A slice of life

The last few days in a nutshell:

TODAY WAS MY FIRST DAY AT WORK! eeeek! After my 3 hour commute into National University of Singapore campus (a bit turned around without a phone...but hey, no better way to learn a city right?), I finally made it there-only 1 hour late for my first day of work. Silver lining: I have discovered 2 secret weapons to deflecting a possible meltdown/pressing of the panic button:                     

1. "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" NPR podcast-more specifically Carl Castle's voice on my iPod. A little piece of home and my connection back to the States. 

2. Hailing a taxi at anytime/anywhere (which I did unashamedly on campus... to take me somewhere else on campus)

...worked like a charm :)

NUS Campus on the walk from the correct bus stop!    

My boss (Dr. Dutta) is wonderful and the people in my department have been so good to me already! The campus is BEAUTIFUL even though I don't think this picture does it justice.I'm meeting the rest of my CARE (Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation) team on Wednesday which I am so excited and thrilled about! 

In other news...

 Chinatown in Singapore is a bit different than the Chinatown of NYC we know and love for sunglasses and handbags. Sing's Chinatown is rich with cultural history and tradition. We visited the "Tooth Relic" Buddhist temple in the heart of Chinatown. It is truly an incredible place. The emphasis to "just be" and to meditate on things that are good, lovely, and pleasing is such a treasure to remember and an honor to see carried out. There is nothing like a Chinese pagoda to really give you an Asian awe. 

It was also festival of the lanterns in Chinatown while we were there so it was especiallycolorful and decorated!

I have had the sweetest hosts, Kathryn (pictured to the right) and Ed (photographer), who have adventured around the city with me, shown me the sites, and have gone to the Singaporean equivalent of the DMV...twice #truelove. I'm so lucky to be with them here in Sing! 

• Singing: "Keep Your Eyes Open"                                         -Needtobreathe