Chronicles of an exchange student in Singapore - Chapter 3

"And so the curve show us about the inequality that country X is experiencing ... " rattled off Professor Steve. Kayla was attending an early morning lecture but her mind was drifting away. She thought about the night ahead. The wonderful night she was about to have. It was after all, Wednesday, the night all ladies got in free at the clubs in town. She thought about dancing in her stilettos to her favourite R&B hits. She thought about the number of jaggerbombs and tequila shots she would have. And she thought about the hot guys she would meet. As the smile lingered in her lips, she was awoken by a quick jot from Nicole.

Chronicles of an exchange student in Singapore - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 (The 5Cs)

After checking-in, Kayla lugged her heavy luggages up into her room. She wished her father was here to help her carry her things. But this was what an exchange was all about right - learning to be independent. Upon reaching her room, Kayla heaved a big sigh of relief. The first sight that greeted her was a spartan room with two beds, two closets and two desks. "This place sure is empty.  But I'm sure with a bit of sprucing here and there, it will look like my room back home in a matter of time. And of course, I can't wait to see who my roommate is. I hope she will be nice."

Kayla got down to unpacking her things from her luggage. She found the room amazingly small as compared to her previous room back in London. However, she was thankful that the room came with an air-conditioner as the heat from the outside was killing her. Quickly, she tried to switch on the air-conditioner but it just did not work. Getting frustrated, she was about to stomp down to the hostel manager's office when the door swung open with a Chinese girl standing right in-front of her. "Hi!!! My name is Crystal. And you are ... ?" and the Chinese girl reached out to give her a handshake, like what was usually seen in a corporate office. Kayla found her introduction a bit too formal, a hug would have been warmer. But perhaps because this was Asia, she had to do like what the Asians did and follow their culture. Kalya stretched out her hand and said, "Hi! I'm Kayla! I'm from Manchester. Where are you from?"

"Nice!!! Hi, I'm Rui Min and I'm from Singapore! Oh how wonderful it is to get a roommate from a foreign land. I'm currently a year 3 student studying Economics. I'll just unpack my things and we could catch up after that." And with that, Rui Min started unpacking and decorating her side of the room.

"Sorry but do you know how this air-conditioner works? The heat is really getting onto me." interrupted Kayla.

"Easy peasy my dear, here, you can use my card. You slide the card into the socket, and as the air-conditioner is being used, the money from the card is being deducted every minute. You could help me by topping up the next round since we're going to be roommates. Now press the main button, the air-conditioner should work now"

Kayla pressed the button one more time, and like magic, the fans of the air-conditioner started rolling, and she could feel the cool breeze blowing down onto her.

"Hey, by the way, this air-conditioner card is not the only card which you will need. There are a few other cards which you should get. It will make you life much easier. Do you want to know what they are?"

"Sure, wouldn't hurt knowing." replied Kayla

"So there's this thing called the Cash Card. It's like a card with prepaid cash. You can use it to photocopy and print your notes. I use it mostly for printing things.

Then there's this card which you will need when using the public transport system around the country. It is called an ez-link card. It also works as a prepaid card which allows you to take cheaper rides as compared to constantly buying a ticket on the bus or the train. It will help you to save some time too. The card can also be used to pay for meals at places such as McDonalds.

Then of course, when you set up your bank account, the bank will give you an ATM card to withdraw cash. You can easily find a bank on campus and set up an account with them. There are ATM machines around the campus and it would be best to use a local bank. They usually have more ATM machines around the country.

If you are planning to eat at big food court at the main open space, you will need to get the food court card. They don't accept cash there.

So you know in Singapore, there's this joke about us chasing after the 5Cs - car, cash, condominium, credit card and country club, but here in SUU, you would usually need your own set of 5Cs - Cash Card, ez-link card, ATM card, food court card and of course the one I just lent you, the air-conditioner card!"

"Wow that was a lot of information to take in. But thanks for sharing it all with me. Ok enough about the grown up stuff about cards and administration. Is there anything fun and exciting that you would like to share with me?"

"Do you want to check out the clubs. The ladies night is awesome here. FREE entry for ladies and FREE drinks for ladies!"

"That sounds awesome! I can't wait!"

