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.

Is it a cultural difference?

This past week of classes has been a little exhausting. The NUS campus has a hilly terrain that I think contributes to this country's lack of overweight people. More so, I am walking from my apartment to the MRT everyday and to the bus stops to get to campus. My feet/knees are tired. But there is abundant sunshine which is really nice, even though the humidity makes you feel like you're walking through a sauna medium.

This semester I'm taking a Chinese Writing and Composition class, Nations and Nationalism in South Asia, and Singapore Society. I have already heard from all my roommates and the foreigners here that the courseload is difficult and intense. Teachers apparently have spent the first 1 hour class reiterating how difficult the class is. Lectures are 2 hours once a week for undergraduate classes (3 hours for graduate), making me feel like the mere 50 minute college courses I took in America are for primary school students. I have heard that the academics are stellar and competitive in Singapore. You take a placement test after junior college, around 19 years old, and based on that score, you are eligible (or in most cases ineligible) to apply for a certain school like medicine, law or business: so different from the unlimited times you can take a MCAT and apply for schools in America (as long as you have the money.) It makes me think we are spoon fed much of our education, at least from my experience in college.

These courses seem more about drilling students with lessons and very straightforward information. Although my Singapore Society professor is very funny and loves cracking jokes, I think he is one of the few. However, I know I will really enjoy his class this semester. We have already touched on what Singaporean society is based on: multiracialism and meritocracy. He raised the question about how why Singaporeans are very reserved, as in they don't "speak up" and complain about certain social issues. When he asked the class to raise their hands if they thought Singaporeans don't speak up because there's no point, I was shocked when many students immediately raised their hands. Is it a cultural difference? The reason that many people think asians work so hard is a stereotype I have been conflicted with my academic life. From my experience in America, kids who study hard are often made fun of, perhaps because other students feel threatened by them, or they just cannot culturally comprehend the need for excessive work ethic. I have felt many times that students will ridicule you if you do well, if you study well, perhaps because they don't have the same motivation. The asian academic environment doesn't seem to allow for much creativity, questions, or diversity - something I think as an American I was encouraged to promote. It's easy to criticize something you don't completely understand and feel threatened by it. It's a different lifestyle and mentality that doesn't fit with the schema I have created in America.

On the topic of speaking up, my professor also mentioned that in some places when you speak up about your government, a tank could run over you. A few snickers echoed through the large auditorium and he immediately snapped "Don't laugh, it happened in Beijing." I believe he was referring to the Tiananmen Square incident and I realized how close we are to China and how oblivious I am in America to the reality of strict government control over freedom of speech among other "rights" I have in my country. There are consequences to speaking up in certain areas of the world, something I think I take for granted.

I will be headed to Sentosa Island today, an island at the tip of Singapore. All I know is that I will be LATHERING on the sunscreen. It's do or die here according to my American friend who has been using an umbrella to protect herself from the sun (a very "Asian" characteristic.) There are days when the scorching sun and humidity leaves me drenched in sweat, perhaps that's why I haven't been blogging too much, cause I am a little exhausted. But I am also more settled, these first two weeks were a lot for me, the excitement of a new place had taken over my senses. I think I'm back to myself more so now. I've been playing tennis too and getting better at doubles, which makes me really happy! I think I'm going to invest in a racquet since I will be here for 10 months and have found many people to hit with.

Your tennis is ok, lah!

Singaporeans often add a "lah" at the end of phrases like "Ok, lah." It is a word derived from Malaysia. I met with a Rotarian from my host club today for some doubles tennis. He was gracious enough to come 30 minutes away from his home and pick me up. I hadn't played tennis in probably 6 months or so, and I hardly ever play doubles. Needless to say I was on the losing team. But I had tons of fun. He is 75 and in incredible health. After 3 sets of doubles in the most humid weather I have ever experienced, I was invited to dinner with him and his family. The delicious Cantonese restaurant we went to was wonderful. We ordered Hainanese (spelling?) chicken, bok choi, fried tofu, this delicious asian blended fried pork and the most tasty rice I have ever had. He had a grandaughter my age and we chatted a lot about the school system in Singapore and how it differs from America. From so many conversations I have had in Singapore thus far, I have realized that European and Singapore cultures are rather similar when it comes to education. It makes me wonder why America chooses to do things so differently.

