what have i learned?

It’s Tuesday of dead week, I’m sitting in my editing class typing like a maniac. Less than a week stands between me and summer, and I find myself reflecting on an academic year that has stretched me and allowed me to grow in so many different ways than ever before. This platform serves as a way to hopefully sift through some of these thoughts and maybe even find a bit of clarity, but we’ll see…

What defines me? I don’t think I could ever answer that question with any sort of absolution, and maybe that’s just part of who I am. I’d say who I am is a progressive collection of my experiences, reactions and ability to adjust when things don’t go as planned. And to be honest, I like when things don’t go as planned, because for the most part, I’m not really the crazy stick-to-the-schedule-or-die type. I’m happy to be crazy in my own way though.

When I was just a wee elementary-schooler, I remember always complaining to my mom that my legs were sore. Growing pains, she’d tell me (or maybe I was just being a wimp). While I sadly stopped growing at sixteen, I’ve certainly experienced growing pains in just as real a way, outside of the physical realm. Growth is fantastic, but I often focus on the pretty view from the top of the mountain and quickly forget about the grit it took to get up there.

So what have I learned? What areas have I experienced growth in? I feel like these questions are always asked at the end. At the end of a class, the end of a challenge, the end of a year. But why not at the beginning? Or along the way? What I’ve learned influences how I will continue to learn, what I want to keep learning, and how I strive to carry myself.

I got to travel the freakin’ world this year, and my mind is still blown at the experience of study abroad. Sure, I had this romanticized vision in my mind of becoming cultured (ha) and being a changed woman upon my return, and while these things hold true (the cultured part is more of an idealistic hope), they have also posed challenges for me since my return to the States.

I’m not the same, and I don’t want to be, but at times I wish I could, because it was easier. Easier to relate and connect, to be understood. The only way I know to explain coming back from studying in France is that it has since created a wildly deep sense of yearning within me, to the extent that it’s been unimaginably difficult to conceptualize and make sense of in my head.

I won’t try to feed you some crap about how I found myself abroad, but I will say that part of me was left there (probably just as corny, but there it is). Not that I don’t love being where I am, because I do, I just know that I was the rawest form of myself when I was out of my element.

Raw in several aspects. Raw as in bare bones minimalistic (or my version of it): having about five shirts, three pairs of pants and one coat as my wardrobe (France does have washing machines though, yay). Raw as in being faced with independence daily, and having to push myself and stretch myself in order to embrace it. Raw as in being okay to adventure and experience new places as an individual.

Why is independence so feared here? Why is going on a solo hike considered weird? Why is it scary to watch the sunset at the beach by myself? Why are our identities so tied to who we spend our time with? It kills the loner within me to feel like being on my own is somehow unnatural or looked at with a tilted head and furrowed brow.

The word alone is not part of this rant though (other than the fact that I just used it). Looking back, I never felt alone. Scared, skeptical, uncomfortable? Yes. But alone? Nah. This isn’t me trying to tout the bravado of some fearless trailblazer, it’s honest explanation of an experience that was challenging and dynamic, but never one where I felt alone or unsupported.

It’s uncomfortable to sit with my thoughts sometimes. It forces me to really dissect my  feelings, to confront them and try to understand why. That’s been a huge challenge for me being back. Why am I different now? What’s changed? Why don’t I connect with my friends the same way that I did before? If I knew, I guess it wouldn’t be so uncomfortable to think about.

There are two options I usually see before me. First, I can allow the busyness (yes this is spelled correctly) to temporarily push out my discomfort and let it build in the background while I numbly carry on. Or second, I can wrestle and struggle and feel frustrated and push myself to ask why. Yeah, I usually settle for the first because the second requires the commitment of extra brain power that I’m usually unwilling to yield.

As someone focused on progress rather than performance, mindlessness is sometimes necessary for sanity. What’s dangerous is when that same mindlessness becomes my gross, habitual norm.

When’s the last time I sat down and wrote? Take a look at my last blog post. November. My mind is cluttered and distracted here. I’m safe, I don’t have to ask why because I’m surrounded by familiarity. Not to say that only writing every six months is some unforgivable faux pas, because if we’re honest you’d probably hate me by now if this type of rant was a more common occurrence.

