Yes, I know it's not November

Hey!  I have three more days in Singapore (kinda) and then I'm off to the Philippines for 10 days!  Today, was my last Sunday at Redemption Hill Church.  It may be the place I miss most in Singapore.  It is full of fun people from around the world who simply love Jesus.  Today I had to say goodbye to many.  At least five people wondered why I still haven't shaved my mustache...

I have two more exams, on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I will pack all of my things on Wednesday and head out to the airport on the other side of the island in the evening.  I am flying in and out of Cebu, Philippines.  My ultimate goal within the ten days is to earn my PADI Open Water Scuba Certification.  I think I will complete the certification and spend most of my time in the Western Philippines in and around Palawan.  I cannot stop looking up flights, hotels, diving centers, things to do, etc!

I am not sure if I will create another post before I arrive home on December 18th so here is my reflection sneak peak:

- I love meeting people from other countries.  Each person's life is interesting and unique.  One of my regrets is not learning more about the people I encountered here. 

- One's attitude has a very large impact on their outlook.  No, Singapore is not my favorite place in the world.  However, there are some pretty incredible aspects.  The country is warm and beautiful.  The people work harder than I believe they should, but clearly, they have earned their high status in the world.  The food is great.   Singapore's location is perfect for seeing the rest of South East Asia.  In other words, this country actually rocks.  My occasional cynical attitude tended to not let me see that truth.

- Something is not wrong because it is different.  For example, I do not like the school system in Singapore.  I think it facilitates unhealthy competition more than learning.  Yet, I was raised in American schools my entire life.  We each appreciate different aspects of our system.  They both produce successful and unsuccessful people.  It's simply, different.

- Your location does not creating lasting happiness, your relationships do.  When the exchange students and I return home we undoubtedly will tell all our friends and family about the places and things we saw.  Most will not ask about all the friendships created because they're simply not relevant.  However, the exchange students and I will stay in contact with the people closest to us.  And I guarantee the majority would visit their friends before returning to a place they raved to their relatives about.  When you're in good company, everything else is trivial

That is all for now, back to "studying"!

Coffee and Bell Curves

Not much is happening here.  Singapore universities are in a studying frenzy and I am included.  I just had my first and most important exam today, yes, on a Saturday.  I have three exams and a paper to go for the next three weeks and then I'm headed to the Philippines.

Funny fact I learned this week.  Bloomberg put out an article ranking Singapore the most emotionless society.  No disagreements here.  But it just so happens that the Philippines is the most emotional society!  I'm excited to experience both extremes before I come home.  There are about three weeks left!  I hope to be have my PADI scuba certification when I return.  Let's see what happens :).

It's never too late for Movember

Hello Everyone,

Exam time is coming, and you know what that means... Mustache!  Actually, my roommate and I talked about it last night and decided we would give the mustache a try in honor of Movember.  However, I remembered today that I also had a mustache for exams last year at this time.  My rationale in the past was, "I will walk in to take an exam with my mustache, people will see it, and instantly their stress level will go down."  I'm not sure if the questionable growth on my face will be enough to handle an average Singaporean's test anxiety, but I'll give it my best try.

All my assignments, projects, presentations, and tests are done for the semester, woohoo!  This isn't America folks.  Of my four classes, I have about 50% of my grades left in front of me, not to mention they are given on a bell-curve.  They don't tell you this is the study abroad office...  On the bright side, I have plenty of time to study.  Oddly enough, exam period is my favorite time of the semester because I can completely set my own schedule.  Also, I have a planned trip to the Philippines successfully motivating me each day.  Then, of course, I'll return home to my wonder friends, family, and snow!

Thanks for reading!

Motivation and Gratitude

So, the finish line is in sight... I think?  Yesterday, one of my four classes ended.  Exams don't start for almost three weeks.  Now you know what I'm dealing with when I talk about the studying "problem" in Singapore.  With some of my exams being worth 70% of my total grade, I will have to seek some serious motivation for this final month.  Only ONE month and I will be in the Philippines with all thoughts of school completely behind me.

What is going to keep me motivated?  Well, today I read an awesome chapter from the book "Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul," and it taught me a lot about gratitude.  It mentioned, "When we are grateful, we see and experience life with a healthy optimism.  When we lack gratitude, we move toward pessimism and even cynicism.  An ungrateful heart always sees what's wrong with life."  I'll be the first to tell you that I struggled with pessimism and cynicism when I first got here.  Although it has gotten a lot better, thanks be to God, the habit still seems to creep in.

