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A Grateful Farewell

It is hard to believe that my experience in Singapore is already at its end.  There are many reasons for which this experience has been unforgettable, but more than any are all the people with whom I shared it.  I would like to thank all of you in Singapore for showing me the ways - the places, the eats, the know-hows, how to improve my marketing, how to think about water and water issues, how to navigate the transit and enjoy the city, how to hail a bus or cab, how to eat durian, sting ray, and mee goreng and so many more...and of course how to feel at home in Singapore and with SDWA. 

And now, I would like to thank everyone with SDWA.  Everyone was extremely kind and welcoming, and helpful in every way.  To Kalyan and the SDWA gang, I have some fantastic memories with many of you that won't soon be forgotten.  All I can say is I wish I had more time to hang out with all of you and know you better, but I really appreciate getting to know as I did and hanging out as we did.

I would like to thank Sae'dah, who worked very hard to make sure our paperwork and visa process went through and to make sure we were all set to come.  She was equally as helpful here during my two months time.  As kind as anyone I've ever met, always smiling and great to talk to...thank you!

I would like to thank Sally, for helping us in our marketing efforts and allowing us to participate in such a wide range of opportunities.  And I would like to thank Sally and Anne, and Anne's family for hosting a BBQ party for us.  Like Sae'dah, I couldn't have worked with two people as kind as these two...thank you!

I would like to thank Vladan for extending this opportunity, without whom this experience wouldn't even have been possible.  And on the US end of that, I owe a big thank you to Linda who was equally influential in getting me here. 

A big thanks of course to Henry and Meghan, my partners in crime, it's been real!

I would like to reiterate my thanks to all the folks back home for the support.  My sweetie P, mom and dad, and all my friends and fam.

And of course, whoever you are, wherever you are, thanks for taking the time to read along with this blog.

What will I remember most?  

1) Marina Bay.  This includes the Marina Bay Sands, the skyline, the Esplanades, the laser show at night, the bay itself of course, and the food - sting ray, mee goreng, crab, and coconuts.   I couldn't tell you how much time I spent at the bay.

2) The food.  Singaporeans are self-proclaimed food lovers.  I have never experience anything quite like hawker stalls.  I learned that I love Indian and Malay food and some new fruits like mangosteen and lechees.  I even learned that I enjoy the challenge of spice!  I'm really glad I got to eat a lot of awesome new stuff.

3) The parks.  Be it Fort Canning, Botanic Gardens, Bukit Timah, I really enjoyed my time in the outdoors hiking around and witnessing a nature that is very beautiful and much different from that back in Wisconsin.

4) The museums.  Singapore National Museum.  Enough said.  Loved the history, the special exhibits on modernization and local history.

5) Learning about water and hanging around with SDWA.  Be it SIWW or checking out NEWater and just day-to-day interactions at SDWA, it was a fantastic education and 101 on water issues.  Neat stuff.

On the flip side I have only one regret.  I never did confront a wild monkey.  Perhaps I will this weekend, but if that ends up being my only regret, I can live with that. 

Though I do not know where life will lead next, I know that I hope it will hold more wonderful experiences like this.  I came to Singapore knowing virtually nothing about it beyond the very basics, be it history, tradition, ethnicity, modern composition, what have you.  Now as I prepare to leave, I leave feeling as if I could be an ambassador for the city.

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this a memorable trip.  For those of you in Singapore, I will see you again someday, I'll be back, count on it.  In the meantime, stay in touch - email, Facebook, Skype or anyway that comes to mind.  And if you choose to come overseas to the US, the door will be open on the other side. 

Thanks for reading, much appreciated.

Signing off for the final time - Chris

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PS an update of the list

1. Projects are underway and I should finish Friday.
2. No monkeys.  They are so elusive!
3. Went to the pool, and it felt darn good even though it was short.
4. Still need to get back to my favorite outdoor places and the bay. 
5. Eating as much good Singaporean food while I can; can't get it (Indian & Malay) this good in the States so I have to cram it in!

Looking out my window

I live on the 9th floor of a flat.  Sometimes I forget that I have quite the view.  It really is an amazing scene, and seems fairly typical of Singapore.  There are flats all around somewhere in the ball park of 10-30 stories tall (of course you will find smaller, but you will certainly find bigger in Singapore).  And they sit row after row, and line up front and back.  Through buildings lay raised train transport lines that weave between buildings down the streets. 

