On a countdown now...

Singaporean currency - A different
dimension and texture than American bills!

Well, the summer has positively flown.  I've got my classes entirely prepped, paperwork filed, flight booked, money exchanged, and gotten crucial things like wardrobe figured out.

I'll be teaching three sessions of an introductory communication course, COM101.  It covers basic communication theories (drawing from fields like sociology and psychology) and will be the required first course that intended majors will take.  I designed the course according to my philosophy of creating a teaching environment that incorporates sight, sound, interaction and application.  See my website for more information on my teaching philosophy!  It's going to be an exciting, action-filled semester!

In keeping with the equatorial heat, I've purchased a wardrobe of sleeveless cotton dresses in classic cuts that will look professional and keep me cool at the same time!  I fell in love with Yosi Samra's ballet flats, so got a few of those with respect to the Singaporean custom of avoiding open-toed shoes in the workplace.  Lands' End and Kohl's were my go-to stores for dresses!  Sales, coupons and Kohl's Cash made the new wardrobe reasonable - in my opinion, a good bargain is always in style!  It's exciting seeing them hanging in the closet and ready to go!

In addition to these and many, many other preparations (wheeled tote! suitcases! tablet! Keurig cups!) I also got a new wallet to fit my Singaporean currency, purchased ahead from AAA.  Singaporean banknotes, pictured above, are made of a polymer that, unlike American notes, make them difficult to fold.  In addition, they're different sizes, the size increasing as the dollar amount increases (as opposed to the oddity that is the American nickel - worth so much less, but oh, so much heavier!).  I found, to my glee, that a older style Fossil Keyper wallet wristlet, you might say, "fit the bill."  Er, bills.  A girl's gotta splurge on a few things.

In between all the preparations, I've been helping my mom prepare for the fall season for her business, the American Doll Boutique.  The craft show season and all the families who I've gotten to know over the years has been part of the rhythm of my life since she set my bassinet up behind her displays at shows back in 1983.  I'll miss my "crafter family," but know that we'll be chatting via Skype this fall!

I've also been getting my fill of home cooked dinners and Buffalo cuisine!   Fish fries, chicken wings, hot dogs, beef on weck...  We even made a "Thanksgiving Dinner" - yes, we cooked a turkey on one of the hottest weekends we had here in Buffalo!  But don't worry, dear readers - yours truly will surely have plenty of Singaporean dishes to blog about very soon!

Buffalo >> Chicago >> Hong Kong >> Singapore!

So, I leave on Tuesday at noon, fly from Buffalo to Chicago, then to Hong Kong, and finally, from Hong Kong to Singapore.  The trip will take 25 hours.  Next stop, Singapore!  I'll be filling you in along the way!