Mark's First Week in Review

I'm Alive

My apologies for the delayed post! It has been quite the week, as I have been settling into Singaporean life, meeting people from around the world, and traveling all around Singapore. Now that I have handled most logistical matters and have finally overcome the 13-hour jet lag, expect me to post much more regularly (but with shorter posts) in the future. I'm very happy to finally have a moment to reflect and share with you all what I have been up to this week.

My Travels Around Singapore Thus Far

For arriving to Singapore only a week ago, I have accomplished a great deal. So far, I've covered Marina Bay, Gardens at the Bay, Tiong Bahru, Orchard Road, Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam (aka Arab Street), Clarke Quay, Holland Village, Botanic Gardens, and Sentosa Island!

There are only a few major places I have yet to visit, namely the world-renowned Singapore Zoo, The Southern Ridges, and Palau Ubin, which I intend to visit this weekend. While I have just about covered the major attractions of Singapore, I still very much look forward to revisiting these places over the course of the semester as well as discovering hidden gems that are not mentioned in touristic travel guides.

Food. So much, So cheap.

Probably my favorite thing about Singapore so far is the food, particularly the Hawker Centres. Essentially, a Hawker Centre is an open food court where you can buy cheap, delicious, and authentic Singaporean food. The most popular dish is Chicken Rice, which, as the name implies, is just chicken over rice. While this may sound basic and perhaps overly simplistic, it is a legendary dish that I expect to have many more times during my semester here. Another Singaporean dish that I love, though much more expensive, is Chili Crab. 

I regret to admit, however, that I have had instances where I have craved (and consumed) American food. Despite the fact the I am halfway across the world and have access to all sorts of foods I have never tried before, during my time here I've already had Subway and Burger King, which, if you know me, I would never have back in the United States. Please don't judge. My inner American is coming alive when I am farther away from the US than I have ever been before. 

Friends From All Over

The study abroad program I am in is an exchange program that brings in students from all around the world, so naturally I am meeting people from pretty much everywhere. Italy, Germany, Taiwan, Norway, United Kingdom, Finland, China, India, Canada, Holland, Dominican Republic, Australia, Mexico, and of course the United States (everywhere except Africa unfortunately). It is really cool to meet all of these exchange students and learn more about their respective cultures, as I overlooked the fact that I would make friends with non-Singaporeans before coming here.

As for making friends with the locals, which is often challenging for exchange students, I have come to realize that a healthy combination of basketball and WhatsApp can do wonders. The locals are among the most friendly people I have met here, and I am slowly starting to pick up on their lingo (aka singlish).

Wish Me Luck!

At 1AM, I have a Skype interview for a summer internship in Chicago with New Sector Alliance! While my interviewer will have probably just started his day, I will have just about ended mine. But hey, it's the best you can do given this time difference. Also, tomorrow is my first day of classes, so hopefully that goes well too!

Closing Remark

Due to popular demand, I will indeed be vlogging (at least once). Expect a video within the next couple of days where I will take you through the NUS campus and my dorm.

The Arrival

Hey guys, A LOT has happened since in the last 24 hours (well, actually the last 37 hours if you count the time difference.)

Let's begin with the flights. Surprisingly (and thankfully), I made it past security this time without being "randomly" checked. This is great news but wait, there's a twist... I almost wasn't allowed to even advance to security because the person working at baggage claim was saying that I needed a special visa, which didn't exist, in order to send my bags to Singapore. This dilemma took so long to resolve that I had to go 0-100 real quick to make sure I made it to my flight on time.

Sure enough, I had the middle seat for the 13 hour flight to Tokyo... I have yet to fully regain circulation in my legs.

When I passed through security for my flight to Singapore from Tokyo, I had a rather strange interaction with the security officer. I had a full water bottle (we're talking upwards of 1 liter), and the officer told me that I needed to drink it before passing security. I asked him if I could simply dump it somewhere, as I was not thirsty at the time, but he simply smiled and insisted politely that I just drink it. I literally chugged the whole water bottle with him just looking at me do it. Low key, it was one of the weirdest, most awkward experiences of my life. I think he felt the same way too, but I cannot be 100% sure.

There really is no good way to segué from that into this, but the flight to Singapore was a breeze. The taxi ride back to my dorm was pretty cool. Having read a lot about Singapore before coming here, I was able to decipher buildings, parks, etc. on my own, and that's a pretty rewarding feeling. My cab driver was pretty impressed and we got along very well despite the fact that he barely could speak English, which brings me to my next point.

