Studying abroad for me was definitely the best thing I did during my college years. I want to go again. I just want to go everywhere now. I don't know if that's how everyone else feels after they come back from studying abroad, but now I feel like there is so much out there-and I must see it all. I am planning on doing a semester at sea so I can explore more of the world. I am also planning to go to Cuba during the winter intersession and I am very excited.
Anyway, let me tell you about Singapore-at first, it was nerve-racking and unbelievable at the same time because it was my first time traveling outside of the country. My taxi ride to my campus-to-be was amazing. Everything seemed beautiful-the palm trees, the road, the cars, the taxis, the people, the weather-everything. Once I got to campus, there was a lot of paper work and procedures that had to be taken care of. These are probably regular procedures to the other students there, but because it was new to me, I was frustrated and overwhelmed by everything I was supposed to get done that day. Not to mention, my luggage didn't make it with me on my second flight so the airline was going to deliver it to me when it arrived. I was a little concerned about that and after an 18-hour flight-all I wanted to do was take a nice long shower, but couldn't because my toiletries were in my bag.
However, I learned that all the difficulties I had in the beginning were adjusting to a totally new country with a different law, a different view on many things, a different lifestyle, and a different system altogether. In the beginning, because I did not know how to get around Singapore, I felt lost and very much like a foreigner, but I learned the train and bus system in three days-there was nowhere I could not go. It helped that Singapore is a pretty small country. The trains are fast, clean, air-conditioned, and an efficient means of transportation. Buses were great for sightseeing and were a little cheaper. Most of the time, I got off the bus whenever I felt like exploring and found a lot of cool places that weren't in the tour books.
The best part of my abroad experience was my trip to three very different cities in Malaysia (Johor Bahru, Melaka, and Kuala Lumpar). This trip made me remember why I was abroad in the first place-to learn more about the world outside of the U.S. and learn more about myself and the diverse Asian culture. I went on this trip with three very nice girls from South Korea. We saw some parts of Malaysia that were both beautiful and amazing (especially at night), and we also saw the less developed and poverty-stricken parts. Malaysia is also pretty cheap. I think our whole trip cost us about USD $80, including hotel stay, food, and transportation. Keep in mind, the hotels we stayed in weren't very fancy, but we'd rather spend our money on eating good (spicy) seafood and Satay (beef or chicken). Tip: don't use the bathrooms (a.k.a. squatters) in busy bus stations!
At the end of my four months, I had met some very interesting people from around the world. I met students from Japan, Britain, China, Hong Kong, Canada, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, California, Iowa, and New York. Believe it or not, I actually met a girl who was from Poughkeepsie and goes to college in my hometown, New York City. We met on one of our first days there on the train going to Orchard Road (a huge hangout spot for tourists and locals). She was with a Singaporean she met studying abroad in Praque the previous semester and because I didn't know how and where to purchase a train pass, I ended up asking those two girls. Guess where they were going? Orchard Road! So, we ended up hanging out together. It's a big world out there with so much to see and learn, but it's small in the sense that there is always someone who you will be able to connect with.
What I miss most about Singapore is not the perfect beaches, the beautiful weather, the great but spicy food, the shopping, or the tourist sites-but the people that I met there.
