Back in Singapore
Singapore. The Lion City. The Garden City. The Red Dot. No matter how you call it, it’s a wonderful country.
Today, I have the privilege of calling this country my home.
Relocation, no matter how short distance it is, is never simple. Even relocating just across the causeway, is a busy affair. A week ago, I relocated here, for good. I have been in Singapore a few times before. For travels, meet ups with friends, and even an extended stay for around 6 months in an exchange program with NUS. It was an enjoyable period of time.
3 years ago, I had the privilege of staying in Singapore for around 6 months, thanks to an exchange program with NUS, the country’s premier university. It was one of the most wonderful period of my life.
Ever since then, occasionally, I will visit Singapore, to find friends, to travel and just simply find excuse to step foot in this wonderful city. However, it isn’t quite the same. While travelling for a short period of time allows you to get only a gist of what the country has to offer, residing in a country for an extended period of time allows you to immerse yourself in their culture and mix around with the locals, which are really, the essence of what a country is; The people.
If you ever been away from a city that you have resided at for an extended period of time, the next time you returned to that particular city, a hint of nostalgia follows.
The first day I came to Singapore, I went shopping for home furniture, toiletries and other necessities. The sight and smell of Bengawan Solo, Cheers, Fairprice brings back familiar memories.
And that’s what I really missed. I admire the country’s architecture, far sighted, future proof plans. How everything is systematic and planned well. There’s a park within walking distance of every neighborhood.
The cleanliness. How most public amenities sparkle with uncommon cleanliness, thanks to the army of hard working cleaners and janitors that take pride in doing their job, daily.
The people, a melting pot of diversity, featuring people from all walks of live, co-existing in harmony.
The ease of accessibility! How every MRT station is just a stone’s throw away and the timing is so reliable you can track them minute by minute on your mobile app.
The diverse range of activities and meetups available here. Be it badminton, investment talks, board game enthusiasts, wine tasting, language learning or even more exotic activity like bouncing beans and hypnosis, there’s an activity for everyone.
Last but not least, the general vibe of it. How it is safe to walk around even at 2 am in the morning, knowing full well, that you are not the only one that are doing that. Hanging out with a bunch of good people having some jolly good time together, without having to worry about safety is one of the most underrated pleasures of all time.
It’s great to be back in Singapore. I am truly grateful to be in this place and time. Hopefully, I can stay longer this time :).
