Back to the blog

It's been ages since I updated this thing last. Work kicked in high-gear and I've spent almost all my personal time traveling, sleeping and recovering from hangovers. What else can I say besides life is really busy and good and it's amazing what I've been able to see and do in less than 6-months.

I'm in Jakarta right now on my first solo trip since I've got here. Otherwise known as the big durian, Jakarta is a populated city and has traffic like you wouldn't believe. Despite that, I'm on a local bus instead of a taxi on my way to the freedom square for a view of the sprawling capital. From there I'm off to the fish market, antique market and I'm planning to hit up one of the famous clubs that go on non stop from Thursday night to Sunday afternoon. Jakarta isn't a big tourist destination (I was the only one at the airport in the tourist visa lineup when I landed) but I really do find this city and its people charming. The non well off Muslims here have a hard to describe dignified manner about them which I find refreshing, especially coming from Singapore.  The city is night-and-day from the Indonesian Hindu island of Bali. And thank god I havent seen a single Eat Pray & Love book.

I'm going to try and update this thing more regularly but as a quick update, here are a bunch of pics of recent trips to Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia:

How I'm Living Pt II

After an busy search for a permanent residence and a weekend trip to a Malaysian island, I thought I would spend a bit of time trying to feel out this country before writing my next blog post.  So many questions still unanswered: Why is this country an economic hub?  How does it achieve gdp grow of near 20% and unemployment of 2.5%? What does it have to offer in terms of real value?  Why are locals so different from their neighboring country counterparts?  Are people as content as the seam?  Could the progressive strategies the government has executed on work and revive western countries like Canada or the US?  And where will this country be in 5 to 10 years?

While it's going to take time for me to figure out if this is indeed a paradise island or if it's the result or a sterile and government-mothered environment, I thought I would share a few pics of my new pad.  And now that I'm settled, come visit (and I've already had one person swing through).

Enjoy. 

The front door to my condo.

My simple room

With just enough closet space

Dining room

Living room (with media centre all set-up)

Living Room / Dining Room

Outdoor pool - the 50m pool is a great workout!

Hot-tub (necessary after a great workout)

Pool lit up at night

How I'm Livin'

On a lighter note, here are a few pics of my place (corporate housing for now) and the office.  The internet here is a bit slow but I'll post more pics and vids of the city soon enough.

Bedroom (the day I landed)

Hawker (Food) Centre outside of my place

View from my place of the shopping area on Orchard Street

Another view of the shopping area.  This mall blasts house music all day long!

View from my office of Marina Bay Sands Resort (most expensive hotel and casino in the world), the Pacific Ocean and hundreds of cargo ships waiting to be processed.

Expats

I've been here for a few weeks now and while almost everything I do is new, the city is starting to feel familiar. I've met people from all over the world and it's been easy to assimilate and integrate into their social circles. Almost everyone I've met is exceptionally well traveled and most expats have moved here in search of adventure (many from before this region became the world's economic powerhouse). Having said that, I've also seen a lot of expat losers at clubs. They're completely drunk and make complete asses of themselves before the clock even strikes midnight. I think this is best depicted in the following Japanese comic strip, which illustrates this point so very well:

Landed and Hungry

I don't know how many times I've done it before: land in a new country, learn a few basic words, buy a map, find a cheap hostal and run around the country until my plane ticket tells me that it's time to leave.  But this time it's different.  Very different.  I'm in no rush, I have no map and I'm trying to enjoy the feeling of being lost between skyscrapers and rainforest, at least for the time being.  Singapore is commonly referred to as "the red dot" for a reason.  It won't feel like a massive city for long.

So why write a blog?  This is quite possibly the last time I'll throw myself in a new country on my own and I want to record my experiences, observations and a few stories.  Given the amount of technical writing involved in my new job, it's also an opportunity to express myself in a more creative fashion.  And most importantly, it's a good way to stay connected to close friends and family in Toronto.

So here it is - my first entry (in all its glory):

I've been in S'pore for just over 48 hours and everytime I walk outside the experience is almost overwhelming.  Everyone that I have a conversation with (locals/expats) seem compelled to tell me that I belong here.  I'm not sure if they're just saying that to help me get over the culture shock or if they really mean it.  I'll find out soon enough.

There's a lot to write about but to keep things short and sweet, here's a quick list of things I like and don't like about my new home:

I like..

• The insane food selection.  I think I could go two-years without trying the same dish twice.  The local stalls are cheap (I've been eating for under USD$5 a dish) and everything has a spicy kick to it and tastes incredible.
• Beer is sold at the 7-eleven (the government controls everything but liquor distribution).  Finally!
• Locals (for the most part) seem reserved and even timid (as opposed to arrogant and obnoxious).
• I hear tropical birds everywhere (which may get annoying after a while).
• Everyone is always outside.  This city is smaller than the GTA in terms of population but it feels more like an Asian version of Manhattan.
• Very very late night eating culture.
• It's hot but the weather is perfect (especially after flying in from 42+ degree Dubai).
• Almost everyone follows the stand left walk right rule on the escelator (except some of the Indians!).
• The city and its citizens are pro technology and technologically literate (mobile phones even work in the subway).
• The local news only rated Drake's new album 3/5 (they know their hip-hop!).

I dont like...

• The government's always got its eyes on me.  While the crime rate is nearly zero, there are always cameras facing your direction.
• The 7-eleven sells flavoured mints instead of gum.  I like gum.
• Singaporeans work ten to twelve hours days and they work damn hard (but they do take proper lunch and breaks).

So overall, using Ameet's logic: the pros outweight the cons.  I like it here.