Sunday, March 29, 2009
The Mango Tree House
Joseph has recently done some fun projects with the kids around our house. He added a huge net on the porch, which I call the human spider web, for the kids to climb in. He installed two Ikea swings. He also added a rope ladder on the side of the house which takes you up to the roof--the lower roof that covers our porch area (we don't have a garage, just a small driveway and an area I call the porch.) A huge tree grows on the side of the house and spills onto the roof. The kids made a tree house of sorts: instead of the tree house being in the tree, it is under the tree. And we recently discovered that it is a mango tree which was kind of fun. It is starting to produce little mangoes all around, most of which are too high to pick. The kids love to pack their lunch boxes and carry them up to have a picnic under their tree. We put a plastic bin up there with a rug and pillows to sit on. Again, as I have mentioned before, we have to improvise here in Singapore. Without a yard, we have tried to be creative in providing "normal" childhood activities. 
Dad's Office
I have fond memories when I was a child of going with my dad to his office on Saturdays--just a few times maybe is all. I would bring my coloring book and crayons and color in the corner of his big office while he did some extra weekend work. Then we would go to the little kitchen and get a can of soda from the fridge. The highlight was the soda, of course, and the binder clip I usually found and received permission to take home.
Joseph works in a building called the Concourse in the downtown area of Singapore, just a block from Arab Street where we went basket shopping. After finishing our Easter prep, we ordered some take-out from his favorite Turkish restaurant in the area and walked over to his office for a family picnic. The kids were so excited to see their dad's office and even more delighted to find a soda machine in the kitchen that required no money. We had dinner in the conference room (and you can see our delicious hummus, pita bread, Turkish pizza and beef wraps, complete with a can of soda all around.) We saw dad's work station and shredded our Easter grass. The kids had fun drawing on the white boards while Ella ran around trying to open every cupboard she came in contact with. Lucky for me, they were all locked. Then she discovered the drawers at the desks . . .
It was a fun family outing and just proves that you don't have to go far from home to have fun together.
Easter Prep
We do not have any Easter baskets with us here, so we decided to go down to Arab Street, the Muslim district where there are a lot textiles and basket shops and let the kids pick something out. It is also a fun part of the city which I wanted to see. There aren't any Targets to run to for Easter supplies so you get to be creative. We stopped in a ribbon store that had bolts of ribbon crammed in there from the floor to the ceiling. Mom would love that store--every kind of ribbon you can imagine in all colors and prints: wired ribbon, satin ribbon, curling ribbon, etc You have to buy the whole roll though, but it is surprisingly cheap (some of the satin ribbon was less than a dollar for the whole roll of 50 or more yards.) So our first stop was at the ribbon store where we let the girls pick out some ribbon for decorating the baskets. Then we stopped by the basket shop where they all found the perfect basket. Below you see them basket shopping and then a picture of Joseph and the kids in front of the Sultan Mosque just around the corner--the largest and most significant mosque in Singapore. Then you can see the finished products--pretty cute! For the grass we shredded colored paper and crunched it up.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
10 Things to Love about Singapore
I came up with this list awhile ago. I think it was the holiday season and I was getting a little home sick. Instead of dwelling on being so far from family and friends and what I missed about the states, I made a list, in my head at first, of all the things to love about living here in Singapore. I quickly jotted it down in my journal so I wouldn't forget and now I thought I would post it on my blog. Maybe I can recruit someone to join us out here--or at least maybe visit. These are not in any significant order.
