic in Singapore, but there has been a resurgence in dialogue in light of recent events that highlight the problem of racism in Singapore. The voices are many, and highly polarized. So how do we talk about this effectively? We chat with Mohd Suhaile, a former journalist, Syafiqah Taufek, a grad student in the Department of Mala…
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In the wake of rising anti-foreigner sentiments in a country that has always been labeled an "expat paradise", what do foreigners need to know, when arriving in Singapore? We have a chat with expats Melissa and Amanda. This episode is part of the series "Coming Together", a collaboration with The Whitehatters, a local NGO that seeks to foster dialo…
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The "True Blue" vs the "New": the blurred lines of Singaporean-ness
1:12:30
1:12:30
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1:12:30What makes a Singaporean "Singaporean"? We have a conversation about Singaporean identity, about notions of "true blue Singaporeans" and "new Singaporeans", and why this is prevalent in contemporary discourse today. Our guest is Danny Koordi, a podcast producer and founder of the local podcaster community Podcast SG.…
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"Integration" - what does this word really mean?
59:28
59:28
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59:28In the first episode of the series "Coming Together" in collaboration with the NGO theWhiteHatters.sg, we have a conversation about the local sentiments of foreigners seemingly not integrating in Singapore, and what the word "integration" actually means.By Rindo Ramankutty
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We talk about Metal, and the Metal scene in Singapore
1:16:53
1:16:53
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1:16:53I have a chat with two friends Tomas and Michele about the metal genre, and the scene in Singapore.By Rindo
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A Candid Conversation about Interracial Dating in Singapore (Part 2 of 2)
56:28
56:28
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56:28By Rindo
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Understanding Xenophobia in Singapore Part 4: Conversations with Singaporeans
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56:14
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56:14In the fourth episode of the series "Understanding Xenophobia in Singapore", I chat with Singaporeans I know to get their takes on the issue of rising nativism, nationalism and protectionism during COVID times, and even before that. Huge shoutout to Gary Tan of "Not Again Podcast"; Deeban, Josiah and Shaun of "Lords of Lobang"; and Jon Wang of "Lon…
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A Candid Conversation about Interracial Dating in Singapore (Part 1 of 2)
52:32
52:32
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52:32Jasmin and I talk about interracial dating in Singapore, our experiences with dating across cultural and racial lines, and how we handle perceptions other people have of our love lives.By Rindo Ramankutty
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Understanding Xenophobia in Singapore, Part 3: A Chat with Avijit Das Patnaik, on the Impact of Online Hate
1:01:13
1:01:13
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1:01:13I have a chat with Avijit Das Patnaik, an Indian citizen who was a target of online vitriol over a contentious facebook post he shared in 2018. We talk about how he incurred the wrath of the internet, how it changed his and his family's lives, and why that incident got the reaction that it did. Check out the other episodes on the series "Understand…
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26. Being a Foreigner: A Singaporean in Estonia
1:06:57
1:06:57
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1:06:57I chat with good friend Nikki, a Singaporean living in Estonia. We talk about living life as a foreigner, the startup scene in Tallinn, and most importantly, we talk about food. We recorded this episode way back in February 2020, right before COVID took the world by storm.By Rindo Ramankutty
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25. Understanding Cultural Intelligence with Ling Ling Tai
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45:11
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45:11I seek to understand what cultural intelligence means, with Ling Ling Tai, a seasoned learning and development professional on increasing intercultural awareness, and cultivating inclusive workplaces. She's the founder of Culture Spark Global, that focuses on exactly this, and also the host of the podcast Leaders of Learning, which is the top podca…
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24. Understanding Xenophobia in Singapore: Part 2, The Nature of Local Discomfort over Foreigners
44:06
44:06
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44:06This is Part 2 of the series on "Understanding Xenophobia in Singapore". This episode, we analyze the nature of local discomfort over foreigners in Singapore. More links to references can be found on the website here: http://livingitupinlioncity.com/podcast/understanding-xenophobia-in-singapore-part-2-the-nature-of-local-discomfort-over-foreigners/…
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23. COVID19, and the Dehumanization of Chinese People in Popular Culture
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25:00
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25:00Recent conversations with friends and observations around social media have highlighted the pervasive "otherness" of Chinese people in popular culture, during the COVID19 coronavirus crisis, and even outside of that. Rooted in history, propaganda and internet culture, I try to understand why people struggle to find Chinese people "relatable". Liziq…
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22. Understanding Xenophobia in Singapore: Part 1, The History of Immigration and the events that built up the anti-foreigner narrative
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37:01
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37:01By Living it up in Singapore
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21. It's 2020! The State of the Podcast - what's been going on last year, and what you can look forward to this year
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17:31
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17:31By Rindo
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Geylang is widely known as the 'red light district' of Singapore, a den of sin and debauchery that should be given wide berth, as common wisdom goes. What's it really like though? Friends and I talk about the history of this infamous neighbourhood, and personal experiences living here.By Rindo
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19. Two Food Delivery Riders voice their thoughts on the recent PMD ban that very nearly plunged Singapore into Anarchy
39:57
39:57
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39:57We recorded this episode two days after the ban was announced. We asked two friends who do food delivery about the ban and how it would affect them.By Rindo
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18. We talk about the book "200 Years of Singapore and the United Kingdom" and the Bicentennial Experience
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46:22Suraj and I talk about a book we've been reading, called "200 years of Singapore and the United Kingdom". It's an interesting book that aims to provide a more balanced understanding of Singapore's history, viewed through the lens of both Singaporean and British voices. We also talk about the Singapore Bicentennial Experience at Fort Canning. If you…
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What makes a city boring? Friends from Singapore, Spain and Belgium weigh in.By Rindo
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Revisiting "Disneyland with The Death Penalty" and William Gibson, the man behind Singapore's infamous label
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39:10
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39:10"Disneyland with the Death Penalty" has become synonymous with Singapore. Spawned from an essay in 1993, does the epithet still apply? And why is a phrase from 3 decades ago still being used, in any discussion about Singapore? This episode looks at the historical, social and political context around William Gibson's essay.…
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15. Being a Foreigner: German in Singapore, Singaporean in Germany
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1:25:24
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1:25:24A German friend - who lives in Singapore - and a Singaporean friend - who's lived in Germany - talk about their experiences living life as foreigners. About language, about culture shock, about stereotypes, about racism...By Rindo
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14. The exclusionary nature of colonial architecture, the myth of the lazy native, and the movie scene in Singapore
1:08:00
1:08:00
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1:08:00Hafiz from episode 13 is back, and we chat about a lot of things: about how a lot of colonial architecture was exclusionary, how that famous sign at Cavenagh Bridge may have been meant to keep local riffraff out, how the trope that "Malays are lazy" is a myth perpetuated by colonialists, and about the movie scene in Singapore, then and now.…
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12b. The Lion King: Why *is* the Lion a universal symbol of leadership and courage?
