Friends abroad

I want to take this post to discuss the friends that I have made since being in Singapore. Lately, I have been hanging out a lot with a group of about 15 exchange students. Some are from Sweden, France, Canada, Germany, and the US. I do have Chinese and Singaporean friends as well!

It is true that I am on my own a lot. Most of the time I am either in the library or my room, or doing something on my own. Being independent is great, but sometimes hanging out with others is important. It might be that I am introverted, or it might be that NUS feeds into this type of system. Most students here do not hangout with people, they are either studying on their own, working on a project, and in transition to somewhere else.

I find it really hard to get to know Singaporeans. I feel like on the surface the are really nice, but after the introduction bit, they dont really care to get to know you further. Now, this is a generalization. Maybe its just me? Yet, I have sat and talked to them and they tell me they hate this same paradigm.

It could change, but I think it may just be that Singaporeans live at home. They have to travel to and from home. They feel that what matters is the grade, not learning. I mean you do learn when you study, but here its more important to get a good mark, than make what you are learning applicable to life.

It shoulds a lot to what I was like in High School. My favorite teachers would be the ones that said, "listen, if you arent learning, regardless of the grade, than you will never grow, never be able to understand the world around you." I think that what study abroad is about. We are here to experience, just as much to read and study.

I thought before I came here that experience meant I had to travel, that i had to go to the different parts of the island and walk around, observe. Instead, experience just means getting to know people. Talking about things that they have done, and doing things together.

My friends from all over the world live this type of mindset. I have learned so much from them. One thing I have overcome is being so frugal I dont share. For example, when I was in Vietnam, I didnt want to spend any money so I woul get the cheapest thing, and that no offer it to anyone, even though they would offer me a taste of theirs. Also, splitting bills is the thing I HATE most about living, and studying abroad. Its so difficult. Being as inflexible as I am makes it hard, because i just want to get my exact change. usually someone ends up paying more.

But now that side of me has changed. Im not as frugal and unwilling to share. Im working on it but I have so far to go. Im not going to say that my selfishness is an American characteristic, because many of my American friends here are so willing to buy things or pay for others expenses. What I will say, is that it takes some growing up to be that way. I am the youngest person in my circle. Most everyone is 23 or older. They have lived all over the world and most speak three languages. they have lived and experienced so much more than I have. Im not envious, because I too will be someone like that at some point in my life. But they no that money comes and goes, it isnt what should drive you to do something or not do something.

Maybe Im too idealistic here, but its ok. I need to be.

Below are pictures of me with friends. This post was for me, so that I can remember. Hopefully, those that read this, think. Thats all I want it to do. Just make people think about those that are around them.

Vietnam!

Sorry all for not posting in such a long time. I was trying to post every weekend but it hasnt been that easy (more because I am lazy!). I want to try to post twice this week to catch up. This is a busy time of the year, but I want to put more pictures of Singapore online.

Recently, I have been spending so much time on NUS's campus. I really need to get out of my room and see what there is to do! As I make take these new adventures (like going to a jazz club last friday) I will try to keep posting.

Vietnam! I went to Vietnam a week ago. This past week has flown by. Vietnam seems like a blur, but there are so many memories that I want to share.

First, the schedule. We flew to Da Nang and took a train to Hue, the old imperial city. It was beautiful. We walked around the city, and at a local restaurants that were geared for tourists. However, I had so much fun trying Chicken Tacos in Vietnam. It was just chicken and cheese of a bunch of small sopapia type things!

We walked through the citadel, and was interesting to learn things about the imperial culture. Nine is the holy number, so there were a lot of urns filled with water all in a row of nine.

Below are pictures of the imperial city.







Next, I got my palm read by a man who lost his father to the vietnam war. He told us his story, and said that he was studying buddhism as a way to cope with his lost. He read my palm, and told me about my future. It was very interesting.
The next day we went on a bike ride to TU DUC Tomb. The bike ride was the best part. We rented bikes for the day which cost us 1 US$. The bikes were old and used, but they work. I didnt care because i was focused on getting us there and navigating through the traffic. The traffic in Hue was nothing compared to Vietnam, haha! There are so many motorbikes. The infrastructure is there, but people just dont follow the rules that are set infront of them. They have no public transportation, which seems odd for a Communist country. Youd think that government should fill those roles. Even if they did have public transport, I dont think people would use it. Family all ride on the same motor bike. Kids practice their skills with training wheels in the middle of dangerous streets. It was quite a difference from home.

We than went Hoi An which was very pretty but very touristy. I got a suite and white pants made at the tailor place. Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so they are trying to preserve it. I find that by doing so it takes a lot of character away from this very unique place. I found myself more stressed that white people were around, than trying to talk to locals.

Below are some pictures from that trip!

these are silk worms. they grow the silk and then make the tailor clothes from them. this was a tourist ploy to get us to come into the store.
The next night we spent in Da Nang which wasnt very nice. We then flew back to Ho Chi Minh City. This city is amazing. So much traffic, kissing in the park, people asking for motorbike rides, and prostitutes. the people were so friendly, and Thuy are hostel front desk person was amazing. I did Ho Chi Minh on my own, because I needed time to myself after traveling with 4 other people I only met a month and a half ago. I met some people from the cast of Roger and Hammersteins Cinderella with Lea Salonga (voice of Mulan and Jasmine from Aladdin). They were so loud and open, and entertaining. I was really able to have fun being myself in a foreign country. We were still culturally sensitive, and always observing, but we also just relaxed. Something I found so refreshing!

Below are pictures from the las leg of my trip!
This is Ho Chi Minhs art Museum. The paintings were so dark, because there is so much pain and death in Vietnams history. However, the contemporary work is so much diffferent, and very uplifting!
This was our hotel. We stayed in the backpacker area, and it was a great experience!
The Reunification Palace. The last US helicopter left of this buildings roof at the end of the war.
An example of HCMC's traffic.

I loved Vietnam! I would definitely go back. I guess that Vietnam will soon be an example of how communist countries dont have to be 'backwards' in their development. The people seemed happy, and like they were moving on with their lives. There were so many mothers, fathers, and babies. This country, I guess, will be important 50 years from now.

Until next time...