So while I often find myself on the verge of tears yearning to be back wandering the streets of Berlin, or Amsterdam, or Paris, I know my real desire is to be the fiercely independent being that boldly pursued those experiences. Thankfully, I find that when I question and push, that person really isn’t that far away at all, it just takes some genuine effort to tap into my mind and find her again.

Coming back, I distinctly remember sitting in class on the first day of Winter quarter asking myself what the flip I was doing here. I get lost so easily in the hum of routine and tasks to check off my list that I forget how freeing it is to press in to my discomfort. So yes, I’m still here, still crazy and still not satisfied with stagnation.

Paris, redeemed

I had planned on posting this last Friday, but with everything that was happening in the city I felt that the situation was just too heavy, so I took some time. However, I believe it’s important to share this because I had literally just fallen in love with the city and been raving about it to family and friends when this horror occurred. So this is the post, just as I had written it, and I stand by every word. Paris is an incredible place, with so much vibrance and diversity and no sort of evil or threat can change that.

Remember my last post about Paris? Yeah me neither. That’s because I couldn’t bring myself to write one. Yikes.

Last year while I was away at school, my mom completely repainted and redecorated my room and surprised me with it when I came home. It’s greyish purple and has a vintage French theme (classy French, not tacky). I love it, which is why I was so sad and guilty after my first trip to Paris: I was a phony admirer of Paris.

I’ll be honest (because it’s so rare for me to speak my mind, right?), when I visited in early October I was really disappointed. I had dreamed of being in Paris for years. And when I got there it was busy, overwhelming and just too hectic for me. I was forced to admit that it was nothing like I had romanticized it in my mind to be.

Well, thank goodness I planned a second trip because my feelings couldn’t be any different now. I played hooky on Tuesday and Wednesday there was no school because of Armistice Day, so I set out for Paris. While I wasn’t thrilled about waking up at 4:45 A.M. to get ready and catch my 6:02 train, being in the city by 8:00 was so worth it.

Things were relatively calm aside from your typical French traffic, definitely refreshing compared to last month. I was there on a Saturday and didn’t even bother waiting in any of the enormous lines, but this Tuesday was a different story. Most places were primarily crowd free, or had small lines.

One awesome tourist spot without the tourist feel is the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, which is just a quick walk across the Seine from Notre Dame. Most of the books are in English, and there were so many enticing reads, but after having bought over ten books in Europe I unfortunately I had to ban myself from buying any more for the sake of my luggage…

After lunch and the most delicious Nutella crepe I’ve ever had, I got to spend some time relaxing at the Luxembourg Gardens. It’s such a beautiful place, where people sit around the fountains and read, talk or just bask in the sun. It was so nice to enjoy a book and feel carefree for a little bit.

Wednesday

If you’re a fan of the movie Amélie (which you should be), you should definitely pay a visit to the Café des Deux Moulins, which is where Amélie works in the movie. It’s nothing flashy, just your typical Parisian café around the corner from Moulin Rouge. No hokey souvenirs (though I’ll admit I do enjoy those), just a few pieces of memorabilia from the movie and a nice picture of Audrey Tatou (Amélie).

Clearly the staff knew the reason for my visit, but they were still kind and went about their business anyway. It wasn’t very crowded, but it was cool to see that it was the type of place that attracted mostly locals. The breakfast was good and hearty, and a great price for Paris.

From there I made my way to the Château de Versailles, which is where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette resided until they were guillotined in Paris. I couldn’t believe how hugely and unnecessarily ornate it all was. It’s beautiful of course, but seriously, no one really needs all that gaudy crap in their life.

Gardens at Versailles

The gardens were a different story, though. They were so peaceful and huge, I could’ve wandered through them for hours. I was strolling about minding my own business and pretending to be deep and pensive when I happened upon some strange guy peeing, which I quickly tried to erase from my mind. There’s something about the French and peeing in public, I just don’t get it…

Gardens pt. 2

The real main event though was watching the Eiffel Tower light up Tuesday and Wednesday night. There’s just something about seeing it sparkle that makes me feel like I’m at Disneyland. It really is magical, the type of thing that makes you feel nostalgic and overjoyed all at once. It was like I was a little kid again, watching a Christmas tree light up for the very first time. I may or may not have teared up…

I think this was pre tears…

The whole time I was there, I kept whining about not wanting to go home. After watching the Eiffel Tower light up for a little too long on Wednesday night, my wish was granted, and I ended up missing the last train home to Lyon for the night. After a moment (or two) of panic, I was able to find an Airbnb host that was willing to take me in last minute.

