Community
S’poreans share about the nice things they’ve done for their neighbours & vice versa
Kindness is a two-way street.
Landing an ideal home in Singapore requires a bit of luck.
But you can never choose who lives near you.
Hence, the next thing that many homeowners would pray and hope for are neighbours that they can get along with.
We’ve heard of many stories of terrible neighbours, but what about neighbours who are nice?
These Singaporeans proved that good neighbours aren’t that rare either.
Like these folks.
Making the first move to be nice pays off
Daniel and his wife, both in their early 30s, recently moved into their new home.
Their neighbours are a couple in their 50s and they used to babysit for the couple whom Daniel bought the resale flat from.
Before the start of renovation, Daniel and his wife said “Hi” to this couple at their door, passing them a note and some fruits too.
The sweet gesture from Daniel and his wife eventually led to more friendly interactions between the couples, such as helping each other water the plants when either couple was overseas.
The friendly exchanges then saw both sides preparing food for each other during festivities.
Daniel’s neighbours also gave him some basil cuttings and a small bottle of homemade insecticide after noticing that they kept plants too.
Basil cuttings and snacks from Daniel’s neighbours. Photo courtesy of Daniel.
This was a surprise to Daniel as they usually only exchange greetings when passing by each other's/their unit.
It takes a village to raise a kid
Some neighbours are one of our first few playmates who teach us basic life skills.
XQ, now in his 40s, fondly remembers this neighbour who taught him how to in-line skate and the correct way to tie the laces of his football boots.
“He also taught me some silly stuff like running up the stairs while wearing rollerblades. I guess that's what boys do,” he added.
Keep the door open
For Anwar, a parent of two kids, he and his former neighbours were so close that he was comfortable enough to allow his kids to run into their house to play.
He also appreciated that his neighbours made his kids feel at home.
Although his neighbours weren’t Muslims, they would exchange Hari Raya kuih, he added.
Food is really the easiest way to unite people.
The kampung spirit extends beyond homes to online group chats
Impromptu and informal neighbourhood group chats have made it easier for digital natives living in the same estate to discuss matters and help one another out.
Me borrowing a calculator for an exam at the last minute.
For introverts or those who find it awkward to approach neighbours in-person, neighbourhood group chats solve the problem.
All it takes is just a text to get the conversation going and even turning them into consequential action.
The haphazardness of the discussions is what keeps these chats nodes of connectivity, partly also due to its randomness.
People living in my estate have issued warnings about suspicious characters, reminded one another to keep the laundry when dark clouds loom, or even alert residents about rainbow sightings.
A neighbour alerting about a suspicious character.
Nice things like a rainbow sighting were shared in the group chat.
There are also niche threads for like-minded neighbours to discuss and bond over pets, food, exercise, plants, gaming and even group buys.
If our online selves are extensions of our physical self, the kampung spirit has evolved and is thriving in the ether.
These stories of meeting pleasant people should inspire you to find a comfortable way to get to know or support your neighbours, or anyone, really.
Every act of kindness can lead to a ripple effect of empathy and inclusivity in our society. So, the next time you meet someone, why not try and start your own ripple?
The writer of this branded article by Singapore Brand Office has not met any bad neighbours.
Top image by Zheng Zhangxin
