One Adventure Ends, and Another Continues…

Hello, everyone!

Well, I am safely back home with my mom, my sister, and my adorable puppies in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s been an amazing five months, but I have responsibilities at home and a life that I need to continue living. It feels almost as if this past semester didn’t even happen, almost like it was a dream and now I’m waking up to reality and familiarity. But it’s a dream that I’ll never, ever forget.

I want to thank a few people for giving me this amazing opportunity. Without them, how would I have made it through these past five months (or even the chance to go in the first place)?

I especially want to thank, first and foremost, my mom and dad. They were incredibly supportive of my decision to study abroad from the very beginning, and without their emotional (and financial) support, this idea of studying in Macau wouldn’t have even been feasible. I have no idea how I will ever thank you two for this, but I’m going to start by getting a job that actually pays next semester. :)

I also wish to thank the friends I made in Macau, in particular my fellow exchange students. We went through this experience together, and it was amazing to see where we all started together and ended together. We’re all very different people, but through our common experience we made unexpected friendships. To Catherine, Iris, Cindy, and Stella in particular, the past five months would have been a completely different experience without your unconditional love and friendship. I’ve learned so many things from you four, and I promise that we will find a way back to each other again!

This may sound cliché to some, but I would like to thank God for blessing me with this amazing experience. I know I don’t strike many as the religious type, but I have thanked Him every day for this gift, even if I’m still not sure what I did to deserve it.

I also want to thank my friends at home who kept in touch with me throughout the past five months. Thank you especially to: Sam B., Grant, Tim, Sam C., Jacob, Victoria, Katie, Lois, Emily, Jane, Sara, Ashley, Kelly, Jenna, Ricky, and Shelley. Without your constant messages of support I would have been in a very lonely place. I appreciate all of you so much!

And last (but not least) I would like to thank everyone who has kept up with my blog over the course of this process. I know I get wordy at times, and to be honest I’m not sure I’d have the patience to read my own blog! But for those of you who have, thank you for giving me an audience to write to.

And that’s it for “Ni Hao from Macau.” Indeed, this experience has been quite the adventure, but now it is time to readjust to life back home. I’m sure that will be an adventure in of itself, but I’m ready to face the challenge!

Admittedly, I have a little anxiety about seeing all my friends back home again and returning to NAU, and just adjusting to the fact that things did not get put on hold while I was gone. However, this anxiety was much worse last January right before I left, but now that I’m on this side of the experience I’ve come to accept that things will be a little different. All that means is that I have a little bit of catching up to do. : )

So, as I embark upon a new adventure, I wish to thank you all one last time. May you be blessed as I have with the opportunities to travel and learn.

To new adventures,
Kati Routh



P.S. If my summer in Mexico works out, keep a lookout for a new blog. I’ve already come up with a name: “Hola from Cuernavaca.” Coming soon, May 2011. : )

An Overview of the Experience

Hey, everyone!

Sorry it's been a while! I've been busy just adjusting to life at home, seeing all my friends as much as possible, and being at home with my family. :) Also, I've been wanting to write a post about an overview of the entire semester, but wasn't sure how to go about it.

For my university, Northern Arizona University, the Honors Program requires that I write an essay upon my return in order to receive credit from them. I thought it would be best to use this opportunity to organize my thoughts about the semester as a whole, since it's been a bit of a difficulty...

At first I felt overwhelmed at the thought of writing this essay. I'm not sure if it was because the topic was so broad, or if it was the fact that I hadn't written anywhere close to a six-page essay since before I left. Or perhaps it was the fact that I had to sit down and analyze my own experiences...and myself.

Now, three weeks after my return, I have finally forced myself to sit down and finish this essay. Here's the result! Let me know what you think. ;)

Lots of love,
Kati


As I settle back into my life in the United States, I have done much contemplation of the previous five months I spent abroad in Asia. Since my return, I have felt a sense of disconnect from my experience, as if it happened a long time ago, or as if it did not actually happen at all. However, glancing through my online journal entries and picture albums, I am reminded that my memories are genuine, and my handcrafted souvenirs provide tangible evidence of an unforgettable experience.

Despite these feelings of detachment, however, the undeniable truth is that I have changed in many ways as a result of my time abroad. Not only have my previous perceptions of the Chinese culture and people changed, but my perceptions of the world as a whole are completely different from what they were before my departure. Apart from these changes, I have also changed as an individual as well. When comparing the person who I was prior to my departure to the person I am now, there is a major difference in how I handle various situations, what my future goals are, and how I see my role as an individual in the world. Overall, many changes took place over the course of this past semester, some of which were desired and intended, others of which were unexpected.

The first, and probably most obvious, changes I underwent were my perceptions of the Chinese people and culture. Of course, I had an idea of what Macau would be like before I left, but throughout the semester I learned that some ideas I had were true, but more often than not, they were false. One major perception I had was that there would be more of a Portuguese presence in Macau than there actually was (Macau was a Portuguese colony for approximately 400 years until the handover to China in 1999). However, the Macanese population is an overwhelming majority of Chinese, with 94.3% of Cantonese or Hakka descent (“Macau”). The remaining 5.7% of the population consists of some Portuguese, but mostly this statistic consists of mixed Portuguese-Chinese, as well as a significant Filipino population (“Macau”).

While I was able to use my basic knowledge of Spanish to read the Portuguese street and shop signs, communicating with the locals in Portuguese and Spanish proved a complete waste of time. While Portuguese is considered one of the official languages of Macau, it is not actually spoken very often except in government administration buildings. I also thought there would be more English speakers, since I had understood that almost half of the Macanese population speaks it. However, I found that these English speakers were concentrated in the local tourist areas, like casinos and hotels, and again in government administration buildings. I also found that just because they claim to speak English does not necessarily mean that they speak it fluently, which certainly proved to be an obstacle throughout my stay in Macau.

All in all, my perceptions of Macau as a culture were proved wrong. I departed for Macau under the impression that there would be more of a Portuguese and European influence in daily life; however, after observing the overwhelming influence of Chinese traditions on Macanese culture upon my first weeks in Macau, I realized that I would be facing more obstacles than I originally believed.

Prior to my departure, I had a number of hesitations and anxieties concerning the obstacles I predicted I would face while abroad. Fortunately, many of my anxieties I had prior to proved inconsequential. Originally, one of my greatest fears about my experience was the international flight from the United States to Asia by myself. However, I arrived safely at each of my many stopovers along the way. Once I overcame that obstacle, I felt more confident in myself to face other obstacles and solve other problems throughout my journey.