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Though the situation wasn’t ideal, it was comforting to just stay in the city a little bit longer. I’m not sure why people say Parisians are rude, but that has definitely not been my experience. I have found them to be kind, helpful and friendly in almost all cases. This trip really made me feel like I understand the city more. I felt safe there, like I belonged.

P.S. Needless to say, I was upset when I first heard about the events of November 13th. To have just been in the city the day before, experiencing its beauty and culture and then hearing about the attacks, it was unreal. Everyone is a little bit wary here in France, the air feels a little heavier, but for the most part the French are determined not to let this cause them to live in fear.

normandy–well worth the wait

I’ve always enjoyed living in the United States, but spending some time away from home has really given me a wider scope of appreciation for where I come from. I also love history, there’s something about understanding the past and how the world got to where it is today that is extremely invaluable to me, so naturally a visit to Normandy was on my list.

What’s nice about traveling in Europe is that you can still ball on a budget, even if you’re organizing things last minute. However, because the train companies have a pretty big monopoly on travel here, the tickets can be expensive. In any case, I have pretty much thrown caution to the wind because I want to see as much as I can while I’m here, and it has definitely been paying off (#noragrets).

Mont St. Michel views (from Sunday’s day trip).

I began hastily researching for this trip on Tuesday, and I found and booked an Airbnb room with a French family in the town of Bayeux, near the D-Day beaches. I eagerly signed up for a full day tour of the U.S. beaches, and a Mont St. Michel tour the day after that.

On Friday, we set out from Lyon and arrived five hours later in Bayeux, where our incredible Airbnb host Marion kindly picked us up at the train station. Saturday began early with a gourmet breakfast spread laid out by Marion that included pastries, baguettes, cheese, fruit, espresso, homemade caramel sauce, Nutella, jam and fresh squeezed orange juice.

A map of the Allied Invasion in Normandy, with a star on Bayeux where we stayed (my own artistic touch). Used with a Creative Commons license.

We then headed out for our beaches tour, which started with a stop at La Cambe German War Cemetery, the resting place of roughly 21,000 German soldiers who lost their lives in the war. Our guide/driver did an incredible job of telling stories with real personal touch and detail. He talked about the German occupation of France in the years leading up to D-Day, and how it wasn’t simply a ruthless takeover, but in many cases, the Germans who were housed by French families were kind and didn’t intend to scare or harm them.

Pointe du Hoc, with Omaha beach visible on the right.

After this stop, we went to Utah Beach and then Pointe du Hoc, a cliff facing the English channel that the Germans used as a lookout. It’s the highest point between the two beaches (Utah and Omaha) and on a clear day (which unfortunately it wasn’t) you can see for miles in either direction. It was staggering to envision so much destruction and death taking place in such a calm and stunning environment.

A monument honoring Richard Winters. He unfortunately passed away in 2011 just before its opening. He’s featured often on the series Band of Brothers.

One of the last and most impactful stops was the Normandy American Cemetery, where over 9,000 U.S. soldiers are buried. What really hit home was learning that the average age of the men and women buried here is just about 21, only a bit older than me. Standing before the graves and thinking of the ultimate sacrifice made by so many at that age definitely instilled a more personal sense of gratitude in me. We were able to be there for the daily playing of Taps as they lowered the flags thirty minutes before the cemetery closed.

One of the 307 unknown U.S. soldiers buried in Normandy.

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This post easily took the longest to write because my experience in Normandy was really powerful, and I wanted to carefully sort my thoughts before writing. The stories and experience absolutely gave me a new perspective on the Germans during World War II. I had previously believed that the majority of Germans who fought in the war were heartless, looking to dominate and destroy any ideologies other than their own. I vastly overlooked any humanistic qualities in these soldiers, but hearing some of the different stories really changed the way I view the war.