Then there is a complete contrast right along side.  The Bukit Timah Nature reserve is a mere few blocks away.  Straight across the street sits another mass of forested land untainted.  Amazing. Such contrast, yet both have beauty.  Am I living in a metropolis or jungle?  Of course I could also add the question should we primarily think of Singapore as an island on the sea? 

 

Mango Lassi

Greetings on a Wednesday morning.  I would like to just begin quick by clarifying briefly yesterday's blog.  The intended message was not that I do not love and miss the folks, places, things back in Wisconsin.  Rather, that I make the best of the opportunity that I have, and that I see the positive in everything when I am abroad. 

I would like to thank everyone back in Wisconsin for being patient with me while I have been away.  I appreciate the support and understanding that goes into seeing someone spend a chunk of time away, wherever they may be.  Thanks to my gf, parents, family, friends, and everyone in Badger country.  I very much look forward to seeing you all soon...

Last night I met up with Daniel again and he took me out for dinner at a Vegetarian Indian restaurant.  I ate or drank this thing called mango lassi.  I think it was some sort of mango yogurt.  Anyways, it was orange and thick, and had a sweet and sour taste.  Very interesting, very weird, and very good.  But I have to say, something about sucking down a cement like drink with dinner is a bit weird.  Even so, my friend Daniel was correct, the drink is cool and soothing when eating Indian food, because it can be spicy!

As I head into work today, I will be hammering out to last minute projects.  With my last day being Friday that means it's really go time.  I still hope to find some time to go to the pool, hike and explore the parks that I wish to see one more time.  Saturday should be ideal for that.  Sunday I will probably have to pack.  So let's hope I can find the time in between!

Singapore fun fact day 52: it will take 10 years for the salt to settle altogether in Marina Bay Reservoir.

Sentiments of Living Abroad

For some, a few weeks can be a long time to be away from the place we call home.  For others, they are able to pack up their lives and move for a lifetime to a foreign country.  Whatever we believe likely comes from our experiences, our upbringing, and families.  There isn't one way which is right or wrong, just a way that's right for you, and a way that is right for me.  As for me, what am I?  Well I am somewhere in between.  This is my third time living abroad, with the other two occasions both being in France.  This is also the shortest of my abroad stays at exactly two months.  In any case, people always ask, is it hard being gone so long, and don't you miss home?  The answer, no, but read further with me and let me qualify that.

Whatever phase of life I have been in, I have always made the best of it and enjoyed it.  For me, the wealth of life is about experience - novelty in culture, places, new faces, new education and new opportunity.  I always look forward to the adventure that comes next because I know first hand all of the amazing wealth in experience it can bring.   This is not to say that I do not miss you all at home.  But home is not a place, home to me is people.  And therefore home is in Wisconsin, Florida, all over the US, France, Europe, Singapore and even China.  

And so, even though my roots lay in Wisconsin, had I never left home I would not have some of the wonderful and lifelong friends and relationships I have had and still have in Iowa, all over France and Europe, and Singapore.  So I do not regret in anyway, any place I have ever been or lived or having to spend some time away.  I also know that when I do come back to Wisconsin, I will still have that solid group of family and friends - a group that understands the importance of these experiences for me. 

The glass is half-full. Period.  Never focus on what you don't have, only what you have and have to gain.  I don't miss not having a cell phone, I appreciate the opportunity to be free from some technology.  I do not miss American food, instead I choose to appreciate the great new food I get to try and eat here.  I do not miss American sports.  I choose instead to enjoy football and netball and the crazy new sports they enjoy here.  I do not miss my car.  I choose instead to appreciate the impressive transportation system they have here and feel good about being green. 

Whatever phase in life comes next, I'll get there when I get there, and I am alright with that.  My Uncle Tom once told me, there are two ways to get from Milwaukee to Madison, I94 or Hwy18.  One is quicker, but the other offers much more to see, and you still get to Madison in the end.


Thanks to Henry and his mother for the inspiration for this blog.

Final Days in Singapore

It is my last week in Singapore, but there are still a few things to do.  At work there is some simple wrapping up to do, and one little task of preparing a new welcoming board for the department.  Should be easy and simple to do.  Of course the other sad task will be saying goodbye to many wonderful people I have gotten to know.  But there is still a few days before that will occur.  I will also need to use up some passes at the NUS pool.  This should also be quite easy to do.

