The Jennifer Blogs

Momma? I'm comin' home! Bittersweet words right now, really.

It was in September, 2007 I had to say goodbye to my friends and family in the US. We packed nearly everything we owned into two suitcases a piece and boarded a 747 headed to Tokyo. It was the beginning of an incredible international journey that is coming to a close. Sort of.

The job that landed us in Japan and then Singapore is about over. The next chapter is about to begin, but things are a little different this time. This time the job offer is for "single status," meaning the company only pays for him to stay in Singapore. The kids and I have to move back to the US. Well, we don't have to move back, but it really is the best thing right now. I'll save those gory details for a future blog, but suffice it to say that there has been a lot of talking, crying, doubting, praying, research and thought that has gone into this decision. We have gone from talking about an extended US vacation for me and the kids to moving back to the US.

When we talked through every point we could imagine, it boiled down to schooling. The kids' education is really the most important thing right now. Neither one is doing very well in the homeschool environment. The Boy will be finished with his junior year of high school in about three weeks. His future plans include the military. It is important for him to spend his final year of high school taking Driver's Ed, getting his first job and talking to recruiters. He also needs to study for and pass the ASVAB. The Girl somehow managed to fail ninth grade with all A's. (See? I told you this was going to have to wait for another blog. Very complicated stuff.)

My parents moved to Florida from upstate NY when I was a sophomore in high school. It was three months before my 16th birthday. I was devastated. I have always wanted to go back, but there has never been an opportunity. It's not that there aren't any jobs. It's just that they're all in the wrong industry. The schools in upstate NY are some of the best in the nation and given that The Girl really needs to be challenged right now, we felt like this would be the best place for her.  She will repeat ninth grade and get to start high school with her peers, rather than enter high school at a higher grade when all the "rules" have been established. This should be easier for her socially.

The way the job works is, every three months he gets to come home for two weeks. Now that's a really long flight to make so frequently, but we figure that he can come home for a couple of weeks the first time, then I can go back to Singapore. The next time, maybe we'll meet in the "middle." We'll just take turns so that it's more manageable and he doesn't have to do all the travel all the time. My friend Deanna is in Belgium, so we've already decided that the first time we meet up, that will be our "half way point."

It was a really tough decision to not move to Florida. My parents are there and my dad has Parkinson's disease. I want to spend as much time as possible making up for the missed years while I was in Asia. But as it turns out, Mom & Dad are also kind of keen on moving back to New York State. There's a chance I'll get to help them make that move after I get home.

The little details are still not worked out quite yet, but I do know that very soon - near the beginning of June - D'Ette and I will be coming back to the US. We will fly into Buffalo and spend a few days looking at rental homes. I will have to buy a car.

Holy cow! You know what just dawned on me? I not only have to buy a car, but I need to buy towels and dishes and small appliances. I need to buy everything! When I say we sold (or gave away) almost everything we owned, I wasn't kidding. I have a few boxes at my mom's house (including a couple of Pampered Chef stoneware dishes), but I literally got rid of everything! I'll need to get dishes and pots and pans and towels and food storage containers and silverware and a toaster and microwave. Oh. My. Gosh. I actually love shopping for that kind of stuff, but when you have to buy it all at once? This may be a little overwhelming. (Breathe, Jen.  Breeaatthhheeee.)

Anyway, as I was saying ... once I have rented a house and bought a car, D'Ette and I will fly to Florida. We will go see my parents and all my "adopted" family in Lakeland. A trip to Lakeland is long overdue! We'll spend some time there with people who are dearer to our hearts than I could possibly put into words. I'll get to see Mom & Dad. Mom will be full of questions about how to do this or that on FarmVille and I will have to put her leash on and take her out for a walk to calm her down. During the visit, I'll go through all the things I stored at Mom and Dad's place and get a mover to give me an estimate on how long it'll take and what it'll cost me to get my measly few boxes to New York. It's going to be too much to ship, but really too little to hire a moving van, but I really don't think I'll be up for making the drive. I do love a road trip, but when you're the only one doing all the driving, it's not as much fun.

Somewhere in there I also have to make a trip to Louisiana to see the girls, the babies and my mother-in-law.

Then it'll be back to New York. About six weeks after I have found a place, all my stuff from Singapore will arrive. We don't have a lot to ship home, but I have done a little bit of shopping during the Asian Tour. I picked up a couple of vases and some linens. Then there are my books and clothes and all that other stuff you tend to collect as you spend a few years in one place.

