Singablog

Travels and Tribulations

2010-01-15T20:18:00.000-08:00

Last month was filled with fun and adventure. First, my parents showed up in the land of heat, MRTs, and hawker centres. It was lovely to be able to share this place with them, and to see them when home feels so far away. Most importantly, I felt truly vindicated when my father complained at length about the heat on days I considered to be, frankly, quite cool.

My parents with the Singapore Merlion:

The Merlion has the head of a lion and body of a fish. The fish body comes from Singapore's humble beginnings as a quiet fishing village (called "Temasek," meaning "sea town" in Javanese). The lion represents Singapore's original name - Singapura - which means "lion city."

My Merlion impersonation:

After my parents left Singapore to gallivant in Malaysia, my friend Lauren and I made our way to Cambodia. In a nutshell, I loved it. It is a beautiful country, full of lovely people, delicious food, and amazing sights. We spent 2 days in Phnom Penh, where we learned about the horrible atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, the communist dictatorship which ruled in Cambodia only 30 years ago. While the killing fields (an area where they used to kill prisoners) were heartbreaking, I gained a lot of knowledge about a horrible episode in history I knew virtually nothing about. What stayed with me more than this, though, was how incredibly kind people were to us all throughout the country. One of our tuk-tuk drivers (basically a rickshaw pulled by a motorbike, and the most popular tourist mode of transportation) actually took us to his house and introduced us to his entire extended family, as well as his chickens and pigs.

After Phnom Penh, we floated up the river on a boat to Siem Reap. From there, we spent 3 days exploring Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat is actually the name of one of many ancient temples which can be found in this area (ancient meaning, oh, about a thousand years old). It's incredible how much of the detailed carvings have survived. All the temples are a mixture of Buddhist and Hindu, as kings changed religions over the years, and as a consequence, chopped of heads of Buddhas, or removed various carvings or statues to replace with ones they worshipped. One particularly beautiful sight was the "jungle temple," which is being overgrown by enormous trees whose roots snake over the stones:

Some of my favourite Camdodian moments:
-Our guide on the first day at Angkor Wat was a 28 year old student called Sim. Sim was a sweetheart who told us that we were like the Apsaras carved in the stones. What is an Apsara, you ask? They were beautiful women who would dance for the king. Or, as Sim phrased it, they were like "celestial goddesses dancing on lotus leaves."
Sim also excitedly explained to us the Cambodian New Year's Eve tradition of playing games and having competitions. The best part? Sometimes, on this one special night, the men and the women get to hug. In fact, sometimes, they even kiss! But at no other time of year, of course, as he hurriedly reassured us. I almost wanted to offer him a hug on the spot... but then thought better of it.

-Our next stop was Thailand, and the best way to get there is to take a taxi to the border point, cross over, and get a bus to Bangkok. Well about halfway to the border, our taxi broke down. We pulled over into the Cambodian countryside, and within 3 minutes, two friends of our driver stopped to help us. They proceeded to pour all the water we had into the engine in an attempt to cool it down. When they ran of clean water, they started to use dirty muddy water from the side of the road. Meanwhile Lauren and I are standing around being useless, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, who should pull over but a baguette cart. Yes, a cart, full of baguettes, being pulled by a motorbike, in the middle of nowhere in Cambodia. (The availability of excellent bread in Cambodia is in my opinion one of the most positive remnants of being a former French colony). Definitely one of the more absurd moments of the trip. Oh, and they never got the car to start again - Lauren and I spent the rest of the way to the border squished in the backseat of another car with random Cambodian men, who mostly wanted to know whether or not we were married...

In Bangkok, I met up with my parents and my sister. While it was lovely to see them, I found Banbkok to be very overwhelming and congested. Thailand on the whole is much more touristy than Cambodia, and people try to scam you everywhere you go. Still, we saw some beautiful sights, like the royal palace, and Jim Thompson's house. He has an american architect, who, after coming to Asia for the war, fell in love with Thailand and moved there. His house is incredible, and contains an amazing collection of South East Asian art. He is also credited with revitalizing the Thai silk industry by marketing it in America. The most interesting Jim Thompson fact? He disappeared in Malaysia while on vacation visiting the Cameron Highlands. He went for a walk one day in the jungle, and was never heard from again...

