Top Ten...

Top Ten Things I Like About Singapore (in no particular order):

1. Exploring Singy with my husband, Blake. Being thrown into a foreign country together teaches you to truly rely on each other. He has been so resilient in adapting to the new environment, not to mention a pretty awesome Singapore driver. :)

2. Making new friends... I have been truly fortunate and have met amazing friends from a variety of countries. I hope to know these women for a really long time! 

3. Tropical Climate: I love Singapore when it is not raining... it rains almost everyday, but usually not for long. When it is not raining and the sun is out, it is amazingly beautiful! 

4. Public transportation: Being from Texas, I knew very little about public transportation prior to moving here. In Texas, everyone has a car (usually a big truck or SUV), and we drive everywhere we go! In Singapore, Blake and I have one car (an SUV) and he drives about 30 minutes to work each way. So, I rely on the public transportation... it is wonderful! I can get anywhere in no time at all or I can always hail a cab. 

5. Various cultures: I love being able to learn about other cultures and experience new things. Not a day goes by that I don't feel like I learned/discovered something new. The experiences we are gaining here will last a lifetime. 

6. Variety of Food: You can find about anything to eat in Singapore. ANYTHING... So, it can be quite an adventure just perusing a restaurant menu or hawker stand. 

7. Travel: Blake and I have so many places we want to go while we are living here and I get excited just making the plans. It is amazing to know we can spend a weekend in Bali or Thailand at the drop of a hat. 

8. Christmas Carols: Some of the stores started playing Christmas carols in September... I love that. 

9. "Crazy Hours": The Singapore version of "Happy Hour" where drinks are usually 1-1. Hey, if you are going to pay $15 for a margarita... may as well get another one for free!

10. Conveniences: You can have your groceries delivered, your masseuse can come to your house, the guard can arrange for a cab for you, and so on... You could do as little or as much as you like in Singapore. They are built around making life rather convenient, for the right price. 

Top Ten Things I Miss in the USA:

1. Family & Bentley (Duh... if I didn't put that as no.1, I would probably be disowned. :-) )

2. Random shopping trips with my Mom. My parents are coming to visit next year and I can't wait to show them Singapore. 

3. Friends (Again... another one of those no brainers...)

4. My Job: I miss teaching. I honestly miss bonding with my kiddos and making them laugh with my silly jokes. I miss the excitement and busy work week of running a classroom. I guess I know for certain I chose the right career. :-) I cannot stand when people say, "Don't you love not working and going to the beach every day?!" Are you kidding?! They must not know me very well... because if I went to the beach everyday, I would go crazy!!! I am a busy bee... I need to be preoccupied or I will explode. 

5. Southern Cooking!: One of the channels I do have is Food Network, so Paula Deen and I have become very close. Needless to say, Blake is not suffering. :-) One of my favorite ingredients is heavy cream... ;)

6. Drive Thru Restaurants: Seriously, next time you go through a drive thru, THANK the people that work there and tell them you love them! In Singapore, there are ZERO drive thru places. (Ok, I saw one McDonald's that had an underground drive thru... big whoop.) I miss whipping through a drive thru and grabbing a smoothie! That is a luxury... remember to appreciate it! 

7. Sonic Cherry LimeAdes... enough said. For those who have never had one, you will never understand.

8. Free Parking. You pay to park everywhere you go. That means if you go to the grocery store, you pay to park. Same for going to a restaurant or a movie or anything else. Not very expensive, just kind of annoying.

9. The hint of winter weather in Texas. Singapore is 75-85 degrees year round, so bathing suits are always in season! I know my relatives in Oregon and Wisconsin have zero sympathy for me right now! ;)

10. Texas. I love my state.