Temples of Angkor

Some of my favorite pictures from Angkor...

Cambodia

I was fortunate enough to be invited to tag along with a Singapore Rotaract and Interact international community service project in Siem Reap, Cambodia this past week. The project focused on water sanitation and child mortality. In all, Rotary's theme of 'Make Dreams Real' especially for children was promoted thoroughly throughout this trip. This made me really proud that Rotary actually executes their theme on the ground. I felt all the projects for the interactors and rotaractors alike were geared toward this common goal. Through de-worming kids and building toilets for village schools, the idealistic goal to provide a better and more enriching life for children can be reached.

In summary here is what I did in Cambodia:
- visited the floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake
- visited the Temples of Angkor, watched the sunset, sunrise and saw many other smaller and beauitful temples!
- shopped at night markets and ate some delicious Khmer food
- visited Angkor Children's Hospital and Siem Reap Referral hospital where Rotaractors provided health education to patients, also handed out food
- went to a village to do groundbreaking Rotary ceremony to dig wells
- went with Interactors to the local village school where they built a toilet and donated water preservation bowls. we played with the kids and taught them songs, donated many materials and also cooked for them.
- Visited an orphange in Siem Reap to donate materials and perform songs and dance for them.
- visited the National Angkor Museum and the War Museum
- Had dinner with the Rotary district governor along with Rotarians from sponsoring clubs

Cambodia is incredibly beautiful and sad, complicated and simple. I spent 9 days in and around Siem Reap. And although I only really got to see a small portion of this country, I honestly fell in love with it. Yes it is very poor. Tourism around Angkor is taking off and the 5 star hotels lining the road from the airport to Angkor seem oddly out of place. But there are beggars, there is little development. I hear Phnom Penh is different, but not that much. The history of Cambodia doesn't match the smiling Cambodian faces and adorable children. The simple lifestyles and poverty doesn't line up with how much money the country brings in from tourism and NGOs. But I think things aren't as simple as I want them to be. And the situation is complicated from what I can discern after talking with doctors and different people from NGOs.

The Temples absolutely blew my mind. I feel I'm getting spoiled by some of the amazing wonders I have got to see around SE Asia, things may not impress me as easily anymore. The picture to the right is Ta Keo temple. The main temple of Angkor Wat is astounding in its size, meticulous carvings, and its preservation. People say you become glazed over after seeing so many temples, but I refused to succumb to desensitization. Each temple was absolutely wonderful in its own unique way (I will love all my children equally.) The history behind the Khmer empire is impressive. While these temples were initially Hindu, Buddhist religion replaced many of them and often serve to worship the Khmer rulers as god-kings during their reign (9-10th century).

Having the opportunity to visit medical facilities, speak with doctors or NGO representatives, and getting out into the villages to actually interact with families and children was so enriching and different from being a regular tourist. I love traveling with friends and just having a good time, but the tourist hounding gets old after a while. I think one of the happiest moments of my life was in an orphange in Siem Reap watching the kids play with hula hoops Interact had donated and when they performed a song for us. I would have not had that opportunity if I had not been with Rotary. Furthermore, I think I got to see more of reality and makes me realize how different lifestyles can be culturally and historically.

I encourage people to visit places and maybe go off the beaten track and try something different to see life, and perhaps not to be treated so much as a temporary visitor. I have some qualms about donating money and injecting a surge of attention to certain organizations and then leaving. After all, it may not create sustainable livlihood for the people and may make their economy more dependent on donations. But every little bit helps and if you do your reserach you can find organizations that temporarily help and also catalyzes longterm sustainable efforts.

Vietnam

Things don't always go as planned, sometimes for better or for worse. But it is always brings a new and unexpected outcome. I have been "backpacking" for about 3 weeks now. If you were to see me, I think you could definitely tell. Initially, I had planned to go on a Rotaract service trip to Thailand, working in the north in the Golden Triangle. Unfortunately the trip was canceled. On top of that, my ticket to Phuket was canceled the day before I was to leave because of the airport crisis in Bangkok. There was a flood of foreigners at Phuket's airport during that time before it temporarily shut down too. For better or for worse, I ended up going to Vietnam for 10 days instead of Thailand. The picture above is District 1 in Saigon.

It was an incredible experience not only because it was the first "communist" country I had ever been to (there are only 5 communist countries in the world: Cuba, China, Laos, Vietnam and North Korea) but also because of the beautiul and vastly different scenery that Vietnam has all over its country. In summary, here is what I did:

- I flew into Ho Chi Minh City and stayed there for 4 days
- I visited the Vietnam-American War museum
- Went to the Mekong Delta for a boat ride and lunch and saw the floating markets where rice paper and coconut candy was made by hand
- went to the Cu Chi tunnels for a day with a Vietnamese war veteran as our tour guide
- Flew up to Hanoi and stayed around there for 5 days
- visited the Ho Chi Minh Masoleum and museums
- visited the Vietnamese Museum of Ethnology
- I spent a day at Tam Coc near Ninh Binh taking a boat tour
- traveled to Haiphong and Cat Ba island
- spent 2 days and 1 night on Halong Bay on a boat
- spent 2 days traveling back to Saigon before I left for Siem Reap, Cambodia for a Rotary service project.

I wish I could share everything I experienced and felt, but it's not really possible. I'm just grateful. Grateful to Rotary for allowing me to experience life in a different country, to be on this side of the world, and to see things with a new perspective. In all, I loved Vietnam. The pho (beef noodle soup) is absolutely delicious! I ate pho at LEAST once a day every day! Trust me, its worth it, and its inexpensive all over Vietnam. Seeing the War Museum from Vietnam's point of view was startling at first. To be honest, I couldn't quite wrap my mind around it since I distinctly remember learning about the Vietnam War in my high school American History class and how much it was a tragedy for both sides. But there was emphasis on the american soldier's experience. Clearly, movies have dominated much of what my generation perceives about the Vietnam War. And a lot of the time I thought about the Deer Hunter, etc. But it's so real seeing the Viet Cong underground tunnels, or hearing the heart breaking story of a Vietnamese veteren's life and seeing the crude techniques for traps and torture. It's cliche, but the reality of it is not what I perceived and its terrifying and really devastating.

Vietnam's history and reverance for Ho Chi Minh is incredible. Like Stalin, Lenin, and Mao, Ho Chi Minh's body is "preserved" and on display in Hanoi. Lines of Vietnamese along with tourists see his body. There's debate to whether or not that this is even his real body or not. Nonetheless, the respect is clear and profound.

