The DipNotes

In addition to Singapore being much closer to Megan, they told me that they want me there as soon as possible, and the State Department has agreed to let me leave here 1 month early and still get my two R&Rs (free vacation trips). I now leave Pakistan in September, 2009.

Singapore – great food, low crime, travel opportunities - should be a fun assignment!  Singapore is one of four remaining true city-states in the world. A city-state is a sovereign nation onto itself, that fits entirely into a city. The other three are Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City. The city is located at the tip of Malaysia, about half way between India and Australia. It’s larger neighbors include Thailand and Indonesia. Vietnam is a two hour flight.

English is the main spoken language, so I will not be getting language training.

Singapore’s economy is close to what the United States had in the early 20th century. Huge exports, while heavy taxes on imports. The bulk on the government’s budget is paid by import and export taxes, so individual income tax is low. It’s ports are one of the busiest in the world, and unemployment stands at 1.7%. Cars are expensive, and driving during business hours is heavily taxed, so it’s internal transportation system is fantastic.

Criminal punishment is quick, and severe, making Singapore one of the world’s safest cities to live in. But they have also criminalized a lot of small things in the interest of keeping the city clean and healthy. Fines are given for spitting in public, all pornography, public drunkenness, sleeping on public property, riding a bike across the street, and many many more. Drug laws are extreme – with death being a popular way to deal with drug dealing and smuggling. First offense. But the city is also ranks at the #1 spot by the UN for not having any slums, and you walk in any area of the city at 3AM with no worry.  Everyone has health care, and unemployment is less than 2%.

The government is a parliamentary democracy, and is a multi-religious country, with a slight majority (51%) practicing Buddhism and Taoism. About 15% practice Christianity, and Muslims constitute 14%. About 15% of the population has declared no religious affiliation. While multi-religious, they have complete freedom of religion, as proselytizing is illegal, including unsolicited distribution of religious materials. The effects of this religious tolerance means that cross-cultural violence is rare, and national holidays include  popular festivals from many religions.

Singaporean cuisine is an example of diversity and cultural mix, with a fusion of Chinese, Indian, Malay and Tamil foods. Chinese food stalls introduce indigenous Malay ingredients or cooking techniques, and Singapore cuisine has been a major tourist attraction. The country has a tropical rain forest climate, and sits just 80 miles north of the equator, so there are no distinct seasons.

I think I could enjoy this place… but as always, I don’t want to get too excited until the wheels are up. Like the military, nothing is absolute until I’m there. But as of today, this is my most likely next assignment.

Last night, I awoke at about 4:10 am, when I heard a click sound.    It was that sound an old alarm clock makes when it attempts to go off, but you didn’t turn the alarm on.  Click.  That’s was it, but it was enough to wake me up.

I immediately look at the clock, which is how I knew it was 4:10 am.   Seeing that the alarm was on, and that I still had almost two hours to go before it would go off, I laid back down and tried to fall asleep.  I did, however, wonder what the click was…  As I started to think more clear, I realized that my electronic alarm clock doesn’t “click” – so something else must have made it.. but what?

It was dead quiet, and totally dark.  4:12 am .. and I’m laying in bed, sprawled out on my back. getting cozy.

Then, it seemed someone had grabbed the foot of my bed and began to rock it forward and back.  It was quite violent; enough to make me think someone was in the room with me – which scared me briefly.   It wasn’t long, maybe 3 seconds later, that I began to realize that “This must be what an earthquake feels like”!  I had never experienced one before, but I had heard on the local news of a minor tremor the night before – which I had slept through.

Now the rocking was quite consistent, back and forth, not side to side.  I held on to the mattresses and enjoyed the ride – waiting to see if it would get worse and if so, I would have to run to the door frame. It didn’t increase.    Back and forth.  Rocking.  I did hear, very slightly, a low base rumble.  It was like someone was driving a train down the road – but the sound was extremely deep and faint.  I live near a steep mountainside so I thought for a moment that a landslide was coming down, but that never happened either.   At that same time all the crows in the trees outside my house took off and began to squawk – if that’s what you call it..  It sounded like Hitchcock’s “The Birds” outside.  Very creepy indeed.

So this short event lasted about 10 to 12 seconds and after a few minutes the event was reported by the USGS as being located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan and there where no reported damage or injuries in Pakistan.

Here’s a link:  http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2009bkcf.php#details

I wonder how many of these I will get while here?