First Impressions

27-07-2007 Frankfurt, Germany

So, this is it. The moment of truth has come and gone. New York City, my home for twenty-six years, is now in the rearview mirror. Southeast Asia is now only a few hours away. So many strange emotions are flooding my head and heart, creating a sinking feeling in my stomach that rivals the Cyclone’s first drop. A mix of longing, fear, and determination is present. For someone who enjoys talking, I have a feeling that I’ll be conversing less during my time abroad. I’m content with that, silence is a discipline that I’ve yet to master, one that all people should learn to utilize. It’s amazing how cheap some talk can be. I always envied Vic and George’s silent nature. There was so much thought they put into their words before saying them. You could see how people paid more attention to their words than people like me who loved to babble on.

Seeing Germany was quite the special experience. I couldn’t help but think of my father and grandfather as the clouds broke to reveal the telltale rolling hills and checkered farmland below. the fatherland was exactly how I’d envisioned it in my thoughts: Grey skies, patches of thick pine forests, quaint little dwellings loaded with bleach-white stucco and exposed wooden frames, a rigid, plain, organized landscape that typifies the orderliness of the German people. My only wish would have been a longer layover, if only to have a wurst and a cold beer before moving on. Speaking of which, I had my first Tiger beer on the plane, not at all bad! The service and accomodations on the plane were fantastic. being waited on hand and foot, fine champagne, impressive food, a constant barrage of hot towels, and seats that folded out into beds. Never thought I’d say this, but I’m wholeheartedly looking forward to the remainder of the flight.

 29-07-2007 Singapore, Singapore

After spotty sleep and more delectable food, we touched down in Chiangi airport at 7:15 a.m. Customs was a breeze, the baggage came quick, and the $5 cab ride (in an S-class Benz, mind you) went without a hitch! After getting set up at the Oriental, I took a short walk over to the Lehman office at 5 Suntec tower. At this point, my stomach had been turning despite everything going as planned. Nothing I’d ever experienced compared to the sadness and separation from my loved ones I was feeling. Halfway around the world, with nobody to lean on in times of need, and only my thoughts, memories, and the looming task of setting up a business in my head. Strangely enough, settling in at the Lehman office was quite comforting. They have the same color scheme, fake wood interior, and even the same telephones as the NY office. I can imagine Claire felt the same when she came across the pond. Hopefully jumping into work will be that much easier if the comfort persists. After meeting a few employees (tech guys working on a weekend move) and migrating my work profile from NY to Singapore, I decided to take a walk around the city. The air was opressively hot and humid, it was like walking over a pile of piping hot pancakes. If you know me well, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I became helplessly lost after a few minutes. All the better though, that remains the best way to know and understand a city. After wandering around streets that were devoid of people, the Raffles hotel appeared, bustling with life. Eventually I found my way to the places I’d been most curious about, the Little India / Arab Quarter sections of town. The open air markets were a sight, teeming with people drifting past dried sea creatures, old watches, rings, sunglasses, bikes, buddha statues, saris, spices, and fabrics. The smell of dead fish, curry, and burning cloves hung heavy in the sultry air. After fighting off hunger all day and feeling apprehensive about the food, I gave in and had my first meal: Prata (a baked egg dough) with curried chicken and vegetables. I washed it down with a refreshing banana smoothie afterwards, quite the tasty meal. Afterwards, the jet lag hit pretty hard. With any luck, I’ll sleep most of the night and kick the jet-lag gods squarely in the balls. Enjoy the pics, I’ll be in touch… Miss and love you all terribly!