Halong Bay was beautiful, unreal, and so untouched. It's a little conflicting because the tourist attraction that it has become will inevitably hurt the natural growth of the limestone rocks. But the night spent on the boat was peaceful and gorgeous. The simple lives of the fisherman living on the water made me awe.

My impression of Vietnam is that it's quickly developing and of course adapting to the tourist economy. One of the first things I noticed when I got to Saigon was that there were no Starbucks or Mcdonalds anywhere in the city. You can see the slow integration of things like a KFC or a Highlands Coffee shop. But the rural areas are covered with flat land and rice fields with many farmers and villages that make you feel like you stepped back in time. It was really pretty and I hope I can come back to visit more places in the country again. There is really too much to do and things are so spread out. The pictures below are from Halong Bay.

Singapore West and E-club

I think at every single Rotary presentation I have given in Singapore someone has asked me "who did you vote for?"Even after the election, the resonating effects of such a huge campaign, election, and new president elect has people wondering what will happen next.

RC of Singapore West is one of the oldest clubs in Singapore which I visited last week. Interestingly, I presented at the Rotary e-club this week which is an online Rotary club that only meets once a month and is recently new, chartered only 4 years ago. Rotarians also had their district conference in Brunei this past weekend which I couldn't attend.

There are lots of opportunities coming up to volunteer with Rotary. The only thing is that it takes lots of time, and between classes and traveling and other volunteering I'm already obligated to it's hard to find things that coincide perfectly with my schedule. Nonetheless, the opportunities are still there and that keeps me looking forward to even more presentations and meeting more people.

Mount Kinabalu

The Malaysian state of Sabah is located in East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Borneo is something like the 4th largest island on earth. It's brimming with flora, fauna, and from what I've heard, some of the best dive sites in the world. Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia at over 4000 meters up. I don't know how I got up there, but I climbed it and the trek up was beautiful regardless of the fact that it was raining the majority of the time. And the sight at the top was well worth the discomfort of sore muscles, altitude sickness, and the mix of being sweaty and freezing cold.

You hike the mountain starting around 10am from the base of the park and it takes around 5 hours I think for the "average" hike to the resthouse where you spend the night (Laban Rata). The next morning you wake up around 2am and head out with headlamps up to the summit in hopes to see the sunrise. Ok, so I got up there, but not quite in time to see the sunrise from the highest point, although it was amazing no matter where you were. While the majority of the trek up there was green jungle, at the top its all granite, and this freak of a mountain has no vegetation at the top. I really liked the top (even though I was exhausted) because for some parts you had to use a rope to pull yourself up some steep areas. It just felt more interactive, like I was a little mountain climber scaling the granite walls. And I've decided as fun as it is to sight see and take pictures, I'm hoping to do more 'engaging' things in my future travels. And the descent is one way, all the way and kind of tough too, especially towards the end.

I was super slow getting up there. The pounding headache forced me to take frequent breaks and try to get more oxygen in my brain. It was breathtaking though being among the clouds and seeing the granite world up there that looked like a supernatural foreign planet. The only thing I could relate some of these sights on the mountain to were video games. Other than that, I had never seen anything like that before.

Bukit Timah

In my opinion, Bukit Timah is a natural rarity in Singapore. Bukit Timah hill is the highest point in the city-state of Singapore and is filled with runners and hikers. I ventured out there the other day to trek (hike) the hill.

Although not too impressive in its beatuy or view, it was a nice workout. Furthermore, I was surprised to see all the active Singaporeans in the area since it appears that sports and going to the gym are not as popular as they are in the US. Not to say that Singaporeans aren't "active,"but there is definitely a lack of interest in athletics, especially compared with sports obsessed America and Gainesville.

The weather here has been a coin toss every day. I guess it keeps things interesting, but also really confusing. Cause it'll be beautiful one day and then a pourdown will ensue once you begin to think, "hey it's actually nice right now." It was really nice around 5pm yesterday afternoon. When the sun isn't too strong and there's a bit of a breeze, the humidity doesn't seem as stifling and then I get to sit back and appreciate the vast blue sky that you can see for miles beause of the flat lay out of Singapore. Yes, you'll see the HDB flats intruding on your view, but the tropical climate on this side of the world is nice, even though there is a gross amount of humidity.

The American Club

I registered for an election breakfast at the American Club in Singapore with a few other American Rotary scholars. It was held all morning to follow the presidential election in the US. The ballroom was filled with Americans who appeared to be of a more wealthy status. The breakfast was great, and it was interesting to see how many Americans came out to the club. I had an urge to ask all these Americans what they were doing in Singapore, but instead held my ground. It wasn't too weird being around all these caucasian faces and western styles. Since the club is located down near Orchard and incidentally right next door to Tanglin Club where my host Rotary club meets, the western atmosphere is very typical of downtown and is what I expected whenever I head to the Orchard Road area.

There were television cameras from Channel News Asia and various newspaper reporters asking for interviews from Americans about the election and cameras going off like the hollywood paparazzi when the celebration ensued with champagne. There were political analysts calling in to discuss election questions and summarize their feelings on the election. Furthermore, there were handouts of the candidates and a map of the electoral college votes so people could follow along.

The crowd was overwhelmingly supportive for Obama and needless to say, there was a rousing sense of pride and a celebration when CNN projected him to be the president-elect. I couldn't imagine being home at that moment. It was such a significant election in so many ways, and I told one of my European friends that I sort of wanted to be home today so I could experience this moment. But he reminded me that it's good that I get an international perspective since I get to see how other countries view this election. And it's true. It's incredible how many other people follow the US election, how they have their eye on America in so many ways. I feel the pressure and hopes are really high for our country and I hope we stay realistic in our goals.

Assimilation

The semester is coming to an end at NUS. In retrospect, it's always easy to say 'time flies.' But I feel this way more and more as each day goes by. As a kid, I always remember feeling like time drags on. If this keeps progressing, I think the days may last as long as minutes.

I've been in Singapore for more than 3 months now. And I can feel myself assimilating into their pace of life more easily. I get less frustrated when someone is walking in slow motion in front of me. I have figured out what times of the day are least busy on the MRT/buses. I think it may be more of a mild resignation to this culture as well. It's an acceptance and integration that has kickstarted my self-recognition that I appreciate certain aspects of the Singaporean/Asian culture. And as in any environment, you seek those out who are most similar to you, and once you make a connection I realize that the differences are negligble (or maybe even equivalent) to commonalities.

