Singapore Conference

For the second time this year, I traveled to Singapore. This time, the experience was quite a bit different than my trip in March. Why? 

Two words: Business Trip.

Upon arrival in Singapore, my hotel transfer was in a chauffeur-driven Mercedes; a far cry from the trains that I navigated back in March! As much as I enjoy trying public transportation systems around the world, there's nothing like sitting alone in the back of a car and peering out the window at the peaceful, tree-lined streets. Compared to the overcrowded streets of Hong Kong, Singapore put me at ease before I even reached the hotel. 

When I arrived, I was greeted at the front entrance and escorted directly to my suite for in-room check-in. This is yet another example of VIP treatment that was missing during my last trip. My suite also included club lounge access and some nice snacks pre-set for my arrival. 

Hotel Suite in Singapore

The next morning, I met my boss in the club lounge to finish preparing for our presentation and was pleasantly surprised when the staff greeted me by name. I still don't know how they knew me, but it is always nice to be treated like more than just an anonymous "sir". 

Dinner was held at the poolside restaurant for a low-key networking event, complete with free-flowing wine and extra amounts of humidity. At first, I felt under-dressed by not wearing a jacket but I was very happy with my decision as the people in suits were sweating like crazy. (Why would anyone think it's necessary to wear a full suit to a poolside cocktail party in Singapore?)

The next two days were filled with meetings, networking, and more wonderful food. I love almost all Asian cuisine, but Singapore really has a unique fusion of flavors. For breakfast, I got to indulge in my favorites: chicken rendang and some steamed dim sum. The next night, a group of people went to a local seafood restaurant, which offered an incredible array of seafood that even I had never seen before.  Some people were commenting that the restaurant was too casual, but I much prefer trying somewhere more authentic.  Plus, the atmosphere made me feel like I was on vacation for the first time all weekend.

One of the many seafood dishes from dinner in Singapore

Without a doubt, my favorite memory from the trip was the gala dinner on the final evening. As the meal was about to begin, an accordion wall at one end of the room started rising, with energetic music playing in the background. All the chefs were lined up behind the wall and illuminated by red up-lights. The stage was even more dramatic with the use of a smoke machine. I had never before seen a show kitchen as part of banquet space, but the environment made me feel as though I was on the set of "Iron Chef". 

Chefs emerge from behind an accordion wall in the ballroom

We were all amazed when the chefs then began banging on their equipment in a well-orchestrated percussion performance. All the guests had their phones out to capture the memory and I sat in awe and amazement. I have been to many banquet events in my life and I have never seen anything even remotely as memorable as the show that was unfolding in front of me. Talk about a "wow" moment. 

The meal was just as impressive as the performance, and the mood was so much more relaxed than the opening night cocktail party by the pool. By this point, many of us had chatted with each other and we were appreciating the rare opportunity for an entire region of finance leaders to come together in one place.  

After the meal, I was introduced to another Asian tradition: peer pressure to drink. A group of people would assemble together and ambush the person of honor with an almost-full glass of wine. There was no choice but to toast each other and drink the entire glass in a gesture of humble appreciation. As the newcomer to ASPAC, I was fortunately (or unfortunately) the target of many such toasts. I literally had no option but to chug the wine that was handed to me. Over and over again. 

I captured one of the ambush toasts!

People gradually retired to their rooms as the night wore on, but I resisted the urge. Eventually, there was just one small group of rugged party animals by the time the event was coming to a close. At the suggestion of the new VP of Hotel Finance, we made our way down to the night club in the basement of the hotel for a final night cap. 

This nightclub is extremely popular among locals and I was happy to finally experience it. (During my last trip to Singapore, I didn't drink much because alcohol is ridiculously expensive...but on the corporate card, price is not much of a concern). Our group assembled a bunch of chairs together to order one final drink, while the rest of the club buzzed with activity and a live band entertained everyone with some good cover music. 

Live band at the nightclub

I stuck around for a little while, but I "ghosted" back up to my room when the mood started to fizzle. Walking back into the hotel, I noticed a host of luxury cars in the driveway. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I stopped for a moment at the sight and thought to myself: "Wow, I am so fortunate to be part of this elite group".  

