When I first arrived to Singapore, even though it was late at night, I was met with the thick humidity immediately stepping foot outside of the airport. This would become a common theme throughout the trip- constantly needing to bring a rain jacket in my bag with the consistent possibility that it was going to rain at some point during the day. This was definitely not something that I was expecting, and I was very grateful my mom badgered me about bringing multiple rain jackets.
One of my favorite parts about Singapore so far has been how well mannered everyone I have interacted with is. People are kind, polite, and pick up after themselves. Singaporeans are clean, quiet, and efficient- something that can differ greatly from Americans and American culture. Although we did talk about how Singaporeans were very different from Americans, I was not expecting the drastic behavior change- this is making my trip even more enjoyable. One example is chopping. Singaporeans will save a table with a single packet of tissues while they are up ordering food. In the US, I fear this would end up with people stealing both tables and tissues.
The food has also been an experience so far. I do have a shellfish allergy, which has severely limited my scope of food I have access too. Navigating this allergy so far has proven to be a problem, though a bearable one. Even with most people in Singapore knowing English, I have found that a majority of people do not know the word “allergy” and it can become very confusing. I am still trying to figure out the best way to clarify my allergy to kitchens/ food staff in Singapore. I knew this would be an issue as it always is when traveling abroad, however it is slightly more difficult than I would have imagined.
