Category Archives: headdesk moments

In which I share questions I’m asked every time I go back to the US

Posted on August 2, 2018 by

***I’m going through my draft posts and finishing them/adding to them to get them out into the world***   My friends and family are well educated about Singapore by this point (some were more educated about Singapore than I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture Shock, headdesk moments, Random Stuff | Tagged , , , ,

Her mother tongue isn’t Tamil

Posted on October 19, 2014 by

***A quick note of explanation before I get into the post.  English is the language of instruction in Singapore.  However, all students must take a second language–called a Mother Tongue  (henceforce I’ll refer to it as MT) language.*** I recently … Continue reading →

Posted in Assimilation, Culture Shock, customs, Education, headdesk moments, Identity, Primary 1 registration, Singapore, Third Culture Kids, Uniquely Singapore, With Kids | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

New Zealand-A Comedy of Errors

Posted on August 22, 2013 by

I may not have boarded a plane before my twentieth summer, but I’ve more than made up for it since.  In just the (almost) five years since we had Elanor, we’ve visited four continents, eleven countries, and somewhere between fifteen … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts of Supreme Clumsiness, airports, Auckland, driving around, Flying, headdesk moments, hotels/serviced apartments/resorts, New Zealand, Random Stuff, Rotorua, Taupo, Travel, Travel by Continent, Country, Wellington | 4 Comments

Recovering

Posted on March 29, 2013 by

I ended up in the hospital again.  While my review of Mt. Elizabeth Novena does paint a fairly appealing hospital experience (as hospital experiences go), I wasn’t terribly thrilled to land back there eight days after being released.  I even … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts of Supreme Clumsiness, headdesk moments, medical, Singapore | 10 Comments

Mommy Wars, Singapore Style

Posted on January 31, 2013 by

In the US, there has been long-standing tension between Stay at Home Moms and “Working” Moms (The airquotes are because that’s usually the first thing that gets tempers flaring–yes, ALL moms are working moms).  The book above, if you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture Shock, Education, headdesk moments, money, Singapore, Uniquely Singapore, With Kids | 4 Comments

What do they look like?

Posted on December 12, 2012 by

“What does she look like?” The police officer meant my daughter’s race.  She looked up at me, exasperated by my lack of response to her question.  I hadn’t responded as I hadn’t been blindsided by this sort of casual racism … Continue reading →

Posted in headdesk moments, Identity, Las Vegas, North America, Travel by Continent, Country | 17 Comments

Reverse Culture Shock

Posted on August 16, 2012 by

After driving on the left side of the road for the past seven or so months, I have had to focus and think hard about being on the right side of the road again.  I found myself wailing to anyone … Continue reading →

Posted in Boston, cars/driving, Culture Shock, customs, Expat to Expat Advice, headdesk moments, Identity, money, North America, Pictures, Random Stuff, Singapore, Third Culture Kids, Travel by Continent, Country, US | 21 Comments