Some people like their peanut butter sandwich to remain as it is. I’d prefer to introduce some change to the mainstream sandwich, creating a whole new sandwich! Doing stuff differently always create surprises. Who cares if its unusual…as long as it is unique.
LOVE IT 😉
Other than your friends and family, what would you miss when you’re abroad?
For me, its the food back home!
Every now and then when the temperature dips to between 2 to 8 degree celsius, the hot piping ban-mien craving kicks in. I would marry anyone who brings me a bowl of that RIGHT NOW. Ok, calm down, I’m just kidding 😉
Anyway, the focus isn’t on being homesick, but on food. Something said by a co-worker struck me today. He was passing causal comments on having fast food too frequently here because it is cheaper than getting a proper meal from other diners, and most importantly it saves time. So naturally, I asked which is his favorite. The respond I got took me by surprise.
“There is no love in fast food”
That took awhile before it sank in and made perfect sense to me. Preparing fast food is merely putting together ready-made stuff isn’t it? Although there may be some frying or grilling going on somewhere, the food is ultimately frozen and processed. Whereas preparing a meal, which involves fresh produce, requires more attention and skills while cooking. That’s the difference! Fast food fuels the body but not the soul. Home cooked food or any other food you cook from scratch fuels both. Don’t you agree?
Recall the time when you cooked for someone and anticipant the look on their face when they have their first mouthful. Whether the food was delicious or…..erm…just edible, the reaction you got there mean so much more than seeing someone eat fast food. This works the other way round too. Let’s say when you compliment the person who cooked for you or simply thank them and appreciate their efforts, how often do you see a grumpy face? Never. It always will be a positive look (unless they’re really having a bad day, please forgive them!)
My two cents worth on eating fast food which only satisfy your rumbling stomach. I’ve been trying to prepare my own meals these days. Mainly because I can control the portion size and not let food go to waste, and also because having fast food every single day will be such a killjoy. I may not look at it the same again if it becomes a staple. Do remember to appreciate painstakingly prepared meal you’re having, and most importantly the person who prepared it! Smile and say thank you even if it does not fully satisfy your exquisite taste buds. It will ultimately fuel your body and soul!
Meeting new people is always fun. But how far would you go to accept and appreciate unfamiliar cultures you’re expose to? I’m trying.
Let’s talk about greeting. It is kinda sad that back at home, greetings are often restricted to between friends or family, basically people you know. Sometimes, it doesn’t even happen because you know them too well or that we simply do not take into consideration doing so. It just doesn’t come naturally. Being in the States, initially, it took me some effort to keep in mind that I should say “Hi, how’re you doing?” to people I met anywhere. Even when exchanging glances, the least I should do is smile and acknowledge. This isn’t a big culture shock to me since college life is pretty much Americanized. In fact, I think such practices should be embraced in Singapore. If you’re thinking that people would judge you for being “overly friendly” to them, which I am guilty of sometimes especially to strangers, thrash that thought! (I promise to do so since I’ve said it here) Initiatives can only spread when initiators start them.
In the meantime, I really enjoy the greeting culture here. It feels good to have people saying “have a good day” and asking “how was your day” and some small talk here and there. Makes time spent in a foreign land feels right at home, don’t you agree? Human beings are social creatures that crave attention and so by greeting and talking to people, you’re indirectly satisfying the attention hunger for both the other party and yourself. I swear it feels better than having tons of likes on your Facebook post. Million times more shiok! [as Singaporeans would say it 😉 ] Shout out to my fellow Singaporeans: Try it out today!
On the other hand, there are some new cultures I’m learning to appreciate. Having met some Dominican friends, as previously mentioned, their way of greeting took me by surprise. I am someone who totally respects and expects personal space in return, hence was taken aback by their warm greeting gestures. Curiosity led me to some research and I found that it is common for Dominicans that “Most women kiss each other on both cheeks, and a man who trusts a woman will also kiss her” (http://www.everyculture.com/Cr-Ga/Dominican-Republic.html). It’s still feels kinda weird having people, both girls and guys, kissing you on your cheeks every time we meet. I hope I get accustomed to it soon. Nevertheless, their overwhelming friendliness always brighten up my days working at Six Flags!
The term “Culture shock” seem to carry some negative connotation, doesn’t it? In my opinion, it should be re-termed “Culture surprise” instead. Nothing will come as a shock when you’re ready to accept it with an open mind!
With the help of pepper from McD, 2 large eggs, some diced tomato and viola! dinner is served.
Simple things while traveling, such as attempting to prepare dinner with minimal utensils and facilities and eating what you’ve created, bring heaps of satisfaction and happiness.