After saying goodbye to my parents, Jacqueline and her boyfriend Dave and I headed down to Koh Lanta, an island off the south of Thailand, to meet with my friends Lauren and Nick. What did we do on the beautiful beach? Nothing but sleep, eat, snorkle, and build sandcastles. An amazing, relaxing end to a wonderful trip!

A Happy Journey Starts Like That

2010-01-08T22:41:00.000-08:00

"Just got on? Move to the back!"

This video is played all the time on the MRT (subway) to encourage good passenger behaviour. A little slice of my daily life, both highly hilarious and highly annoying:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhR-a6Ou0So

I am looking for volunteers to do a cover version of this song on a Toronto/Montreal train, film it, and send it to me. Any takers?

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T02:44:00.000-08:00

To all of my friends and family, with much love, a happy 2010.

As I prepare to take the first real steps in my career as a teacher, and teach an entire school year from start to finish all on my own, this new year feels indeed like a turning point (and a scary one at that). I've moved across the world, where I am challenged every day to question my beliefs, my systems, and my self-concept as a culturally open-minded person. Yet despite daily struggles, I nevertheless find myself surrounded by wonderful, supportive, and caring friends.

2009 was a year of learning, a year of challenges, and a year of friends. All I can hope for 2010 is the same.

Singavacation

2009-12-05T18:55:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the grand departure: Cambodia and Thailand for 3 weeks! I will try to update along the way, but if I don't, then I definitely will on my return!
Have a lovely December!

My Week So Far

2009-11-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's Short Story: What's In a Name?

The kids in my form class (ie homeroom) came to tell me they are making a class t-shirt, and they wanted to include me (which was really sweet and thoughtful!). They want to know what name to write on the shirt:
Me: "Miss Greenblatt is fine."
Students: "Miss Green?"
Me: "Miss Greenblatt."
Students: "Miss Green?"
Me: "Miss Greenblatt. That would be great."

A couple hours later, the class's other form teacher (ie the one that has actually been with them since the beginning of the year), came up to me and asked:
"The kids aren't sure what to put on the shirt. What would you like it to say?"
Me: "Miss Greenblatt would be fine."
Teacher: "Miss Green?"
Me: "Miss Greenblatt?"
Teacher: "Miss Green?"
Me: "Miss Greenblatt."
Teacher: "You want the whole thing?"
Me: "Yes. My name is Miss Greenblatt."
Teacher: "..."
Me: "Would you like me to write it down?"

(to be continued when I get the shirt!)

Today's short story: My Most Pleasurable Part

One of the boys in my class kicked another boy in the groin today. After I dealt with the situation, I asked the students to continue their group work. As I circulated, I heard the group with the injured boy discussing the incident rather than the project.
Me: "So, how's this project coming guys?"
Student: "Miss, he kicked me in my most important part!"
Me: "Your brain is your most important part."
Student: "OK. He kicked me in my most pleasurable part!"
Awkward silence. Internal hysterical laughter.
Me: "... So about this project?"

Winglish (for the audio/visual learners)

2009-11-10T07:37:00.000-08:00

So strange to hear an "ang moh" speak Singlish, but amazing the way he can just switch in and out! A perfect example of what everyone around me sounds like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYsz85Z9Ho4

Singlish

2009-10-25T08:58:00.001-07:00

By nature a multicultural country, Singapore struggles to identify and promote a united national identity. This why every school day starts with the singing of the national anthem, the raising of the flag, and the recitation of the pledge:

We, the citizens of Singapore
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society,
based on justice and equality,
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity
and progress for our nation.

The government wants its people to feel connected and invested in the success of their country. So it would seem likely, then, that a creole unique to Singapore would be a source of pride and celebration. Yet Singlish, a combination of English with Hokkien, Malay, and Tamil words, and spoken by most Singaporeans on a day-to-day basis, is surprisingly controversial.