There's so much to look forward to when coming home. It's going to be tough living the next couple of years of my life essentially as a single mom, but I know it's what's best for both kids and for our family as a whole. It'll be hard with him in Singapore and me in the US. But I'll have my childhood friends, my extended family in Lakeland (who had BETTER come visit me in Buffalo!) and New York pizza to keep me company. And beef on weck. And real Buffalo wings. And Target. And Taco Bell. And driving on the right side of the road. And people who call it a "trunk" instead of the "boot."

So ... who's ready?

I'm beginning to wonder if my mail was swallowed by Eyjafjallajokull, the Icelandic volcano. You see, my mom mailed a birthday card to The Boy in plenty of time for it to arrive by his 23 April birthday. Around that same time, my friend Lou Ann mailed me Flat Stanley so I could photograph him on the Singapore Flyer or some other really cool Singapore destination.


The thing is, Iceland's volcano decided to erupt and mess with our airspace about this same time. So now I'm wondering - since neither piece of mail has arrived - whether it was lost along the way or maybe it will show up sometime by 2012.


Mailing things internationally can be a bit challenging as it is. It's not a huge deal from Singapore to the US, but it is expensive. But mailing things from the US to Singapore is kind of a hassle, so I feel so grateful to anyone who is willing to send us packages to a place where so many things are illegal or outlawed.


Gum, for instance. Mom sent me some of my favorite gum from the US, but it was taken from me by the Mail Police. Not only did they take it from me, but they made me open my package in front of them, remove the gum and then they proceeded to dump the gum into a bucket of water.


I'm hopeful eventually Jean-Luc's birthday money and Flat Stanley will show up someday, that is, unless Flat Stanley broke out of his package and opened the envelope and is on some shopping spree in Hong Kong. We may never see either of them again.

I haven't traveled the whole world, but I have seen a lot of it. I've seen some nice airports and some pretty disastrous ones. Changi International Airport in Singapore is by far the best airport I've visited. And I'm not just saying that because I live here. This place is just amazing! Not only do they offer tons of amenities (including a swimming pool, Hard Rock Cafe and verrrry reasonably-priced massages), but the place is just gorgeous!

There are beautiful flowers and plants. The decor is really pretty, but appropriate for an airport. The furniture, the lighting, everything. It's just really a wonderful airport to visit.

On this trip, I also spent some time at the airport in Moscow, Russia. I seriously felt like I was standing in some bread line. It was very Communist feeling. The walls were grey and the floors matched. There was nothing to decorate the airport. I began to worry that every line I had to enter ended in a firing squad.

I also had a layover in Houston. You'd think in America that we'd have some darned good airports. Apparently Houston didn't get the memo. That airport sucks. That's all I'm going to say about that.

One of my favorite things about coming home is putting my tired feet into these little foot massagers for my free tootsie massage! Plus, when I go back through Immigration, the people are so much nicer than those I have to deal with in some of the other countries. Singapore has definitely done this right. When they welcome people to their country, they understand that a visitor's first impression of their country is of the airport. No wonder people love it here!

This fuzzy little creature is a luwak, also known as the Asian Palm Civet. It's an animal found in Indonesia. Actually, they have them here in Singapore too, but for the purpose of this blog I'm telling you they are found in Indonesia. Civets like to eat the red coffee cherries. These cat-looking creatures pick the sweetest and ripest cherries to eat. When civets eat these beans, they aren't able to digest the inner part. However, a unique combination of enzymes combine in the stomach of the animal to break down the proteins that give coffee a bitter taste. The civet then poops out the beans, still covered in some inner layers of the berry. Some poor sap has the job of picking out the beans and washing them off. The beans are then lightly roasted. And how much do we pay to drink this poop coffee? Between $100 and $600 dollars per pound. Kopi Luwak, as its called, is the most expensive coffee in the world.

I'm trying to hunt some of this kopi luwak down since I live so close to Indonesia. I'd like to take some back to the US with me. First I have to make sure I can get it past US Customs without any problems. As long as they're good with me bringing it in, I hope to bring back some poop coffee for my friends and family I love the most.

You're welcome.

