Pulau Ubin

 

We have just finished quarter 1 and had our first break - How time flies! During our Fall Break, we tried to do some exploring further afield and found Pulau Ubin, a small island off the NE coast of Singapore.  It is home to the Chak Jawa Wetlands, and Singapore's last "kampong" or village.  The north end is fenced off to deter illegal immigrants arriving from Malaysia and there is camping, some restaurants and also mountain biking trails. To get to Pulau Ubin, you pay $4 a person to board a bumboat from the Changi Beach Park area.  It's a short 10 minute ride. 

We rented bicycles to venture around the island, it is about 4 km to the Wetlands from the main jetty and there are numerous small roads and trails to explore. Being on the island was like taking a step back in time; you can imagine what Singapore was like just 50 years ago. It reminded us of travels to rural parts of Thailand and Indonesia.  Singapore has some pretty incredible natural spaces, but this was the first time we truly felt distant from the cityscape. 

We spotted Wild Boar as well as some Macaque monkeys in the forest, then made our way via boardwalks through the wetlands.  The observation tower afforded some views of the canopy and the mainland Changi airport. 

Singapore is less than 2 degrees North of the Equator. The breeze and clouds that accompany the frequent rainstorms can provide a break from the heat and humidity, but our outdoor trips are often pretty sweaty affairs.  

Quarantine (Stay at Home Notice or SHN)

Arrival Singapore

We landed in Singapore on July 19 after 2 flights, one of which was nearly 17 hours.  The flight was mostly empty and Singapore Airlines had great customer service. We arrived at the airport early in the morning and were ushered through several different steps including immigration, customs, and finally COVID testing (we will have had 6 tests in 2 weeks by the end of this process!), before boarding a bus to an unknown hotel to serve our 14 day quarantine.  The airport was incredibly well-organized and efficient; we were at our hotel in under 2 hours after we landed. 

We found out upon arriving that we will be staying at the Royal Plaza on Scotts Road, in the Orchard neighborhood.  Upon arriving in our room, we were disappointed to see that it is quite small and would be a challenge to have room for us and all of our luggage.  The quarantine hotel experience seems to vary widely and we seem to have landed somewhere in the middle of the road as far as I can tell.  Local citizens and residents who test positive or come in close contact with a positive person are also asked to quarantine and there was a recent spike in cases, so we've been told the options for hotels were more limited.  The room was clean and had basic necessities, and although small, turned out to be okay.  

The first day we arrived is actually counted as day 0; it's a 14 night quarantine and we're released on the 15th day at 12. 

On Day 0, Cata had a hard time understanding what was happening and asked many times to go outside.  She seems to get it later and understand that we are still going to go "home" to our new house soon.  She gets excited when the doorbell rings with our food or a delivery because she gets to see the door open. 

On Day 2, we had a video call with Grandma and Grandpa, who read some books to Cata.  Cata in turn gave them a dizzying tour of our room, including the inside of the toilet.   We also rewatched the "Parts Unknown" episode about Singapore today.  I'm so hungry for the amazing food I keep hearing about and can't wait to get out and try it....except for the fact that Singapore just went back into "Phase 2" of their safety measures, which means no dining out until August 18!  

Jet lag

On Day 3, we took the first of 3 rapid at home tests. We submit our results to the government online.  The Ministry of Manpower also gives a call each day to check in on us.

We've established a bit of a routine, which we think will help pass the time more easily.  Jet lag is still an issue, but we're almost back to normal sleep patterns we hope.  We do some cardio exercise or yoga first thing using a video on YouTube.  Cata even joins!  

We then drink some coffee; we brought good coffee and the Aeropress from home--we know our priorities!  Breakfast gets delivered at 8 am.  After breakfast, we take turns playing with Cata.  So far, we've done some simple art projects, puzzles, coloring, and some screen time when we need a break.  We try to rest in the afternoon, which is a challenge in a small hotel room with a toddler who hates naps.  We are able to get some small tasks accomplished like this blog and shopping online for new furniture while she sleeps.  We play some more until dinner, then wrap up the day with a bath and bedtime for Cata. Aside from the bit where we can't go outside, it's actually a lot like our home routine.

So far, the food has been good. It is a bento box type meal featuring local and or international recipes. We figured out how to get some wine and snacks delivered (again, priorities) so we have everything we need to help us tough it out.

