My First Week!

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Hey everyone!

So I've finished my first week here in Singapore (actually a little over now)! To tell the truth it has flown by and work has been pretty busy as I try to find my feet in the company and get settled properly into my duties. Work has been great so far and the people are really nice, so it has been good fun.

Singapore is somewhat how I expected it to be in the sense that the way things are run here just seem to be so smooth, easy and convenient. It is incredibly westernised here and there are still many traces of British colonialism ranging from their government, which is identical to ours, to the schooling system which also uses GCSEs and A-Levels.

There's this sense of comfort and co-operation about the place and while there are some strict laws for various things, and other "guidelines" such as little spaces on the train platforms where you're supposed to stand (shown in the picture), you get the impression everyone's happy to play by the rules because they know it makes a more comfortable lifestyle. I was half thinking that it would be like China where the police presence is really heavy and people are waiting for you to do something wrong but in a week I've seen like four clothed police officers. The others apparently are all wearing civilian clothing and National Service here can also constitute police service, so apparently a lot of the police are really young, too.

So anyway, I wake up around 7:30ish (yeah I know, big shock!!) in the week and we catch the bus which is right outside our apartment block to work. The bus only takes around 10-15 minutes so it's ideal! A little walk on the other side when we get off but you can't complain.

The weather here is amazing - if not a little on the hot side - but actually seeing the sun is change enough from the UK! Actually yesterday was the only day it has rained since I've been here and it was one hell of a downpour around 11am and lasted half an hour or something with loads of thunder. I think if you get caught in one of those you're unlucky!

During the week after work I pretty much just came online to chat to friends and check e-mails, was too tired to do much else and have been going to bed around 10:30ish. That said, we went to the cinema on Wednesday night to see the last Harry Potter film which actually started at 10 but thought it was worth going to see it anyway or I never would. The film was pretty awful, to tell the truth...the acting is just so terrible!!

The apartment is fine as well, and I've now finally managed to set up my PC as I bought a new 23" Samsung monitor last night in Sim Lim Square which is one of the biggest electronics malls in Singapore! We're on the 15th floor but the plus side to that is that I can see literally the whole of down-town singapore, skyscrapers and all, from my window :D

Anyway, I've just got back from having some lunch down at the hawkers where the food is so nice and so cheap, too. You can also get a 633ml bottle of Tiger for $5.20 there which is about £2.50!!! Amazing :D

W're going out for dinner tonight somewhere down-town I think with a friend of Ray's and his wife and will experience a bit of the night life so really looking forward to that. Last week we went to Orchard which is like the big shopping district with loads of massive modern malls - Ashleigh would be in heaven!

Will continue to update here as and when anything exciting happens! I'm planning at some point next week or weekend to check out the beach areas as well as the business district to see the F1 racetrack. There are actually thousands of cool things to do here, so looking forward to each and every one.

All the best to everyone and I hope you are all well!

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Photos

Food Hawkers
Cheap and really, really nice food of all sorts!

MRT Station
The London underground would be a better place with these!!

Comments

[Ash]

Sounds like you're having a great time!! x