I know some Rotary Scholars who have already planned to stay on in Singapore for a while after the end of the school semester next year. I know others who suddenly express the desire to remain in Singapore indefinitely. And the more people I speak with, I am often asked if I want to apply for medical school here or stay on as well in any other capacity. Maybe it's another sign of resignation to the question or environment or because I don't want to go back to America, or perhaps I am really starting to enjoy the Singaporean lifestyle. Whatever the reason may be, I find myself contemplating it more and more. The first 2 months here was filled with overstimulation in my mind and a lot of internal criticism about this culture and my own. But once settled, life is life, no? If an opportunity presents itself here, I don't know if I would turn it down.

I was sitting in my Chinese class today during our oral presentations (which largely consisted of various asian pop songs sung by the students along with some hand motions.) And there's something about the temperment of the asian students that I'm starting to accept and appreciate. There is a lack of poor attitude and complaining and overwhelming concern for "looking cool." Yes there are always exceptions to the rule. But in comparison to my college experience at UF, it's refreshing to be around students who don't whine and have attitudes. In the beginning I think it was difficult for me to acknowledge and accomodate to since I do the same things. And although I think the maturity levels are much different than kids my age in America, I'm enjoying this change in temperment.

My host Rotary club had an evening meeting this week with the District Governer. Interactors were also invited and I had the opportunity to see an induction for a former Rotary scholar, which I think was a very exciting time for him. Again, I got to meet new Rotarians, visiting Rotarians, and catch up with friends. I was impressed to meet some incredibly young Rotarians in my host club and see how much I had in common with them, even though we are from different backgrounds. The DG emphasized the need to increase membership, and increase fundraising in the district. The effort to maintain Rotary International is no easy task and from what I see, it requires the commitment of incredibly motivated people who truly believe in Rotary and its' ideals. In addition to their professional career, and personal life, taking on the task of coordinating Rotary events as a president or governer or anything seems like a significant challenge.

I ate some really colorful dessert at the dinner. Apparently it is a mix of Peranakan dessert. I had to take a picture cause it was so small and individually wrapped.

Peranakan Museum

Some Rotarians invited me and another Rotary scholar out to the Peranakan Museum today and for a delicious traditional Peranakan lunch.

Peranakans are those descendants of foreigners/traders who came to southeast Asia and married local women. Most of the foreigners were Chinese and thus the Peranakan culture consists of strong Chinese themes mixed with much Malay and Indonesian culture.

I feel like I'm from a culture that wants to easily label people and cultures. I wasn't aware that there is such a mixture of cultures, especially in Southeast Asia. People don't necessarily identify as Chinese or Malaysian, instead many cultural practices are fusions and end results of many different traditions. This may be how any culture evolves and comes into origin. It was fascinating taking a tour and wandering around the museum learning about this culture. Cause most things I looked at looked somewhat Chinese, but not really. And then there were elements of style I noticed that reminded me of Indonesia and then of Malaysia too.

Intricate minute beaded works are said to be indicative of whether or not a Nonya Peranakan girl will be a good wife. Veneration of ancestors and auspicious symbolic practices really make this culture unique and show the integration of many different cultures.

After the museum, we went to a lovely lunch at the Peranakan restaurant nearby. We Rotary Scholars definitely feel spoiled by some of these generous Rotarians. The meal was so tasty! I love trying all these new foods. I think it's something really special when you experience a taste you've never had before. This fusion of Chinese, Malay, and Indonesian food among others results in a lot of spicy and delicious dishes. There were elements of lime juice and even flowers in some salads that were delicious. I ate well today :). On top of that, it was great table conversation chatting with Rotarians about culture and Rotary. We definitely are incredibly grateful to get a Singaporean opinion on what to do, eat, and their general view of life in their country. I realize how arbitrary my experiences as a visitor here are and am happy that I can ask some people how they really feel about certain things in their country instead of just basing it off of my limited observations.

Kanye West

Kanye West in Singapore? International acclaimed American hip hop artist in Singapore? Didn't think it could happen, nor did I think he would have a large fan base in Singapore since I can't really imagine Singaporeans understanding Kanye's music. But he came, even though the concert was rescheduled to this week from earlier this month.

It was held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium located really far from where I live. It was a pretty weak turn out in my opinion. I know Kanye would sell out, I'm pretty sure he did when he came to Gainesville a while back. I was really psyched since this is his Glow in the Dark Tour and Common was going to open for him. Instead, there was no famous opening act, no surprise guest singer. A beatbox competition opened for Kanye West with a kid named Donnie who I have nothing but sympathy for at this point. To be perfectly honest, it's hard for me to take asian rap seriously since I think I was raised not associating Asians with rap or hip hop. So to see them act in a way that I feel looks so unnatural to them makes me kind of uncomfortable and extremely awkward.

I had a really good time at the concert though. I got pretty close to the stage since there were many seats open and everyone (who actually really enjoy his music) got up and got as close as possible. The energy was lower than I think what would be expected at any Kanye concert in America and it was what I was expecting since this IS Singapore. And expressing lots of emotion and feeling doesn't seem to come natural to these people. The encore was great though and was happy to see a surge of energy from the crowd at the end.

Interestingly, the Singapore/Asia leg of Kanye's tour was not listed online. I did see lots of foreigners there, and lots of Asian and caucasian teenagers. It's always surreal to go to a concert of a really famous artist. And of course he has this aura as do most performers but I guess this is part of the disillusionment of getting older but I thought the little 14 year old American girls standing next to me were acting ridiculous when they would scream 'I LOVE YOU KANYE' with a shriek. Either way no one can deny that his celebrity is huge now, even in places like Singapore apparently.

Rotary Club vists

I visited with the Rotary Club of Changi last night for dinner and also went with two other scholars to visit the Rotary Club of Serangoon Gardens. The picture to the left is the RC of Serangoon Gardens.

Although this is a little redundant, I have to express my appreciation to all the Rotary clubs I have visited in Asia so far about how welcoming and appreciative they were to us scholars.

The RC of Changi met at the Serangoon Gardens Country Club pretty far from where I live. It was basically at the north of Singapore, which was surrounded by actual homes, something I have not used to be seeing since I am surrounded by HDB flats and condominium apartment buildings. These lovely little houses in the area reminded me of America. Since one of the members of the Changi club was the president of the country club, the meeting was held there. The picture below is the entrance to the country club.

It was an amazing 4 course dinner that followed the meeting and my presentation. Goat cheese salad, crab sweet cream corn soup, steak with potatoes and cheesecake for dessert. Sorry for that description, it was amazing though since I rarely get to eat so well. I eat a lot, but not necessarily well. Most of the dinner discussion by the Rotarians I was sitting with was about America and the economy. Singapore's open trade with the world forces its country to pay attention to the international scene and of course the US economy. I have been consistetly impressed with the Singaporean knowledge of America and its economy. The club said I was welcome to come back whenever.