Glossary

Cash Card - A card with prepaid cash which can be bought from most convenient stores. It is useful for students who need to use the university's printers to print or photocopy their notes. This card is also used by the locals to pay for parking or when driving through an ERP gantry.

Ez-link card - A card use for travel on the public transportation system. It can also be used to be pay for meals at selected fast food outlets. A list of where the ez-link card can be used at, can be found here.

ATM card - There are many ATM machines around Singapore. Hence, it is always good to get an ATM card if you're opening a bank account.

Food court card - Different food courts around the country accept different food court cards as payment. Some food courts accept cash as payment while some do not. It is good to check out the type of card available before purchasing your food.

Air-conditioner card - I personally stayed in a hostel with an air-conditioner in my room. I had to purchase a prepaid card and slot it into a card system for the air-conditioner to work. I would usually top-up the card every two weeks to ensure that I had enough credits for the air-conditioner to work.

Chronicles of an exchange student in Singapore - Chapter 1

*This is a work of fiction inspired by true events. A story for all exchange students coming to Singapore to help you in your upcoming journey.

Things to do with your kids while on holiday in Singapore

Singapore is a family friendly island and has many great activities to appeal to children of all ages. Here's a list of things to do with your kids while holidaying in Singapore. 

Places for great pints of freshly brewed beer

15 food places in Singapore that open after midnight

The perks about holidaying in a city is that there are definitely going to be food places opened till late and Singapore is no exception. This handy list hopes to satisfy the hungry stomachs out there that are growling for food in the wee hours.

7 amazing dinner experiences to try in Singapore

Continuing on the list of 7s, this time I bring to you ideas for satisfying your growling tummies during dinner time! Enjoy!

7 types of food to try for lunch in Singapore

This lunch list consist of 7 hearty local food options to fill your stomachs for the afternoon ahead.

01| Frog Leg Porridge

Taste the succulent and juicy legs of the frogs as they are cooked in a thick broth of dark sauce. The frog legs usually come in a pot and because of it saltiness, is eaten with rice. This will be an experience to tell your friends and family members when you get back to your home country. Head to Tiong Shian Porridge Center in Chinatown for a try at their highly raved about frog leg porridge. Address: 265 New Bridge Road, Chinatown, S(088745)

02| Laksa

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Laksa is  popular dish consisting of noodles soaked in a spicy coconut broth. The ingredients tossed into the bowl can include strips of chicken, prawn, fishcake and cockles. The broth is what gives the dish its flavour and some tourist have been known to slurp up the bowl's entire contents! I would recommended the famous 328 Katong Laksa located at 53 East Coast Road S(428771).

03| Mee Rebus

Mee Rebus is a popular Malay dish. This dish is made up of yellow egg noodle placed in a slightly spicy yet sweet gravy. This dish is usually garnished with a hard boiled egg, green chilli, shallots, bean sprouts, fried tofu and sometimes slices of chicken breast. The gravy which is what makes this dish so tasty, contains peanuts, dried shrimp, sweet potatoes and curry powder. Try a bowl of this dish at Afandi Hawa & Family located at Haig Road Food Centre. Address: 14 Haig Road, #01-02.

04| Hokkein Mee

This is another egg noodle dish but fried Chinese style in a broth of pork lard mixed with prawns, squid, fishcake, bean sprouts and slices of pork. It is garnished with small pieces of lard that gives it its flavour. This dish is also served with a spoonful of sambal (chilli) sauce and lime to be squeezed over the dish for that zesty kick. The foodcourt at Wisma Atria Shopping Centre cooks up a nice plate of Hokkein Mee. Address: Thye Hong Hokkein Mee, fourth floor, Wisma Atria foodcourt

05| Bee Hoon Goreng

This is a malay dish consisted of thin white noodles fried in a wok and cooked along with other ingredients such as prawns, squids, slices of chicken and cabbage. You may opt to have it spicy or non-spicy. Try the Bee Hoon Goreng at The Roti Prata House. Address: 246M Thomson Road.

06| Fish Soup with noodles

A healthy dish for those who are sick and tired of all the oily local food. This is a noodle dish served in hot soup with slices of cooked fish. It's perfect for those days when you feel sick and just want something healthy and soupy. I would recommend travelling down to Amoy Street Food Centre and trying out the fish soup with noodles at the Piao Ji Fish Porridge Stall. Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #02-100/103, S(069111).

