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Monday, January 26, 2015

Foreigner

The best way to beat the heat (beside cranking up the AirCon) is to go swimming.  Thus, Kate and Faith swim in our little pool just about every day.  All that chlorine is doing terrible things to Kate's hair.  While we were at the markets yesterday we passed a salon, and she asked if she could chop it off. Yes please!

I opened the door to the tiny salon and squeezed inside, leaving the kids to wait outside.  Eight clients and as many stylists stopped what they were doing and turned to watch me.  I asked if they took walk-ins, and was answered with uncomprehending looks.  I eventually managed to convey that I wanted my daughter's hair cut, and they pointed to a seat.  Eye brows around the room raised further as I ushered 3 of the kids inside.  (Jace preferred to sit and sweat outside.)  There was dead silence, which continued throughout the entirety of our stay.  I shushed my kids in vain as they made embarrassing comments, like, "There is black hair everywhere!! Why don't they clean it up?" 

One nice lady smiled and gave my kids suckers.  Most of the others stopped craning their necks to look at us, but a couple openly stared at us the whole time.  It was weird. 

Singapore is a very diverse country, and I hadn't yet felt out of place or unwelcome.  But walking into that salon yesterday, I think I crossed some sort of unmarked boundary, or broke an unwritten rule.  Or maybe it was written.  After all, I can't read Chinese.  Though today I did learn how to say eyebrow in Mandarin! :)    Anyway, here is Kate's new 'do.


Tuesday, January 6, 2015

SINGAPORE!

The flight of misery is over and we are here at last!  Though I really shouldn't complain about flying in a jet with individual tv screens and occasional snacks and bathrooms.  When I think of how oceans were crossed way back when, I count my blessings.


We should move into our house today, even though the belongings we shipped haven't arrived yet.  Our landlords seem awesome, so that's good.  We discovered a costco-like warehouse here, so I know everything will be okay.  

The weather has been amazing so far.  On our first day here, it was actually a little too chilly to go swimming! That didn't stop us, though.  The locals said this is not typical.  They say it usually rains evey afternoon, but we hadn't seen a drop of rain yet.  Until yesterday.  When we exited the aforementioned warehouse, rain was thundering down.  The drve home felt like we were driving through a waterfall.  It was SO hard to see!  This brought me to a very important conclusion.  I need to get me an umbrella.