Other anxieties, such as my fear of getting lost in a strange place, or not understanding the school system at the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), or not getting along with a foreign roommate, also proved insignificant. Macau turned out to be extremely small – 29.2 square kilometers, to be exact – and I was able to navigate my way around my part of town within the first month of living there (“Macau”). Besides, I was comforted by the fact that if I ever did find myself lost, I could always find a taxi to take me to a familiar location. In regards to the school system at IFT, I was pleasantly surprised by how westernized it was. Even when I was unsure of myself, I had plenty of friendly students willing to help me, and I often used them as a resource to answer my questions. As for my roommate, a Portuguese girl named Margarida, she and I found ourselves becoming good friends very quickly.

While these anxieties did not go on to become obstacles as I thought they would, I did face a few other expected problems. Some of these ended up being much more of a difficulty than I thought in the first place. For example, the language barrier proved to be much more of a hindrance than I originally believed. As I explained before, I thought my basic knowledge of Spanish would help me communicate with others who spoke Portuguese. However, I was disappointed to find out that Portuguese is not a very widely-spoken language in Macau, despite the fact that it is one of their official languages. I had more luck communicating with others in English, although that proved to be a daily struggle as well.

Another anxiety that I had that ended up becoming a big obstacle was the local cuisine; in fact, the first month of living in Macau was a daily struggle to find something to eat and satisfy my incessant hunger. I expected a more authentic version of the Mandarin Chinese food one finds in the United States; however, I came to learn that the Macanese cuisine is a unique style of Cantonese, not Mandarin, with a little Portuguese influence. As I came to discover, I could barely recognize the food in Macau, much less deem it edible. I tried a variety of strange local delicacies, such as turtle jelly, eel noodles, and even pig intestine. While I am proud of my willingness to try new foods, I was severely disappointed and lived off a diet of McDonald’s and rice during my first month in Macau. Eventually, I found more familiar, imported foods in the supermarkets, and I also found restaurants that served food more agreeable to my tastes.

In general, I faced small obstacles everyday, which is a natural part of immersing oneself in a new, unfamiliar culture. On a daily basis I had to figure out metric conversions, bargaining, being stared at, and even things as simple as how to use an Asian toilet! However, these daily struggles only made me a stronger person in the end, which was one of my primary goals of my entire study abroad experience.

Of course I chose to study abroad simply for the experience; however, I did not want to come back empty-handed. I specifically desired to be affected by this experience and allowed myself to be changed by it. Prior to my departure I made a list of personal goals I wanted to achieve over the course of the semester. Some goals were realized, others were not, and some came about unexpectedly.

My top priority for this experience was to become a more independent and confident person, and I certainly feel that I achieved that. By placing myself out of my comfort zone, alone in an unfamiliar environment, I forced myself to be resourceful in overcoming the obstacles and solving the problems I mentioned before. When I succeeded, I began to understand more and feel more comfortable with myself.

One goal that was not realized, unfortunately, was my desire to learn some Chinese. At the beginning of the semester, during my exchange student orientation, the IFT Student Union hosted a Cantonese language workshop. While I picked up on a few simple phrases, I did not learn nearly as much as I expected to, considering a five-month immersion in the language. I also enrolled in a Mandarin class through my school; however, I was disappointed to have only learned three words in the first month of the class.

On the other hand, another major goal that I feel I accomplished was to become a better communicator. Although I was unable to learn a new language, my months abroad gradually helped me to become a better communicator with those who did not speak my language fluently. Almost all of the people I met abroad spoke English as a second, or in some cases third or fourth, language. They did not always pick up on my fast speech or my frequent use of slang, so I had to adjust my way of thinking and speaking in order to convey what I wanted to say. In cases where there was a complete language barrier with the locals, I learned a few ways to communicate my wants and needs without words. These skills I gained are perhaps even more useful than I realized at first, and in the end the result is that I can speak more clearly and more eloquently than before.

Indeed I accomplished things that I could not predict I would prior to my departure. One was to “relax” more. While I grew up incessantly stressed out about schoolwork, extracurricular activities, etc., my semester abroad taught me that there are more important things to focus on as well. The lesson I learned was to find the balance and prioritize; school is extremely important, especially to me, but there is more to life than just academics.

Another thing I did not expect to achieve was a fresh world perspective. Although one would imagine that this is the most obvious result of a study abroad experience, I was naïve and barely considered this aspect. Before leaving I thought that I was already an open-minded person to new cultures and new ideas, when in reality I was not. How could I be truly aware of the world when I had barely been outside of my own home country?

Unfortunately, my new world view is not completely positive. A significant part of living and traveling throughout third-world countries is certainly one’s exposure to poverty and sickness. While many would argue that this is not uniquely characteristic to third-world countries, and that America also knows poverty and sickness, I firmly believe that it is to a degree that we will, hopefully, never know in the United States.

Despite my new awareness, I have no regrets about my experience, and I would not trade it for anything. To counteract this newfound pessimistic view, I have gained an even more positive outlook on my own life. Rather than dwell on the world’s evils and feel powerless and cynical, I have decided to live my own life with a vigor and optimism that I have never experienced before. I now realize how extremely blessed I am, especially compared to most others in the world. While I still do not know what I did to deserve such magnificent blessings and opportunities, I will strive to become worthy through living my life to the fullest. I now have a renewed passion for traveling and experiencing other cultures, to learning a second language, and simply being more open and adventurous in my daily life. My greatest lesson was to strive to become the best person I can be and to reach my maximum potential in everything I do. There are many more opportunities out there awaiting me, and it is up to me to find these opportunities and take full advantage of them. If I reject these opportunities, I will miss the chance to grow and learn, and ultimately, reach my full potential. This new understanding of myself and of my life is perhaps the most significant change I underwent during my time in Asia, but it is also one of the most important lessons I, or anyone else, could possibly learn.

Expanding My Horizons

Hello, again!

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been feeling a strange sense of disconnect from my experiences in Asia over the past semester. While it’s been upsetting me a little bit, I also decided that rather than cry about it, I should do something about it!

I decided to get really involved with my home university’s study abroad office, the NAU Center for International Education (CIE). Here are a few ideas that I have for how I’m going to get involved:

- Promote IFT at NAU: I had a meeting with my IFT study abroad advisor, Louisa, at the halfway point of the semester. I told her that I was eager to have students from Macau attend my home university, NAU. However, she said that although many Macau students would like to go there, the problem was that NAU was not sending enough students to Macau. Therefore, the exchange was imbalanced, and therefore no longer an “exchange.” In fact, I recall my advisor at NAU having to reestablish the exchange in Macau just for me, since there hadn’t been one in close to five years!

Therefore, my goal when I return home is to promote IFT to my fellow School of Business and Hotel & Restaurant Management students at NAU. Many of them travel to Europe for their exchange, but I’m sure there are many students that crave a more “exotic” experience in Asia, and for them this school is a very good choice. I have plans to become what Louisa dubbed as “an IFT Representative” when I return to NAU in the fall. I hope to be present at CIE informational sessions for HRM and the Asian schools, so that I can promote IFT as much as possible. I also plan to present a lecture on my experiences at the annual NAU Honors Symposium next spring, and hopefully I can use that as an opportunity to do some marketing for IFT and Macau.