As I mentioned in my last blog, one of the main things that interested me about Singapore is the fact that I can experience a vastly different culture without having to overcome significant* language barriers. I have now decided to put an asterisk when I say significant. Let me explain.

While you certainly can get by with only speaking English, it still can be tremendously difficult to communicate with others doing so, particularly the older generation of Singaporeans. I did not expect it to be as difficult to communicate with others as it has shown to be, but I think that this is overall a great learning experience. I have really been challenged to be a better listener and to read non-verbal cues so as to fully understand others. This is a skill all great leaders must have, as it is impossible to lead effectively without being able to understand and communicate with others. 

Now, regarding my initial thoughts on the National University of Singapore and Singapore in general, this place is pretty awesome. It almost feels as though I am in the future (not like 13 hours ahead but rather sci-if movie ahead). While there sometimes is this eerie feeling of utopia/dystopia present, this place has a lot going for it. The food is delicious, the people are friendly, and everything is pristine. 

That should be about all for today. I tried to be a little more casual than usual for this post, so please let me know if this style works for you or if you'd prefer something a little more formal. Remember, I'm not just writing this blog for me, but also for you all too, so I welcome any comments and/or messages on feedback!

The Beginning of a Journey

Why am I making a Blog? What is the Purpose?

Those that know me well know that I am a writer by necessity, not choice. So if you're thinking to yourself "why is Mark making a blog," it is fully warranted. I was fortunate enough to receive a generous scholarship to study abroad from the Barger Leadership Institute, and as part of the conditions of the scholarship, I have to blog and reflect on my experience abroad, with an emphasis on leadership development. While I hope that I would have come to the decision to make a blog while studying abroad in the absence of this scholarship, I appreciate the fact that this forces me to stay true to blogging and reflecting. Like I said, I am a writer by necessity. 

Goals for the Blog

1. To reflect on my experience abroad, with an emphasis on leadership development
2. To keep my friends and family back home in the loop
3. To become a better, less formal writer (this one will be the most difficult)
4. To help inform students who are considering studying abroad in Singapore, particularly the National University of Singapore
5. To make this a quick, enjoyable read for all those who choose to read it

To supplement the blogs, I will also be vlogging (video blogging) so that you all can see me in-action going to places like Downtown Singapore, Chinatown, Little India, the National University of Singapore campus, etc.

Why Singapore? Why this program?

While certainly a valid question, I feel as though in comparison to those who choose to study abroad in Europe, there is definitely a higher level of rationale I must provide to explain why I am choosing Singapore. This isn't much of a problem though, as I enjoy explaining why I think this program will be great for me. 

1. Culture. If you're not all that familiar with Singapore, it's a pretty awesome place -- from what I have seen and read online. I'm really looking forward to experiencing a vastly different culture without having to overcome any significant language barriers (English is the lingua franca).
2. Coursework. I will have the opportunity to take courses that are not offered at the University of Michigan (Global Political Economy, Comparative Study of Development, and Managing Non-Profit Organization), and all of the credits will go toward my degree requirements. Also, the National University of Singapore is ranked among the best Universities internationally, so I expect to really be challenged academically and to gain a lot from these courses.
3. Travel. Because Singapore is optimally located as the hub of Southeast Asia, it is very easy and inexpensive to travel to other countries. Many students who study abroad in Singapore travel to countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.  While I am not quite sure where I will be going just yet, I definitely would like to take advantage of the opportunity to explore Southeast Asia while I'm there, as it would likely be difficult for me to do so at any other point in my life.
4. Food. Yes, food. If you know me, you know I like to eat -- a lot. Fortunately for me, food is Singapore's national pastime. I look forward to eating at Hawker centres and eating lots of delicious and cheap street food. 
5. Weather. I would be lying if I said that I didn't consider the difference in weather between Ann Arbor and Singapore. Singapore, located just above the equator, averages about 82 degrees Fahrenheit during the months January-May. I don't think I need to pull a stat showing how cold Ann Arbor is, but here is a little reminder of what the weather was like last year.  

To stay true to my promise to make this blog a quick read (refer to goal #5), I'm going to hold off on writing any more for now. Expect another blog post and the first vlog to come later this week!