Challenges

I have had many inquiries regarding how I am adapting to life in Asia. As with any sort of move- across town, across the country, or in my case, across the world- there are challenges.

Here are some of the challenges that I have been faced with:

1. Loneliness. Although it has been a fabulous experience to be able to travel all over Asia with Jason, he is here to work. That being said, I am alone for over 12 hours a day, without a job. The first couple of weeks it was easy, as I had a ton of unpacking and settling in to do. I am impressed with myself though, as I have only had one breakdown thus far regarding this issue. Skype has been my saving grace. I am so glad that I have been able to talk with my family so much. I miss them all terribly and it makes it a little easier, being able to see their faces. Since we have been traveling so much and have been from hotel to hotel, we have not had a chance to make any friends in Singapore. The only person I talk to during the day is Jason and when he gets home, sometimes all he wants to do is chill out and have a beer since he has been talking to clients all day. This is understandable; however, I am the complete opposite when he gets home. All I want to do is talk his head off since I haven't talked to anyone all day. Once we have a chance to hang out in Singapore for a little while without traveling, I am going to join a club or something where I can meet people because otherwise I think I will go crazy and make Jason nuts too. It is extremely hard to adjust when I went from having a ton of friends to none at all. I don't have an international phone, so I couldn't phone a friend even if I wanted to. I must say though, I have met some really cool people on our journey and I am lucky enough to be traveling with my best friend. I wouldn't change anything for the world (and I've seen a lot of it so far)! ;)


2. Communication. Although Singapore's primary language is English, don't let this fool you. There are many variations and accents that are used by people with a different native tongue. Many speak very fast and are very hard to understand. Talking to people on the phone (cable or aircon guys) is even harder. It is also difficult to communicate because many Asians don't want to tell you no. So they will tell you yes but will still mean no. It gets very frustrating when you are trying to get something done or go somewhere, as it confuses all parties. Thank goodness Jason has a good sense of direction or else we would still probably be lost on the bike taxi in Hua Hin with the driver who claimed he know where we were going.


3. Those who lack being courteous. Asians here have no concept of this. They will cut you in line, not hold the elevator door for you (even if you are holding 6 grocery bags while carrying luggage), walk right into you, and steal your parking space... all on PURPOSE and will not apologize. Many think that they have the right of way so you better move over. I can't tell you how frustrating it has been. I am very proud of myself for not starting a fight with anyone (yet) over this issue.


4. Shopping. Yes, you read that correctly. Making the purchases is not the issue, it is bringing those purchases home. We do not have a car here, so we walk pretty much everywhere. We are lucky enough (for Jason it is unlucky) to live next to the biggest mall in Singapore. The malls here are different than in American as they contain grocery stores, dentists, doctors, spas, nail salons, etc. Grocery shopping is especially difficult because I tend to buy more than I can carry. Not wanting to spend extra money on a taxi or wait in line, I usually try to tough it up and nearly break my back (or the bags) trying to carry it all home. I especially hate trips when I know I have to buy something heavy like laundry detergent or milk.


5. Missing Jack. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my little man. It is amazing how attached one can be to their pet. I have had Jack for almost 5 years now (holy cow does time fly!) and it is sad to come home to an empty house. I have a picture of my little stud muffin right by my kitchen sink so I can at least see him every day. I can't wait to move to Austria so he can come with us.


6. Cooking. Ok, I am not a chef, I will be the first to admit that. I was looking forward to learning how to cook better, especially since I thought it would save us money. That is where I was wrong. It is cheaper to eat out at the local food courts than to cook at home. Ingredients in the grocery store are super expensive and are not cost efficient (they are all imported in since Singapore is an island). I went to the store to pick up some regular household groceries and left paying over $150 for practically nothing. A half gallon of milk alone costs $9. Yikes!


7. Sleeping. I think that our bed is the most uncomfortable bed I have ever slept in. Although it is called a queen here, I assure you it is not the size of an American queen. It is like a full and is as hard as a rock. I bought a pillow top for it ($200+ dollars later) and it is still as hard as a rock. By the time I wake up, I am nearly off the bed and no longer have any covers on, as Jason steals them. We are definitely buying a king in Austria.


8. Watching TV. Most channels are in English, however they are mostly old episodes to shows that I am not interested in. Jason loves watching the History channel while I like watching comedies and entertainment news. The only thing we really agree on all the time are crime shows like Law and Order and Investigate Reports. The problem is, they play the same episodes over and over. Thank goodness I was never much of a TV person anyway. For those who are obsessed with dramatic series, you are screwed.


9. Local food. Many people rant and rave about how nice and diverse Singapore food is. I like it so much that I have already lost over 10 lbs. I just do not find it appetizing to walk into a restaurant and see my meat hanging in a window with head, intestines, feet and all. I am slowly becoming better at eating meat (if it comes out looking semi-normal) but still prefer veggies and rice. Desserts are also not as common here which has also helped with my weight loss. I have the biggest sweet tooth and have barely had any sweets while we've been here. I'm still not sure if this is good or bad. I have a feeling that when we come back in a couple weeks to visit, I am going to pig out on all the food and sweet tea I have missed so dearly.


10. The smells. I have never smelt such raunchy smells in my entire life. Between B.O. and the nasty food, I almost faint on a daily basis. Showers should be required of everyone, everyday. No matter where we go or what we do, something always smells funny. My smell superpower runs in my family, as my mom has the same nose as me. At least she knows exactly what I mean.


11. Keeping up with the time. We have been traveling everywhere from Thailand and Malaysia to Australia and the US. Not only does it wear on your body, it is difficult to know what time it is or what time it is back in the US. The time zones have really messed with our sleep and eating patterns. I am going to be all kinds of messed up when we come home to visit. It will be worth it though.


12. Living out of a suitcase. After a while it just gets annoying. I swear that everywhere we go, even if we don't buy anything, our suitcases always seems to somehow expand. I am so used to unpacking and packing that it only takes me a few minutes. I am one of those people that no matter how long it takes me to pack, I always think that I forgot something. I tend to over pack for those "just in case" moments. I am trying to get better at this, especially since we have to lug it around wherever we go. And don't even get me started about the laundry after our trips. I swear our washer and dryer is going to be the death of me probably because I would beat us both to death.


I am sure there are others that I simply can not think of at this time. In no way am I saying that it sucks to be here or anything like that because I feel quite the opposite- blessed actually. These are just some of the frustrations I have been through the past couple of months. I am so used to some people saying "it's hard being you" or "what a rough life" but it truly is a lot harder than it seems. Many forget that I gave up everything I have ever known (family, friends, pets, my car, my job, etc.) to be here. It was totally worth it and I would not change anything. This post is to help you understand what I've been through while I've been away. It's little things like this that really make you grateful for what you have or had.