Saturday in Singapore

I've been here a week now, and today was the first day I felt like I could go wander around outside of my few block radius. I decided I would take the train and then the bus and go to see what IKEA was like in Singapore. The train part was completely easy, and I was told how to do the bus, which ended up being completely easy also, but once I was on the bus the only direction I had was "alight just before IKEA"....so I wondered, how will I know where that is. A Singaporean lady sat down beside me and saw that I was looking at a map and asked if she could help. I told her I needed to go to IKEA and she said "I go there now and show you". Isn't God good...he sent me someone going there that could take me. So away we went on the bus. It wasn't far and she took me all way inside and asked if I needed any more help. So sweet. I wandered around IKEA, bought a Teflon frying pan (the frying pan at the apartment isn't Teflon and I can't seem to get eggs right and this one only cost $3.50 SING, which is about $2.25 US), some coasters to add color to my apartment and a vegetable peeler (for my apple...don't get excited, I haven't taken on eating vegetables!). Anyway, on my way out, here was that lady and her two children again. They showed me how to take the bus and even invited me to their house. I'm pretty open to meeting people, but wasn't comfortable going to someones house that I didn't know. She gave me her home and hand (cell) phone numbers and said I could call her anytime to get help to get around. She also said I could come to her house for a festival on October 1st. She was very sweet. It was nice to have conversation with her and learn about her life in Singapore. Her children go to school almost all year round. They have a week off in March, June and September, and then from the end of November through December for some religious thing (I couldn't understand the name of it). They are currently fasting for one month during daylight hours (7am to 7pm). She was very interesting. After she left me at the train station I was able to find my way back home again. The public transportation here is amazing and costs so little....my whole week of traveling since last Saturday to today only cost about $10 SING, which is $7 US. Let's see...in Iowa I was paying more than $50 per week in gas!!!!

I did enjoy a few hours this afternoon out by the pool reading. Singapore is backwards from Iowa...in Singapore it is the hottest in the morning and cooler in the evening. I enjoyed watching children play in the pool this afternoon.

Yesterday when I went to the continental breakfast provided here I was shocked...they served some normal things like toast and croissants, juice and cereal...but the milk for the cereal is heated (yuck) and they also served baked beans and salad. They had eggs with vegetables and fruit mixed in (yuck). It's very different here!

And I'm not sure how I'll ever be able to go home and live without a maid. Oh my, I am spoiled here. My maid comes in every day and washes my dishes, changes the towels in the bathroom, makes my bed (changes the sheets every other day) and dusts and mops the floor daily. Really, how will I survive in the states? This is true luxury for me!!! I'm enjoying being pampered...but feel a little guilty!

I do have a specific prayer request....could you pray that I meet some people to do things in the evening with. I am hungry for conversation. I think I talked my brother's ear off this morning on the phone because I just don't have anyone to talk with. Thanks!