Outside of work, I still need to encounter a monkey.  This has been difficult though I have tried.  I intend to do at least one more serious hike in the Bukit Nature Reserve, let's hope I find one, that is let's hope I finally get close to a monkey!  I would also like to visit the barrage at Marina Bay, and revisit a few areas such as Chinatown, the Chinese/Japanese Gardens and as always, I love going to Marina Bay.  I was there in fact tonight (Marina Bay) with Henry, Meghan, Daniel, and Stacy.  Once again, I had the bbq sting ray.  I cannot tell you how good this stuff is!  Now correct me if I am wrong, but I do believe it might be endangered in the US?  I have been assured, however, that is not the case here, and in fact at one time sting ray was considered poor man's food.  That however is a very foolish statement as the taste is fit for a king. 

So please sit back and enjoy the final few days of blogging Singapore with me.

Post SIWW & ASC Opening

What a week!  I was so exhausted in fact that I slept in until 9AM today!  After the closing of the expo last night, Rich Meeusen CEO of Badger Meter took us out to eat at a local place on the sea, along with some other Badger Meter folks and folks from the Milwaukee contingency.

It was a great way to cap off a long week.  This is by no means a complaint against the work we had to do.  The experience of both hosting the booth at Singapore International Water Week and the grand opening were great, but the hours were long, there was stress involved, and together that made it all quite fatiguing.  So it was very nice to sit down and have a great meal with some folks from home and sure nice of the Badger Meter folks to take us out.

Two guys from Badger Meter who are Singaporean set it up, and new all the good stuff to order.  We had shark fin soup, king crab, chilly grad (a whole new crabby experience - it rocked), shrimp, grouper (I believe) and a number of other items on the side. 

The conversation ranged from jokes, to career advice, to business items, to skiing, to Milwaukee the Singaporean life.  I think I can speak for the group when I say it was a fantastic time and a fantastic way to put a cap on the internship and a long an busy week. 

Tonight we have a BBQ with the SDWA staff, and we are also looking forward to that!  After that, there is just one week to go of wrapping everything up here before saying goodbye.

Live Blog SIWW 1PM

1 PM

In addition to marketing, this has been a great opportunity for me to learn about water issues and the water industry.

One question I had asked is, "the world is full of water, why are there so many water issues?"  Today's daily SIWW publication puts an answer to that. 97.5% of the world's water is salt.  Of the 2.5% that isn't, 2/3 of that is frozen in glaciers and ice caps.  Water uses are increasing and needs and interests alike for water grows in modern and developing countries.  More countries are demanding and desiring these interests and needs that perhaps previously were not.  What's more, the world population is growing, and not only in areas where water sources are plenty.  How can water needs be met in such areas? 

Desalination is one method.  This is defined as removing dissolved solids from water, salt namely, mostly for purposes of producing drinking water.  Yet, this method is expensive and government subsidies are often needed to make this method functional.  Waste water treatment is another method, and this method of recycling and reusing water has been a source commonly spoken about (at least as far as I can see) at this water week.  Purification processes and products such as membranes, filtration, pumps and so on are hot items.
 
Quick notes - Kalyan and the Milwaukee Water Council were both highlighted in the past two days in the SIWW daily publication. Kudos!

Live blogging from SIWW

10AM

Live from SIWW on my Blackberry phone.  It is the final day of Singapore International Water Week already, though it hard to believe.

Quick overall impressions:
There is a lot of emphasis on technology.  In particular I have seen and learned much about ultra filtration, membranes, and UV as means for cleansing. Other technologies I have seen here include filters, pumps, meters,  camera systems for pipe viewing.  Much of this technology is directed towards drinking water and recycling and reusing.

Booths are arranged in delegations from various regions.  SE Asia, Canada, Japan, Netherlands, Milwaukee and so on are examples of the various regions represented.

There are a number of companies and organizations that have gone to great length to produce glamorous and expensive booths.  I imagine it would be quite fun to design and produce such a booth.

more to come.

Opening Ceremony - Aquatic Science Centre @ Pandan

I am exhausted.  There is no other way to explain it.  My day began at 7 when I headed down to man the booth at Singapore International Water Week.  We had a good amount of visitors interested in the research we are doing which is good.  After a quick lunch at noon, I had to round up the folks at SIWW and get them ready to head over to Pandan for the opening ceremony.  Many of the guests were attending Water Week and since they were there, we arranged for them to be transported over there.  In all about 60 folks to the buses.  

