I guess this post starts with an apology. It’s been about a month since I posted anything. That’s because I was in transition to my new home in Singapore. I was trying to build a consistent routine for 3-4 months of blogging, as recommended by Nikki at The Pin The Map Project. But my relocation got the best of me and a hiatus ensued. It’s much easier not to post after you’ve missed a couple days. I’ve rallied though. Now that I’m settled in my new home, I will strive for more consistency. I haven’t explored too much of the Lion City yet, but below are some weird things that I’ve found so far in my apartment.
Top 3 Weird Things About My Apartment in Singapore
Weird is maybe a strong word. Different than I’m used to, let’s say. There’ll be a lot of adjusting in the days and weeks ahead. For now, just a few things that are different. And unexpected. I’m not going to waste time commenting on things that are different but expected. A rice cooker is a standard appliance here instead of a luxury item, which is not surprising. The fact that the thermostat is in Celsius instead of Fahrenheit is also to be expected. I wasn’t thrown off by the different electrical plug shape either, because I’ve traveled here before. But in the past, it was always to stay in a hotel. I’ve discovered that there are some unusual differences between my apartment and homes in the U.S.
1. The bathroom light switch is outside the bathroom. See that light switch just outside the bathroom? That’s the light switch for the bathroom. For some reason, the lights for bathrooms here are outside. That’s just weird. Maybe it’s because I grew up with siblings, but I want control of the lights while I’m in the shower. I mean, if there’s one room where I don’t want someone to be able to turn off the light on me, this would be it. And it’s not just in the apartment. I was in a public space in the apartment building yesterday and noticed that the light switch for that public restroom was in the hallway.
2. Some rooms have steps. Not a normal 7-8 inch step up, but a 1 inch lip. Just enough to smash your toe on as you step in instead of up. Which I’ve done several times already. It’s not in every room either. Just the bathrooms and kitchen. I could understand if one had to step up as you left the kitchen, as a sort of flooding prevention measure. This is just the opposite, however.
3. Different levels of dry on the dryer. Did you know that there are different levels of dry? I’m used to different setting for various fabrics. I guess if I thought about it, dryers in the U.S. sometimes have settings like “quick dry.” But I didn’t know that there was a difference between cupboard dry and mix cupboard dry.
I’m sure there’ll be more surprises as I adjust. And I’ll post stories from my great American road trip that I took just before moving here as well.