I've been gone so long it almost merits a new introduction.
Hi, I'm Chris. I got this really cool watch lately, you should see it, I like it a lot. Oh also, I now work 3 jobs, one of which as the Director of an Ad Agency that I wasn't supposed to announce yet. So, shhhh. The first 3 chapters of my novel just went to editors so that's a big deal for a perfectionist like me. (Who spent a while deciding exactly how many "h"s should be in the previous "shhhh".) My new apartment doesn't have internet which is becoming much more of an issue than I previously anticipated. And last month, I got back from living in Singapore for half a year.
So this is it! This is my final wrap up and thoughts on my travels in Southeast Asia.
You can also see my posts on the Foster Study Abroad Blog.
Looking back at Singapore
As I look back at my time in Singapore, its difficult to pick some final thoughts to summarize everything I experienced. When people ask what my favorite part of the experience was, I tell them it was the traveling. I mean of course it was; Bali, Thailand, it's hard to beat that. But that's not where I lived or what most of my experience was. Singapore is a unique place and a unique way of living. It's something you have to experience to understand, and while I'm glad I got to experience the country, I'm very happy with where I live.
Singapore to me was my chance to see the world. I'm so happy that I got to see so much of that region just with one trip. There are things that I wish I had gotten a chance to do or see, but the trip is not one that I regret in anyway. Even throughout some of the stresses and hardships (4am skype job interviews during exam weeks are not the greatest) Singapore was a great experience and I'm so happy that I got to take part of a Study Abroad program. And if nothing else, I have a lot of crazy stories now.
Coming back to America
I had always heard before I left that "adjusting back is the hardest part", that the adjustment to home is much more difficult than adjusting to the foreign culture. In my experience, I found this untrue. When I came back, it was shocking how little had changed.
Upon returning to meet with my Study Abroad counselor, I did however discover an important fact: I passed all my classes! I even did fairly well in some of them! Even that one I was complaining about, you know, the one where people cried during the final? Yeah. I got average. And I've never been happier to be average.
One of the biggest helps to adjusting back was seeing my friends and family. Returning to cooler weather was a relief and the American food was very welcome. My first day back I had a few Dick's burgers and went to the Metropolitan Steak House, so I'm very ok with that.
The length of time was perfect. I felt ready to go back after one semester, and I met a lot of people who were there for a full year and they felt burnt out and ready to go home a few weeks into their second semester. This may just be specifically for a more fast-paced place like Singapore, which can take it out of you if you let it.
As for Study Abroad in general, I believe it can be one of the most valuable experiences in a college education. There's a lot more to life than what can be taught in a classroom and there is a lot more to the world than can be seen in your own home country. Study Abroad is a unique experience and anyone who is even remotely thinking about doing it should talk to me so I can convince you to go. (Or at least help you in any way I can)
So is this the end? Have we finally reached the conclusion to this tale?
Yeah, pretty much. Kinda anti-climactic right? I mean, it's not like I die after this. I'll go back to UW, back to my teaching job, and to the Ad Agency. I'll go back to hanging out with my really cool, totally not weird friends. I'll go back to working on my novel, staring hopelessly at my second symphony, and continuing to know too much about Star Wars.
But this is it for my travel blog, as I'm pretty traveled out for the next year or two I think. However, I have toyed with the idea of starting a new blog for my novel or just the countless sarcastic thoughts I usually try to keep to myself throughout the day. I'll keep you posted on that. Any updates on that will be on my Facebook or Twitter though, not here.
I'd like to say thank you to everyone for reading this whole time and bugging me when I took forever to post. Even that really long one with no pictures, thanks for reading that one.
So, without further ado, I shall finally put this URL to rest. Thank you all.
Until next time!
(I am an adult)
