SINGAPORE

WHERE IS SINGAPORE? 

The Republic of Singapore is an independent city-state located in Southeast Asia, near Indonesia and Malaysia. The island nation, consisting of 63 islands, spans fewer than 300 square miles (just more than 700 square kilometers), equating to significantly fewer land area than Rhode Island, the U.S.'s smallest state.



DO YOU SPEAK THE LANGUAGE?
Though Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil, a South Indian and Sri Lankan language, English is the most common language utilized. So, yes, we do speak the language, though there can be some difficulty communicating. Non-native English speakers have accents that are sometimes difficult to understand and, because expatriates make up one-third of Singapore's population with our own British, Australian, German, French and American English accents, it is no wonder we confuse the locals as well. Sometimes I cannot even understand my friends from England and New Zealand.

WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?
Singapore is located just north of the equator and, since the country is surrounded by water, the temperature is pretty constant throughout the year. Between February and October, we expect higher temperatures with a chance of rain. November, December and January make up monsoon season when rain is guaranteed almost every day - umbrellas are mandatory. The lowest temperature we have observed to date has been 24 C (75 F). That morning we actually went outside on our balcony just to feel the cool air. We have felt temperatures as high as 35 C (95 F) and, with the humidity adding to the experience, we either have a desperate need to shower or want to die. I still do not convert the Celsius temperatures to my familiar Fahrenheit; I, instead, learned that 30 equals hot and anything above 30 would make me seriously think about leaving the house. Thirty-three or higher and we would be in emergency-only evacuation status.

HOW DO YOU GET AROUND?
The island is relatively small but personal cars are expensive and limited due to the ratio of people to land area. With more than 5 million people living and working on the populated islands, public transportation systems are essential. The Mass Rapid Transit is a train that currently covers major neighborhoods; plans are in place to add additional lines over the next 10 years that will greatly expand the railway's breadth. Our neighborhood, the East Coast, does not yet have a convenient MRT station, so we are blessed with a number of public buses that take us where we need to go. Buses have smart technology and are much cleaner than any U.S. public bus I have ridden.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO IN SINGAPORE?
Plenty! I have been writing about my experiences for nearly two years and I still have a list of must-dos. Learn about old-school neighborhoods, record-setting attractions and chillaxing scenes in the 100+ posts that await you!