Greetings from Singapore! Weather here is 90 degrees (ahem,
30 degrees Celsius) all year round, and the bustling metropolis has really
grown on me. Singapore is a beautiful, beautiful place.
(Disclaimer: Picture from the Internet.)
I’m here with MISTI as part of a leadership initiative!
SUTD—the Singapore University of Technology and Design—is a new university that
opened last year in partnership with MIT. Because it doesn’t have much of a
culture yet, it’s importing MIT students to encourage innovation and community!
That’s the general overview. By day I TA chemistry and
conduct research; by night I conduct leadership seminars and befriend students.
Though I’ve only been here three weeks, I love it here and
have so many stories to tell you! But that would be far too long, so I’ll just
stick with a few points.
Fact 1: Singapore has a lot of rules.
You’ve probably heard of Singapore as the country that
banned sales of chewing gum. It also imposes the death penalty for drug
possession, public caning for graffiti, and a fine for drinking water on the
subway. Because of this, we Americans here have been a bit paranoid about the
rules – are we allowed to eat food on the sidewalk? Can we drink water in the
grocery store? Can I take durian-flavored bread on the subway?
The last question refers to the national fruit of Singapore, the durian. I love it, and have tried every durian-flavored dessert I could find! Unfortunately, I can’t share any durian-flavored things with my roommates – all 8 of them can’t stand it. I’m bringing home some durian-flavored taffies, so please try some and tell me what you think!
Fact 2: Singaporean food is amazing.
It’s super cheap to eat out here! People eat in outdoor food
courts called hawker centers, and no one actually cooks. Actually, master chef
Gordon Ramsey is competing with local hawker chefs tomorrow, and I’m going to
go see the fun! Teehee.
Yum. Aren’t you hungry? The mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian,
and Indonesian influences makes great food. If I come back ten pounds heavier,
you know why.
Fact 3: God is good. All the time.
Isn’t this beautiful?
God is good, all the time. He’s blessed me with gorgeous
views of sunny Singapore, and with loving people to fellowship with. Have I
told you about my first Singaporean church service, which was so beautiful it
brought me to tears? Or about the morning prayer and worship group that’s
started? Or the testimonies of how my brothers and sisters here have met Jesus
and been transformed?
Amazing.
I can’t wait to see you all. But until then, know I am very
happily blessed in Singapore!
Love love love,
Lina
* Strictly speaking, from a logician’s point of view, these
aren’t facts but subjective opinions. Just a disclaimer!
