Saturday, May 8, 2010

Settling In


So we got our internet hooked up, hooray! It was actually way easier than everything else has been, we just went to StarHub (which is like the Time Warner Cable here) and they gave us the cable box and modem. Mike hooked it up himself, because he is a MANLY man. Also, he did it with his shirt off for added effect.

I would say we're about 90% unpacked. I spent most of the last couple days cleaning the crap out the apartment. Mom, you would be so proud, it looks amazing. I got bleach on my shirt, but it was a necessary casualty. Then I had to disassemble the beds, since the good one was in the guest room and we wanted it for ourselves. Something I am not good at: taking apart and moving furniture. I almost started crying trying to get that damn bed through the doorway. I set up the kitchen, although I realized I have no idea how to use our easy bake size oven. And I did our first load of laundry in our tiny washer, and hung it to dry on our new clothes rack. No one here really has a dryer, so people just hang all their clothes out to dry on the balconies. It looks really colorful when you see it from the train. I felt very rustic, hanging clothes with clothespins; it makes me want to churn butter and beat a rug with a stick.

So we've been exploring our new neighborhood. We live on the east side of Singapore, in the Changi district. We're close to the Singapore Expo, which has a bunch of restaurants and, obviously, lots of Expos. They just had the Singapore gourmet food summit there, which looked cool but made the subway super crowded. Damn foodies. We're also close to the Simei station, which has a big mall and grocery store, plus a bunch of hawker centers and food courts. We went there yesterday to eat; the trick is to look for the busiest stand and get in line, since you know it's going to be good. In this case, it was a stand called Local Specialty, and it had the best chicken rice we've eaten so far. It came with cilantro, peppers and onions, pineapple, and sweet pickles in a sesame soy sauce. Oh god was it delicious. And $2.50 a plate!

I'm having a love affair with curries right now. Ever since I had that Indonesian beef stew, I've been craving coconut milk dishes. So I've been getting green curry chicken, which is chicken and eggplant in soupy green curry, and then Mike found a place at his work that has great laksa. It's a little fishier and spicier, and it comes with noodles. I think I may need to ease up on my food intake, since it can't be good to eat coconut milk in my food and drink condensed milk in my tea all day.

I'm finally feeling at home, now that we have our place all set up. My clothes are unpacked and in the closet, my face cream is by my sink, and my books are strewn haphazardly around the apartment. And now I can flop on the couch with the laptop and Law and Order on in the background. Feels just like Austin!

I do miss everyone a lot, though. Not in a sad lonely way, but in an "I wish everyone could be here with me way." Every time we go somewhere new, I imagine showing it to my friends. I like keeping a mental list of the places I want to take people. I hope you guys can come visit, because there is so much to do here, and more importantly, so much to eat.

5 comments:

  1. Loved this blog post. Wonderful!

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  2. Oh Emma - I hope you never get tired of blogging - your stories are so wonderful to read, I wait with much anticipation for each new entry! Much love and hugs to you and Mike! xo

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  3. emma it is absolutely a gift to read each of your entries. i go to your blog with anticipation and joy to read what you are experiencing first hand and marvel at how you paint such a vivid picture so that we too may experience it!

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  4. Go mom, you figured out how to comment! Thanks moms and Jackie, I'm glad you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

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  5. well, thanks a lot. now all i want is curry food.
    i'm finally getting around to reading the rest of your blogs now, so here i come!
    MISS YOU!!!!!!

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