25 things that have happened while I've been turning 25...

HELLLLLLLLLO people! It's been awhile, huh? Welp, I'll give you the skinny on what's been going on:

I have had two sets of visitors from the US travel ALL the way out to Sing then on to Malaysia and Vietnam with me, the Breaking Bad season in my life has come to an awesome but devastating close, my 1-year anniversary in Sing happened, I hung lanterns/ate mooncakes for the New Moon Festival, Miley's tongue has been getting more attention than Nicholas Brody's absence on Homeland, I celebrated my first Singapore National Day, I've been a pretty terrible blogger, and I have turned a quarter century old.

In honor of turning 25, I am going to dish about 25 things that have happened while I've been turning 25. Some things will have their own post later but to try to catch up, I will start with an overview of things that have happened since the last post. (eek, this blog has seen less action than my running shoes...and that's saying something).



25. Well, I turned 25. And I turned 25 with the most generous, hilarious and totally unforgettable string of celebrations. Proof. I have some really incredible friends and family!






24. MY MOM CAME TO VISIT, and it was fantastic! We explored all of Singapore and then took a weekend trip to Penang (beach in Malaysia). I was so proud to introduce my mom to everyone and no surprise, everyone loved "Aunty Anne!" We jet-skied on the Indian Ocean, saw a touring Broadway show, had cocktails on the 77th floor, bargained with the uncles at the market, cast our lots at a Buddhist Temple, had an incredible spice garden day/lunch, hung fortune ribbons at the Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang, found a lilypad sanctuary on an island bikeride, and ate to our hearts' content. 


23. I am going to see MATCHBOX 20 in Singapore (on Nov 10)! Kathryn and Ed gave me tickets for my birthday and oh baby," I wish the real world would just stop hassling me" can't wait!!!



22. I visited a Feng Shui master (they are not limited to only household arrangement) who told me I would marry someone rich and handsome in the next 10 years...
...if I hung a picture of a horse in my room. 
<--Who am I to test fate? 
But she also said that I might break my leg in the near future so heads up. Fair warning I suppose. 


21. I celebrated ONE YEAR of being in Singapore on the 20th of September. one.year. I cannot (cannot lah) believe it...and I FINALLY know what KPI stands for. 

20. I checked off a bucket list item: Upgraded from white belt to blue belt in a martial art-Aikido.

19. After many weeks (who are we kidding, months) of practice, I finally said hello to our neighbors in Mandarin, "早安" Although I definitely and most certainly nailed it, I lost all street cred during my rookie mistake-no response ready moment when they answered me in Mandarin. Foiled. 

18. Some of my dear friends from Clemson came for a visit and we took an incredibly scenic and crunchy, adventurous trip to Vietnam! It was the most beautiful and peaceful place I have ever seen (more to come-there is so much more to tell). They were such fun visitors and we had the BEST time together in Asia! To the best Dongs around...

17. I survived THE HAZE.

16. I decorated our apartment and wore national colours for Sing's National Day (August 9). Singapore gained independence in 1965 from Malaysia and has a huge celebration every year with a new theme and song each time:
National Day Song 2013

15. I played paintball for the first time...in the Singapore heat. Survival of the fittest. 

14. I'm involved with 2 projects with CARE at the National University of Singapore. Check them out:
Domestic Helper project
Women's Heart Health in Singapore

13. These buildings were built. I think there is a lot of creative and really interesting architecture in Sing! And always new things popping up. 



12. When Jordan, Em, and Kristan were in town, we sort of stumbled upon the light show at Gardens by the Bay's Supertree Grove that was INCREDIBLE. Gardens by the Bay is something to marvel on its own but this quickly became one of my favorite things in Singapore. (This is a little clip we took but if you want to see the whole thing: come visit me!! haha or click here)

11. I now find myself spelling things like flavour, programme, centre, colours (see number 16) just to avoid that red squiggly line from spell check in Word (on a related note, how does Word know that I am now in Singapore??? c/o Edward Snowden. Too soon?)



10. I successfully made authentic chicken rice... from scratch. AND had to spontaneously serve to 2 Singaporean Aunties who (over my more than usual sweating and bated breath) gave their approval. Bring it on Iron Chef Asia. 





9. I went to the most beautiful house warming Sikh ceremony for one of my dear friends in Singapore. I was so moved by her friends'/family's prayers over the couple's new home and how their friends would sit for hours/sometimes days on the ground to pray over the place. It was awesome. Beautiful. Not to mention my friend and her partner's new place is wonderful!  





