In Singapore! (Lonnnnng post)

Today was Day 4 in Singapore! I wanted to blog the first few days, but jet lag sucked up all my motivation & I'm definitely still in watch and learn mode. But if you want to know what I was up to:

Monday (WI time): I headed for Minneapolis, departed at about 9:30 pm, landed in San Francisco and then started my longest flight yet...I thought Paris was long, but Hong Kong ate up an entire day (well, 14 or 15 hours)! I spent about an hour walking around in the HK airport (free wifi!) before heading on to Singapore. I don't have any plane photos because I was in the aisle seat & it was dark for almost the entire 24 hours I traveling (35+ when you count in the time change).

Wednesday (SG time): I landed at about 11:20 am, was picked up at the airport by the awesome Kendra C. & my equally fabulous roommate, Kara. Saw our wonderful flat (apartment), took a shower, and then headed for school! I ate all Western food the first day: Subway for lunch and pasta for supper...but I was too zombie-fied to care. My memory from the day is pretty hazy, but I'm pretty sure we also set up my phone, walked around by the Esplanade, and...yeah, I can't remember anything else. I think my brain had checked out by around 8:30 pm, but my body managed to stay awake until 10!

Oh! And I got to see my office. HUGE. Since coming to Singapore, I've felt strangely large and awkward (even if in the States I'm short & average) so maybe in such a big room I'll feel small-ish again (doubt it).

Thursday: What did we do this day? I don't remember what the morning involved (did we go to school?), but we went to Vivo City towards afternoon & had lunch at Food Republic (visit #1). Vivo City is a GIGANTIC mall and Food Republic is it's all-Asian food court (various Chinese, Indian, Korean, etc. food). After that we saw Inception (definitely recommended if you like complex movies...loved the use of repeated line). In Singapore, you choose your seat when you buy your movie ticket - nice system! Unless, of course, you're one of the last people to get your ticket. : ) Kara and I also found a grocery store within walking distance of our flat! Not sure if I remember exactly how to get there now, but I'll figure it out!

Friday: This was medical exam day. A batch of us were "chosen" to get exams before getting our S-passes (green cards/work permits)...I imagine that since I've been exposed to all sorts of glorious organisms, they wanted to make sure I'm not diseased. Had my first chest x-ray ever (the RN in me wanted to type "cxr"), blood tests, and the fastest interview with a doctor ever. If they were doing an H&P on me, I think it would be a sentence or two. Afterwards, we headed back to school and then I got my first taste of Indian food & it was delicious! ("Where have you been all my life?" feeling...all the Indian residents & doctors back home should definitely push to get a place open in Marshfield!) After that a couple of us headed to Sim Lim Square (electronics paradise, if you're into that) and then...back to Vivo City again. Found a huge & lovely bookstore (Page One), but all the knitting books are exactly the same as the ones back home (just more price-y!). Had my first dish of chicken rice (Singapore food!) at Food Republic (visit #2) and then saw Inception again. Seeing a movie twice in a row is very, verrrry untypical for me...hope it doesn't turn into a habit. : )

Saturday (today!): All of the new staff met at school for a Singapore Scavenger Hunt/Mission ("mission" sounds so much cooler than "hunt"). We were all over the place & I started to wish I had a pedometer to keep track of just how much we were walking around. We also took the MRT (subway/train), bus, and taxi. Where'd we go? Vivo City, yet again...and guess where else? Food Republic (visit #3). I tried more Indian food (murtabak chicken with curry sauce...which may just convince me to transition back to eating eggs again)...good again. After Vivo, we headed onwards to Chinatown (cheap stuff galore!) and then Clarke Quay & the merlion fountains. We had to take LOADS of photos (thanks Kendra!) so you may just be able to see some. ; ) After all of our hunting around, we had a staff dinner at Chili's (dear French fries & ketchup: I like you a lot). And now...chilling out with the aircon in my room.

I think that's all...sorry for an absolute truckload of information. It's been a very full four days in Singapore and there's plenty more to come!