Where Has All The Gucci Gone?

It's been almost a month here...a few highlights from Singapore thus far:

Singapore is a place that sells high fashion, but EVERYONE dresses in casual clothing. (I fit in quite well). All of the big designers' shops are here, and people are always in the stores buying their stuff, but I never see it on anyone. It's a big mystery to me.

Taxis are everywhere. Most people use them instead of owning a car. (Tax on cars here is 200%). I ride in one at least once a day, and every single time I think I'm going to get in an accident. Drivers here see nothing wrong with slamming on the brakes or being an each away from one another. Yesterday, my taxi driver fell asleep while we were waiting at a spotlight.

Most drivers here like to listen to American music from the 80s. Lots of Richard Marx, and I think I've heard "Desperado" over 50 times since my arrival. For those of you in Minneapolis, there's a radio commercial here about as annoying as National American University. It's for a school called SAE, and the jingle is "SAE - where school meets cool." It gets stuck in my head constantly.

Movie theaters here have assigned seating. When you buy your ticket, you select a seat. People here make sure they sit in THAT specific seat, no matter how many people are in the theater. There were a bunch of people who came in after the previews had started during my movie, and they all used their cell phones as flashlights to find the correct aisle and seats even though the theater wasn't even 1/2 full.


The food is indescribable, and it helps that my aunt and uncle have done their best during their time here to find the great places , so I don't have to do much work to get great food. Last night we had some amazing Mexican, and tonight we're actually having pizza. Most meals, of course are Asian, and my chopstick abilities have come in handy. Some of my new favorites include Ox Tail Soup, Laksa, and Satay.

Life here is great. Very different from home, but it's an extremely welcoming atmosphere.