Family,
And a good evening to you from across the globe after another GREAT DAY in the Lion City. Sammy the Bull popped up at 6:15 AM this morning to log 5 miles, and I'm happy to report that, after a 6 day break in the action, I felt GREAT for 5 miles. I had the fuel belt, but luckily I didn't need a single sip of water or Gatorade for the entire run. I was helped by the fact that the weather was great - until the sun came up. Seriously - sunrise over the Marina Bay Sands is AMAZING, but DAMN does it made it instantly 45 degrees hotter.
So this evening was a real treat for Team Taylor and Sam's Angels. Tonight Muffin, Lily, Sarah, and I made the trek to the NUS (it's the local Singapore University) Cultural Center for the Arts to watch the Hot Curry Production of "The Expat Wife." I had heard GREAT things about this show, and I am happy to confirm that it did NOT disappoint.
The show was, in a word, HILARIOUS. It's about a couple that moves from London to Singapore on an expat assignment and all of the emotions and experiences they go through. And whilst yes, some of the stories are exaggerated (sort of like a certain blog that some of you might occasionally read), there were some DEAD ON sections about life due south of peninsular Malaysia (P-Dawg - there was a taxi scene that you would have CACKLED at - CRUB STREET!!!!). I am pretty sure I was laugher harder than most folks in there, but maybe I was just laughing louder and deeper because I was ONE OF ONLY 10 DUDES IN A 500 SEAT AUDITORIUM. Seriously, on the way in I saw someone from the running club, and she asked, "Did your wife drag you to this?" To which I had to reply: "Actually, I suggested that we attend this one." REAL MEN LOVE DRAMA, DAMN IT.
I will say that, despite all the jokes, there was one serious moment at the end which I think so aptly captures life as an expat. One of the wives repatriates, and in her farewell speech (with the cast frozen - she's talking just to the crowd) she says, "When I moved from Hamburg, I missed my European family terribly, and I longed to see them again. Now that I've moved back to Hamburg, I miss my Asian family - I can still hear their voices in my head, and I wish I could see them again."
It's hard to sum it up any better than those 2 sentences - this experience has been and continues to be AMAZING and one that I would never, EVER trade under any circumstances. The friends, the shared memories, and the laughs - all of it will forever live as some of the happiest days of my llife. But I have no lie to tell - saying goodbye each time is tough, as no matter what you hope, the reality is that seeing those new and dear friends again will never be as frequent as it was during your time in country, and certainly never again as frequent as you would like.
And in a final bit of irony, I found it HILARIOUS that, once the show was over, a theater full of expats wandered out onto the street and all suddenly came to the same revelation - we were in the middle of nowhere and needed transport home. The only problem was that NONE OF US knew how to navigate the bus network. And so there I was, standing with 500 expats, all dialing 6552-1111 ("Thank you for calling Comfort and City Cab - have a pleasant day!"), hoping to be the next in the booking queue.
In other news:
CONGRATS, MOMMA!!!!!!!! SCHOOL IS OUT!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!1
Last but not least (and 4 days late) - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CP!!!! I hope it was a good one!
Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print. Chat tomorrow!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
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