Five months already?!
I guess that's how long it takes before one feels truly settled enough to relax in front of the laptop knowing that the the family are doing OK in this new country. Either that, or I'm not as organised as I'd like to think I am!
The kids still have homesick moments (don't we all?) but are fairly settled into the way of things here in Singapore. Their school issued laptops within the last two weeks; change is a constant in our lives.
This city life has taken some getting used to... the only place I've found where I can be truly alone is here in our condo once the kids are at school and hubby is at work. There are lots of green spaces in Singapore, beautifully kept too, but you're never alone. Maybe that's one of the reasons it's so safe; it's impossible to get up to mischief without being seen.
It would be a crime to recap the last five months in one long, nasty blog, so going with the theme of five, let me list five things I love about being here and five things I do here that I would never have done back home.
FIVE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT SINGAPORE:
1. The public transport here rocks. The MRT trains are cheap, super clean, air conditioned and work. We all know the jokes about British Rail (speaking from experience, they're all true) but I challenge anyone to find a fault with the MRT system here. Taxis here are cheap too. Is that a reality in any other part of the civilised world?
2. The warmth. OK, this is a bit of a love/hate relationship, but once you accept that you're not the only one constantly sweating, there are things to love about it. Really! For example, there's no need to plan for temperature drops and pack extra clothing 'just in case.' Not to mention the swimming pools being the ideal temperature all year round.
3. A true cultural melting pot. I love that the Muslims are currently celebrating Ramadan alongside the Chinese who are honoring their Hungry Ghosts festival. There is a sense of tolerance here that has been lost or actively stamped out in other parts of the world. Hindus, Christian, probably even pastafarian ... folks here are not afraid to believe. That is awesome. Makes me want to yell out to the rest of the world "stop picking on each other, people!"
4. The food. With all these different cultures comes an amazing array of dishes to keep Singaporeans fed. If you ever stay here for an extended period you must buy the book There's No Carrot in Carrot Cake - 101 Hawker Dishes Singaporeans Love. Despite the lack of chocolate, I truly love a lot of these dishes. And best of all, I understand what I'm eating now.
5. Tissue packets. There is more power in a tiny packet of tissues than you can possibly imagine. Not only are they great for wiping away persisting sweat and coming in handy when the 3 million ladies before you have cleaned out the public toilet roll (which are generally clean and tidy) but they have the power to reserve a table in a crowded food centre. No one messes with someone else's tissue packet.
FIVE THINGS I DO HERE, THAT I WOULD NEVER DO BACK HOME IN NZ:
1. Put a packet of tissues on a table and expect it to stay reserved for me until I return. (See comment above).
2. Walk around with an umbrella because it's sunny. (I was proud for way too long on this one. It really helps!)
3. Slurp my 'ice milo' or fresh juice from a plastic bag. Any takeaway drink from a hawker centre can be poured into a bag and given to you with a straw. Taxi drivers hang their coffee from dashboard knobs and indicator sticks.
4. Feel guilty when I pop a teensy mint into my mouth while waiting at the MRT station. We all know I'll have no excuse when a security guard catches me and points to the gazillion signs warning of fines for eating or drinking at the train station. At the same time, the public service announcement stating the same thing will play. Again.
5. Eat mangosteen and longan berries. Never even heard of them before moving here. No, I don't like durian. I can't seem to fight through the stench long enough to give it a fair trial.
There you have it. I promise to blog again soon, dear family and friends. Now that everything is under control (insert manic giggle here), I even hope to make it sooner than five months from now.
PS. If there is some essential Singaporean quirk I'm missing feel free to point it out here... just don't mention the word shopping, OK?
The kids still have homesick moments (don't we all?) but are fairly settled into the way of things here in Singapore. Their school issued laptops within the last two weeks; change is a constant in our lives.
This city life has taken some getting used to... the only place I've found where I can be truly alone is here in our condo once the kids are at school and hubby is at work. There are lots of green spaces in Singapore, beautifully kept too, but you're never alone. Maybe that's one of the reasons it's so safe; it's impossible to get up to mischief without being seen.
 |
| View from our 16th floor condo |
It would be a crime to recap the last five months in one long, nasty blog, so going with the theme of five, let me list five things I love about being here and five things I do here that I would never have done back home.
FIVE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT SINGAPORE:
1. The public transport here rocks. The MRT trains are cheap, super clean, air conditioned and work. We all know the jokes about British Rail (speaking from experience, they're all true) but I challenge anyone to find a fault with the MRT system here. Taxis here are cheap too. Is that a reality in any other part of the civilised world?
2. The warmth. OK, this is a bit of a love/hate relationship, but once you accept that you're not the only one constantly sweating, there are things to love about it. Really! For example, there's no need to plan for temperature drops and pack extra clothing 'just in case.' Not to mention the swimming pools being the ideal temperature all year round.
3. A true cultural melting pot. I love that the Muslims are currently celebrating Ramadan alongside the Chinese who are honoring their Hungry Ghosts festival. There is a sense of tolerance here that has been lost or actively stamped out in other parts of the world. Hindus, Christian, probably even pastafarian ... folks here are not afraid to believe. That is awesome. Makes me want to yell out to the rest of the world "stop picking on each other, people!"
4. The food. With all these different cultures comes an amazing array of dishes to keep Singaporeans fed. If you ever stay here for an extended period you must buy the book There's No Carrot in Carrot Cake - 101 Hawker Dishes Singaporeans Love. Despite the lack of chocolate, I truly love a lot of these dishes. And best of all, I understand what I'm eating now.
5. Tissue packets. There is more power in a tiny packet of tissues than you can possibly imagine. Not only are they great for wiping away persisting sweat and coming in handy when the 3 million ladies before you have cleaned out the public toilet roll (which are generally clean and tidy) but they have the power to reserve a table in a crowded food centre. No one messes with someone else's tissue packet.
FIVE THINGS I DO HERE, THAT I WOULD NEVER DO BACK HOME IN NZ:
1. Put a packet of tissues on a table and expect it to stay reserved for me until I return. (See comment above).
2. Walk around with an umbrella because it's sunny. (I was proud for way too long on this one. It really helps!)
3. Slurp my 'ice milo' or fresh juice from a plastic bag. Any takeaway drink from a hawker centre can be poured into a bag and given to you with a straw. Taxi drivers hang their coffee from dashboard knobs and indicator sticks.
4. Feel guilty when I pop a teensy mint into my mouth while waiting at the MRT station. We all know I'll have no excuse when a security guard catches me and points to the gazillion signs warning of fines for eating or drinking at the train station. At the same time, the public service announcement stating the same thing will play. Again.
 |
| Typical MRT sign |
5. Eat mangosteen and longan berries. Never even heard of them before moving here. No, I don't like durian. I can't seem to fight through the stench long enough to give it a fair trial.
There you have it. I promise to blog again soon, dear family and friends. Now that everything is under control (insert manic giggle here), I even hope to make it sooner than five months from now.
PS. If there is some essential Singaporean quirk I'm missing feel free to point it out here... just don't mention the word shopping, OK?