Me and two other scholars had the opportunity to speak at the RC of Serangoon Gardens this evening. It was again a lovely dinner at yet another country club, the Pines, downtown in the Orchard Road area. Located in the Orchard area, we passed many plush condominums that once again reminded me of America. The club was friendly, had a good amount of friendly Rotarians and made us feel really appreciated. I met many lawyers and doctors among Rotarians of other professions.

Something I have been asked at almost every Rotary club I've been to whether in Singapore or in Indonesia is who I am voting for or who I will think will win the election. The world has its eye on America and with the economic crisis and the election drawing near and the attention that Sarah Palin has received has made me realize how important America is all over the world. Singaporeans seem to know more about why the Lehman Brothers went bankrupt than I do. Furthermore, they seem to keep up to date with the goings on in America on a consistent basis, even more so than a lot of Americans from home that I know.

Orchard Road

I've heard more than one American friend refer to the masses of Singaporeans at stores reminds them of 'Black Friday' in America. In particular during rush hours and on the weekends, I avoid going grocery shopping because the claustrophobic atmosphere of every Fairprice, Giant, and Watson's is suffocating. Even though I am gradually accepting this pace of life and becoming more patient while waiting in a 15 person queue, it is still difficult to adjust to.

I often feel the Singaporean people have a blank stare. Especially when I'm in the super market or walking the streets. When I first arrived, I assumed they were unfriendly. And as an American, who smiles at people without speaking, it always takes some adjusting to pick up a different culture's small nuances. In my opinion, most all Singaporeans are incredibly friendly, but usually don't take the initiative to smile first unless you know them a little bit. For me, it's weird to see someone looking so blank and even sort of mean, but when they accidentally bump into you, they politely apologize with a note of sincerity that I didn't expect from such a look. Often they begin to smile and seem warm once they speak. When I first arrived, I was still always sort of surprised when someone who physically looks so Asian or foreign spoke English. I always expected a response from a person who looks like they don't speak English in another language, but in Singapore that is not the case. Whether they may be Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, Indonesian, or any other race, it is finally not surprising me that we can all communicate in English. I hope I don't sound too closed minded about my initial expectations, but it was confusing to see people of all different looks speak English, especially in Asia.

I went to Orchard Road yesterday to do some shopping. I don't venture downtown very often, but since the gym was closed and it was raining, I thought I'd get my exercise in by window shopping in the labyrinth that is Orchard Road shopping area. I only hit up a few shopping plazas outside of the Orchard MRT station: Wisma Atria, Tang Plaza and the Shaw Centre. It's overwhelming, overcrowded, and consumer driven. There was Bebe, Gap, Mango, Lacoste, etc. Basically every sort of American, European, and even Asian designer you could think of and I only covered a very small area of Orchard Road. I felt pulled back into a different state of reality looking at all the namebrand and designer merchandise filling up these huge buildings. I think I am experiencing a different lifestyle here, not what the average foreigner may think of when they think of Singapore. I live pretty far from downtown (by Singaporean standards) and my area doesn't consist of many foreigners nor is it consumed with the international labels and brands that downtown is. Furthermore, I'm going to school, eating at hawker stands on a budget, and saving any money I may have for traveling. Of course my Rotary functions often allow me to tap into the business and real world that exists here.

So I feel I'm experiencing dual worlds. This simple student life with no tv, far from the city, contrasts with the more wealthy and international metropolis that is consumer/label driven. I think Singapore may be a sought out destination for many ex-patriates since there are so many things you can get downtown that doesn't even make you feel like you're in Asia. Singapore has the convenience of an international scene, but the location for exotic island getaways among many other things.

I will be speaking at two Rotary clubs this week. I can't believe its almost November when what I consider my "real traveling" will begin. At the same time, many of my exchange friends from Europe will be leaving, and of course my time to actually return to America will be closer as well. Time flies when you're having fun? Or maybe time just flies as you get older.

UNIFEM

I met with the manager and president of UNIFEM Singapore yesterday and spoke with them for over 2 hours. Let me first off state that my mind is all over the place. To be honest I'm a little overwhelmed and still overstimulated with my experience in Singapore, with Rotary, in school, and with my personal life in general. There's so many new things and I feel I am constantly trying to see and do everything within my reach. And what is in my reach now? So much more than what was in Gainesville and I feel I have to take advantage of it.

I was put in contact with UNIFEM through Rotary actually. Again, I am understanding the international reach Rotary has. I have the rare opportunity to really be active in UNIFEM and see how a non governmental organization works. The organization has been really welcoming to me and the other Rotary Scholars. They have given me lots of work to do already! But I'm really enjoying it. I'm on an organizing commitee for the 10 anniversary dinner ($200/plate). I will be helping with a research project with an academic institution to interview female domestic workers about their treatment. And I will also be helping create an online library for UNIFEM information and help distriute video clips and information. And although I expressed my desire to work on the ground, hands on, especially with the human trafficking/child sex campaigns, I think I learned how to be realistic about these situations and that is something I am not necessarily prepared for or capable of as a student with limited time. Social workers plan sometimes for years before they take a trip to Indonesia or India to work for weeks or months educating, and training people to be sustainable on their own.

Although UNIFEM covers many issues, I was told UNIFEM Singapore focuses on four main social issues:
- Gender equality
- Violence against women
- HIV/AIDS
- Sex trafficking

As I explained to Saleemah (the president) about how I saw the movie 'Born into Brothels' and have heard about friends being propositioned by children in Cambodia and how those experiences have impassioned me to work with this cause, she was extremely receptive and encouraging of my drive. But truthfully, after speaking with her and listening to the stories of the people she has interviewed I would get goosebumps, think about throwing up, and literally freeze up. I wondered if I could really handle being a doctor in the future for Doctors Beyond Borders or the International Red Cross and deal with this sort of devastation on daily basis. And I felt so limited in my experiences, especially compared to them. I feel like I don't know what tragedy and pain is, when I hear what Saleemah has to say or I watch the video clips she has given me of workers she interviewed, their clients, and those in the sex trafficking world.

I wonder why is it my life has been so fortunate in this sense. My friend's mom told her that since we are the ones who are lucky enough not to experience such hard lives, it is our responsibility to give back and help those who have had hard lives. Because we are educated and compassionate. I really like that notion. How will I do it? In a small way now, hopefully in the medical world later on. I wonder how some of these amazing women can understand the darkest parts of this complicated world and have relationships with victims of these sorts of atrocities and still function regularly. I know there is good and beauty in the world and fun. But it's stunning to know the depths of this kind of society that exists of women, child, and baby trafficking.