We don’t have cable TV here because we’re worried the kids will spend their lives in front of the idiot box rather than out exploring the country. So when we want to relax on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, this is what we’re stuck with -- Bollywood. The sad thing is? My husband actually watches it and complains when I get between him and the bad acting.

As the sign explains, they pretty much do it all here. My favorite is the surgical procedures. If you want it removed -- no matter what it is -- looks like they can do it!

Be honest. Would you have known this was a McDonald’s ad if it weren’t for the Golden Arches in the bottom right corner?

First of all, it’s served in a non-McDonalds-like container. Secondly, there’s a GLASS of green tea. Not a paper cup. I thought it was an interesting local ad for McDonalds in Singapore.

I wish the locals could see what I see when they look at themselves in their ridiculous tiny bathing suits. Doesn’t it look like the man on the left is wearing boxer briefs and the man on the right is wearing his little tight bikini underwear? That’s how it looks to me!

I blogged quite a while ago about an incident where my son got kicked out of the pool because he wasn’t wearing one of these little tiny suits. He was wearing board shorts, a style more popular in America. I was told that there were complaints about the style of bathing suit my son chose to wear when swimming. Really? They were complaining that they couldn’t see enough? He’s just 16, for crying out loud! I told the office people that if I knew it was okay to complain, I’d have complained long ago that my daughter has to look at men wearing nothing but tiny little tight undies every time she goes to the pool. Good thing we already had “the talk” or we might well have been forced into it after hanging out at our swimming pool!

This is a picture waiting to be taken.

This guy is hanging out of the wall at Jurong Point above a store that sells comic books. I can only guess he’s some comic book hero. He is not actually doing what you think he is. There are more fingers in the air than just that controversial middle one, but from this angle you can’t tell. I wonder how long The Singapore Morality Council will allow this to stay put.

Homeless Kitty is my “not pet.” In other words, I feed the thing, love on it and talk to it. I’ve even named it (her name is Homeless Kitty). But it’s not my pet. Homeless Kitty (Or H-K for short) lives at the MRT station near our condo. She is sleeping by the stairs every time I walk by. I have asked Marso twice if I could bring H-K home with me, but he refuses. I have tried to sell him on the kitty by offering to keep the litter box in Jean-Luc’s room -- you know, so maybe we can make the boy’s room smell better. Still, he refuses to let me bring H-K home. So for now, H-K stays at the MRT and I share feeding responsibilities with the others who live in Jurong West.

Singapore’s MDA has nothing to do with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The Media Development Authority explains on its website their reason for existence is:

to develop a state-of-the-art media city
to position Singapore as a media exchange
to export made-by-Singapore content
to augment the media talent pool
to foster a conducive regulatory environment and culture

What they don’t tell you is that you are paying for the above program by owning a TV. Not by using a TV. Not by subscribing to cable. Just by owning one. It doesn’t matter if you don’t watch it, it isn’t plugged in, or it doesn’t work. You own a TV? You pay. In our case, Marso & I have a TV in our bedroom that we never use to watch over-the-air TV. We download movies from iTunes and watch those through our TV. Doesn’t matter. We have a TV.

I was doing a little research on this matter of the TV License Fee and found a guy here who had to pay his $110 annual fee plus a $250 late fee. He received a notice that he needed to pay the license fee, but since he does not own a TV, he didn’t pay it. The authorities with MDA contacted him repeatedly, and still he did not pay because he does not have a TV. Finally they reached him on the telephone and he explained to them that he does not have a TV. They told him that he was supposed to have reported that. He asked, “You mean I had to call you to tell you I don’t have a TV?” They told him that was correct. So he asked, “I have to pay $250 because I didn’t call you to tell you that I don’t have a TV?” They again told him he was correct. Ridiculous!

We have contacted the owner of our condo and he told us not to worry about the license fee. He will pay it. I am so impressed. Many of the landlords here nickel and dime their tenants. I was fully prepared to pay it when our landlord told us not to worry about it. Many expats here argue that whoever owns the TV should have to pay the license fee. That seems fair. And since our landlord owns the TV in our condo (we rent the condo fully-furnished), maybe he feels the same way. Regardless, we don’t have to worry about it.

The Singaporeans will be celebrating the Moon Festival, or Mid-Autumn Festival, in a couple of weeks. The festival dates back to China’s Zhou Dynasty some three thousand years ago. In Singapore, it’s also called the Lantern Festival or the Mooncake Festival. You see a picture of a mooncake above.

