Any experience with studying in Singapore/South East Asia?

[seahorsegirl]

Hi! I'll begin to study in a South-East Asian country this year (unless the whole exchange program is postponed due to Corona...). It's not clear yet, which country exactly, but I chose Singapore as my first priority, then Vietnam and Myanmar. So probably it's going to be Singapore.
Has anyone of you studied there?

Actually I have a somewhat more special question. I've heard that in some colleges in Singapore, they have this tradition that every year they take group photos of all the students. And while the guys can wear shoes, girls are required to pose in bare feet.
I'm really uncomfortable having bare feet and showing them to other people. So it would be really helpful to know your experience about this, if you have studied there. Have you experienced this and do you know if they do it in all of the colleges?

[chriscdi]

i tried doing a quick search on google and it doesn't mention anything about being barefoot for pictures, ill try and find the class photos and see if they are barefoot.

[chriscdi]

found a few photos, they had their shoes on, whoever gave you this info was full of poopoo 🤷🏻‍♂️

[seahorsegirl]

It was two different people actually, one girl who had to do this herself and a guy who studied there and also confirmed it.

[chriscdi]

well did they know about your feet phobia?

[seahorsegirl]

One did, the other didn't. The girl actually posted a question about this here on GAG some time ago. I can't post the link, so I included an x in the https, just remove it and you will get to the question.
httxps://www. girlsaskguys. com/other/q3832374-sexist-embarrassing-photo-shoot-tradition-of-my-school#new

[chriscdi]

im on the app so that link os pretty useless but ey maybe its just one specific college that does it, or maybe its not mandatory anymore.

[Anonymous]

Hi, as I mentioned in your other question, my school in Vietnam strictly had this tradition, but not all schools may have it.

[Anonymous]

I can confirm that my school in Singapore had this tradition. Never liked it, but you gotta respect the culture of the country you're in when you're foreigner.

[seahorsegirl]

Hey! So you studied in Singapore, too? That's so cool! Will you tell me which school you went to?
So it is true that girls had to take off both their shoes and socks for the photographs? Or do you think I can just take off my shoes and wear socks in those photos?
Is it compulsory to participate in the photo shoot, even for exchange students? And do the same rules about bare feet apply for exchange students as well?
And do you know why they have this tradition?

Sorry for all those questions. It's just that I heard about this for the first time yesterday and as it is likely that I will go to Singapore (or Vietnam) to study, I would like to know as much as possible about this.
And yes, of course it is important to respect the culture of the country, I agree to that.

[Opinion Owner]

I went to singapore university of technology and design, it was a rather new and small university at the time. Yes, I was an exchange student too and the same rules applied to me. No you can't wear anything on your feet.

[seahorsegirl]

I see. This is a really weird tradition. Did someone ever explain to you why they do it like this?
I tried to google this and didn't find anything about it on the internet, not even photographs.
And what happens to the photos afterwards? Will they be published somewhere where people can see them?
I am really shy to show my feet, I never wear sandals even in summer. So this will be really hard for me, if this is required at my university as well.
So is it mandatory to participate in the photo shoot or can you also decide not to go?

[Opinion Owner]

I've never talked to anyone about that. I'm not shy about my feet. But even I felt self conscious when I'm ordered to remove my shoes in front of the boys. I think they might find it unrespectfull if you just don't show up for the photo, and there's more than one photoshoots during your stay. And this people has this habit of exploiting of any weakness they might found on you, so I suggest you to try to get rid of that phobia of yours.

[seahorsegirl]

Mmh, so I will have no choice but to participate in the photo shoot then?
Do you think it will be possible to hide my feet under my body or something? Or do you have to sit in a way that your bare feet are visible?
And were your photos hang up in your school building or something like that, so were people able to see those photos?

[Opinion Owner]

You just have to do what photographer says. I don't think you'd be able to hide your feet on all photos. They like to keep your feet on focus in a lot of shots for some reason. Some of the photos were given to my family at the graduation ceremony. Some of them were hang on the building too, I didn't see any digital copies.
You have chance to disappear on the photoshoot day. But people will definitely question why and if they figure out about your foot phobia this may not end well for you.

[seahorsegirl]

Ah, so they really focus on the girls’ bare feet during the shot? That makes it even worse for me… :(
Do you think they will also photograph the soles of my bare feet? Did they do this at your school?
And did they select the pictures that they hang up in the school building or sent to your parents or could you choose them yourself? Because if I can choose myself, maybe I can avoid choosing pictures that show my bare feet.
About my fear of having bare feet, it’s not easy to overcome this. I’ve always felt like that, even as a child, and thus I’ve always tried not having to show my feet, although of course there have sometimes been occasions where this was impossible. What do you think will happen if they figure this out?

