So it began. I had a mum crying in Heathrow terminal 5, 5kg of excess baggage, 13 hours in Mumbai and then lots of samosas and cigarettes later a turbulent landing in my new home, Singapore. Instant first impressions offered lots of ‘oohs and aahs’ mainly when arching my neck to find the top of sky scrapers and letting the humidity knock the air out of me. The images of tropical island paradise were quickly shattered when my strictly only mandarin speaking taxi driver Henry, drove me through the CBD to my dorm room. Singapore is buzzing; colours consume the streets while symbols of modernity and concrete cover the land. The smell of chilli crab and nasi goreng provide little breeze and pollute the air at almost every corner. I have never seen so many malls in my entire life, all about 6 storeys with international chains as well as the more fascinating Korean and Japanese stores. No mall is complete without one level dedicated to the thing Singapore is probably the most famous for...the food. International stalls with Vietnamese yam soup, teriyaki bento boxes to Peking duck. This year is the year I become obese and I’m going to do it in style.

The National University of Singapore is located on the south-west of the island in a bubble campus situation with 900 international students. My current location is a Pollock Hall style room complete with shared kitchen and shower room for 15. My ‘cluster’ or corridor houses the most interesting and accommodating people; from Ying the Chinese/Netherlander to Ng the Vietnamese travel junkie. Orientation week here, unlike Edinburgh did not pass by in a hazy drunken blur. It was 24-7 activities including float building, charity collections and general team building exercises, no one here really sleeps.

On arrival I was given a list of rules, law like commandments which gave me my first pinch of culture shock; no drinking on campus, no smoking, a male and female can’t be in the same room with the door shut and no conversations about the government in groups of more than 4 unless it’s under the academic banner. Fine signs are frequent around the town; fines for spitting and littering are all highlighted boldly. However after now living here for a month it is clear that these rules are not in any way strictly followed, my cluster mate, a local Singaporean, ruined my illusion of adopting the perfect disciplined Zen like lifestyle by sharing some of her favorite vodka with me 1 week in. Additionally the open door policy doesn’t stop the couples from mauling each other, something I learnt on a shower visit passing my neighbors room.

So far, it’s incredible. Sunshine every day, amazing people, a vast array of cultures, different languages, everything is clean, more to report once assignments start and the holiday becomes lifestyle. Stay tuned.