8. I had my first experience with the ever famous Singapore Chili Crab. CNN Go ranked Singapore's Chili crab as one of the world's 50 most delicious foods.

7. I celebrated my first Chinese Mid-Autumn festival (aka the Lantern festival aka the Mooncake festival).

The first round story I got from my flatmates is as follows (as I remember it): 'Well there was once this princess and she was burning hot because there were 10 suns. So, a prince came and shot down 9 suns but the princess had to fly to the moon as punishment and live there. Then, something about a rabbit on the moon and the prince honored the moon because the princess was there and offered moon cakes to her.' 

The specifics of the story is interpreted differently by different people but here are some more detailed:
One version
Another

Nonetheless we had B-shack 193 mooncakes and tea to celebrate! -->

6. I for the first time since moving here said out loud, "It feels chilly." It was a brisk 77 Fahrenheit and 90% humidity. It's rainy season (winter) here y'all-break out the sheer cardigans, I'm getting wiiiild! 

5.  I visited the "GP" (general practitioner) for the first time in Singapore. Within about a 3 block radius of my flat, there are probably 5 clinics (some traditional Chinese, some surgical, and some general practitioners), all walking distance in 10 minutes or less. I was in and out with 2 prescriptions in less than 15 minutes-all to the tune of $10 total. Thanks Singapore's healthcare system. 


4. I celebrated my first Ramadan/Hari Raya Aidilfitri  with 2 of my Indonesian friends who were my computer students. They took me to a HUGE Hari Raya night market. They explained to me that Ramadan falls on the 9th month of the Islamic calendar and marks a month of fasting from dawn to dusk. 




















The fasting is a collective expression of some of the core values of the Muslim community including showing empathy for the poor, charity, worship, steadfastness, patience, etc. During the month of Ramadan, all are encouraged to pray and give to the poor in addition to fasting. Hari Raya Aidilfitri is the celebration marking the end of the fast where you would meet with friends and family and forgive any unresolved differences and have a FEAST.



3. We had our first Bollywood karaoke debut. 
And Rumee's debut as an item girl with those dance moves! 

2. This happened in my neighborhood.

1. annnnnd I wrote this blog post telling you about the 25 things that have been happening while I've been turning a quarter-century.  


I'm SINGing: "New Soul" Yael Naim 

Mean Mugged by my Dinner: Fish with Eyes

I was at first a skeptic....

Arrow is pointing to the fish eye if that helps give
you the mental picture

But I am a converted believer in the deliciousness factor of Fish Head Curry. Mata Thai is my flatmates' and my Thai version of "Central Perk" just across the street from our flat in B-Shack. My flatmates are so good to me and have introduced me to a lot of local food and sayings (They are still trying get me to correctly say "Good morning" in Mandarin for our neighbors... maybe by the end of the year #slowlearner) but this was one thing they insisted I try. *Note: The heads of a lot of things are still intact when cooking/eating in Singapore so you should be prepared to get mean-mugged by your dinner before eating it.  

Me the first time I tried Fish Head Curry at Mata Thai:

(Me actually the first time I tried Fish Head Curry) Pret-ty close.
Also, it is an honor to be offered the fish eye to eat and the offer is never supposed to be turned down (out of respect) so the threat in our apartment is imminent, "Will you clean the bathroom...don't make me offer you the fish eye." We even got to take my sweet mom there when she came for a visit with our Mata Thai auntie who always gets us the best seat #bestfriends although I don't think it received as rave reviews from Anne. Nonetheless, the yum factor is off the charts and should you come eat dinner with me, rest assured, I'll offer you the eye! ;)

Mom, Auntie, me, Tiffany, and YC

I'm SINGing: "I Go Blind" - Hootie and the Blowfish

Haze Days

Despite THE HAZE, the show must go on. 

(This is what Singapore normally looks like)

I took this picture less than a week ago

Me when the haze is finally over:

The only cure for this Purple Haze is a little Purple Rain. 

Eat. Pray. Bali.

Going to Bali reminded me of my love for Eat, Pray, Love. Call me cliche...I deserve it. So it is there I'll begin:

In the end, I've come to believe in something I call "The Physics of the Quest." A force in nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity. The rule of Quest Physics goes something like this: If you're brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter, old resentments, and set out on a truth-seeking journey, either externally or internally, and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher and if you are prepared, most of all, to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself, then the truth will not be withheld from you.

Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love. 

Physics was never really my subject. And by that I mean, I hated physics, and I was terrible at it. BUT I did retain Newton's first law-the law of inertia (obviously the most important...): The tendency of an object to resist changes in motion/velocity and to maintain its current state of motion.

"The vis insita, or innate force of matter, is a power of resisting by which every body... endeavours to preserve its present state, whether it be of rest or of moving uniformly forward in a straight line."

...A human tendency that keeps me from uncovering other truths because my nature is to follow the same trajectory, to be housed in old resentments and the gravitational pull towards what's comfortable to "endeavour to preserve my present state" even if it's not ideal/healthy/productive- Because we all know what change means...the existential questioning, push the red button crisis. But I've come to realize that it's impossible to live unaffected by the people you meet along the way, and thank goodness-it is only through that reflection of ourselves that we can even begin to face and forgive some realities about ourselves, learn funnier jokes, discover new recipes, learn Gangnam style, see things differently or marvel at something in spite of our baggage. 

 I learned one of those truths through a friend we met along the way in Bali, Adi. Adi was our driver and host at Dara Ayu, a villa we stayed in. He was so kind and in the short time we stayed there, he taught me so much. He lived in a house just beyond the rice fields and he walked in to work. Dona and I had decided to wake up for the sunrise (gasp, I know what you're thinking, "YOU, up BEFORE the sun?" Well believe it, friend. Talk about transformation...) and have some time out in the rice terraces before it got too hot. When Adi came up, he took us on a trek down through the rice fields and taught us about the process of harvesting rice.

Did you know that EVERY SINGLE little rice stalk is planted BY HAND. EVERY stalk. Can you imagine? He also showed us a fresh water spring where he and several of the rice harvesters have created a temple to honor the gift of this spring. They take nothing for granted and are driven by their faith to give praise for gifts of natural water and for places where big trees grow. Things like this bring me toe to toe with the things I take for granted and the people's truths I might have otherwise overlooked. But physics tell us that those forces are the ones that help us change our linear path and move towards a path appreciating the truths of others and to live affected by the realities of them.

While staying at Dara Ayu, we visited the volcano located in the center of Bali. Adi told us about the destruction there and the resilience of the people in Bali over this incredible view during lunch.

Then I looked around in this place at the chaos its endured. The way its been adapted, burned, pillaged, and found a way to build itself back up again...and I was reassured. Maybe my life hasn't been so chaotic, It's just the world that is. And the only real trap is getting attached to any of it. Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation.... we must always be prepared for endless waves of transformation. 

-Elizabeth Gilbert

I was so inspired by Bali's strength and beauty despite tragedy and wreckage from past events. Ruin is a road to transformation.

Tanah Lot  was one of my favorite temples and you can only get to it during certain tides so we were lucky enough to get to explore it a bit (This is also the scene of  my first and probably last bit of mistaken fame with my paparazzi moment).

I was also incredibly lucky to have such WONDERFUL travel companions and some new friends! Dona, Deo, Mhalu are in my community group through Every Nation Church and Liane and Jill are friends from the Philippines. We had such an adventure together with our pisang goreng, midnight Balinese massages, and even the car rides were entertaining :) Especially with our sweet corn and karaoke! So so thankful for such a lovely group of friends to trek Bali together! 

Want to see some more? Snapshots of Bali

I'm SINGing: "Heart of Gold" Neil Young

Fake it til you Make it

So I've been dragging my feet on posting about Bali because there's just so much beauty to write about. So instead of posting about how it truly awakened and fed my soul (just yet), I am going to first tell you about what I think must have been some David Blaine mind trick that may have caused my Indonesian 15 minutes of fame...but hey, I'll take it. While visiting Tanah Lot, my friends and I started taking some group pics in front of the temple (as per usual), and I noticed some onlookers using the strategy of getting your friend to pose and then the friend sort of ducks out of the way so you can really take a pic of something behind your friend but not look sketchy...little did they know I too have mastered this art capturing the glorious mullets of the South, USA. Busted. Anyways, so a few people came over to me and asked what I thought was, "Will you take a picture of us" so I said "sure" and then about 10 people came putting arms around me and throwing up token peace signs smiling for our paparazzi picture. After that first picture, there began a queue of people waiting to take a picture with me-mob mentality is real-for the next 20 minutes. It probably didn't help that my sweet friends were egging it on with comments about filming the sequel to Eat.Pray.Love. and how was I doing "Mrs. Roberts." I should have asked them who they thought I was or why they even wanted a picture together but I was too star struck by my new found fame so I just soaked it in because if my dream of becoming Joan's long lost sister on Mad Men falls through, this may have been my only shot at celebrity status.