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29:40
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29:40Ever wonder why the lion is called the King of the Jungle? Is there more to "The Lion King" than meets the eye? We look at cultural depictions and symbolism of lions in history, and make some interesting - even if implausible - connections. Sources: https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/150391/1/Strawn_2005_What_Is_Stronger_than_a_Lion.pdf https://www.…
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द्वादश: Munshi Abdullah, the Father of modern Malay Literature, a.k.a That New Statue at Boat Quay
47:49
47:49
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47:49Rindo chats with a redditor about Munshi Abdullah, also known as the father of modern Malay literature. He arrived in Singapore in 1819, along with Stamford Raffles, and wrote about life in Singapore in its early years, in his autobiography "Hikayat Abdullah". A statue of Munshi Abdullah has been erected close to the Raffles statue at Boat Quay, on…
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Random stuff. Rindo talks about what kept him from soapboxing on the podcast, why Mass Effect 3 is the greatest thing since Mass Effect 3, and how youtube is bigger than Sagittarius A*.By Rindo
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X. Being a Foreigner: A Singaporean in Stockholm
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1:03:14
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1:03:14Khai talks about life as a foreigner in Stockholm, about Crazy Rich Asians, and about the interesting Swedish philosophy of "Lagom"... unless when it comes to KFC.By Rindo Ramankutty
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NINE: The Singapore Bicentennial, Going Beyond The Colonial Narrative, and Colorizing Old Photos
38:42
38:42
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38:42Shian Bang and I have three beers too many, while chatting about the Singapore Bicentennial, going beyond the colonial narrative, and his hobby of breathing colour into old black-and-white photos. Check his photography at https://www.bangphotography.net/By Rindo Ramankutty
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This episode, we explore Singaporean folklore, and realize that there is more historical context to the stories, than the popular narratives. The Malay Annals, a historical chronicle of the region, throws some light into these 'legends', and we learn more about the history of the region, which unfolds centuries before Stamford Raffles ever set foot…
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7. Who are these "asshole Indian Nationals" everyone seems to have a story about?
1:04:31
1:04:31
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1:04:31Virtually everyone in Singapore seems to have a "you know that one Indian national ah..." story to tell. What's the deal? Who are these asshole Indian nationals, and where do these perceptions come from? Rindo, an Indian national himself, asks Raj why it's so. We use the term NRI a lot. NRI is "Non-Resident Indian" a term used for Indian passport-h…
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Episode 6: Bias and Cultural Hegemony
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1:07:10
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1:07:10My brother and I talk about bias, cultural hegemony, and post-colonial hangover that creep into any conversation about Singapore, and non-Western countries in general.By Rindo
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Episode Five: Feedback From Friends and the Ftate of the Fodcast
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40:57
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40:57We want to thank our viewers and friends for listening to our podcast, and for providing invaluable feedback. In this episode we talk about some of the things our friends had to say.By Sunny & Raj
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What's it like being a foreigner? We talk to a Singaporean who lived overseas, and a Canadian who lives here in Singapore. #Singapore #NewZealand, #Canada #Foreigner #Experience #LifeBy Sunny & Raj
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Episode 003: Soul of Singapore Part II
1:02:18
1:02:18
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1:02:18In this episode, we follow up on the questions we had about the narrative of Singapore's soul (or lack of it) in Episode One. Three Singaporean friends weigh in on the discussion about the perception of Singapore, and the feedback we got from Episode One. Enjoy! One of the news articles we discussed in this episode: sg.news.yahoo.com/top-values-sin…
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Episode 002: Arts in Singapore, feat. Luke Tan of Mural Lingo
48:39
48:39
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48:39We talk to good friend and artist Luke Tan of Mural Lingo, about art, Singapore and other stuff.By Sunny & Raj
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We talk about our gripes with relation the popular perception of Singapore, of "lacking soul", and discuss whether it's balanced or biased...By Sunny & Raj
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