It’s not possible to do this experience justice in a blog post, but this trip really meant a lot to me and I definitely plan to return with my family in the future. You can read all the books and watch every documentary, but getting the opportunity to see these places for myself has absolutely given me a different and enriched perspective.

switzerland, and some other ramblings

It’s been four weeks since I landed on this oddly wonderful continent that is Europe, and I cannot believe how fast it’s gone by. I was placed in the upper-intermediate semi-intensive level for my French classes, and have found this title to be wildly understated. My courses meet a total of 26 hours per week (compared to an average 18 hours at Cal Poly), with ten classes meeting once a week for two hours, my eleventh class four hours per week (this one’s in English), and my cooking class that meets once every other week.

The results of our first cooking class: sashimi (raw beef, yikes), duck with peach sauce, and chicken stuffed with chorizo. Yuuuuum.

The classes themselves aren’t super difficult, but what is hard is listening in French for up to six hours per day. In the U.S., I often find myself zoning out during class while still being able to mindlessly take notes. The classes are less structured here though, without a lot of guidance in terms of note-taking and course outlines (none of my classes even have a textbook). So basically in France if I ever zone out, I really don’t have much to go on.

Something else that has definitely been an adjustment is just the way things are [un]organized here. Formed lines are practically non-existent and things just move much more slowly than they should (except for the crazy drivers), the lack of efficiency drives me insane.

I like to think I’m organized in the sense that I have a rough idea of what I’ll be doing each day, but am able to change plans around when necessary and just go with it. Regardless, I like knowing what I need to get done and how I can do so. Here however, there are few directions given and somehow you’re expected to just know how things work. While the way of life isn’t necessarily in step with my own, I can appreciate the difference in culture and know that it’s grooming me for life.

I’m happy to report French people do have a sense of humor.

I feel like I’ve gotten into a groove though, I know my way around the city pretty well, I’ve gotten the hang of the metro and feel more comfortable with all the independence. It’s only the second week of school and I’ve already had four classes cancelled, so I guess I can’t complain about people being flaky in cases like these when it works so greatly to my benefit.

Given that classes are so tiring, it only makes sense to get away on the weekends, which is exactly what some friends and I did this past weekend. After some difficulties at the train station and a bit (a lot) of swearing, we were finally able to get our tickets and board the train to Geneva on Friday night. And yes, I did make several Geneva/Genovia Princess Diaries references while there, and even sang the Genovian national anthem after dinner one night.

Let me tell you, Switzerland is freakin awesome. It’s beautiful, and there’s so much to do and see, I really wish we had gotten to stay longer. We used Airbnb to book an apartment for the weekend, and it was just a fifteen minute walk from the main hub in the city.

Saturday, our day began with coffee and pastries (as most European days do), and of course getting lost on public transportation. After several buses and a tram, we made it up to Mont Salève, which overlooks the whole city and lake. God really did it big there, it’s incredible. We hiked along the mountain for hours and just enjoyed the surreal panoramic views.

The gorge[ous] gorge as we now like to call it.

While at the top, we ate lunch and did a lot of spontaneous exploring. It was really nice not to have a schedule or anywhere to be, we could just keep walking as far as we wanted and take it all in. We walked a total of 13.6 miles Saturday (thanks Fitbit!), got to hang out with some cows and even witnessed a double rainbow as it started raining on our way back.

YAAAS.

Then came Sunday, the day of our departure…sad. Thankfully our train didn’t leave until 7:30 at night, so we had the whole day for tourism and what not. We started with another pastry and coffee breakfast, but this almond croissant (a bear claw as we might say in the U.S.) was no lie the BEST I have ever had, I would not shut up about it (I even brought one back with me). I can still taste the heavenly deliciousness now.

A. Pouly Boulangerie, your pastry has forever changed me. And yes, I’m that tourist who takes photos of every meal, it’s fine.

From there, we headed to the United Nations (!) which was unfortunately closed, but still an incredible sight to see. You can get anywhere with the bus system there, which I would highly recommend. We got lucky and stumbled upon a giant street food festival, with 20-30 food trucks set up outside selling to the masses…and I mean literal masses. I purchased and inhaled a piadine, which is basically a salad in an Italian flatbread. Geneva itself (food and amenities) is expensive though, so if you’re ever there be prepared to spend more than you might elsewhere.

An obligatory travel-buddies picture at the UN.

