Why I Love Wet Markets (Now)

Wet Market [wet mahr-kit]: A market that sells perishable foods...[and] can be found around the world, but are especially common in China and Southeast Asia... The wet in wet market refers to the melting ice used to preserve fresh meats or the water used to clean their foods or hose down a store.  {see dictionary.com)

The term "wet market" gained international prominence when China officials revealed that the corona virus could have originated from a wet market in Wuhan, China. And it is possible because have you been to a wet market? It is literally wet (don't wear shoes with lousy grip...you've been warned), noisy, chaotic, and the smell of raw meat permeates the air. 

Little wonder I HATED going to the wet market as a young girl. Sellers and buyers shouted to be heard. Butchers chopped off heads and cleared out innards (albeit with deft strokes of the cleaver). Flies landed on the displayed vegetables and fruits. The crowds, especially on Saturday mornings, clustered in swarms. There seemed to be no organisation as to where the stores were assigned. The pork stall could be situated next to a stall selling seafood, which in turn was next to a stall selling vegetables, and that stall was next to the poultry store, that was also the neighbour of another pork  stall, not to be confused with the halal stores that had to be situated somewhere else, and don't forget the fruits stall or the other vegetable stall, etc. How anyone navigated the wet market was beyond me.

Seafood in all its display glory. Customers can inspect and choose their meats, instead of buying it pre-packaged. But you must ignore that it will never pass the hygiene code in some countries (see postscript at bottom of post).

And so for years, I never stepped into a wet market unless forced to by my parents. When I moved to the States, I didn't even think to look up if there was something similar. (FYI, farmers' markets are nothing like wet markets. They share a few principles, but have different "vibes" and purposes.) 

Part of the vegetable store from my neighbourhood's wet market. 

But what's the saying -- absence makes the heart grow fonder? Or perhaps because I'm a product of my time, and given current discussions about race and colonialism, I've grown to treasure my heritage and culture. Or maybe my "liberal graduate school education" taught me to boycott large, evil supermarket corporations, and start patronising smaller local businesses.  

Whatever the case, I found myself embracing the wet market when I moved back. It helped that the market near my home (Sembawang Koufu) is not the same one I went to as a girl (Chong Pang wet market). This one is smaller (so fewer people), better lit, calmer, and is "drier"...or at least as "dry" as a "wet market" can be.😁

Going to the wet market now is a refreshing experience. I can touch, smell (sans mask of course) and examine my food. I can select the produce I want, and only buy whatever quantity I need. I can explore the abundant variety on display, and be exposed to food I've never seen before.

Clockwise from L to R: that mean-looking monster is galangal; 😙baby brinjal (or eggplant); young ginger with sprouts.

Still figuring out what this is used for. 

You don't get the same connection to food at the supermarkets or when buying groceries online.

It's also at the wet market that you get to know the people who handle and sell you your food. True conversation with my mom:

Me: Wah! That chicken stall seller is not very nice.

Mom: Was it the wife who served you?

Me: Yes! How did you know it was the wife?

Mom: Of course I know. She is quite rude. But the husband is quite friendly. I still wish there was another chicken stall though. 

Cheap spices galore! Also, in case anyone is wondering, gerago is really "geragau" (krill). It is an essential ingredient in sambal belacan. See https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2013-06-26_105819.html. (I didn't know either!)

And of course, my mom found our family's favourite fruit store at this wet market. I'm convinced we are one of his VIP customers because our fruits are excellent, and he always introduces us to new fruit. Plus my mom spends a lot of money there...😅. 

Don't be fooled by how tepid this store looks. This is a hidden gem!

So does this mean bye-bye to supermarkets? Heck no! Nothing will beat its one-stop-shop convenience, "western food" ingredients, much-needed canned goods and snacks, and most importantly, the AIR CON(DITIONING). Supermarkets have their purpose and place. So does online grocery shopping.  However, I'm now much more incline to buy from the wet market first, before going to the supermarket.

It is still strange to me how this about-face came about. How does one go from hating the chaos to loving it? I don't know. A yearning to return to my roots? An awakening of one's true self? A desire for greater connection to my environment in this time of isolation? Meh, who knows. At this point, it doesn't matter. I'm just excited to get better acquainted with the ingredients and cuisine from my region of the world, and the wet market is the first and great place to start.

