Anyways work is starting to be due, had some homework due today (and I didn't realize that I had bought the wrong book until midnight last night--- wound up having to redo my homework, anyway I've since worked that out). Its going to be pretty interesting to see how well I'm going to be able to focus on school in this weather. Most of my classes are pretty good though, I really like all of my teachers.
After arriving so late from Bintan last weekend we decided to stay in the city and do some more Singaporean things this weekend (great decision).
So Friday night I went with a few of my friends to see Avatar in 3D, it was pretty enjoyable. Afterwards we walked around Orchard Road which is the retail/entertainment hub in Singapore. Basically it has a bunch of hotels, malls, and designer stores (Gucci, Armani, etc.). Also there are McDonalds and McCafes basically every 5 feet. The highlight of the night was my discovery of Mos Burger which is a Japanese fast food chain --- I had an unreal burger and fries (the first western-ish meal that I have purchased when out).
Saturday we got up unbearably early (6:45) to go to Pulau Ubin which is a rural island north east of Singapore (its part of Singapore -- like a 5 minute ferry ride away). We spent the morning/midafternoon biking and walking around the island.
Ferry ride to PU - smelled terrible in there
Our biker gang on Pulau Ubin
This is everyone on top of an observation tower that looked out over some ocean
View from the observation towerSo some of my friends here are from UNC - Chapel Hill and they have a big exchange program with NUS, so there are a lot of NUS students who have been showing the UNC kids around - some of the UConn kids and I were jealous and decided to crashed their outing on Saturday afternoon.
After getting back from PU we went to the Marine Barrage which is a dam in Singapore which was built across the Marina Channel (my friend Kerry who is taking a water resources class here would tell you that Singapore has to import water from Malaysia to purify and drink and that the Singaporean government built the dam to close off the marina and are currently in the process of desalinating the water to make it suitable for public use, which will decrease their reliance on Malaysia). Anyway there is a park on top of the dam there and we flew kites in the late afternoon with the Singaporeans. It was awesome.
This is a view from a section of the barrage - look for the kites in the sky
This is the group of UConn kids, NUS students who studied at UNC, UNC students, and one NUS student who just found out that he got into the exchange program at UConn (I think he wanted the UNC program though...haha) -- someone with a very nice camera took this
That is me, flying a kite. It should be noted that most of the pictures on this update have been stolen from my friends' albums.
Another view from the top, check out the Singapore Flyer (biggest observation/ ferris wheel type thing in the world) in the background
Elliott, Kerry, and I in front of the new Sands Casino which will open when we are here. I despise this building.
So after we lost four kites to the wind (whoops), the Singaporeans took us out to a hawker center (basically a food court --- they are all over singapore; I eat almost all of my meals at them -- cheap/delicious food) in the financial district. On the weekends they shut down a road which runs in between the Singapore stock exchange (SGX) and a hawker center and set up tables for people to eat. There we shared a bunch of entrees which were chosen by the Singaporeans --so good.
Food included:
All of us at dinner - The NUS students were so nice to show us around and hang out with us, it was an excellent evening
A picture of the sting-ray
So after dinner, the Singaporeans took us around the block to a place to get good German beers (I'm not really sure why, although it was really good).
Me with a full liter (I swear that I shared this with two other people). The only thing I can tell you about this beer was that it had a hint of banana taste (I know nothing about beer).
After our stop for German beer, we went to one of the UNC (American) kids' Singaporean friend's house (Our American friend is on exchange and in the NUS Scholars programme here which is where he met our host and all of the host's Scholars programme friends). Our host wanted to prove that he could throw an American house party (NUS students are notorious for doing nothing but studying throughout the semesters) -- and wanted real Americans to attend. So the last stop of our extremely long day was to this gentleman's condo where he had a pretty legitimate "American house party".
The longest/best day ever culminated in this NUS house party. I hate to say it mom, but my American friends and I were really successful in teaching the NUS scholars a thing or two about beer pong.
So that is all the excitement of this past weekend. This weekend, it looks like a group of us will be bus-ing to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. I am also pleased to note that another group of us have booked flights for our recess week (coming up soon in February) to Bangkok, Thailand (a big group, not just girls, I'll be safe - I promise). This is mixed with excitement of talking about travel plans for the rest of the semester, I will keep you updated.
Peace and Love,
Emily
After getting back from PU we went to the Marine Barrage which is a dam in Singapore which was built across the Marina Channel (my friend Kerry who is taking a water resources class here would tell you that Singapore has to import water from Malaysia to purify and drink and that the Singaporean government built the dam to close off the marina and are currently in the process of desalinating the water to make it suitable for public use, which will decrease their reliance on Malaysia). Anyway there is a park on top of the dam there and we flew kites in the late afternoon with the Singaporeans. It was awesome.