We ended our weekend with a boat tour on Lake Geneva, which was just as pretty and touristy as you would imagine. I like playing the tourist though, it gives me an excuse to look weird, which I do a lot. We definitely packed a lot into the two days, but it was incredible to be independent and plan things spontaneously, and just see where the day would take us.

Yes Geneva, yes.

and now, a story.

So yeah, one of the many facets of studying abroad is being immersed in a new and different culture. And I’m all for that, but I still believe that having some non-negotiables is normal and healthy. I wouldn’t say I’m high maintenance, but rather particular with an eye for detail (let’s keep it positive).

In the States, my snack of all snacks is Tillamook Greek yogurt (vanilla bean and strawberry are my favorites, in case you were curious) with flax seeds and chia seeds (both whole, not ground). Many people at home are aware of my borderline strange passion for Tillamook, and naturally when I arrived the first things I looked for at the market were Greek yogurt and my seeds. I knew going into this trip I would have to cut myself off from Tillamook, so I try my best to not think too much about it…

Finding a lesser but acceptable Greek yogurt substitute, along with my flax seeds, was pretty easy. But the chia seeds were just too elusive. I stopped at five markets (I kid you not, I’m very determined), until finally, as I trekked back to my studio feeling a bit defeated, I stopped at a health foods store in Vieux Lyon as a last ditch effort. And there my chia seeds sat, waiting for me on the very top shelf (playing hard to get, I would expect nothing less). They were the last two bags, so price be damned, I scooped them up.

My beloved chia seeds, in all their glory.

At Costco, they stock chia seeds in 32-ounce bags for $9.99, but sadly here in France I had to pay €12,70 for 500 grams (17.637 ounces, thank you Google converter). As I talked to the shop owner (in French, yes!), I told him it was interesting how much cheaper chia seeds are in the U.S., and he explained that their popularity in France was just starting to pick up, so production is lower and they’re harder to find.

Nonetheless, I was elated to have found a little piece of home all the way out here in Lyon. I couldn’t contain my excitement, kept rambling as I am now and was able to walk home happily thanks to the burst of energy this great victory provided me. The moral of this long story is that it’s okay to be weirdly attached to certain foods, and that if you’re currently in the U.S. you’re too blessed to have access to chia seeds at such a reasonable price.

The end.

saturday markets, you make me swoon

The French don’t mess around when it comes to their food and their walking. In fact, I don’t believe you can have one without the other. No bread, no need to walk, no walking, you may want to consider laying off the bread. And so, we walk. Maybe that’s a bit oversimplified, but you get the gist.

Outdoor markets here in Lyon are just one of the many things that make France being France so unfair. Since being here, I’ve observed that the French shop more often, but buy only what they need for a short amount of time. The produce is almost always ripe or near ripe upon purchase.

I freakin love peaches…

Catherine (my Idahomie as I will thus call her) and I left at 9 a.m. for the market in Vieux Lyon, which is about a mile walking from our quarter near campus. Initially it was a lot to take in, and we had to do a lap through the whole stretch of vendors before we could even begin to narrow down what we wanted to buy. They have everything here, from fresh cheeses and wine to different meats butchered to order.

Note the colored cheeses on the right. And yes, I plan on trying them at some point.

To carry on my self-proclaimed obnoxious tourist syndrome, I of course had my GoPro in hand, slyly (or so I thought) taking photos as I strolled through the market. One of the vendors however, saw right through me and called after me to stopped taking photos. He was smiling, so naturally I smiled back, apologized and continued taking pictures (hardcore, I know).

No number of photos can do it justice…

After a few laps and many deep food-related thoughts, I made it out of the market with some prime produce:

• 3 peaches, which were unfortunately smushed after being jostled around all day (I still ate them, and they tasted even better)
• 2 kilos of apricots, all for the fantastic price of €2 (although how I plan on finishing them all I haven’t yet figured out)
• 5 golden delicious apples, too cheap and delicious to resist
• 1 bag of pre-chopped veggies for soup (too much effort, I seasoned and roasted them in olive oil instead)
• 1 jar organic, local honey

Casually discovered some California almonds.

The market required a lot of walking, so in order to rest and recharge for a bit, we stopped in at a pub to sit and chat over coffee, or a double espresso in my case.

I’ve taken to plain espresso and it makes me a little crazy, but I love it.