Be safe everyone, and don't forget your mask!

P.S. Before anyone is grossed out by the "supposedly" unhygienic standards of wet markets, keep in mind that 1) we wash our food before we eat them, and 2) traditional Asian recipes (at least the Chinese) always cook everything, and often at high temperatures. The closest thing to raw food is pickled or salted vegetables. Food such as sashimi are rare, while the Laos/ Thai green papaya salad uses chilli, spices, and lime to flavour and "cleanse" the dish. 

It is time to really DO SOMETHING MORE

It has been two and half years since I came back to Singapore. Moving back was tough, but on hindsight, this was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Not only did it bring me much-needed healing from academia, it also gave me another perspective to examine American politics and society.

I'm aware that my moderate-liberal leanings still colour my perspective, but the literal geographic distance has helped me see things from a larger lens as I'm not directly affected by immediate events in the United States.

When news of the George Floyd tragedy broke, I must confess that I felt partly-sad, partly-angry, and (don't hate me) partly-numb. It's not that I'm unsympathetic; it's just that George Floyd isn't the first innocent black man to be wrongfully killed due to excessive police violence. A quick google shoot will reveal the frequency that such incidents have occurred in the past few years alone. In fact, a common pattern emerges from such arrests:

Black person is (likely to be unfairly) arrested --> Police uses unnecessary, excessive force to hold down person --> accidentally or intentionally kills the arrested --> news spread --> flurry of postings on social media expressing opinions --> outrage and protests (sometimes leading to arrest of police officers) --> violence and looting --> (if police officers are acquitted --> even more protest and violence -->) people become disillusioned with the chaos --> then exhausted with subject and move on to the "next big thing" --> peace for a period --> cycle repeats. 

We've seen this cycle since the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s (and before!), only now we have the privilege of recording and circulating these instances with greater ease #technologyrockswhenitworks I am fully supportive of using social media to spread awareness and effect change, and I'm sincerely glad that the right use of video recordings led to the arrest of the police officers in the George Floyd case, and the cold-blooded murderers of Ahmaud Arbery.

But I also feel that too many of us (I'm indicting myself as well) post our outrage, then pat ourselves on the back and say, "I've done my part. I've shown support for XYZ cause. Moving on now..." And because this happens too often, the cycle continues because society as a whole has not done anything to get to the root of the problem. Too often expressions of opinions and debates are posted on social media, and then left there with no real-life implications or impetus for change.

It doesn't help that (and this is based purely on my imperfect observation) people can't agree on the root cause of the problem, and the debate is strangely divided along political lines: conservatives blame police brutality; liberals, racism. Why is it one or the other, and not both? 😕

Nonetheless, whatever your opinions about why this cycle happens, we can all DO SOMETHING MORE TO SOLVE IT. If you believe this cycle is rooted in racism, fight against racism. If you believe that police brutality left unchecked is the true cause, curb and check police force. If you believe that (insert another reason) is the real reason, do something about it. But don't limit your activism to posting your outrage on social media when another black/ person of minority is wrongfully treated. We can all do more. 

Small and do-able suggestions:

• Catch yourself when you find yourself judging or making assumptions about someone because of their appearance;
• Watch a video (or more) about someone who is a minority in your country, and try to understand their point of view;
• Start a genuine friendship with someone who is of a different race/ religion from you. And if you already have such a friend, make another one;
• Learn about a different culture (I recommend starting with their food 😁);
• Listen to all sides of the debate with an open mind. You might not agree with everything said (there are some articles defending the looters...sorry, I flatly reject them), but it will give you cause to think;
• Vote for political leaders who propose sane and sensible laws that will protect all citizens;
• Vote out political leaders who don't propose sane and sensible laws that will protect all citizens; 
• Educate yourself on your laws and rights, so that you can hold law enforcement officers accountable;
• Require police officers to attend more training to learn how to de-escalate conflicts, and appropriately engage with suspects;
• Thank and recognise law enforcement officers who do their job right and treat everyone fairly;
• Speak up and speak out when someone is bullied or treated unfairly;
• Donate to a cause or charity that is fighting against racial inequality;
• Continue to use social media as a tool to promote the benefits of diversity, and spread awareness of injustice.
• etc... 