After an amazing dinner, we headed back to my Rotarian's home, with a group of about 15 people, which included his children, their wives, their children and some siblings. They introduced me to an Indonesian/Malay fruit called rambutan which was tenderly sweet. But the really interesting part came when I was asked to join the family in eating a durian. A large, spiky, and smelly fruit, the durian was extremely pungent and stinky. It is nothing like I've ever tasted before and I felt rude but I couldn't even finish one piece. Singaporeans have told me it is an acquired taste and I would have to agree. But it was wonderful to partake in this family gathering. I felt like I was part of their family as we all gathered around eating the fruit and watching the Olympics. It made me want a large family, especially one that is so tight knit and stays in touch every week with a big Sunday family dinner. The picture above is the hacking open of the durian. The left picture is the inside of the durian. The opaque colored flesh is what you eat and it covers a seed. Below is a picture of me trying to smile and be polite as as I ate this odd tasting fruit. It is considered a delicacy and I am very happy I got to eat a real Singaporean treat with a Singaporean family (even though the taste is borderline nauseating.)


My Rotarian invited me to tennis every Sunday which I will definitely take up.It felt great to exercise in Singapore and just get outside. I have not been working out, even though I have lost weight. I think this is a good balance for me. I'm still very much the same Tammy that has left Gainesville and practicing an old past time such as tennis reminds me of who I am. But inevitably a new environment with new people and new situations brings out a different side of me that sometimes I have never seen in myself before. Nothing too ridiculous, but its just different and I'm enjoying every moment of it.

Yesterday, friends and I headed downtown to watch the fireworks to celebrate Singapore's National Independence Day. Standing on the bridge, the fireworks were short but pretty. Unfortunately it was pretty smokey. I feel like a biased American, but I think our 4th of July is better and more fun. :) But I found out that most Singaporeans celebrate National Day by staying at home and watching the performances/fireworks on TV, much like Americans although we do tend to have a BBQ. The pictures below are of the fireworks. I think most of the people out in Clarke Quay for the celebration were expatriates (what Singaporeans here call foreigners).

School starts tomorrow for me. I'm super excited for next semester too because not only will I be continuing taking Asian Studies classes but I signed up for an Antioxidant/Free Radical biology course (yes, I know that makes me sound super geeky, but I couldn't resist).

Asian Experience

I don't really even think about it too much, but I'm realizing that I am adjusting to an asian lifestyle. It starts from the little things, like not having a dryer and hanging my clothes on a pole to dry. And eating asian food for every meal at the little hawker stands while sitting on plastic stools. I wear slippers around my apartment and remember to take off my shoes before entering anyone's home. Even on the MRT, I keep noticing people giving up their seats to elderly or those who look tired.

I'm also being stopped to ask for directions pretty frequently. Obviously because I am Chinese-American, but a lot of people have been thinking I'm a local. A lot of people tell me I look mixed or something, which I am not. And I start to think how much my environment has shaped my demeanor and who I am. I completley identify myself as American, of course I recgonize the fact I am Chinese and am very proud of it. But ethnic heritage here is more complex than I as a Westerner see. When I tell people I am an American born Chinese ("ABC") they ask what region in China my grandparents are from or do I speak Hokkein, etc. And I am embarassed, because I don't know. It just isn't something I sought out. I think I ask my family that from time to time, but usually forget. People here are from such a mixture of Asian culture and although a person may identify him or herself as Singaporean, there are different degrees like Singaporean-Malay, etc.

