Jan 2005

09-01-2005
Bukit Timah National Reserve
Today wasn't intentionally as active as it became, but it was definitely an insight into a side of Singapore I didn't really anticipate.

Six of us (Andy, Mark, Bianca, John, Sandra and myself) left PGP around 11am headed for Bukit Timah NR, in the centre of Singapore. We got there around 12ish, and made our way straight up to Bukit Timah Summit (163m). The summit is something only a country with a warped (from my perspective at least) view of the importance of nature could create. It was completely devoid of a view, as all the trees had grown over the surrounding hill, yet it had a small picnic area and an electricity substation.

Huh?!?!

Yes, that is correct, at the top of this forest (which is really all it can be called - it rains soo much here that a patch of unkept nature just thrives), there is this totally incongruent electricity tower and substation. It doesnt really destroy the atmosphere, but it does a pretty good job of it! The other anomoly here is the graffiti. Schoolkids have been practicing their english swear words on the back of signs. I guess its the only place where they can guarantee there will be no security cameras

But aside from all this, BT is awesome. It really is a wild national reserve in the middle of a highly organised and regimented society. In more ways than one it was a breath of fresh air. We were one of only a few people who explored the extra tracks (non-bitumened), and that was also amazing. The vegetation is quite similar to that found in Thailand, but nothing like Aus.

10-01-2005
The first day of Uni for 2005!!
I really had no idea what to expect from the first day at NUS, but I guess it didn't surprise me. Really NUS is just another Sydney Uni, when it all comes down to it - students worldwide seem to act, talk, and dress the same. Loads of tshirts and jeans, people running around and looking stressed, market stalls, student advertising everywhere, and just general organised mayhem. The bureaucracy here is frustrating, as I've mentioned before, but today I didn't really experience any of it.

I had my first lecture entitled History of Colonial Indochina. It was my first 3rd year subject, and was fantastic. The lecturer is American, so I really didn't have to strain to understand what was being said, which I've heard can be quite hard if your Professor is Singaporean. The subject itself deals with quite a large slice of Southeast Asia's history in seemingly an interesting way. The workload might be a little high though - we shall see "

I also met my Professor for another subject, whom I will remain nameless to protect his privacy, who is a very nice guy, and shares my incomprehension at how inept some departments are here. There are quite a few surprises at NUS, and a few sacrificies that need to be made to teach here. I think the fact that I can't really say any more gives it away

11-01-2005
Uni: Day II; Return to ICA; Host Family Dinner
Day 2 of Uni began earlier than Day 1, but the benefits of living so close to campus made themselves apparent almost immediately! I was meant to wake up at 6:45am (hah!) to have brekkie with Mark, but instead, I woke at 7:30, and still made class at 8am. Back home I could never do that - if I am not up by 6am, I have little hope of making class at 8am! This just makes me more lazy - and really, what is wrong with that

After a fascinating 2 hr lecture (given by the Professor mentioned in yesterday's post), in which I realised just how much you have to force a response from a lecture theatre here (although to be honest, Sydney Uni isn't much better - we are all quiet in large groups initially), I decided to make my way into the city to revisit the ICA. Interesting choice.

My Student's Pass was due to be ready between 2pm and 5pm, and to the ICA's credit, it was. The process by which you get your SP is quite strange, however.

To begin with, the queues to get a ticket to begin queuing for the collection of your SP (if that makes sense!) were far longer than anything I'd seen in Singapore for a while. This queue, however, was nothing on that inside, with the line of about 40 people processed in less than 5minutes. Good omen?? Hahah!

Once we had a ticket, we waited inside (as you would at a deli, or really any government office back home), however at the ICA, the numbering system is really there just for show. The numbers change randomly, and Tim & I think we have it figured out. When you get your queue number, it is added to one of the six booths you can go to, instead of a central line, with the next number going to the fastest booth. That would just make too much sense. Because of this, you can quite easily (and very regularly) have numbers 100 or 200 apart being called at the same time. I'm sure you can understand this makes waiting frustrating, as you never really know when you will be called. It stops you from going out and doing something productive, as you may just be called next.

Despite all this, we were called within 90 minutes of arriving - which is quite short by ICA standards (Maud claimed to have waited 150 minutes for her SP), and made it back to PGP in time for a quick email check, and a bus ride to Yusof Ishak House for the Host Family Dinner.

