Kuala Lumpur to Singapore: conversations about race and Eastern toilets

The next day in Kuala Lumpur, I had a flight to Singapore.  I really should have taken the bus as it is slightly cheaper but a lot more convenient.  Nicole's parents took me for breakfast as an Indian restaurant.  I wanted to order roti but her dad said to get Nasi.  I can't argue with paying parents!

Nicole's mom and dad, with the dad's roti (that's what I wanted!)

Me and the nasi

They then dropped me off at the train station, where I caught the train, and then a bus to the airport.

Nicole's mom and I in the car

Singapore is a tiny country just south of Malaysia, infamous for its many rules dictating the personal lives of people.  The subway has "No eating or drinking: Fine $500" signs.  Also prohibited on subways is durian (a fruit that has a really really bad smell.  I haven't had the pleasure of smelling it but its described on Wikipedia as "stomach churning, raw sewage, and gym socks").

I met Carine at the Harbor Front, where her job office is.  Carine is 24 and works as in advertising.  When I met her she was in the middle of a large stressful project.  We went out for dinner at a restaurant in the mall.  Unfortunately, my allergies were really bad.  I was sneezing and my nose was running so much.  I didn't even take pictures or note what we ate.  Carine so kindly wouldn't let me pay for any of the meal.

During our meal, Carine asked me a lot of questions about what it is like for black people living in America.  She said, "I hope this question doesn't offend you" and it didn't at all!  On the contrary  it was nice to be asked about what its like to live in my shoes.  I told her that racism still exists in subtle ways and how on my residency interviews some programs had 2-3 blacks out of 60 residents.

She also told me that I am her first host and that when she told her mom she was going to host someone, her mom asked all these questions, like, how old is she, what does she do, what is her race.  I asked Carine what her mom said when she told her I was black.  Carine replied, "I said, 'Why does it matter?  A human is human.  What difference does it make what race they are?'"  What a nice answer.  But it did make me a little nervous about meeting her mom.

I did appreciate Carine's openness and reciprocated by asking something I was really curious about: a local's perspective of Eastern toilets. I never knew the proper way of using an Eastern toilet.  Was I supposed to stand on the platform, or on the lower part.  Are you supposed to squat or actually sit?  Carine explained that you are supposed stand on the platform and then squat.  I said, what do you do if your wearing jeans?  How do you roll down your jeans and yet keep them from touching the floor when you squat?  "Ah, this is a tricky thing indeed!  Its a lot easier wearing a dress!" she said.  I was glad I wasn't the only one who found it hard.  The Eastern culture is that sitting on a toilet seat after someone else is very unsanitary.  Some Western toilets in Asia even have these signs:

Resist the urge to squat!

We walked to the Harbor Front and from there I could see the island of Sentosa.  Sentosa is a beach resort with a Universal Studios.  You can take the cable car to get there or just walk across the bridge.

We took the train to Yishun, the suburb Carine lives.  It took about an hour to get there.  I was exhausted and fell asleep along the way.

When we got home, I was pleasantly surprised by her mom.  She seemed genuinely happy and excited to have me there.  We made the futon bed in Carine's room.  She helped me plan what I wanted to do the next day.  And since she wants to go to NY later this year, I told her about all my favorite things to do in NYC: student rush, free walking tours, kayaking on the river, and biking in Central park.