The picture above is from NUS Flag Day. Today is the 43rd anniversary of Singaporean Independence. Yesterday I went to the NUS campus and watched, in typical Asian style, students from the different faculties of schools compete in I guess what you could call a "dance off." It was like a pep rally from high school, there were groups of students wearing similarly colored shirts and reminded me more of a communist rally because of the chanting and flags. And I actually began to miss Gator Growl and football season from home. I know I take those things for granted back home and there are definitely things I don't like about Gator Homecoming, but nonetheless it is apart of my culture and a familiarity I enjoy. It was difficult for me to really enjoy this rally, since I'm not Singaporean and can't truly comprehend the pride associated with their nation. The picture above is taken when the Singapore anthem was playing and everyone was singing and watching the flag rise. I felt left out, watching the procession objectively and realizing my roots lie in America through this simple event.

We also went to Clarke Quay to watch the opening of the Beijing Olympics last night. We actually met up with some exchange students from China, Russia, and Mexico among others. Since I am living in the International dorms, I have definitely been hanging out with international friends. It was fun to cheer when each of our countries were represented. But there was an extremely proud group of Chinese who sang so loudly when their anthem came on, cheered emotionally throughout the entire ceremony and I could tell were so excited about this experience. Since Singapore's population is largely Chinese, this crowd may have been biased. But again, so many people were asking me if I was Chinese and even though I recgonize Taiwan as the country where my family is "from" I do recgonize China as my ultimate heritage, yet I only cheer for the Americans.

I've been meeting up with some Rotary scholars as well. I've already met so many different people. Kids who backpack through SE Asia just for fun, scholars, masters/PhD students: people from all walks of life and professions. I absolutely love it. In Gainesville I feel I am consumed with pre-medical students, which is essentially the university centered lifestyle I have created for myself. And even though Gainesville is my home and I cannot deny that, I am starting to feel I am coming out of a box by seeing an international scene that in a place such as Gainesville is almost impossible to truly know unless you visit.

Below is a temple from Little India. Filled with jewelry stores, flower stores, sari stores, and interesting spices: I definitely appreciated Little India, but realized I didn't know what I could do there. After all, I don't really know how to cook Indian food. But the temple was gorgeous with what you can see is a magnificient doorway.

Rotary Club of Jurong Town

I spoke at my host Rotary club of Jurong Town yesterday. After spending a decent amount of time on my powerpoint presentation filled with colorful pictures of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and graduation, the projector wasn't compatible with my computer. Slightly dissapointed I spoke without my visual aide.

My host club was jolly, welcoming, warm, and above all very funny. They are a joke-cracking bunch who really enjoyed me explaining to them what has shocked me in Singapore thus far. I also got asked the same question my German hallmate asked me the other night and that is "who do you think will win the election". And I told them I truthfully did not know. The polls are close, but are not necessarily an indicator of the outcome. I find myself trying to find the best way to answer such a question since I know I will be asked it more and more as I live in Singapore.

In addition, I brought with me some gator magnets and some Gainesville, FL/Alachua County magazines for my club to have in order to explain my hometown of Gainesville to them. I talked about how we are a sports/university centered city with many alligators and the Florida alligator as our mascot. I was told there are not only alligators in Singapore but also crocodiles both of which are wild. I really enjoyed this club and they told me I was welcome to eat lunch with them every week, which is definitely a treat because the mix of food for lunch was AMAZING. Malay, Chinese, Thai, and Indian combination of food is very very good. They were kind enough to present me with a Jurong Town Rotary club pen, a CD about their service and of course we exchanged banners. The picture above is me with the president elect of the club who is also my host counselor.

I'm looking forward to more speaking engagements and service opportunities with my club. My host has been a very dependable contact in so many ways and really has helped me adjust to Singapore and my ambassadorial role here.

Last night, my hallmates and I headed down to Clarke Quay for dinner. It is a riverside pedestrian area near the business district. My camera didn't take such great pictures at night, but it was really beautiful. Skyscrapers to the right, beautiful views of city hall and museums to the left, the river right in front of you and a gallery of every restuarant you could possibly think of. I'm pretty sure I had the BEST Indian food of my life last night. It may have been due to the fact that I was really hungry, not to mention, we got lost looking for the area for about an hour.. either way the combination of stalling my meal and delicious tandoori chicken with white yogurt sauce and naan along with saffron rice while sitting by the river at night is what I think heaven would probably be like.