I was happy to get to this point, having got most folks over to the Pandan Science Centre.  But at the same time, I was very nervous, because this event was one of the main events for which we had been marketing.  So under the heat of the sun, we watched guests arrive, and hoped that all the marketing, planning and preparation we had done would be effective and run smooth.  What would the promotional materials look like and how would they be received?   How did the set up, the stage, and all the arrangements look and how would they be received?  Would the Grand Opening Moment work and be well received?  These were just some of the questions that ran through my head.  Meanwhile, it was a hot and sunny day, and we were all panting in sweat just hoping everything would run smoothly. 

Thankfully for us it did...for the most part.  Nothing ever goes to the plans 100%.  Three screens in our backdrop went out temporarily.  But beyond that, we had a great draw, our plans were carried out effectively, the promotions looked good, and all the work seemed to make for a strong opening ceremony.  I feel good about our efforts and proud of what we achieved and feel we made a positive contribution to Singapore-Delft Water Alliance.  Hopefully they feel the same. 

Here are some pics of today's opening ceremony.

Singapore International Water Week - Our SDWA Booth Pics

Singapore International Water Week Opening Ceremony

At about 5:30 the three of us (Henry, Meghan, and I) arrived at the opening ceremony and dinnerfor SIWW  at Suntect Expo Center.  This "lounge suit" event turned out to be a pretty neat event.  All the way from the United States, Linda Reid UW-Whitewater professor, mentor and friend, met us along with a number of other folks from a Milwaukee contingency. 

The guest of honor was the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugarantman.  Yes, that is a very hard name to say.  Entrances and statures are very important here in Singapore. So the Minister arrived 30 minutes late to Star Wars like fanfare music - I'm serious.  The gentleman next to me to whom I chatted for a good while explained to me that these were just normal cultural proceedings, meaning the lights and fanfare entrances and status queues such as this were common in Asia whereas some western countries e.g. the US, find this a bit silly.  That aside the speech went very well and included a specific name drop to my organization and the opening of our ceremony for our aquatic science center tomorrow.  We were one of only two or three organizations to be referenced in the evening so it was quite a nice piece of publicity.

My estimates held a few thousand delegates present at the opening event.  I will let the following pics show you all a bit of what it looked like at the event.

Singapore International Water Week Booth Set Up

Today (thus far through 3PM) was busy.  It was booth set up day.  This in itself took a few hours.  Of course before that I had to run to NUS to put together some last minute posters and and do some last minute preparation tasks.

At Singapore International Water Week security is tight.  Passes are needed to do anything and everything and we had to finish all set up by 3 PM so the bomb squad could go through due to all the government officials and persons of note who would be attending.  To put a figure to this, the price of entry per person is s$1000+.

The set up of the booth wasn't a 100% smooth process.  Our velcrow holding the posters to the booth walls decided to be challenging and had to be reapplied.  Additionally, we had to reorder a few posters.  The printing company botched a few of our posters which at the dimensions of 100cm x 180cm for s$100 is significant.  To make matters worse they arrived quite late in dropping these reprints off at 2:15.  So that was all a little tense, a little too tense.  But we made it through with hard work and A LOT of sweat...the AC in the expo was not running yet to save energy.  However, setting up in an area the size of two football pitches with no air circulation, no windows or fans for breeze, many human bodies and lights for set up purposes made for a very sweaty situation. 

Tonight is the opening ceremony & dinner for the International Water Week.  We were lucky enough to score three tickets.  Thanks Sally!

Singapore fun fact day 42: This is the 5th annual Singapore International Water Week

Singapore International Water Week Day 1

In the United States, July 4th is when we celebrate our independence.  Let me first take a quick moment to say happy 4th to everyone back home.  Singapore national is obvisouly not the same; their's is August 9th.  But this year, July 4th is significant in Singapore nonethelesss because Singapore International Water Week begins today and runs through July 8th.

22 Founding Sponsors, 14 International Group Pavilions, 8 Key Water Market Business Forums and a myriad of networking opportunities - All at ONE comprehensive Water Expo.  Amongst these will be my organization, the Singapore-Delft Water Alliance.  For this year's event, I, along with Meghan and Henry designed the booth.  The exposition aspect of water week begins tomorrow, but today is set up day.  So momentarily I will be heading out to the Suntec Expo Arena to help set up.

