Lost in the City

I have flown to Singapore three times to tour and just recently to finally work. Even if it is just a small dot on the face of this planet, for me it seems to be a big part of the world. I get lost most of the time, and still haven't recovered from some sort of culture shock. Everyday, I see different people from all sorts of race, hear different languages I never dare to learn, and watch how this big city live up to being one of the bests on Earth.

The culture shock I now suffer is a bit different from the one I had when I started to work in Shaaxi in China. Recovering from the latter means you have to "learn some things", while recovering from Singapore culture shock needs you to be "used to things". In any case, I need some sort of change in the way I normally do things. Hahahaha!


Directions
I take bus everyday to get to and fro work. In the Philippines, taking buses would be my last preference (I'm scared of accidents and I could not stand the traffic). Out of the 14 times I took Bus #27 (7 days), I got lost thrice!!! I find the environment around Compassvale confusing because the streets and HDBs look the same. Gosh! And I hate walking on my high-heeled shoes!

I also got so irritated the other day when I took the train (MRT) from Clark Quay after my appointment with the Ministry of Manpower to register for an E-Pass. Based on the map I googled from the PCs available at the MOM office, to get to Tampines I had to take the train from CQ to Chinatown and transfer to the "blue line" --only to find out there is no interchange point in Chinatown and there was never a "blue line" and that I had to take the "green line" from the next station! Aside from that, on the way to Tampines via the "green line" I took off two stations earlier because I thought I was 3 stations past Tampines. I had to rush back into the train after learning that Tampines is still two stations ahead. I hate that map!!!


Traffic lights
I hate the green lights (go signal) for pedestrians! Why are they programmed like that? I have to cross the wide streets of the city in 15 seconds or less. For narrow roads, you have to run to save yourself from being run over by inconsiderate drivers! Shettt!!! I really need to buy flat shoes --should have listened to my mother.


Shoes
I have to find flat soft business shoes for everyday use! I do not need to explain on this.


Silverlake
I am now working on Silverlake IBS --very much different from Equation by Misys which I have been familiar for almost 8 years. It is too early to tell which is which about these two systems. Both have bad and good sides. I am not yet in the position to compare. Got lots of things to learn and my job gets more and more exciting everyday.

Food
I am choosy when it comes to what I eat. As expected, I eat the same kind of food wherever I go --Usually, I buy food from the same restaurant if I very much love how they cook my food. Since food here is a little expensive, I better have control over treating myself with seafoods and meals with big servings.


Where I live
It is my first time to rent a room. When I was in college, I never had to go to a dormitory because my family moved to Manila after the tragic eruption of Mt Pinatubo. In China, I was also alone in my studio-type apartment. This time, I am living with one of my good friends from the university. Though the experience is quite new to me, my friend never made me feel uncomfortable in any way. (Thanks, Allen!)


These are just a few of many things I face these days that I need to get used to. Anyway, in spite of the adjustments I have to go through, I feel blessed that I have this chance to be here. Singapore is Singapore. What I say is just a tiny part of it being a great place on Earth.