The number one thing I canNOT do if I want to study hard without dreading it is focus on what's wrong with my life.  Because when I honestly face myself, there is nothing wrong with my life.  Today, I was reminded by many about the freedoms our country gets to practice every day.  Even more so, I'm reminded by the Lord about the freedom I have in His Son, Jesus Christ.  As I consider this freedom, and the many blessings in my life (including the opportunity of a great education), it will produce a love and joy that will keep my cup half full.  Then, I will not need to be apprehensive towards studying, but I'll push on until the finish doing my best.  That is the plan anyway! :)

Happy Halloween!

Where is my costume?!  I'm sorry folks but this year I am not dressing up.  One, my guess is Singapore does not have many halloween shops.  Two, you never know what random things may be expensive here.  Three, it is bloody hot from dawn until dusk, any extra apparel is not worth it to me.  Four, it would be pretty difficult to trick or treat in this place.  Okay, now I am just making excuses.

Sometimes the world seems so small.  For example, I have traveled as far away from the US as possible, but I have still met a couple of exchange students who are members of my business fraternity.  Yet, it is the disasters like Storm Sandy that remind you of the Earth's size and power.  As millions lose power, their homes, and for some their lives, life in Singapore is unchanged.  In fact, Storm Sandy probably isn't even the most threatening phenomenon in the world right now.  As I hear the requests of so many to pray for those in the storm, I hope myself and others can remember to pray for the rest of the world and its problems each day.

Not much has changed here in the last week.  Call me unpatriotic, but I have decided I am not voting because it would cost $60 to ship my ballot back to Michigan in time.  I wish I would have registered much earlier, but it was not the first thing on my mind during the excitement of starting my semester in Singapore.  On Saturday, I am going to Legoland Malaysia.  I always enjoy an opportunity that gives me an excuse to act like a little kid.  Children seem to be much more advanced than us college students and adults when it comes to their attitudes on life. 

November will be my last full month and I'm excited to see what God has in store for me.  My goal is to find joy each day in my many blessings while trying not to dread the upcoming exam finals.  Thanks for reading everyone :)

Contenment

Whether you are a Christian or not, being content in all situations is certainly a virtue that we covet.  In the book of Philippians, Apostle Paul writes, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."  I believe that in addition to prayer and study, you can train your mind to be more content.

This week monsoon rains started a few minutes before I had to head to class.  As I walked outside I hesitated before leaving cover and one of the local students noticed.  He was quick to offer me a spot under his umbrella until we made it to shelter.  That act of kindness put me in a very good mood.  However, when my professor spoke about our final exam in my class an hour later, I felt sad, nervous, and a bit angry.  At that point I think I had two choices.  I could continue sulking over a stupid test or I could remember my new friend and his umbrella. 

In the remaining two months I hope to be more conscious of the situations I let rule my mind.  Continually thinking about the blessings in my life including my family, friends, traveling experiences, educational opportunities, and good health will likely lead me to deeds such as holding an umbrella for a stranger.  While letting silly frustrations rule my thought process could easily lead to insensitivity, rudeness, pride, and a long downward spiral of negativity. 

Pairing this mentality with seeking balance in life like I believe I mentioned in my last post should help me attain the growth I wish to bring back home.  Coming to Singapore isn't only about seeing the world.  It is about learning to be content in new and different situations, and sharing that skill with all the people I know and meet in the future.

Thanks for reading everyone, stay in touch!

Rounding Second

Although I'm not sure on exact dates, it looks like I am about halfway done with my second study abroad experience.  I am very grateful for everything I have seen and done so far, and I very much look forward to the future.  Many things are certainly going to be different in these next two months.

Study, study, study.  I am finally giving in.  No longer will I simply accept the fact that I will come back with a much lower than average GPA because I am attending a top 50 school in the world.  As with anything, I am going to do my very best and serve God through my school work.  It seems that each day I am better learning how to have balance in life, but God is my balance beam.

Traveling will be delayed until further notice.  I have big plans to travel to the Philippines when my semester ends December 6th.  But because of a lack of funds and what I said in the previous paragraph, there will be very few if any trips made before semester's end.  This will also give me a chance to visit popular destinations in Singapore such as Universal Studios, the Botanic Gardens, the National Museum, and more.

In other news, the Tigers are going to the next round of the playoffs.  I couldn't be happier that it will be against the Yankees.  Ah the internet is a wonderful invention!

Thanks for reading everyone!