food – Calculators & Airplanes

Hi there!

Today started off pretty great as I got up 30 minutes earlier than I normally do (or more correctly didn’t snooze my alarm 5 times). Those of you who aren’t morning people know exactly what I mean…But it actually felt great! I was able to go through my morning routine without rushing and left early enough so that I was able to bike to work in the gorgeous September weather we’ve been having.

I felt more awake throughout the day and took a yoga class during my lunch break. This was my first time deciding to do something active during my lunch break and made a huge difference. I am learning that incorporating fitness into my daily life helps me feel more energetic and overall happier. Going along with the theme of this blog post, here are a few wellness-y things that have been making me happy this week:

I went on a run yesterday afternoon after work while I was waiting for my laundry along the Ottawa river. It is mid September and I think we have been having better weather this week than we have for the majority of the summer! The week before it was really cold so the leaves have already started changing colors, even though the weather yesterday and today was around 27°C!

2. We had his and hers Buddha bowls for dinner tonight! I have been seeing these all over Pinterest and Instagram and finally decided to give them a go. Threw in some rotisserie chicken, sweet potatoes, peppers, corn, tomatoes, red cabbage, avocado, beans, and cheese all over rice! Delicious and super easy to do when you have leftovers!

3. Growing up, my mom always had flowers in our house. I never really understood it and always complained about the smell of them. I was never really a flower person, but I spotted these sunflowers at the grocery store and couldn’t resist buying them! I’m so glad I did since every time I look at them now, they make me smile. I think I have officially transitioned into adulthood #adulting. It truly is the little things in life that can make a difference in your overall mood.

Thanks for stopping by! What is one thing that has made you happy so far this week? Think through that one thing and push through the rest of the week, only 2 more days until the weekend!

Hope everyone had a good weekend! Mine was pretty relaxed, the perfect mixture of studying & productivity and fun 🙂 . Today I figured I would talk a little bit about my experience so far in Singapore and why it’s one of my favorite places I have ever visited. So moving onto my top 10 favorite things about Singapore!

The Weather

Complain all you want about how it’s too hot and humid in Singapore, but the truth is I love it 🙂 Sure it can be excruciating when you’re running late for class and the 99% humidity makes it impossible to breath or come into class without sweating, but it beats the -30oC weather back in Montreal where I’ve been going to school for the past three years. I am able to wear shorts and a t-shirt every single day without checking the forecast ahead of time, which makes it ever so much easier to get dressed in the morning.
Different Cultures

There are three main ethnic groups in Singapore: Chinese, Malay, and Indian with four official languages: English, Mandarin, Tamil, and Malay which makes it a very diverse city-state. The effects of the difference cultures can easily be witnesses in the food and religious sites. Indian temples, Buddhist temples, mosques, and churches can all be found within relative proximity of each other and it is refreshing to see interactions between many different groups of people.
The Food

The food in Singapore is amazing. Enough said. But really, since there are many different ethnic groups in Singapore, it is really easy to find all sorts of different types of food. Hawker centers, or giant outdoor food courts are usually your best bet to finding all types of delicious food. Chinese food, Malay food, Indian food, Western food- you name it and you can find it at a hawker center. Singapore is also home to a one-star Michelin rated hawker center!

Stirfry creation

Michelin starred restaurant
Clean & Safe

Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world and it really shows. I have never once felt uncomfortable walking home alone, not even late at night. Young kids also often take public transport home from school. It is also one of the cleanest cities I have ever been to. Eating and drinking is strictly prohibited on all forms of public transport and the rules are followed. Gum is also not sold in Singapore which means the streets are free of gum, as well as litter.
Friendliness

The people in Singapore are also extremely friendly and hospitable. Everyone is more than willing to give you directions if you get lost or willing to chat about the customs in your home country. I also know many friends who were invited to people’s homes for Chinese New Year after only having known them for a couple of weeks.
Green + Palm trees

Even though Singapore is a city, I still think it has a lot of green within all the high sky-rises. I mean, within 20 minutes of my school I can get to a nature trail filled with monkeys! There are parks everywhere and oh so many palm trees! I don’t know what it is about palm trees but just the sight of them makes me instantly happier and makes me feel like I’m on vacation :D. Haha, it’s clearly visible that I’m from a place where palm trees are not common.

MacRitchie Nature Reserve
Easy Access to the rest of Southeast Asia

Singapore is in the hub of Southeast Asia, which makes it a prime location for any exchange students looking to explore a little of this side of the world. There are countless of budget airlines to locations in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. which really makes it easy to do weekend trips to many different locations. So far I have traveled to Malaysia and Thailand (posts coming soon!), but am planning on travelling to Vietnam and Indonesia as well.
Stationary

I don’t know about you, but I am in love with all things stationary. It really makes my heart happy and the fact that there are so many pens to choose from here fills my heart with joy! This is just my school’s bookstore but even that has a multitude of pens to choose from, a selection I have never encountered back home!
Pool At School

I don’t know if this really applies as one of my favorite things about Singapore, but my school has a rooftop infinity pool open to all students! I guess this can be combined with the fact that the weather is so nice here and that at any point (as long as it’s not raining) I can go and relax, get some readings done, or exercise a little bit only a 3 minute walk from my residence!
Beach

I have always been happiest when I am on a beach and love devouring a book while listening to the waves crash. Sentosa in Singapore has many man-made beach, but they will do the trick if I need an afternoon or weekend escape. The water is clear, the sand pristine, and the depth of the water actually drops rather quickly which makes it ideal for swimming.

Palawan Beach, Sentosa