Well, it has been nearly five months since we moved out to Singapore...our first official day here was October 17. It's hard to believe how fast time flies and how many changes have occurred in our lives in just a few months.
We were on Orchard Road the other day with Juliana and we were talking about our first experience here in Singapore. We had arrived at the airport, taken a cab to the temporary apartment and met with the real estate agent. After unpacking a little, our biggest task was to purchase a bed and stroller for Juliana since we hadn't brought anything with us. So, using our handy Singapore travel guide book, we located a Toys 'R Us and got into a cab headed for Forum Shopping Mall on Orchard Road. What an experience it was!! I can remember both Jacob and I were exhausted, overwhelmed and experiencing our first bouts of culture shock. I felt so out of place and uncomfortable, Jacob was anxious about the start of his job in three days and Juliana was cranky from all the traveling and unsure of what to think of her surroundings. We left with our purchases and headed back to the apartment to set up and pass out. All these months later, I walk down the same road and into the same mall and I'm amazed at how much this entire experience has changed our lives. Now, I feel perfectly comfortable doing my errands, going out with Juliana, heading off to work and so on and so forth. Singapore has become our home for the time being.
Often, I end up talking to my students about the culture in Singapore and how family oriented and kid friendly it is. We're blessed to be able to share this with Juliana and expose her to such a variety of religions, cultures, races, and languages. While some may argue that she's too young to understand it all, I believe it will all have a lasting impact on her development and personality in the coming months and years. She has already changed in so many ways as a result of our environment, in ways she may not have been able to quite so soon at home. Living in the city has forced us to reach out, involve ourselves with other locals and expats, and meet other families. I've been fortunate to meet some wonderful people, some with children and some without to share my time with. Most importantly, Juliana has been able to take her music and gymnastics classes, which have helped her learn a lot and get used to being with other children her age.
One other reason that I wanted to post about all of our experiences stemmed from the fact that yesterday was Jacob's birthday. Over the weekend, I treated him to a nice dinner at Lawry's, which seems to be a rare occurrence for us lately. We enjoyed the time alone and reflected a lot on the past few months. I have never seen Jacob so happy and proud of his job. He truly enjoys being a part of this project and we both look forward to other opportunities to work abroad (hopefully!) For dinner, Jacob enjoyed some prime rib and I had lamb...two things that are hard to come by out here in Asia and a bit of a splurge for us. 
I asked Jacob the typical birthday question last night after having a family dinner with Juliana, "So how does it feel to be 28?" His response was that he felt young! Once again, it was another time of reflection for us and we talked about the fact that this was the best decision for us at this point in our lives. We both realize how good we had it back in the U.S. when it comes to things like food, groceries, cars, etc. Mainly, everything is very convenient back in the States. The cost of living out here is so much higher and for simple things like Macaroni & Cheese or Beef, you have to dish out a lot more money that you would expect!! But we have learned to change those parts of our lives and adjust to the lifestyle here in Singapore.
We are looking forward to some family that plan on visiting this summer, because we get to share the experience with them. My mom, who came in December, still has so much more to see when she returns! The city has so much to offer that you need weeks in order to see and do it all. I look forward to what the next several months entail and can't wait to share more experiences with everyone!
Thank you for your continued interest!
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