- Volunteer for the Exchange Student Orientation: A few months ago I received an e-mail from the CIE asking for volunteers to assist in the welcome week for the incoming exchange students to NAU. It was a bit of a wakeup call, since I’d been so focused on ME and MY experience that I had barely given any thought to the students coming to my school in return.

However, there is quite a bit that goes into greeting the exchange students that I did not realize, but now appreciate after going through the experience on the other side. They need everything from drivers to pick up foreign students, greeters to go over the welcome packet and handbook, helpers to move students into their new dorms, and people to drive them to Walmart and Safeway to pick up necessities.

The CIE is also hosting small dinner groups, where an NAU student will take out foreign exchange students out to eat in groups of three to five. It will show them a cheap place to eat out in Flagstaff, as well as offer the opportunity for everyone to get to know some new, diverse people.

The reason why I want to volunteer so much is because I appreciated what the IFT Student Union did for me when I arrived in Macau, knowing nobody and feeling utterly lost in such a strange, unfamiliar place. I’m sure these incoming foreign exchange students feel the same way coming to America, and I want to return the favor that was done to me. Pay it forward!

- Sign up for iFriends (International Friends): The CIE also offers a peer mentor program for incoming exchange students. It’s a program very similar to what I had in Macau with IFT Buddies. Each exchange student was paired up with an IFT Buddy, who was there as a resource to help us sign up for classes, navigate the school, and basically be there to answer any questions about IFT or Macau that we might have.

I’ve already signed up to take on a “buddy” of my own, and I hope that I can make someone else’s stay in Flagstaff all the more better and make them feel more comfortable. Also, it would be a great opportunity for me to make a new, multicultural group of friends! : )


I think that this is the best way for me to relieve some of those feelings of disconnect I’ve been having with my experience. By surrounding myself with other students that are going through the same thing I went through, I can perhaps express myself more openly and be understood than I could with one of my friends or relatives. Also, I am bound to meet other NAU students that have completed their exchanges, and perhaps join their “community.”

I think it will also help me to remember my experience by doing it again somewhat, just on the other side of things. While before I never interacted with the foreign exchange students at my university, perhaps now I can bring some of my experiences back by surrounding myself with diverse people like I have been doing for the past five months.

Here’s to the future!
Kati

P.S. Keep a lookout for a couple more blog entries coming your way SOON!

Was It All a Dream?

Hello, everyone!

Well, I have been back home in Phoenix with my mom, my sister, and my puppies for almost a week now. Besides the HORRENDOUS jetlag I’m still dealing with, the readjustment to home has actually been very easy. Actually, I’ve been worrying over how easy it really has been.

The only “culture shock” I got when I returned was during my layover in LAX. It felt really good to be surrounded by Americans again, who look like me, talk like me, and act like me. But it wasn’t a negative shock; I welcomed it and was really happy to be back in familiarity again. Everyone was able to speak with me, answer my questions in the airport easily, and I even was able to eat a salad for lunch (I’d missed Caesar salads a lot). And when I was standing at the curbside check-in for Southwest at LAX, when a man came up and started talking to me about giving me a free book for his bizarre religion, an employee came up and shooed him away for me (that never happened in Asia with all the beggars and salespersons).

At first those little differences between the US and Asia were striking (I couldn’t believe how blue the sky was in Phoenix, despite our pollution), but I was able to quickly get over them. After sleeping from 3:00 am to 5:00 pm the next afternoon (I hadn’t slept much on my 28-hour flight, give me a break), I began going out with friends, like going out to eat, hanging out at Desert Ridge mall, etc. But it’s all felt completely normal.

While some things have changed, like the new Chipotle restaurant nearby and hearing my friends’ stories, they are minor and nothing I feel I haven’t already caught up with. It almost seems silly that before I left five months ago I was feeling so anxious at the thought of being left behind by all the changes that would take place in my absence.

However, I’ve been feeling really disconnected from my Asia experience already. I remember what happened over the past semester, and I remember all the people and the experiences. But at the same time, they seem surreal almost. It’s not like looking back and thinking, “Wow, that happened so long ago,” but rather it feels more like, “Did that really happen to me?”

And I find myself not so changed, either. I expected to come out of this experience as a brand-new person. And maybe I am, but the changes aren’t so noticeable, at least to me. Yeah, I have different living habits that I picked up, like craving rice all the time and going for a walk every day, but on the inside, I don’t really feel any different.

Although I don’t regret my study abroad experience for a minute, it still feels a bit of a waste that I didn’t feel like I gained as much as I thought I would. While I was there, I could see the changes taking place within me, but now that I’m home I feel like I’m falling back into my old patterns and becoming the same person I was before I left.

But then again, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be. You’re still the same person you are when you left, you just learned a lot of things and had a number of really cool experiences. But at the end of the day, when all is said and done, you’re still you.

Maybe I’m just still me. But I’m hoping that I'm a more worldly, experienced, mature me.

Just some food for thought,
Kati

P.S. Just because I’m home, that doesn’t mean I’m done with my blog! I still have a few more posts I’d like to do before I wrap this up, so keep on the lookout! : )

New Friendships

Nei ho!

I’ve noticed that I’ve been posting a lot about my travels lately (since there were many throughout this past month alone), and before it was mostly about new cultural impressions. However, I realize I’ve failed to write a blog that focuses on perhaps one of the most important aspects of this semester: the new friends I’ve made from around the world.

I’ve made many new friends and acquaintances this semester from many places, both in Asia and Europe, as well as one new American friend (who came to IFT the last two weeks before I left). So not only did I get to learn about the Chinese culture, but I also unexpectedly got to learn about many other Asian and European cultures. And to be honest, I’m surprised we all got along!

I’ve said this in one of my earlier blog entries, but before coming to Macau I’d never really experienced many other cultures. It was a bit of a shock at first, but I think I adjusted quickly to it and looked past the initial differences. In the end, I got a number of new friends from so many places, and I think this is one of the most critical components of my entire learning experience this semester.

Without my new friends, I probably would have missed out on a number of opportunities to get out of my apartment and explore. I know that I wouldn’t have traveled so much if I was by myself. I wouldn’t have gone out to explore Macau so much if I was by myself all the time. And I would have been extremely lonely if it wasn’t for the wonderful friends I made while abroad.

And these friends are so special to me because we made so many memories together. At home, it will be difficult to find someone to relate to my experiences in Asia, but my friends from Macau will since we went through it all together, from start to finish.

I especially want to thank these four: Catherine (Portugal), Iris (Finland), Cindy (China), and Stella (South Korea). They were there every step of the way, and I feel very connected in particular to them. We grew up a lot together these past five months and made so many memories together, and because of that I believe I have a special bond with them.