But really, I could see where they might get confused. After many many years of practice (Morgan Smith circa kindergraden and on) I did do a pretty good Ariel hair flip:

I'm SINGing: "Fame" -David Bowie

The SMRT Gospel

I spend a good chunk of time on public transit in Sing. That is the understatement of the year- I spend A LOT of time on public transit. I've tried so many different tactics to make being crammed between people in what I think is consistently the strangest smelling combination of things (at least no Durian smell, of course) just a little more enjoyable. But the other day, when I left my book at home and my phone was flat, I thought a lot about the route I take everyday on the SMRT (Singapore Mass Rapid Transit) and how its story is so similar to my experience with faith and my relationship with the gospel of Jesus.

First, my mentality so much of the time with the MRT is to "fight the good fight"...for a seat. I mean, sitting during my commute is of utmost importance for the outlook of my day and I WILL do whatever it takes (elbows out, mean mugging, etc). Me, me, me, I want a seat. In Singapore, it is expected that you give up your seat for pregnant women (#peoplegetcreative), older people, and kids but when I had my arms full of groceries and someone got up and gave me his seat, I realized it's not necessarily all about "fighting the fight" but learning to LOVE like Jesus-to put someone's needs before your wants. "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." (Plato)

Then, I thought about this: you know how you can get in the mindset of being unhappy about whatever that "big bad thing" (BBT) is in life at that season and you are convinced it will always be that way, because you can't imagine life without the constant nagging of that BBT (maybe your financial situation, your relationship status, your kids' baddittudes, my constant frizzy hair in Sing or my long commute...insert nagging BBT here). And how often I let the BBT put me in a funk. But aren't we always taken aback when inevitably something unpredicted does happen to change our relationship our BBT (like looking to my left one morning to a man in his 80s shaving his beard on SMRT next to me). haha No, maybe a better example: One morning I sleepily pushed my way onto the subway #morningsarenotmyfav and 2 stops later, the guy beside me had an impromptu Gangnam Style singalong/performance that everyone got into. Ordinary thing (commute) turned extraordinary...and totally unpredicted when I started my everyday common commute. So then I thought, why don't I expect interesting changes in life from an interesting Jesus? Like Robert C. Gallagher put it, "Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine" and of all the interesting things I have observed/been party to on the SMRT, even on the SAME seemingly "predictable" commute, there is a brilliant joy in the unexpected changes we spend so much time convincing ourselves will never happen. 

Being PRESENT. I have overslept my stop, gone in the wrong direction on the train line, and gotten off at the wrong stop so many times (shamefully unashamed). When I'm not present or paying attention, I miss what was intended for me and it takes a lot of work to get back to where I was going. I used to get upset when I'd mess up the route, I'd run up above ground and quickly flag a taxi, mostly because of stubbornness and just pure surrender, TKO. However, I think about how now, I correct myself, get back on track and make it there-sometimes the consequence is loss of time or loss of a seat (and we know how devastating that is for me), but the point is, I'm still able to get there. When I miss my chance on occasions in life or make mistakes of decisions, God's grace isn't always like the taxi that will easily chauffeur us to our destination but his grace is also sufficient for us to get back to the destination intended for us or to show us a new bus line or different train to make it there a different way from where we are. When we make mistakes, it doesn't ruin our chances of making it to the joy God planned for us in the first place-it just may look a little different, you might be a little more weathered, and the alternate route can be a little rough going. But I've seen A LOT of the city through being lost and have made discoveries I would have never seen otherwise. Same same in life.

So today might be extraordinary, but even if it's not, let us be motivated by love, expectant in adventure, and present in His grace. 


I'm SINGing: "Beautiful Things" -Gungor AND "Something Beautiful" -Needtobreathe

Me in a hurry to get anywhere in Sing:

Sing Population: 5.31 million
Size of Singapore: 274.13 square miles
Population density: 18,943/sq mi

Compare:
Size of Augusta, GA: 306.49 square miles
Population density: 816/sq mi 


Thanks Frogger for preparing me in 1996 for what I would need to know for 2013. The legacy lives on. 

