Life as Normal

The last post highlighted the different places I've been able to visit in the past couple of weeks.  I will continue to keep posting such pictures but with the 3rd week of classes beginning, there are assignments and readings to be done which means less exploring and more studying.  

Sometimes life is almost as normal as it would be if I were back in Waterloo (minus the extreme climate differences).  After all, clothes still need to be washed and the room still needs a tidying up every now and again.

Sometimes the most exciting event in my day involves the following conversation...

'It's Waffle O'clock!'

Super Snack, a cafe at our residence, has the most amazing waffles and we have been regular (basically daily) customers.  

Sometimes, the most exciting part of my day is my $0.80 iced coffee.

Every day, my required readings keep me grounded in the realities of student life.

- 6 novels

- a textbook

- 7 Shakespearean plays and 2 other plays

- countless short stories

Thankfully, books and my Kobo can be taken anywhere, making this place ...

    

 ... a great location for chipping away at readings.

But no matter what the student life may require of us, a birthday always calls for a break from the normal.  Happy Birthday Jen!

                       

Saturday, January 25/14:  Dragon Boat Excursion

    An event for the exchange students.  We headed to a reservoir Saturday morning to have a go at Dragon Boat racing.  6 boats of students meant that there was as much water fighting as actual racing.  We had a beautiful morning to be out on the water while enjoying a nice change from daily life.  I had a ton of fun even though it resulted in a few sore muscles. We spent approx. 1.5 hrs on the water and I think about every person was soaked upon their return to land.

 

 The group of us with the famous Singapore Flyer and                 Marina Bay Sands Hotel in the background. 

< my group  all set to push off and head out.  I'm in there somewhere.  You know, the one with the red bandanna. :)

                                                                               Water Fight!

Settling In

"Hey! So, obviously you have gotten into sync with life over there....haven't heard from 

you recently"

These few words from the younger sister confirmed what I already knew.  For my family, who initially heard from me every day upon my arrival, I had grown slightly silent in the past week.

I don't know if it's correct to say that I've gotten into sync with life here but it's feeling more and more familiar and I do feel settled.  I officially survived the first week of classes.  I did not get lost but I also did not necessarily take the most efficient routes from place to place either.  

I 'm thinking I will enjoy my modules (courses).  I am currently enrolled in the following:

     Shakespeare in His Time and Ours

     European Literature

     South Asian Literature in English

     Singapore Literature in English

If you took at look at the list and thought 'wow, that'll be a lot of reading', you are correct.  I believe my life shall be spent clued to my e-reader.  It is my constant companion these days but since we spend a lot of time doing this ...

Waiting for the train to head into the city

... I have plenty of opportunity to read while waiting for and riding on transit from location to location.  It's been fun exploring the city through public transit but at times when waiting for the next bus or train, I must admit that I do really miss my car and the independence it provides.

In the last couple of days before classes began I was able to head to Sentosa Island (or the beach), the Botanical Gardens and Orchard Road.

Sentosa Island:
   Lots of possibilities for fun and entertainment however we found ourselves a nice spot on the beach and spent the afternoon relaxing.  If you want to know more about Sentosa, go to google!

        

               

Botanical Gardens:

      Took a brief walk through the city's Botanical Gardens last week end.  I plan to go back sometime and actually walk through the whole thing.  What I did see was beautiful though.

The gardens are close to campus and may prove to be a nice study location when I'm in need of a change of scenery!

Orchard Road:  

     If you wish to spend a day or 2 or 3 shopping while in Singapore,       this is the place to go.  Multiple malls to choose from and to all   you Waterloo people, when you think mall, erase images of               the Conestogo Mall from your brain because compared to                 the malls here, our malls are dwarfs. 

     The malls are all multiple stories and have incredible design and        decor.  However, the street also has its own share of beautiful          landscape, lights and decorations.  Also, as the pictures indicate,      we were not the only ones out for an afternoon of shopping.  I          had fun sitting back and watching the crowds.  In one afternoon,        we only touched the tip of the iceberg of malls on this street.

 

The throngs of people waiting at an intersection                                  Street Decor                                              

 

Then it was time for classes to begin:

    All my classes are held in the Arts and Social Sciences area of campus.