I didn't mind getting lost before dinner though because I was engrossed in conversation. Among so many other things, I talked to my Iraqi friend about the War in Iraq. I won't get into all the details, because truthfully I cannot remember everything and also my blog is not about the war in Iraq. But I can summarize my reaction to her opinion and that is I feel as an American citizen we do not know much about Iraq, its history or the complex policies of the middle east. Furthermore, we don't know about the American strategy over there. After talking to her, I felt that we as American civilians have been in the dark about the war, but at the same time I feel enlightened by her view of the war. I also asked her if she didn't like Americans and she said that she and most Iraqis think Americans are lovely, but question their foreign policies and strategy. But she was quite fond of all American tv shows which I found hilarious. I think foreigners watch more TV shows than Americans do. The picture to the right is me at the Merlion and the picture at the left is me and my roommate at Clarke Quay.

We walked to the Merlion, the symbol of Singapore, in the Business district after dinner. The skyscrapers were largely all banks: Bank of China, DBS, HSBC, etc. The Fullerton Hotel, which I am told is the most expensive hotel in Singapore, is magnificient and has a great spot right on the river. The entire area resonates with wealth and efficiency, not to mention cleanliness. I can understand why Singapore has become a sought out tourist destination. The picture to the right is the Fullerton Hotel.

International Flavor

Unfortunately it's impossible to blog every interesting thing I experience or funny joke I hear. When I first arrived and even now, there are so many things I just want to text (known in Singapore and apparently the rest of the world as "SMS") to my friends just so they can experience it with me cause I know they would love it. In that sense I really miss some close friends and it occurs to me we can take for granted how convenient a good friendship is.

I met an Iraqi girl today studying abroad for her PhD at NUS. She's from Baghdad and of course I asked about the American occupation. She seems like a very open minded person telling me how in the beginning of the war the relationships with Americans was good, Iraqis would learn english and invite soldiers to their homes and chat. But when the violence increased, with the fall of the regime, suspicions were raised and the interaction has become limited and wearisome. I'm writing this primarily because she is the first Iraqi I have met and am fascinated by her worldlines and of course her view of the situation. It is inevitable that when I tell people I am American, the war in Iraq is associated with it. But I am glad to get a new perspective on it even as an American.

I'm really enjoying Singapore right now in a lot of ways, everything is still new, stones are unturned and the discovery of such a cosmopolitan world has lit a fire inside me. Interesting people abound. That being said, such diversity in the world has its flip side. There are times when you encounter people who have different views than you, not only because they were raised differently. Yes it can be understood that if you are raised in a different country than someone, your values may not be similar. But I have already met so many people from different countries/cultures who understand my humor, and we have a mutual desire to educate ourselves about one another's culture. And these people help fuel my fire to explore. But there are people who are not like that, who offend with no tact, even in such a worldly environment. And it is a subtle reminder that this world is not always what you want it to be. And even though I try to surround myself with people who share my values, there are those who don't and I must learn how to tactfully deal with that and brush offensive remarks off my shoulder. I still hold my values true and will not change in that. In many ways, this is only the tip of the iceberg. And I think I will have a tougher skin in the end because of such exposures.

Singapore Flyer

I hung out with my roommate and two exchange students living on our floor last night. It was nice to talk to some people my age and also to share the culture shock of Singapore with international students as well. We ate at IMM, the closest shopping center near our flat (I know it should be apartment, but I'm already changing the way I speak just because everyone refers to apartments as flats.) After exchanging many hilarious American/French/German stereotypes with each other, one of my many favorite ideas that one French student has about girls in Florida is that he heard that they dance very strangely at the clubs. His friend went to a club in America and was scared by the way American girls dance. I explained that girls in the US, and in Florida like to booty dance in clubs. Apparently, the French women aren't as demonstrative in clubs as are Americans. Anyhow, we headed to campus for a 'welcome party' and quickly discovered it to be quite similar to my 7th grade dances. Retiring for the night, we went home and hung out which was relaxing and quite enjoyable. I actually got some sleep last night, about 7 full hours. I've been sleeping about 2-3 hours each day for the past 3 days so I think I'm on Singaporean time now.