It's not hard; it just requires time, effort, and energy, which most of us are not willing to do because it requires more from us.

But until all of us do more, the cycle is going to continue. Not hard to predict at all.

Top 10 Memories of 2019

In no particular order of importance or chronology, here we go (again):

1) I survived being in my job for 2 years already, and added on a new portfolio. I essentially have 2 bosses now. Not sure if it is good or bad haha. But I'm still learning and parts of it is challenging, so I'm still interested in the job.

2) I traveled back to the United States this year...TWICE. I flew premium economy both times since the flights were sooooo long. While it is money worth spent, I felt the painful pinch of money hemorrhaging from my pocket 😭 But on such a long flight, those seats and noise cancelling headphones are EVERYTHING. 😁

So why the United States twice? First, my dad was called as an Area Seventy, and thus I went to April General Conference for that. (FYI the Church only paid for my dad and my mom. No children are invited, so I paid for my own ticket.) Then we swung down to New Mexico to visit my youngest sister and her husband there. I was sick for the days we were in Utah, so that was blah. But I managed to attend the session that my dad was sustained.

New Mexico was fun! Well, not the city. Albuquerque is quite something. I can't stay there in the long term, but it was super fun to spend time with my youngest sister and her husband. Also, COSTCO. I miss that place.

3) The second time we flew to the United States was to attend my other sister's wedding in Nashville, TN in late-October.

My cousin (standing next to me) in Texas managed to join us!

The weather was very cooperative, and only rained after we took photos and traveled to the reception place. The sealing ceremony was lovely, and they had a simple and fun reception. And COSTCO again...I sure miss that place.

4) In August, my other sister (the one living in New Mexico) and her husband had their Singapore wedding reception at Tangs Plaza Marriott. Not sure how the couple felt about it, but it was a fun and exhausting day for me. I sang a duet that poked fun of the couple, and they were good sports about it.

It was my American-born-Chinese (ABC) brother-in-law's first time in Singapore. Very interesting to find out his opinion of Singapore (even if I don't agree with him on everything 😛). My other sister also flew back for the wedding, and all 6 of us squeezed into our HDB flat for a few days. Now that was...something. You really do things only for family that you wouldn't do for others.

5) My Stake re-drew the ward boundaries in late-January. We went from having 10 wards, to only having 4 HUGE family wards, 1 Filipino ward, 1 Mandarin-speaking ward, and 1 newly-created YSA ward! The YSA ward is currently the only one in Asia now. I think they had one in Hong Kong a few years ago, but it closed down after a while. Hopefully the YSA ward in Singapore can sustain itself!

Anyway, my ward is now huge, with about 2/3 local families, and 1/3 expatriate families. This is because my ward encompasses the Singapore American School, where most expat families reside. It is interesting to be in such a ward. Layers of complication. There will always be some tension because each community is used to doing things their own way, but I also know each side is trying their best to adapt.

With the new ward boundaries, I got called as my ward's Young Woman President. I have about 20 active youth, 3/4 of whom are expatriates. My feelings toward my calling yo-yo day-by-day. On one hand, I love my young women, and it is so fun to be with them. They (and their parents) support the activities we plan (you have no idea how important that is!), and I'm also amazed at how powerful their Sunday lessons are. My YW are so talented and capable, and I am so so so blessed to get to know them.

But man! Weekly activities are exhausting, and so is having to attend 7am monthly ward council meetings (urgh!). I'm excited for the new changes to be implemented starting next year when my Young Women will take the lead on more ALL things now.

6) We had another Stake Relief Society convention for the Single Adult sisters in October at Malacca (Malaysia). I have not visited that place in a few years, and I was reminded of how charming that city is. Highly recommend the city to visitors of Southeast Asia (after Singapore of course 😉). The convention was fun too, and all we did was eat, go for a massage, shop, tour Malacca, attend two workshops, socialise, and relax over a weekend.