07| Nasi Briyani

This Indian dish is made of rice served with a slab of chicken, mixed vegetables and a bowl of curry. The rice is usually cooked in many spices which include ghee (a type of butter), nutmeg, pepper, cloves, ginger, onion and garlic. A fragrant aroma often emits from this dish and this certainly elevates your entire eating experience. Try the Nasi Briyani at Amoy Street Food Centre. The stall to head for is Thambi's. Address: #02-92, 7 Maxwell Road, S(069111)

7 types of food to try for breakfast in Singapore

While I was an exchange student in Europe, I was eating breakfast one morning when my roommate questioned me about my breakfast eating habits. "You seem to be eating everything and anything for breakfast. One day you are eating something sweet, the next morning you're eating something salty. One morning you're eating a bowl of rice and the next morning a sandwich.That's pretty strange and unusual." Well that's the thing about Singapore. It's so cosmopolitan that the different cultures have also been weaved into our daily eating habits. Eating like a local and experiencing our whole breakfast culture is one thing you would definitely want to tick off your bucket list. 

01| Roti Prata

Ok so let me start with Roti Prata. This is an Indian dish that is made with flour and most of the time looks like a flat pancake. You can choose to have it served with chicken or fish curry. Children are known to pair it with sugar. It is very common to have your Roti Prata cooked with other ingredients such as cheese, onion, banana or even chocolate. Pair your Roti Prata with a cup of local tea or coffee. I would usually have mine with a cup of tea with milk and sugar (also known as Teh Cino to the locals). A plain Roti Prata would usually cost between $1 to $2. Any add-on ingredients would incur additional charges. Don't be surprise when you are given a menu without the price stated. It is quite common and fear not. Just ask the waiter for the prices before ordering! One of the best Prata shops I have eaten from is the The Roti Prata House. You can find them at 246M Thomson Road and they are opened from 7am in the morning. 

02 | Nasi Lemak

This is a hearty local dish that consists of coconut rice and is usually paired with ingredients such as a spoonful of fried anchovies (ikan bilis), peanuts, a slice of cucumber, an egg and other bigger ingredients such as a piece of chicken wing or a small fried fish. It is also served on a separate plate with a hot spicy sauce (sambal) that gives the dish it's added favour. I would recommend having a plate of Nasi Lemak at Adam Road Food Centre. There are a handful of Nasi Lemak stores there but do check out the one called Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak. Address: #01-02, Adam Road Food Centre, 2 Adam Road. They open from 7am.

03 | Dim Sum

Dim Sum is a type of Chinese cuisine that is served as small bites in small brown baskets or plates. A traditional Dim Sum breakfast would involve having various types of steam buns, rice noodle rolls filled with pork, prawns or beef and other selections such as egg tarts, pork ribs and the must have Siu Mai (pork dumplings) and Har Gow (shrimp dumplings). I for one, particularly love the old traditional vibe that Red Star Restaurant gives. They open from 7am and can be found at 54 Chin Swee Road, #07-23. You will need to take the lift up to get to the restaurant. 

04 | Eggs Benedict

In recent years, the cafe culture has sprung up in Singapore and it's common to see young teens and yuppies waking up to go cafe hopping around the island. One of the more popular cafe food that Singaporeans would eat and busily take photos with would be a plate of eggs benedict. Apart from it looking very instagramable, the dish is actually very tasty. Forty Hands at the hipster enclave of Tiong Bahru does a nice plate of Eggs Benedict. You can find them at 78 Yong Siak Street and they open from 7.30am.

05 | Kaya toast, soft boiled eggs and a coffee drink

The locals usually have a full set of this to start off their day. Kaya toast is prepared with Kaya (coconut jam), some slabs of butter and two slices of toast. 

The eggs are soft boiled and the fun part starts when you crack and pour your semi-cooked eggs into a plate, put some pepper and soya sauce in it, and slurp the entire concoction down in a few gulps. You end the meal by washing everything down with a cup of hot coffee. I usually swop my coffee for a cup of hot tea as I'm prefer the latter. Worth trying is the chain of Ya kun Kaya Toasts that are scattered across the island. There is an outlet in town at 313@Somerset that opens at 7am. Address: 313 Orchard Road, #01-32/33/34

06 | Chwee Kueh 

This dish is made up of steamed rice flour and sprinkled with salty grains of pickled vegetables, garlic and pork lard. The locals would usually add a spoonful of chilli to spice up the dish. You would usually have to buy at least two pieces of Chwee Kueh and it is served to you on a brown sheet of paper. Try the Chwee Kueh at Tiong Bahru Market. I would recommend the store called Jian Bo Shui Kueh at #02-05.