1. Safety: Back in Minnesota when Joseph traveled I was always on edge. We had an alarm system in our home complete with motion detectors and I never turned it on. I was actually afraid it would go off for real or even by accident (say if a mouse in the the basement ran across the floor and the detectors caught it). I'm sure I would have a panic attack and that was more troubling than the alternative whatever it may be (which was always nothing, thankfully.) It is not that we lived in a dangerous area, I just have an overactive imagination and ears that pick up every squeak and thump throughout an entire house. I checked all the doors and windows twice and even had Joseph install another bolt on the front door. I always slept with a phone by my bed AND a charged cell phone in case whoever was going to break in cut the phone lines. 911 was on speed dial (I've heard people forget the number when they panic). I think you get the idea of just how psychotic I was without me revealing anymore. Now let me contrast the situation here. Joseph is traveling and I go to bed. As I am drifting peacefully off to sleep I remember that I haven't checked the front door to make sure it is locked. I don't feel like getting up to check so I go to sleep without another thought about it. My cell phone is downstairs in my purse and my phones here often don't work or aren't charged anyway.
Yes, Singapore is so safe it is almost unreal. The government has a no tolerance policy towards crime which is really quite effective in creating such a safe environment. Just don't get falsely accused.
2. Tropical: Everything here is lush and green, vibrant and alive. Orchids wrap around trees along the streets and grow in front yards. The government also landscapes everything here--all the highways and city streets are manicured and trimmed with flowers and tropical plants. There are also the reserves where they have preserved the natural jungle to explore (albeit on nice paths and hiking trails.)
3. People: The Oriental people here are polite and courteous. They have strong family values and, for the most part, are very respectful, quiet people whom I have come to admire.
4. Transport: Getting around Singapore is easy and cheap. There are blue taxis everywhere willing to take you anywhere you want to go. And it only costs between $4 to $10 US dollars, which is cheap when you compare that to how much a car costs. To keep traffic under control (and I must add that for being such a big city, the traffic is not too bad) the government puts such a high tax on cars that most people opt not to have a car--it's just too expensive where there are so many other less expensive options to getting around. We only have one car for our family and not having a second car has never been an issue. Alternative transportation whether it be in the form of a bus, taxi, metro, (or in Joseph's case a motorcycle) is readily available. If all else fails (like the car battery one morning) you just call a taxi.
5. Ease: I must admit that life here is pretty cushy. You can hire out just about everything, and every service you can think of which makes your life easier is offered. And it is all so affordable it doesn't make sense not to. Most people have live in help "foreign domestic workers" to do their cleaning and cooking; also gardening, catering, or laundry, to name a few, are easy and cheap to come by. When you grocery shop, you load up your cart and pay for it, and the store will deliver it to your door in a couple of hours--free. You don't even pump your own gas. Just pull-up, roll down your window and say, "Regular, please. To the top." Whenever you eat fast food, you just leave your tray on the table when you are done and walk out. There are two phrases here that you often hear: "no need" and "can." (The "can" is kind of interesting. I just figured that one out from studying Chinese. There is no universal "yes" in Chinese like "oui" in French or "si" in Spanish. In Chinese you answer affirmatively by repeating the verb used in the question. For example, if you ask someone in Chinese, "Can I have a drink of milk?" The answer literally would be "can.")
6. Location: Singapore is in an ideal location for an amazing array of exotic destinations. Vacations that before I only dreamed about are now easily available. In 4 hours or less, you can be in Australia, India, China, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia to name some. And not only are they close, but it is relatively cheap to get there, not to mention really cheap when you get there. The opportunities to see these places and expose my children to other countries and ways of life so different from ours make the effort and cost worthwhile. I must admit that before we moved here, my knowledge of the geography in this region was pretty weak. We have hardly scratched the surface of what there is to see and do, but we have all learned a lot and are grateful for every opportunity we have had to travel.
7. Weather: In Minnesota, I lived by weather.com. I woke up, got breakfast, checked the weather, then got dressed. Everything really did depend on weather, especially in Minnesota. Should I do the laundry or go to the park? Can I exercise outside today or do I need to schedule time to go to the gym? I had to check the weather before I could plan my day. The weather really did vary that much and determined even more. I've checked the weather twice since we've been here and both times the weekly forecast was the following: Monday, partly cloudy, 88/75 (High/Low) 60% chance of rain. Tuesday, partly cloudy, 88/75. 60% chance of rain. Wednesday, partly cloudy, 87/74, 60% chance of rain. Thursday, partly cloudy, 88/75, 60% chance of rain. . . . and so you see "no need" to even check the forecast. You get up and plan your day based on what you feel like doing vs. what you need to do and not what you should or can't do because it is or isn't a nice day.