It was hard to leave them (many tears were shed on the day of my departure), but I know I’ll keep in touch. I’m already making plans to meet Catherine and Iris in Europe next summer (Euro Trip!), and if I stay with Dad in Jakarta to work one summer, I can easily meet up with Stella and Cindy. As hard as saying goodbye was, I knew deep down that I would manage a way to see them all again one day.

On the one hand, I felt a little guilty that I spent more time traveling in my last month than staying in Macau with my friends. After all, I should have made sure to take advantage of every experience Macau had to offer. It seemed as though I ran out of time in the end to do everything I wanted to do, like karaoke Asian-style, or try dim sum, or learn Mahjong and “Lies.” The last month went by really fast, maybe too fast, and in the end I was left feeling that I hadn’t had enough time in Macau.

But I have no regrets in the end, since I had to choose between new travels or remaining in Macau. Traveling to new places was what I wanted to get out of this experience, and I got it!

But the new friends I made were also an important part of my experience as a whole. While I didn’t come into this in the beginning to make new friends, it was an unexpected (but most welcome) outcome. I’m very thankful for these friendships, and even though we have only known each other for a short time, they are strong and long-lasting.

Thank you, friends!

Love,
Kati

The Dragon Boat Festival

Nei ho, everyone!

I want to tell you a little about an annual festival that is held in Macau. It is called the Dragon Boat Festival, which takes place at Nam Van Lake on the main peninsula. The lake itself is located in the city center, close to the Wynn casino and hotel.

The festival itself is a very old tradition. It commemorates a poet named Wat Yuen, who protested government corruption by drowning himself. When the locals witnessed this act, they threw bread into the water to keep the fish from eating his body in support of Wat Yuen’s sacrifice and message.

Today, the festival is about dragon boat races. It’s a very popular event in Macau, and many teams come out to compete on their dragon boats.

The boat itself is very flat and long. At the front the tip of the boat forms the head of a dragon (hence the name “dragon boat”). The boat sits a team of anywhere up to twenty people, who row the boats with oars. However, once major difference from the Western idea of traditional boat racing is that a drummer sits at the front of the boat, hitting the head with a mallet to keep the beat for the team to row together and keep the pace steady.


We went on Saturday morning, which was when the preliminary races were held. Our school, IFT, competed in one of the races. As much as we cheered them on, unfortunately, they finished last, well behind the other three boats. : (

However, it was a very cool festival, because it seemed to bring the Macau community together. Many of the teams were from local businesses and nonprofit organizations, but there were also a number of casinos that had sent out teams as well, like MGM Grand and the Grand Lisboa.

It also seemed to be a huge draw for not only local Chinese citizens, but also the Portuguese residents as well (remember, the Portuguese have a large presence in Macau; they colonized it for over 400 years). The event also drew a large number of foreign tourists, so there were a number of different cultures represented in the stands. It truly seemed like the community was being brought together to partake in this event. It was a blast!

Love,
Kati

Kati’s Tips for Traveling in Asia

Ni hao, everyone!

Since I’ve made so many trips around Asia this semester, some of my friends have asked me travel tips. I’ve put together a list of some advice I usually give when they mention they’re traveling to Asia (most of which I had to learn the hard way). Also, you’ll find a list of some Chinese cultural hints at the bottom, just in case you decide to travel to China (or Macau!).

Travel Asia Tips:

-Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Public restrooms often don’t provide them.

-I don’t recommend brushing your teeth with water straight from the tap. Use bottled water. Also, use hot water to wash dishes and vegetables/fruits.

-Eat local! But not too local. Sanitation standards are not as high as they should be, and even if they are, you may not be accustomed to the food. Everyone is different, but for me, I felt nauseous for an entire month after arriving because of the change in diet. On the bright side, there’s ALWAYS a McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, or Starbucks nearby. ;)

-Taxis can be an issue. Ask someone at your hotel to write down your destination in the local language, since you may be unable to communicate with your driver. Also, ask (or point) for a rate meter, because usually they will try to bargain a price with you, and it will usually be higher than the metered rate. And keep an eye on the meter when you’re in the taxi. Ask your hotel how much a taxi should be to your destination, and if you see the rate climbing too high, you’re being ripped off!

-Buy a travel guide and map, and do some internet research before you travel. You can put together an awesome itinerary yourself to make sure you get the most out of your trip. I recommend the “Lonely Planet” travel guide series, especially for student backpackers. It has everything from attractions to shopping to restaurants and hostels. It also lists the price for each activity.

-Shop around for cheap flights. Getting to Asia from Europe or the US can be expensive, but traveling throughout Asia can be cheap. I recommend Tiger Airways, which is a low-cost carrier that offers dirt-cheap flights around south and southeast Asia.

-Make a currency conversion chart for yourself before you depart. Use Xe.com to write out a list of your home currency and how it will be converted into your destination’s currency. Because Asia is cheap, it is easy to get carried away by how much you spend. By having the currency conversion in your hand, you’ll be more conscious of how much you’re spending.

-Generally, tipping is not expected, since that is mostly an American custom. However, many restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill, so lookout for that.

-Keep in mind that you may have trouble obtaining local currency from the ATMs if you arrive at night. Even in the airports, they often close down in the evening. Make sure you bring money to exchange, but usually airport money exchangers take a processing fee out of the full value of what you should receive. The currency you bring should be crisp, unfolded, new series $100 bills. Any folds or markings will deduct the value of the bill. American currency, as well as European currency, are widely accepted in the airports, even when paying fees.

-Bargain prices! Westerners often get taken advantage of in Asia because they are relatively wealthy (if you have enough money to travel all the way to Asia for vacation, it’s assumed you must have lots of money to spend freely). Refer to my blog entry, “Kati’s Guide to Bargaining” for some tips and tricks to avoid getting ripped off and finding the cheapest price possible.

-Don’t shop in the malls. Find out from locals or hotel staff where the local markets are. There you’ll find lots of cheap souvenirs as well as arts and crafts that you can take home. Even if you don’t want to spend any money, they’re beautiful to look at, and market atmospheres are definitely an interesting experience.

-Keep a close eye on your personal belongings. I am proud to say that I have not been pick pocketed at any point during my travels, but most of my fellow exchange students have. I recommend keeping your passport, extra cash, and other important documents and cards in your hotel room in a safe, or leave at the front desk. When out and about, keep your hands around your purse or wallet and other valuables (cameras, jewelry, etc.). Be constantly aware of your surroundings and yourself!

-Pack light! Many Asian airlines do not include checked luggage as part of your ticket price. Be prepared to pay to check your bags, or pack a small carry-on suitcase. And make sure your liquid containers are under 100 ml, or they will take them.

-Generally, people in the tourism industry, like airlines or hotels, will speak English. However, do not expect others to speak English. Be patient with the language barrier, and find creative ways to communicate (hand gestures, drawings, pointing, etc.). Speak slowly and clearly, and don’t lose your temper if they don’t understand you or you them.

