Expat Travel Mom

Eight years. That's how long Singapore was home. Before we packed up for Spain, my husband, daughter and I set aside a couple of days just for us, walking the neighborhoods we loved most, taking photos, and trying to hold onto this place a little longer before we said goodbye.

Peranakan Shophouses

Things I will miss about Singapore, and this was right at the top of the list. The Peranakan shophouses in our neighborhood, gorgeous styles and colors, pastel facades, ornate tilework, ourselves genuinely stopping every few steps for another photo. It all just comes to life the way the light hits it. A lovely little walk, one of my favorites we ever took here.

Street Art and the Little Details

Beyond the shophouses, we spent our time just noticing things, murals tucked into alleyways, the small details in a city we'd walked past a thousand times but were finally slowing down enough to actually see. That's the thing about leaving somewhere you've lived for years, you suddenly notice all of it again, the way you did the very first week you arrived.

One Last Taste

Of course, we ate our favorite food along the way too. If you know anything about our time in Singapore, you know La Zi Ji had to make an appearance, spicy enough to genuinely hurt, and somehow still one of our most-missed dishes to this day. So, we stopped at People's Park one last time, and paid a visit to our favorite people.

A Fun Fact Before We Go

While we're on the subject of Singapore memories, here's one I never actually got around to sharing, my daughter modeled for a Singapore Airlines campaign while we lived here, a shoot on a sailboat that ended up in their inflight Reader's Digest magazine and TVs on flights. A strange and wonderful little souvenir of our time on this island.

The Poem

I wrote this the week we announced we were leaving, trying to capture eight years in something shorter than a novel. Here it is, exactly as I wrote it then.

It's time to finally announce! Read further to see where we'll bounce!

Farewell dear Singapore, it's really been a blast,
so hard to believe, eight years have already passed!

Poh Huat Road to Surin Lane,
The memories of these homes will not quickly wane.

We've loved living on this Little Red Dot,
with tree lined streets and bright blue skies,
thunder showers and exotic bird cries.

While beautiful and tropical and mostly full of bliss,
the soggy humid heat, I surely will not miss.

So clean and safe everywhere you go,
a place for raising families, it's definitely the way to go.

Teens out alone late into the night, no worries here,
as the laws are quite tight.

Singapore, known as a food lover's paradise,
hawker centers, restaurants and Michelin star delights,
one dish remains a favorite that's for sure,
La Zi Ji, a sort of spicy torture.

Opportunities for travel abound from here,
we've stamped up our passports with countries far and near.

Hong Kong, Bali, Australia and China,
Thailand, Malaysia, Ireland and India.
Vietnam, Italy, the US and Slovenia,
a bizarre cruise to nowhere and a sickly trip to Cambodia.

Our International family continues to grow,
saying goodbye, some tears will flow.

We're bound by the lives we chose to live,
embracing the opportunities the world continues to give.

You know who you are, the memories will last,
so many good times shared, we've really had a blast.

We're on our way, to adventure number three,
I can't lie about this one, I'm completely filled with glee!

This summer we say zai jian South East Asia,
And prepare to say hola to sunny coastal España!

Eight years, three homes, a lifetime of memories. Thank you, Singapore. Onward to Spain.