Parking lot of luxury cars in front of the hotel

Singapore is a city where people can experience a very wide range of lifestyles. My most recent trip earlier this year was more of a budget version, where I rode public transportation, drank very little alcohol, and ate mostly at casual restaurants. However this trip exposed me to the opposite end of the spectrum: Gourmet meals, chauffeured-driven cars, a beautiful hotel suite, banquets that spared no expense, and personalized service at one of the best hotels in the city. 

On my final morning in Singapore, I had the entire club lounge to myself for breakfast. I love these rare solitary moments because they give me a chance to fully appreciate my environment without any distractions. I am so happy that I got the opportunity to see both sides of Singapore because I now have a much more balanced view of the city. I rarely spend lavishly on myself, but I do appreciate the opportunities to enjoy the finest things that a city has to offer. Perhaps I should take more opportunities to indulge but I think the moderation helps to make trips like this so much more memorable.

My final morning in Singapore. Such a wonderful trip!

First week in Hong Kong

It's amazing how a 16-hour flight can feel both long and short at the same time. I didn't sleep (as far as I know), but I kept myself busy with about 5 movies, several TV shows, and some pretty decent food from Cathay Pacific. 

I felt oily and disgusting by the time I arrived in Hong Kong, but I was lucky to have a hotel transfer pre-arranged. 

My "home" (hotel room) for the next 6 weeks is awesome. It is probably bigger than my future apartment, and I was happy to see a nice card and some welcome gifts from the HR department (including an umbrella; how fitting).

My hotel room in Hong Kong

I quickly checked my e-mail and closed my eyes shortly thereafter (feeling like I could sleep at least 12 hours). Unfortunately, jet lag always wins this battle and I was wide awake only 5 hours later...Hello 3:30AM! I relaxed in my bed for a while before guilting myself into a trip to the gym. On my way out, I opened the blinds. Wow, such a beautiful view. Am I really in Hong Kong?

View from my room in Sha Tin

My New Home

My boss from Chicago was already in Hong Kong, so I met her on Sunday evening and she showed me the way to the office. As we walked, I was approached by multiple salesmen who offered to sell me a custom suit. No thanks. I'm a resident, not a tourist. It feels really strange to have that mindset. 

My boss had spent some time in the office prior to my arrival, so it was nice to hear about her experiences in Hong Kong. When the bill arrived, I put down my credit card and realized that I cannot expense this meal. I am no longer on a business trip. Despite the fact that I am in a completely foreign city, it is my home. 

The next week was like a blur. So many new people to meet - all very friendly. Welcome lunches almost every day with various coworkers and consultants. Every meal, without exception, has been amazing. This whole "dim sum" culture is right up my alley. 

Commuting 

For the past two years, my daily commute to work has involved little more than an elevator ride. I had a short walk to the office when I was in Chicago all summer, but it hardly felt like a commute because the weather was so beautiful. My hotel in Hong Kong area may be in a serene setting, but it requires an hour-long commute to the office. Trains in Hong Kong are so efficient...and so full of people. Personal space is a thing of the past.

No personal space in the Hong Kong MTR

New Friends

Just three days after arriving, I went to an alumni event for my business school. It was really nice to meet other graduates but none of them will likely become close friends in the future. 

Obviously there are many other outlets for me to meet people, but this was the first time it really hit me that I will have a long road ahead as I seek to build a new social circle that I really enjoy. 

On Friday night, I bid farewell to my boss and we went out for drinks in the expat neighborhood of Hong Kong. To be honest, I was not at all impressed with the area. It was grungy and it felt like New York.  My long trip back to the hotel gave me a lot of time to reflect on this transition. It will not be easy to build a new life at my age, when most of my peers are already settled down.  

Neighborhood Search

Saturday afternoon, I felt like my time would be better spent discovering potential neighborhoods to live instead of lounging by the hotel pool in the countryside. I took the train to Nam Cheong (one stop beyond my office) and it felt like I was in mainland China. I will certainly not be living here. 

Next, I went to Olympic MTR station and it was much more my style. There was a huge mall connected to the train station, with lots of new high-rise apartment buildings forming a community (of sorts). The night before, my coworker described Olympic as an area with rich families and I could totally see her point. However, the first place I saw (called "The Hermitage") felt like a luxury hotel and I loved it. As I walked through the over-the-top lobby, past the underground taxi stand, club-house, and gorgeous swimming pool, it felt like a nice alternative to the urban, expat neighborhoods on Hong Kong island.  