Common Singlish-isms include adding "lah" onto the end of every sentence, saying "can" for yes, and exclaiming "aiyah!" whenever shocked or slightly concerned (as in "oh dear!"). For example:

Me: "The humanities photocopier is broken again."
Singaporean teacher: "Aiyah!"
Me: "Can I use the photocopier in the math department?"
Singaporean teacher: "Can, lah."

So what's the controversy? Singaporeans worry foreigners can't understand them. The fear is that when they find themselves in professional and/or international situations, young Singaporeans will not know how to adjust their language to their context, and will therefore fail in the workforce (keeping in mind that Singapore is entirely dependent on international business and trade). The most recent incarnation of this concern came in the form of Ris Low - winner of the 2009 Miss Singapore World contest. When she won the competition a few weeks ago, the Singaporean media was flooded with articles, debates, and letters expressing their concern that she would be representing Singapore internationally. Why? Because she speaks in Singlish (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F74FZfdSJY - I actually find that though her accent is strong, she's not using that many Singlish terms, and I don't have a problem understanding her... have I been here too long?). Though some were proud of her unique Singaporean speech, many were outraged, and the question of Singlish was brought to everyone's attention yet again.

This is why, at least in part, I am here - to help my students learn an internationally acceptable English (well, in theory...). As an English teacher, part of me believes in learning how to express yourself clearly, both in writing and orally, and I hope to help my students develop these skills. Simultaneously, I believe that language is powerfully connected to identity, and the colonial overtones of telling students to stop speaking their local dialect makes me, to say the least, uncomfortable... So where do I lie on the Singlish debate? As of now: undecided, lah.

Some other Singlish terms I have learned:

Auntie: name given to all older women
Ang Moh: used to refer to Caucasians (I have heard varying opinions as to whether its meant to be derogatory... I think it depends on context)
Kaki: assistant
Kiasu: afraid to lose (as in students who are worried about failing, or people who line up really early for a sale at a store)
Play Play: please
Wah Lau: what the hell
Wayang: when someone talks and talks and doesn't stop

10 Things I Hate About Singapore/Asia

2009-10-10T01:24:00.000-07:00

1) Packaging: Every product imaginable (though especially food) is wrapped in multiple layers of extra-strength plastic. Try struggling for minutes on end to open... well, anything. Wasteful AND annoying.

2) Crowds/Slow-Movers: There are people everywhere, and they are always walking painfully slowly. To make matters worse, no one gets out of the way. EVER. On the sidewalk, on the escalator, getting off the escalator, on the MRT, in the grocery store, everywhere. Being polite is the worst strategy - you find yourself waiting several minutes to cross to that other grocery aisle, because you were nice to that one little old lady... Big mistake. 20 other slow walkers will follow in her path.

3) Expensive Alcohol: I'm not a big drinker, but at the end of a long week, it's nice to go for a pint... That is, until you realise it cost you 15$.

4) Heat/Sweating: Requires no explanation.

5) Bad Coffee: I have yet to find a good cup of coffee. It is very popular here to drink instant tea/coffee, which I find awful but have resorted to in times of need (ie every morning when I have to get to school at 7am). (I was never a big coffee drinker, until I spent the summer making it as a job - if you are in Toronto, go to Madeleine's at Bathurst and Dupont - amazing coffee and delicious pie. Just be warned that your caffeine stardards will be raised to an unfortunate and unrealistic standard).

6) Durian: This tropical fruit is popular here, and can be found in many grocery/fruit stores. There is also durian ice cream, durian desserts.... the works. The only problem - it stinks. I mean, literally, really, stinks. In fact, it's banned from public transportation (see image above). Personally, I am a strong advocate for banning it on the whole.

7) Gender Roles: The traditional understanding of gender roles and the family unit is still going strong here, and as an outsider I often find it incredibly frustrating to see the ways in which boys and girls are talked to about their bodies, their choices, and their futures (1 example: all boys do 2 years of national service at the age of 18. There are no requirements for women).

