Born and raised in sunny Singapore, I've frequently encountered expats and visitors who don't quite understand how to deal with the heat, get confused by the mix of languages, or can't figure out how to order a coffee.
Singapore is one of the world's most densely populated countries, with over 5 million people crammed onto just 278 square miles of land.
As the city-state sits less than 100 miles north of the equator, temperatures hover between 87 and 89 degrees year-round and the length of days doesn't vary according to season. Instead, the sun rises and sets at the same time all year round, like clockwork.
Here are nine things people who grew up in Singapore will know to be true.