Beautiful Singapore!

It's crazy that we're already done with Malaysia and we're currently in Singapore right now! We've been busy nonstop since our arrival here so it has been hard to get on and post. In the first couple of days here we've covered a lot of subjects ranging from government to sustainability all the way to culture!

The day we arrived in Singapore, we were able to visit with the US Embassy, who were preparing for VP Joe Biden's arrival in two weeks. He's going to be conducting a meeting in the same conference room that we were in! We spoke with two diplomats who really encouraged us to persue our international dreams and they've got me looking into their career paths of being a foreign service officer!
We've also been visiting nature reserves and features that make Singapore such a sustainable, progressive city. We visited the NEWater water plant that recycles used water through the process of undergoing advanced dual-membrane (reverse osmosis) and UV radiation. This reduces the amount of water being wasted by 80% (I believe.) Although Singapore is small and lacks resources, they have been able to rely mostly on their own supply of water through any of their 3 main ways: desalination, NEWater and water catchment/ fresh water reservoirs. This state is a very forward looking, environmentally aware society. In libraries here, they have entire floors dedicated to information regarding the environment, sustainable development and general sustainability. That shows something about culture there.
We've also learbed a lot about population growth and transportation. In order for roads to be less congested, cars must pays tolls in designated areas so that they know they are a part of causing traffic. The tolls range in costs, depending on how heavy traffic is. They also encourage the use of public transportation. Their is a bus lane that only buses can use (makes the system more reliable and more appealing since there isn't traffic in that lane.) They also have a subway system whichtheir goal by 2020 is to have a station within a 10 min walk of every house or living quarter. Ambitious? Yes, but they're super close to completing this goal.
Sorry for the long lecture! But honestly, we can learn so much from Singapore. 

By the way, nobody in our group has been fined for anything! We've refrained from chewing gum (we instead eat mentos,) we NEVER j-walk, none of us have eaten or drank anything in certain public areas like subways and buses, and my favorite- none of us have brought a durian out in public! Phew!