My last day in Singapore, and what do I do? Sit around at home, clean my room, study, get bored, contemplate going out and then think that there isn't really anywhere I want to go, or anyone to go anywhere with.... Not a very exciting last day, let alone last week, in Singapore! I was talking to my roommate, Doshila, today and she mentioned that she thought no one ever fell in love with Singapore. It's a good place to live for awhile, but, well, there really isn't all that much to LOVE about this city. Like it, sure, but there's no passion here. Funny, I've had this conversation with multiple people lately. When Miah was visiting we talked a lot about how this is a town where the White Man is God- it's almost still colonial in some of its mindsets. These white, male expats sweep in and live in their high-rise condominiums on Orchard Rd. They hold really high-paying exec positions at multinational corporations and spend their days having people suck up to them at work and their nights being fawned over by local women. After this most recent visit, Miah even started to think twice about moving here. She's not sure if she could put up with that sort of environment and attitude- not to mention that she (and any woman moving here actually) would have to just give up on the idea of finding any sort of relationship, let alone even dating, while here! Apparently a very high number of marriages break up out here, mostly because the husbands can't resist the local temptation. Quite sickening really.

What was the point of this discussion? Ah, well, I think it is that I had a good year here but I'm not actually going to miss Singapore that much. The things I love to do here are not really special to this city- going out to eat with friends, wandering around town and shops at night, going to the movies, etc. These are things I enjoy doing anywhere. And indeed, I am really looking forward to hanging out with all my friends in DC! I will miss travelling around the region- I do LOVE places like Bangkok, Chiangmai, Luang Prabang, Hoi An, Ubud.... but I will be back on vacation sometime, no doubt!