Another friend asked me if I knew about these things before when I was in America (I was getting a little fired up). And yes I did, but it's closer to me here. Obviously because I can see the poverty in certain areas like Indonesia that are more explicit. And to me there's a difference between a prostitute who chooses that lifestyle and those who are trafficked, tricked and forced to pay back a "debt." I do feel closer to the issue here. There is no UNIFEM in Gainesville and the ability to meet these amazing women who work in this organization is inspiring and surreal. To watch documentaries about the countries where these girls are taken from and then knowing I have been to these countries and will go to these countries within the next months, I feel like it's more real and I want to learn more about it and do something, anything, to change the policies, share the information, and help.

Sociological Implications

I feel like I'm learning so much, so quickly and it can be overwhelming. Granted I am the sort of person that tends to over analyze situations and am into self reflection. More than one friend from home has described me as "intense." But I think that's only when I get super fired up about certain issues. Oh, and things like kickboxing.

In a country that claims meritocracy as its abiding principle, it has stringent rules in climbing the social ladder, even though it espouses it. And I know I might get caned for these remarks but it seems that there is an elite class in Singapore and the gap is only growing bigger due to globalization. This sort of elitism is contradictory to even the idea of meritocracy. When students are pigeon-holed after junior college into certain schools based on test scores, it seems like the concept of meritocracy doesn't hold true. I asked some students if those students tend to try to move into a different are of life. And they said they didn't. Why? Compliance? Too much effort? I know that this is pretty much the standard in Asia, taking standardized tests and then classifying your skills and talents and basically future from them. I guess I feel America is very meritocractic, even though we don't use it as our country's brand. The notion that in a meritocracy people have equal opportunity suggests that they are at the same starting point. Which isn't really true in any society.

I also learned today in my Singapore Society class that Singapore is an anti-welfare state. The government doesn't provide any financial handouts but instead has certain ethnic facilities for the Chinese, Malays, etc. that are used to help their own people. Another really interesting proposal in Singapore that I learned about today was about the Graduate Mother Scheme. Apparently in the 1980s, the PM encouraged single graduate women to get married and produce highly intelligent children. There is a constant problem with the birthrate here as I've probably mentioned before in my blog. In addition to that, it was also proposed that less intelligent women, those who come from a lower socioeconomic class (making less than a certain amount of money) were given cash incentives to be sterilized because they thought these less talented children may dilute the Singaporean population. Can anyone say eugenics?

The efforts of the government to nation build and ensure the survival of this country sometimes shock me. Perhaps I come from a liberal background, and who I am to say what is right or wrong in social policy, I mean I don't know what I would propose to dealing with a falling birthrate if I ran a country. Regardless, it's still amazing for me to learn more each day about Singaporean Society and just societies in Asia in general.

UNIFEM and Make a Wish Foundation

The RC of Victoria in Singapore held a benefit Magic and Fashion show for UNIFEM and Make a Wish Foundation this past Friday at the Victoria Theatre downtown. I found out about this charity event after speaking to the club of Victoria. The club was welcoming to all us Rotary scholars (picture to the right)! This charity event was in aid for UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women which is a non-profit organization dedicated to women empowerment and gender equality. Of the many issues that UNIFEM works with is the 'stop child sex campaign,' which I am currently in the process of finding volunteer work with. The event also benefitted the Make a Wish Foundation, another not for profit organization dedicated to granting wishes to children with life threatning illnesses. I have been familiar with the Make a Wish Foundation in the US since so many organizations at UF often supported it (you know those crazy pre-med kids.) But I have not been as familiar with UNIFEM and it has really struck a chord with me, especially concerning women's and children's human rights. Sex trafficking is a problem all over the world. It is estimated that there are more than 1 million child prostitutes in Asia who suffer daily abuse and exploitation. Many impoverished women in Asia are pressured by economic hardship to seek work to provide for their families which leaves them vulnerable to sexual exploitation. UNIFEM works towards empowering these woman to stand up against exploitation and trafficking through education.

Rotary International's theme this year is 'Make Dreams Real.' With an emphasis on children, I felt that this benefit was idealistic of what Rotary is trying to achieve by making dreams real for children. The Make a Wish Foundation is more overt in expressingg Rotary's theme. But for me, UNIFEM's mission is especially important and relevant to realizing opportunities and unimagined dreams for many children in the world. It's appalling and painful to know that 2 million woman are trafficked each year and there are child prostitutes as young as the age of 8 that exist.

The benefit itself consisted of a very international performance, it opened with a traditional Hakka dance from New Zealand, then a magic show, and ended with an international fashion show with traditional garments from Mexico and all over Asia, to name a few countries. The Rotary District Governor was also in attendance from Sabah along with the Mexican Ambassador to Singapore for Gender Policy and Protection of Women's Rights. I met the president of UNIFEM Singapore and am looking to start on projects this week with UNIFEM. When an issue disturbs you to the core, you feel the obligation and necessity to learn more and do something about. I really want to learn more about UNIFEM and specifically the stop child sex campaign.

I'm excited to find something that has lit the fire inside me again. I will be going on a trip to Chiang Rai, Thailand with Rotaract in November working at the Golden Triangle, a home for former child prostitutes, started by Rotary. Hopefully this may be a potential project I can share with my sponsor club at home. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. It's a great opportunity and I'm just thrilled that I can be a part of this. It was inspiring to once again reiterate the theme of Rotary International and it made me once again really appreciate my association with Rotary and the emphasis this organization has on efforts to improve humanity through all social issues.

For more information about UNIFEM or Make a Wish Foundation:

http://www.unifem.org/

http://www.wish.org/

Chinese Tea House visit

As a part of a cultural experience for my Chinese Language Writing and Composition course, all the students studying chinese are taken to the Chinese Tea House in downtown Singapore to be taught a traditional tea appreciation ceremony.

It was a very specific ceremony with a particular order on how to prepare to drink the tea. The infusion time is dependent on what kind of tea you are drinking and the fermentation time of the tea. After infusion, the tea is poured into another teapot called the justice cup that allows all the tea to settle so that everyone gets an equal taste and flavor of the tea. From there it is poured into a fragrance cup then smelled and then finally poured into the teacup. You then smell the fragrance cup and cool it down with your hands and smell it again. Then you observe the color of your tea and smell it and then drink it in 3 sips, which in Chinese represents the fact that you are participating in a tea appreciation ceremony.

I really like oolong tea, a typical chinese tea. It was great to be taught this and also participate. We were also given snacks, which was basically a dark boiled egg. But this tea house was also visited by Queen Elizabeth II a while ago, something that the house was quite proud of.

