Singapore trip 2010: Meet-ups

Many people ask me how my trip was in Singapore. I find it as difficult to answer this question as when people in Singapore ask me "How's life in Germany?"

So I figured it would be useful for myself to get my thoughts sorted out by blogging!

I think its hard for most people to understand that my "holiday" to Singapore is anything but relaxing. There's always limited time and a massive number of people whom I want to meet up with. After being overseas for almost 4 years, I've become very picky about how I want to allocate my time. Hence, I give priority to people who make time for me and take the effort to arrange a meet up. I also had to turn down some last minute meetups, because we both fell sick during our last week and were completely missing in action.

Even with this safeguard in place, I still find myself trying to catch my breath in the last few days before I have to leave - with all the errands I want to run and things I want to do before I leave. Well, I guess I got another 10 years to hone my skills at spending my limited time in Singapore.

I always look forward to meeting up with friends and family whom I haven't seen in a long while. Truth be told, I do think the fact that I live overseas and come back only once a year, helps in ensuring that my friends make it a priority to meet up with me! :) I find it amusing how friends ask me about the lives of other friends in Singapore, whom they are more likely to meet up with, but can't, due to time constraints in an ever-increasingly competitive environment.

Meeting up with my ex-cell group. I attended this cell for 2 years before I moved to Germany. Young adults, working professionals. Had superb memories with them. The cell has since disbanded but God's hand is still so evident in each of their lives - At the Vietnamese restaurant on the top floor of Orchard Central.

Me& Liz. Haven't seen her in 2 years! We go a long way back, to Student Council days in NJC. Now a budding lawyer, I'm always so happy to be able to meet up with her, because she's such a gem! So smart, eloquent, dainty and yet so funny and real at the same time.

The bunch of us who hung out at the late-night Coffee Club to watch World Cup and chat. I brought my younger brother along, because he's at an age when he can hang out with my friends and is so fun be with!

Met up with the "Canadian" gírls. That's what we call ourselves because we went to Canada on exchange together. Somehow going on overseas trips creates a certain bond that one would not have been able to forge when one stays at home. We've been meeting up every year whenever we go back to visit. Both Lousie and Maddy are married and have bought their own condos. We were treated to a visit to their places..... amazing abodes in the East.... But oh boy. The prices. Please don't buy an apartment in Singapore unless 1. You're filthy rich 2. You really have to.

Met up with the Lims when we first arrived and just before they left the country for N.Z. Haven't seen them in 2 years and little Sophie can talk so much now! I was so amazed at her voice, so soft and girly. Missed them so much but was so thankful that we could still coincide our trip by 2 days. Ailing's expecting a little boy soon and I'm so excited for them! - At Crystal Jade in Holland Village.

Met up with sister and her boyfriend for some awesome jap food. Do you see any sister resemblance? One thing for sure, I inherited my Dad's tanned genes and my sis got my mom's super-fair skin. - At the bar below Westin Stamfort Hotel

Met up with the Gohs. I knew Gene from university days and he's now a budding freelance wedding photographer, happily married to his wife Olivia.We had so much to talk about that we literally met at 7pm and hung out till about 2.30am! - On a weekday too! They are such a great match. God is so awesome to bring 2 people like them together in marriage. :) - At the Coffee Connoisseur

Hanging out with my beloved girly bunch. Time flies whenever we meet up. Jen's a teacher, Char's an SIA air stewardess, Andrea's in Life Sciences and I'm a teacher. We're all married now and enjoying our couple lives with our beloved hubbies. Its so amazing to see how God has brought us through each season of our lives and is continuing to be faithful to us. We're missing Andrea here, who's relocating back to Singapore in August. Our friendship has lasted about 10 years now and I pray we'll continue to meet up even when we are in our 80s! - At the Tangs Café, a tai tai place for tea.

Meeting up with my ex-classmates from NJC. Its been almost 10 years since we graduated but its so cool how we still enjoy each other company. I haven't seen some of them in the past 4 years. You know how sometimes you have no idea what to talk to people whom you haven't seen in ages? Its different here. They started a system of answering 3 questions so that conversation doesn't stay at a superficial level. 

1) How's your life? 2) How's your relationships? - Family, hubby, children? 3) What are you future plans? Yeah, so it was really cool getting into this whole "How do you know that the person you married is the right person for you?" discussion.

Met up with my extended family for BBQ at a bungalow.These are some of my cousins, aunts and uncles on my mother's side. I know how much time has flown whenever I see them, because my cousins just keep growing taller every year! As you can also see, Stephan is the only non-Chinese, non-Singaporean addition to my family. He fits in pretty well though!

Celebrated Father's Day on the 3rd Sunday of June. Its the first time I'm in Singapore for Father's Day in the past 4 years too.

Ok, I think that wraps up my meet-ups. I still have to blog about our Malaysia trip with our church as well as FOOD! Have yourself a blessed Sunday and week ahead!