Sartre was wrong. Hell is international travel.

Hi Everyone!

First, a note about the blog name. As Tom helpfully pointed out, my name is not Sue. (thanks, honey!) There is a musical called "Dames at Sea", which is supposed to be a parody of, but ends up being an homage to, "Anything Goes". It is, in short, dreadful. But, it has a musical number called "Singapore Sue", which is an awful, racist, and confusing song about an American sailor who falls in love with a Chinese prostitute in Singapore. This is not a very good explanation on why I picked this name. Well...my sister was in the show this fall (as the star, Ruby, not as S.S.), and since she found out I was going to Singapore, she's been calling me Singapore Sue. So it's a nod to my love of musicals, as well as my beloved sister. (and kudos for Mike E. for getting the reference!)

Now, on the business. I left Boston at 6am, eastern time 12/31/10 and arrived in Singapore 11:45am, eastern time 1/1/11. That's a total of 29hrs45min of travel, not counting trips to and from the airport. So, boys and girls, getting to Singapore takes a VERY LONG TIME. At least I was traveling business class!

I owe here a big thanks to my parents for booking me business class. Actually, I owe them a huge thanks for everything: allowing me to go on this trip, sending me to Georgetown Law, raising me, putting up with me, etc. So, Mom and Dad, thanks a ton. I promise to  "make good decisions", smile a lot (as the fresh air is good for my teeth), and not eat yellow snow. All good advice you've given me over the years. Oh, and to keep my hair out of my face, too. Seriously, I bought headbands for that express purpose.

Business class was the bomb. First, I got to bypass the horrendous line at Logan Airport (was everyone IN Boston getting on an international fight at 4:30 am?) and go to the three-people long line at business class. The gallant Tom went with me to the airport and carried my considerably large baggage. What a gent! Then, on the plane, I got to board first, have free drinks, and get a huge comfy chair. And I got to put ALL my stuff in the overhead bin! Suck it, coach! All this was before I hit Toronto.

I flew: BOS to JFK, JFK to Toronto, Toronto to Hong Kong, and Hong Kong to Singapore. Again, international travel takes a long time.

Also, once I hit Toronto, I had to go through customs, claim my baggage (the considerably large ones) and recheck them upstairs, then go through security again! I almost cried. I was like, really? Things got worse when I found out my bags hadn't made it to Toronto. The nice lady at the counter (no really, she was nice. Everyone in Canada was nice. Everyone. Why didn't I know that?) told me they might be on the next flight, so I just had to wait at the baggage office for the next one to come in, get my bags, and then recheck them. This would be okay, except I had a pass to the lounge INSIDE security. Instead of spending my four hour layover lounging in comfort in the...lounge (sorry, pun intended), I sat in a folding chair outside the baggage office outside security. Good thing I had a good book.

I was reading "The Street Lawyer" by John Grisham, and let me tell you it was terrific. It's about homelessness in DC, which I know a lot about. The research was solid (all the shelters he mentions are really there. I've been to them) and it really accurately depicted the heartbreaking plight of the homeless in DC. Which is really, really bad. My one regret as I left DC was that I had not done more to help with homelessness. The good news is that, as I search for jobs in Boston, that I can look for work at places that work with homeless people. Before I left Boston I made a list of all the legal aid places I want to apply to. So, that's really exciting. A legal aid salary will not get me business class to Singapore, it's true. I made a vow (as I was sitting at baggage claim in Toronto) to enjoy everything as if it's the last time I might do it. Who knows how much money I will make? Or my (eventual) husband will make? I often daydream about things I will have and do in the future, and I realized that many of those things are dependent on a large salary. So, I will stop dreaming about them (at least as much as I do.) I will just enjoy what I have, when I have it. Not bad for a new year's resolution, eh? (in honor of Canada, I used eh.)

I also decided, since I am going to Singapore, a "fine" city (as in you pay fines when you break the law...local humor) that I want to ban three things from my life: self-doubt, fear, and guilt.

Okay, no more self-help. I promise this blog will get more interesting when a)new year's is over and I am not in such a reflective mood and b)I actually start doing cool stuff.

Once I got on the plane to Hong Kong, there was a BED! Like, a huge bed. I took pictures which I can't figure out how to upload right now, but I will. Cathay Pacific Airlines is the best. I had two multi-course meals, a personal tv  with movies on demand, and a BED! I watched movies, drank champagne, and slept. In my BED. It was the best. I was almost sorry to get off the plane.

Last leg of the journey was Hong Kong to Singapore, where I did have to go through customs again but not, thank God, check my bags again. There was no bed this time, but I did have a huge comfy chair and a little tv with a few movie choices. I watched "the Social Network" and I don't see what all the fuss is about. Except Justin Timberlake. He was really good. And he livened up the (long) film considerably. Oh well. Another cultural milestone I fail to see the significance of (hello, Inception, I'm talking to you).

I arrived in Singapore to a sign with my name on it, held by one Sasha Woo, the sister of a friend of my mom's who lives here in Singapore. Since I can't check into my dorm/hostel (can I call it a dostel?) until Monday, she bravely volunteered to pick me up and take me in. She is an absolute ANGEL and I am extremely blessed that she and her family were kind enough to temporarily adopt me. Just knowing a fellow Texan is here is comfort enough, but she has gone above and beyond that, driving me places, showing me around, etc. I am incredibly lucky to know her.

Well, that's about all. I am off to the 7-11 (the cultural mecca of Singapore: literally everything happens there!) to get a metro pass and figure out my cell phone situation. PLEASE skype me and/or email me! When I leave the lovely Woo home, I will be on my own and starving for affection. So, don't let me down!
Love you all, and happy new year!