07 | Fried Carrot Cake

This dish is made of eggs and chunks of radishes. The soft radish is moulded into square chunks and fried with the eggs which helps to hold the whole dish together.  It is fried in a hot wok and depending on your preference, you can opt for the white or black version. The black version comes about from the sweet black sauce that is added onto it. Bits of pickled vegetables are usually added at the top of the dish to give it a tinge of saltiness and an added crunch. The stall called Chey Sua Carrot Cake does an awesome job on this dish. You can find them at Blk 127, Toa Payoh Food Centre, #02-30. You will have to climb up the stairs to find this hidden gem! 

About this blog

Soaking in the sights of lovely Singapore! 

Hi everyone! The idea for this blog came about one day while I was travelling in Nice and happened to chance upon a blog from a local resident. It was through this blog that I was able to navigate my way around Nice. And that was when a Eureka moment struck me. Why not do the same for tourists coming to Singapore?

So after coming back from Nice, I started creating this blog - Best of SIN. Why SIN? Cause that's the first 3 letters of Singapore! I figured Best of Singapore would be a mouthful and way too long to type out.

I'm eager to feature articles that are of interest to you. So do drop me a message if there's something that's of interest to you. 

If you would like to collaborate with me, do drop me an email at thebestofsin@gmail.com with the subject title, "collaborate".

XOXO

Grace

Uber Singapore

Uber has a strong presence in Singapore and is an alternative towards the standard taxis that ply the streets. You would need a smart phone and credit card to use this service to book a driver.

With your smart phone, download the uber app. Once you have downloaded the app, you will need to register your credit card as all bills are billed there. The good thing about this is that you won't have to worry about not have cash to pay on the spot. Book first and pay with your credit card later!

There are various types of uber services available.

uberX - The most popular of the lot where the base fare starts from $3. The car would usually be someone's private car or rented from a rental company. Each car can accommodate up to 4 passengers. A single trip journey is known to be cheaper than a taxi ride. You can get an estimate of your uber ride here.

uberXL - Perfect for larger groups, the base fare here starts from $5. Each car can accommodate up to 6 passengers. These cars would usually consist of your SUVs or MPVs.

uberEXEC - If you're thinking of being picked up in a luxury sedan, uberEXEC is the choice for you. The brands of cars that are used in this category, include the Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Lexus or Jaguar. Fares start from $15.

EXECLARGE - Similar to uberEXEC but meant for larger groups. The cars that are available for use include the Mercedes Vito or Audi Q7. The minimum fare starts from $18.

Getting to and from the airport

You've booked your air tickets, accommodation and am set to land in Changi Airport. But hey wait, you've missed out on one thing and that's how you would be getting from Changi Airport to where you would be staying. 

Now, first things first, there're are many modes of transportation available at Changi airport. 

If you would like to arrive in style in a privately chauffeured car, there's Blacklane with their fleet of Mercedes cars which will pick you up from the arrival halls and drive you to your destination. 

Blacklane's website

Alternatively, you could get to the taxi stand and queue up for a taxi. There are a few taxi companies in Singapore and all charge a base rate with the lowest starting from $3.20 for a standard taxi. There is an additional surcharge of $3 or $5 for any pick-ups from the airport. Taxis are metered in Singapore and you pay for whatever you see on the meter. There are no surcharges on the number of luggages brought into the taxi. A ride into the city may cost between $20 to $40.

To view how fares are calculated when taking a taxi, click here.

If you seek a cheaper alternative, there is the MRT (Mass Rapid Trains) which travels from Changi Airport Station to stations in town such as Orchard or City Hall. The public bus service 36 or 36A would also bring you into the town area. A bus ride into the town area would cost about $2.50. Although much cheaper, the journey can take up to an hour.

Another alternative is Uber, which is also operating in Singapore. You may read about them here.


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