Singapore is referred to as a little red dot in South East Asia. A small city country which is so modern with gorgeous futuristic buildings, a technology hub and at the same time retains an old world charm.
As always relocating to a new country there is so much anticipation and the curiosity to learn about a new culture. I was very excited when we got an opportunity to move to Singapore several years ago. I had travelled here as a tourist on a couple of occasions and was very impressed with the beautiful landscaping and very modern infrastructure.
Living in a country is very different from visiting for just a few days. You don’t even manage to scratch the surface, it felt the same with Singapore.
It is a city where settling in took very little time although I must admit, adapting to the sultry weather all the year round proved a bit challenging for me and I do miss the 4 distinct seasons when you can dress differently and look forward to change. The fact that it is the tropics and so there is no hope for it being any different I resigned to it.
Of course there was so much else to explore and learn. There are so many hidden gems in every city just waiting to be discovered. In the first year of being here, I bought myself a handy recorder, met with some quirky people doing unusual things and interviewed them. I created vignettes and was hoping to share them with different radio stations because I felt it important to share the stories of these interesting and unique people in Singapore. Unfortunately not much came of it and I got very busy with voiceovers. However, now that I am reminded of those times it seems only natural for me to all these years later start hosting my own podcast show Melting Pot.
Coming back to Singapore, it truly is a food paradise with every cuisine from different parts of the world available here. From delectable local fare with distinctive flavors to Michelin star restaurants where there is a waiting list to find a table, Singapore has so much to offer and keeps evolving in this space. I have to make a special mention of the hawker centers, such a unique concept of trying different mouth watering Asian cuisines at such a low cost. I really believe Singapore to be a Melting Pot, satisfying everyone’s palates and pockets depending on your budget.
I find Singapore very unique when it comes to nature. I don’t think I have seen any other city with nature reserves within the city where we can go trekking and for long walks which is what I really enjoy doing on a regular basis. I actually live opposite a forested area so close to nature that sometimes I do encounter reptiles and monkeys that initially freaked me out but over the years I have calmed down and learnt that they are as freaked out of humans as we are of them. After all this was originally there home and we have uprooted them.
Just wanted to give all of you a little peek into a couple of very distinctive aspects of Singapore for those who are not aware and have not visited this tiny but beautiful country.
Leaving you with a quote from a leader I truly admire who had a vision and made it a reality.
“If Singapore is a nanny state, then I am proud to have fostered one."
Lee Kuan Yew
Quote credits: https://www.wisesayings.com/singapore-quotes/#ixzz6pNlqkz6p
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