Next, I ventured over to Wan Chai, which is near the expat area but also with some local charm (according to another coworker). A realtor showed me a unit that was entirely different than the apartment I had just visited. The building was old, the apartment was filled with dated furniture, and it had only one tiny window that overlooks overcrowded streets and other buildings. I definitely cannot see myself living here.

View from an apartment in Wan Chai district

By this point, I was already tired of looking at neighborhoods. I explored the nearby Causeway Bay area without even thinking about whether I can live there. I have plenty of time to find a place. There's no need to stress about it so soon.

Occupy Hong Kong 

History is in the making! I visited Causeway Bay to see what all the hype is about and I was amazed by how peaceful everything was. It looked more like a camping trip than it did a protest. 

The "umbrella movement" in Hong Kong

This is the sleepiest protest I have ever experienced

One of the things I enjoy most about Hong Kong is how law-abiding and respectful everyone acts towards one another. People queue up whenever there is a stop light (even if there is no traffic), they remain completely silent while riding on the train, and everyone I have met is very pleasant to be around. 

Becoming a Hong Konger

I think I will end up enjoying my life in Hong Kong, and there will likely be new discoveries every step of the way. Even something as simple as discovering places to eat lunch is like an adventure. It takes a while to build a list of favorite places, but the selection process is all part of the fun.  

I have a lot of support from my office, I am doing a job that I enjoy, and I am in a region that has always been so exciting to me. In a city as dynamic as Hong Kong, I can only wonder if the "wow factor" I experienced this first week will ever become truly routine.

The next chapter

When I started this blog almost two years ago, I was embarking on an unknown journey. I rarely knew my schedule more than a month in advance, and sometimes, I was reassigned to a new city with only a few days notice. All of my belongings could fit into one (heavy) suitcase and my passport became the most valuable thing I own. Some people thought my lifestyle was glamorous, while others thought it was ridiculous. Looking back, I felt like I was living the dream although I acknowledge that my personal life required a lot of sacrifices. 

This summer, I was asked to come back to North America for a few months. The comforts of a ‘normal’ life started making me wonder why I left in the first place. Being in my home country felt like a vacation. I was able to see friends & family, the office environment was relaxed, and everything about my life was easy. I learned that no matter how long I am living outside the United States, I will always identify as an American.

Back in June, my boss offered me a permanent position in Hong Kong that would be created specifically for me. The job will represent a decentralization of our corporate function and I will be the point of contact for Finance directors needing assistance in the rapidly-growing Asia Pacific region. I was so complimented by the offer that I verbally accepted without even thinking about the personal ramifications. After all, I had lived out of the United States several times before. I knew that this career opportunity would boost my resume, so I was positive that I could make it work.

When the idea of Hong Kong finally set in, I thought back to the only other time I visited the city in 2010. I had just finished a semester in Shanghai and my friend Sean flew out from Texas to celebrate the end of the MBA. After the trip, we both agreed that we would much rather live in Shanghai than in Hong Kong. Now, four years later, I am preparing to live in Hong Kong. Am I crazy?

The position took a while to get through the approval process, so I spent much of the summer wondering whether it would actually become a reality.  I treated each day as a gift because I knew my time in the United States was limited. There were many times that I walked from my hotel to the office in Chicago and thought to myself: "Wow, I'm really going to miss this!" 

The relocation to Hong Kong is also what inspired my "four corners" trip. If I am moving out of the country for a minimum of two years, I want to at least see all corners of it before I am forced to leave. 

My job contract finally arrived on Wednesday, September 17th and my VP said that he would prefer if I could fly out 3 weeks later.  Even though I had been mentally preparing for this move all summer, the quick turnaround felt like I was getting caught up in a tornado. 

People kept asking me: "Are you excited?"

My response was always: "Well, it hasn't actually hit me yet" ...and that was the truth. I was too busy to think about it.

The next two weekends were already booked for my trip around the US, which left me with only one weekend to fly back to Boston and pack (and run a Half Marathon). 

Even as I was packing, it felt like I was just going through the motions. I decided which of my belongings would be set aside for the moving company, but I purposely left many things out of the pile. Hong Kong may be my new home for a couple years, but I can't send everything out there. If I do, it will feel like a permanent move. 