According to WikiPedia, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar. (The other is the Chinese Lunar New Year.) It’s the day Chinese families gather together to admire the bright harvest moon and eat moon cakes and pomeloes together. (We’ve already discussed in a previous blog how much I love dem pomeloes!)

To celebrate the Moon Festival like a good little Chinese, you may:
Eat mooncakes outside under the moon
Put pomelo rinds on your head
Carry brightly-lit lanterns
Burn incense to revere the gods
Plan Mid-Autumn trees
Collect and distribute dandelion leaves
Participate in a dragon dance

Since our family is not Chinese we will probably eat mooncakes (cuz who doesn’t love a good cake?), eat pomeloes, put the rinds on Jean-Luc’s head, and maybe get a day off work.

What does going to the grocery store look like for you? Let me guess.


* You start out by making a list of what you need.

* You grab your purse, jacket, umbrella, bratty kids and head to the car.

* You drive to the supermarket and hopefully get a parking space. You tell your kids to quit fighting in the back seat or you'll stop this car right now and beat them.

* You find your spot and grab a cart. Maybe two if there's a lot on the list.

* You maneuver the aisles of the store, glancing at your list to make sure you get some of the stuff on it. Into the cart go the items you have written down, a few items you don't need (impulse buys), and some crap your kids throw in there that they *need.*

* You try to squeeze by some woman who is chatting with a friend, leaving her cart in the way so you cannot pass and are forced to turn around and go the other way just to get to the other half of the aisle she is blocking. You tell your kids to shut up as they whine out loud, "Why is that woman in our way?"

* You cuss under your breath, or maybe out loud (depending on which of my friends you are reading this at the particular moment)

* Once you have filled your cart, you approach the shortest line that will allow more than 10 or 12 items. You tell your kids to shut up or you will spank them right there in front of everyone.

* You tell your kids to stop grabbing at the gum/candy/chips/band aids/aspirin/tissues/disposable camera/whatever else is on the impulse shelf next to the register they think they need.

* When the guy ahead of you finally gets out of the way, you start putting things on the conveyor belt.

* You make the decision as to whether you really want the tampons since the clerk has to request a price check over the loud speaker. Forget it. You've got tissues at home. That's $6.99 you'll save on your bill.

* You pay the damages, grab your receipt, try to put the debit card/credit card/change back into your wallet before you leave the line so you don't lose it.

* You push the heavy cart back outside, begging your kids to shut up so you can just get home.

* You search for your car in the parking lot, hoping not to get hit as you walk up and down the rows of the parking lot.

* You shove the groceries into your trunk and tell your kids to crank the AC so it's cool when you get in there.

* You drive home, exhausted.

* You carry the bags into the house. By yourself. Your kids are no help and at this point you really just want them to go away.

* You unpack the bags and put everything away.

* Time for a nap.



Here's how I shop for groceries:

* Make my list

* Sit on my butt and open my computer

* Visit www.coldstorage.com.sg

* Type the items I want into the Search Box

* Add them to my online shopping cart

* Type in my debit card number
* Choose my delivery day/time

* Go to the pool


Next day:

* Groceries are here (someone else has bagged them, brought them here, carried them up 16 flights, and brought them in the condo and set them onto the table)

* I try to tip the guy, but he refuses

* I unpack my bags and put items away



Life is good. Groceries will be here in about a half hour and I'll be heading to the pool shortly after.



Grocery shopping here is so much easier than in the US!

I feel like the past few days I've had a lot to blog about, but not a lot to say about each individual thing, so thought I could put it all together in one neat little blog and tie it with a bow, then deliver it straight to your computer. How's that sound? Splendid! Let's get started!



BOOK STUFF:

 I recently finished reading the book 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult. It's the first time I've read any of her books and I am hooked! I don't know if they're all this good, but I chose this book based on the story, not on the author. It's about a school shooting, which my kids think is very morbid -- that Mom can't stop talking about a book she loves that deals with a school shooting. Anyway, it's a great book. You always get to hear what the victims and their families go through, but this one also lets you see inside the shooter's family. The parents -- so distraught -- wondering what went wrong. The shooter himself -- bullied from his first day of kindergarten through the day of the shooting. This is a book I won't forget for a very long time. And I actually hope I never forget the way I felt after finishing the last word. The things we say and do really matter. You have two choices in every situation in which you deal with others - treat them kindly, or don't. Period. If you treat them kindly you may just make someone's day. If you don't, you could be the one to push them over the edge. And maybe neither, but won't you feel a lot better knowing that you treated them kindly anyway?




