Time 4 Take Off!

DBL 0hhhh

So the Heraclitus’ quote below really does sum up my September here in Singapore, and this famous line was brought up at the most unlikely of places.  While sitting around a half-empty O-bar (oh to save money in Singapore by going out EARLY) one Friday night, my roommate Joe was talking philosophy over our pitchers of house pours.  The quote really did strike a cord with me because here I was, two years later, back in the city that I fell in love with, but it was not the same.  I had changed, Singapore had changed, I was here with different people, for a different reason; it was a whole different experience.  I know you don’t have to travel 10,000 miles to realize this, but it really did click that night at Dbl 0.  Appropriate, huh?      

I feel like my first month in Asia this time around was just a continuation of my days of being an exchange student.  I was full of excitement and exhaustion, trying to see and do as much as possible, eager to meet everyone and travel!  I think my longest stay in Singapore back in 2007 was something like 23 consecutive days.  Now I was here as a working professional, with a hell of a lot more responsibility that I had as an exchange student (actually any responsibility would be more than I had in 2007), but I was enjoying it nonetheless! Cheers to that!

75 days and counting...

Wow! So I had a feeling I was going to be bad at blogging, but I didn’t think I would go 75 days without making an entry!  Crazy!  It’s also crazy that I’ve been in Asia 75 days!  It has seriously gone by so fast, and now that I am getting settled in at the job, I’m sure it will go by even faster as I try to balance all my work duties with all the fun and exciting opportunities Southeast Asia has to offer.  A lot has happened in these two, almost three, months, and it would be impossible for me to go over everything, but I might as well try.  It will make the work day go by a little faster after all. 

First of all, let me say, my life was crazy hectic during my last few days in the States.  Before even leaving the US, I had three flight itineraries in my inbox, and an apartment to move out of before the end of the month.  It was such an exciting time.  Rather than “boxing” all my things up, I was putting my clothes in suitcases, three in total; only possible because there’s only one season here at the equator. 

In true Singapore-fashion, I had an orderly system while packing.  I had one suitcase for Las Vegas, another for Taiwan, and one for business and cool, but not-cool-enough-to-wear-in-Vegas-or-Taipei clothes.  All would eventually end up in Singapore, but I had to be methodical while packing so I didn’t end up in Vegas with all my suits and dress socks.

Upon my first arrival in Singapore, on August 8, I quickly caught up with an old friend, Miss Bi Quan.  It was so surreal being back, having her pick me up at the airport, pick on me for my loss of hair, gawk over Erik visiting in the next couple of days (I’m still sad I missed that kid).  Before I knew it the two of us were having lunch at NUS, shopping at Vivo City and watching movies just like old times.  I’m sorry but G.I. Joe has to be one of the worst movies of all times.  I celebrated National Day with her family, and apparently the Singaporean-way, by eating Pizza Hut and watching it on TV, directly followed by Singapore Idol.  Wait?  Am I even living abroad?  Oh to be in Singapore.

I spent my first couple of nights here crashing with some of last year’s PiAers at Ngee Ann Poly.  Since I arrived around National Day, the guys had Monday off, which was perfect because I was able to have lunch with them and ask all kinds of questions about the program.  I’m not going to lie, I was glad to be back in Singapore, but I was still freaking out about just how long I was going to be away!  Hearing that many of them were renewing or considering renewing their contracts to stay in Singapore longer made me feel so much better.  Clearly they were enjoying it.  Maybe 16 months wasn’t an eternity.  I can do this! 

On August 12 I made the all too familiar journey to Changi Airport, this time to visit Chuo in Taiwan!  I had stood him up on his past two trips back to his motherland, so I was finally taking him up on his offer, and making the journey to Taipei to hang out for ten days before starting work.  I quickly learned however, from my taxi driver, that I had picked the worst time to visit Taiwan.  When I told her I was going to Taipei for the week her response was, “Why? In August? It’s going to be so hot!”  This was very encouraging as I was still struggling to readjust back to the heat and humidity that is Singapore!  The typhoon had also just hit the southern part of Taiwan, which made friends and family back home all the more concerned about my quick trip to the ROC.  

For an interesting story that would only happen (or be significant) in the life of Jacob, when I got to the airport there was a huge sign that said meet Lady GaGa at Terminal 2 at 1:00pm.  She was in town that night for a concert, which I was well aware of, and had considered changing my flight to make but ultimately decided not to, so I got really excited about the possibility of meeting her (duh).  Reality quickly set in as I realized my flight was at 12:50 and I was flying out of Terminal 1 – just my luck!  I had over an hour to spare though so I got the great idea to at least go by Terminal 2 and see if she was there early, like that ever happens.  Turns out it took a lot longer than I remembered to trek between terminals so I ended up getting there with just enough time to turn around and make it back to my gate!  Oh what some do for their pop stars.  Erik arrived that day as well and I remember telling my good friend Angela “Can you believe I missed Erik and Lady Gaga today!”  She quickly responded, “I can’t believe you just put them both in the same sentence.” 