My Rotary counselor and his family once again graciously offered to show me around Singapore today. I'm definitely more appreciative of cars as a luxury now since I don't have mine. They picked me up and took me to eat at Holland Village, an area east of my flat. The food has been consistently delicious, all for affordable prices. You can get a full platter of food for about $4-5 Singaorean dollars (about $3.50 USD). My generous hosts took me to a stall and ordered blackpeppered crab, fresh right out of the tank, vegetables, asian fried chicken, and flat noodles with soybeans. All delicious! I drool just remembering it.

They told me Singaporeans "live to eat" and after just a few days here, I can see why. The diversity of foods reflects the diversity of those faces on the Singapore streets. And the quality of food is amazing. Chatting about the multicultural nature of Singapore and also the differences I've noticed so far, I feel each moment I am learning about how vast the world is and how different views can be. I mentioned to my counselor that I was in awe that Singapore had no homeless people, after all I have seen no beggers in the streets, people sleeping under bridges or holding cups out for change. I was told that it considered illegal to beg in Singapore and that there are homeless but the police take them away immediately. Instead they put them in touch with social services. Ultimatlely however, if they do not work they may go to jail.

After a delectable meal we headed down a more posh residential area of Singapore. Surrounded by gorgeous tropical mansions, we passed the Nepalese minister's home where guards holding something that reminded me of AK47s. Passing the elaborate American, British, and Thai embassies, we descended into Orchard Road. I felt like I was in America, perhaps on Michigan or 5th Avenue. But it was more colorful, there was Borders, Starbucks, Louis Vuitton, Zara: you name it, they got it. The modern buildings among a tropical atmosphere emphasized the Disney World like aspect of it to me. It was so vibrant and of course filled with people. My hosts took me to the Singapore Flyer, much like the London Eye, this large ferris wheel provides an aerial view at the south of Singapore. Breathtaking, impressive, tropical and all the synonyms don't really sum up how I felt looking at the massive yachts and shipping boats bordering the peir. There was the esplanade, the business district, the Ritz Carlton with bathrooms with no curtains so that one can face the ocean while doing their business, a floating stage, the duck tours, with boats that can climb out of land and act as a bus. Much of the land at the southern tip of the island has been reclaimed meaning it has been artificially built.

Underneath the Singapore Flyer was part of the racetrack for the first ever Formula 1 Night Race, taking place in Singapore this September. Across from the business district, an Integrated Resort is being built which will be the future site of casinos like Ceasar's Palace. Apparently, since gambling is illegal in Singapore, the Singaporeans were losing revenue when cruises would exit the country and begin gambling outside of Singaporean waters. Not to be outdone in any financial aspect, as it seems Singaporeans always feel, they are legalizing gambling.

Taking me to run errands and also ingest shaved ice with syrup, a typical Asian treat, my counselor and his family have taken me in like one of their family members. I couldn't feel more grateful or a little embarassed by their kindness. We passed by Little India and Arab Street, which has only intensified my desire to go visit these places this week.

I also met with other Rotary scholars this evening for dinner at Wisma Atrium, a ridiculously amazing shopping center on Orchard Road. We discussed our plans and of course, in typical Rotary fashion, networked with one another. There is one scholar who lives very close to me and it was wonderful to finally meet some of the names that I've been emailing these past months. As always, the Rotary Foundation supports amazing scholars, I am repeatedly impressed with the diversity and caliber of these people. I feel humbly honored to be a part of this group. I will be exploring campus tomorrow in order to start classes next week, and getting ready for my first Rotary speech in Singapore on Tuesday, which I am nervous about. But I'm so excited about volunteering with Rotary projects. My counselor told me there will be a trip to Chang Mai, Thailand this December. Hopefully I can go with the Rotarians and help volunteer with the Anusarnsunthorn School for the Deaf, a school my host Rotary club has been working with and also participate in some speaking engagements over there. I won't lie, my heart lept when I heard about this opportunity, I am anxiously waiting to hear more information about this and would LOVE to help with the school.