8) Products made for me/my body: I cannot for the life of me find shampoo for "fine" hair. Also, clothing in general is made for Asian women's bodies. I realise this is a major generalisation, but on average most women here are tiny, both in height and in weight. I am not used to being told that most stores don't carry "my kind of sizes." Does not tend to be a major self esteem booster.

9) Being stared at/Not being able to blend in: I realise nothing can be done about this, but sometimes, I wish I looked like everybody else just for a day. Some people go out of their way not to sit next to me on the MRT (subway). Once, I made some small children cry when I tried to wave and smile at them. Another time, I walked around with a huge black mark on my forehead. I am so used to being looked at that I didn't even realise it til I caught my reflection in a window a couple hours later... Smooth.

10) Bureaucracy/Never ending rules and regulations: There is literally nothing that can be done on this island without a photocopy of your passport and your Foreign Identification Number/Work Pass. This week, my boss wanted to take for a birthday lunch. However, she had to ask permission for us to leave school a 1/2 hour early (after classes ended, but before teachers are supposed to leave). She was denied. Yes, she is a head of department.

Disclaimer:
1) Don't worry, I don't hate it here, I'm having fun, and I'm glad to be here! But when you're immersed into a new culture, there are bound to be things that are hard to process and accept. I thought I would share some struggles as well as some successes.
2) I thought about whether some of my above comments might be interpreted as racist and/or culturally insensitive. It is quite possible that at least some of them are. I constantly try to be aware of my biases, and I know I can't walk around putting my own values on everything I see and do. Still, it is inevitable that I process my experiences through my own particular lens. This balance is a constant struggle for me, and I hope that what I wrote above will be understood as it was intended - a somewhat humorous list of things I am struggling with. All I can do is try my best to accept what I see, and hope that someday I will also be able to understand it as well. Reflection over.

Earthquake Tremors

2009-09-30T06:13:00.000-07:00

Chatting in the living room this evening with my roommate Katie, we were interrupted by a slight shaking of the furniture. Nick came out of his room, and the three of us looked around in confusion. We looked outside, only to see all of the neighbours doing the same - that's when we decided to get out of our 12th floor apartment (Yes, we took the elevator down. Then realised that was probably not very wise). By the time we got outside, it had stopped. Yet, when we texted/called our friends, they all thought we were crazy....
It turns out that what we felt were tremors from the major earthquake that hit Indonesia. Oddly, the tremors were only felt in certain parts of Singapore, which explains the discrepancy between us and our friends.
Anyway, to those who emailed, thanks, and not to worry - I am fine! Just a little apartment shake to add excitement to your day!

Home (is where the heart is... and also the pool)

2009-09-27T05:14:00.001-07:00

Late afternoon yesterday, my friends and I lounged by the pool at my apartment building, reading our books, napping, and generally living the life of leisure. As I lay there, looking up at the palm trees and blue skies, I realized for a moment just how lucky I am to be here, to have met such lovely people, and to have found such a nice home.
(picture to the left: my building/pool)

Lounging (me, Nick, Lauren, Katie)

These lanterns are up by the pool because it's the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, which is a Chinese holiday. People often eat mooncakes on this occasion, which are a very sweet dessert.

Quick Hit

2009-09-15T06:04:00.001-07:00

Oddest moment of the day: Standing on the second floor balcony, being applauded by a thousand students sitting in the courtyard in neat rows and perfect uniforms, welcoming me to the school. Felt a little like being a rock start, a little like being a dictator.

Cutest moment of the day: "Ooooh Miss you are from Canada? Nagria Falls, yes?"

Most surreal moment of the day: Inspection of the students' haircuts at morning assembly to ensure they comply to regulations (ie all pinned up for girls, and not too long for boys - including specific hair to ear ratios...)

Sweatiest moment of the day: All of it.

Come on Teacher, Teach Me Something

2009-09-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day of school. In a throwback to my elementary school days, I picked out my outfit the night before, and lay in bed wondering nervously if the other kids would like me... As usual my stress levels were disproportionally high.