Days 4, 5, and 6 sort of blend together.  We got a nice basket full of treats from our new superintendent as well as a care package from our school buddies (homemade chocolate chip cookies!)  during this time.  We video chatted with family and friends some more as well. The Olympics have started and we watched the USWNT lose to Sweden, then beat New Zealand. 

Day 7 Kristi had to begin work.  This meant a work station set-up in the bathroom (thank god for virtual backgrounds) and a lot of Peppa Pig for Cata. Matt definitely has the harder job this week with trying to entertain a 3 year old for 8 hours while Kristi works.  We took a second negative COVID test today.

Quarantine Sunrise

Days 8-11 Kristi had to work most of the days. We watched some Olympics, including women's football to help pass the time.  We watched a really intense quarter finals against the Netherlands and were so happy to see USWNT advance. The days really blend together with not a lot of activity to mark the passing of time.  The evenings tend to be the hardest time, as Cata hasn't been napping and she gets pretty grumpy after dinner. We took a 3rd COVID test and learned that our final swab will be Sunday.  We will have to travel to a nearby location to take the test and then will be returned to the hotel.  It feels good to be close to the end. Only 3 more days!

Day 12 finds us getting prepped to move on to another hotel for a few days before we can move into our new apartment.  Luckily, many things like ordering furniture and groceries and getting our internet set up can all be done from the comfort of our quarantine hotel, so we're all set to move into our house next weekend.  We even applied for bank accounts online! We also broke down and ordered some craft beer brewed in Singapore.  It was quite delicious, but at almost $5 a bottle, it will have to be a rare treat.  

Day 14 had us getting picked up and taken to a center for our last swab.  Families with small children go here because the medical staff at hotels are apparently not able to do the tests for kids. Cata did remarkably well and earned a lollipop for her bravery.  We started watching "Mare of Easttown" and are bingeing for what is likely our last chance to watch much TV for a while. We're counting down the hours to freedom now!

Day 15 and we're free and picked up to go to our next hotel by noon.  The process is smooth and we're ready to begin exploring! 

We've had occasion to interact with various government branches as well as internet/mobile companies and banks, and it has all been remarkably smooth---people who speak clear English answer the phone and give answers that solve your issue.  After dealing with bureaucracies in 2 other countries and usually getting very frustrated while doing so, this truly seems like utopia. 

The restrictions here have been pretty tough for the duration of the pandemic, but Singapore has fared pretty well when it comes to Covid-19.  They have had 63,440 cases as of July 21, 2021 and ONLY 36 deaths. How the newest cluster of cases at 182 in number is considered a crisis here makes sense when you understand how well they have dealt with the pandemic overall.  So while we are not stoked on a 14 day hotel quarantine with 6 COVID tests or wearing a mask, even outside, we are happy to be in a place that took the pandemic seriously,  kept its population safe, and is led by a government that relies on science and common sense.  School was held in person here all year long with all of the kids last year and we are hoping that remains true for this school year. 

We are very excited to leave quarantine and get our school year started.

Farewell, Kuwait

 

When we moved to Kuwait in 2016, we never thought we'd be there for 5 years, When we accepted the jobs from our home in Paraguay, we knew that living in Kuwait may be a challenge. We took the risk, hoping it would afford us more options the next time we decided to move on.   Kuwait turned out to be a great place for professional learning and Kristi's opportunity to sign on as the Middle School Principal was too good to pass up.  

Cata with her nanny, Atu. 
Atu has been with us since Cata was born!

It's truly difficult to summarize 5 years of life, especially since the birth and first 3 years of life for our daughter defined so much of the experience.  We're especially grateful for the work-life balance that came from the ability to hire a full time nanny. 

While Kuwait is not a dazzling place on the surface, we did find things to enjoy and make life fun.  We traveled to 13 countries in those 5 years, including many that we may never have experienced had we not lived in the region.  

The MS office crew.  2020 was an insane year to be an
educator and these ladies helped make it a little easier.

Like any place we've ever lived, we made connections to people and that makes it hard to say goodbye, but the amazing thing about international teaching is that those connections have the ability to continue to blossom over thousands of miles.  We have met a surprising number of folks that are from the PNW as well and love to catch up over a beer in the summer.