This is a view from a section of the barrage - look for the kites in the skyThis is the group of UConn kids, NUS students who studied at UNC, UNC students, and one NUS student who just found out that he got into the exchange program at UConn (I think he wanted the UNC program though...haha) -- someone with a very nice camera took this
That is me, flying a kite. It should be noted that most of the pictures on this update have been stolen from my friends' albums.
Another view from the top, check out the Singapore Flyer (biggest observation/ ferris wheel type thing in the world) in the background
Elliott, Kerry, and I in front of the new Sands Casino which will open when we are here. I despise this building.So after we lost four kites to the wind (whoops), the Singaporeans took us out to a hawker center (basically a food court --- they are all over singapore; I eat almost all of my meals at them -- cheap/delicious food) in the financial district. On the weekends they shut down a road which runs in between the Singapore stock exchange (SGX) and a hawker center and set up tables for people to eat. There we shared a bunch of entrees which were chosen by the Singaporeans --so good.
Food included:
- Satay - grilled (?) chicken on skewers served with peanut sauce
- Rice with some type of vegetable (staple - obviously)
- Squid - I was confused about this because we were eating little things that were small, hard, and crunchy; not really like squid, not really my favorite
- Cockels in a spicy sauce - this was my favorite but it set my mouth on fire and I ran out of my drink
- Steamed vegetables - looked spinachy --- I can't really handle spicy foods and when mixed with the cockel sauce on my plate, deadly combination - especially when I was relying on the ice cube halves in the bottom of my cup
- grilled sting ray which was amazing
All of us at dinner - The NUS students were so nice to show us around and hang out with us, it was an excellent evening
A picture of the sting-raySo after dinner, the Singaporeans took us around the block to a place to get good German beers (I'm not really sure why, although it was really good).
Me with a full liter (I swear that I shared this with two other people). The only thing I can tell you about this beer was that it had a hint of banana taste (I know nothing about beer).After our stop for German beer, we went to one of the UNC (American) kids' Singaporean friend's house (Our American friend is on exchange and in the NUS Scholars programme here which is where he met our host and all of the host's Scholars programme friends). Our host wanted to prove that he could throw an American house party (NUS students are notorious for doing nothing but studying throughout the semesters) -- and wanted real Americans to attend. So the last stop of our extremely long day was to this gentleman's condo where he had a pretty legitimate "American house party".
The longest/best day ever culminated in this NUS house party. I hate to say it mom, but my American friends and I were really successful in teaching the NUS scholars a thing or two about beer pong.So that is all the excitement of this past weekend. This weekend, it looks like a group of us will be bus-ing to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. I am also pleased to note that another group of us have booked flights for our recess week (coming up soon in February) to Bangkok, Thailand (a big group, not just girls, I'll be safe - I promise). This is mixed with excitement of talking about travel plans for the rest of the semester, I will keep you updated.
Peace and Love,
Emily
Posts
To: The Emi-nator
ReplyDeleteFrom: Uncle Ransom
Subject: You Blog-thing
Date: Jan 27, 2010
Emmy –
Uncle Barney sent me the link to your blog. I love blogspot. See http://collegetour2007.blogspot.com/. My friends were amazed at my technical acumen. Your audience should know how much skill this really takes. You are truly a multi-faceted human.
On your return let’s discuss Mos Burger. Need more details. I’m thinking first US franchise in Storrs (w/ RJ as a minority partner) to be followed quickly with a satellite operation in Ojai (Barney and Kate could package in a special health insurance option). Thereafter, “Mos-US” moves to Washington, DC. Ultimately “Mos-US” blows out all competition with the tag line: “They Eat Healthy in Japan, So Should You”.
This thing has legs!
Got to go now. Need to get ready for the State of the Union. I don’t want to miss any instructions from the President! As you know, I always pay attention!!!!!
Have a blast.
Uncle Ransom
PS Who is in charge of RJ in your absence?
PPS Don’t let TJ see this.
Hey Uncle Ranny --
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you'll see this as you commented so long ago (did not even realize people had commented on this until the other day) BUT
1. your blog looks much more professional than mine, I think I need to get a few pointers from you
2. I am so down for the mos burger idea, I enjoyed it so much that I think that was the fastest I have ever consumed any meal in my entire life. -- haha you have some great ideas and we really need to get on this
I can't believe there are so many people reading my blog, really feeling the pressure/am embarrassed
OH and to respond to your question -- I have assigned my roommates Erin and Julie as RJ's stand-in cousins at UConn and have been getting good reports from all three of them so things are looking good.
Hope that the winter in VA isn't too bad!! Hopefully I'll talk to you soon and thanks for reading my blog!!!
Emily