After waiting in the Singapore Changi airport for seven hours, it was time to take a cab to my residence, hall 7. It was really easy to find a cab because they have taxi queue's, which means taxi lines. Queue mean line here in Singapore. Taking a taxi was so exciting, I got the see Singapore at a glance. However, it wasn't so exciting when my taxi broke down! It wasn't too bad though because I quickly transferred to another one. It cost about SG$50 for about an hour cab ride to get to my hall. Needless to say it cost me an extra 5 dollars because I steered him the wrong way at one point because typical me thought I knew directions better than him haha.
When I arrived at my hall I had to wait 20 minutes for the housing office to open. When it did, I got the key to my room and headed to it. I am in block 38, on the second floor. They have girl floors and boy floors, really different from Western that is for sure. When I walked into my room I started to cry - I live in a jail cell! Concrete floors and walls, so run down! I quickly tried to hook up the internet to reach my parents. Not only is my room a jail cell but its a sauna with no air conditioning. I spent a couple hours in my room sweating and crying, but my parents were there to coach me through it.
At around 11 or 12 I went to go to the international student centre to go check in. When I was there I met 2 Americans and a German who quickly took me under their wings. They are new and here for the semester too but arrived a day earlier so they were more settled than I. We went to get food, they showed me around campus a little bit and then we headed to the mall (typical). We hopped on a bus (bought a bus card that you can re load) and it was about 20 minutes to the mall. At the mall I picked up a fan, pillow, toiletries, and a cell phone! The mall, Boon Lay (I think) was really big. With four floors and a China town section it was easy to get lost. After about 2 or 3 hours we hopped back on the MRT bus and I then showed my friends my room. They are all lucky and got air conditioned new halls, so they felt really bad for me haha. I fell asleep at around 5 pm and woke up at 7pm to my roommate!!!!! I'm not sure who she is quite yet because I was out of it, but she is Asian and she is sleeping in the room as I read this. I woke up at 2 am, popped some gravel and fell back asleep until 7:30am. So now day 2 begins!
Today I have an exchange orientation at 10 am so hopefully I will meet more people and make friends. My friend Sarah just arrived in Singapore so I am hoping we can meet up asap and be there for each other. I have a feeling she is going to be as homesick as I was the first day. After the exchange orientation I am going to go back to the international student centre to see if I can switch rooms. I've emailed a couple of people so I hope to hear the answer yes soon, but I have a feeling I won't.
I have only eaten 1 meal in the past day and a bit, chicken and rice, and I didn't even eat the whole plate which is rare for anyone that knows me. With the heat I just find myself not hungry and the different food is proving to be not as appealing as I thought.
Off to go have my first shower in hopes of taming my hair - the humidity has gotten the best of it (I know you warned me Mary).
Will post pictures soon hopefully! Bye xo
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