For all who visit my blog - I apologize for my long gap in posting. I've been busy, stressed, homesick, etc. None of those are good excuses for not posting, but still...
I have been in school now for over a month. It's been different. School is much more strict in almost all aspects compared to school at home. Of course, we uniforms. It's pretty weird for me because everybody basically looks the same (which incidentally, helps confirm my theory that high school turns us into mindless robots). I changed my courses around a lot in the first couple weeks, but it has remained the same for a while: Contemporary American Lit, Zoology, Spanish, AP Stat, Film making, AP Psych, Photography. The classes are OK - the titles of the class make some of them sound better then they are in reality.
I've met some interesting kids, some boring kids, some asshole kids, some nice kids, etc. There is a real wide variety of interests among students (from computer games to paintball to partying) so there is sort of a niche that most people can find and fit into pretty well. I've mostly been hanging out with different groups and getting a sense of where I fit best.
In reference to the title of this blog - in Singapore (if you are young), you call older men that you don't know Uncle, and older women Auntie. It's the American equivalent of Sir of Ma'am. I find it really fun to say, so usually when I'm in a cab, I'll ask a question to the driver just so I can start by saying, "Excuse me, Uncle..."
Peace & Love,
Daniel
P.S. I still am having trouble uploading photos, but as soon as I can, I will get them posted.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
Daniel's First Blog From Singapore
Hello everybody! Well, I have been in Singapore for about a day and a half or so. It has been really crazy in so many ways. We left England on Wednesday night around 9:30 p.m. It was a really long and terribly uncomfortable flight. I had been spoiled flying to London in business class, so it was a bit of a shock flying coach. The flight was about 13 hours and its final destination was actually Sydney, Australia and was only stopping in Singapore for a couple of hours. We got into Singapore Thursday evening (the 13 or so hour flight + the time zone difference). The airport it unbelievably clean and high-tech. As we were being driven to the place we are staying at, I was both attempting to take in everything I saw at once and trying not to pay attention to the way people were driving. People drive super aggressively, and it's crazy busy at rush hour time. There are really neat signs posted on the road, though. The best way to describe them is...you know the posts that stand in lines for roller coasters that say "you are one hour from getting on the ride"? Well they have the same thing, but it factors in the traffic and tells you how many minutes you are from different destinations. Pretty neat.
Anyhow, after settling in at our service hotel called Treetops, my parents and I decided to go out for a quick look at the nearby area and to get a bite for dinner. We are staying in the central area of the city, and it is DEFINITELY city-like. Walking down the famous Orchard Road sincerely reminds my mother of Time Square (and she's a New York native)! Well we decided to go to a local food court at a mall that my parents had visited when they were here a few months ago. Now you may be laughing and thinking to yourself, "why would they go to a mall food court for their first meal in their new home"?! I was thinking that in the back of my head as we walked into the Western-looking mall. But it turns out this food court didn't have McDonald's, KFC, Panda Express, or any of the places found around the U.S. The best way to describe the food court was SENSORY OVERLOAD. We circled the floor once, and I had to sit down. I told my parents to choose for me. I got various dumplings and those delicious steamed pork buns. My dad got a traditional pork noodle soup, and my mom settled for a Thai noodle dish. As we walked home, I finished off the night with an ice cream sandwich (a piece of tie-dye white bread with a slab of ice cream in the middle). We got back, and I basically passed out.
