Goodbye Africa Hello Asia

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More often than not when popular culture looks to the future it is a grim tale of a civilization heading downhill quickly. People today are inundated with stories of lack of vital resources like food, water and living space. There is a generally felt race to figure out how to ward off the many disasters that await our species. There isn?t much attention put on the many ways communities are being innovative and maximizing resources. After 7 countries where we were adamantly warned not to drink or brush our teeth with the water or eat food from street vendors, and be wary of just about anything and everything we come into contact with, we approach Singapore. As if in a dream, we are encouraged to take the subway, are told it is safe to walk alone no matter what time of day or night, and can even drink the tap water (unheard of advise so far on this trip).

Singapore, one of only three cities in the world that are also countries in and of themselves (the others being Vatican City and Monaco, in case you were wondering), is an example of a forward looking country. They are cutting edge

in urban planning, the effects of which are palpable. Singapore has some really cool architecture and not only are the buildings cool looking they are extra functional. The streets are clean, the traffic organized and the metro system extensive and cutting edge.

Singapore has quite the reputation of being strict with its laws and punishment. Public canings are the punishment for quite a few infractions and drug trafficking if convicted, results in the death sentence. While it is all too common for people in Western countries, the US included, to be quick to judge the vast number of laws and severe punishments doled out to those who break them in Singapore, it is important to note that their laws are all based on the British penal code and thus theirs is a shared heritage of laws that our country was founded on as well. Although their streets are clean and their traffic orderly, not all the locals are in favor of such a suppression of liberties. Coming from as dirty a city as San Francisco is, I dream of a city where the streets don?t smell like urine; however I am inclined to suffer such inconveniences for the sake

of unsuppressed liberties.

Singapore has two national sports: eating and shopping. With less than a day in this country I concentrated all my efforts on alternating between the two and wasn?t disappointed.

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