Our first weekend in Melbourne we caught up with some longtime friends Ashley and Kelly. They were kind enough to host us at their house for an impromptu costume dinner party. Suhas was also in Melbourne for work so was able to join in the fun.
These guys all met through paragliding in Seattle many years ago
After taking the (brutal) red eye flight from Singapore to Melbourne, Kingsley and I needed a good hot springs soak to shake off our sleep deprivation and acclimated ourselves to the chilly winter temps. I booked us in for a couples massage at the famous Peninsula Hot Springs which included access to the varied in temperature hot spring pools along the side of the mountain. The drive from the airport to the hot springs was a long 90 minutes and pretty tiring after very little sleep but it was absolutely worth it as the hot springs and spa are amazing.
The springs was far bigger than I imagined, with many pools set up along the side of a mountain. At the bases, there was large pools with varying water temperatures, and some cold pools to plunge into. Kingsley mentioned it was invigorating to plunge from the hot water to the cold, but I was too chicken to try it! After a good long soak we headed to the Spa Dreaming Center where Kingsley and I did the couples Australian Aboriginal-inspired kodo full body massage which hit the spot after the long flight.
Celebrating fifty years of nationhood for a country that was never meant to be. In half a century, it went from being a backward, sleepy fishing town to one of the world’s richest economies.
Since moving here almost six years ago, there has never been a time where I didn't feel blessed to be living here. Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew was quoted as saying in the book Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going:
“My definition of a Singaporean, which will make us different from any others, is that we accept that whoever joins us is a part of us. And that’s an American concept. You can keep your name, Brzezinski, Berlusconi, whatever it is, you have come, join me, you are American. We need talent. We accept them. That must be our defining attribute.”
I can never be thankful enough for a place and people who took Kingsley and I in, and where we have never felt discriminated against based on our skin colour or nationality. Singapore has become our second home and we feel like we are part of the society rather than just visiting strangers.
I believe this was no coincidence. The tolerance and acceptance which Mr. Lee promoted and built this country upon is what made it possible.
For these reasons and many more, I feel very honored to have the chance to experience and live in Mr Lee’s modern Singapore. Majulah Singapura!
View from out the study window of the jets flying by.
Sometime girls just wanna have fun! Harmless, fuss-free, no-boys allowed nights where us girls come together to catch up over some bubbles on the house. Whoever said 'nothing in life is free' clearly wasn't a female in Singapore on a Wednesday evening.
Recently I was introduced to a lovely group of ladies who are experts at knowing the coolest happening ladies night spots in the city. They have warmly accepted me into their tight knit group and we have gone out a few times in the last few months, dancing till the wee hours in the morning.
If for some reason you can’t make it on a Wednesday night, head over on Thursday to Kyō. After 10pm, ladies can expect to be greeted with complimentary vodka cranberries.
Keck Seng Tower, 133 Cecil Street, #B1-02
1Altitude
With an amazing view of Singapore on the 63rd floor, the first 50 ladies here not only get free entry but also a free drink. Otherwise, selected cocktails are $10 all night long. We also recently went for a special ladies night event which dangerously offered free flow champagne all evening.
One Raffles Place, Level 63
The highlights of our trips back to Seattle are always spending time with family and friends. One special evening was the Singapore gang in Seattle dinner. Two more sets of friends from Singapore have moved to Seattle in the last few months. The fact that people from Singapore would end up Seattle of all places makes the world feel not quite as big to me. It was special to catch up with them and see our hometown through their eyes. They are LOVING it in Seattle so far.
Another special night out was with a group of ladies from Calidora. Some have moved on to other jobs over the years but our friendships have continued to grow.
In our June visit to Seattle as usual we had a very full schedule. But one of my top goals for the trip was to make sure we had a baby shower for our friends John and Christine. We have a very special group of friends in Seattle who have been playing poker together with us for the last 9 plus years.
The poker rules are simple, $20 buy-in and whoever is the big winner for the evening is required to host the next game. Combining a co-ed baby shower into the poker evening turned out to be a super fun evening.
Bonnie and Brett were likely our very first friendship made in Singapore and they certainly have become some of our closest friends here. Needless to say, I was pretty devastated when I heard that they were planning to move back to the US. I know Singapore is a transient place and I knew that eventually something like this might happen, but knowing this was bound to happen didn't make going through it any easier. Bonnie and I initially met at a ladies morning coffee group and just kind of clicked right away. Part of expat life means that when you meet the right person, you cling together for support. Expat friendships can therefore be especially intense, making it even harder when one of you...BONNIE... decides to move on.
Before the big move, Bonnie and I had a girls day at a spa on Batam Island in Indonesia. It is a 30 min ferry ride from Singapore and the Spa which is called Tempt Senang is fabulous. We had massages, hair conditioning treatments and pedicures. I would highly recommend this place for a relaxing day or overnight getaway.
For our very last evening together we had a picnic at Marina Barrage to enjoy a meal and the city view together one last time. It was a tough evening for me, as I realized that as wonderful as it can be at times, an expat life guarantees a never ending stream of heavy-hearted farewells. And the sad truth is that goodbyes never get easier, no matter how many times you rehearse them.