-Be prepared for culture shock. You won’t be used to the subtleties that each new culture has, and you may get frustrated at times. Just keep a cool head and use your creativity and the resources at your disposal to overcome any obstacles you may face. Don’t reject a custom or practice because it is different; just accept it as part of the entire experience and go with it.

Cultural Hints:

-Ask permission before taking photos of religious sites or images. For example, each temple in Thailand has a different rule for each Buddha statue regarding photography, so ask first.

-When entering a Chinese temple, do not step on the threshold of the doorway. It is usually a raised step, but you must step over it. Spirits reside in the threshold, so it is disrespectful to step on it.

-When eating food, do not stick your chopsticks in your rice facing upwards. This is also disrespectful.

-When handing money, a business card, a gift, a homework assignment, etc. (any time you hand something to someone else) use both hands. When accepting a business card, do not put it in your pocket right away. Wait until they are out of sight before doing so, since it is disrespectful.

-Gifts are generally not opened in front of the person who gave it to you, but this may vary depending on your company. Another thing to keep in mind when accepting a gift is to say something like, "Oh, please, I cannot accept!" It's polite.

-Also, make sure you bring a small gift if someone invites you to their home. It’s nice if it is a gift from your home country, and it can be as small as a keychain or a pen (I brought NAU-themed stationary from my home university).

-Dining is different from Western style. Usually, a number of dishes are ordered for everyone to pick from and share with one another. If you order your own dishes, don’t expect them to come out at the same time. You may finish your own meal before your friend even gets theirs.

-Also, if you invite Chinese people out to eat, they may expect you to pay for them. In their culture, the concept of “separate checks” isn’t as common, and generally someone will pay for everyone’s meal.

-Don’t be surprised at table/social manners. What we consider rude (burping, chewing with your mouth open, spitting loudly on the street, etc.) are the norm.

Happy travels!
Kati

Yangshuo: Part II

Ni hao, all!

Sorry it's been so long since my first Yangshuo update! My internet access has been severely limited this past week. Anyway, here you go...with pictures!

Once we were FINALLY in Yangshuo, Amanda and I checked into our hostel and immediately went to Uncle Sam’s Travel Agency to figure out what we still had time left to do in our shortened weekend.

That afternoon we decided to take a bike to the Water/Mud Caves! I had forgotten to bring a swimsuit for the caves, so I had to buy one (which was very Chinese…it had a skirt attached over the bikini bottoms). We had a quick lunch at McDonald’s, which was the best view from any McDonald’s I’d ever been to, and were on our way!


Our tour guide, a local woman, surprised us by telling us that the bike ride would be an hour and a half to the caves. Amanda and I balked, but we accepted it and got on our (very cute pink) bikes.


We rode through the small city IN TRAFFIC before finally reaching the rural freeway. The views were spectacular, and we stopped at many points along our journey to take photos.


We veered off the main road and onto a rocky, bumpy local road, where we ran into many locals. They all wanted money to take pictures with them, including a pair of old women, a mother carrying her fat daughter in a basket on her back, and a man riding his water buffalo. They also all sold little souvenirs, but we didn’t buy any from them. It was still really fun interacting with the locals, though, and for the first time I felt like I was seeing the “real” China.


The scenery itself was absolutely breathtaking. We saw scores of rice fields at the base of the beautiful mountains. The first day was really sunny and perfect for our bike ride, but the following day was really cloudy and made the mountains look very mysterious. I said this in my previous post, but I felt like I was seeing an ancient Chinese calligraphy painting!


We took a minibus the rest of the way up the mountain to reach the mud caves. However, the bus was not in good condition, and the road was extremely rocky and bumpy. I wasn’t too sure if that minibus was gonna make it, to be honest…



However, we miraculously made it up the mountain, where we found a small village at the base of the cave entrance. I thought it was really cool to see chickens roaming freely on the dirt path.


After checking in our personal items in a locker (unfortunately, I had to leave my camera, so no pictures), we set off for the caves in a small, flat boat. We had to duck our heads very low to fit into the narrow gap between the river and the rock ceiling.

Once we were inside, our tour guide took us through the caves, which were very beautiful. I was shocked that we were allowed to touch the stalactites and stalagmites, since human bacteria can harm them. But as I’ve come to find throughout my travels in China, natural conservation is sorely lacking, and the Chinese government does not make much of an effort to conserve its natural resources.

There are three pools in the caves that we got to bathe in. The first, the cool mountain spring, was a little too cold for us, so we skipped it and went straight for the mud baths. They were also very cold, but I managed to get waist-deep in the mud pool. One of the men that worked for the picture booth in the cave kept asking me to get all the way in (so I’d look all muddy for the photo), but I adamantly refused and told him it was too cold (not to mention gross!).

At last we got to the hot spring, which was a completely natural mountain spring. We were able to wash off the mud while hanging out in the steaming spring water, but we were limited to a half hour. It was enough time, since hot springs and Jacuzzis tend to make me a little lightheaded after a while.

We left the caves and took the minibus back down the rocky mountain road. We bid farewell to our new Mexican friend, Ivan, who we’d met in the caves and found out was staying in the same hostel as us. We decided to meet for dinner later, and Amanda and I rode our bikes back to town. However, we asked if we could just take the freeway back and avoid the rural, rocky road, since we were tired and didn’t think we could manage it.

Unfortunately, that was all we had time to do that day, since night was already settling in by the time we got back. We decided to look around the shops in town, where vendors sold souvenirs and handicrafts. This part of town was obviously very tourist-oriented, because souvenir shops, bars, and restaurants were everywhere, but it didn’t seem too “fake,” if you catch my meaning. It still was tourist-oriented while maintaining its authentic and local atmosphere.


We had dinner at a delicious Chinese restaurant (which served Mandarin food, not nasty Cantonese) with Ivan, and after dinner we headed back through town to our hostel. They went up to the roof to play some Pool while I went to a shop for a cheap (USD $3) manicure. I was surprised that they were still open at 11:00 at night, but it seemed like Yangshuo came alive at night, since the streets were crowded with shoppers and tourists.


When I got back to the hostel, I joined Amanda on the roof to see the beautiful view of the Yangshuo rooftops at night (sorry for my crappy camera).


The next day we returned to the rooftop for breakfast, where I got to see the same view in the early morning. It was a bit cloudy that day, and the mountains looked so beautiful and mysterious, since the fog was obscuring the view a bit. I decided then that it was worth all the trouble to get here to see this view.


Today we had bamboo rafting on our itinerary. A taxi driver picked us up and took us to the starting point, and she would be waiting to pick us up at the drop-off point. I loved having Uncle Sam to plan our excursions and transportation for us! He was very affordable (especially for student backpackers) and very knowledgeable.


