SG at Day 87
My feelings about Singapore after 3 months of living here have changed. Learning more about this fast-paced, permanently stressed, 'kiasu'-mentality country of people who worship the man who made SG what it is today... has made it easy for me to conclude that I wouldn't be able to live in this country long-term. I'm not sure I can do even a decent job at describing what SG is like under the surface, maybe you just need to be here. I find myself criticizing the government and the school system - it seems so rigid and manipulative. At the same time however, you also have a country that remains clean, safe, rich, efficient, and running smoothly. Clearly something is working, but all this comes at a cost. The cost: people living in a box and thinking in a box.
My thoughts on SG are still very scattered in my head.
I had the chance to stay in Singapore for 12 weeks this summer to do an internship with one of my Geotechnical Eng. professors. The project was really interesting - building a structure from the seafloor up instead of reclaiming land and then building. I was excited about the potential to learn more, but the thought of living in Singapore for the summer started to scare me. Picturing myself waking up each morning, going to campus to sit in a freezing cold aircon room, reading thru research papers, attempting to do some computer modeling... and doing this for 60 hrs a week...eeek! No thanks. (I'd rather be in China - which I'll blog about later on!)
Although I'm looking forward to leaving SG, there are still many times when I'm walking thru campus where I can't help but smile. Usually, as I'm racing from Engineering to Arts to get to my Chinese tutorial before the TA whacks me with her wand for being late - I can't help but notice the ocean. Also - getting a nice warm breeze. Being able to run outside and not have to worry about being cold or needing a jacket. Having a family of geckos live in my room. Being able to drink freshly made juices every day. I am really thankful for being able to study here. Extremely thankful! It has been a real treat to be able to live in the tropics, even in its killer humidity!
My thoughts on SG are still very scattered in my head.
I had the chance to stay in Singapore for 12 weeks this summer to do an internship with one of my Geotechnical Eng. professors. The project was really interesting - building a structure from the seafloor up instead of reclaiming land and then building. I was excited about the potential to learn more, but the thought of living in Singapore for the summer started to scare me. Picturing myself waking up each morning, going to campus to sit in a freezing cold aircon room, reading thru research papers, attempting to do some computer modeling... and doing this for 60 hrs a week...eeek! No thanks. (I'd rather be in China - which I'll blog about later on!)
Although I'm looking forward to leaving SG, there are still many times when I'm walking thru campus where I can't help but smile. Usually, as I'm racing from Engineering to Arts to get to my Chinese tutorial before the TA whacks me with her wand for being late - I can't help but notice the ocean. Also - getting a nice warm breeze. Being able to run outside and not have to worry about being cold or needing a jacket. Having a family of geckos live in my room. Being able to drink freshly made juices every day. I am really thankful for being able to study here. Extremely thankful! It has been a real treat to be able to live in the tropics, even in its killer humidity!
Comments
There is much to like, and much to not get used to.
Either way, enjoy the rest of your stay there la! haha