7) The Church celebrated it's 50th anniversary since it was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel in 1969. The Church organised a few commemorative events, but the most pertinent to me was the Musical History held on 28th September at the Gateway Theatre. I participated in the choir, and we started rehearsals way back in June/July. It was an overall enriching experience that I have no regrets being part of, but let's not do that again for like, 10 years or so, okay?

8) I learned how to knit! It all started when a group of women ("sisters" as we call in the Church) would stay back after church for hours before our 50th Anniversary choir practice. Our Church has an ongoing service project with KK Hospital to crochet beanie hats for pre-mature babies, and we would crochet hats during that waiting period. But a few sisters pointed out that the knitting stitch is actually better for these babies, and so to dah! A weekly knitting class was born. So far I've knitted two adult beanie hats, and am knitting a scarf for my mom. I'm just grateful to the sisters who teach us how to knit for FREE, when such classes normally cost hundreds of dollars. THIS IS THE POWER OF RELIEF SOCIETY.

I made these!

9) President Russell M. Nelson visited Singapore, and I got to be part of that choir as well. It was such a treat, and who knows when a prophet will make a personal visit again? The last time a prophet visited Singapore was President Hinckley in 2000, so not a good track record...

10) Finally, I stuck to the Come Follow Me church curriculum this year, and read the whole New Testament. Woo Hoo!

Happy 2020 from my family to yours!!! May you have a prosperous and blessed year ahead :) 

From Paradise Beaches to Hell-ish Itches

A good friend of mine, Miss Ash, came back to Singapore this month, and we went for a day trip to Mersing, Malaysia with her dad and some friends two weeks ago. 

Miss Ash is finally back for a visit after 10 years, and I couldn't be happier!

It was heavenly! I always dreamed of traveling to beaches where the water was so clear, you could see the sea bed. And my dream finally came true!

Look at that sand and water!

 We island hopped and went snorkeling. Snorkling took some getting used to, especially given the salty sea water (urgh!), but once I got the hang of it, I loved it! Too bad the coral reefs were mostly dead (*sob*) but we saw purple anemone, lots of sea urchins, and some really cool fishes. It was magical. Other people can have their mountains and stunning aerial views, but me? I'm a beach girl through and through. :)

LOVE all that turquoise

Anyway, as usual, I got sunburned down my entire back despite applying loads of sunscreen, and knew I just had to tough it out.

Cute shop we passed on the way back to Singapore

But two days after the trip, I suddenly developed a deep and very painful itch on my back and shoulder blades. It felt like tiny needles relentlessly pricking my back. I applied A LOT of aloe vera cream, and when that didn't work, lavender essential oil (huge mistakes I found out later). But nothing worked. The itch only intensified to the point where it felt like I was continuously being bitten by fire ants.

The worst thing was sleep didn't help...because I could not sleep. It didn't matter what position I slept on -- front, back, side. Every time I turned, I would get two seconds of relief, then the pain resumed. It drove me absolutely bonkers (and to tears), and literally kept me awake all night. And in this instance, prayers didn't help either.

Finally, at about 4.30am, I got up and decided to work out because I hoped my body heat would relieve the pain. And if you are wondering if you can work out without sleeping all night, I learned that the answer is yes (not that I recommend it). Working out and taking a shower relieved the pain for that duration...then it returned. 

Finally, in agonising frustration, I went to work early because hey, I couldn't tell my boss I wasn't working due to a severe itch and not sleeping. On the way, I googled my condition, and I discovered that my condition was "legit" and even had a very appropriate name: 

"HELL'S ITCH".

Yes, that's the name. It is a rare condition that happens to only 5 to 10% of people who are sunburned, and I had all the symptoms. Thank goodness when I got to work, my colleague advised me to go to the university health clinic. I don't think the doctor has heard of Hell's Itch because he didn't seem to believe me, but my red back and shoulders convinced him that something was wrong, and so he prescribed medicine and more importantly, a day of medical leave. 

It still itched like crazy but the medication took away 40% of the pain, and I think my body finally crashed from not sleeping the entire night. The itch abated over the next few days, but it has been 2 weeks, and I'm still itching a little. 