This meet-and-greet session was set-up for all those exchange students who had applied for the Host Family program to meet their respective Hosts. The program involves local families (usually staff members it appears) being assigned exchange students as a way of cultural exchange, and enabling us to see the real Singapore, as opposed to Sentosa, Orchard Rd and the Night Safari! From what it seems, its a fantastic idea, and one which is growing so big, there are now way more applicants than hosts...so if any Singaporean families are reading this (why they would be I have no idea!), please apply!!

My host, Associate Professor Albert Teo from the School of Business, is fantastic. He has been involved in the program for the past 5 intakes (since the program began), and really seems to understand why we are participating - to see a side of Singapore we wouldn't otherwise know. To this end, he is taking us to the seedier side of Little India! I share this host with two other students, Faruuk from Bosnia (studying in Holland) and Marton from Hungary (studying in Holland as well, but at a different Uni).

If I haven't already demostrated through examples, exchange has to rate up there with backpacking for meeting people from all around the world. It's amazing what you learn about other countries, and how quickly stereotypes are broken down. A lot of the exchange students here are from Europe, and they all have different ideas on the EU, and how Europe is and should be, and for a student from Sydney, it is giving me exposure that I could never have got elsewhere. I still have yet to really meet a Singaporean (aside from Samantha, but she doesn't count as I knew her before!), but there's still plenty of time!

05-01-2005
Woke up quite late today, and after a phone call to Grandad (who, along with my Grandma, are heading south to Helensburgh to visit relatives), generally did very little (just the way I like it), until the afternoon, when Tim & I made the trip to Malaysia!!! That is not as extreme as it sounds, with Johor Bahru (JB - the border town) being little over an hour away from NUS. How crazy is that!!! The only problem was the first time I got to Clementi, I forgot my passport!! Stupid Tristan!!! An hour round-trip later, we were back on our way...

The MRT ride to Kranji (where you change for a bus to take you over the border) incorporates much of Northern Singapore, with the landscape gradually becoming less urban and more suburban and even some that may be defined as forest! In Singapore of all places as well!! Hehehe...don't let it's size fool you - there is so much diversity here.

Back to the trip - the Singapore side of Immigration (you are leaving the country after all - and Singapore and Malaysia are hardly best buddies) is a fortress (literally). A big, imposing, granite structure obviously designed to deter illegal immigrants. Conversely, the Malaysian side is quite unimposing - little more than a standard building with attached bus terminal. It seems to be quite clear though, from pretty much the moment you cross into Malaysia (and yes, I did get another stamp in my passport) why people are there. Do a search on Google for the reasons, and they will make themselves apparent. Pretty much, everything involves money, and surprisingly little of it.

That night we returned from our afternoon in Malaysia (almost without incident, except for missing the bus at the Malaysian side - I later found out that is of little importance though - yay!), and met Shirley (the third Sydney Uni student here at NUS), who arrived sans luggage. So, whilst Tim took Shirley out for her first outing to Clementi, I met with a group of about 30 exchange students and found out we were all going clubbing! What an introduction to Singapore for Shirley!!! We went to a seemingly expat-based club on Scots Rd (off Orchard Rd) called ChinaBlack. Very nice! Wednesday here is Ladies Night, with all females getting in for free, and at most bars, the drinks are free for them as well. Back in Sydney that would be considered sexist!

06-01-2005
Woke at 10am, and did laundry which seemed to take ages. It's amazing how often I have missed being able to just do half a job around the house. For example, at home I just place my dirty clothes in the laundry bin, and they miraculously appear cleaned and ironed the next night! Here everything that I forget to do is still waiting for me in the morning!!! So, I would just like to take this opportunity, on behalf of all those on exchange to say thanks Mum & Dad...we recognise how much you do for us...it's all those little things that make life so easy!

Later today I had lunch at 2 with Bianca and Shirl, and went to IKEA (which has recently opened a store near NUS), and bought map and photos and a plant etc... (I think this is the real end of all the 'to-buy' outings! Yay! ... oh, except a camera bag from Carrefour) for my room, which every day is becoming more of a home. I can remember when I arrived, it was so bare, but now it has life and an identity...i'm so proud

From IKEA I came home, went out again to Clementi for dinner and had great BBQ Pork and a Peach ice-blended pearl tea. Returned home by 10, spent 2 hrs going through everything for orientation tomorrow.