[Opinion Owner]

In some photos you have to sit with your palms and soles facing to the camera, so yes your soles would be photographed. I didn't see the photos before I seen them in my parents' hands, so no you can not select them. If they figure about your phobia about being barefoot, you can find yourself barefoot at the school at anytime. Trust me, I've seen that happen...

[seahorsegirl]

Oh no, that sounds terrible…
I mean, why do they have to photograph the soles of my bare feet? I can think of no reason to do that and it will be so humiliating for me.
The only thing that would be worse for me is if they can have me barefoot at any time at school. So now I thought that even if I might miss the first photo shoot without them noticing, they will definitely notice at the second one. And if it’s such a thing for them to see the girls’ feet, they might easily understand why I didn’t show up, so they will steal my shoes and socks all the time, right? Do you think this is likely to happen?
So that would mean that it would be a really bad idea not to show up for the photo shoot, meaning that it’s better to accept that on some specific days I have no choice but to have bare feet and let them photograph me, right?

[Opinion Owner]

Why do you find it humiliating to have your soles photographed?
If you don't attend the photoshoot there is no guarentee that they will do that to you but there's a risk and it's yours to take. They won't steal your shoes and socks all the time but you'll always have this fear, anytime they can got taken away from you. And the risk is not zero even if you attend all the photo shoots, espectially if you can't help yourself trying to hide your feet there.

[seahorsegirl]

I can’t really explain why having my soles photographed is so humiliating. As I said, people seeing my bare feet is generally embarrassing for me, especially when my feet are fully bare and they see my toes. I just feel exposed and vulnerable then. And with bare soles it’s worse. And if I have to face the camera with the soles of my bare feet, this means that my feet will be quite visible in the picture and just by the way I’m sitting, it will call a lot of extra attention to my feet and the fact that they are bare.
Maybe I imagine this in a wrong way, but by your description that’s how it sounded to me. Is my idea of how it will be during the photo shoot correct?

About that risk you’re talking about. Well, you said you have seen this happen. So I suppose the risk is very high if I don’t participate in the photo shoots. Do you know why they chose the girls that had their shoes and socks stolen?
I just can’t imagine if I skip all of the photo shoots that they won’t understand why I’m doing this. So I’d be living in constant fear that my shoes and socks get taken away. And I probably as soon as they find out how embarrassing it is for me, they’ll make sure that I have no choice but to attend the next photo shoot, right?

[seahorsegirl]

Of course this is all to some degree speculation, but it seems to me that, as terrible as it is, it will be by far the best option to just attend the photo shoots, let them photograph my bare feet and hope that they won’t realize how embarrassing this is for me, right? Or what would your advice be?

And one last question: Are you sure I have to take off my socks, too, so my feet must be completely bare? Has any of the girls ever tried to keep her socks or why do you say this is not possible? I’m just thinking, if I can wear socks in those photos it would make a huge difference for me and it wouldn’t be a problem.

Sorry again for all those questions. I’m just trying to find out as much as possible about this issue, as it is very likely that I will have to face it soon, and you're helping me a lot.

[Opinion Owner]

OK I understand your phobia better now. Yes your idea of the photo shoot is correct, sitting with facing the camera makes your feet get a lot of extra attention, having your bare soles right under your face.
Yes if you don't attend a photo shoot, you'd be living in constant fear after they noticed it. Let's say some student asked for a copy of your homework, if you don't give it to her they can make you go barefoot in minutes using this excuse.
They can even make you attend a photo shoot in your bare feet where everyone else is wearing shoes. I've seen it happened too. This would be even more embarrassing for you am I right?
I said you can't wear your socks because I haven't seen any girl doing it even though I've seen a lot of girls looking really uncomfortable about it. I think they'd left their socks on if they could.

[seahorsegirl]

Mmh so I guess, if I choose not to participate in the photo shoot, they’ll probably make me regret it ten times over. So by this they make sure all the girls participate, no matter how much they are uncomfortable having bare feet, don’t they?
How can they make me attend a photo shoot in my bare feet when everyone else is wearing shoes? Isn’t it the photographer who decides on which occasions we must have bare feet and on which we don’t?
Yeah, about the socks, then probably you are right that it’s obligatory to take them off, as I suppose that those girls would certainly have worn there socks if they had any chance to do so.
Anyway, how did you realize that those girls didn’t want to take off their shoes and socks? Did they say anything that made you realize how uncomfortable they were? Cause I guess it’s kind of dangerous to let other people know that you are uncomfortable with your socks off, right?