Our bamboo raft driver didn’t speak any English, but he kept pointing to things and explaining them to us in Mandarin Chinese. We just nodded and said “Wow! Cool! Okay-la!”

(*Note: In Asia, people add the sounds “la,” “ar,” and “a” after words like “yeah,” “no,” and “okay.” No reason, it just sounds cute.)


It was a very interesting experience. I was excited when I first saw the river, because it looked so clear! But at the beginning of our trip was a large tractor digging in the river and stirring up all the dirt and rocks and the bottom. The rest of the trip we only had a view of muddy, murky, brown river water. When we went over small waterfalls, the mud splashed up on us, and I got mud splotches on my jeans. I also couldn’t believe it when I saw locals washing their clothes in the river! Like I said, it was very interesting because I got to see how the locals lived, and I guessed they’d been doing things the same way for hundreds of years.


The river also had an outstanding amount of trash floating around. At one point I thought I could probably count close to one-hundred water bottles just in my line of vision. It was very sad, since I’m sure it was the fault of the high tourist traffic to Yangshuo. I was disappointed both in the tourists and the local government for not having any cleaning maintenance efforts. But like I said before, conservation of nature isn’t a priority in China.

We also got to see the fishermen’s birds nesting on their own bamboo raft under a bridge. Yangshuo is famous for its bird fishing, which refers to a mutually-beneficial relationship between humans and birds for hundreds of years. In the evening, the fishermen go out on their bamboo rafts, and the birds perch on the front. The birds go after the fish in the river, snatch them up, and drop them off on the boat. They leave them for the fisherman! The humans get their fish for dinner, and the birds get a free ride (and probably a tasty treat as well). We wanted to watch the bird fishing, but unfortunately our shortened weekend left us no time.


Once our bamboo raft ride was over, we went back to our hostel and checked out before heading to lunch and then to the bus station to get back to Guilin. At last our flight back to Guangzhou went without a hitch, but unfortunately we had missed the last bus to Zhuhai and ended up having to stay ANOTHER night in Guangzhou, which made us catch Monday morning rush hour at the Border Gate. Rather than returning on Sunday night like we were supposed to, we didn’t get home until noon the next day.

We decided that there was bad luck in Guangzhou.

Despite all of our “transportation issues,” the trip to Yangshuo was still definitely worth it. It was one of the most beautiful places I’d ever been in my whole life, and for the first time I’d felt like I’d gotten to see the real China. It was as if I’d traveled back in time to a much simpler age, rather than the hustle and bustle of today’s crowded, noisy cities. I’d definitely recommend a trip to Yangshuo to anyone traveling in China. This is a must-see place! I just wish we could have had a little more time, but it was also the perfect weekend excursion.

Unfortunately, this was the last of my trips in Asia. But then again, at that point I was a little sick of all the issues that going into mainland China caused me. And yet, the realization that I only had a week left in Macau left me a little sad, but I felt that I’d gotten to see all the places I really wanted to go.

I’m sure I will come back to Asia again someday, so it’s not goodbye forever!

Talk to you later!
Kati

Yangshuo: Part I

Ni hao, everyone!

For my final Asian trip, I felt it fitting to visit Yangshuo, the supposedly most beautiful place in China. I’d felt that I hadn’t spent too much time in the mainland, with the exception of Beijing. All I’ve really seen of China is the mall in Zhuhai and Guangzhou.

But many of the other exchange students had visited Yangshuo, and it is even close to the hometown of my Chinese roommate, Cindy. They all highly recommended the trip, so Amanda and I decided to make a weekend trip after my final exam on Friday and come back Sunday night.

However, it is quite a trip to make. Yangshuo is fairly remote, so getting there can be a bit difficult. Our plan was to cross the Border Gate into Zhuhai, take the two-hour bus to Guangzhou, take a taxi to the Guangzhou airport, take an hour-long flight from Guangzhou to Guilin, take a bus into the center of Guilin, and from there take an hour-long bus to Yangshuo.

However, our plans were marred when we arrived at the Guangzhou airport. Amanda had accidently booked a flight two days after, since we were using a Chinese website that wasn’t very functional. But we had arrived an hour and a half before our flight, so we thought we would just switch the ticket and be fine.

Wrong! The flight was completely full, with the exception of first-class. We were sent to another counter to switch the ticket, and after explaining the situation to the woman, she took entirely too long on the computer just to tell us that she couldn’t switch Amanda’s ticket. She would be unable to receive a refund for her ticket, since the website had given her a discount. We asked why Amanda just couldn’t pay the difference between her ticket and the upgraded ticket, and the employee actually replied with “I don’t know.”

Furious, we were sent to another counter, who sent us back to the stupid woman we’d just dealt with. Amanda asked to just completely purchase a new ticket, and she would deal with the website later to obtain her refund. But the stupid woman told us she didn’t handle ticket purchases, and sent us to the counter she’d just sent us to.

Three women were working at this desk, but for some reason all three of them had to help one customer at a time. Apparently there was no concept of a queue, since people just ran up to the counter and demanded to be helped, no matter who was in front of them. When it was our turn, people kept jumping in front of us.

Finally, we were able to get attention, but the employees would talk to us for a bit before turning their attentions to other customers, and then come back for a bit, and then leave again. It was incredibly frustrated, and I began losing my temper a bit.

Finally, we were able to purchase the new ticket, but they would only accept cash or “local” credit cards! We asked why they didn’t accept Visa OR Mastercard (what we both had) in an airport, and they just shrugged. We ran off to find an ATM, but in Asia they tend to close down at night (flashback to our struggle in Kuala Lumpur).

Unable to find any ATM, we returned to the ticket desk to inquire about further options. When we came back, they asked “Are you ready to buy the ticket yet?”

“What time is boarding?” asked Amanda.

“10:05,” replied the employee.

“And what time is it now?”

“10:10.”

And that’s when I lost it. I slammed my fist on the counter (and shouted a profanity) and walked away from the counter. I was furious that because of the incompetence and poor customer service, it had made us miss our flight. Besides, the woman was about to sell us a ticket for a flight we couldn’t even board anymore.

Now in Asia it isn’t normal to display a high level of emotion, so the three employee women looked at me in horror when I came back. I’m sure my outburst was a bit of a shock to them, but I wouldn’t say it was unjustified.

We returned to the check-in counter, where there was a supervisor that seemed to be the only semi-competent employee in the entire airport. I was able to switch my flight to the first one in the morning at no charge, but Amanda still had to buy a completely new ticket because of her accidental discount from the booking website.

Again, we returned to the ticket purchase counter with the three women. At last we arranged for her to purchase a new, economy-class ticket for tomorrow morning, and the bright side was that Amanda only had to pay the difference between her discounted ticket and her new ticket, which was only 20 Euros. But they ignored us at first, since they didn’t think Amanda had enough money to pay, but we explained we had enough money for an economy-class ticket, just not a first-class.

