We knocked a few things off the "must see" checklist this week, including the Botanic Gardens, the zoo, and the Night Safari. All of these were even better than we anticipated (and we had pretty high expectations). Since pictures speak louder than words about things like this:
Waterfall at the zoo.
Fire eaters at the Night Safari.
If I had to pick a theme for Carolina SEAS 08 so far, it might be wisdom. Everyone has gained at least a little of it by coming on this trip. We've shared wisdom in the classroom, but also in the Prata Shop, on the MRT, in the parks, and through the late-night conversations about life that just seem to happen around these kind of people. We've challenged each other on the wisdom we've grown up with, and watched what we thought we knew fade into the background of crazy new travel discoveries. We couldn't even escape wisdom in the middle of a mangrove forest in Malaysia:
So, stemming from the theme of wisdom, I thought I'd share a few things that I've learned during my stay here in Singapore:
The humidity here is ridiculous
Even if you don't think you have jet lag, you do
There is a swimming pool in the Singapore airport
Emus will eat cameras
You can get free mangosteins (tasty fruit) if the lady at the market is nice enough and you look pathetic and sweaty enough
Prata Man wants exact change
You can never have too many fried bananas
There is no such thing as a good hair day in Southeast Asia
Little children make everything better
Waking up with the sun in a foreign country is a lovely feeling
So is watching a sunset
Having a digital camera with a zoom feature means that you look slightly less like an awkward tourist taking pictures of random things
Ben & Jerry's ice cream is expensive everywhere
Any kind of food can be breakfast food
EZ Link cards (to use public transportation) really are easy
Karaoke is embarrassing in every language
Egg can be combined with chicken and it can be delicious
Thunderstorms here are INTENSE but refreshing
It is possible to eat a seven-course meal without being able to fully recognize any of the seven courses
Filling out paperwork for student visas is equivalent to the most confusing test you will ever take in your entire life
Bean curd juice is a bad idea
Sunscreen is a good idea
Umbrellas don't work if you don't use them properly and immediately
One temple can have three religions inside of it
Water bottles are essential
Birthdays parties are drastically improved by monkeys
Bowling is the universal ice-breaker
(Patrick can jump really high)
Being sick in another country is no fun at all
If you smile and say thank you, the man who sells duck rice at PGP will love you forever
Any adult in Singapore who is not one of your parents is called "uncle" or "aunty"
Bus rides with 25 loud American students will be deathly quiet at 6am
Mountain biking through a Malaysian jungle when you haven't been on a bike in 10 years is both the best and worst idea in the world
The effectiveness of bug spray entirely depends on the luck of the person wearing it
Street markets are the best place for people-watching of any variety
Otters (and people) can recycle if they are trained properly
Kaya is my new favorite flavo(u)r of anything
Regardless of location, no student will ever truly want to do their homework
Really really do NOT feed the monkeys. Really.
Seriously. Don't feed them.
I hope that gives you a little sense of the daily life we've gotten used to here, and have to depart from far too soon! Thanks to everyone who's been helping us out all along the way.
Peace, love, and durian.
-Maggie
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