Eating my Way Through Singapore

From what I can tell, Singapore is basically one huge shopping mall/food court.  Okay, there are a lot of neat temples and mosques around, and I did hit up the pretty spectacular Singapore Botanic Gardens (then again, if it’s a garden I’ll probably enjoy it).  But really, if you want to shop and eat, come to Singapore.  I’m not so good at the first but tried to make up for it with the second, though next time I’m in Singapore I’m bringing a friend to share the food/allow me to try more things.

After living in Madagascar for two years, somehow any portion of rice is not enough.  Seriously, I’m in Asia looking at every bowl of rice and thinking, “really, that’s it?”  Also, what’s this with the forks and knives?  Just give me a spoon to shovel it all in.  And don’t even get me started on chopsticks.

But, I digress.  The food in Singapore was pretty darn good.  And diverse.  One of the things to do in Singapore is go eat at a hawker center.  It’s pretty much a stand-alone food court with different stalls specializing in different foods.  You can get tea, juices, rice, noodles, fried things…  I had chicken rice, a curry puff, several types of delicious juices, a fried green onion pancake... it’s all part of the experience, right? 

Hawker center.

Chicken rice.
This self-timer gem is dedicated to you, Meredith.

Juice!

The cool thing about eating (and travelling) in south east Asia so far is the variety.  The cultures of the region are all mixed up with Indian and Chinese influences.  There’s Hindu and Buddhist temples next to mosques next to churches.  I can eat an Indian “murtabak” (savory pancake) then turn the corner and have a Chinese dumpling.  Yes, please.  It’s a nice change after Madagascar, where you’re pretty much Malagasy or “vazaha” with nothing in between.

The one thing I am missing is fresh vegetables.  So when I come visit you in America, please serve me a nice green salad.  I will be sure to give you a souvenir in exchange.

Chicken murtabak and iced milk tea.

Beer!  And it's not THB!

Chopstick sale in Chinatown.

Words of wisdom, brought to you at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

More milk tea and dumplings.

Random Musings on the World

I’ve been told re-entering America is going to be hard.  I’ve discussed it with other travellers and with other PCVs.  So far being outside of Madagascar has been a different experience.  I’ll share a few of the observations/comments that I’ve gathered so far.

First off, the world is really developed.  I mean, paved roads with lines in them, sidewalks and traffic lines?  WOW.  Somehow I thought being in Africa and even Asia would be like Madagascar.  Yeah, they paved the roads, but that’s about all the traffic control you’re likely to see.  Nope, I have to give it to South Africa and Asia, they really have their stuff together in the infrastructure department.

Bathrooms.  Clean, with running water and toilet paper.  Also really spectacular.

Technology.  Geez.  Could you put down your phone a second?  Part of me is scared of this cell phone craze.  I’m sitting on the subway watching 5-year-olds play with their parents’ phones and shriveled old men texting.  I am SO far behind.  The rest of me is annoyed by all the phones.  Can’t you talk to the person you’re with?  Also, could you quit snapping photos and actually look at the thing you’ve come around the world to see?

It’s interesting to gather opinions on America.  One man in Chinatown asked me who is the best, “Bush, W. Bush, Clinton, Obama, or John Kerry?”  That’s quite the question (and could someone explain why he put John Kerry in that list?).  A Malaysian taxi-driver told me that he thinks America is “too free.  You can’t tell who’s who.”  Maybe it’s just the born-and-bred American in me thinking that’s why America is great.  Then there’s the Kiwi woman in the hostel who’s shocked when a European is speaking English with an American accent, almost like it’s a bad thing.  Or the lady who poses for an “American-style” photo giving the thumbs-up sign.  Is that our peace sign in photos?  Or do we Americans just take ridiculous photos all the time?  (If that’s the case, I am truly American.)  Or the French girl who loved Atlanta for the shopping.  Atlanta?  On vacation?

Courtesy and good customer service.  This is something that I feel like America does pretty well (though I haven’t been there in a long time).  Travelling in various countries there have been airline representatives who completely ignored my questions, waiters who don’t even acknowledge that I sat down, bus drivers who can’t even say hi as I go to pay the fare.  I’m trying really hard to be nice, say please and thank you, is it too much to return the courtesy?