However, this process also took quite a long time, and at one point I wasn’t sure if they were still helping us or playing on the computer. Fortunately, it was pretty late so the airport was empty, and no rude customers were cutting us in line.

Finally, when the ticket was switched, one of them had the guts to ask (in a very friendly voice) if we would like to book a hotel. I wanted to punch her, since it was her fault I had to book the hotel in the first place, but we agreed. Again, this took far too much time, but at last the free shuttle came to pick us up and take us to the hotel.

It was very cheap, only $25 total for the entire night, which Amanda and I split later when she was able to finally access an ATM. I was lucky to have enough currency on me to pay for the hotel room, since the ATMs were still down.

The hotel room itself was fine, even if it was a little older. At least we had hot water!

Angry, we went to bed and set our alarms for the crack of dawn the next morning.

When we woke up, we checked out quickly and took the shuttle back to the airport. At last we had no problems with the airport, much to our delight.

After the hour-long flight we took an airport bus to the city center of Guilin. Already we could see the beautiful mountains that the area is famous for, and I felt like I was stepping into a Chinese calligraphy painting. It was like I was seeing the “real” China for the first time!

After crossing a couple of scary intersections (I thought for sure I would get hit by a car, bike, or moped), we finally reached the bus station. We paid 30 Yuan for our ticket, but we found out to our dismay that we were ripped off and should have only paid 15 Yuan. It’s only a difference of about USD $2, but we were still irritated that we’d been taken advantage of.

However, we were just excited to finally be off to Yangshuo!!!

Coming up next, “Yangshuo: Part II.”

Love,
Kati

Malaysia & Singapore: Day Eleven

Hello, all!

We spent the last day of our vacation by exploring some of the cultural pockets in Singapore. Our flight wasn’t until the afternoon, so we explored Chinatown a bit and even returned to Little India for lunch.

It was interesting to compare Singapore’s Chinatown to others, like Kuala Lumpur’s and Bangkok’s. The one in Singapore, while a little less well-kept as the rest of the city, was still extremely clean. The ones in other cities were certainly let go and quite dirty, with lots of dilapidated buildings. The architecture in Singapore’s Chinatown was actually very westernized like the rest of the city, with the exception of one Chinese temple and an Islamic mosque. I’m still not sure why there was a mosque in Chinatown, but whatever…


In Little India, we had a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, where I enjoyed the Bollywood music and dance channel they had on the TV. After lunch we explored a nearby mall, which was narrow but very long, and it stretched two buildings. It reminded me of Target stores from the US, but a bit dirtier like some older K-Marts. The reason why it reminded me of Target was because you could find anything in there, from movies to clothes to food to toiletries to electronics to school supplies. In Asia, it’s really rare to find a store that has everything. Usually I have to go to a couple different stores to get everything I need.

Little India was also a bit let go, but still the streets were free from trash and garbage.

We finished up and headed back to our hostel to pick up our bags. We grabbed a taxi to the airport, where we checked in and enjoyed a free foot massage from a cool machine. You sit down in an armchair and put your feet and legs into these black leather muffs, which massage your feet and legs. It felt good, especially after spending the past eleven days on foot.

On the flight back to Macau, I sat next to a Singaporean woman and her Asian husband from the UK. We got to talking, and I told them where I was from. They knew Arizona (which is rare for many Asians I meet), since they used to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada a lot. Now they went to Macau ONCE A MONTH because they get free accommodations at the Grand Hyatt. I was impressed, and I asked if they won a lot of money from gambling. She said no and laughed.

There’s addiction for ‘ya. Gotta love Macau.

Thanks for reading! See you next time,
Kati

Malaysia & Singapore: Day Ten

Hello, everybody!

Since we only had one entirely full day to spend in Singapore, we decided to spend it by walking around the city. After getting up and having some toast for breakfast, we headed out to the bus stop and rode into the city center. We got off at Orchard Road, which is one of Singapore’s most popular shopping streets.



We walked around there for a bit, not really wandering into the stores but rather soaking in the Singaporean atmosphere. Orchard Road itself was very, very nice and clean, and it was clearly an area for upscale shopping. Luckily, we had arrived on the start date for the “Great Singapore Sale” festival. The summer-long festival celebrates Singaporeans favorite pastime, shopping, by offering discounts up to 70% at stores all across the city!


Afterward, we wandered away from the main street and wandered through the residential and business areas to get to Clarke Quay, a large shopping/eating outdoor mall. I was suddenly hit by déjà vu, since the area struck me as awfully similar to the Arizona Desert Ridge mall, where I often go shopping when I’m home in Phoenix. To be honest, it was very strange, since the atmosphere was similar and the layout design almost identical to the one back home. There was an outdoor fountain where kids could play, just like home, and the entire area was covered by shade structures, again like Desert Ridge. It was a very weird feeling, but also very comforting.



The only difference was a very bizarre medical-themed bar, which had hospital beds for chairs and operation room lights for decoration…


We ended up wandering around Clark Quay for a while, especially along the waterfront. We had lunch at a really wonderful restaurant, and we were all very satisfied with our meals despite the “Western” price. It felt like the first good meal I’d had in months, and I followed up with a chocolaty dessert. When I cut into it the chocolate flowed out of the center, and I was strangely delighted and had a lot of fun playing with my food. Clearly, I was in desperate need of a high-quality, Western-style meal.



After lunch we worked off our full bellies by walking through a restaurant row, a corporate district, and the historical/government district. I continued to be impressed with Singapore’s pristine environment, which still felt remarkably similar to a combination of Western cities I’d visited. Elements of California, New York City, Phoenix, and London were all present, but the result was still uniquely Singapore. I’d decided that if I had to pick any Asian city to live in for an extended period of time, like a few years, it would be Singapore.



At last we reached the Esplanade, which is Singapore’s art and theater hall that looks like a giant white durian fruit. There, we had a great view of the Singapore Flyer, the giant Ferris wheel similar to the London Eye. A second view was of the brand-new Sands Hotel & Casino: Sentosa, which looks a lot different (and a lot cooler) than the Sands in Macau. This one consisted of not one, but THREE skyscrapers, all connected at the top by a sky beach!




Also, we could see the famous Merlion fountain across the river, which is Singapore’s most iconic symbol.


From there we continued our walk to the Fountain of Wealth, located in the middle of corporate skyscrapers (a fitting location for a fountain of such a name). Here, in the center of the roundabout, was the world’s largest fountain. At first, I thought it looked like a big copper donut with legs, and I didn’t think it was that pretty until it actually came on. Since it was close to sunset, the sunlight hit the water just right, and it looked magical.



In the evening we took the Metro to a mall, where we caught the monorail (like Disneyland!!!) to Sentosa Island. It is a manmade island built specifically for Singapore’s tourism industry, and here you’ll find a new Universal Studios as well as Singapore’s only beaches. Also, you can visit the southernmost point of mainland Asia and be as close as possible to the Equator, since across the short stretch of ocean you can see a good part of Indonesia (I waved hello to my dad).


