This week has been very exciting. Me and my new roommate from Elon have become fast friends. I loved hearing all about her adventures (and their multiple medical scares) over spring break, and we have done some serious bonding this week, as her and her boyfriend broke up (he’s broke, she’s up.) She was nice enough to come with me to the National Museum of Singapore, which was definitely an enlightening experience. Learning about World War ll was especially interesting to me, and the stuff about the secret societies. Knowing what happened in the past definitely makes you appreciate the present world that we live in today.
I have also been going to lunch with my intern friends at work. Two of them are leaving in April, one is going to Germany, so I’m going to be a little sad. There are a few Hawker Centres around my work that we frequent that are so crowded it usually takes us weaving through crowds for what seems like forever (especially when you’re hungry) just to find a table. We’ve gone to Lau Pa Sat a few times because it is less than a 10 minute walk. I got Naan bread today thinking it would just be the normal sized ones, but this one piece of bread was so huge it didn’t even fit on the tray. I think it could’ve fed a hungry crocodile the way it was so comically large. As cool as Hawker Centres are, there are sooo many overwhelming options, so sometimes I enjoy sitting down just me and my friend Lyn, at Supergreen and being basically the only people eating there. It reminds me of sweetgreen at home but better because I really like the corkscrew pasta and sesame soy dressing that they have. Highly recommend.
It was Stella’s birthday on Thursday and Ariana’s birthday on Friday. We went to an Italian restaurant Thursday and since I went right after work, I walked around for about an hour and came across so many good restaurants and bars to go back to. Then, on Friday we went to see Marshmellow for Ariana’s birthday! My favorite thing was the little squishmallow we got with the ticket! What a fun souvenir. Then, on Saturday we had our walking tour in which I hadn’t eaten and almost passed out, but Alexa saved the day once again and gave me her sushi (I love you) and I was still absolutely ravenous so I ate an entire steak for dinner. If I’m being honest, I had never had meat that was bloody like that, as I was vegetarian for 2 years, and I loved the opportunity to try something new.
One thing I have noticed is that seemingly everything in cities move in fast motion. Maybe it’s the pressure of crowds and getting where you are going, but I am reminded of all the cliche sayings; to stop and smell the flowers, or it’s about the journey not the destination. As someone who loves to know where she’s going, I hadn’t really been in this mindset until I walked around the botanical gardens today at twilight, slowed down to notice the little things; the soft lamplight reflection shifting along the rippling water as I walked, or the little snail taking a stroll (or a slide? A shimmy? What do you call that?) on the rocky path at quite literally snail’s pace.
Then, immediately when I got back to the train station, walking down the escalators, everything beside me was a blur. I was moving with tunnel vision once again. Someone was playing a loudly dramatic classical piece on a small piano nestled into a wall next to the turnstiles that I never would have noticed had it been idle. What a strange thing, to be playing piano here, where very few people were passing at this time of night. Strange, but a fantastic idea for a side quest or a hobby. It felt like my life had a soundtrack for once. Moments later, once the dramatic music was lost in the distance, I felt about as misplaced as the piano seemed in the train station (especially since I often try to find my way around without maps on my phone so that I can learn the city better). But the piano made my experience more unique, serving its purpose just as well as if it had been played on the stage of the Opera House. Becoming acclimated to the hustle and bustle (and the immobilizing, crippling humidity) is a toiling adjustment, but my newfound interest in this city and the unique people here have made it fun. So many different cultures and things to do!