After our espresso, chez Jules was just daring me to stop in. You haven’t experienced genuine irresistibility until you’ve attempted to pass by a French boulangerie-pâtisserie. Once you’re in there you either buy something, or spend the rest of the day thinking about what a fool you are and the pastry that could’ve been. I surrendered, took the easy way out and tried my very first chocolate brioche roll. I don’t think anything can quite fill the shoes of the pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant), but this did come within spitting distance.

I swear I can smell the heavenly baked goods from here.

From there, we continued exploring different pockets of Lyon, adventures from which will be told in an upcoming post…

Six hours, nine miles and 154 pictures later, I made it back to my cozy studio, exhausted but ready to get back out there next week. Look out camera-shy vendors, I’ll be back for you.

settling in etc.

Since taking my first French class in the seventh grade, I have been dreaming about and exploring the idea of doing a study abroad trip, inspired by the tidbits of French life and culture I had insight into. Seven years later and here I am, in Lyon, France. I think it’s safe to say I’ve come a long way, at least for someone who was mistaken for being under 17 at the movies less than a month ago…

Still not over how blue the Mediterranean is. Taken on our boat tour in Marseille. All photos are my own, unless otherwise stated.

Preparing to study abroad was definitely a lengthy process. My biggest fears mostly had to do with leaving my family and comfortable home and college life, because in all honesty, I’m a wuss. Since being in college though, I have found that I grow and learn so much more when I push myself to be independent and outside of my comfort zone, so I figured I would try to see the world and improve my French all in one fell swoop.

My adventure began with a ten hour flight from SFO to Frankfurt, Germany. The plane was disturbingly cramped, definitely not what I had foreseen considering the length of the flight. I had a window seat because of course I had to get a prime view of the goings-on outside, but when I recall having to climb on top of the arm rests in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and stretch my legs, I really question whether or not this was the right decision.

I felt pretty good on the plane about how much I had packed, until I found out that the guy sitting next to me had brought just two ten-pound bags for his eight month stay in India…I’m just going to tell myself that he was unusually low-maintenance, because I’m pretty sure my toiletries alone weighed around that much.

While the flight itself was unpleasant, we were able to see the Northern Lights from the plane’s window in the middle of the night, which was a crazy and exciting experience to say the least.

A pretty underwhelming photo of Germany, but I was sort of excited about it…

First landing in Germany was pretty surreal. It was somewhat rainy but oddly sticky and warm, but I was in awe nonetheless. As we exited the plane they gave everyone a Toblerone bar, which made me feel pretty guilty I wasn’t really there to visit Frankfurt, but rather was stuck there for a six-hour layover.

View of the French Alps before landing in Marseille.

The tour was fantastic. Being in Marseille gave me the opportunity to go in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time (a hot tub compared to the icy Pacific Ocean), and get a firsthand taste of what life in France is really like. After two and a half days there, we went on to Arles for a day, and then Orange. I would say of the three Arles was definitely the most in step with my pace of life, I would’ve loved to spend more time there exploring.

One of my favorite views so far. Les Baux de Provence.

Arc de Triomphe. Orange, France.

On Tuesday, we arrived in Lyon, which is where the “study” portion of this experience takes place. The city is incredibly beautiful, and my university is located right on the banks of the Rhône river. International students are required to take written and oral placement tests to determine their language levels, so the past two days we have been doing that and just familiarizing ourselves with the city through tours and exploring what’s around us.

Right outside the gates of campus.

I’ve been (and will continue to be) an unapologetic tourist so far, and have taken my camera everywhere and been getting some awesome pictures. People in our program have actually referred to me as “GoPro girl,” which is obviously because they don’t know my name, but I’ve been called worse.

Arles, France.

Hiking at Les Calanques.

I miss my family and friends at home of course, but I’m really striving to be present and enjoy this unique opportunity to adventure and be spontaneous. The pace of life here is much more relaxed, which has definitely been an adjustment for my annoyingly impatient self. It still shocks me how long people spend out at dinner, I’ve found that people who have finished their meal when I arrive are still sitting and talking when I’m on my way out. Something to get used to for us grab-and-go types…but then again, I know I could use more patience.

Yeah, I did. Orange, France.