Education is a huge priority in Singapore, and it's clear that the goverment invests a ton of money and resources into its schools - most schools are in relatively new buildings (built in the last 10 years), and have great technology in the classrooms (including a laptop provided for every teacher). As I was repeatedly told during my orientation days, Singapore has no natural resources - it's only resources are its people, and therefore their education is naturally considered fairly important. Unfortunately, it turns out that these resources do not extend so far as providing air conditioning in the classrooms. Remember how hot I said it was? Well picture that kind of humid, heavy heat, broiled in a classroom with 45 teenagers, topped with 6 or 7 loud ceiling fans to ensure minimal ability to hear one another (45 students is, by the way, the standard class size here... heavens).

Last week, I was invited to attend Teacher's Day at my school before officially starting work. A national holiday, it involves discounts in stores, a day off from school, and a celebratory dinner or lunch. I attended my school's lunch at a beautiful venue, was served delicious food, showered with gifts, and told what an inspiration I was to the next generation. Entertainement provided at this event for teachers was, I kid you not, a snake charmer. On this very special day, students from previous years come back to say hello to old teachers, and bring gifts and cards. It was truly lovely. At some point, I was asked when teacher's day is in Canada... I laughed.

Despite all my nerves, my first day went really well. My biggest problem turned out to be my name, which it seems no one can pronounce. "Miriam" was everything but, including variations on Marianne, Mariam, Maria, Marin, Mira.... "Miss Greenblatt," though, was a whole other ballpark. Not even the teachers could say it, despite my spelling it out. I was introduced in class after class with names I did not recognize as my own. The students respond as they are taught by standing up to welcome me, bowing down, and chanting in chorus:
"Good Moooorning Miss Greeeenbrrrrraaahhhhllll".
Apparently it is recommended I consider shortening my name to "Miss Green." Does anyone but me mind that this is not my actual name?

Still, the highlight of my day was without question the moment when a teacher, upon finding out I am Canadian, gushed to me about his love of Celine Dion, and proceeded to tell me all about how he and his mother attended her recent concert, and how both of them cried because her songs are so emotional. Obviously I gave him my phone number.

Off to bed, since I have to be up so early - I report to school at 7:15 am sharp for the singing of the anthem and raising of the flag. Coming soon - pictures of my new home!

Mortal Fear Faced

2009-09-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

Came home tonight to find a cockroach scurrying across the floor when I turned on the lights. Not just a cockroach. A giant, supersized, extra strength, totally freaky one with disproportionately enormous antennae. Now some of you may not know this, but I have a deep-seated, long held fear of these horrible creatures. Needless to say, a lot of screaming and running and jumping onto furniture ensued... Luckily brave Nick came home minutes later and killed it. Have covered all drains with random heavy objects, and put a towel up against the bottom of my door. Will try not to have nightmares tonight.

On the agenda for tomorrow: buy poison, traps, drain covers, and containers for all cereal and food.
Am seriously doubting my decision to move here.

First Impressions

2009-09-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Where to begin in my description of Singapore? It's been really difficult to formulate a coherent impression of this city/state, as I've run around trying to find a place to live, and furniture to live on throughout this first week. Though a tiny country (the island of Singapore is about a fifth the size of the island of Montreal, with about a million more squeezed into S'pore than Mtl), each neighbourhood is very different. Singapore is incredibly multicultural, filled largely with people from Malaysia, China, and India, but also from every other country in South East Asia, as well as a sizable international ex-pat community. Cultural tolerance is a huge value here, and Buddhist temples sit comfortably next to Muslim mosques.

One of the great benefits of this diversity is the incredible variety of food that is available around every corner. Singapore is definitely a foodie's paradise, and food is a national obsession. Hawker Centres are a staple - like a food court, they consist of about 6 to 12 food stalls surrounding clusters of tables. Each hawker centre has stalls with every kind of food imaginable (Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian...), and as a new-comer the choices are a bit overwhelming. However, I am starting to decipher the types and styles, and I can certainly appreciate the price - hawker centre food tends to cost between 3 and 5 Singaporean dollars (Sing Dollars, as they call them) for a generous portion. I have not yet worked up the courage to try Fish Head Curry, a local favourite, but I'm determined to at some point - I think the key is not to look directly into the fish's eyeball...

