This week has been such a happy and fulfilling one for me! I finally resumed my internship program and reunited with my friends who had arrived in Singapore earlier. While waiting for them to finish work, I had lunch at Wisma Atria’s food court, and it was amazing. I ordered noodles with fish dumplings and pork, and the moment I tasted the broth, I was instantly hit with nostalgia. It reminded me of the times I visited Singapore with my family. I also tried the famous Singapore coffee and ordered it just like the locals: “Can I have one Kopi O, please?” I was so satisfied with my Kopi O—it had such a rich and authentic coffee taste.

On Friday, I attended my onboarding session at BlockOffice, where I met the manager who interviewed me, my Singaporean coworkers, and Lauren, who will be working with me throughout the program. The manager explained my job scope, and I felt really excited. Even though the company is small, it offers great opportunities for me to explore various industries.

Over the weekend, the other Bucknell students and I went on a tour to visit several cultural markets, including Chinatown, Little India, and Malay Heritage Road. Even though this isn’t my first time in Singapore, I had never visited these places before due to time constraints or simply not knowing about them. This tour was an eye-opening experience. I learned so much about the different communities in Singapore and their historical journeys that have led them to thrive in the country. We also visited the famous Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, where we saw many statues representing the Chinese zodiac signs and their meanings. I even bought a lucky charm as a gift for my family. Another highlight was exploring an alleyway featuring a 3D mural created by a Singaporean artist. It was fascinating—when someone sits on the painted “chair,” it looks like they are part of the scene!

After my MOM (Ministry of Manpower) appointment, I returned to the office to officially start my internship. My first day went smoothly. I was introduced to the CFO, managers, staff, and other interns. It was a relatively light day since they wanted me to adjust to the office environment and get to know everyone before diving into more challenging tasks. Later, Lauren, some interns, and I went to Lau Pa Sat for lunch, where we shared stories about our backgrounds. I asked them for food recommendations, interesting places to visit in Singapore, and details about their experience at BlockOffice. One of the interns from SMU (Singapore Management University) told me that it was her last week because she would be continuing her internship in Germany. We realized we had similar exchange programs, which made it easy to relate to each other.

As the week progressed, I got busier with work. I assisted my manager, who is based in Indonesia, in planning a company trip to Malaysia. This trip involves employees from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the U.S., and the Philippines, so I researched accommodations for 36 people, contacted travel agencies to arrange local tours, and inquired about van transportation from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. I also participated in meetings where my manager pitched her plan to the boss. Additionally, I helped with budgeting, ensuring we had multiple options and a backup plan in case vendors couldn’t accommodate us. After some discussions, we finalized that we would be staying in Janda Baik or Pahang.

The company also took us new interns out for a meal with the managers. We had Chinese food and listened to them share their career experiences before joining BlockOffice. Two of them previously worked at PwC—one in consulting and the other in audit. It was fascinating to hear about the differences between working at a Big Four firm versus a startup. They mentioned that they prefer startups because they can directly see the impact of their work, helping businesses grow and contributing to Singapore’s economy.

This week, I also deepened my understanding of blockchain, tokenization, stocks, and cryptocurrency. One of the most rewarding experiences was assisting the CFO by helping our Malaysia-based accountant complete a financial summary for a client in the crypto industry. Many of the financial terms in their Profit & Loss (P&L) and General Ledger (GL) statements were unfamiliar, and I had to ensure proper categorization across SGD, USD, and AUD. I was nervous because I didn’t want to make mistakes or ask too many questions. At one point, my closing balance for 2023 and opening balance for 2024 didn’t match, and I couldn’t figure out why. To make things worse, Google Sheets suddenly refreshed, causing me to lose part of my work. That was a hard lesson—I now manually save my work at every step! Eventually, after multiple checks, I still couldn’t balance the numbers, so I informed my senior accountant. She encountered the same issue and decided to consult the director. Despite my concerns, she was incredibly kind and even told me, “Good job,” which I really appreciated.

Outside of work, I visited the Ramadan Bazaar in Geylang with my friend after work. I tried various delicious foods, including traditional Malaysian desserts, Thai fried bananas, Indomie goreng rendang with chicken nuggets, and a refreshing cendol drink. I also went to Gardens by the Bay with my friends to see the famous Cloud Forest and the annual Flower Dome exhibition, which had a Sakura theme this year. As a work pass holder, I was able to buy a ticket at the same price as a Singaporean citizen—a great deal!

Overall, this week has been incredible. I’m grateful for all the learning experiences at work, the friendships I’m building, and the cultural adventures I’m having in Singapore. I can’t wait to see what’s next!