Yesterday (Friday) I spent most of the day with a dude named Adrian. Adrian will be a junior at ECHHS and his dad is here on business. They're staying in the same place we are. While my parents went out and joined the American Club (a popular club for expats to join to take classes, go bowling, eat, etc.) I rested up for the big day. Well, in reality, I spent about half an hour poking my eye in a pathetic attempt to get my new contacts in. Adrian and I went out with another American kid out age named Max for a little while. We hit up the local food court and I got a dish (I will get the name of it later) that was basically an Indian pizza, filled with onions and chicken. I accompanied my meal with an Anything soda. I kid you not - Anything is a carbonated drink, and Whatever is its non-carbonated counterpart. You literally don't know what you're getting when you buy the drink because each can is a different (and often surprising) flavor. I lucked out by getting something that tasted like maybe ginseng coke, but next time I might not be so fortunate. I also got a Wintermelon Tea soda, which sounded and looked good, but wasn't. Max headed back and Adrian and I spent the afternoon roaming the city by subway and foot. We went to the famous Raffles Hotel (and saw the Long Bar where the Singapore Sling was invented nearly 100 years ago). Raffles proudly boasts about the famous guests (everyone from Rudyard Kipling to Michael Jackson). Apparently their way of boasting is by making prices out-of-this-world expensive. We saw a bunch more cool stuff, came back for a quick swim, then I went to sleep. My parents and I were all laying in my room watching Across the Universe on DVD when we all somehow fell asleep. We woke up just in time to meet our friends for dinner. We went to a popular Hawker Stand (a place where tons of vendors offer great food at reasonable prices). We opted to eat outside on satay street. We literally ordered 60 satay sticks (20 chicken, 20 beef, 20 mutton). We also had tons of other awesome dishes including the traditional chicken rice. It's quite literally chicken and rice. Nothing terribly special. We finished by sharing 3 ice kacangs (shaved ice with artificial flavor syrup, red beans, corn, and fruit topping).
Adrian and I then took off and went to the famous Clark Quay area. Known for its many clubs and great nightlife, this area is apparently where its at on the weekends. Then I saw the silliest thing. NO JOKE - there was a bar that was supposed to be like a hospital. There were no bar stools - they were replaced by WHEEL CHAIRS! And instead of glasses, people were DRINKING OUT OF IV BAGS. The tables were made to look like operating tables, and the servers were dressed in doctor/nurse outfits. It was SO bizarre. There were tons of prostitutes in the area. Since prostitution is legal, old men seem to flock to the area for the services. My mom and I have even made a game of it - Who Can Spot the Prostitute? It's pretty easy when you see a 60 year old, white, bald, unattractive, fat guy with a 20 year old, beautiful, young Asian girl holding onto his arm. Anyway, Adrian and I went towards home and were stopped by a men a couple of times asking if we wanted "ladies for the night". We politely declined, but did not feel intimidated. You see, the big scary pimp you think of in America is replaced here by a small Asian man with a soft, heavily accented voice. Once I got back around 11:30 last night, I still wasn't tired. I hung around until finally (around 2 a.m.) I had to go get some air and a snack. I went to the nearby 24-hour McDonald's. It was nothing special. Finally, a little after three, I crashed. I just woke up about an hour ago (8 a.m.). I guess this might be a sign that I'm not quite adjusted to the time difference. Although I can't say I always slept better back in NC.
OK! Well I hope this post wasn't too long. I had so much to say and I guess I waited to long to post. Today I'm often to see some apartments with my parents. I will let you know how that goes.
*Please note: I apologize DEEPLY for the fact that my mom's camera will not connect properly to the computer and also that I left my camera's connector at home. I have so many good pictures that go with this post. I PROMISE TO GET THE PICTURES UP ASAP! So check back in soon.
Peace & Love,
Daniel
Anyhow, after settling in at our service hotel called Treetops, my parents and I decided to go out for a quick look at the nearby area and to get a bite for dinner. We are staying in the central area of the city, and it is DEFINITELY city-like. Walking down the famous Orchard Road sincerely reminds my mother of Time Square (and she's a New York native)! Well we decided to go to a local food court at a mall that my parents had visited when they were here a few months ago. Now you may be laughing and thinking to yourself, "why would they go to a mall food court for their first meal in their new home"?! I was thinking that in the back of my head as we walked into the Western-looking mall. But it turns out this food court didn't have McDonald's, KFC, Panda Express, or any of the places found around the U.S. The best way to describe the food court was SENSORY OVERLOAD. We circled the floor once, and I had to sit down. I told my parents to choose for me. I got various dumplings and those delicious steamed pork buns. My dad got a traditional pork noodle soup, and my mom settled for a Thai noodle dish. As we walked home, I finished off the night with an ice cream sandwich (a piece of tie-dye white bread with a slab of ice cream in the middle). We got back, and I basically passed out.