Note to self, culinary skills need to be improved for the benefit of my taste buds and the brave souls who eat the food I cook 🙂
Head out for some fresh air and an adventure! Good luck 😉
From pre-school all the way till end of college, you’ll probably be sick of the word ‘learning’ by now. Aren’t you tried of all that memorizing, frantically absorbing information from your notes for the next day’s test? Well, if you see ‘learning’ as limited to that, getting sick of it is legit.Â
‘Learning’ does not, and should not be restricted to academic studies my dear friends. In fact we’re doing it all the time, subconsciously even. Interacting with people from diverse cultures for instance. Having met a group of cool people from Dominican Republic on my trip, I’ve been learning all the time! Be it their language, the food they eat, courses they take in college, or their favorite Korean stars (I was shocked that the K-wave spreads all the way there!). Never been a dull moment when you’re learning and immersing yourself in new things. That’s what I really enjoy! Now I can say ‘Hi, how’re you?’ and count 1 – 10 in Spanish. How cool is that!
“Hola, como estas?” (Hi, how’re you?)
“Muy bien!” (Very well!)
Gladly looking forward to more Spanish classes when there are chances to hang out with ma Dominican amigos~
(Check out my cool new friends! With credits from Hui Jun’s camera)
It’s been a week here in Waukegan and there’s more to what can be and will be learnt! Not mentioning the work at Six Flags, everyday is a different learning experience and I’m looking forward to be exposed to more guest situations in addition to those seen back in Singapore. It’s always interesting to see people’s reaction and how they would differ from individuals and among various cultures. That’s considered learning to me! Each time you see something you’ve never seen or heard, do take a mental note and trust me it will come in handy one day. Making a point to be observant helps a great deal when it comes to learning new insights, ideas, and little details we may miss out in our hectic lifestyles.Â
Hope you will come across something new today, and everyday in your life. Spice things up a little, learn something new! So if you ask me when does learning ever stop, my answer is NEVER! And I bet you wouldn’t want it to stop when you start to discover how amazing and delightful it really is.Â
Have an awesome day & feel free to share your thoughts with me!
When you only have a coffee maker and microwave to work with, and you’re sick of the latter, it’s time to employ your creativity… with caution of course!
Put in 4 quarters, sat at the laundromat and waited for the clothes to dry. That’s a first for me. Never done laundry out of the house before. Great travel experience, doing something mundane the way locals do theirs. Adds an element of discovery, which brings happiness at the same time.
Yahooooo clean clothes to wear!
Don’t be too fixated on what’s ahead, sometimes we need to look around (and up of course!) to find simple pleasures in life. Try admiring the clouds for a start 😉
Everyday is a different day…IF you make a point to make it different.
(you get what I mean? if not, read on!)
So it’s been 3 days in Waukegan, IL, this rather quiet place which barely has high rise buildings or established department stores.
Basically you have to jaywalk almost all the time to get across the busy road and walk on grass that look too pretty to be stepped on because there are neither proper pavements nor pedestrian crossings everywhere for the convenience of people walking on the streets. Wait…there is barely anyone walking on the streets to begin with. Sounds depressing? Wait a minute. It isn’t that bad, because when you find out how to get around, the mini surprises in dollar stores, and other random things, it makes you extremely satisfied and happy! And of course being in this situation inevitably makes me appreciate the convenience back home in Singapore. We should never take it for granted and be thankful for little things in life, such as having proper sidewalks to walk on!
On day one, still being foreign, I chose the safer way – that is to avoid the busy traffic and kept walking (bracing the chilly winds) to the not-so-nearby stores in order to grab a bite and purchase necessities from the mini supermarket. It was okay, just that it kinda makes you miss the tze-char store that is a stone’s throw away from your HDB building and the abundance of supermarkets conveniently located 10 minutes within your estate. (That’s how convenient living in Singapore actually is! Be thankful!)
Things will not, or MUST not remain the same everyday in not-so-lively Waukegan. That’s a promise to myself. I believe rewards to doing things differently will come at the most unexpected times. This was my reward for being bold enough to conquer unknown territories:Â 
strawberry banana pancakes at IHOP! wooooohoooooooo! You have no idea how elated I was when I saw the store and when the food was served. Pure brilliance. Eventually crossing the road comes naturally and even catching the right timing for buses which comes every hour.
By sharing my travel experiences, and how I chance upon happiness, I hope to inspire you to head out there and FEEL the world (not just seeing it on the screen because that’s underrated). If you can’t travel right now, that’s perfectly fine. Try introducing change to your daily life for a start, and discover random happiness along the way! Trust me, things WILL get better (eventually)!
What am I looking for? 