Shengdan Kuaile!! (Merry Christmas!!)

(Written on my flight home to US)

Shengdan Kuaile!! (Merry Christmas!!)

“I’m coming home, coming home," - P Diddy

The halfway intermission is here for my Asian/Singapore/Rotary adventure and I couldn’t be happier. I have loved my time in Singapore but I miss my fiancé….yep, I really really miss her. I miss my family…I miss my friends…..I miss Publix subs, I miss BBQ, I miss driving a car, I miss good western food (not cowboy’s and Indians food but western hemisphere food) all kinds of it…..I miss throwing a football and watching American Football at a normal hour, I miss….I miss…I miss America. Man I love my country.

That all being said, I really like Singapore and Asia. I am so happy and feel so humbled, honored and lucky to have gotten this opportunity. These three months have opened my eyes to a world that I really never understood. I thought I did for the most part, I mean I read a good amount, I have traveled around, I feel culturally open but I really didn’t know anything about 1/3 or more of the world. I honestly feel and believe that the more I learn in life the more I realize how much I really do not know.

There are over a billion people in China and over a billion people in India……1 BILLION, each country has over 3 times more people than the US. That’s only two countries in this part of the world that account for nearly a third of the world’s population and I really had barely a clue about either country. I thought I was cool because I knew that Mahnmohan Singh was the Prime Minister of India and had been re-elected (thanks subscription to The Economist). That’s like thinking I know about the US because that Barack Obama is our president……yeah…….not so much.

So in these three months I have had a crash course in the culture, food, customs, personalities, dialects, history’s, etc. of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, India, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, etc. Not only did I get a crash course I got a crash course from the people of those countries while spending time with people from Russia, Spain, France, Canada, Uganda, Norway and more. To say Singapore is a melting pot/international hub is the greatest of all understatements. I wanted international but I feel like I have been drinking from a fire hose with regards to the different people and cultures I continuously am encountering.

Here are some things I have learned over these three months:

1) Ethnic Chinese make up around 70% of Singapore and inhabit a lot of SE Asia

2) Koreans eat with metal chopsticks and a spoon and they love kimchi…LOVE kimchi (fermented cabbage and other ingredients)

3) Singapore is an extremely managed economy….the government has it’s hands in everything…….everything

4) Oma is Korean for mother

5) Mandarin is a very very very difficult language to speak and even more difficult to read and even more difficult to write (excuses excuses excuses haha)

6) I love Indian food….really love it, I am honestly hooked for life, give me some Chicken Masala and some naan and I am a very happy man

7) Getting a grasp on all the cultures, countries and people of the world is extremely hard but it is impossible if you never spend time outside of your country or with anyone other than people from your country, ethnicity, etc.

8) Nothing annoys me more than people getting on the train, bus or elevator before letting the people get out……it is one of my biggest pet peeves in Singapore, sadly this happens a lot

9) Vegetables should never be a flavor of ice cream….NEVER but they seem to think differently here (e.g. Yam ice cream….NO NO NO…it’s just wrong) (yes they have sweet corn flavored ice cream as well)

10) I know this is cheesy but this actually has been something I have been continuously surprised to learn and see to the extent I have. Even though people are different in many ways, people everywhere are the same. I somewhat expected to meet people and be blown away at how different we were from each other. The, “Wow we are just from two different worlds”, kind of moment but that was never the case. Yes there are many differences but when it a came down to it the people were people, just from a different world and culture. Obvious I know but still surprised me.

The first half of my trip is over and I am on a 26 hour journey back to Tampa, FL (Singapore-Hong Kong-Newark-Tampa) for the holidays. By the way, Hong Kong has one of the most beautiful views while landing I have ever experienced, definitely get the window seat if you ever go.

Plans for the little over two weeks I will be in Tampa:

1) Emily and I are going to be food and cake tasting for the wedding

2) I am going to get my tuxedo fitted and chosen

3) We are going to register

4) Take engagement photos

5) Spend ridiculous amount of time with Emily

6) Meet with the Pastor that is going to marry us

7) Spend time time with family and friends

8) Eat zero Eastern food…..zero….all western all the time

I hope I get to see everyone but that most likely will be difficult but my phone is back on so let’s catch up. Congratulations to Bryson and Katherine Ridgway for the birth of their first baby, Keira! Couldn’t be happier for them.

Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year!

Best,

Andrew