singapore - a lifetime experience

singapore ... a mix of asian cultures, spotted in a clean and organized environment, and only a stone's throw away from the equator. asias's biggest hub, world's 2nd largest port, a financial centre ... and my new home for the next 5 month.

and since there is a huge tropical thunder storm with heavy rain outside (well, locals and those who know better might say it's just a common phenomena), which stopped me from sleeping two hours ago (especially if you sleep in the 26th floor having the city at my feet), and an internet connection that suddenly works (apparently), i decided to open this blog so that all of you get the news from my singapore experience.

for the next 5 month, i'll be doing my internship at daimler southeast asia - the headquater for the whole region. and since it fits so perfectly to my studies, i got my job in the marketing department - or the "external affairs and communication" department, to be precise. organizing elaborating corporate events that charge the brand with emotion ... and i guess a lot of other stuff that interns usually do, will be part of my daily work. however, whatever it might be - in a place like this, it is not the MOST important point in the end, i guess.

i don't wanna bore you with any details about the flight ... but by the way, i had three red wine, chicken and pasta pesto (pesto pasta?), something that was supposed to be fish, two sandwiches, a chocolate bar, a muffin, another cheese cake, one more wine ... wine ... and stuff on my entertainment system like ... english premier league, two episodes of friends, one movie that i forgot (also because i've watched only 1/10th of it), more comedy stuff ... comedy ... and did i mention that i had wine? red wine, actually - from chile ... lovely - even though it was refrigerated.

evyerything worked fine. the saudis (well, these guys in qatar) did not make any trouble. same here in singapore when i was entering the country. everything worked smoothly even though i had two packages of chewing gum with me. they didn't even check that ... guys, there is a great dealing potential!! (chewing gum is regarded as a oral hygiene product and therefore only available in pharmacies ... for high prices, i guess). beside a huge bunch of toyota taxi available, i was the lucky one to get a mercedes (OF COURSE!!) - and when telling the driver that i was from germany and start work for daimler, he started a 5 minute monologue about the enjoying advantages of this car - it goes without saying that i agreed to ALL points.

and finally, i made it to the appartment complex, got the key, entered my room, faced this view from the 26th floor - and already lost about 1,46 litres ... going outside is always like hitting a wall - having 30 degrees and 90% humidity outside is everything but fun!

luckily, i have air conditioning. unfortunately, it is noisy ... tremendously noisy. however, there is this view ... good one!

the appartment as such is nothing special, but nice. i live together with two guys, both called alex - and both from germany. i met one this morning (remember, the rain ... got up, went down for a coffee, came back - and he met him) - nice dude. he's working at sap, while the other one is a medicine student and supposed to be nice, too.

even though this place costs a fortune, i think i'll stay here at least a few days and check later what is available on the market. because the good thing is that it is very central and not far from work. well ... shouldn't be the issue at the moment.

rather, i have to use my spare time to discover the city - which is, in fact, a hard hard thing. walking around in this heat, in the middle of the day feels like a contest. and now i know why they start the singapore marathon at 5 in the morning. BOY OH BOY! it's impossible (for me) to stay outside for longer than one hour - whenever i can, i try to catch a airconditioned building (or at least the shade), knowing that the next cold is just a few days away. how do people manage to live under such conditions? all these locals do not sweat at all - while me ... well ... try to imagine it!!



beside that there is a lot to discover and experience in this fascinating place. it's all that great food, WOW! it's shopping malls that won't end. a central business district with impressive architecture. chinatown, little india and the arab quater. singapore sling and tiger beer. all these things will keep me busy for the next days .... rubbish ... MONTH! but read more next time ... for now, it's time for another day in singapore .... man, it's weird to say that!!!