One year... almost

Wow – it’s been almost a year already. It both feels like I’ve been here forever, and like it’s gone by incredibly fast. Sometimes it still doesn't feel real. When I was a kid (heh… even when I was in college), if you’d told me that I’d be living on the other side of the world, I would have said you were crazy.

It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything here. Honestly, not much has been going on. But, I figured it’s time for me to give an update, as well as let you know what the next couple of months have in store for me.

Probably the biggest news to report is that my assignment in Singapore has been extended. Originally, it was supposed to be for 1 year, ending this July. But, with the products for the upcoming year, they asked me to stay on a while longer. I agreed, so I’ll be here at least another 6 months – maybe as long as another full year.

There’s good & bad to staying longer. I like living close to the ocean, and it’s nice having summer weather year ‘round. And, I haven’t been to every place that I wanted to visit, so some extra time for traveling is good. Work is challenging, and keeps me on my toes. It has it’s ups & downs (although the past few weeks have been mostly downs). People are happy with my work, but sometimes it’s tough being the only American over here. One of my favorite things is when co-workers from the US come over to visit. :-)

The good news is that I’m coming home for a visit in a few weeks! I’ll be back in MN on July 13, and staying for 3 weeks. I can’t wait. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again, and enjoying the MN summer. I already have a pretty extensive list of restaurants that I want to eat at – there are some things you just can’t get in Singapore (well, you can get almost anything, but sometimes it’s not the same – thick crust pizza, for example)

Hmm… since I don’t really have any interesting experience or travels to write about, I figured I’d just post a few observations about Singapore.

I’ve been seeing quite a few movies lately. The really nice thing about seeing movies in Singapore is that you can buy your seats online, and choose the specific seats that you want. No need to go to the theater super early, just to get a good seat.

Singapore is really crowded! There are about 4.5 million people here, and the island is only 270 sq miles – over 16,000 people per square mile. The incredible thing is, the Singapore government wants to increase the population to over 6 million! I’ve heard the reason is to increase the talent pool of the country – to further expand Singapore as an economic powerhouse. But, I’m sure they won’t mind the extra tax revenue either. :-)

Singapore really loves its air-conditioning. Having experienced sub-zero winters almost every year of my life, I never thought I’d come over here & be cold. But, a lot of the buildings here, and even many of the taxis, are uncomfortably cold.

The other annoying thing is that even though they air condition buildings like crazy over here, it’s very common to see doors propped open. You can often feel the cold stream of air up to 50 feet outside the entrance to a building. Sometimes when I pull a door closed behind me, somebody working at the building will open it right back up. I guess the idea of energy conservation hasn’t really sunk in here.

Near the Downtown area of Singapore (the Central Business District, or CBD), there’s a large bay. Currently, it’s open to the ocean, so it’s filled with salt water. But, Singapore has a plan to dam the bay off, and replace it with fresh water. Actually, the dam has been under construction for some time now. They want to create another large reservoir of fresh water.

And, for those of you who want a little technical reading… here you go. From what I’ve heard, the way they’re going to fill the reservoir is pretty ingenious. The dam will be open at the bottom (underwater). Since salt water is denser than fresh water, as it rains – the rainwater will push the salt water down & out the openings at the bottom of the dam. I’ve heard it will only take a few years to make the water completely fresh.

They’re also doing a lot to make the Marina Bay area more touristy. They’re building a large ferris wheel (similar to the London Eye), which is almost completed now. They’re also building a new casino on the bay, which is very controversial. I think it’s the first casino in Singapore.

Well, that’s about all I’ve got to say for now. I’ll see most of you in a few weeks!

CB