*Sigh* The price to pay for paradise. 

The Moment When I Could No Longer Defend The Post

I have not posted in a long time, and the first thing I will post is something that I believe will anger readers. So I apologise in advance but well, this is my blog and this is how I feel :) Hope we can still be friends.

I'm subscribed to the free Washing Post online newsletter that delivers the major headlines to subscribers daily. And the very first headlines for the past few years have always (and I mean ALWAYS) been on one topic only -- Donald Trump. What the Post has against him is hatred that has turned into an obsession.

As much as I dislike having him as my president, it was tiring to always open that email and see "Trump" (or something about his administration) at the top, and I wondered what momentous news would finally "topple" him as the main headline.

Well, I got my answer last week when the Notre-Dame cathedral went up in flames. And not just one but at least three top headlines in the 16 April 2019 edition were focused on the fire, with no mention of Trump! *Record broken!*

But in doing so, they turned me into a disengaged subscriber because their handling of major world news exposed their Eurocentricism in a way that I could not tolerate anymore. Yes, I already knew the Post was liberal and bias, and did not provide the best world news coverage, yada yada yada. But it provided top-notch journalism on non-headline-y American social issues. I enjoyed reading its personal pieces that highlighted the plight of everyday American people -- these articles were written in an even, fair manner and with much balanced sympathy. Plus I will admit my morbid curiosity with the Post's obsession to take down Trump: fascinating and tiring to witness all at the same time.

However, I can't justify the Post anymore.

When the Boeing Max 8 plane crash in Indonesia and Ethopia occurred in October 2018 and March 2019 respectively, killing hundreds of people, did that make it as the top headline? No. What about when the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) refused to ground all Max 8 planes despite obvious evidence that something was wrong -- did that make it to the top? Nope. It did make it to the top 3, but only because the Post reported that Trump and the head of the FAA were incompetent in handling the plane crash.

Alright, what about the Christchurch mosque shootings in March this year? Surely that was world-shaking enough to be propelled to the top? Nope. It was only the day after when Trump sent his condolences to the people in New Zealand that the news finally made it to the top.

Do we see a pattern here?

So imagine my surprise when news of the cathedral fire broke, and the foremost headlines (multiple! Not just 1!) stopped having "Trump" in it. It was a moment of astonishment and relief, and disappointment all at the same time. Because the news of plane crashes, mosque shootings, and the loss of hundreds of innocents lives in non-Western Civilisation countries are not worthy enough to be the top headline in a major American newspaper, but the burning of a church building in France is.

I understand that the burning of the cathedral is a tragedy. I'm a historian, and there is no bigger nightmare to us than when historical artifacts/ evidence/ buildings are lost forever. Although I've never visited this cathedral, it saddened me when I heard the news. And if you are French or you have a special connection to France, I get it that this would be THE major news for you.

BUT let's be brutally honest here. It's
a
darn
building.
That did not even burn completely to the ground. And two rich French billionaires have already pledged millions to rebuild the cathedral. And most people's main connection to it is really only through Victor Hugo's novel, or a visit to the building while touring France. I doubt few people (other than the French) have real significant ties to the building.

Yet, we live in a world where the burning of a cathedral in a Western European country elicited more attention in one of the foremost newspapers in the world than plane crashes and terrorist attacks in a non-USA/ Western European region of the globe. Perhaps it is just the Washington Post, but I suspect that the same shoddy journalism happens with other major American newspapers. I bet that if one of the buildings in the Forbidden City burned down, it would not make it into the top headlines as the cathedral fire did. I don't know. I just know that I'm disgusted with the Washington Post. As much as the Washington Post prides itself on being a "liberal" media outlet, it is stuck in its narrow Eurocentricism. Representation? Pish.

However, the Post is really a reflection of the thoughts of its people, and in particular, the liberal segment of the American population. So I guess I cannot blame the Post for such poor journalism. I'm going to be 100% judge-y and bi*c*y here, but I need to get this off my chest. My Facebook feed has been inundated with sympathetic posts about the cathedral fire, especially by liberal friends who had the means and opportunity to visit the Cathedral. I'm sure it was a positive experience, which is why they were devastated to hear the news. Yet, where was this same outcry when the Christchurch shootings happened? Or when the FAA refused to ground Max 8 planes till much later?

