I’m already one month(!) in living in Singapore and it’s been interesting to see how I’ve adjusted into a new routine. Here’s a snapshot of my day today.
7am – Wake up.
7:30am – First meeting of the day is a call with the global team based out of Denver & San Diego. Working across time zones can be tricky but having these internal syncs is incredibly helpful as we’re able to get immediate responses to our questions.
9:30am – Lighting contractor shows up to check out my flickering room light. Turns out nothing is wrong with the light; it’s just not compatible with the preset dimmer on the wall. I am told to only use the remote to change the brightness (yes, the light is remote-operated).
10:30am – Walk to the client office at Marina Bay Financial Centre. On paper my commute is short but when you factor in time waiting for the “lift”, it doubles. First world problems.
11:30am – Eat lunch at the “canteen” aka the cafeteria. In the salad bar today the roasted eggplant is labeled as zucchini when really it should be “aubergine”. Still delicious! I’ve also been eating watermelon every day and am still not sick of it.
12:30pm – Drag my team out to Marina Bay to take a photo for the company website. It’s quite hot on the walk back but one thing I’ve noticed in Singapore is that people don’t talk much about the weather because it’s always the same. Instead we complain about how cold the air con is!
4pm – Meet with the tax firm that will be handling the tax equalization while I am on assignment. I learn about how the Singapore tax year is paid in arrears and how if you try to leave the country with an overdue tax notice, you will be stopped at the airport. They do not mess around here!
5pm – Pick up letter during mail hours at our coworking space. I am offered a brownie and get invited to the Delegate birthday party on Saturday. There will be free food so I am tempted.
5:30pm – Drop-in for a weight lifting session at Platinum Fitness. Gyms here are very expensive and I miss paying $65 a month for Chicago Athletic Clubs. I started a free trial through ClassPass Singapore and used 5 credits to book this drop-in session. The monthly subscription is S$59 (~$43) for 25 credits, which would be about $8 a drop-in session, cheaper than a full-time gym membership.
Some things don’t change, like me being one of two ladies lifting weights in a gym full of dudes.
6:45pm – Treat myself to dinner at Amoy Street Food Centre. Taking my time to explore and try food at hawker centres is one of the best things about living in Singapore, versus visiting. I see black bean sauce on a menu, which tastes way better than it sounds and is one of mom’s signature dishes, so I order it. So shiok! (That’s Singlish for delicious/good.)
8pm – Stop by FairPrice for some groceries. I buy peaches, cauliflower, maitake mushrooms (the cheapest item at S$1.50!), and frozen gyoza for S$14.
9pm – Write this blog post.
There you have it!