The Joys of the Little Red Dot

My family has been lucky enough to be stationed in Singapore for about 5.5 years total, across two tours, and we absolutely love it. Being stationed here is definitely different from other OCONUS duty stations, but there is so much that Singapore has to offer, especially considering it’s only about the size of Chicago and showing up on a map like a little red dot. 

1. Installation Amenities

“It’s not a base, it's a place” is something we commonly say over here because of how small the installation is. We are tucked within a section of the shipping port, and although we may not have a bowling alley or a movie theater, we do have the usual post office, newly renovated gym, and an all-hands club with a pool and field. The Navy Exchange has the basics but is definitely not a full-size commissary; it’s kind of like a really big convenience store. Earlier this year, we also had our very own USO center open, and it’s fun to pop in after school to relax, and I like to do my homework there.

2. Public Transport

Getting a car here is definitely an involved process, and it’s a lot more expensive than it would be in other places, even for local Singaporeans. The legal driving age is also 18 years old, so it’s very common to find people who have never driven a car at all. Most people will have one car or go without, which is completely feasible because of the amazingly fast and cheap public transport we have. There are public buses and also the MRT, our subway system. Both service the whole island and are super great for getting around. Of course, it can take a bit longer to get where you need to go via bus or train, but I often enjoy the nice, quiet time just listening to music in my headphones. There are also taxis, and we have Grab, which bought out Uber here, which my family generally uses to get to the airport and whatnot.

3. Easy Travel

Being on such a small island that takes about an hour to cross, we are in a great spot for travel! If you travel via land, air, or sea, you'll be in a new country soon enough. There are ferries to go to Indonesia, a hot destination for day spas or school field trips. You can even take a public bus right to immigration and go to Johor Bahru (also referred to as JB) in Malaysia to make a fun day trip, since tickets are a bit cheaper there. Singapore is also just a short flight away from some other popular destinations that have become some of my family’s and friends’ favorite places, including Vietnam and Thailand. If you’ve ever done a Space A flight, you’ll also be happy to know that we have a flight that runs from here up to Yokota Air Force base, just an hour or so outside of Tokyo, Japan.

4.  Weather and the equator 

In case you're not familiar with the geography of this part of the world, Singapore is located one degree north of the equator. If you are ever on Singapore's island of Sentosa and aren't super busy going on the roller coasters at Universal Studios or riding on the Luge, you should definitely check out Palawan Beach for the little island accessible via suspension bridge. There are two cool lookout towers, as well as a sign designating it as the spot on the southernmost tip of continental Asia and the closest point to the equator! With that latitude, it does mean that the weather is pretty humid and temperatures tend to hover around 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. However, the weather does tend to change regularly. In fact, I’ve gotten pretty good at recognizing when it will start to rain, which happens pretty often. Luckily, storms tend to last no more than a few hours at the most, unless it's the rainy season between November and January. But again, not to worry, Singapore is pretty prepared for it with several underpasses, overpasses, and covered walkways connecting places, so if you do forget your umbrella, you won't get soaking wet.

5. Diverse Cultures

Singapore is sometimes referred to as "Asia light." With 4 national languages, 124 embassies, high commissions, and consular posts, it’s pretty easy to see why. While living here, I’ve gotten to learn so much more about different religions, holidays, and cultures. I’ve also been able to pick up several words and phrases in Mandarin, as well as local slang terms in "singlish"; these have become important additions to my vocabulary.

Neighborhoods like Chinatown, Little India, Joo Chiat, Tiong Bahru, and Arab Street have so much character built in, with stores, cafes, and bustling streets. During holidays or festivals, they also get decorated with tons of lights and decorations that my family loves to drive through. On Arab street, my family enjoys stopping by The Pita Bakery to stock up on fresh pita to have handy in our freezer. We also love browsing Dilip Textiles and looking at anything new Mr. Dilip has just received. My family has several tablecloths, napkins, and pouches with gorgeous prints from his store that we have accumulated over the years.

One of the best ways to experience Singapore’s diversity is through food, specifically at Hawker centers, which are open-air food courts found all over the island. All flavors of Asia and beyond are represented, so you're bound to find a new favorite dish. As a family, our favorite Hawker center by far is the historic La Pau Sat, and we often go on Saturday nights before heading over to explore Gardens By The Bay. There's also Bukit Canberra, a short ten-minute walk away from housing. 

6. Green Spaces and Wildlife

Amidst the plentiful high-rises and skylines commonly associated with Singapore, there are still plenty of wild and green spaces, too. The park connectors make it easy to explore and get out in nature. Sembawang Park is within walking distance of housing, and East Coast and West Coast Parks are great for activities like biking, kayaking, and skating. For hiking, places like Clementi Forest and the MacRitchie Nature Reserve are popular choices. Gardens By The Bay and the Botanic Gardens may be tourist favorites, but they’re definitely worth visiting. My family has a Friends of the Gardens Membership, and we love to visit the flower dome at least once a month to see the gorgeous displays. We also love watching Garden Rhapsody, the light and audio show projected on the supertrees (which is free!). The botanic gardens are really peaceful to walk through. 

Wildlife is everywhere, even in residential areas. We regularly see geckos, monitor lizards, and even monkeys sharing our backyard. There are also hundreds of bird species, my favorite of which is the Oriental Pied Hornbill. Recently, a pair nested in our neighborhood, and it’s essentially become a community-wide event to track their activity by sharing photos and videos over WhatsApp.

7. Schools

Since there are so few of us military families stationed here, there aren't enough kids to warrant a DoDEA school, and it's not like we have the space for it on the installation, either. We also can’t attend local schools without paying quite a few fees, but luckily, we get funding through the Department of State, and we have the chance to go to one of the 71 amazing international schools recognized by Singapore's Ministry of Education. The most popular schools for us who are stationed here include Singapore American School, Stamford American International School, and XCL World Academy. Every school has some amazing opportunities that I never would have thought possible at any of the other schools I have attended over the years. 

8. History

Singapore has such a rich and interesting history, and there is so much to learn about the past, present, and future of the little red dot. 

Overall, it is a relatively young country, having gained its independence from Malaysia on August 9th, 1965. However, before that, Singapore had also been under British and Japanese occupation. Modern reminders of those two eras can be seen daily, from the side of the road, as cars are driven on to some street names that sound out of place in Asia. Not to mention, there are various black and white houses found in pockets all over the island. We are super lucky that housing is located in one neighborhood of them. There, you can also see some of the old bunkers that have been filled in since both World War 1 and World War 2. You might even hear stories from older generations about how they used to play in them and run around pretending they were soldiers. 

Although it comes with plenty of construction all over the place, Singapore is constantly evolving and developing. This means that while living here, you are most definitely going to be a part of Singapore’s history. If you are in Chinatown, I highly recommend visiting the URA building. They have really cool exhibits, which detail the plans for Singapore's redevelopment for the coming years, and a scale model of the country, which is always fun to admire and find things like my house or school. Ultimately, though Singapore has a rich culture and history, it is constantly changing, and I am grateful to experience this every day.