[Opinion Owner]

I guess by this they make sure every girl's feet is exposed more than at least once.
The photogragher does not say anything about your shoes, you'd be already barefoot when you meet him. So if they take away your shoes and socks, photographer wouldn't say anything about it.
You can easily spot who is uncomfortable by looking at their blushed face or when they try to cover their feet with anything they could, espectially on the breaks, if there isn't anything, trying to put one feet on top of the other by instict.

[seahorsegirl]

Oh, I thought the photographer decides this. So is it the other students who make you take off your shoes and socks or is it someone from the university? And if it is the students, does the university somehow encourage this tradition?
I still wonder why it’s so important for the guys to see the girls’ bare feet.
Yes haha, I suppose it will be easy to note which girls are uncomfortable having to show their bare feet and who is not. I’ll have to try very hard not to stick out, so that they don’t realize how embarrassing it is for me. If I have to be photographed in my bare feet, then at least it should be only the pictures were all the girls are barefoot and not when everyone else is wearing shoes.
Anyway, my parents and sister will be very happy to see those photos. They know of course, how shy I am and sometimes complain that I always hide my feet in socks. So they’ll probably insist putting one of those photos on our wall at home… :(

[Opinion Owner]

As I know it's the university who enforces this tradition. But once it's time for going to photo shoot every girl already know that they have to be barefoot there. I don't know what would university or photograper do if suddenly some girls decide show up with their shoes or socks.
Yes whatever you do, don't try to hide your feet espectially in the photos and the breaks.
Wow wouldn't that be very embarrassing for you having your barefoot picture hanged on the wall all the time?

[seahorsegirl]

Yes, of course, it would be so embarrassing! But my parents think that as a young adult I should have gotten over this, so they might do it anyway…
But also if my barefoot picture will hang on the walls of the university will be a huge humiliation for me. Just to know that all my friends and everyone else there will see my bare feet all the time, as long as the pictures hang there – I do hope they will be removed after some time, won’t they?
Ok, so if the university enforces this tradition, can they also cause problems if I refuse to be barefoot? Or only the students?
But actually, since you say you don’t know what would happen, maybe on the photography day I could just take off my shoes and walk to the photo shoot wearing socks. Maybe the photographer won’t say anything? What do you think? Would you advise me to try this?

[Opinion Owner]

Maybe the thought of not only you but all your girlfriends are being barefoot in that picture can help you relax. Photos won't likely to be removed before you graduated. And after you graduated there'll be at least one of them which stays, yes the one you feared the most.
You're not different from other studens for the university. And even if university wouldn't say anything about it, how about the other students? They are the real problem.
I think it'd be a lot more embarrassing if somebody else remove your socks from your feet. And it's more than likely that you won't be able to put them on after the photo shoot ends as you normally would. I'm not even mentioning the things would happen in the next semester.

[seahorsegirl]

I see. So one of the photos will stay on the wall permanently? At your school was it a place where many people passed and looked at the photos?
And what did you mean by “the one you feared the most”?
Yes, I understand that I’m not treated differently than the other students, and I guess that’s the right thing to do, even if in this case I don’t like the consequences.
Mmh, so you are saying that if I would try to walk there in my socks, they would surely grab my feet and pull them off anyway? Plus they will punish me in the months afterwards?

So the bottom line of all this is that if I’m sent to a school with this tradition, I have absolutely no choice but to accept the fact that there will be several such photo shoots, where my feet will definitely be bare, they will photograph the bare soles of my feet and hang up those photos on the wall for everyone to see?

[Opinion Owner]

There are photos from every year. Yes a lot of people stop to look at those photos for some reason.
By the one you feared the most I meant the photo with your soles being seen.
I'm not saying they will surely rip off your socks right there but there'd surely be some consequences for you. If your photo with your socks on gets hanged on the hall, I wouldn't even bother wearing shoes anymore when I'm going to the school if I were you.
I believe every word in your last paragraph is correct.