I finally have pictures up on my wall, and my elective courses start on Monday, so it’s really starting to sink in that I’m here. I’m so excited! I know my many avid followers will be anxiously hanging on to my every word, so as I continue to observe and adjust, I’ll do my best to record my strange and innermost thoughts.

Ciao for now ya fools!

Foreign Correspondents-Singapore

As I began digging for information on foreign coverage of Singapore, I wasn’t expecting to find much based on their government’s tight control on media. I was surprised to find that Singapore is actually part of the IAPC, or International Association of Press Clubs.

The IAPC was established in January 2002, and according to their website, some of their objectives include “broadening the services and mutual advantages between IAPC members and developing and facilitating information exchange with political, economic, social and cultural institutions,” with a focus on information exchange through the internet.

Other countries who also are members include France, the United States, Japan, Nepal, Mongolia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Part of their mission statement reads:

“The association supports the efforts of many specialist organisations working for greater free speech, open government, the protection of press workers and the maintenance of high ethical standards…And it encourages all efforts to increase public awareness around the world of the value of free and flourishing media alongside fair and open government.”

Reading this made me even more intrigued by Singapore’s membership, considering how heavily their government is involved with what information is and isn’t shared with the public, and their punishment for citizens who criticize the government.

In addition to the IAPC, there is also a Foreign Correspondents Association (FCA) of Singapore that was established in 1956, originally called the Foreign Correspondents Association of Southeast Asia.

According to their website, “the FCA seeks to be the voice of a new generation of journalists and members who are deeply interested in Singapore and the world around them. To that end, the FCA offers informative and thought-provoking programs.” They also mention their commitment to serving traditional news media.

The FCA in Singapore hosts speaking events with prominent economic and political figures, like Lee Kuan Yew and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The association aims to “facilitate access to newsmakers, events and places, while offering social gatherings during which members can greet old friends and make new ones. It is the FCA’s ability to attract a broad international membership and offer quality and diverse programs that has recently led to a significant increase in membership.”

They also include that their “current roll of some 150 represents media, diplomats, civil servants as well as the public policy, PR and marketing communities.”

These statements, while all positive and welcoming, seem to suggest that Singapore is more interested in winning people over and gaining positive coverage for the country. The articles featured on the website display foreign correspondents on cruises and touring Microsoft offices that are FCA events within the country. While interesting, they don’t seem to hold much value in terms of journalism and the spread of information.

The FCA rules also mention the prohibition of any and all political activity for members, showing that the government still maintains control.

On their government website, I discovered that Singapore has 13 foreign bureaus, including Reuters, AP, and Bloomberg News. After reading some of these outlets’ foreign coverage of Singapore, it seems that they do report fairly and openly, more so than some Singaporean outlets. Some Bloomberg articles include criticism for Singapore’s push to keep kids out of colleges due to the mismatch in education level and job types available, and the government’s shutting down of a socio-political website.

Most of the foreign coverage seems to be from journalists with ties to bigger news organizations, which is smart and likely because these organizations would be able to help them in the event that Singapore’s government dislikes something they have to say.

Singapore is definitely one of the safest places in the world with its low crime rates, so the only barrier for foreign correspondents is the government’s limitations on criticism.

Threats to journalists: Singapore

While citizens and journalists of Singapore enjoy a relatively safe life in a country with very little crime, one looming threat is the government. According to this BBC profile, the social control the government flexes on the nation is what deters crime and keeps things orderly–at the cost of peoples’ free speech and right to dissenting opinions.

Despite all the recent buzz surrounding Hong Kong’s September protests, this Committee to Protect Journalists’ article suggests that Singapore is really the place to focus when it comes to censorship. With approximately 73 percent of Singapore’s population of 5.5 million people having access to high quality internet, the government is still able to successfully maintain a good grip of control.

“They both have a privately owned press, with self-censorship being the main day-to-day form of control,” Cherian George, a media scholar and former journalist from Singapore wrote.

With the licensing methods mentioned in a recent post, the government minimizes the news’ ability to have an affect, or in some cases even reach the public. Under a 2013 amendment to the Broadcasting Act, all news outlets are required to disclose to the government the names of staff and donors, and are banned from receiving any foreign funding, as the government sites this as a potential threat “to control, or worse, manipulate out local media platforms, which are prime vehicles for influence or even subversion.”

