Wake up at 8am—willingly. You need to capitalise on every second you have in this new country because at home, time is a renewable resource you can waste.
Read a whole book. You haven’t finished a book since 2021, but you’ll have plenty of downtime between the 7-hour flight and time spent lounging on a beach chair. You even bring a pen along just to feel alive.
Eat desserts for breakfast. Gelato before noon is just cultural immersion.
Succumb to the tourist tax. You know the smoothie by the beach has a 50 per cent markup, but it costs just as much as one at Shake Shack in Orchard.
Stuff yourself with food. In a new country, calories are just a currency for an even greater cultural experience.
Talk to strangers. At home, you avoid human interaction if you can help it. But abroad? Suddenly, you’re exchanging life stories with Philip, the cab driver who has two cats and a sister who coincidentally works in your industry.
Ask to have your photos taken. Life just seems more beautiful when you’re standing in a foreign street, which is why 70 per cent of your gallery features you in a scarf and parka.
Walk everywhere. At home, good planning is whatever route requires the least walking. But overseas, walking is living.
See the appeal of souvenirs. Time is running out, and you still have a village to buy mementoes for. Suddenly, you’re prioritising shops selling knick-knacks and snacks.
Pay €12 for a cup of coffee. That’s 18SGD for a small cup of bitterness. You would’ve called the police if your local coffee shop charged that. But here, it’s a gateway to say “Ah, this is what it means to truly live,” while staring out at the piazza.