Women’s rights.  I was riding the bus back to my hostel in the evening and watched the bus loading.  There was about one woman for every 20 or 30 men.  In the restaurants there were no lone women or groups of women without at least one man present—usually the groups were 50/50 or majority men.  Where do all the women go at night?  Obviously the customs are different and I am not very familiar with the culture here that is heavily influenced by Islam and Buddhism.  I don’t feel unsafe as a woman, but I will say I am happy that I am going back to a place where it is not at all out of the ordinary for a woman to be out and about on her own, day or night.

One thing that seems ubiquitous is cheap tourist crap.  Every city has the same t-shirts, crappy clothing, key-chains, magnets, jewelry in some sort of kitchy stalls somewhere.  I heart (name your current city).

Well, hope you enjoyed those ramblings.  You can start looking forward to more when I come to a city near you!  Also, a big thank you to everyone who has made my journey safe and enjoyable thus far.

South Africa

Stop one on my trip home: South Africa.

I took the short flight from Tana to Johannesburg with my friend and fellow COS-ing PCV, Katherine.  The taxi breaking down multiple times on the way to the airport and the driver having to bribe some policemen somehow seemed appropriate.  And the rude check-in clerk at the airport plus the inexplicable baggage fees somehow managed to make leaving Madagascar a bit easier.  I really am going to miss the people (Malagasy, American, and otherwise), but that kind of annoying disfunctionality is not going to be something I miss.

I decided to spring for a safari while I was in South Africa.  As one of the other PCVs put it so well, it was time to go to Africa to see "all those animals I thought would be in Madagascar."  The safari was awesome.  I was pretty excited just to see the big comfy bed in my room and have a nice, hot shower, regardless of the animals.  But the safari didn't disappoint.  The only one of the "big 5" I didn't see was lions, but I saw a leopard, a rhino, a bunch of elephants (including babies!) and cape buffalo.  There were a ton of other animals too: various antelopes-kudu, impala, nyala, spring boc, water buck; hippos, crocodiles, birds: crested franklins, lilac breasted rollers (beautiful with 27 different colors to their plumage!), and more; giraffe, zebra, gnu (aka wildebeest), black-backed jackals, wild dogs (really lucky--only 400 left in the world!), hyena, leopard tortoise, baboons...  I also met some other travellers on the safari which was nice.  It was nice to relate to those who had been travelling and I also got a chance to practice how I'll respond to all the questions people will be asking once I get back to the U.S.  "So, did you get a chance to see the countryside?"  Um...

I also had one day to spend in Johannesburg, so I took a train in, saw the Apartheid Museum, and took an open bus tour.  Jo-burg has a lot of history I didn't know about, so it was interesting to learn some.  The Apartheid Museum was powerful and disturbing.

All in all, South Africa has been an excellent vacation but I think it's also been an excellent first-step towards my re-entry to American life.  Roads with painted lanes, stop lights, new cars, clean running water, diverse people... all things that have been amazing and awesome to experience again.

I'm in the Abu Dhabi airport making my way onward; next stop Singapore.  I'll catch up with all of you later.

Here's the photographic proof I was there.

This giraffe was having lunch right behind the lodge.

Blyde River Canyon.  Stunning.

Nyalas joining us for breakfast.

Rhino

Lilac Breasted Roller.
Made me wish I had a nicer camera to do its beauty justice.

Samitsara!

It's official, I'm an RPCV (returned PCV, though not quite returned to the USA just yet).  That's right, I survived two years in rural Madagascar.  I'm not really ready to sum it all up for you, not sure if I'll really ever be able to.  Over the past two years I feel like I've felt every possible emotion as strongly as it could be felt.  Overjoyed, terrified, annoyed, ecstatic, frustrated, apathetic, afraid, excited, disconnected, overstimulated...  At our close-of-service conference, PC handed back our "aspiration statements" that we wrote just before coming to Madagascar.  What I got out of my PC experience wasn't at all what I anticipated going in.  But even without a lot of time to reflect on the experience, I know that I have gotten so much out of my PC service.  So to all of you out there who have had some part in my service, whether you wrote, followed the blog, visited, worked with me, sent good vibes, or whatever, thanks so much for making it great!

Today I flew to South Africa to begin my journey home.  I'll be here looking for the mainland Africa stuff that Madagascar's missing (lions and tigers and bears, oh my!), then headed off to Singapore/Thailand area for around 3 weeks.  If you have any tips on places I should stop in Asia, please let me know!  I'll try to keep you all updated and hope to see some of you back in the USA.

So for now, Samitsara Madagasikara, andro hafa koa!