So Taiwan was really great, but definitely one of the most foreign places I think I’ve traveled to.  Coming from Singapore especially, there was not a lot of English written on signs, menus, etc.  It was a little intimidating at first, but I think a lot of that had to do with not having traveled in a while.  I had not been abroad since 2007, so I was a little rusty, and coming from Singapore, with my Pizza Hut and Singapore Idol, it was definitely more of a culture shock.  Taipei is known for shopping and eating, so I naturally fit right in.  The night markets were great and the street food was amazing.  Chuo had me try all kinds of food, and I’m sure at one point (make that several points) I had multiple fried things in each hand, walking up and down the massive rows of street vendors.

Taiwan had a lot of firsts.  I had my palm read for the first time; turns out I need to wear red or pink underwear to improve my love life.  I bought a pair of red boxers the next day.  I’ll have to tell you in person if it’s had any effect.  I went surfing for the first time on the east coast of Taipei, and had an absolute blast!  One of the girls that was with us’ Chinese surf instructor just happened to be in the water as I was trying to learn how to surf, so she would translate as he coached me on what I needed to do.  I was able to stand up quite a few times, which was encouraging, but I was exhausted at the end of the day.  I was actually so tired that early the next morning I “experienced” my first earthquake.  Turns out I slept through it, and it was pretty significant, and quite the topic of conversation the next day in Taipei city. 

After ten wonderful days in Taiwan, I was ready to go back to Singapore.  I had been living out of suitcases for going on four weeks, and as I ran to catch my bus to airport, with Taipei 101 high in the background, I seriously felt like I was on The Amazing Race.  Granted all these travels would take place on like one episode on that series, I was ready to settle down.  I guess four-weeks on the go was my limit, at least for a kid that had been out of the traveling scene for a while.

I arrived back in Singapore around midnight on August 21, and my mentor, Mr. Loke, and his wife and son picked me up at the airport.  I was so glad to be back, with no immediate travel plans in my future.  We swung by Ngee Ann Poly to pick up the rest of my luggage, and brought it to my actual apartment at Ang Mo Kio.  I remember it rained really hard that night, which was so calming, and although I was exhausted, I stayed up nearly all night unpacking every last suitcase, finding a place for every last one of my belongings.  I decorated my room with the going away gifts people had given me; I had the perfect little nook above my bookcase to put my 3D puzzle of the Chrysler building from Natalie and the NYC skyline wall decal from B.  It was so important to me to set up my room, and finally put the suitcases up, at least for the time being.  After everything was in its place, I finally went to sleep.  I was home!

and that's why I did it...

How appropriate to write my first blog while still on the plane, 25 hours into my journey to Singapore, and still 3,204 miles away from my destination.  I’ve had plenty of time to think today, and I’ve experienced every type of emotion that is humanly possible.  During the first flight I was pumped, all excited and ready to go.  I sat beside a lady that was traveling to Hong Kong after Chicago, and we shared stories about our travels, and I even gave her tips and ideas for her weekend trip to HK.  I couldn’t believe how much I remembered about the city based on the time I spent there two years ago.  I thought it was funny that she was putting little side notes in her travel guide, based on what I was saying about what I enjoyed there.  She was great, and thought what I was doing was wonderful, and would change my life and open up all kinds of opportunities.  She was exactly what I needed, and it really got me excited for future travels that I knew I would eventually be embarking on.

The Chicago-Tokyo flight had a much different tone.  I knew this was it.  When I got on that plane I was no longer going to be in the United States.  There goes my ability to call or text friends and family on a whim.  It was a big deal to turn off my phone for the last time.  I’ve never waited so long when the flight attendants tell you to turn all electronics off.  All I could think is “what the Hell are you doing, Jacob?”  I was already exhausted when I got on the plane, and I was not looking forward to the 12 hours of flying.  My headache mid-flight and awkward angle to the community television did not make things much better.  I had so much going through my mind that for the majority of the flight I just sat there.  I was too overwhelmed to enjoy “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” or whatever was on the television, so I just sat there, waiting for the movie to end so they would show the world map and remind me how much longer we had till Tokyo.

Some how I bore through it, and when we landed in Tokyo I was in a great mood again.  I felt like myself.  Much of this can be attributed to the fact that I was finally off the plane, the longest flight was over, and a flight attendant had given me some Tylenol, and it had started to kick in.  Oh yeah, and I knew Tokyo’s airport had a computer lab so I could finally reconnect to friends and family back home.

But it was on this last leg, the final flight to Singapore, that it all made sense.  Shortly after take-off, the plane made a turn towards Singapore and my side of the plane got a gorgeous view of Mt. Fuji at sunset, rising above the ocean filled with tiny little islands.  Seeing that made it all make sense.  That’s why I did it.  You only live once, and there is so much to see and do in this world.  I know I am extremely blessed to have this opportunity, but I am equally as driven to go out and make the most of it.  I know this is where I am supposed to be, and I am so excited for what is to come this next year or so.   I still don’t think it has hit me yet just how long I am going to be here, but I think moments like today will keep reminding how important it is for me to stick it out and take it all in.