Bali, Indonesia

My 8 day trip to Bali was packed with many events. In effort to recount all the things I did, I will break it down day by day. But on the whole, it was of course, a beautiful island filled with tourism, culture, and nature. Even though the tourism can be overwhelming there are always areas of Bali to explore that are more local and peaceful. There is something unique about the Balinese mindset. I think it must be their devotion to their religion or just their more simplistic way of life. Whatever it is, it is thousands of miles far away from the way I was brought up in America.

Upon arrival in Bali, we were bombarded by people trying to sell us trinkets, wooden carvings, and any sort of bracelet/anklet you can think of. People even touching my arm in hopes I would buy a sarong they saw me glance at. Is it desperation? It was difficult for me to initially understand but it is how many of these people make a living, but as a foreigner it can be overwhelming and annoying at times. They target you because you look different and persist because they really want your money. Anyhow, the first day was spent at the beach playing in the water, wandering the streets of Kuta and getting acquainted to our area (i.e. haggling with locals for transportation).

Day 2 - We headed to Ubud that Sunday which is located in the center of Bali and is known for its art scene. We also went to the sacred monkey forest and also visited the most beautiful rice terraces. The monkey forest was beautiful. Wild monkeys abound and at first I was sort of frightened by their boldness, not to mention their intimidating glances. But as long as you don't touch them or provoke them, they will leave you alone. Unless of course, you are just appealing for some reason. One of two of them did jump on my friend's backpack. I was wondering how their population is checked. This forest hides gorgeous temples within where monkeys abound.
Ubud was filled with so many art stores, wooden carvings, and markets where you can haggle for days. It was exhausting to say the least. I'm not the biggest fan of haggling, it's sort of a weird game and again the desperation for money is something that I'm not used to. After the monkey forest and Ubud we went to see one of the most beautiful and surreal rice terraces. The plush green of the inner parts of Bali makes me hope that this environment can be forever preserved.

Day 3 - On Monday we headed to Lovina for two days. Lovina is located at the northern part of Bali and is known for its black sand beaches due to the volcanic ash. It is also known for snorkeling sites and dolphin watching, both of which I got to take part of. The ride to Lovina was about 2.5 hours. On the way there we stopped at Bedugul and saw the temples situated in the center of Bali away from all the noise of traffic and pollution amongst the mountains and on top of a lake. It was serene, zen, beautiful and great weather up there. I hope that it stays that way forever. But it's inevitable to see the tourists and even a motorboat with western tourists carousing the water.

I did some coral reef snorkeling at Lovina that afternoon. We took an outrigger canoe to an amazing part of the ocean filled with anemones, fish, blue starfish, and coral among so many other things. My only knowledge of marine life is based heavily on the Disney film, Finding Nemo. And I definitely saw many fish from the movie. The world down there is so large and pretty. I have never seen such big coral and cute little fish covering them. It's not as clean and clear as I may have expected but beautiful and amazing nontheless. Again, I kept thinking I hope these sorts of wonders can be preserved forever, and I wonder if my experience is actually damaging them? But as long as you don't touch anything down there or leave anything, it should be ok. Lovina is much more quiet than Kuta, with less nightlife but plenty of Indonesian cover bands.

We woke up the next morning around 530am to go dolphin watching. Heading out where tons of foreigners were, it felt more like dolphin chasing than dolphin watching. But there were so many of them, some of whom were showing off by doing flips out of the water. Once a school of dolphins would rear their heads, all the motor boats would rush over to that area. It was really nice, even though I was nauseous and tired at 6am in the morning. That afternoon, we went to Git-Git waterfall and the holy hot springs. The waterfall was beautiful and the hot springs literally revitalized me and made my skin feel amazing afterward. I was skeptical at first since the springs were green and filled with many people, some of whom were fully clothed. And even though I reeked of sulfur after, my skin felt better, and I felt more energized and lively.

Day 5 - On Wednesday morning me and two friends decided to do some surfing, a first for all of us. I felt a little ridiculous since I am from Florida and have never surfed, but I think being from Gainesville, it's a little inconvenient, especially since the waves in St. Augustine aren't the best. I was surprised we could all get up on the long boards so quickly. I was definitely the worst out of the three of us, but my rationale is that they are boys and also have been snowboarding for a long time. That afternoon I also spoke at the Rotary Club of Bali Seminyak which was great. What also impressed me was the amount of women in their club and coincidentally, they were inducting a new female member. I learned that there is a Balinese Woman Association dedicated to many of the humanitarian issues Rotary addresses as well. They were welcoming, inviting, and very relaxed.

Day 6 - My attempt to surf again was pretty weak the second day. Renting actual surfboards from a random on Kuta resulted in a disasterous day for me. I think I got up like once or twice on Thursday during the 2.5 hours of surfing. I was pretty jealous of my friends who seemed to have it down already. Even though I had a rash vest on, my body was pretty scraped up from chaffing on the board, especially on my knees. But it's so fun that you pretty much forgot about how tired you are, how much your scars hurt or how strong the sun is. I'm so envious now of experienced surfers. That evening I had dinner at the Nikko Hotel at Nusa Dua with the Rotary Club of Nusa Dua. This international 5 star hotel strip was nothing like the Bali I had experienced in Kuta. The Rotarians were of an international class and super nice and friendly. I met some who were Canadian, Dutch, German, Spanish, and American. One rotarian heard I had been surfing and manages the Rip Curl Surf School and was generous enough to set up free surf lessons for me and my friends the next day! We even had a car come to pick us up from our hotel. It was quite a birthday present. It was interesting to see the resort side of Bali, which had recently been developed within the past 10 years.

Day 7 - Friday was me and my friend's birthday. I spent the morning surfing at Rip Curl and actually made a lot of progress. I could actually stand on the board every wave I caught after much help from the teacher. It's so fun, I can't describe it. It's a little tough on the body though. I was satisfied and so grateful for the Rotary connection too. These instructors were far more professional and helpful. That afternoon after lunch, my friends treated me to a Balinese massage, pedicure/manicure and facial. We also got a tiramisu cake along with some birthday gifts. I'm going to have to gush a little here about how nice of a birthday it was. The things they did for me was as if I were at home and some of my best friends were celebrating my birthday with me. I think we're all lucky to have met each other here and have the opportunity to share such amazing experiences together. The evening developed into something else altogether. Needless to say it was really fun and I don't think I could have asked for better people to spend my birthday with in a better place than Bali.

Day 8 - Saturday was spent sleeping, eating, buying some souvenirs, and packing for home. we watched the sunset for the last time in Kuta beach that night.

