‘Local’ RevisitedRemember we saw a few posts ago that some Singaporeans feel ‘local’ wherever they are in the world? Not because they are bicultural, or multicultural for that matter — but simply because they don’t understand that the term changes its reference according to where the speaker is.

In the above article (New Paper, March 24, 2007), proprietor Mr Ronald Lim observes of his new restaurant in London called ‘Kiasu’:

‘Tourists from Singapore visit the restaurant because they feel at home and they can savour their favourite local dishes. Londoners, on the other hand, are curious what “kiasu” means and what’s on the menu. It’s a cultural experience for everyone.’

Hmm — so if Singaporeans eat ‘local’ food in London, does that then make Londoners outsiders in their own city, and their food ‘international’?