...ditching the broker...seeking someone in need of a roommate instead... (Jan 31, 2009)

I ended up meeting a friend of a friend for dinner, a fellow transfer from the US, and she gave me the low down of how to work everything out. Basically, get a roommate. So, that's what I did. The very next day I ended up finding a roommate and that was it. Done. Go figure. :)

Safely in Singapore, getting settled...looking at every available apartment...tired of looking at apartments. (week of Jan 26...)

It's kind of unreal. I lugged 3 suitcases down 5 flights of stairs. I took a cab to the airport. I talked to my dad on the phone. I bought magazines with all of the change I had collected throughout months and months of not using it. I got on a plane for a very long time. I moved to Singapore.

I got hooked up with a broker who has helped previous transfers from my company get settled into Singapore. Well, these other coworkers must be making bank and I got screwed because I couldn't afford any of the apartments that were shown to me. It was insane. Really nice. It was definitely an 'expat on an expense account lifestyle' which I don't have. I wasted about 3 days looking at a ton of apartments and came up with nothing.

Still packing, organizing, recycling, donating, etc...very close to being ready to jump on a plane (...for 20ish hours...) (Jan 26, 2009)

My last night in NYC was kind of strange. I still wasn't completely packed and squared away. I had yet to mail a box back to MN. I had a box full of stuff to drop off at Goodwill as well. And, I watched Once with the girls while eating Mexican food. It was great. Irish movie, Mexican food. We hung out and S. made me a cake, which is was great. I swear, that girl knows how to cook and bake, she just pretends not to. Ahh....So, the next morning I got up and packed some more and then went down to the post office. There was a lady behind me in line moving back to Idaho (or something, I can't quite remember now) and she was completely stressed out. She didn't full on show it, but I knew because I was in that exact same spot. She was talking to the airline on her mobile and I could tell she was freaking out a little, but in one of those really forceful angry voices- slow, angry and loud. She ended up saying something like:

"...well, I'm sorry but I don't have a pen because I'm standing in line at the post office with a stack of heavy boxes!" She was totally thinking- I hate you and all of this.

So, I turned around and gave her my pen.

She then said into the mobile "...you're lucky, a helpful and amazing person here just lent me their pen!" She was then thinking- this guy on the phone is so lucky I just got a pen otherwise this conversation was going to go in a much different direction.

I still hope the best for that lady, whoever she is.

Moving to Singapore on Monday! (Week of Jan 19...)
Yup. Pretty self explanatory.