I'm SINGing: "Bright Lights" -Gary Clark Jr.

Escalator warnings. Noted.

 You know back when your parents told you if you cross your eyes, your face would get stuck that way but you secretly knew it would never happen? Well, don't make that mistake with escalator safety. It is not in fact like that...

After the escalator was stopped and before a band of security
guards came to cut my skirt out of the escalator
with craft scissors.

The escalator at the National Library of Singapore: 1

My skirt: -4 inches off the bottom 

But you can see why it could get confusing:

So, lesson learned. 

Aikid-you not.

My vision for my first day of Aikido: 

Reality: 

Martial Arts is no walk in the park. After trying several different traditions, I have officially become a deshi (student) of Aikido. I was so moved by what it stood for, the Sensei (teacher) at my Bishan Community Centre dojo (training centre), and the hearts of the Aikidokas (practitioners of Aikido) and so here we go. 

Let's talk Aikido (Eye-key-doe)

Ai = harmony, Ki = spirit, Do = The Way or Path
(For more vocab)

Aikido (合気道) is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba and is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy” or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury. Aikido focuses on using the attackers' negative force against him/her--to not push back but to pull when an attacker pushes, to use the attacker's momentum to disarm.

Sensei Kelly Tan with Steven Seagal

To the right is my Sensei (Kelly Tan) doing a demo in Singapore

My teacher, Sensei Kelly Tan always stresses taking care of each other during practice and creates an atmosphere where the Yundanshas (Black belt holders) guide the kohais (junior students...me). They are so patient with me, the only ang mo in the class. The only trouble is it's a bit hard to blend in when I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing. My "ginger hair" usually lands me a spot in front...obvious rookie. 

 I was so impressed with Sensei Kelly on my first visit because he talked about the importance of Aikido being about centering yourself on love while being firm and purposeful. Oh, and did I mention he's friends with Steven Seagal? He is an incredible teacher and even connected me with one of his students in Singapore who is from Atlanta, GA! He just exudes composure and patience but I also know he had me face to the mat in 3 seconds using only one hand on my elbow. Wax on, wax off. 

What a rookie. #can'tevenlookintimidating.

The biggest thing I have learned so far from Aikido is that you can't fight negative energy with negative energy, on the dojo (the practice area for Aikido) or in your life. People will always out power you in negativity or force but when you learn to neutralize that energy through directing its path, you exert minimal energy and you have protected yourself and the other person-even the haters. 

Just don't go ninja'ing nobody who don't need ninja'ing...

I'm SINGing: Mortal Kombat Theme Song

Caught between a Komodo Dragon and a hard place

You see, what had happened was...

On this ominous stratonimbus studded day, we traversed through MacRitchie Reservoir to check out the tree top walk. Little did I know I was about to be bullied for the first time in my life (barring the jumping bikes over my head and other bullying from Mike and Ben Comer in the late and great 90s)

So it all started by almost stepping on this little (highly venomous) guy, the Malaysian Coral Snake. Aint no thing-just some wildlife, recovered. 

After about 12k of hiking and a little rainstorm, I was led into a well executed trap by some clever Ray Ban predators. 

First accomplice, this swimming komodo dragon/monitor lizard. He did not play an active role but he secured restriction to exit by water.

Now, public enemy #1. We were just walking on our merry way and this guy jumped down out of the trees directly in front of us, separating our group. We were instructed by probably 10 signs not to make "direct eye contact" (he must be related to the basilisk from Harry Potter and Medusa). So this picture was taken at extreme risk.  

We were also warned that the monkeys here felt like any cameras, bags, bottles, SUNGLASSES, etc. were subject to their taking...and so it was. So once he came and stole Dona's water bottle out of her hand, two more of his cronies surrounded us. To recap, brazenly bold bottle snatcher monkey at our immediate 12 o'clock, side kick #1 at our 9 o'clock, komodo dragon at our 3 o'clock and one other monkey taking a lap, and all closing in. We were surrounded. 

So what were we to do? RUN! I Usain Bolt-ed out of there as fast as Comer-ly possible. Once I had reached a safe distance, I finally looked back only to realize my Ran Bans had been jacked. Do I dare step back into dragon and monkey territory?...and now in the rain. The outcome:

My Valentine from one of my coworkers 

Well, at least they are being put to good use. You're welcome you scoundrel. I got swindled.   

I'm Singing: "Survivor" -Destiny's Child