The problem is not just the acts themselves that establish rules, but the reach that each rule has. With intentionally broad wording, the government is able to essentially redefine rules on a case-by-case basis, quickly shutting down anything deemed threatening by their suppressive standards. While the protests in Hong Kong mostly focused on conflicting interests of media owners, Singapore faces a more censored threat through licensing.

“In Singapore, licensing means that even if you find a way to insulate yourself from the government’s economic pressures, it can just ban you from publishing,” George said.

This type of requirement tied in with Singapore’s harsh punishment system creates an environment of fear and self-censorship. Whether under economic threat or physical (Singapore still canes people), the government has cleverly found ways to keep people from speaking out in the first place, which is dangerous, even if it doesn’t involve violence or death for journalists seeking to shed light on truth.

Singapore’s comparative media coverage

Despite a successful market economy and continuing expansion, all is not well in Singapore when it comes to freedom of speech and expression. According to the Human Rights Watch 2014 World Report, the Singaporean government has broad control over what can and can’t be said. In January 2013, the opposition Workers’ Party increased their numbers in parliament to eight, the highest ever. Although the People’s Action Party has always maintained a sweeping parliament majority, they continue to expand restrictions on political and civil rights.

Current conditions

Free speech is allowed to the extent that it doesn’t come into conflict with national unity or progress, as determined by the government. The Singaporean government punishes both peaceful speech and action that it deems threatening to “security, public order, morality, and racial and religious harmony” (Human Rights Watch) by strictly regulating essentially all forms of communication.

Annual licensing is required for websites that receive 50,000 views per week, or that publish news related to Singapore weekly. In addition, they pay a $39,430 (USD) bond that can be lost if they fail to remove prohibited content upon notification by the Media Development Authority (MDA). Their broad control allows them to establish what is considered inappropriate, effectively giving the government the authority to regulate what is published.

Under the Public Order Act of 2009, permits are required for gatherings that are open to the public or processions with more than two people. Acceptance and rejection of such permits are largely at the discretion of the police, and are considered on the basis of whether or not they could cause “public nuisance” or disorder. Approval must also be sought for associations larger than 10 people.

After the death of Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in March 2015, the government indefinitely banned protests and gatherings at the nation’s only free-speech park, and instead made it a place to honor Lee. The Jakarta Post article notes that while the country has advanced in several ways, free speech and assembly are continually being limited.

This June 2013 photo displays a Singaporean man protesting against licensing regulations the government enacted in 2013 against news sites. Photo: Reuters

While Singapore’s emphasis on racial and religious equality is admirable, their way of going about enforcing such policies strips their citizens of the integral right to express their thoughts and opinions freely. National unity is stressed so intensely that people lose the right to dissent or express concern over the government’s actions, which can be detrimental to a young and growing nation.

Comparative coverage

The issue of China’s progression of reclaiming disputed territory in the South China Sea has been an area of concern for several surrounding countries, but also other major nations like the United States. It’s interesting to note the comparative coverage differences among publications around the world that are reporting on this topic.

The Atlantic, a Washington, D.C. based publication, does an expansive analysis of the South China Sea conflict. In it, there is clearly a tone of concern surrounding this issue as it describes China’s actions as “sudden and aggressive.” This is understandably the Atlantic’s stance because they likely lean towards U.S. interests, which worries that China reclaiming this territory would allow them to essentially control smaller surrounding nations.

In the Filipino publication, The Standard, one article urgently calls on surrounding Asian nations to stand up to China, stating that the reclamation of the South China Sea territory would “irreparably alter the status quo and render moot diplomatic initiatives in the region,” according to Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario. The Philippines has a claim in some of the disputed territory, which explains their great concern and stance in this situation.

The Straits Times, a Singaporean publication, takes a bit of a different approach to the situation. In one of their articles, Prime Minister Lee Hsien noted that it was an issue to “keep an eye on.” While admitting that China’s actions “raise concern,” Lee is notably less urgent than U.S. and Filipino counterparts. This likely would have something to do with Singapore’s closer ties and support of and from China. The Filipino paper makes an intense call to action, while the Straits Times comments on “keeping the temperature down.”

Although they admit that it is an issue, there is a noticeable lack of urgency to stop China in the Singaporean publication. They take a more calm approach, which reflects their overall belief and emphasis on nation-building applied to the greater Asia region.