GEEK STUFF: 
Speaking of the book I just read, it's the second one I finished on my Kindle. I'm so in love with this wonderful electronic gadget! I am currently reading "Size 12 Is Not Fat" on the Kindle, and "Life of Pi" on paperback. I still have a lot of paperbacks that my mom sent me from the US from before I had my Kindle. Books are just so expensive over here. And with the Kindle I don't have to worry about taking up room trying to find places to store them all. I also downloaded The Renaissance Soul on the Kindle. Can't wait to delve into that one! Oh yeah, and Bitter is the New Black.
I'm only a few chapters in to "Life of Pi," by the way, but it's *very* good!




RADIO STUFF:
 I've been reading out loud a lot lately -- practicing, I tell the kids and my husband. I hope to get a job (or two, or a thousand) reading for books on tape, so I want to make sure I can read well. It's not as easy as it seems.
My friend Robin sent me a job ages ago with information on how to apply for a job reading for books on tape - someone was looking for demos. I didn't have my studio here at the time -- it was still on its way from Japan -- and then things got busy and I never did submit anything. I did, however, finally finish recording a short demo of me reading from a book and put it up on the website yesterday.
Oh yeah, the website. It's no longer up at www.jenniferpagemedia.com, but it will be again one day. For now it's on a back site. I'm designing this one myself so I can update it whenever I want to. That's important to me -- to try to keep my demos fresh and the page looking current. So if you want to see what I've done so far -- keep in mind it's STILL under construction -- it's at web.mac.com/radiojen/JPM.




SINGAPORE STUFF: 
I'm meeting a friend Monday at the Bird Park. She's got two kids close in ages to my two. I've only met Nicky once, but we've corresponded by email a lot since before I moved here. I really like her. She's normal. I like normal. You don't find a lot of that here. Nicky is going back to the US next week, so it'll probably be the last time I see her until after summer.
Alicia has been busy with a friend in town and then will be going back to the US soon. That kind of bums me out, cuz who will I hang out with? Who will get me into trouble, and then get me out of it? 
Marso & I were supposed to meet with some of Don's friends here in Singapore. They'll only be here like another month and then are going back to the US for a year. They're missionaries, and are very busy with some training they're conducting before heading back to Florida. We've missed out on seeing them twice, and I'm kind of bummed about it. I cannot begin to tell you how homesick I've been (off and on) for the past couple of months. Seeing some people who know my dear friends back in the US was supposed to make me feel a little closer to home. I hope I get to see them before they leave.




US STUFF: 
Speaking of the US, I got a nice letter today from my friend Melanie and a package in the mail yesterday from Mom. Mom sent microwave popcorn, a sarong, a couple of tank tops, a t-shirt, some pictures and some American candy. Nothing beats letters and goodies from home. 



I have always loved fruits of all kinds - apples, bananas, cherries, and all the way through the alphabet. So when I saw that the ExxonMobil Expats were having a class to teach ladies how to select, cut, prepare and eat fruits from Thailand, I had my name on the list but fast!



I couldn't believe the spread Nantana had laid out for us. Her table was covered in unique delights! The colors and shapes ... the textures! I knew before she began that there was going to be some really good stuff hittin' my mouth that morning!



Now I wish I had taken some notes, but I was too busy eating to hold a pen. The first thing we were served was grilled banana. It wasn't a long banana like you'd see in Publix with a Dole or Chiquita sticker on it. These bananas are smaller. Much smaller. And like I said, they were grilled. Well, actually she said she cooked them in her toaster oven because she doesn't have a grill. It was really good. Definitely very black on the outside, but so tasty on the inside. And Nantana told us the Thai people do not eat those same bananas "raw." Only cooked.



I don't remember the order in which we were served the rest of the fruit, but she also taught us how to choose and prepare rambutan, mango, mangosteen, santal, longkong, pomelo (my favorite), salak, guava, pomegranate and pineapple. I think there may have been some others in there as well.



