Working Abroad .02
A full week has come and gone! I've already established a routine: I wake up around 5am, go to the gym, and then leave for the MRT around 630am before it's even light out (note: it's already at least 81 degrees at that time). It takes about 45 mins total to get to the office (30 mins of walking and 15 mins on the MRT). I'm really loving the ability to walk and take the subway to and from work each day (it's WAY better than driving). I wish I could do this every day at home! Singapore: 1 : Sunnyvale: 0.
On my first day, I was really excited and slightly nervous (good nervous). For some reason I decided to wear jeans that day, so I was sweating to DEATH by the time I finally got into the office. Note to self: Never wear jeans in Singapore. Rookie move!
I didn't really know what to expect, but of course everyone on my team was so welcoming. The office is really cozy and much smaller than what I'm used to. The cafe's food is all home-cooked Asian -- but my two favorite things are 1) their abundance of freshly cut fruit (I have at least two huge bowls of fruit each day) and 2) their freshly cut avocados EVERY day (it's the little things...) The office looks and feels more like a startup environment, and everyone is really close and tight-knit. I absolutely love it.
In all honesty I had a few moments this week where I felt a wave of shock come over me: I'm in a different role, on a different team, in a different country, in a different culture. A lot has changed. But -- it's been so good for me and I'm reminding myself to treasure every moment.
This past week I had a welcome lunch with my team, plus a happy hour at The Exchange with the broader team. I also walked to Clarke Quay one day after work to get my long-term Employment Visa. I was kind of dreading it because I thought it was going to take forever.... turns out it was like going to a hyper-efficient, super modernized DMV! Singapore for the win, yet again!
Today was my first full Saturday here, so I went for a swim this morning and then explored Holland Village and Orchard all afternoon. I was overcome with study abroad memories and my vacation here over the holidays. I'm also STILL in awe of how pristine this place is.
Tomorrow morning I'm running a 10.5k through the forest of Singapore and I can't wait! Below are some snaps I took while out and about this past week. Next week we have tons of team activities for our huge summit at Sentosa, so I promise I'll have more pictures with real-life people in them soon! Oh and have I mentioned that I LOVE Singapore and could totally live here forever??