Moving from the Western Hemisphere to Kuwait is possibly the largest cultural shift we will ever experience. I think we arrived with many of the ingrained biases that many people would bring to the Gulf with them. I don't think we knew any Moslems or many Arabs before arriving. People expressed concern about our safety, although Kuwait is very safe. 

We are grateful for the experiences we had in Kuwait and appreciative of our host country. We learned a lot, but also learned that even 5 years is not enough time to navigate the nuances of a culture and nation based on values that could be mysterious and at times uncomfortable to us. I think it is fair to say that Islam is central to life in Kuwait and I left with an appreciation for the beauty and sense of peace that seems to emerge from the connection of God and  identity, family, language, costume, food and architecture. I also left unable to reconcile feelings about the treatment of foreign workers, the limited opportunity for locals seen as some type of other, and a level of misogny that is difficult not to pass judgment on.

Already we miss our picnics in the desert, boat trips on the Gulf, and taking Cata to the beach.

                            Mudskipper at Sulaibikhat Bay

                                    Farm Stand in Abdaly

                    Getting caffeinated for a trip out on the boat.

This mid-afternoon dust/thunder storm turned the sky dark and the rain to mud.

Gus the Persian cat looked grumpy, but was the sweetest pet we have ever had. He slept a lot, had a very flat face and seemed indifferent to constant toddler hugs.

        The mosque across from the teacher housing in Mahboula.

                Kristi covers up to visit the National Mosque

        The Roots and Shoots club rallies to clean up a beach.

Chasing around the queenfish with a flyrod was one of Matt's favorite pastimes. 

     Dav was really seasick this day, but he reeled in a nice barracuda

                                        Goodbye Kuwait

Kuwait Birds

 

Our travel blog has been pretty quiet lately. I thought I would add some bird photos I have taken over the last year.

For me, the restriction of the global pandemic led to a renewed interest in bird watching and bird photography. 

Kuwait can be a challenging place to live for people who are especially outdoor oriented. We definitely struggled to beat the heat, dust, and pollution when trying to enjoy the outdoors in a tiny country with limited things to do outside and no real option of crossing the land borders. It turns out however, that Kuwait has some great bird biodiversity and seeking out Kuwait's birds provided a fresh perspective and appreciation of what the country has to offer. 

Kuwait has some resident birds that can be found year around. Others like these European Bee-eaters show up on their migration between Africa and Eurasia.

Coastal areas often have an abundance of shorebirds. The Greater Flamingo is an especially appealing photography subject.

Eurasian Curlew

Little Stints

Wood Sandpiper

Juvenile Lesser Crested Terns

Black-winged Stilt

Common Moorhen

Curlew Sandpiper

Terek Sandpiper

Whimbrel

Western Great Egret

Gray Herons fight over a mudskipper in Sulaibikhat bay

Black-crowned Night Heron

Squacco Heron

Cattle Egret

Western Reef Heron (dark morph)

Western Reef Heron (light morph)

Little Egret

Little Grebe

Common Ringed Plover

Crab Plover snacking on a crab

Another Sandpiper

White-throated Kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

Much of Kuwait is fairly barren. Most good birding locations required areas of expansive vegetation and proximity to water. White-eared Bulbuls however were an attractive bird that could be found all over Kuwait City.

Similarly, a variety of pigeon species like the rock dove, Laughing Dove and Eurasian Collared-dove could always be found close to home and are decent photo subjects in the right light.  

Eurasian Collared-dove

Namaqua Dove

Western Yellow Wagtail (black-headed)

                   Western Yellow Wagtail (yellow-headed)

                                            Gray Wagtail

White Wagtail

House Sparrow at a Jahra farm

Spanish Sparrow

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Desert Wheatear

Red-tailed Wheatear

Common Kestrel

Severed ties on the ankles seem to indicate an escape of the falconry trade.

Masked Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Woodchat Shrike

Red-tailed Shrike

Southern Gray Shrike

Lesser Gray Shrike

Spotted Flycatcher on the left and 
White-throated Robin to the right.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and a 
Scops Owl.

European Roller

Stonechat

Crested Lark

Graceful Prinia

                                        Great Cormorant

                                                    Warbler

                                        Common Redstart

Common Black-headed Gull

Whiskered Tern

Eurasian Hoopoe

                                            Common Myna

                                                Bank Myna

                                    Eurasian Golden Oriole

                                                More Bulbuls

                                            More Flamingos