Yesterday (Friday) I spent most of the day with a dude named Adrian. Adrian will be a junior at ECHHS and his dad is here on business. They're staying in the same place we are. While my parents went out and joined the American Club (a popular club for expats to join to take classes, go bowling, eat, etc.) I rested up for the big day. Well, in reality, I spent about half an hour poking my eye in a pathetic attempt to get my new contacts in. Adrian and I went out with another American kid out age named Max for a little while. We hit up the local food court and I got a dish (I will get the name of it later) that was basically an Indian pizza, filled with onions and chicken. I accompanied my meal with an Anything soda. I kid you not - Anything is a carbonated drink, and Whatever is its non-carbonated counterpart. You literally don't know what you're getting when you buy the drink because each can is a different (and often surprising) flavor. I lucked out by getting something that tasted like maybe ginseng coke, but next time I might not be so fortunate. I also got a Wintermelon Tea soda, which sounded and looked good, but wasn't. Max headed back and Adrian and I spent the afternoon roaming the city by subway and foot. We went to the famous Raffles Hotel (and saw the Long Bar where the Singapore Sling was invented nearly 100 years ago). Raffles proudly boasts about the famous guests (everyone from Rudyard Kipling to Michael Jackson). Apparently their way of boasting is by making prices out-of-this-world expensive. We saw a bunch more cool stuff, came back for a quick swim, then I went to sleep. My parents and I were all laying in my room watching Across the Universe on DVD when we all somehow fell asleep. We woke up just in time to meet our friends for dinner. We went to a popular Hawker Stand (a place where tons of vendors offer great food at reasonable prices). We opted to eat outside on satay street. We literally ordered 60 satay sticks (20 chicken, 20 beef, 20 mutton). We also had tons of other awesome dishes including the traditional chicken rice. It's quite literally chicken and rice. Nothing terribly special. We finished by sharing 3 ice kacangs (shaved ice with artificial flavor syrup, red beans, corn, and fruit topping).
Adrian and I then took off and went to the famous Clark Quay area. Known for its many clubs and great nightlife, this area is apparently where its at on the weekends. Then I saw the silliest thing. NO JOKE - there was a bar that was supposed to be like a hospital. There were no bar stools - they were replaced by WHEEL CHAIRS! And instead of glasses, people were DRINKING OUT OF IV BAGS. The tables were made to look like operating tables, and the servers were dressed in doctor/nurse outfits. It was SO bizarre. There were tons of prostitutes in the area. Since prostitution is legal, old men seem to flock to the area for the services. My mom and I have even made a game of it - Who Can Spot the Prostitute? It's pretty easy when you see a 60 year old, white, bald, unattractive, fat guy with a 20 year old, beautiful, young Asian girl holding onto his arm. Anyway, Adrian and I went towards home and were stopped by a men a couple of times asking if we wanted "ladies for the night". We politely declined, but did not feel intimidated. You see, the big scary pimp you think of in America is replaced here by a small Asian man with a soft, heavily accented voice. Once I got back around 11:30 last night, I still wasn't tired. I hung around until finally (around 2 a.m.) I had to go get some air and a snack. I went to the nearby 24-hour McDonald's. It was nothing special. Finally, a little after three, I crashed. I just woke up about an hour ago (8 a.m.). I guess this might be a sign that I'm not quite adjusted to the time difference. Although I can't say I always slept better back in NC.
OK! Well I hope this post wasn't too long. I had so much to say and I guess I waited to long to post. Today I'm often to see some apartments with my parents. I will let you know how that goes.
*Please note: I apologize DEEPLY for the fact that my mom's camera will not connect properly to the computer and also that I left my camera's connector at home. I have so many good pictures that go with this post. I PROMISE TO GET THE PICTURES UP ASAP! So check back in soon.
Peace & Love,
Daniel
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Daniel is in England
Well I have to keep this post short - I am in London's Heathrow Airport sitting at a coffee shop that has wireless internet (PAYING 5 POUNDS FOR 1 HOUR)!
