I’ve been meaning to write about the big move to Singapore.
And it seems really timely to do it now, at this point in time. Why? Because
same date year ago, I was riding a bus, headed to Boat Quay in search of Neko
no Niwa and that bus ride was one of the highlights of my solo Singapore
trip last year. It was my first time in SG and I was alone and I was lost most
of the time but... I didn’t care. I just wanted to sit on the bus, stare out the
window all day, and relish how clean, how beautiful, and how peaceful this
place was.
I have never thought of working in another country before. I was happy where I was. I liked my workplace in the Philippines
a lot. I love my teammates. I am mom to nine cats. And I live with my parents
and my brother; I would miss all of them if I go – and why would I want to go
in the first place? I know, these are
all just excuses because I didn’t want to step out of my comfort zone. E, dito na lang ako. Ok naman ako dito.
Everything changed with one bus ride.
Fast-forward one year later and here I am, already done with
my first month as an expat. I was homesick most of the time during the first
week. I remember trying hard not to cry and hearing my voice break
the first time I called home and heard my mom’s voice on the phone. One time I
was eating lunch at a hawker center alone and suddenly missed my parents and my
eyes began to water. Again, I tried not to cry in public. Then, there were
nights I’d cry because I missed Hachi. HAHA. Homesickness is real.
But, of course, after a while you get to adjust. And I’m
very thankful that my flatmates are so cool. They are my family here in
Singapore and they fed me (HAHA), taught me the do’s and don’ts (e.g. always
keep left, “Can” means okay, taxis with red lights are busy, etc.), put up with
my corny jokes, and basically made me feel at home.
My first real struggle happened at work. I couldn’t
understand what people were saying and vice versa. They talk in Singlish real
fast. One time, I was talking to a media partner on the phone and I couldn’t
really follow what she was saying. I asked her to repeat several times already. So I just said: “Cannot understand. Please email instead.” LOL.
After a while, your ears will adjust (and your Singlish skills will, too) and I pretty
much can follow conversations now.
Need I elaborate on the food here? Just look at my Instagram
and you’ll see food shots 90% of the time. I used to complain that they have
big servings here but now I find myself finishing off those big servings. Singapore
is a melting pot of different cuisines – Chinese, Western, Malay, Indian,
Japanese, Korean. There are so many dishes to try. I always look forward to
meal breaks here HAHA. Side kwento: my boss’s goal is to feed me until I reach
50 kilos; five kilos more than what I weigh now.
So, there. That’s my first month in a nutshell. It's a long weekend this coming week and I plan to swim a bit and go check out a few places I've never been to yet. It has been amazing
so far and I’m looking forward to the months ahead. Looking forward to more
adventure!
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