I may come back to Bali throughout this next year to visit the volcano and do some hiking in other areas of the island. But as for coming in the distant future, I don't know if I want to. The island is gorgeous and the Balinese culture is beautiful, but at the same time I don't want to be part of enabling the overwhelming tourist industry. An Indonesian Rotarian told me she thought the tourism was great for Bali, since practically all of their economy is based on it in addition to crafts and material exports. But I just hope the entire island never becomes completely tailored to tourists and the true Balinese culture is preserved.

It's a little uncomfortable coming back to Singapore from such an unartificial area like Bali. But I have lots of things to look forward to, which always helps ease any fall. And I've realized that about myself that I always want or need something to look forward to, or else I get a little antsy. I attended my host club's meeting yesterday and am looking forward to some charity events coming up through Rotary and an Oktoberfest celebration here in Singapore. Reality has its high points and its low points as well. But traveling is another form of reality that gives you such a high every time you go somewhere new, and your eyes are wide open with wonderment at things you've never seen before and seeing lives so different from your own. I'm already planning my next trip and looking forward to seeing more of the world.

Rotary Club of Bali Seminyak and Rotary Club of Bali Nusa Dua

Last week was recess week for our university. It is a week free from courses and while all exchange students take this opportunity to travel to areas around Asia, I have noticed most Singaporeans stay here to study for midterms. I guess people take for granted what's in their backyard. My counselor told me that most Singaporeans and asians tend to want to travel to Europe, America, etc. To them, that is the exotic and sought out destination. But for me and my group of friends it was Bali.

I spent a week in Bali and got in touch with some Rotarians there. Rotary is such a vast network and just by asking the right person and sending an email I was invited to speak at many clubs. Due to my limited time, I only spoke to two, but it was well worth it. Apparently, Bali understandably doesn't receive many Rotary Scholars so not only did I feel welcome but special too to share my experiences with Rotarians there. There are 14 Rotary clubs on the island of Bali, which is quite a lot considering the island itself is not too large.

The RC of Bali Seminyak was located near to where I spent the majority of my week, in Kuta Beach. Composed of many international people and some Balinese, it was definitely a more beach-y atomosphere and quite relaxed. I remember asking a surf instructor what time it was and he responded "oh about the same time as it was yesterday." And I think if anything, that sums up the Bali mind set, it's about relaxation, low stress, and enjoying life.

I also spoke at the RC of Nusa Duaa at the beautiful Nikko Hotel. Nusa Dua is located on the southeastern tip of Bali and consists of a resort area filled with international 5 star hotels including the St. Regis and Hyatt among others. Interestingly, this strip is closed off to solicitors and loitering, something that I had been overwhelmed with during my stay in Kuta, which of course is the more tourist-y area of the island. Both clubs were so welcoming and inviting to my company. I learned from them the issues that Indonesia is dealing with. For example, sanitation issues are so prevalent in Indonesia and in Bali. The need for clean water is dire. It's great to see such an international crowd, even in a paradise like Bali, still talking about issues like fundraising for AIDS and environmental needs.

Again, I am in awe of the international scene that Rotary and Bali has to offer. I am fascinated by each Rotarian's story of how they ended up in Bali and as I speak to more of them I discover that they have lived all over the world. It makes me think if I had never left Florida and never met these people, where my mind would be right now. I am so grateful for these opportunities to provide an exchange of culture with so many different people.

Chinatown Mid Autumn Moon Festival

Every Chinatown I've been to is special in its own way. New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and the actual streets of Taipei all have such great Chinese food and authenticate the hustle and bustle of asian streets. Chinatown in Singapore is no different except I think there are probably 10x the amount of food stalls that there usually are. And of course, in staying with typical Singaporean style, it's so much cleaner than any chinatown I have seen. It's comparable to Chinatown in San Francisco I think. But Singapore's Chinatown has temples and buildings dating back from the colonial period that actually housed Chinese immigrants. Food courts that seem endless and a quality of authentic asian cuisine that reminds me of my mom and grandma's cooking. Maybe that's why I'm enjoying Singapore so much. From the dumplings to the you fan (sticky rice) and all the rare foods in between reminds me of my grandparents and parent's cooking. I went to Chinatown with my uncle's cousin who has been so wonderful and nice to me since I've arrived. Being able to talk to her about my family and our friends at home gave me a fleeting sense of nostalgia for my life back home, which seems like years ago. But I am so grateful to have her and some close family friends in my life.

September is Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon festival when the Chinese traditionally celebrate the end of harvest. Chinatown was decorated with lights and many lanterns. Further, there were statues put up of Chang-e, the moon goddess. The picture below is me in front of one of the few moon goddess statues mounted around the area. I have been eating so many mooncakes from all the asian bakeries. I think it's becoming an addiction.

The vast amount of Chinese people I see crowding the streets remind me that the Chinese have the highest population in our world and that I fall into that category, although I don't fully identify myself as Chinese. In a country like Singapore, where so much emphasis is placed on ethnic identity and heritage along with cultural preservation, I feel conflicted to some degree about my own identity. I think I always have in a way, but at least being here I have discovered myself to be above all else very American.

Here is a picture from The Buddha Tooth Relic temple. I was asked to put a scarf around my shoulders cause I was wearing a tank top, something I didn't know was important in Buddhism. It was a beautiful temple, smack in the middle of Chinatown so it was hard to get a full picture of the building. The smell of incense and the way I had to step over the little doorway step to enter the building again reminded me of Taiwan and in a weird way, my family. There's something beautiful about asian Buddhism and temple worship to me. Maybe it's the smell of the incense or the ornate decor. Or it may be the theology behind Buddhism which I studied in college that appeals to me. Whatever it is, it was gorgeous.

I'm looking forward to heading to Chinatown during Chinese New Year next year. Who knows, maybe I'll try to make it to Hong Kong or Beijing for that time (I know, I'm getting out of control.)

The Rotary Club of Victoria

I spoke at the Rotary Club of Victoria this evening. I'm becoming more comfortable with public speaking and more understanding of what people respond to when one gives a speech. I was delighted to talk to this club. They were not only inviting but open to allowing me help with their volunteer projects and really informative about Rotary events and opportunities.

I have so many business cards! And have had the opportunity to give my business cards away too. I was feeling a little bummed out earlier today. I guess everyone has good or bad days, but speaking at the club and meeting Rotarians with different interests and discussing different social issues in Asia with these people stirred something in me that reminded me why I came here in the first place. To culture myself and expose myself to the world and the multitude of different social justice issues affecting it. I felt better after speaking and interacting with the variety of Rotarians there.