8. Food: There are so many food options here is it almost ridiculous when you consider the size of this country/city. The Hawker Centers are famous throughout the world and are an experience just to go and walk around or watch people or inhale the unusual odors. (Hawker Centers are food centers, usually outdoors, where there are stalls set up with pictures of the food you buy and it is cooked right there on the spot in front of you. One Hawker Center might have 20 or 40 different stalls to choose from. And, as you can imagine, it is the real deal when it comes to Asian cuisine.) It is fun to discover that one place that sells just the right dumplings (pot stickers are kind of a rude imitation of them) or satay. A meal at a Hawker Center costs anywhere from $2 to $5. I don't think many of the locals even cook that much because it is so cheap to eat out. I also have had fun cooking more Asian food with all the spices and things readily available at the grocery stores.
9. Culture: Singapore is only about 26 miles wide and 14 miles long. And there is such an amazing fusion of cultures in that small space: Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, are some of the more dominant cultures here, but Singapore is virtually a crossroads for people all over the world. It is not unusual to chat with women from Sweden, Norway or Spain at the parks in the expat areas. Our ward has had or has people from Russia, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Korea, Taiwan, Australia and Brazil (are the ones that come to mind right now.)
10: Distance: It is refreshing to be so far removed from the overbearing pop culture and media in the US. We get interesting views on US and global issues from strangers and associates here. And instead of turning on the TV to watch Hannah Montana or something of that sort, Abigail comes home from school and works on a rag rug her school class is making for 3rd world countries in the region and then takes a bath with one bucket of cold water she has to fill outside and haul upstairs so she can get an idea of what it is like for many people around the world who have no running water. (she is learning about 3rd world countries in social studies as part of a bigger program where the 3rd graders are earning money to buy animals to donate to these countries.)
1. Safety: Back in Minnesota when Joseph traveled I was always on edge. We had an alarm system in our home complete with motion detectors and I never turned it on. I was actually afraid it would go off for real or even by accident (say if a mouse in the the basement ran across the floor and the detectors caught it). I'm sure I would have a panic attack and that was more troubling than the alternative whatever it may be (which was always nothing, thankfully.) It is not that we lived in a dangerous area, I just have an overactive imagination and ears that pick up every squeak and thump throughout an entire house. I checked all the doors and windows twice and even had Joseph install another bolt on the front door. I always slept with a phone by my bed AND a charged cell phone in case whoever was going to break in cut the phone lines. 911 was on speed dial (I've heard people forget the number when they panic). I think you get the idea of just how psychotic I was without me revealing anymore. Now let me contrast the situation here. Joseph is traveling and I go to bed. As I am drifting peacefully off to sleep I remember that I haven't checked the front door to make sure it is locked. I don't feel like getting up to check so I go to sleep without another thought about it. My cell phone is downstairs in my purse and my phones here often don't work or aren't charged anyway.
Yes, Singapore is so safe it is almost unreal. The government has a no tolerance policy towards crime which is really quite effective in creating such a safe environment. Just don't get falsely accused.
2. Tropical: Everything here is lush and green, vibrant and alive. Orchids wrap around trees along the streets and grow in front yards. The government also landscapes everything here--all the highways and city streets are manicured and trimmed with flowers and tropical plants. There are also the reserves where they have preserved the natural jungle to explore (albeit on nice paths and hiking trails.)
3. People: The Oriental people here are polite and courteous. They have strong family values and, for the most part, are very respectful, quiet people whom I have come to admire.
