A Vibrant City

The end of my first week in Singapore and I’m beginning to get a better grasp on this vibrant city. Just riding home on the bus yesterday and seeing all the different Asian cultures (with a sprinkling of “whites”!), hearing them talk away in their own dialects and I couldn’t help but think how neat it all is – the different shades of coloured skin - the uniqueness of everyone. And then I remembered glancing at all the new and unusual fruits and vegetables at one of the side shops and it made me think what a great Designer made all this.

After 4 days at the office I’m loving the lunch ritual at various Hawker’s markets. Food is so cheap here – it’s unreal! It’s easy to get a good meal for as little as $2.50 and $4.90 is considered expensive! And I’m totally loving all the new and interesting foods. The locals here think I’m very adventurous for trying all the hot stuff and eating things like dried fish and quails eggs and other things I’m not entirely sure what it is! I may come to miss my flat whites sometime but I do have to say the favourite iced coffee here is so appreciated in this heat. More than anything I just love the social aspect of going out for lunch together and having a good time learning about their cultures and life in Singapore and then telling them about the New Zealand they are all intrigued about!

Tuesday night I managed to have dinner with Anna, a girl from England who is spending 2 years here. We hooked up through the facillitor on the Kairos course we did in NZ at separate times and have emailed a bit before both moving here. Amazing how things work out like that! We had an interesting ride home though. We both hopped on the 77 bus but I was meant to catch the 7 and so we ended up going round in circles late at night when really I had no clue where I was!! I was also very relieved to locate myself back to the apartment amongst the hundreds of others! After a brief moment of panic when my key wouldn’t work I remembered the padlock and let myself in with a sigh of relief.

Today has been a public holiday so I’ve enjoyed scouting around town. I went straight to Little India – an area in town full of Indians! It certainly gave me a taste of what India is like. Very full on! I enjoyed cruising around taking in all the sights and sounds and smells! I’m finding Singapore is a great stepping stone to India. It’s very Asian but also quite westernised. They all speak both English and their own dialects and when I’m out and about there are things that are very new and distinctly Asian and yet there are many things that are so familiar to NZ. But I do know that there will be less of these western comforts in Kolkata so I’m so pleased how this has all worked out in preparing me for India.

Korean Food

Anna & myself

Little India - clothes and sweets

Fresh batch of Briyani & Masala Tea from Little India

Street in Little India

Arriving in Singapore

Well I’ve just arrived in the tropical city of Singapore. The heat is intense but because I’ve expected it I can somehow manage! It’s been two days now and it’s still always a surprise stepping in and out of air-conditioned rooms and into the sticky heat!

My taxi ride from the airport was interesting! I’ve known that Singapore is very safe but I was still praying all the way home as the older driver wobbled about here and there. Then we drove into the parking lot and he explained that he didn’t have very good eyesight!! I’m glad he told me at the end!

I’ve spent the weekend with the Maritz family who have been very welcoming and hospitable. They have showed me around a bit and we went out for dinner across the road for some local food! Ronelle took me to her church and we were the only white people there! But I love that – it’s great to get immersed in a new culture and not cling to the things that are comfortable. It would be so easy to live in the western way I know so well because this place accommodates that kind of lifestyle well (even if you do pay for it!). But I see no point in that. I would rather embrace the new and take opportunities to get amongst everything and everyone that makes up Singapore.

Today was the first day at the office and it has been good getting started on a few promotional items. I also went out for lunch with the girls in the office for another cultural meal! So loving all these new tastes and experiences and getting to know so many people from different cultures and backgrounds.

I am about to embark on a journey to Kolkata, India to help Freeset develop their range of products. Freeset is an amazing organization that carries the ethos “In business for freedom”. It is located in Sonagacchi, the largest, most infamous sex district in Kolkata, India. Many nights more than 10,000 women “stand in line” selling their bodies to thousands of men who visit daily. Most of these women have been trafficked or driven into it because of extreme poverty. Freeset enables these women to have a brighter future.

The following is an excerpt from the website www.freesetglobal.com:
When [the women] choose to work at Freeset, they can start new lives, regain dignity in their communities, and begin a journey towards healing and wholeness. Although a business, Freeset is also a community. The women are often dealing with health problems (including HIV/AIDS), and psychological effects from abuse and exclusion from society. This makes for a challenging workplace and much effort is put into creating a compassionate environment where the women are supported and their needs met.
However, Freeset isn’t just about the transformation of individual lives; it’s also about transformation of the wider community. The Freeset women leave the sex trade but continue to live in their old rooms and neighborhood as agents of change. The dream is that some day the largest, most infamous sex district in Kolkata will be transformed into a safe community that respects the dignity of women and offers new opportunities to their children.

On my way to Kolkata I will spending some time in Singapore doing graphic and web design and will be doing a 6 week course in Chiang Mai, Thailand to help prepare me for life in India. I am leaving New Zealand 22nd May (1 week today!) and will be in Kolkata late August.

A couple of weekends ago we had a very successful Art Fest where all proceeds were raised for Freeset. Many people were delighted to be able to give towards it and know that it is going towards a very significant cause -setting women in poverty free. We sold the Freeset bags and also printed our own Art Fest design onto the Freeset Tee-shirts.
All of the photos can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/27240377@N07/