One month in

The Rotary Club of Singapore East held a wine tasting and Charity Art Auction last Friday. Rotary Scholars were invited to partake in this exclusive event at the Goodwood Park Hotel down on Orchard Road. The wine and food was great! There were Greek and Austrian wines. I had ice wine for the first time from Austria where grapes are frozen to -7 degrees celsius. It was so sweet because the sugars are highly concentrated. In addition, the money raised was for the Rotary Foundation! It was nice to be acknowledged and also witness the generosity of so many Rotarians not only contibuting to Rotary Scholars' scholarships but to the entire Foundation which includes issues like worldwide polio eradication. The Rotary Foundation is on par with the Gates Foundation in contributing to international humanitarian issues. I am always impressed and moved by the giving nature of Rotarians across the world. I will also be speaking at the Rotary Club of Victoria tomorrow evening. It's interesting to be with Rotarians in a different country, because the subject matters are essentially the same when it comes to fundraising and raising awareness of different social issues. I guess it is one of the aspects that allows this organization to be international yet consistent.

My roommate reminded me the other day that we have been in Singapore a month. Realistically, the novelty of a new country has worn off. There are still many places in Singapore I want to go and visit and I have tons of SE Asia travel plans. But the distractions of a new area and onslaught of new faces and personalities has calmed down and I realize that this is just life. You have to buy groceries, clean your apartment, go to school, etc. I think the first few weeks, I was oblivious to this reality. But as my mind is clearing, I feel more back to myself. I have been reverting back to what I usually do, going to the gym, school, and my Rotary functions. Nonetheless, I am still meeting new people and embracing every new experience I have. Already it's hard to imagine my life if I had not have had this past month's experiences of living in a different part of the world. It's hard for me to fathom.

A different part of the world isn't necessarily better or worse, "just different." (A theme that was emphasized at our Rotary outbound seminar.) I'm learning about the social issues affecting Singapore. For example, the love/hate relationship this country has had with Malaysia and the omnipresent theme of Singaporean identity (or the lack thereof.) And interestingly enough, the West is always referenced to, obviously because of the colonial history essentially all of Southeast Asia has with it. But at the same time I can't help but feel a sense of blame that this region points at the West. Some social issues, such as teenage rebellion are thought to be due to Western influence, specifically by pop culture and Hollywood films. I see the far reaching effects that Western culture has all over the world. Our hollywood films are constantly referenced and even our politics are paid attention to internationally. It makes me extremely proud to be an American but also slightly weary of how our country affects the rest of the world.

Bated breath

I took a placement test for my Chinese class and am taking a more writing and reading intensive chinese character class where the entire class is taught in Chinese, something more condusive for my learning I think. Since I can understand Chinese, I'm really enjoying this Chinese immersion. All my classmates are Malaysian or Thai. It's a small class, but I'm really enjoying it already. Even though Singaporeans have told me they try to avoid speaking Chinese (apparently everyone here wants to have proper English and "avoid Chinese like the plague") I try to use every opportunity to speak Chinese, usually when talking to taxi cab drivers or ordering food.

I'm getting acclimated to the school environment here, but I can't not compare my experience with the bubble that I am starting to believe Singapore lives in. For some reason I was thinking about school shootings the other day. There is no disclaimer about any sort of emergency text messaging or information about notifying a mental health professional if your friend is feeling depressed. After talking to Singaporeans and other Europeans I live with, it seems gun control is so tight in Europe and of course Singapore. School shootings/bombings are virtually non-existent in this country and it doesn't seem there are any "urban alienated youth." The youth here are so different than what I imagine city kids to be like, especially in America. I had a crazy experience in a club called Zouk the other night. If you can imagine Singaporean kids doing synchronized hand gesture dances to songs from the Backstreet Boys, Mambo no. 5, and even Grease looking oddly bored, then you have a glimpse into what some of these kids here do for fun. It was an incredibly interesting experience for me and my friends and something I think all foreigners need to see.

I played tennis this week with a Rotarian and his friends and also went running today. I can't adequately describe the humidity, I think it's something that only someone who has been to SE Asia can really understand. Your sweat doesn't evaporate and it's difficult for your body to cool down. But at least I'm getting some sort of exercise which is good, because I have discovered a very close by asian bakery where I have been overindulging in these little modified moon cakes in the shapes of crabs, rabbits, cats, etc.

I have some speaking engagements lined up with other Rotary clubs in a few weeks and am also awaiting contact from some other Rotarians concerning long term service projects. I feel a little anxious and I guess you could say earnest about everything that is coming up. My more immediate anticipation is a weekend trip to Bintan island in Indonesia this weekend that I'm taking with friends. I also signed up for a windsurfing course through NUS in September which should be fun/mortifying. I think after the high of entering a new environment slightly dies down, one realizes that life is actually very similar wherever you are. You work, sleep, hang out with other people and do some hobbies on the side. That's the thing about travelling, you can meet some incredibly diverse and cultured people but eventually everyone does have to go home. But I think those experiences are worth any loss in the end. There are fascinatingly different people/lifestyles but at the same time there's always a common ground when it comes to humor or interests or desires. It's an interesting connection.

Sentosa Island

My appetite is back, full throttle. I am starting to feel like I have a distended stomach after meals, similar to what I feel like in America after I eat. I think I need to slow down. I had the best Indian prata last night and the day before I ate at a German Restaurant and shared a sausage platter - which is essentially extremely delicious hot dogs. The oil and fat seeped out of the meat as I cut into it and I envisioned my arteries slowly clogging. But I think it was worth it, cause it was one if the rare times since I've been in Singapore that I felt really satisfied. I also ate a delicious indian curry puff today, that they sell in hawker stands/food courts. For less than a $1 USD, this little piece of heaven is hot and flavorful, I wish people at home could try it.

So Saturday was spent eating German sausages and going to Sentosa for a NUS welcome party with free drinks and dinner buffet "bbq" (well, what Singaporeans consider BBQ, which I think was just meat on a skewer posing as BBQ.)

Sentosa was pretty, humid, and extremely artificial. I know the island is real with a history. But the beaches themselves are reclaimed with sand brought in from Indonesia and Malaysia. It was nice though. So different from Florida's beaches. The water was polluted and the view was of the harbour, filled with cargo ships, police boats, and private boats and yachts. After the sun set, it was a very pretty glitter lining the sea, and I think it's what I saw when I first arrived late in the evening by plane into Singapore.

And even though the beach was filled with people, hardly anyone was in their bathing suits. Instead, many were fully clothed in denim and long sleeved shirts. It was sort of awkward and made me shy as well. Again, it's in stark contrast to the college town I come from and the showing off of skin that all the UF girls I know love to do. It's yet another remindar that even though I'm hanging out with Americans/Europeans most of the time, that I am in SE Asia.