Sunset cocktails

This last week has passed in a blur of essay writing and house hunting. I have finished my essay, but we haven't found a house. Tim and I have been narrowing our search criteria the more places we've seen so we do have a better idea of what we are looking for. We thought we had found the perfect place but on the second viewing, visiting at a different time of day, it soon became apparent that the house was totally exposed to the fierce Western sun, which the people here say brings bad luck. To be honest, I'm not sure it brings bad luck, but the afternoon sun is incredibly strong and we would have to close off the front half of the house in order to keep cool. If we did that, what would be the point in having all that lovely space? So the search continues...

My sis arrived on Monday afternoon and so we have had fun hanging out together, doing very Singaporean things like shopping, eating and getting our nails done. We are off to Vietnam on Monday to scope out venues for a party that she is planning there (for a client). Lucky for me, I am allowed to tag along for the ride. So we are heading into Saigon, which by all accounts is a buzzy, hectic city. They say Singapore is 'Asia for beginners' so it should be more gritty - there may even be a bit of litter on the streets! I will update you on that point, and the trip in general next week.

Last night we headed up to the Marina Bay Sands hotel (the one with the ship on top) for sunset cocktails, followed by a Thai meal in a restaurant called Jim Thompsons. It was very busy at the top of the MBS with lots of people in the infinity pool and people like us, taking in the view. And the view was spectacular. From the south side you could see all the ships out to sea...



And from the north side, you could see the sun setting and people enjoying the infinity pool - the highest in the world as you will remember. (Al: 'So, there is something below them isn't there? They can't just fall off the side?')


We had two Bellini's and a beer and spent most of the time taking pictures of each other and the view.

The Thai restaurant was a cab ride away, outside the city centre. We had heard from lots of people how good the food was and we weren't disappointed - although Al and I both needed a lie-down afterwards as they were extremely liberal with the Thai bird's eye chillies. Tim, who must have been Indian or Thai in another life, has a very high tolerance for hot food so was unfazed, although I thought I saw him mopping his brow at one point. But that could have just been the heat...

Get it right!

Not too much excitement to report today. The heat is getting to me so I am back in the apartment trying to rehydrate...and still working on my essay. I have been a little further afield though, and here are some pics of downtown Singapore. I passed the 'Speak Good English' campaign posters, one of which is below, in a cab and got my camera out just in time. They really cracked me up...but the thing is, I don't think anyone is listening!


Otherwise, Tim says he is going to take me to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel at the weekend. It is an extraordinary building, with what looks like a cruise liner perched on the roof (picture below). Tim tells me that there are two infinity pools at the top and I have just done a little research and found out that they are the largest outdoor pools at that height in the world. A-mazing.

p.s. it took us approximately 10 minutes to have our visas processed. Tim was so impressed at the efficiency. I was impressed at how quickly they could fingerprint you...we're on the system now!

Living the expat dream

This morning I had a coffee date with a British lady who has lived here for 10 years. We hit it off immediately and had a great chat and two coffees. She has given me the low-down on: shopping (clothes, food and electronics), where to live and where not to live, renting, spas and restaurants. I feel in a much better place as a result.

After we said our goodbyes, I wandered round the mall where we had met for coffee and discovered some gorgeous little shops, to which I will be returning at a later date. I then made my way down to the food hall and on the spur of the moment ordered myself a chapatti selection (pictured below) with marsala tea. It doesn't look like much, but it was absolutely delicious.

yum!

I then went to do a little food shopping and bought the essentials: milk, chocolate and napkins (I'm my mother's child). For some reason, I am craving chocolate and I don't even like it that much normally. I think it might be because treats have been thin on the ground so far this holiday. And I do like to treat myself.

This afternoon I am off to meet Tim to sort out our residence visas. I'll be official after that.

p.s. below, a little picture of the cereal aisle in the 'cold storage' aka supermarket. Note the branded goods on offer!!

Out and about

It's a beautiful day here, after a couple of cloudy/rainy days so I ventured out this morning to run a few errands before it got too hot (I am also looking for excuses not to knuckle down and write my dissertation...). I hit the ION shopping mall, which is the glass structure in the distance. Every shop you could ever need can be found here, including a lot of familiar brands that make it feel a bit like home.


