This week I have been able to explore the city more, and venture out with my family here! I started the week off strong and ended up running around the entire length of the botanic gardens, exploring the entire park this time. I found such remote paths and eventually was led to the art gallery there. After laying on the lawn for a bit, I found an amphitheater next to a lake with another beautiful lawn that I will definitely be lounging on one day when I bring a book and a picnic. 

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the kindest people at work. Ruoyao brought me nail supplies to do my nails after I had mentioned that I wanted to change them up, and whenever we stop by the fruit stand near work she is so kind and always buys us green grapes that she, Bianca, and I munch on at our desks. I’ve always believed that little acts of kindness go so much further than words, and it’s brightened my lunch hour getting to know people from a completely different culture, and vice versa who want to listen to me yap about my life regardless of the occasional google translate having to be pulled out. Other than the opportunity to find friends at work, being in Singapore has also provided the opportunity to get to know the people from other schools in the program. What started as me and my roommate for happy hour turned into a solid group joining us Friday. Being out and about all day can make you feel absolutely drained, but chatting with new people can always bring a refreshing change to any dull routine.

We had a cooking class on Saturday and made Nyonya Laksa, a dish I had never had before. I thoroughly enjoyed cheffing it up with my cooking partner Maddie, and we killed it. Walking into Ruqxana’s home was very heartwarming after living in hotels, and I felt extremely satisfied and accomplished being able to sit down and eat the delicious food we worked hard to make (crushing the ingredients with the mallet, a task they were showing us how to do in a bowl on the floor, was no joke). Then, as if I wasn’t feeling closer to home already, my family had finished their long voyage and arrived in Singapore! It’s been so long I think people were still debating whether or not the earth was flat the last time I saw them. Very surreal.

My parents, brother, and I went to the wharf Saturday and we got to see the merlion, went to the Fullerton Hotel, and got an excellent meal at Song Fe Bak Kut Teh a highly rated place that my brother had to check off of his list on Beli. On Sunday, we checked out the flower dome and cloud forest. It was very lovely and my mom was taking a buttload of pictures, so I think she was happy :)! Then we went to Gardens by the Bay and walked through the hotel to the mall, where we got food at the Hawker there and talked to a runner from the marathon that was running by the gardens. She had run some crazy distance, I forget how much, and finished the race and was now eating at the Hawker, all before noon!! I can only hope to have that level of motivation some day.

Monday morning my parents, brother, and I stopped by the Buddha temple and went to my favorite coffee shop before work. They said the coffee shop was definitely my style and, even though I have yet to try their food, my brother said it was excellent so I guess I will have to try breakfast one of these days. For lunch, Bianca and I went back to Carrotsticks and Cravings, where I go whenever I just want a simple avocado toast or something familiar. We splurged on carrot cake and I think Bianca watched my spark come back because I definitely was revived after that meal. Then, Monday night, me and my parents went to the Supertree grove to see the lights show. We had done the treetop walk when they first got here, but seeing the trees at night was pretty and all the families sitting down looking at the lights was so wholesome.

Tuesday morning I went back to Carrotsticks and Cravings with my parents. Their “Australian style” coffee is probably almost as strong as the coffee in Australia, very nostalgic. I was super busy at work and airtable was giving me a hard time, but by the end of the day I was super excited because most of my roomies and the rents were all going to happy hour. I sent them the street address of the bar, unintentionally making it a surprise for those who didn’t know the name of the bar. Surprise!! It was a Harry Potter inspired pub. Im glad Alexa, Stella, and Maddie also were fans because they could share my child-like wonder and it was really silly and fun. The drink my mom got came with flower elixir, dragons saliva, and fairy tears in tubes that you poured into a cauldron and it started bubbling and misting, and then she had to speak an incantation. Quite the concoction. Another drink the bartender used some powder to set it on fire multiple times and it was quite the show! Definitely a hidden gem and an experience! Then, to end the night, we went to the water lights show by the wharf. By far I enjoyed it more than the supertree light show, most likely because we were in between the water and the mall, two of my favorite places. I also love seeing the city line and how most of the lights in the city are a soothing yellow glow instead of sharp white lights. Although Singapore is very different from any other city I’ve been to, I have come to appreciate it and the more I stay here the more I am finding new spots to visit!!