I was quite tired, so I slept in for awhile. I had to set my alarm because I didn’t want to miss my free breakfast from the hostel of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I took the bus to Chinatown to check out the shops and stop by the Maxwell Food Court to try their carrot cake dish (opposite of US carrot cake, not a dessert). It was delicious and one of my favorite things I’ve eaten so far. I stopped by and checked out the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple then made my way to Clarke Quay for my free evening river bumper boat cruise through the city center and business district.  It was a peaceful but very short boat road, but it had some nice commentary so I could learn along the way. I got a good view of the merlion, the icon for a lot of Singapore touristy items, saw the Padang, the Singapore Flyer, the Esplanade, and the impressive building of Marina Bay Sands (MBS) that you’ll see whenever you see Singapore’s skyline. It’s three buildings all connected at the top.

The next day was a big day for me—my 29th birthday! I was showered with wonderful notes and calls from my family and friends back home. The girls from Lockton sent me a group photo that was so special to me.

I went out walking for the morning, and within three minutes of leaving the hostel, I see a girl carrying a birthday balloon. It obviously wasn’t for me, but it made me smile to myself. It’s the first birthday that I’ve ever celebrated alone, so it seems different.

I headed out to Arab Street to look at their markets and the Sultan Mosque. After that, I decided to check out the Gardens by the Bay because I’d heard people talking about it. There were two domes that were neat, one with flowers, trees, and plants from around the world, and the other was a sky walkway through man-made waterfalls. They also had these fake gigantic purple trees outside of the domes that did all sorts of special stuff.

I was really looking forward to dinner that evening. My father-in-law set me up with his colleague that lives in Singapore, and so I had to be back at my hostel by 4 PM for him and his children to pick me up. They arrived (with a sunflower for my birthday), and they drove me around the east coast of Singapore while I got to know them. Patrick Wong (father), Germaine (daughter that just graduated university), and Jerome (son that was in high school). They were really awesome. The family grew up in Singapore, so they were answering all my questions and telling me about their culture. They took me to a history museum where I learned about the Japanese invasion and what that meant for the country. Outside the museum, we had snacks of chicken wings and fries. For the dinner, they took me to the coast to Jumbo Seafood, a place that had a great atmosphere and great food. It was a real treat! They were ordering in Mandarin, and I asked which language they spoke at home (both English and Mandarin).

• It’s great that English is my first language and that it is so widely spoken around the world, but it’s also embarrassing and a shame that I only speak English. Most people I meet speak 2 languages AT LEAST. I wish that it was more of a priority in the states.

The dinner started off with a bib (you know it’s going to be good when you put on a bib). They didn’t need one, but the group decided it was the best option for me. They then brought me fresh coconut to drink which was so refreshing. The dishes started coming, and it was a true feast. They brought baby squid, jellyfish, buttery-sauced prawns, razor clams, and chicken and beef satay with peanut sauce. Yum!! I was in heaven. Everything I tasted was wonderful, especially the jellyfish (like cold noodles). Then the main course of chili crab (a very popular local dish) was served. Yum, yum, yum! It was a great place to be for my birthday!  Great conversation and great food. They even complimented me on my chopstick skills. While Mr. Wong paid, Germaine and Jerome walked me down the street to another hawker station where we ordered lemon sugarcane drinks. It was a special night and was a perfect way to spend the evening. When I returned to the hostel, an older lady from Japan that shared my dorm space saw my flower and was asking about it. She found out it was my birthday, so she later brought me a notebook with a Japanese cartoon bear on it. She was kind. I got to know two Malaysians and one Australian girl during my time at the hostel as well. I crawled in bed, and I enjoyed reading all the notes from my favorite people back home wishes me a happy birthday.

I’m reading a book called Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
(thanks Sherry and Sara), and I really like this quote below. I’m trying very hard to do this.

“Pause in our experience long enough to let the present moment sink in; long enough to actually feel the present moment, to see it in its fullness, to hold it in awareness and thereby come to know and understand it better.”