I think the biggest reason why I am not looking forward to this move is because I had such an awesome time in the United States all summer. I got to see my family multiple times. I got to spend time in the office with some fantastic colleagues who have become friends. I saw so many people that I have hardly seen at all over the past two years and I even made some new friends along the way. Life this summer could not have been any better. 

Now, here I am in the airport. I can see the monitor with the flight destination flashing: "Hong Kong."  It finally hit me.
  
In the next few weeks, I will search for a new apartment. I will buy furniture, cooking supplies, laundry detergent (or maybe I will just send all my clothes out to be laundered). I will start establishing a new morning routine. I will join a gym. I will have a commute! I will do my grocery shopping at a yet-to-be discovered store (or group of stores). I will make new friends (hopefully). I will discover some new favorite restaurants. Hong Kong may not be the place I want to live forever, but I will make it my home. 

In my very first blog entry, I talked about how I always embrace change. Well, change is here and it is time for me to run with it. 

Here's to the next chapter!

Smuttynose Half Marathon

I usually play by the rules, but today, I went against the system. I made the last-minute decision to fly back to Boston for the weekend and I thought it would be fun to run the Smuttynose Half Marathon with Kristen.

The race was sold out by the time I planned my trip, but I noticed on Facebook that a high school classmate had a number she was unable to use. So, I did what any normal person would do: I gave her $25 to run with her number. It was a win-win scenario.

I drove up to New Hampshire on Sunday morning and I was surprised by how busy it was in downtown Hampton. Parking was filling up quickly and streets were already blocked, so I just pulled into the first lot I could find. I then met Kristen to get my number (well, "Susan's" number) and to chat a bit before the race.

For the first time ever, I was running a half marathon without any record of my participation. The feeling left me very relaxed, but at the same time, it felt less important. I fully planned to keep a comfortable pace since there was really no reason to push myself. 

Once the race began, my whole plan dissolved almost immediately. At first, I just started passing people who had no business being at the front of the pack because they were like a roadblock. However, after a couple miles, I found myself passing people who were actually running fast. My "race mode" is almost like an subconscious competitive drive that cannot be turned off. 

The first six miles of the course went along the water, which would have been beautiful if it weren't for the giant cement sea wall. Despite the wall, I could tell that waves had been crashing onto the street because there was some seaweed and sand strewn about haphazardly.   

The next five miles took racers through a residential area, which had limited spectators. Those that I did see had a some pretty funny signs. One read: "This seems like a lot of work for a free banana". Another said: "You look hot when you sweat". I don't know if anyone else pays attention to signs, but I always enjoy reading them for a smile along the way.

Around mile 8, I noticed a bicycle alongside a blond girl. I immediately realized that she must be the first woman, so the internal debate began: Do I pass her and get disqualified at the finish line when they realize I am not the woman that my number belongs to? Or, even worse, do I hang behind this girl for the next 5 miles and possibly win the 2nd place trophy from the woman who rightfully deserves it?

The weather was perfect and I was feeling good, so I passed her with a smug smile on my face. It felt good to break the rules so shamelessly. 

As expected, the announcer identified my fake identity as soon as I crossed the finish line and it was deleted from the results list. However, I glanced at the clock as I crossed the finish line, which read 1:25:08. So much for taking it easy! 

Finish line at the 2014 Smuttynose Half Marathon

After the race, there was a live concert at the outdoor performance venue, plus two free Smuttynose IPA beers. I have to say this is one of the worst beers I have ever tasted, so I put mine down after the first couple sips. At least the 80's cover band was entertaining and the weather was perfect. 

Post-race concert at Smuttynose Half Marathon

Kristen and me after the race

As I drove home, I was happy with my decision to run the race to my full potential. Even though my time was not recorded, I can at least be proud of my effort. My personality simply won't allow anything less. 

Regarding the number resale, I honestly don't have any regrets. Shame on the race organizers for not allowing a transfer option. I know it's rare among races to allow transfers, but I would have gladly paid $20 for them to reassign the registration to my name. Not only this race but all races should recognize that people will transfer bibs, so this is a good way to legitimize the process and make even more revenue. 

Was this race fun? Yes. Would I run it again? No. I feel like it was overpriced, and Hampton New Hampshire is not the best location. Plus, the medal and shirt were both ugly.  That said, it's nice to have another race under my belt and it's always good to run with a friend. 

Smuttynose Half Marathon 2014 Medal