[seahorsegirl]

Well, thank you for spelling it out that clearly haha
So the photo which stays on the wall permanently is always one of the photos where the bottom of the girls’ bare feet are facing the camera?
Do you have any idea why that is the case? They seem to pay very close attention to having the girls’ bare feet clearly visible and to leaving no chance to avoid this. Maybe it is just for fun, but they have to know that this is humiliating for some girls like me. Do you think that they do it precisely for that reason, because they want it to be embarrassing?

[Opinion Owner]

Yes always the same photo with the same pose so they look really organized.
That tradition is very old as I know. So I don't know the history behind it. I don't think it's primary reason would be to embarrass girls. But there must definitely be a symbological reason behind it that I don't know. What do you think?

[seahorsegirl]

Yes, there must be some reason behind it. Maybe it is something from South-East Asian culture that I don’t know about. I never looked into that, what symbological reason bare feet have in South-East Asia haha.
But if I had to guess, I would say that bare feet are commonly associated more with feminine characteristics than with male ones. Bare feet can be a symbol for vulnerability, so maybe they want the girls to look vulnerable and feminine.
For me, bare feet are also a symbol of inferiority or lower status. So if the guys are wearing shoes while the girls have bare feet, it could symbolize that men used to have higher status than women in the past (and in fact they still have in many respects). So it would be a leave-behind from that.
What do you think, what could be the reason why this is so important for them?
Anyway, I guess if it is such an old tradition, they will be really strict in enforcing it, right? Actually, do you think that as an exchange student I am morally obliged to respect their traditions, so I should just accept this without complaining?

[Opinion Owner]

I agree that one of the primary reasons behind it is to make girls look vulnerable. You'll indeed feel
vulnerable while the photos being taken and looking at them after. You'll also feel a bit dominated when you stand next to boys' shoes with your bare feet throughout the photo day against your will. And the boys don't do anything to make you feel easier too, it's quite the opposite.
Yes what you said in your last sentence was what I said in my very first sentence:)

[seahorsegirl]

Yes, I will feel so vulnerable, it is horrifying me even now. So, did you feel like that as well? Vulnerable and dominated I mean. Because you said you are not shy showing your bare feet normally, but in that case was it still humiliating for you?
And did the boys comment on you having bare feet? Or what do you mean when you say they’re making it even harder?

[Opinion Owner]

Yes even though I'm not shy about my feet in general I always felt noticably vulnerable and dominated.
Yes sometimes they tease us about having to go barefoot and sometimes even deliberately step on our bare toes with their shoes.
And sometimes they make you pose with you stepping on their shoes with your bare feet, which makes me feel even more vulnerable for some reason.

[seahorsegirl]

Yes, I can imagine that the situation must be humiliating even for a girl who's not shy about her feet normally.
That sounds really mean. Like how did they comment on you being barefoot? Was it because they knew this was embarrassing for you?

[Opinion Owner]

Yes they can be really mean sometimes when they find a weakness. When you show slight discomfort, espectially when you have to go outside, they make sarcastic comments like
"Wish they let you wear shoes this time:)", "Aren't your feet cold:)", "Thank god we have our shoes:)"
and so on.

[seahorsegirl]

Yeah, I can imagine that this would make it worse.
Actually now that we have talked so much about this, i would like to know your name :)
You could write me a personal message, so I know at least your nickname instead of "anonymous". Would you do that? :)

[Opinion Owner]

I don't really want to share my profile. You can call me Jane. You can write from here if you have any more questions or comments, if it's ok for you.

[seahorsegirl]

Yes, sure Jane, that's fine. :)
I just wanted to say thank you because you spent so much time explaining to me how things work at universities in Singapore.
It's still hard for me to imagine this rule, though. I mean, I do believe everything you said is true, since there is no reason for you to lie and other people have confirmed similar things. It's just somehow hard to imagine how a university could have a rule like that. If those pictures were shared on social media, maybe is there any example that you could show me, so I can get a better idea how it will be? (doesn't have to be with you in it, of course)

[Anonymous]

why again? I’ve legit seen this same question asked by you many more times than I’ve needed to. We get it, you’re nervous about being barefoot... it’s as if you love talking about feet way too much..

In all seriousness tho, it’s against the girlsaskguys rules to post the same question many times. So please don’t, and really, you shouldn't worry about being barefoot that much. It’s unhealthy for you. I hope I don’t see this question again :|

[seahorsegirl]

Hey, probably you are confusing me with someone. I haven't asked this question before. There was another girl though who asked a similar question (I think only once though). So among others, it was her report of her experience about that photo shoot at a Singaporean university where I heard about this.
Like her, I'm uncomfortable to show my feet, but that doesn't make us the same person. You can check that it wasn't me who asked this before, if you like. I haven't been to Singapore yet, I have just applied for an exchange program so far.