4. Transport: Getting around Singapore is easy and cheap. There are blue taxis everywhere willing to take you anywhere you want to go. And it only costs between $4 to $10 US dollars, which is cheap when you compare that to how much a car costs. To keep traffic under control (and I must add that for being such a big city, the traffic is not too bad) the government puts such a high tax on cars that most people opt not to have a car--it's just too expensive where there are so many other less expensive options to getting around. We only have one car for our family and not having a second car has never been an issue. Alternative transportation whether it be in the form of a bus, taxi, metro, (or in Joseph's case a motorcycle) is readily available. If all else fails (like the car battery one morning) you just call a taxi.
5. Ease: I must admit that life here is pretty cushy. You can hire out just about everything, and every service you can think of which makes your life easier is offered. And it is all so affordable it doesn't make sense not to. Most people have live in help "foreign domestic workers" to do their cleaning and cooking; also gardening, catering, or laundry, to name a few, are easy and cheap to come by. When you grocery shop, you load up your cart and pay for it, and the store will deliver it to your door in a couple of hours--free. You don't even pump your own gas. Just pull-up, roll down your window and say, "Regular, please. To the top." Whenever you eat fast food, you just leave your tray on the table when you are done and walk out. There are two phrases here that you often hear: "no need" and "can." (The "can" is kind of interesting. I just figured that one out from studying Chinese. There is no universal "yes" in Chinese like "oui" in French or "si" in Spanish. In Chinese you answer affirmatively by repeating the verb used in the question. For example, if you ask someone in Chinese, "Can I have a drink of milk?" The answer literally would be "can.")
6. Location: Singapore is in an ideal location for an amazing array of exotic destinations. Vacations that before I only dreamed about are now easily available. In 4 hours or less, you can be in Australia, India, China, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia to name some. And not only are they close, but it is relatively cheap to get there, not to mention really cheap when you get there. The opportunities to see these places and expose my children to other countries and ways of life so different from ours make the effort and cost worthwhile. I must admit that before we moved here, my knowledge of the geography in this region was pretty weak. We have hardly scratched the surface of what there is to see and do, but we have all learned a lot and are grateful for every opportunity we have had to travel.
7. Weather: In Minnesota, I lived by weather.com. I woke up, got breakfast, checked the weather, then got dressed. Everything really did depend on weather, especially in Minnesota. Should I do the laundry or go to the park? Can I exercise outside today or do I need to schedule time to go to the gym? I had to check the weather before I could plan my day. The weather really did vary that much and determined even more. I've checked the weather twice since we've been here and both times the weekly forecast was the following: Monday, partly cloudy, 88/75 (High/Low) 60% chance of rain. Tuesday, partly cloudy, 88/75. 60% chance of rain. Wednesday, partly cloudy, 87/74, 60% chance of rain. Thursday, partly cloudy, 88/75, 60% chance of rain. . . . and so you see "no need" to even check the forecast. You get up and plan your day based on what you feel like doing vs. what you need to do and not what you should or can't do because it is or isn't a nice day.
8. Food: There are so many food options here is it almost ridiculous when you consider the size of this country/city. The Hawker Centers are famous throughout the world and are an experience just to go and walk around or watch people or inhale the unusual odors. (Hawker Centers are food centers, usually outdoors, where there are stalls set up with pictures of the food you buy and it is cooked right there on the spot in front of you. One Hawker Center might have 20 or 40 different stalls to choose from. And, as you can imagine, it is the real deal when it comes to Asian cuisine.) It is fun to discover that one place that sells just the right dumplings (pot stickers are kind of a rude imitation of them) or satay. A meal at a Hawker Center costs anywhere from $2 to $5. I don't think many of the locals even cook that much because it is so cheap to eat out. I also have had fun cooking more Asian food with all the spices and things readily available at the grocery stores.