This is the Central Library building.  All the FASS (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) Buildings are to the left.  These are the main buildings that I spend my time in while on campus.  

   

   

 

These two pictures show the courtyard area of the Central Library/FASS section of campus.  I'm thinking it's another great option for studying, as long as it's not too hot.

River Safari:  Features some of the main rivers throughout the world and has tanks with some of the different fish/turtles/reptiles/snakes that can be found in the various river areas. The river safari also includes Pandas, which was definitely my favourite.                                                                                                                                                               

        

 

A few miscellaneous pictures:

Night time views of the main building and the main entrance of our residence.

The Food Options are endless.  I am a happy girl.

 

AND .... yes, among the fun of settling in and exploring, here's proof that we have actually done a little bit of what we've come here to do:   STUDY!!

                                                                                           

The hanging gardens are another great study place as long as the bugs and ants aren't trying to hard to get your attention.











Well folks, I am signing off and going back to my readings.

Endings and Beginnings

I believe this is my 4th attempt at a post.  You'd think I'd be bursting with things to say after all that has happened within the past 5 days.  After all, I usually have plenty to say in the dullest of times yet here I am, beginning a new life experience, and I'm struggling with what to say.   

Saturday, January 4, 2014.  I said good bye to family.  A week earlier I had my last shift at my job of 3 years.  With the good-byes and endings behind me, I boarded a plane to take a trip I've taken many times before but I dread more each time I do it.  13+ straight hours on an airplane is just about 10 hours too many for me yet for some reason I keep finding myself wanting to do it. 

My flights went well.  I was able to sleep a good majority of the first flight away.  After an 8 hour lay-over in Shanghai, I boarded a plane for 6 more hours, arriving in Singapore at 6 a.m. Monday, January 6th.  My arrival meant that I had officially lost some hours of my life due to crossing the international date line but don't worry, I'll gain those hours back on my return to Canada. 

With my arrival in Singapore, the beginnings commenced.

Settling in has been interesting but each day keeps getting better.  Loneliness has reared it's ugly head from time to time but as I meet people and get out and about in the city it is showing up less and less.  Monday was a not so fun day.  I spent a good portion of the day wondering what had possessed me to think it was a good idea to go to a strange country where I know absolutely no one to be a student.  However, when I left home I knew there would be adjustments and so nothing of what I've felt has really surprised me.  Also, the couple of people I got connected with through friends have been so gracious in answering my questions and offering help wherever needed, of which I have been very grateful. 

By today, Wednesday, I find myself feeling at home and remembering why I thought coming here was a good idea.  I'm enjoying exploring the city through the public transit system, choosing from the large selection of food options, the weather (just need a little bit more time to adjust to the humidity though) and of course the people I'm meeting . 

It helps to find familiar things in the moments of missing home so today a couple of us decided that a visit to a certain coffee establishment was a necessity to getting our day started off well.  Necessity? you may ask.  Probably not.  A great way to start the day?  Definitely! 

 

 

I'm living at the Prince George Park Residence.  It's a nice residence with beautiful grounds but not as modern as some of the other options.  I like it though because it has what I consider the 'Asian' feel.  Open-air spaces and lots of landscaping.  My room is small but clean and I don't really plan to spend much time in it other than sleeping.

 

 

 

And here's a room that I should probably use more than I actually will.   

 

 



The rest of the week will be taken up with orientation, registration and tours around campus and the city.  My classes as a NUS (National University of Singapore) student begin on Monday.  I'm slightly nervous about how they will go.  I'm somewhat familiar with the differences between west and east education but I've never been a student within this type of setting so we shall see how it goes.

 

Thanks to all who have been thinking of me, praying for me and getting in touch with me.  It hasn't all been easy but it's been good and so far I am glad that I took the steps needed to have this opportunity become reality.  Although I finished segments of my life in Canada to come here and now in Singapore there are many new things here for me to figure out, the awesome truth is that I am living each day with my Father who does not change.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever!  Amongst my endings and beginnings He is my constant refuge and strength.

 

And one last photo:  the view from my 6th story window.