Howdy! I arrived in Singapore a few days ago as part of a faculty-led program to Singapore and Thailand. The first thing I noticed as we descended into Changi Airport was the incredible amount of ships in the harbor. They were as far as the eye could see and they were all really big! As we arrived and took the bus from the airport I was expecting to see a lot of buildings but was taken aback by the lush greenery. Even as we drove into the more central area of Singapore and the environment became more urban, there were lots of parks that made the landscape really inviting. Another thing that has stuck out to me initially is the lack of traffic congestion. On our bus tour of the city, we weren’t impeded by traffic at all. This is partly due to the excellent subway and bus system here. We received transit cards at the beginning of the trip and I’m hoping the credits last through the duration of the trip. Our first few rides have been great. The MRT is very clean and efficient. Each station is underground, and there are escalators to access them. It’s very nice to take the escalators after a long day out and about.
During the rest of my time in Singapore and Thailand, I hope to gain a better understanding of each culture. So far, Singaporeans have spoken a lot of English with us. I suspect that this wouldn’t be the same in Thailand but am curious to see. I’ve also really enjoyed the emphasis on cleanliness here. I haven’t seen any trash laying around and all of the public areas are well kept. During this trip, we also will take a day trip to Malaysia, and I’m curious about how this culture compares to the others.