It shold be noted that there will be a large contigent from the US and Milwaukee in particular at this event.  A full list of participants can be obtained at this Web site: http://www.siww.com.sg/

The expo aspect of Singapore International Water Week is a trade show that focuses on innovations, products and services as well as best practices, successful case studies and the practical application of water technologies that are suitable across all industries

NEWater

Singapore is an island surrounded by water as far as the eye can see.  Yet, water and specifically drinking water is a chief concern for Singaporeans who number over 5 million.  Currently there are four sources of drinking water in Singapore: water catchments (reservoirs...you all may remember one of my older blogs about visiting Upper Pierce Reservoir), imported water from Malaysia, desalinized water, and NEWater.  Reservoirs comprise water from rain, ground water, and natural streams, but this source alone is not enough to meet Singapore's needs.  Importing water from Malaysia is expensive and renders Singapore reliant on a foreign source.  There are currently two water contracts with Malaysia, one of which expires this year, and the other in 2061.  Desalinized water is unpopular for drinking due to the taste.  However, for bathing and cleaning purposes, at least in my mind, this is a great source.  NEWater is treated water which is purified through treatments centers.

So, this past Friday, Meghan, Henry, and I went for a plant visit to NEWater.  (See above for an outside shot of the plant). 

IPU - this acronym stands for indirect potable water.  When NEWater is purified for IPU usage, it is either put into reservoirs to be remineralized, or it is used for industry.  Industry means that certain labs like clean water for experiments and the like.  This purified water is as close to being distilled as possible making it an ideal choice.  Other industry uses include decorative usage such as fountains and man made water displays.  A portion of NEWater is also used for direct potable use.  I drank two bottles on the spot!!!

The real fun was learning how the water purification process worked.  The first step in the purification process is called ultra purification.  (Not pictured) Hundreds of tiny holes many times smaller than a human hair line clusters of filters that look like spaghetti noodles.  Water molecules are small enough to get through, but most others are not.  The water moves through the system by being sucked up, just like the action of using a straw.  Our guide Ilya, told as that even after this initial filtration, most of the impurities have been removed.

The next step in the purification process is called reverse osmosis.  (See photo directly below).  In this phase, high pressure pushes the water through the collection of membranes.  This is done twice.  Here, the membranes serve as sponges.  Again like the prior step, only the water molecules can get through, while everything else cannot.  By this phase, everything besides water molecules has been removed.  But because people may be drinking this water source, the purification process has two more steps. 

The next step involved is ultraviolet light.  This light kills any remaining particulars.  Water only passes through this phase for a second or two, but it is long enough to do the job. 

Finally, a small amount of sodium is added.  This is because the water at this point is slightly acidic, and this is mostly a precaution to protect the water pipes. 

So there you have it, the NEWater process.  Thanks to the new technology which is only two decades old and constantly improving, there is this new water source for drinking use.  This along with desalinization are aspects of technology at its best, helping humans survive in numbers in which would not have been possible previously. 

Singapore fun fact day 41: NEWater is run by PUB, a government agency

Arab Street

Last Thursday night our friend and colleague Sae'dah kindly invited us out for a meal on Arab Street.  We all hopped on the bus at NUS together, transferred to the MRT train line, and walked the rest of the way.  This is what people here called taking the BMW. 

The meal itself was a lot of fun.  We were in great company, with great food, in a great ambiance.  Our table was ground-level; well, maybe more coffee table level.  We sat on cushions on the floor.  All around us, the sides were enclosed with silk (or silk-like) drapes.  The multi course meal we ate began with humus and babaganous (which I likened to humus, and Meghan thought derived from eggplant).  After that we had soup - I selected the chicken option.  Following this was the highlight, the main course.  I ate Kofta for dinner which is rolled lamb meat pieces which included some tasty spices.  And finally for dessert...well the name now eludes me, but it incorporated honey and butter into a tasty little cake.

For two hours we talked of work, fun, our respective countries and general life.  I was a real pleasure getting to know Sae'dah better and hearing all her insights on Singaporean life.  I don't often eat meals like this either by cuisine type or eating style.  And I have to say it was a lot of fun.  I really enjoyed the laid back social atmosphere created by sitting on cushions and lounging around the table.  If you haven't had a meal like this before - either in terms of seating or the actual food, I would recommend you try.