9. Culture: Singapore is only about 26 miles wide and 14 miles long. And there is such an amazing fusion of cultures in that small space: Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, are some of the more dominant cultures here, but Singapore is virtually a crossroads for people all over the world. It is not unusual to chat with women from Sweden, Norway or Spain at the parks in the expat areas. Our ward has had or has people from Russia, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Korea, Taiwan, Australia and Brazil (are the ones that come to mind right now.)
10: Distance: It is refreshing to be so far removed from the overbearing pop culture and media in the US. We get interesting views on US and global issues from strangers and associates here. And instead of turning on the TV to watch Hannah Montana or something of that sort, Abigail comes home from school and works on a rag rug her school class is making for 3rd world countries in the region and then takes a bath with one bucket of cold water she has to fill outside and haul upstairs so she can get an idea of what it is like for many people around the world who have no running water. (she is learning about 3rd world countries in social studies as part of a bigger program where the 3rd graders are earning money to buy animals to donate to these countries.)
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Happy Birthday Maggie
So her birthday was on February 8th but I haven't taken the chance until now to post anything about it. Her birthday falls exactly 3 weeks after Abigail's birthday and 1 week before Joseph's. So by mid-Feb I am all b-day'ed out and I need to get some distance I guess before I can approach writing about all of it. For Maggie's day of fun on Saturday (again, like Abigail, her birthday was on Sunday so we did the family fun activity the day before) we went to the only theme park in Singapore: "Escape Theme Park." It is no Disneyland. Just to give you an idea, it is only open on Saturday and Sunday and cost US $25 for our whole family (the family deal is 2 parents and 2 kids over 3 years old. They were a little confused when our family of 4 kids showed up and weren't sure what to do so they just let us all in for the "family deal" price. Not a lot of families here with 4 kids.) The sun was shining which in Singapore means it is hot, hot, hot. Cloud coverage is our salvation here. But the park was relatively empty and that was nice. The rides were a little like the country fair variety, but for 9, 7, and 3 years old they were exciting enough. There were about a dozen rides or so to choose from and they got to go on all of them multiple times. I sat out with Ella most of the time which was fine with me because the rides mostly were the dizzying going around in circles kind which give me a headache.
Sunday we did the make and decorate your own cake--Maggie's choice was chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. It is a good thing the girls have birthdays so close. They do everything together, even their birthdays. Maggie is a joy to have around because she is full of life and laughter. She has a loud giggle like laugh that starts small and grows until she fills the house with her laughter and even snorts. She is our child of extremes though, and can get angry, hurt or sad just as easily and just as loud. She works really hard in school and has surprised us at how sharp she is. She sails through her 1st grade math and loves to play math computer games, challenging herself by choosing the 3rd grade games with multiplication. She is also very conscientious and eager to get attention for her work. Sounds familiar. We love her a lot and are grateful to have enjoyed discovering her person over the the past 7 years. Although I must say, she has been a difficult nut to crack sometimes.
Sisters do make the best friends--at least in this case. I would say they are best friends 99.5% of the time.
Sunday we did the make and decorate your own cake--Maggie's choice was chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. It is a good thing the girls have birthdays so close. They do everything together, even their birthdays. Maggie is a joy to have around because she is full of life and laughter. She has a loud giggle like laugh that starts small and grows until she fills the house with her laughter and even snorts. She is our child of extremes though, and can get angry, hurt or sad just as easily and just as loud. She works really hard in school and has surprised us at how sharp she is. She sails through her 1st grade math and loves to play math computer games, challenging herself by choosing the 3rd grade games with multiplication. She is also very conscientious and eager to get attention for her work. Sounds familiar. We love her a lot and are grateful to have enjoyed discovering her person over the the past 7 years. Although I must say, she has been a difficult nut to crack sometimes.
Sisters do make the best friends--at least in this case. I would say they are best friends 99.5% of the time.
This picture is a little silly, but it shows what an expressive girl she is. We pulled her out of class at school to go and see Abigail's assembly (the one I posted on Abigail's birthday blog entry) and you can see she was only a little bit excited.
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Family Picture
Family Picture taken November 2011