07-01-2005
We had our orientation today, which really was just a chance to meet more exchange students, and sign up for the planned trips overseas. The actual 'orientation' was pretty much a waste of time, with most of us already knowing the majority of what they explained. I mean, if you have been here a week, chances are you already know how to leave campus and where to go.

Most of the people I met today seemingly came from Canada. I have no idea why really, it just seems this is the way things have turned out - not that there is any problem with that Oh, and no, they are not from McGill or UBC (the Uni's I want to go on exchange to next).

From orientation, Tim & I took Shirley to 7-11 to get a Cashcard (what we use to pay for photocopying, and at vending machines and for a whole bunch of things actually!), and a prepaid card. From there, as I thought I was running late for the Business orientation, I sneaked through a back entrance to Temasek Hall...apparently there is a far easier one but I still managed to get to orientation before many others.

The Business introduction was far more informative than the generic one, with decent information about adding/dropping units (which as with every University, is done differently in the Business faculty), a tour of the faculty, an introduction to the libraries, and a chance to meet other Biz students (many it seems from UC - the Uni of California). Not to mention the really delicious afternoon tea...mmmm...

On my return to PGP from the Biz introduction, I found my bathroom cleaned!!! Whilst this did not totally surprise me considering the communal ones are checked ridiculously often (like once an hour or something!), I was told from the day arrive to the moment I leave, it is my responsibility. Nonetheless, it was a very pleasant surprise, and I hope it is kept up...one less thing to worry about! haha, it's getting more and more like a hotel every day!

For dinner, we all went to a BBQ at West Coast Park (near Cheese Prata, 'out the back'), organised by Leong, who is also organising the trip to Langkawi Island. He is an Alumni from NUS (known as, wait for it, Alumnus!!), and has been organsing trips as a way of ensuring exchange students get to see SE Asia and meet new people. When more than quadruple the expected number of people turned up (80 or so rather than 20), food was delayed in the hope many would go (which they did), and more alcohol was brought in. All in all, it was a really relaxing and inexpensive way to meet people, and certainly should be organised again.

08-01-2005
Today I was expected to wake up really early to go to the ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority - Singapore's Passport Control I guess), which is where we go to get our Student's Pass (Visa) to stay in Singapore. Over the past few days people have been telling horror stories about how long it takes to be served, ranging from 45mins to 2hrs. So we prepared for the worst, with Tim & I brining books and iPods etc... However, it was all in vain, as we were in and out within 15minutes, including me getting my photo done!

Singaporean efficiency 1, Horror story 0.

From Lavender, we went with a group of exchange students (Jelle, Alexia, DJ, Joerg, John, & Tim) to Little India for lunch and a general walk around. No matter how many times I go there, I am always astounded by how real it is...its definitely not designed for tourists, although the temples and sights are beautiful. The smells, and the food and the people are fantastic.

We also went to the Mustafa centre, a four floor extravaganza of almost everything you could possibly imagine buying. However, it is all laid out sporadically, with the supermarket section next to CDs, next to Hardware, next to stationary. Now this may sound like just another KMart store to you, it's not. There are no specified sections, nor any markers to tell you where you are. You just walk and find things you never knew you needed. It has recently been expanded and extended its opening hours to 24/7. Apparently its packed for about 20 of those hours!

Dinner was at PGP again (still haven't found the killer dish to stop me eating elsewhere), and we went to a very flash bar at the top of the Swissotel in Raffles City (New Asia Bar) after dinner. It was free entry and half-price drinks before 9 and I arrived at 8:55, so I just made it. After 9 though, there is no reason to go there aside from the view. Beers are s$16 and cocktails s$25. It's just ridiculous really! The view though is astonishing, and it gave me a chance to meet some veteren exchange students from Britain who have been here since July.

From New Asia Bar, we migrated to Boat Quay and Tiki Bar, where you can have all-you-can-drink spirits for 3 hours for S$20. It's still not Hornsby RSL prices, but nothing is here. You can pay S$3 for one of the best, most filling meals you have ever had, but you will never get a can of beer for less than S$4. Silly! Australians would never accept it...hehehe

Till next we meet, bon voyage!