I need to pace myself no doubt: I have 10 months here. But my excitement still is high. As my wise friend once told me, there are always peaks and valleys, and during peaks you need to stay humble and during the valleys, you must stay positive to know that peak will come. It was nice to talk to some other scholars too about the overwhelming feelings of culture shock and lonliness that have taken place within 24 hours of arrival. I realize so many of my emotions are not unique to me, they are universal and for some reason I can take solace in that.

Narcolepsy in Singapore

Chinese, Europeans, Malyasians, Indians, Indonesians and everyone in between. I find myself staring at all these people, fascinated by how different they look from what I'm used to seeing. Even in the moments I look at these different people, I realize how my standard of what's normal is completely biased based on my limited experiences.

My flight to Singapore was LONG and tiring. I felt like my vertebrate were being slowly crushed down from sitting upright for about 24 hours (I apologize for that graphic description, occupational hazard of being a biology major). Gainesville to Atlanta, Atlanta to LA, LA to Tokyo, Tokyo to Singapore. And everytime I am on a plane staring at the clouds from above, I think how amazing these sights are and how lucky we are to be able to see the world from this point of view. It seems almost unnatural for us to see the world on this scale, maybe that's why I find it so breathtaking. The picture to the right is somewhere over New Mexico as I was flying to LA.

As we descended to Singapore around 12:45am, the lights framing the island outlined the ocean into a lovely little glitter. I still can't believe I'm in Southeast Asia. I was a little put off when I was filling out the disembarkation card and on it was a remindar that drug traffickers would be put to death. Whenever I told anyone in the US that I was going to Singapore for a year, almost every American mentioned "They are very strict, don't spit on the ground, you'll get caned" or something to that degree. Singapore's reputation has preceded them abroad, but I feel there is something special about this country even from being here only 24 hours. Already I feel this "strictness" has contributed to the country's beauty and prosperity. It's like being in a tropical Disney World, everything is colorful, clean, neat, with legible signs, smooth roads and perfectly trimmed trees. I feel like I'm walking around in a cartoon or one of those architectural models of cities - that's how surreal it is.

I met my host Rotary counselor, Edward, the president of his club, at the airport. After loading up my heavy suitcases into his car I walked to the side to get in. Edward politely reminded me that this is Singapore and we drive on the left side of the road. A little embarassed, I walked back over to the left passenger side of the car, justifying my actions with the fact that I'm jetlagged, not an inconsiderate American who hasn't done her homework. But then I remembered that this little awkwardness and embarassment is a part of being in a new place, a new country, and learning the ways of different lives. And I'm sure there will be more awkwardness to come as I adjust to this country.

To say the very least, I am so grateful to my host and his family for already taking me in and helping me adjust to my new life. They have already been so caring and willing to help with every large and menial thing, it is something I have found Rotarians across the world have in common.

I have been running errands, registering for classes, and wandering the humid streets of Singapore and the National University of Singapore (NUS) where I will be taking classes. I am delighted by the street's food vendors and plethora of tropical fruits. Singapore is not like the Asia I have experienced in Taiwan: you can breathe the fresh air, you don't feel clostrophobic on the streets, and everyone looks different.

I have a feeling I'm inevitably going to get fined for something though. As I was drinking my green tea while waiting for the Metro, I looked for a trash can to throw it away, but I couldn't find any. Then I looked up to see a sign that said "No drinking or eating - fine $500". I quickly stuffed my drink into my bag, and again felt awkwardly embarassed. I'm thinking I may have been getting strange looks from Singaporeans as I was chugging my drink like an American glutton.

I have met my two roommates in my residence. One is from Thailand and the other from France. I adore both their accents. Much of these next few days will be running more errands and trying to find where I can buy things for my apartment. I am thinking of everyone at home and wish they could experience this incredibly diverse little country with me.