The more I think about it, the more unreal it feels. Just a little over a week, I will be whisked away to the other side of the world for five months to study in Singapore. Closer to leaving the ridiculously cold Wisconsin winter and embracing the warm and humid weather of Singapore. I’m harboring mixed emotions of excitement and nervousness these days. I keeping imagining that moment when I step foot in Singapore for the first time and taking in the hustle and bustle of a city that is just so foreign to me. Pre-departure nerves are to be expected. I know. I just can’t wait to be there and bypass them. Within those nerves are my excitement to truly embrace my stay in Singapore. I’m so excited to explore Singapore and try the local dishes and travels throughout the region. My program also provides a student pass which I can use to travel to neighboring countries. I am going to take to full advantage of it and make plans to visit Thailand, Cambodia, and maybe even China! By no means do I want to limit myself while I am there. I am also excited to meet other international students from all over the world! I’m somewhat relieved that there is such a large pool of international students attending this semester. We can help lift each other up and navigate our way through Singapore. The last couple of weeks I was able to connect with other international students via Facebook, so I am even more excited to meet them. It seems like we have great group on our hands!
There is still so much to do before I depart in January. I have not even thought about packing. Since the weather is going to be warm, my inner So-cal girl is signaling me to unload with all my summer clothes. I am looking forward to spending my final weeks back home in Los Angeles with my family and friends. They are just as excited as I am. My mother especially has been reminding to make sure all my papers are ready and go, and if I need anything else to just let her know. There are quite a few miscellaneous paperwork I need to complete too. I am also making a mental note of a souvenir list as it seems to gradually get longer as my depart day approaches and the longer I stay in Los Angeles. I will be doing some studying since I have a Chinese language placement test upon my arrival. I’m excited to have the opportunity to study Mandarin while I am there and interact with locals. When I return, let’s just say my speaking will improve tenfold. Well, I hope so!
I’m still processing this feeling. Growing up, traveling and seeing what the world has to offer has always been something I wanted to do. The endless conversations about places I wanted to visit were nonstop. Here I am making strides toward my wishful list by visiting Singapore. I have heard such great things about Singapore, the melting pot of South East Asia. While my impressions and expectations of Singapore are quite fresh, I know for certain that I will soon embark on journey full of wonder, excitement, and adventure. So tune into my future blogs. I can’t wait to share my journey with you all!
Olivia Smith
How exciting! If you’re thinking you’re going to pick up a lot of stuff along the way, maybe check into how much shipping costs to send back some of the less breakable souvenirs?