03-01-2005
Woke at 10:50 this morning, which is very much a Tristan thing to do. I had thought that because I was here, and everything that was associated with it, that perhaps I would change and be suddenly able to wake up early, but alas no, it is not to be!! Hahah!! I found out today from Tim that we can't get net access till tomorrow Whilst this is definitely not a long time to wait, because it was expected I am a bit annoyed now - I want net access!!!

The rest of the day was fantastic - I finally bought a camera from Far East Plaza [Orchard Rd] (which apparently takes the number 1 place at the top of the Singaporean 'Blacklist' of retailers not to shop at, but the place I bought from seemed very nice and the camera works, and the warranty card is there (both for Singapore and international), so I am very happy so far. For those of you in-the-know with digital cameras, it was a Pentax Optio S5i, which I bought for S$550 or A$440. Considering the same camera in Aus is at least $650, I was pretty happy!

As an aside, during our travels on Orchard Rd, Tim and I visited Borders (the bookstore), and discovered the slogan of the Expat magazine (for those Expatriates who are living in Singapore away from their home country) was 'Living well is the best revenge'. Revenge for what??!?! For living in Singapore...for living in Asia??? I am assuming it is probably in reference to living away from home, but still, it could be far more subtle and less us-verses-them!

From Far East, Tim and I once again returned to Sim Lim Square, and the Changi Prison Museum. Sim Lim remained unchanged, but the museum was a very somber experience. The museum itself is quite small, and the chapel has been recreated or moved from its original place, but that does not detract from the events. The displays are well laid-out, and the abundance of quotes and first-hand reports really add a personal scale to such a large event. It bought me very close to tears, especially reading all the 'In memory of' notes in the chapel. So many lives lost, and for what .... ?

What surprised me (aside from the honesty with which the Singaporeans have dealt with WW2) was the fact that the original prison location has been maintained, and is now a women's prison. It just seems quite surreal and almost sacreligous to re-use such a horrific place for modern purposes. In Sydney I think the site would have been maintained, and definitely not re-used. The memories and ghosts there would be too hard to handle.

Dined again at Clementi - quite possibly the best food in the world for under $4!!

04-01-2005
Live as an exchange student began for real today, with the day ending with me knowing people!! Hooray!!!

I woke up rather early (8:30ish) and went to find a bank. I had been told, and read, that there was a DBS (the main local bank) branch at the National University Hospital (NUH), which is located on campus, about 5mins walk from my room. However, after a 20minute walk to and around NUH, I could not find it anywhere. ATMs yes, branches no. I even asked at the main information counter, and they just smiled and said no. Damn!!!

So from there, I went to Clementi by bus and opened an account. In Singapore, you take a 'Q' number, and wait, and each counter (when free) serves the next person from a central queue. Seems to work really well, except their queues are HUGE!!! At least DBS has a seperate area for new accounts. They tried to cheat me by telling me my minimum deposit was S$500, when they knew for well I was under 21 and therefore it was S$1. Grrr!

At least that is done now!!

From there, I went to registration, and found out they had my email and internet account activated in AUGUST 2004!!! So they COULD have sent it to me, but no, that would have been too hard apparently.!!! Grrrr again! At least now I have internet access - you don't know how important email is till its gone!

From registration, I met loads of people, 25 from the University of California (mostly Berkeley), 3 from Holland, and one in my cluster from Scotland. Very cool! Because of this, we ate really early at PGP (6pm!!), and watched cheesy Singaporean tv - a show about exchange students called 'Big Unknown' which had a Polish guy going to SMU (Singapore Management Uni), and their sitcoms (Living with Lidia especially). They are awful!! But they are so bad they are good. They give a real insight into Singaporean culture, life, and especially, their language. They have 'Singlish', which is English, with key phrases in Malay and Mandarin added, oh, and 'lah' put at the end of every sentence! It's interesting to say the least.

01-01-2005
Today was basically a 'discover Singapore' day. I am getting a little tired of leading Tim around everywhere, and to be honest, I'm sure he is sick of me doing so. However, at the moment there is no alternative, so we just have to grin and bear it. That being said, everytime we get lost (which for us seems to be quite often), we eventually find the right way, and from there learn about a new food place, or bus, or MRT station, or something that is useful. So it is not all bad!

