Category: Asia

Submitted by Riley Hazel the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

This Wednesday I decided to go to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, the city of Malaysia that connects to Singapore. I had off and wanted to see Malaysia at least once, no matter where I go. Johor Bahru was an interesting city, mainly known for its shopping and food experiences. I did a little cafe hopping and shopping at the local mall but it surprised me the differences between Singapore and Malaysia only just across the border. For one, Johor Bahru is a lot less clean than that of Singapore despite it being on the border. Wherever I was walking, the streets were a mess and had a lot of trash, but while I’m used to that in most American cities, the air was also terrible too. It was not only very dry, but also smoggy. The cafe’s and where I ate, however, was an entirely different experience than I would experience back home. Most of the cafe’s I went to were both a cafe and clothing concept store. The food choices vastly differentiated than back home, such as having jackfruit cheesecake. The cheesecake is not your average New York style cheesecake, but genuinely a cheese cake that was both moist and crumbly. The baked goods in that country were almost all homemade which made it by far better than back home where msot goods are delivered already made. The mall was filled to the brim with not only shops, btu massage parlors, hairstylists, and vendors separate from stores. It was almost a free for all in there with there being so many stores of the same kind being right next to each other. The Asia obsession with gacha, a by chance figure or toy game, was crazy in Malaysia too with the mall having a collection on each floor. That is one main thing I wish we had back home, but I don’t believe it will be so for a while as that culture isn’t really well known. The people are a lot more reserved as well, barely interacting or even looking at you unless they were a shop keeper. Conversation between strangers is never seen and often is forgotten if you try to converse with a stranger. By far, Johor Bahru, Malaysia was a very interesting place filled with a diverse culture of Malaysian, Indian, and Chinese. Very much so, the culture from Singapore can be seen carrying over into Johor Bahru but not as much. (Submitted on May 3,2024)

Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

This is my last weekend in Singapore, and I spent it wonderfully! I visited Kuala Lumpur with my friend, and we had an amazing time dipping our toes into a new culture. Upon landing in KL, my first impressions were that it is a hot, humid, and crowded city. Instead of relying on public transport, we relied on Grab. In the heat and humidity, Grab seemed to be the most convenient option for us. After we got through immigration and exited the airport, we took a Grab to Putra Masjid, also known as the Pink Mosque. This was a beautiful mosque located at the edge of the water. There were many tourists visiting this Mosque, especially Chinese tourists. I also saw some locals visiting the mosque. The locals generally came better prepared as they were dressed in the proper traditional attire which covered their entire body and head. My friend and I were able to borrow full length robes for free and cover our heads before entering the Mosque. Afterwards, we went mall hopping as it was too hot to continue venturing outside. The prices at the malls were much more affordable than the prices I had been seeing in Singapore and Hong Kong. I was able to complete a lot of my shopping for my family in KL! I was especially surprised by the price of books. In the US, books can range from $10-$30. However, in KL’s REXKL, most books were costing around $3 USD! I bought two books, dresses for my sister and cousin, and a top for my mom. FOr myself, I bought the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+. In KL, this sunscreen was about $4 USD while it is sold at about $15 USD in Singapore! I am so happy I stocked up there! My friends were advising me to stock up on any skin care or hair care products in Malaysia because the prices are so affordable. This even carries through over to the food. None of the meals I had exceeded $2.91 USD! The portion sizes of the food were very good and the quality was top-notch. While there were not many vegetarian options in the food courts of the malls we frequented, I was always able to find at least one stall that offered nutritious and a balanced plate. My friend and I did climb the Batu Caves, see the Petronas Twin Towers, wander around the Central Market, and check out the more local spots. Mostly, we stayed in the malls because we wanted to take advantage of the AC and low prices! My study abroad program is wrapping up and I am so grateful that I was able to have such a cultured and vibrant experience. (Submitted on May 1,2024)

Submitted by Riley Hazel the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

Oh wow, where do I even begin? Just last week I, along with other interns, tried durian for the first time in Singapore. While I was interested to see how it tastes, the others were not. The biggest thing I’ve ever heard about durian was that it smelled terrible, but I surprisingly enjoyed the smell. It’s odd but others were not able to withstand the smell. Besides the smell, we were able to taste the durian as our office bought some for everyone. Lets just say, that I will never have durian by itself ever again. The thing that shocked me the most was that this fruit is not only the least healthy in terms of sugar, but also you can’t eat it with alcohol as it will upset your stomach severely. Thats a suprising fact as you can do so with any other fruit. Now, the taste wasn;t the most pleasant as I did gag a few times. It’s a sweet but bitter taste that can only seem to be missing the sugar. I’ve suggested that it would taste good as a cream puff or an ice cream, to which I was replied to as they have those within Singapore. The texture of the durian was the worst part of it all as it was creamy, like ice cream but also a moist banana. I hated it so much but I ate the rest of what I bit into. I’ve never head of a fruit being creamy before by just eating it raw, but this was the first. The overall rating I gave it was a five out of ten as I’ll hope to never have  it again. I was very suprised when all my coworkers from Singapore, or nearby enjoyed eating the durian. It tasted like ice cream to them which surprised me even more. How can one enjoy such a foul fruit? I gave them the benefit of the doubt since they grew up here and have ate it most of their lives, but I was still astonished. My first ever durian eating experience was surely a memorable one, but one I won’t want to relive again. Trying these new foods that we do not have within the United States is truly wonderful. (Submitted on April 29,2024)

Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

I visited Hong Kong this past weekend and I had the best time exploring this beautiful city on my own. I did a lot of research beforehand because I wanted to make sure that my experience of solo traveling went as smoothly and comfortably as possible. In my research, I discovered some must-try food items in Hong Kong: egg tarts from Bakehouse, and milk tea, French toast, pineapple buns from the local cha chaan tengs (Hong Kong-style diners). I made sure to try these local delicacies and found the egg tarts from Bakehouse to be my favorite. I would describe Hong Kong as having the same hustle and bustle of NYC but the cleanliness of Singapore. The population density in this city is very high! To accommodate so many residents in limited space, apartments are very tall. Hong Kong is built on a mountainous region, so the geographical area where buildings can be built is less. Furthermore, I discovered that the low Google reviews of the majority of restaurants and diners in Hong Kong are not a reflection of the food but rather a reflection of the customer service. In Hong Kong, many restaurants, especially the popular ones, have many people to seat and mouths to feed. As a result, the waiters can be feisty. I am glad I did this research beforehand and knew what to expect because I would have probably gotten startled and a little offended had I not. Instead of viewing the people as rude, I learned it is simply part of the Hong Kong culture. The waiters are simply trying to be efficient and get your food to you as fast as possible. Something else I learned on this trip is that Buddhism is popular in this region. I didn’t know there would be so many temples I could visit. I visited the Po Lin Monastery, Wong Tai Sin Temple, and Man Mo Temple and loved witnessing local people pray and pay their respects. Additionally, I noted that the shopping malls in Hong Kong (just like in Singapore) have the most beautiful and complex architecture and interior design. I kept wondering throughout my trip how long it must have taken to build such expansive malls. The one that impressed me the most was the K11 Musea. This mall had high-end stores, an IMAX theater, and a wonderfully diverse food court. Overall, my Hong Kong trip was enlightening, and I am grateful I got to immerse myself in a different culture! (Submitted on April 23,2024)

Submitted by Riley Hazel the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

Last weekend I went to the Singapore Zoo which includes Rover Wonders, Zoo, Bird Paradise and the world’s first Night Safari. I will say right now that this zoo is unlike any other that I’ve been to. Even Singaporean residents can agree that this zoo is the best one they will ever go to more than any US Zoo. From my own experience, it was an amazing time doing all 4 parks in a weekend. I loved seeing all the unique animals like the Sun Bear, Red and regular Pandas, and even the many different bird species. The zoo, and River Wonders were normal walk through the zoo experiences but the Bird Paradise and Night Safari was something else. Firstly, the Night Safari was awesome to see all the nocturnal creatures that you typically would never see, especially walking around the enclosures at night. I was fortunate enough to see the Kiwi, Tasmanian Devil, a White Tiger, and even some male Lions calling out. At the Night Safari, you’re able to walk around to the big and small enclosures, but then you’re able to take a tram to see even more animals in the larger enclosures. As for the Bird Paradise, it was the first time in my life to be surrounded by those many foreign bird species, especially in a netted dome where the birds fly freely around you. The funny part of it was that a Lorikeet landed on my shoulder and walked around on my shoulders before I let it off. It was an amazing experience to see all those beautiful birds and some dinosaur looking ones too! Hearing their calls around you as well as their wings flapping can assure me that these birds are happy and well taken care of. Each dome was specific to the bird’s regions and their vegetation. By far, it was the most incredible experience that I feel I’ll ever experience and so different from back home. It was a lot more open, spread out, and a well taken care of wildlife sanctuary. Everything bought, even the tickets, has conservation included meaning the money goes towards conserving wildlife within the park and other areas around the world. I loved everything the Mandai Wildlife Sanctuary stood for, even encouraging visitors to think about helping these animals that are endangered or close to extinction. Moreso, the Zoos in the US are mainly all about the money and sometimes the animals don’t live in decent conditions especially for the climate. The penguin was the best sustainable habitat at the Bird Paradise as the dome around the habitat collects rainwater to reuse. That habitat for the King, and Rockhopper penguins was given a Platinum medal for sustainable and perfection as they were one of the only zoos to create a perfect sub-Antarctic climate. By far, this was one of the best, sustainable, and perfect zoo to wildlife parks I’ve ever been to, more than back home. (Submitted on April 22,2024)

Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

This weekend I spent the majority of my time indoors, catching up on my homework and assignments. The only time I went outside was to go get lunch at my favorite restaurant – The Boneless Kitchen. This restaurant serves vegetarian Korean food, so I am taking full advantage and going whenever I have a day off from work. I love that I have been able to learn about and try so many different cuisines in Singapore. I never knew Asian cuisines were so different and extensive! My favorite discovery has been sticky rice with mango and condensed milk – a Thai specialty. From Monday to Friday, I work at Allianz Trade. I thought this week I should spend time talking about my observations regarding the work culture in Singapore. The timings at my office are 9 am – 6 pm. Something different about my office is the flexibility that employees have. Employees do not need to check in or out. Employees can show up whenever they do their due diligence and work for eight hours. I never realized how much I value this flexibility! I think this trust that a company develops with its employees is crucial. Employees at Allianz Trade seem very dedicated to the company because they know that their company does a lot for them. My managers and other colleagues have mentioned that Allianz Trade likes to keep its employees and allows them international work opportunities as well as the ability to move freely across departments if employees are looking for a change. Additionally, the culture at Allianz Trade is very kind and respectful. I have heard horror stories about corporate culture, so I had prepared myself beforehand. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the kindness and respect which I have been shown by everyone. I feel safe and encouraged to ask questions and give my perspective when I think it is appropriate. It warms my heart how everyone speaks so respectfully to one another. I am very happy I have gotten this opportunity, because it has opened my eyes to what can be and the treatment I deserve from my workplace. Something else I love about my company is the diversity. At any given time, people are conversing in Mandarin, French, English, and other languages. There are people from all over the world working in the Singapore office. On top of this, my colleagues travel a lot and are often away on business trips to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, and other markets. I really like that travel has not completely stopped, especially after COVID. I think Zoom and Microsoft teams are great platforms to utilize, but encouraging employees to travel is important so they can experience the culture first hand. Altogether, this internship has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in college, and I have developed new dreams for myself. I hope to establish an international career one day! (Submitted on April 18,2024)

Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

This was a very relaxing week because it was Eid al-Fitr. In Singapore, Eid is a national holiday, so my company gave us a half day on Tuesday and we got Wednesday off. We had a welcome lunch for one of my managers who recently got hired at Allianz Trade. I have found that in Singapore people do not individually order dishes. Instead, the group collectively decides on a few dishes, taking into consideration allergies and other food sensitivities. Then, the group shares all the food ordered. After the welcome lunch, I decided to explore the Tanjong Pagar neighborhood. My friend had recommended a few cafes to me, so I decided to go cafe hopping. I checked out Cloud Cafe, Fieldnotes, Folks and Stories, and The Better Half. By the end of the day, I was tired of eating all the sweets and felt too full to have dinner. I was surprised by how big the cafe culture is here. Each cafe has a unique theme as well as sweet or savory dishes they specialize in. My favorite cafes were the Cloud Cafe for its ambiance and Fieldnotes for its Mango Yuzu specialty cafe. 

After cafe hopping, I decided to head to Gardens by the Bay for their daily Garden Rhapsody. Every night, the trees light up in tune with the themed music. This month’s theme was Retro Fever, so the trees were lighting up to 1970s disco music. In May, the theme will be Garden Waltz, so the trees will light up to multiple waltzes. This light and music show was spectacular and one of the most magical things I have ever experienced. Afterwards, I went to Marina Bay Sands to see the Spectra – A Light & Water Show. This was an interesting experience because the music went from soft ballads to opera to metal rock. By the end, I was shaken because the music became metal! The next day, my friend and I decided to walk to Fort Canning Park and check out a few museums in the area. It started raining as soon as we left the house, so after wandering around for some time we decided to head to the Changi Airport. I heard that this airport is one of the best in the world, so I wanted to have enough time to fully explore it. My friend and I were able to walk around all the floors in about two hours but ended up staying for an additional three hours to catch the HSBC Rain Vortex colorful light show. After spending a little over a month in Singapore, I am easily able to recognize the famous chain restaurants and cafes. My friend and I did get bored after spending three hours walking around because The Jewel mainly consists of places to eat and places to shop. Anyway, we saw the light show which lasted about five minutes, and then headed home. Today is Saturday and I decided to take it easy. I visited my favorite vegetarian Korean restaurant and visited Ice Lab for the injeolmi bingsu as my dessert. Overall, it has been a very exciting week, and I cannot wait to share more about the upcoming trips I have planned. (Submitted on April 13,2024)

Submitted by Riley Hazel the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

