Paradise - only an hour away

You can almost compare the proximity of Singapore and Indonesia to Holland and Belgium. But, as the Asians so eloquently put it: It’s same same, but different. Different how, you may ask? It’s just SO MUCH BETTER. Whereas fries and beer don’t have me running across the border, freshly caught shrimp, mango juice, beaches and massages definitely do. So I hopped on a ferry to Bintan, Indonesia.

It’s still hard to grasp for all of us that we are almost half way through the semester, it is February and… our biggest worry is if we applied enough sun block. It all just doesn’t seem to add up. But you don’t hear any complaints from my corner; life is pretty fabulous right now.

Transport always seems to be a funny adventure all over the world. I remember Istanbul, where the cab driver was dancing, singing, clapping, handing out cigarettes, tapping both his hands on the dashboard – all at the same time. Hands on the steering wheel? Guess again. In Indonesia, the car from the ferry to the bungalows was an adventure of similar sort.

Although there was plenty of room in the back of the car, it was kindly requested by our driver that I would sit by him, in the front. I was assured it was “not a problem”. When he noticed I tried to put my seatbelt on, which was not there, I was again assured it was “not a problem”. As he rolled down his window, he pointed at mine: “not a problem”. Trust me – Indonesia-style driving, no seatbelt, both front windows rolled down, a ridiculously strong ocean wind, me trying to decipher the drivers’ questions… it was a slight problem.

We arrived at our hostel to find out it were not just Carmen and I staying there, but we were blessed with a third roommate in the form of a giant centipede – I screamed. Using my womanly charms, I tried to convince the boys to capture it and take it outside, as opposed to the proposed murder. However, apparently it was not my day and the boys were not too keen. So I asked the staff to save us. They came to the rescue by crushing the animal, explaining to us that it is deadly. Sorry boys, for almost getting you killed.

The rest of the weekend was incredibly relaxing though. Earlier described massages, the beach, dips in the pool, kayaking and beach volley. We also went into town to mingle with the locals and try some of the local food. I bought a set of chopsticks so it will remind me on my serious intentions of becoming a master at cooking all the things I’ve been eating.

For the next weeks I am staying put in Singapore, spending some time with the local friends I’ve made here and enjoying all that Singapore has to offer. Also, I will be handing in my first assignments for my courses, which I will tell you about in a later post because I absolutely fell in love with some of the classes that I’m taking. Definitely worth sharing, so stay tuned!

Much love

Ode to Elephants

Kuala Lumpur: my Chinese New Year get-a-way

Because I am currently residing in a state of ultimate bliss, I decided this would be a great time to write my blog entry. After weeks of an intense and downright grueling mission, I have found what seemed to be the impossible in Singapore: a decently priced yet well-prepared cup of coffee. I never asked for Italian excellence, all I wanted was something that did not either come in a plastic bag and a straw (no joke) or was equivalent to the price of a meal. Eureka!

Buzzing on my much-needed caffeine shot at café al Fresco, on my very own campus, I think back at Chinese New Year – my trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A trip that revolved around the impressive and oh-so-cute elephants! The journey there was already an adventure: we started off by taking multiple public buses and the last stretch into the jungle was done by ‘private car’ – cramming as much of us into a local’s car and paying him to drop us off at our final destination. Along the way, we picked up a local dish ‘Lemang’: rice and coconut milk wrapped in leaves, cooked in bamboo over a fire. It was yummy.

There are only a few things in life that bring you back to that kid-like joy, when you can not wipe the smile of your face. For me, swimming with dolphins was high up that list and now I can definitely add riding elephants. Sitting on top of an elephant in a river that lets itself, and me by consequence, fall onto its side, is one of those things I will – cheesy as it may sound – never forget. I am still waiting for some of the pictures, which I will upload as soon as I get them.

We also visited the Batu Caves, an important Hindu shrine in the form of a limestone hill, and a Buddhist temple close to KL. Because of the signficance of the Batu Caves and because it was Chinese New Year, both temples were full of people carrying out ceremonies. Both places were vibrant and colorful, and to make it all even better, there were monkeys too.

To be honest, KL wasn’t all peace, love and happiness. As soon as I crossed the Malay border, reality hit me in the form of dirty, squatter toilets. Flashbacks of China came to me as I tiptoed around the bathroom. Not to mention all the massage parlors around the city. In case you were wondering, your ‘happy ending’ alarm bells are going off for good reason. Really, giving up gum isn’t too bad of sacrifice for lovely, clean Singapore. So when I arrived back in Singapore after the weekend, I was genuinely happy to be able to call this home, for now.

I wish you all great fortune for the year of the rabbit! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

The first chapter of my adventures

When I was packing up my things to go study in Singapore for half a year, I had little intention of starting a blog. However, it happens that I love to write and that I have a new best friend: a canon superzoom camera. Both of these seem to be key ingredients for a blog so here I am, entering the blogosphere. Finding topics to write about should not be too big of hurdle because I fully intend on experiencing as many new things and places during my stay in Asia. Maybe my stories will even reach beyond my already established fanbase (hi mom, dad.) and this blog can be my way of sharing my adventures.

I have been frolicking around Singapore for a little less than a month now, thinking I have seen a lot but there is plenty to be discovered. My true exchange started when I left the hotel near Orchard Road (shopping mall heaven), where I stayed with my mom before my semester

started at Nanyang Technological University. Fully intending on turning into a legit backpacker over the course of this experience, I strapped on my backpack… and hopped into a cab. Let’s just say I’ll have plenty of practice ‘roughing it’ later on.

At the university, I have met a great group of people who, like myself, want to make the most of the time here. So together we take on Singapore and explore the different neighborhoods such as Chinatown (full of Chinese New Year decorations), Little India, Arab Quarter and the Quays. Of course, a great chunk of the reason why I love these areas is the food – prata, tom yum soup, green curry, pisang goreng, coconuts.. it is heaven. If I would answer the question why I decided to go to Singapore on exchange, the above-mentioned delicacies would be the honest response.

As for the nightlife, it is more than I could ask for. There are plenty of clubs to choose from and most of them host a ‘ladies night’. Contrary to what ladies night entails at my home university – a traumatizing performance by a repulsive stripper – it is a night where girls enter the club

and drink for free. Sipping on my cranberry vodka, I dance the night away. Another way of

spending your night is at the fancier clubs at the top of hotels. Where again, chances are big you won’t spend a dime because of all the businessmen buying bottles of champagne. Moët, anyone?

Looking at the length of this post and the weather outside, it is time to wrap this up. After all, the campus pool is waiting for me. Please stay tuned for my next entry, which will cover my trip to Kuala Lumpur. In order to keep you guys interested, I’ll use the old trick of a cliffhanger by saying one word: elephants.