We did brief tours of Little India, at which we visited an out-of-the-way food outlet which served some of the cheapest beer in Singapore, and walked past AussieMart (still there from 2003!) and Apollo Banana Leaf (a very famous Indian restaurant that serves most of its dishes on banana leafs!). From there we proceded to Chinatown, walking around the entire block, from Yue Hwa and People's Park (big shopping centres) through past Smith St (which at night turns into a food market with excellent satays) into the markets and past the temples. This is the real Singapore, rather than Orchard Rd and the big clinical 'Westfield'-clones.

After Chinatown, we went to Bugis, which is near the city centre, and was where we stayed when we came here as a family last year. The area has been gentrified beyond belief, from one of the 'red-light' districts, to a covered shopping centre (maintained in the style of the old shop-fronts) with a Japanese department store, cinemas and a MRT station. Close to Bugis are the markets (a la Thailand, Indonesia, with lots of fake clothing, food and the like - except Bugis is far more 'local'-focused, with little touristy goods), and Sim Lim Square. Sim Lim is an interesting location. It is similar to Pantip Plaza in Thailand, except without the fake CDs. Instead, you have store after store selling the same cameras, discmans, iPods, and computers at similar prices. Many stores have given up price-matching, instead telling the tourist to 'be careful'. Whilst this is true, as some tourists have come away with the wrong goods (after they have been swapped under the counter following the purchase), and others have got to the end of bargaining, only to be told they have run out of stock, it is just as bad to inflate prices on the basis that they are 'legitimate'. In my mind that is just as bad - they are playing on the bad side of others.

The day ended quite early, with a fantastic dinner courtesy of the Tang family (Samantha's family), who took Tim and I to the Parkroyal, where we had Eight-spice tea (a variation on the standard green tea), and one of the best mango puddings I have ever had (complete with dry ice pouring out the base of the glass!). The meal was fantastic, and I would like to thank Mr & Mrs Tang, Samantha and Bobby for their hospitality over the past few days - they have made what could have been quite hard very painless! Cheers!

Home at 9:30pm!

02-01-2005
Went to breakfast/lunch at Cheese Prata on Pasir Panjang (one of the 'local' food places just outside campus) with Jess, who has been here since January 2004 on exchange from USyd, and who has done YEP (the volunteer organisation I would like to get involved with), and travelled substantially around SE Asia, and then went shopping some more along Orchard Rd. I looked more at buying a camera, having got the price of the model I want (the Pentax Optio S5i) down to S$550 ($440 AUS), from $650! All that from just shopping around too - good on me! I think I may have bored Tim somewhat though - his torment is nearly over though, uni starts soon!

We all ended the day watching Singapore play Myanmar at the semi-final of the Tiger cup at the National Stadium. Getting there was half the fun, as we really had no idea where we were going, but for once the information provided to us by the MRT Info desk was correct, and we followed the crowd decked in red (Singapore's colour) to Kallang (on the border of Geyleng, the red light district) and along construction works to the Stadium. Tim kept on referring to it as 'third-world', a term which I dislike, as it places Western values on non-Western (usuaully) states, but I understand his point. For a country as foward-thinking as Singapore, the stadium appears quite backward. It is all concrete, and has wooden benches for seating. Even the SFS has better facilities, and this is Singapore's NATIONAL stadium. Each to their own I guess.

The game itself was interesting, with neither team playing fantastic football, and Singapore losing come full time. However, this being leg two of a two-leg semi, the teams had drawn, and thus it was necessary to play into extra time. At this stage Myanmar had 3 players red-carded for violence, with the end team of 8 players just too tired for Singapore's full 11 (until one player was attacked by a benched Burmese player) and Singapore won 4-2. The crowd revolted though, with some spectators running onto the field, and many fights breaking out between both players and supporters. As we were sitting behind the Myanmar supporters, with had a centre-stage view, and the photos and videos will be posted later. It was the first time I've seen Singaporeans get violent, with one Burmese player throwing a full water bottle at a Singaporean player DURING THE MATCH!!! It was quite crazy. It will be interesting to see how it is reported in the press though!