Blog #12

Concerts are something else within most of the entirety of Asia. Japan is most known for its insane Idol, JPop, and JRock concerts. While in Singapore, I had the most amazing fortune of seeing a Japanese rock/pop band called King Gnu. Let me say, that this experience was so much more different than back home in the states, let alone the Western world. For one, the seating system and ticketing system were more organized and simple to pass through than the hectic state of Western concerts. Even then, people were super kind and forming lines as such which made everything go a lot smoother. I’ve been to events such as WWE, and even concerts like Green Day, and nothing compares to the orderly fashion that was Singapore. King Gnu alone was an amazing Japanese band to see in person, even if their songs are all in Japanesee, I knew them. It was also a surprising thing to hear and see the amount of Japanese people that live in Singapore despite it being dominated by Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian populations. The lines for merch after the show were a little bit hectic, but not as crazy and a lot more coordinated. I was able to get three limited edition CDs right after I was interviewed by the Japanese media team. The media team interviewing me was so kind with question and did their best to ask me in English as I couldn’t understand any other languages well besides Chinese. In the overall thought about Singapore concerts, not only are you surrounded by the most passionate fans (especially since Asian bands and singers never come to the US), but also the most organized operations going on before and after the concert. (Submitted on April 12,2024)

Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

This week I went back to Gardens by the Bay to cover the Floral Fantasy and OCBC Skyway attractions. I particularly loved Floral Fantasy because not only were the flowers decorated very magically but also there was a 3D show included in our ticket. This show was called the Dragonfly 4D Ride and it was amazing to witness what the Gardens of the Bay looks like from the perspective of a firefly. The rest of the day I spent at museums. I went to the ArtScience Museum, Asian Civilizations Museum, National Museum of Singapore, and Singapore Art Museum. My favorite museum out of the four was the ArtScience Museum because the exhibitions were super unique and interactive. I had never seen anything like it before. I learned that the exhibition had been designed by Teamlab, a Japanese artist collective. Today, I visited the Singapore Botanic Gardens and it was the most spectacular garden I have ever been to. It is very big, and due to the heat, it is hard to stay for more than a few hours. My favorite part of these gardens was the National Orchid Garden. They designed this garden stunningly and my friend and I were able to get very cool pictures. After spending a few hours in the garden, we headed to Tiong Bahru – Singapore’s oldest neighborhood. We visited one cafe – Plain Vanilla – and then it started pouring, so we headed to Bugis Mall and Street as well as Haji Lane. We ended our day by heading to Joo Chiat and Katong to take a look at the famously colorful Peranakan houses. We had dinner at an Indian Chinese fusion restaurant and came back home to finish off some errands. Overall, this weekend has been extremely fun, and I have been able to cross many things off of my bucket list. This upcoming Wednesday is Eid al-Fitr, a public holiday in Singapore. We get the day off from work, so I will head over to the Jewel in Changi Airport and spend the day window shopping and exploring what many consider one of the best airports in the world! (Submitted on April 7,2024)

Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…

This week I had a great time exploring more of Singapore with my friend. I was really happy we got Friday off because it was Good Friday. My friend and I took full advantage of this and started the day by attending High Tea at the Raffles Hotel. This was my first High Tea experience and I had an amazing time. The servers very kindly explained to us what each dessert was made of and provided vegetarian sandwiches to me. I had scones with cream and sweet strawberry jam for the first time. After enjoying this ninety-minute luxury experience, we headed over to the National Gallery of Singapore. This museum was one of the best I have seen. Most of the museums in the US and Europe showcase art depicting life in those areas. This was the first time I saw art by southeast asian artists depicting life in southeast Asia. I learned a lot about how different countries in this region were affected by the world wars and subsequent Cold War. Never before had I learned the negative effects felt by these countries during the world wars. Afterward, I headed over to the Peranakan Museum to learn more about who the Peranakans are as well as the different facets of their culture. I found this museum to be beautiful with tapestries, beaded jewelry, and a traditional wedding bed on display for people to appreciate. After exploring both museums, my friend and I headed to Marina Bay Sands to watch the musical Matilda. The next day, I headed over to Sentosa and traveled to this island via a cable car. It was extremely hot so after heading over to the Skyline Luge, I went to the S.E.A aquarium. Something that surprised me about Sentosa was the number of Indian families I saw there speaking in Hindi. Even the restaurants and food stalls were offering wraps with Paneer Tikka Masala which is not something I see often. The S.E.A aquarium was one of the best aquariums I have visited. I liked how they talked about the organizations they support to ensure marine life stays as safe and healthy as possible. I took it slow and observed the marine life in this aquarium for quite a while. Today, my friend and I headed over to the ION and Paragon malls on Orchard Boulevard for some shopping. We had a great time exploring the food courts and shops in these two malls. Next week, I plan to go to a few more museums and malls for some shopping. (Submitted on March 31,2024)