Lessons from Singapore

We're having a great time so far. We're starting our days by going to the gym followed by breakfast and then working until lunch. After lunch it's back to work until dinner and then some exploring and debriefing.

We've been really using our networking skills to try to increase the response rate to our survey and to learn more about environmental CSR in Singapore. As such we've established contact already in-person with the Singapore Hotel's Association, and are in e-mail contact with face-to-face meetings scheduled with Contact Singapore (our project supporter), the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Singapore Compact. All of our contacts have been invaluable thus far.

Some things I've learned so far in Singapore:

1. Use of Aunty/Uncle as a respectful term for persons who help you (ie. taxi drivers, hotel attendants etc) eg. Thank you Aunty

2. Cars have right of way as opposed to pedestrians when one is crossing the road

3. Durian (the fruit) is banned in many hotels due to the smell. There is actually a no durian sign in our hotel elevator

4. The MRT (subway system) is very civilized and may have some lessons for Vancouver. See the photo below for instructions as to where to stand while waiting for the train and what space to leave for passengers to exit. The full wall there is glass with doors that open when the train arrives.

Some photos:

MRT - guidelines as to where to wait versus disembarking

By the river - you can see the Marina Bay Sands in the background. 

Eva, Peter and Kathleen with Eva's high school friend Eugene