*Crickets*

And this from people who are "liberal" and "woke" and all for representation.

Thus, the Post.

Why "Lighting the World" in Singapore is Complicated

[Note: I drafted this post related to Christmas a few weeks back, and only had time to edit it this week. Hence, this late post about Christmas in January!]

My mom and I were walking home from church a few Sundays ago, and we passed a Malay wedding held at the pavilion under the block of my HDB flat (apartment building). It just so happen that a group of male singers were singing and chanting and beating their drums to celebrate the occasion, and
It
Was
Beautiful.

I loved it experiencing that beautiful cultural moment (however brief and uninvited :p) that is unique to this area of the world. And even more striking (and amusing) is the fact the public pavilion used for the wedding is the same venue for other more...inauspicious events. As my mom observed, the pavilion is (generally) used by Malays for weddings, Indians for birthday parties, and Chinese for funerals.

Hahahaha...so true. For one public pavilion to be used by so many races and religions for different, and even polar opposite, purposes is remarkable. But this requires strict policies concerning the usage of the pavilion, such as the forbidding of religious proselytizing activities.

Anyway, the very same night of the wedding wedding, some members posted on my ward's (church congregation) WhatsApp chat group about the Church's Light the World campaign in Hong Kong and the Philippines. It was SO COOL. I heard that the tuk tuks in Cambodia also had Light the World posters at the back of the vehicles. For Light the World posters to be posted on public transportation vehicles in Asia is really remarkable.

In Hong Kong

Suggestions for train passengers in the Philippines about everyday acts of service.

 Then of course, the inevitable "What about Singapore?" question arose because there was no equivalent campaign here. We were only given Light the World wallet-size cards to pass out to those around us.

The reason? Strict governmental policies that forbids the posting of explicit religious messages on public transportation. Allowing the Church to post its campaign (despite the benefits) will open the door for other religious groups to do the same, and it will almost surely create racial tensions. Hence, the government enforces such strict policies to police messages posted in public spaces.

Then it dawned on me that the same principles and laws that forbids the Church from posting messages on public transportation in Singapore are the very same principles and laws that help maintain the peace in the housing estate I live in, and allows for the multicultural usage of the public pavilion. While the government will not allow the Church to post such messages in public spaces, doing so allows people across all races and religious to use public spaces without worrying about offending their communities or stirring up religious/ racial tensions.

Is it frustrating that the Church suffers from religious limitations? Of course. After all, the core of the Light the World campaign is to encourage everyone, members and non-members, to serve their families and communities. There isn't any explicit proselytizing message involved (can't say there isn't an implicit one...). So I get that not being able to launch as visible a campaign as the rest of Asia is disappointing.

But as I walk by the pavilion almost everyday to go to work/ church, I can't help but smile whenever I see caterers setting up for yet another Malay wedding. Or when a group of Chinese aunties use the pavilion for their weekly dance/ exercise sessions. Or when a group of children from all races play soccer there, even with barriers to stop them.

And I can't help but be grateful that I live in Singapore where the government enforces strict policies that allows racial and religious harmony to flourish in our neighbourhoods and communities. 

Beside, as I joked with my mom, we can't do the same thing as the Philippines and leave small notes of goodness for our MRT users. Our government is too efficient, and already has a similar campaign.😁

Top 10 Memories of 2018

Another year has gone by, and what a year! I have to say that with the passing of time, it feels more and more "right" to be back in Singapore. That makes finding a spouse tricky, but well, I'll leave that to God to work things out. :)

And without further ado, here is my annual list of top 10 memories for 2018 (in order of which memory I could think up first).

1) I started my first "real"-income-earning, full-time job on 2 January 2018, so my 1-year anniversary is tomorrow. It's been quite a ride, and a steep learning curve. My Microsoft excel skills are not excellent but I think above average now hahaha... I will always be grateful to my boss for taking a chance on me and hiring me into his department that looks at university data. Totally unrelated to history, but I love doing something completely different.

