Geography Lessons

I realize that not many people actually know a lot about Singapore, like where it is and what it's like to live there. So in an attempt to put off studying for finals, I thought it would be fun to have a little geography lesson.

Here's where Singapore is located in Asia:

Here's a more detailed map:

I'll be at the Kent Ridge campus of NUS, which is right near Queenstown on this map.

Singapore is located in Southeast Asia, and it's an island between Malaysia and Indonesia. It's size is only 697 square miles, which is slightly larger than 3.5 times the size of Washington D.C.! It also located about one degree north of the equator, so the climate is hot and humid. The average daily temperature is about 27˚C (80˚F) with an average relative humidity of 84.3%. It will definitely be a welcome change from the weather we're experiencing in Storrs now!

In terms of what it's like to live in Singapore, the urban population is 100% since the country is just one large city. There will never be a dull moment! A lot of rumors also fly about how strict the laws are, and I think this humorous T-shirt sums it up nicely.

It sounds rough, but yes, there is no gum chewing allowed. At least it results in a clean city! And I'm sure I'll be able to adapt (hopefully).

Another positive aspect is that they all speak English there! All my classes will be in English, and I'll be able to understand everyone, except for maybe a few cultural differences in slang words and stuff.

And for those of you wondering about time zones and stuff, Singapore is currently 13 hours ahead of Connecticut time. So I apologize if I seem like I'm wishing anyone an early happy birthday, since it will technically be your birthday in my part of the world!

I know I'll be far away, but I look forward to the experience, and hopefully you can all enjoy it with me through this blog. And if you have any other questions about what it's like in Singapore, feel free to ask! For now, though, I need to finish up my semester strong so I guess I should start studying!

Good luck to everyone who has exams!

Reb