STEPPING FOOT ON SINGAPORE

14 January, Sunday, 11.35am, Changi Airport Terminal One.

Atssa! I finally have my feet land safely in Changi Airport after just over six hours of the flight journey from Seoul.

Tomorrow I’ll be starting my new job as assistant trading manager in the light distillates department at Chilsung (Singapore) Petroleum Private Limited, the local oil trading office of Chilsung Corporation. Chilsung is one of South Korea’s biggest chaebol, and makes the biggest contribution to the nation’s GDP. Frankly, I had never much planned on coming to Singapore to work. But, given a wonderful opportunity, I need to grab the chance. The pay is decent, and the prospects are good. And I certainly need something to prove myself here in this island city-state, just like how I did in Seoul. A new life in a new country, Singapore. Nothing but success and a promising career ahead, this is the vow I made to myself.

But there’s one problem, though.

Singapore seems like a giant microwave oven, it’s unusually hot and humid. Ever since I step out of Changi Airport, I’ve been perspiring like a tap of running water. The only regret of working here is the lack of seasons. I heard over here it’s hot summer for three hundred and sixty-five days, all year round. I haven't figured how I'm going to survive here in this weather, but I'll get used to it somehow. In any case, there's alway airconditioner, right?

Yet, I'm beginning to miss Korea now. Korean autumn, Korean winter.