Singapore

We started our short adventure in Singapore by going to the botanic gardens.  I wasn’t that excited for it at first, but it was actually pretty cool.  It was very relaxing and nice to be surrounded by nature for a little bit.  It had reflexology paths that you walk on bare foot that I got really into.  On the way out of the gardens I tripped over a rock and broke my sandal.  Of course that would happen to me.  So we headed back to the subway with me lagging behind dragging my foot so my shoe didn’t flop about and went to go to a shoe store.  When we got on the subway we asked a group of people that looked our age where to go to find shoes and they said a mall that was a few stops down.  So we went to the mall (which took about a half hour to find, with me dragging my foot the whole time…and it was loud) and found a Payless shoes and got a new pair of sandals.  After that little detour, we grabbed a quick lunch and headed to Little India.  (Yes, I realize I was just in big India, but I was outnumbered on the decision to go there.)  We wondered around the markets for a while, just exploring what they had to offer.  My friend, Sahana, has been saying she wanted to get her nose pierced this whole trip and me and my friend, Haley, told her today’s the day and we got her to do it.  It was…an experience…for her.  We went to a store that sold jewelry and asked if they knew where they did piercing.  They said they did it and had much experience with it.  She picked out her jewelry, they sat her down on a chair in the middle of the store, cleaned the jewelry, and just went in for the kill with what looked like a nail.  None of us were expected that, but what’s done is done I guess.  (We went to the doctor on the ship right when we got back and he gave her stuff to clean it with and said it should be fine.)  After that interesting experience it started to poor so we went to an inside market to get a snack while the rain died down.  Then we headed to the Harbor Front to meet Sahana’s cousin from India, whose studying here in Singapore, for dinner.  It was cool to be able to talk to a person who lives here and learn a little more about Singapore while we were here.  After dinner we headed back to the ship, with many things left on our Singapore to-do list.

Reflection: Singapore reminded me a lot of Chicago.  It made me miss home, but also realize how cool of an experience this is and a part of me never wants it to end.  Me and the friends I’ve made have had so many experiences together that we won’t even be able to explain when we go back home to our normal lives.  I can start to really see the change in myself that these past couple months have put in me. I’m so happy with life and the opportunities God has blessed me with.  One reason I wanted to do this program was to learn things about the world-their history, culture, ideals, etc.-and I feel like that it happening.  Seeing these places spark an interest and I want to learn more about their history and culture.  For those who know me well, you know I am terrible at history, so I’m glad my experiences I’ve been having has sparked an interest for me to continue learning about the world long after this is over.

Reflexology path


My favorite shoes :(

"What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do-especially in other people's minds.  When you're traveling, you are what you are right then and there.  People don't have your past to hold against you.  No yesterdays on the road."  William Least Heat Moon