The pomelo was probably my favorite. It resembles a grapefruit, but doesn't offer the same bitterness as a grapefruit. It was delicious and I can't wait to go buy some this week. My friend Melanie told me these are also available in Florida, but I was never introduced to all the deliciousness that is a pomelo while living in Florida. What a shame!



Before we left, Nantana made us some mango sticky rice. We had to peel our own mango (not an easy task), and the sticky rice was so good! It's basically white rice with coconut milk and sugar. Delicious! I would have never imagined I'd like it because I'm not a fan of the taste of coconut, but this was really good.



If I hadn't gone today I would have missed out on a lot of great fruits that are available here in Singapore. It's not that I'd be worried I wouldn't like them. It's that there's no way I'd ever have figured out how to peel or serve any of them on my own.

I just returned from the condo office to voice my complaint over the Speedo Rule. Before walking in and making a complete idiot of myself, though, I walked to where the pool rules are posted to make sure there wasn't something on there that I missed. Indeed there are only two rules. Both apply to safety-type issues.



While I was on that side of the pool I noticed a man and his wife getting ready to swim. He had on a pair of swim shorts like what Jean-Luc wears. I was going to approach him and ask if he had any problems with his bathing suit choice, but as I got close he removed them to reveal a tight little pair of Speedo trunks. I smiled through my teeth and continued toward the office.



I think I frightened the little Singaporean woman behind the counter. I told her my son was kicked out of the pool, and I wanted to know why. It seemed like she was already familiar with the situation. Apparently the security guard who reprimanded my son already filled in the office staff.



She came out of the office, pen and paper in hand, and proceeded to draw for me the different types of bathing suits with which she is familiar. She then wanted me to point to which kind my son was wearing. Then she drew a diagram of the swimming pool and pointed out which areas he could swim in with his current bathing suit. I'm not making this up. He is allowed to swim in the "kiddie pool" with his shorts-style trunks. But to swim in the "Men's Pool" as she called it, he must wear a Speedo. (where the heck is the woman's pool??)

I explained to her that I wasn't trying to cause any trouble, but that my son is 15. FIFTEEN! F-I-F-T-E-E-N. If he puts on a Speedo and a pretty girl walks by, the office may get complaints of a different kind. 



I also explained that since they are "taking complaints," I am actually quite unhappy about my 12 year old daughter having to look at all the European junk hanging out at the pool. In some cases, almost quite literally. 



You would NOT BELIEVE some of the bathing suits out there. One old guy has a pink speedo with white polka dots. A little tiny tight pair of girly panties, if you ask me.



Anyway, she told me to bring the bathing suits my son wears to the office. She will photograph them and write descriptions to send to the management. They will decide on the matter. Whatever. I'm not stupid. I know what that means. And there's no way in heck Marso will ever get in that pool with those things either!

 As disgusted as I am by this, there's a little part of me that wants to invite a bunch of big men to a swimming party at our pool. Is that bad?

 Anyway, I'll let you know what "management" says about the suits.

I've seen some kids do some crazy stuff at the pool here. Everything from cannon balls and pushing each other in the pool to cursing quite loudly and even eating in the pool. Ya know why Jean-Luc got kicked out? Because of what he wasn't wearing.



Okay, calm down. He was definitely wearing a bathing suit. But, he wasn't wearing a Speedo, and apparently that's required here.



The way my son tells it, he and his sister were in the pool when one of the guards here told him that he needed to get out because he wasn't wearing a Speedo. Apparently, people were complaining because he wasn't wearing one.



If it is a rule that you have to wear a Speedo in the pool, it has never been brought to our attention. I will have to go double-check the sign, but it seems I would remember if it said:



Rule 6: 
All men must wear bathing suits 
so tight that we can see what God and
 your momma gave you.



So tomorrow I will have to go to the office to find out what this "rule" is all about. If I knew I was allowed to complain, I'd be complaining about the 65-year-old man who lays by the pool in his Speedo. It's bad enough to see the younger guys wearing them, but there are some things that men over age 40 and men over 200 pounds should not be allowed to wear. One of those is a Speedo. In fact, Speedo is at the top of that list. Yet there appears to be a Speedo Meeting congregating at our pool.



Of course, I must keep in mind that I am not in America, and that here in Singapore there are way more Europeans than anything else. Europeans love to show their junk.



Wish me luck!

I had lunch with my friend Alicia the other day. She's American, and has lived in Singapore for a few years now, so she pretty much knows the ropes. I think she's secretly giving me about three more weeks before I have a maid living in my bomb closet.



