I grew up in Chicago, and my life there was simple: school and being best friends with my neighbor. At the age of 8, I was told that my family needed to move to Singapore for my dad’s job as a journalist. I had not even heard of this country, let alone wanted to leave my friends and all that I was used to. But as an eight-year-old old I just had to accept it, so I said my goodbyes and got ready to move. The plane ride was the longest I have ever done, 17 hours non-stop from San Francisco to Singapore.
Once in Singapore, my daily life underwent many significant changes. One of the biggest challenges was the need to change my whole closet to fit the climate, as Singapore sits on the equator and is hot and humid all year round. So out went coats and sweaters as I switched to summer clothing 365 days a year.
The school type changed as well. I had to go to an international school because public schools were only for locals. The downside of going to an international school was that all my friends never stayed for long: people were constantly moving in and out of Singapore since it typically wasn’t a lifetime destination for expats like my family. Even the way the schools are built in Singapore is different, with all of the hallways located on the outside of the building and are uncovered, so that only the classrooms are inside and air conditioned. Going from one class to the next felt like walking through a jungle!
The international community exposed me to a great variety of global traditions, and I enjoyed celebrating all the different holidays of the people attending the school, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year.
I was also fortunate to go on multiple trips with my school outside the country. These were some of my favorite experiences and have given me a passion for travel. Some of the places I went with my school friends were Malaysia and Vietnam, and I also visited Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia with my family while we lived there.
I gained a lot of independence during the 7 years we lived in Singapore, and it is such a safe country that my parents trusted me to take public transport on my own to get around. During my last year over there, I took 2 trains and a bus just to get to school.
I also enjoyed exploring the island of Singapore, and some of my favorite places I went to with family and friends were Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Sentosa Island (for Universal Studios & beaches), and the world-class Singapore Zoo & Night Safari! https://www.neverendingfootsteps.com/things-to-do-singapore/
I also loved visiting Hawker centers, which are vibrant, open-air complexes that became a big place for me to eat new food with my Dad and hang out. Some of my favorite foods were: fried rice, satay, roti, and the Ice Cream Sandwiches that were wedges of ice cream in between colorful bread slices.
https://migrationology.com/singapore-food/
Overall, I believe that my life overseas led me to find myself and become much more understanding of others and different cultures. My biggest recommendation is to see the world, not necessarily Singapore, but get out of your comfort zone and immerse yourself in other cultures. Exploring other places can help you find out more about yourself.
