Almost 3 weeks in!

Brigitte Pinochet
Mar 10, 2024
4 min read

Hey Blog!

I’ve been in Singapore for over two weeks now even though it’s felt a lot longer with how much has happened.

I might’ve written that I felt settled last week, but looking back I definitely was not there yet. But, this week I can confidently say that I am getting into a routine, getting used to the four classes that I’ve started (I still have 2 more to start though), and figuring out my area a lot better. Majority of my work here is in group project form, so I already have four different groups in full swing which can be confusing. Outside of school though, one thing that I’ve enjoyed this week is going on longer runs around my apartment! It’s been a fun way to workout because all my surroundings are new and I’ve been able to discover the best walking/running trails and parks that go on for miles and miles. I also finally bought goggles so I’ve started swimming laps in my apartment pool as a workout which I've had SO much fun with haha! One negative though, it has rained every single day this week… I don’t mind a little bit of rain but it’s been constant and I’m missing the sun!! Another thing is that there have definitely been days where I have not drank enough water with how hot it is here. I’m a person that normally takes my water bottle everywhere I go, but with how much we all sweat here I have to be really mindful to drink more than I think I need.

Another cool update is that my semester-long consulting project has officially started. We do these projects every semester during the two year IBEA program. Our first semester in Germany we were partnered with EY to solve an international taxation case competition. Then, at USC all of us got assigned a real company in South Carolina to consult for. I ended up consulting for an online consulting company and worked to find them a suitable CRM system and a scalable sales process. It was super interesting to be able to actually help and improve a real company. I loved working with our client and even though the process could be confusing, difficult, and frustrating at times, I definitely learned a lot. So, I’ll carry that knowledge forward into my upcoming project! This semester I am consulting for a bakery that is local to Singapore. Their company is passionate about empowering individuals with special needs and marginalized communities. Their mission is to equip these individuals with the abilities to cook, bake, and run the show. After working at this organization, these employees will be better prepared for other employment opportunities and social skills as well.

My team and I will meet our client in a week and we will be able to visit his company! Until then, we are already prepping our presentation. I am the "team leader" for this project which means that I am running all of the internal and external communication related to our project. I am responsible for organizing our group, separating tasks, and ensuring that the project is on track for successful completion. I know I will enjoy this role as I am very social, love communicating, staying organized, and being in touch with my team (which is easy because they're all the best)!

This week I had the opportunity to explore some cool areas in the main downtown too!! I went to a really cool street called Haji Lane, Little India, China Town, Floral Fantasy (part of Gardens by the Bay) the Merlion, and went to “Ce La Vi” on top of Marina Bay Sands. That whole area is insane and the view is incredible!! A class that I'm taking called “Asian Cultures and Societies” brought us to a few of these places on a field trip, but the others I went to outside of school. Another super insane, crazy, exciting, incredible thing that happened was that I got to see Taylor Swift in Singapore!!! It was an insane experience, and I’ve never seen her before. One of my best friends bought really cheap tickets with me the DAY OF the concert and we just went for it. Absolutely no regrets about it. <3

Gardens by the Bay- Floral Fantasy

I’ve had a lot of fun this week and am doing my best to soak it all up. Groceries have been a little bit of a hassle and expensive, so a lot of us have found cheaper places to get authentic food at least once a day which is always yummy. I’ve honestly tried to say yes to everything because my cohort can really make anything fun here. This week I've started to realize that by the end of 2024 my study abroad journey will be over, which is weird. This is something I've looked forward to for so long and it motivates me to grab all opportunities, and to most importantly have fun. Before I know it, I'll be missing this ride with some of my favorite people. However, this week has also come with some frustration due to the time change (13 hours from home). It’s been really hard to catch up with my family because when I’m awake, they’re asleep (and vice versa). My whole family (immediate and extended) is super close and they are all truly my best friends. So, I’m working on trying to be more intentional about planning calls and working with this.

To wrap up, here’s some Singapore facts that I’ve collected so far:

There’s more trees than people here
The future developments of Singapore will be underground
There’s over 64 offshore islands in Singapore
They handle the death penalty with hanging or electric chairs (still today)
Singlish is super common here for natives
It’s common to refer to older men and women as “uncles” or “aunties” (one of my tour guides from class told us to call him “papa Williams” or “uncle Williams”
There’s absolutely no eating or drinking of any kind on public transportation