[seahorsegirl]

Oh and in fact, I hate to talk about my feet. I fear that if I go to study in Singapore, I might have to participate in one of those stupid photo shoots, though, so I want to find out if all this is really true. If you don't want to read it, just don't

[Opinion Owner]

Yes, someone else did post it long before you joined this website. But I’ve seen this same question with your same profile picture on it. I’m sure someone else wouldn’t use your profile picture as their one, unless you got a duplicate account, which I highly doubt

Trust me, I didn’t want to read it, but I couldn’t help it when you kept posting the same thing. Sure, you can lie to me all you want saying it’s not you, but regardless, duplicate posting is against the girlsaskguys rules. More importantly, you’re messing up the feed for everyone else. So please don’t.

I could report it, but assuming you’re new, I’ll let it slip by. Just giving you a reminder. If you try reporting something, you can see that duplicate post is an option, as it’s not allowed. For real

[seahorsegirl]

The person who asked that question before didn't have any profile picture as she asked it anonymously. So you must be mixing something up. I guess you're referring to her, aren't you? https://www. girlsaskguys. com/other/q3832374-sexist-embarrassing-photo-shoot-tradition-of-my-school
It is true that after I asked this one, I have asked a similar question about studying in Singapore or Vietnam, but without referring to that photo shoot at all. Maybe that's what you saw. In my opinion I didn't double-post it, as it had a different content (ok, the question itself was similar, but still). I didn't know though that it was against the rules to ask a similar question again if you don't get enough answers.

[seahorsegirl]

This issue is important to me, so I really want to know if what she says is true. I have no idea how to find this out, though. I don't think universities will answer if I ask them something like that via e-mail. So my only chance is to find people who studied there and can tell me.

[Opinion Owner]

I completely understand, it is a bummer when you don’t get enough opinions, but then again, it’s up to the viewers if they want to answer or not. You can’t force it. Duplicate posting will just annoy people more if you try to. And yea, all good, just wanted to let you know that duplicate posting wasn’t allowed. No hard feelings 👌🏼

Well I hope you find the answer you’re looking for, good luck!

[seahorsegirl]

ok, thanks for telling me then :)

[Commando_Preetam]

That's not compulsory for girls also. If you want you can have your shoes wear while photography

[seahorsegirl]

Ok, I'm relieved to hear that. How do you know? Have you studied there or do you know anyone who did?

[Commando_Preetam]

I have been there for studying for my master's

[seahorsegirl]

Oh, that's really cool! So where have you been exactly? Singapore?
Ok, but can you confirm that it is true that normally girls have bare feet in those photos, but that this is not compulsory? Or was it not common at all to photograph students in their bare feet?
And how do you know it is not compulsory? Were some of the girls wearing shoes in the photographs?

[Commando_Preetam]

Yes some of my friends were wearing shoes. And I was in Singapore. Stop worrying and chill

[seahorsegirl]

Maybe it depends on the school that you go to. As there are several people here who say that they had this rule at their school.
Anyway, so at your school there was also a tradition to photograph girls in their bare feet? Only that it was not strictly enforced? Did I understand you correctly?

[Commando_Preetam]

Yes very correctly

[seahorsegirl]

Ok. Do you know why they had this tradition? Why did they photograph the girls with bare feet, but not the guys?

[Commando_Preetam]

As in early years when girls started studying that time girls were low and guys were high so that traditions come till here... Some accept it and some not

[seahorsegirl]

oh, so you think that having the girls with bare feet is intended to show that the guys have a higher status?

[Commando_Preetam]

Right in this era it's not like that... But yeah it was like that only

[seahorsegirl]

Unfortunately it seems that in some schools it is really compulsory for girls to have bare feet in those photo shoots, as several people who studied in Singapore have confirmed this here.

[Commando_Preetam]

You can deny it

[Anonymous]

No I have no such experience

[seahorsegirl]

But have you studied in Singapore or another South East Asian country?

[Opinion Owner]

Nope

[leoniscas3]

I like there

[seahorsegirl]

you like what?

[leoniscas3]

people, nature, tech.

[seahorsegirl]

you mean you like Singapore? Have you studied there?

[leoniscas3]

yeah. I am a mechatronics engineer