Since night had already fallen, we decided just to have dinner on the island. Farah had recommended to us to visit Azzura, so we did.

And were we impressed! Set right against the (fake) beach, we were greeted with loud, pounding music, swan-shaped beds, a hot tub and pool, and a live DJ playing to the large crowd of young international people in their beachwear. Everyone was dancing and having a good time, and we were jealous that we couldn’t stay out all night and join them.



We ate a small dinner and had as many drinks as our budgets would allow (one). I enjoyed my Caesar salad entirely too much, since I don’t get them very often in Asia. It wasn’t even that great, but I was just so happy to be eating a salad for once. It felt so refreshing!

We were sad to leave, but we knew we needed to get an early start the next morning if we wanted to explore Singapore more before leaving for our flight back to Macau. After standing in line for a really long time to get the monorail back to the mainland, we took a taxi back into the city to our hostel.

Sentosa Island was amazing, though. I wished I’d had one more day to spend just in Sentosa. It was absolutely beautiful at night, but I would have liked to see it during the day as well. We all agreed that while it did have an air of “fakeness” about it (I mean, it was an entirely manmade island), it was still a really amazing place.

Coming up next, the last in my Malaysia/Singapore series, “Malaysia & Singapore: Day Eleven.”

Love,
Kati

Malaysia & Singapore: Day Nine

Hello, everyone!

Our bus arrived to Kuala Lumpur very early in the morning. However, there were still plenty of taxis at the bus station, so we took one to catch the bus to the airport. The driver tried to negotiate a price to take us all the way to the airport, but considering the drive is about 45 minutes we thought we could save quite a bit of money by taking the bus the rest of the way.

At the airport we grabbed some breakfast and got our boarding passes before heading to our gate. We were happy to say goodbye to Kuala Lumpur and head off to Singapore. I’d heard lots of great things about Singapore, that it was very clean and developed. Also, their official language is English, so that was definitely a plus for me.

The flight was only an hour, and after getting through Immigrations in Singapore I grabbed my bag and we headed for the taxi stand. We showed the address of our hostel to our driver and took off from the airport.

I was immediately impressed with Singapore. I was concerned that I’d built up such an image of it in my head that I would be disappointed, but that wasn’t the case at all! Actually, I felt completely at home in this place; it was the first time I’d felt this way since I got to Asia.

Rather than the crammed skyscraper apartments that you usually find in Asian cities, the city planning reminded me more of North American city planning. There was a city center with skyscrapers of course, but surrounding the center were suburbs. And the houses in the suburbs weren’t shantytowns with houses made of tin and scrap metal, but rather very nice, spacious homes.

Amanda, who originally grew up in Canada, agreed with me that it was certainly reminiscent of home. In fact, I thought it felt a lot like southern California, where I visit frequently and feel very comfortable at. Throughout the weekend, I had to keep reminding myself that I was still in Asia! Singapore is very unique from other Asian countries.



I was very excited to find out that our hostel was also located in the suburbs on a very normal-looking street. We had to take our shoes off before entering the hostel, since the family that ran it was Asian, but they spoke perfectly good English, and so did their young daughter! We checked in and got settled. While the others got on the internet to e-mail their families, I was treated to free water by the hostel family. I found out that tap water is safe to drink in Singapore, and I instantly got excited about brushing my teeth later…

While waiting for the others to finish with the internet, I played with the family’s young children. The youngest, a boy of about three, didn’t talk much, but he took a liking to me and stuck to my side like glue. He’d give me presents, like a pad of post-its from the front desk, as well as the family’s business card (smart boy). The little eight-year-old girl, who was dressed in a pink tutu, came over and began chatting non-stop to me about the fish in the tank in the lobby. She even gave me a birthday card that she’d made herself (Maria had told her it was the day before). I had a lot of fun with them, especially since I hadn’t interacted much with children here in Asia. I’d also played with a local Malaysian boy, who was maybe four, in the ocean at the Perhentian Islands, and I realized how much I’d missed playing with children back home, like my nieces.

After sending a quick e-mail to my parents, we headed out to the bus stop and went into the city. It was an interesting system, since you pay and get a printed electronic receipt as your bus ticket. Very high-tech, Singapore. : )

I enjoyed driving toward the city center and seeing more of Singapore before we got off at Bugis Street. It is Singapore’s most famous outdoor market, full of cheap clothes (by Western standards, not Asian standards) and other souvenirs. We hung around there for a while before heading over to Sim Lim Mall, where we had lunch (I had delicious pot sticker dumplings and rice).

After exploring a few of the overwhelming number of electronic stores in the mall, we headed to Little India, Singapore’s pocket of Indian residents. We took the Metro there, but we’d made the mistake of taking candy bars into the subway station. A Metro employee hurried over and told us to quickly put it away. We asked why, and he told us that locals get fined SGD $500 (USD $350) for eating in the subway. For tourists, they are a little more lenient…the first time. We kept this in mind the rest of our trip, and we discovered that littering is also a serious offense and can result in an extremely high fine. But, hey, Singapore was impeccably clean, so I give their government kudos for good enforcement of environmental protection laws (and the country’s image).


Anyway, we started hunting for new hostels in Little India, where a majority of the traveling backpackers cluster. I was opposed to switching hostels, a. because I was really happy with ours in the suburbs, and b. I felt like we were wasting time looking for a new hostel when we would only be in town for two nights. Their argument was that we were too far away from the city center, and that we would waste time with transportation into the city by bus, and our time was already limited.

However, all the hostels were full, so in the end we decided to give up and remain where we were. We were at a hostel called Prince of Whales, which had a bar downstairs. We decided to sit down for a drink and outline our plan for the weekend. The bartender, who I’m sure was American, was very helpful in telling us good things to see in Singapore.

Maria’s friend, who’d been living in Singapore for a while, had recommended his Singaporean friend, Farah, to show us around. When she came, we all instantly liked her and her boyfriend, who took us to a Middle Eastern restaurant on Arab Street in his cool yellow sports car. At the restaurant we hung out and ate tapas, while we chatted about Singapore and asked about things to see.


Unfortunately, I hadn’t realized how exhausted the trip had made me. I suppose all the traveling by buses, taxis, and airplanes, and waking up super early every morning caught up with me, because I kept falling asleep at the restaurant.

I felt awful, since Farah and her boyfriend were nice enough to take us for a drive around the city for a few hours to see Singapore. However, I missed all of it since I kept falling asleep in the back of the car. : (

We didn’t get back until close to 2:00 am, so we decided to sleep in a little (partly for my sake) the next morning. Besides, we had a long day ahead of us, since we planned to see as much as we could of Singapore in one day…on foot.

Coming up next, “Malaysia & Singapore: Day Ten.”

See you soon!
Kati