2) Very good co-workers, and a pretty good working environment. I can't stress how grateful I am that my co-workers and I are one cohesive unit, and that there is very little office politics. Each of us work on different projects, so we don't "compete" with each other. Also, my skills as a data analyst are so inferior to my colleagues with real analytical hard skills, so nothing for them to feel threatened by me (:p)

3) I got called to work with Primary (children's organisation) in church. Really fun, but man! It is tiring. My ward's Primary is tiny (about 9 kids), but almost all (except 1 child) are from part-member families. It is a challenge to even get them to come to church consistently. Well, we do our best!

Christmas 2018, including the nursery and 2 visitors...small Primary but oh so cute!

4) By the way, if you have not heard by now, my Church made some significant international changes this past year, starting with the scraping of "Visiting and Home Teaching" programmes, now replaced with "Ministering". But that isn't the big change for me since I feel like I was already "ministering" even before. The HUGE change was that our Sunday Church meetings starting in 2019 would now be reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours, so as to allow more teaching to take place at home! Wow!!! And our prophet, Russell M. Nelson, told us to get ready for even more exciting changes. "Eat your vitamin pills," he said, "Get some rest. It's going to be exciting." We thank thee O God for a prophet indeed!

5) These changes by the Church will help my ward significantly, so everyone is excited! Since last September, when the boundaries of my stake changed, my ward has struggled because we lost about a third of the ward and gained no one. (We did gain 2 expatriate families, but one of them is completely inactive, and the other transferred to another ward.) Our average weekly attendance is <60! We also "lost" a few young single adults to missions and BYU this year, and for some reason, the Stake also likes to call people from my ward into Stake callings. While we rejoice with the members in these new opportunities, it is TIRING for those left in the ward. Every strong member either has a heavy calling or 2 smaller callings. Here's hoping we can increase our baptismal rate!

Slightly over 1-year-old Yishun Ward!

6)  I served on a committee that organised a 3 day-2 night retreat to Batam (Indonesia) for the Single Adult women (age 31 and older) for the Stake in September. Took lots of time to plan and get the logistics down, but on hindsight, it was a great trip. Also, we visited an orphanage there, and that has got to be one of the best experiences of my life.

7) Speaking of serving on another church committee (seriously...I've started turning down church assignments because it was getting ridiculous), the Church in Singapore is celebrating 50 years since it's dedication in 2019. 😊 Guess who was assigned to be in charge of Publicity, and also come up with a commemorative/ history book? My committee is still working on these plans, but we hope to have a few exciting things launched in 2019.

8) The trip to Batam in September reminded me of my own family reunion with my mom's side of the family in January at Batam. SO MUCH FUN! The cousins stayed up LATE to play endless rounds of Mafia, and it was nice to bond with them and enjoy a relaxing weekend.

9) Finally, I can't not end of the year by talking about the 2 overseas trips I took. The first, a trip to Beijing. I went there for a 2 day work conference, and extended my stay by about 5 days to tour the city with my mom. JAW DROPPING. You can't really "get" how ancient Chinese royalty lived unless you tour the city (and make sure you get a good guide...so worth it!). Now, whenever I watch Ming and Qing dynasty period dramas (like the super popular Story of Yanxi Palace...super good!), I can better understand the setting and the stakes/ risks people take to get in/ get out of the palace.

One of the must sees in Beijing -- The Great Wall. Unbelievable and stunning. 

Another must see (with a good guide) -- the Old Summer Palace, which is really a misnomer but I won't get into a history lesson here.

10) My youngest sister got married in the Provo City Center Temple!!! It is quite special to have a family member get married, and thank goodness everything went as smooth as you hope any wedding can go.

I should probably do a whole post on the wedding...maybe, if I have time. I still have not fulfilled my promise to post about my family's "Mormon Pilgrimage" like, 2 years ago...😂 This trip to the States this year was also the trip I cleared out my storage space and gave away everything I had accumulated while living in the States. It was the closure to that chapter in my life. Strangely, I felt relieved and bittersweet. I loved my time there, but it also felt right to go back home.

And with that, 2018 is over.

May your 2019 be a year filled with sweet and fun memories!