I got into London yesterday morning around 6:15 a.m. My parents and I proceeded to wait for what seemed like hours for a bus to come take us to the hotel that was approximately 45 seconds down the road.
After getting to the hotel and waiting an hour and half for a room, I changed and headed out to meet Sean! My parents were tired so they chose to stay in the hotel to rest, so they let me run amok in London for the day. I met Sean's family and we went to the Imperial War Museum, London Eye (ferris wheel), Wax Museum, etc., etc., etc. Sorry - no more time for details, my hour is about up and I have to board. I'm off for 12 plus hours flying coach! I will post when I get into Singapore!
Love,
Daniel
P.S. The picture above is Sean and me in the center of Picadilly Circus.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Welcome (My First Post)
Hello everybody - this is my first post (of many)! I am excited about keeping everybody up-to-date about my adventures from the other side of the planet and excited about hearing about all the happenings in the Western world!
For those of you who don't know, Duke recently opened a medical school in Singapore and my dad was offered a job chairing the Health Services Research Department. My Dad came to my Mom and me sometime this past winter to let us know he had gotten the offer. The weeks that ensued basically consisted of me listing all of the reasons why we should go...and I guess the rest is history.
I will be leaving tomorrow (Monday, the 28th) evening. My parents and I will be stopping through London and spending Tuesday and Wednesday there. *Funny story - it turns out that my best friend Sean is in England right now, so I should be able to meet up with him for a little while there.
Wednesday we depart for Singapore. This is the first time I will be flying anywhere on a one-way ticket! Once in Sinapore, we will be staying in a service apartment (a mix between a hotel and an apartment) for a while until we find a place to stay. I start school on August 11th. I don't know much more beyond these couple of facts.
I'm going to be getting a new phone and I don't know what sort of plan I will have. What I can tell you is that I will have Skype. Skype is a FREE internet program in which two people can talk using either the microphone built on on laptops and some desktops or by using a cheap and easy-to-use plug in computer mic. If interested, check out this website for download: http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/. Once you've created a Skype Name, add me as a contact - danielmatchar. My email address is danielmatchar@yahoo.com and I have a facebook page that I check pretty often.
I hope to hear from everybody soon - leave me comments here, send me an email...just keep in touch. My plan is to update this blog pretty often (and include lots of pictures), so check in with it frequently. Keep in mind that Singapore is 12-13 hours ahead (depending on datelight savings) of time here on the East Coast of the U.S.
Peace and love,
Daniel
For those of you who don't know, Duke recently opened a medical school in Singapore and my dad was offered a job chairing the Health Services Research Department. My Dad came to my Mom and me sometime this past winter to let us know he had gotten the offer. The weeks that ensued basically consisted of me listing all of the reasons why we should go...and I guess the rest is history.
I will be leaving tomorrow (Monday, the 28th) evening. My parents and I will be stopping through London and spending Tuesday and Wednesday there. *Funny story - it turns out that my best friend Sean is in England right now, so I should be able to meet up with him for a little while there.
Wednesday we depart for Singapore. This is the first time I will be flying anywhere on a one-way ticket! Once in Sinapore, we will be staying in a service apartment (a mix between a hotel and an apartment) for a while until we find a place to stay. I start school on August 11th. I don't know much more beyond these couple of facts.
I'm going to be getting a new phone and I don't know what sort of plan I will have. What I can tell you is that I will have Skype. Skype is a FREE internet program in which two people can talk using either the microphone built on on laptops and some desktops or by using a cheap and easy-to-use plug in computer mic. If interested, check out this website for download: http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/. Once you've created a Skype Name, add me as a contact - danielmatchar. My email address is danielmatchar@yahoo.com and I have a facebook page that I check pretty often.
I hope to hear from everybody soon - leave me comments here, send me an email...just keep in touch. My plan is to update this blog pretty often (and include lots of pictures), so check in with it frequently. Keep in mind that Singapore is 12-13 hours ahead (depending on datelight savings) of time here on the East Coast of the U.S.
Peace and love,
Daniel
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