Along with the variety of food comes eclectic architecture. Remnants of colonial buildings sprinkle the island, while in the city centre bizarre modern buildings spring up all around. Throw a variety of Asian influences into the mix, and you've got quite the mixed landscape. Unfortunately, finding a place to live has been a stressful and time consuming occupation, so I haven't seen a single tourist-y attraction, but there's plenty of time for that. Still, it's hard not to be impressed by this country. The city is incredibly clean, safe, very beautiful, and very intelligently planned. There are gorgeous green spaces all around, palm trees line the streets, and the subway system (called the MRT) is spotless and uber-efficient. When I say spotless I'm not exaggerating - all completely modern, not a speck of dust to be seen, energy-efficient escalators that speed up when you step on them, never more than a 5 minute wait for the train... I think the Montreal/Toronto subways will seem simply inadequate in comparison upon my I return!

On some levels, Singapore seems a bit paradisaical. The country is beautiful, clean, tropical (I will get to weather in a second), has an excellent education system (which I will discuss another time - this post is getting long!), a world-class health care system, and is incredibly efficient. To illustrate - the day we moved into the apartment (by "we" I mean my new roommates and I: Katie from Chicago and Nick from the UK - both teachers as well, they are just lovely), my housing agent had a guy in to service the air conditioning, found us beds and had them delivered, and called an internet provider who came within the hour and set up our connection in 5 minutes, all within the space of a few hours - all things that would take a couple days each to deal with at home. Yet all of these wonders come at the cost of social control - the government here is a democracy in theory, and a dictatorship in essence. They control all the media, and keep a tight grip on the population - for instance, 85% of Singaporeans live in government housing, called HDB flats (Housing Development Board). On the one hand, this means that housing is affordable for almost all citizens (basically, there is a large middle class, and small upper/lower classes). Simultaneously, this gives the government incredible control - for example, you can only buy an apartment (rather than rent) if you are married (and fyi homosexuality is illegal here - although there is a bit of a "don't ask, don't tell" attitude). Even renting includes an application process, which allows the government all access to you and your cohabitants information. Still, the people here can't complain, because their standard of living is so much higher than those in most surrounding countries.

There are also 2 Singapores - the one of the Singaporeans, and the one lived in by the ex-pat community. The ex-pats largely live in privately owned condo buildings, and often live near/in the city centre, never venturing into the rest of the country, known as "the heartlands." They even seem to function in a different economy, spending entirely different (aka higher) amounts on food and amenities. Still, I'm lucky - I get to live in the heartlands, work with and teach Singaporeans, but escape into the Western ex-pat community when I want to. There are places on the island when you would swear you were at home - I think this is in part why Singapore is sometimes called "Asia light."

Consumerism also permeates, and I have never seen so many malls in my life. Orchard Road is a famous shopping mecca, though I found it incredibly overwhelming - mall after mall after store after store, and throngs of people... I couldn't deal with it. Another large adjustment has been the weather - I have heard Singapore described as a "wet oven," and I will vouch for the accuracy of the image. Basically, it's hot. Really, really hot. I literally have never sweated this much in my life. What's worse, the locals tell me the last week has been quite cool by Singaporean standards (I was sure they were kidding. They weren't). Though I am already a bit more used to it than the first days, I can already tell I'm going to miss waking up to a crisp fall morning... I've given up on looking like anything but a sweaty frizz-ball.

I've been here over a week now, but already it feels like ages. I will write again soon about my school and the people I've met, and I'll post picture of my apartment (though I mentioned the stress of finding a place, by the way, I'm glad to say I've found a great place, in an awesome location, with wonderful roommates - so no need to worry!). I miss you all already and I can't wait to hear back from you - Please write soon with news!

love love love,

Miriam xoxox

Blogging

2009-09-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

Dear family and friends,

As most of you know, I have just moved to Singapore to teach on a 15 month contract (ending in December 2010). I've decided a blog is the best way to offer a window into my life, so here goes... Hope you enjoy it and please leave comments/write to me to share your life as well!

Amour et bisous,

Miriam xoxo