And this is what it seems to be all about here: shopping and skyscrapers (and food, but we haven't had any good food yet). The ION shopping mall is in the foreground in the picture below - quite an architectural curiosity. The tall skyscraper in the distance is full of 'condos' which is where estate agents assume you want to live if you are an expat. I couldn't think of anything worse to be honest.

And this is a picture of what Treetops, our current home, looks like in the morning sunshine. I haven't been in the pool yet, but it does look very inviting. The sun is very strong and I am very pale so until I am a little more acquainted with the climate, I think we should stay away from each other.


More pics to follow!

Burnt Orange

I've changed the colour of my blog in homage to the cover of my new Kindle - I opted for the 'burnt orange' and I'm loving both the cover and the Kindle itself. I admit, I was skeptical about the Kindle at first. But it dawned on me that they are immensely practical things (and I am an immensely practical person) and with my three week trip to Singapore looming and the knowledge that I have limited space in my suitcase for fun books, I thought I would take the plunge. I am currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo, purchased for 70p in the Kindle Store. But there is a lesson here...as I read it, I realise why it cost so little. The translation is absolutely appalling. Clunky, awkward and archaic. I keep eying up the Penguin Classics edition, which is a full £8 dearer, but it seems pointless buying it when I have the paper copy in storage. So I will plough on and try not to let the 'Project Guttenberg Press' ruin the story. But as always, you pay for what you get.

Phase 1 - complete!

We moved out of our flat last Thursday and I am now back in the house I used to live in, before Tim and I got back together. It's a little strange. It is also very smelly as a rat burrowed under the foundations of the house and decided to die (and decompose) under the floorboards. It really pongs!

The move went very well, all things considered. The packers were extremely efficient and had all our stuff ready to go by 4pm. Our belongings are being shipped in a 20 foot container, which appeared on the back of a lorry at about 2pm on move day. I was amazed the driver was able to navigate the narrow streets round here, but he is obviously an expert! We didn't even fill half of the container but they secured everything so it won't rock around on the open seas and then put a heavy duty lock that requires bolt cutters to remove. The next people to see the inside of the container will be the Singapore customs officials. I think they are going to have sorting through our DVD collection...

Tim flew out on Saturday and it was his first day of work today. It all seems to have gone well and he is using the subway already - apparently it is very clean and only costs 50p. We won't know ourselves! I am joining him on Friday and to be honest, after this term at school, I can't wait for a bit of a holiday. Although not too much of a holiday because I have to write my second dissertation while I am out there. But I won't think about that just yet.

More updates will follow!

Nothing like a dream school

There's a programme on in the UK at the moment called Jamie's Dream School. Jamie Oliver has decided to help a group of 20 teenagers who left school without the minimum required 5 GCSEs between A and C. He has managed to persuade some really amazing people to come and teach them. It's on every Wednesday night and at the moment, I am finding it extremely uncomfortable viewing. A little too close to the bone.

My new school is testing me in ways that I don't think I have ever been tested. I know I will be a better teacher (and probably better person) for it, but at the moment it feels extremely hard. My mentor says that every teacher in a school like mine goes through this phase and in three weeks I'll be wondering what all the fuss is about. I hope so. When I watch Jamie's Dream School, it is like an action replay of what I have experienced in the classroom that day (although possibly worse) and to be honest, I'd rather not be reminded.

Undoubtedly, some of the kids I'm teaching have horrible backgrounds and have lives that I can hardly imagine. Some are in care, some come from homes afflicted by drug and alcohol abuse, some kids are fresh off the boat and hardly speak a word of English. So I do need to keep that in mind. But when a troubled minority is preventing the majority from learning, I find it very frustrating. For the first time, I sent a kid out of my class today. I had warned her that it was a possibility if she kept talking. She was angry with me because I think, despite her disruption, she actually enjoyed the lesson. Children like that don't make themselves easy to teach, but often they really want to learn.