Before we moved to Singapore, we knew there was a good chance we may end up hiring some domestic help. We weren't sure if we wanted a live-in or not, but we did talk quite a bit about having someone come in at least part-time to help keep things together. However, the kids also wanted a way to make money and have asked us a few times to please not get a maid. They don't want anyone coming in and taking away their opportunity to make money. However, there has been more than one occasion where we've had to remind them that we could pay just a bit more and have twice the work done. The number of times I've had to re-do a job ... well, I just stopped counting.



Are you still stuck on the line, maid living in my bomb closet? You read it correctly. Under law, Singapore builders had to include bomb shelters/closets in each unit. Every condo we looked at included a bomb closet, however nobody really calls them that. Instead they are referred to as the "maid's quarters."



The bomb closet has no windows. There is no AC. There is only a small square of space. However, right next to the bomb closet/maid's quarters, there's a small bathroom with a toilet, sink and makeshift shower. It's plenty for a maid. I mean, not in America. But in Asia, they tell me it's plenty for a maid.



Tonight I was on the verge of answering an ad. D'Ette had tried to iron her daddy's shirts, but she just didn't use enough starch and I had to re-do them. Ironing is not one of my favorite things to do. On top of that, you are looking at a woman who, when she was a girl, was not allowed to buy anything with cotton in it.



Jen: "Mom, just look at this beautiful shirt!"

Mom (reading the label): "Oh yeah, cute. Too bad it's 100% cotton! This thing will wrinkle!!! We don't even own an iron!"



So you can guess my limit of experience with ironing. I didn't even own anything with cotton in it until I moved into my own place. You know, when you live under your parents' roof, it's their rules. Some girls couldn't wear short skirts. I couldn't wear cotton.



Did I mention we are on our second iron? I ruined the first one. It ran out of water, so I had to refill it. I turned it off, put it flat on the ironing and board and proceeded to pour in the water. When I picked it up, it was very colorful and there was a huge spot missing from my ironing board cover. I haven't replaced the ironing board yet, but had to buy a new iron the next day.



I was reading some ads from expats who are getting ready to leave the country to go back to their homes either for the summer or for good. They are selling a lot of their home items very cheap. I saw a lot of irons for sale, for like $10 and $15 bucks. I'm seriously thinking about stocking up.

I can't believe that in a little over a month, it'll all be over in Tokyo and I'll be on to the next adventure -- Singapore. So many things to look forward to!



I've had tons of fun exploring Japan, and I'm very excited about what kinds of things lie ahead for me in Singapore. Mostly, I'm excited that I'll have 2 1/2 years there to do whatever it is I will do. So what will I do?



Well, for one thing, there's a group of women there -- the ExxonMobil Expats -- that meet regularly for everything from Starbucks coffee and movies to game night and tours. Lots of opportunities to meet new friends and get out and see the country.



I'm also excited about our apartment. We haven't picked one out yet, but we do have a few requirements. It must have a gym and a pool. And it must be near Starbucks. Funny how my priorities have changed in this short time since leaving the US. I'm not nearly as picky about square footage or countertops. Now I just want a gym to work out in and a pool to cool off in. And coffee. Is that too much to ask for?



Singapore is also a great place to shop! While I can't afford most of what they're selling on Orchard Road, I love to look at all those gowns in the windows at Louis Vuitton and the shoes at Jimmy Choo. And who knows, maybe I'll catch a great sale!



Our friends from Louisiana -- Chad & Shea -- are also considering an opportunity in Singapore. I'm excited about the chance to live near them again. Their daughter and D'Ette are great friends. Their son Kade is always great for laughs! And they've got a new baby for me to love on! Oh, and of course we just adore Chad and Shea!



I've also thought about going back to school. I'm not sure yet what for. I've toyed around with massage therapy for a long time. If I'm going to become a licensed massage therapist, where better to learn than Asia? I've also toyed around with a degree in religion.



Lastly -- I believe that we're going to have fantastic opportunities to serve our community when we get to our next stop on the Asian Tour. We've already begun the search for a church that we feel would be a perfect fit.



Just the fact that I have so many opportunities within reach is exciting. I'm still not sure exactly what I'm going to do, but am definitely open to whatever God has for me, and whatever THAT is -- I can't wait to blog about it!