Departing Singapore for the first time

Handmade floats to celebrate Mid Autumn Festival @ Singapore riverfront

I sit on my six-hour flight to Beijing, where I’ll be managing a media roundtable and TV interview with my CEO, as well as doing some meet-and-greets in the office. Since the flight departed at 845 a.m., it’s hard to sleep so I reflect on the past couple weeks.

There are several aspects of living here that I really like so far:



Changi Airport (SIN). Photo from airport Web site

• Food. See above entry.
• The airport – it really is wonderfully clean and efficient. Both times I’ve landed in Singapore, I’ve been through immigration, collected checked baggage, gone through customs and been in a taxi speeding down East Coast Parkway toward the city within 20 minutes. At Chicago O’Hare, that would have taken an hour. Things are calmer at Changi International Airport – it’s quiet even when it’s crowded and few people look stressed or rushed.
• The smallness of the island – so far it’s a positive. Nothing is really that far and traffic isn’t nearly as heavy in Chicago. A taxi from the airport costs under $20 and you’re pretty much guaranteed a 20-minute ride unless you’re weaving West. It’s easy to meet friends wherever.

• Shopping – there are countless malls and shopping centers that are air-conditioned, come with clean bathrooms and nice food courts and have great stores. Clothes seem to run a bit more here but not overly expensive. 
• The people – Singaporeans seem sincerely interested in making you feel welcome, be it the office, their restaurant or country. A few taxi drivers —and even the MRT ticket helper – personally welcomed me to their country and offered suggestions on what to do.
• Efficiency of government – we all know the political climate is different than hours. A key upside I see is the efficiency in which things are done —e.g., obtaining my work visa. It was a straightforward process that involved a 10 minute stop at the EPSC in Riverpoint. The employees smiled and provided great service. No where was the chaos and surliness one experiences at an American DMV or government building.
• The real estate – I am pleasantly surprised by the apartments – which really are privately owned condos that are rented out to primarily ex-pats, which have gorgeous landscaping, architecture, water elements and character.