Work started off a little more hectic than usual. One of our Singaporean intern friends is heading off this week, so a lot of tasks had to be passed on to me and Lauren. Itâs been a bit of a handover marathon, but weâre managing!
One of the highlights of my work week was learning how to file Financial Statements (FS) for submission to the Singaporean government. Itâs part of the audit and compliance process, and thereâs a special system we need to install in Excel in order to validate and upload the documents directly to ACRA (the local authority). I had to figure out how to set everything up on my laptopâdefinitely not as easy as clicking âinstall,â but I eventually got there.
The client we were working on was late with their submission, so everything was marked as urgent. I was trying to upload the FS, but the system kept refusing to validate it. After a bit of troubleshooting and consulting with my manager, I ended up needing to file an exemption instead. Now weâre waiting for ACRAâs response. Even though the process was a bit frustrating, I actually found it really exciting! It was something completely new to me, and I feel like Iâm really growing and learning every week.
Into the real highlight of my week: our weekend trip to Bintan Island!
From the moment we landed, I already felt a little bit special. mainly because I got to go through the citizen immigration line while most of my friends had to queue for their Visa on Arrival (VOA). Perks of having the local ID! đ It was also a small boost to my confidence to speak in my own language and realize no one around could really understand. I felt like a secret agent!
Our first stop was lunch at Nirwana Gardenâs The Pool Restaurant, where I had a chicken alfredo pizzaâsurprisingly good for a resort meal. After lunch, Estrella and I decided to hit the bowling alley, which turned into a hilarious adventure. Bowling is not our strong suit. The staff seemed to be watching us the entire time (probably because we were that bad). Every time we managed to knock some pins down, they clapped. I wasnât sure whether to laugh or cry đĽ˛đ.
After that, we went to the guest center to explore activity options. We decided to rent a mini electric car for our journey the next day for six hours, which was a super fun and easy way to explore the island. We spent the rest of the afternoon chilling by the beach at Mayang Sari Resort, just two shuttle stops away from Nirwana. It was peaceful, breezy, and exactly what we needed.
For dinner on our first night, we tried an Indian restaurant called The Spice. The food was really goodâauthentic and flavorfulâeven though the prices were on the higher side. But honestly? Worth it. What made it even funnier was running into almost all the Bucknell students there at the same time. We all had the same good idea! Our second day started bright and early. After breakfast at 9AM, Estrella and I made our way to Blue Lake Desert by 10AM. Since Iâm a local, I got the ticket for only 10,000 rupiah, while the foreigner price was 30,000. Small win, but I felt proud nonetheless!
The heat was intense, the sun was blazingâbut the scenery made it all worth it. The blue lake was incredibly vibrant, and the desert surrounding it looked straight out of a movie. I even took a photo with a bird (which might be my new profile pic) and caught a ride on the shuttle bus back to the parking lot because we were melting in the heat. Plus, I got a discount on bottled water for speaking Indonesianâonly 5K!
Next up? ATV riding! This was such a blast. I got splashed with mud, hit a bush, and screamed a little, but heyâthatâs part of the journey, right? đ Our guide was super cool, he drove with one hand while sitting sideways and using the other hand to take videos of us. Honestly, the video barely even shook, a total pro. After cleaning up, we ended the day with a stop at Crystal Lake, where we saw statues of famous Indonesian figures and local heroes. I also took a picture with the bird. The lake had a deep red hue and, just like the Blue Lake, was known to be toxic, but incredibly beautiful from a distance. I have been a full-time translator for my friends, and I am proud that we can get a good price for everything. I also have a great Balinese massage at the resort.
This week has been full of growth, both in the office and out in the world. I got to learn something new and exciting at work, and I had a weekend that felt like a mini adventure movie. Iâm genuinely looking forward to what the next few weeks in Singapore will bring. Bintan gave me a taste of exploration, and now I just want more.
