Overheard at... EVOE

“Singapore is the next big expat spot.”

One of the nicest aspects of EVOE, besides the amazing food, is the shared sense of experience as you sit at the bar watching the chefs prepare your dishes. Sometimes it is simply an acknowledgement between strangers that
the plate they ordered is ‘the best yet’. But sometimes, it turns to a greater conversation, a discussion of past food experiences that leads to personal history.

In this case our neighbor at the bar was also on a date night, and as we compared notes on children we learned that they had been expats in Germany. We talked a little about this; about the gift it is to explore different cultures and environments, and they went on the give the above quote.

“Would you ever want us to move to Singapore for work?” I asked my husband. His answer was uncertain. He has spent time there and knows it can be hot and crowded. And while he likes food, he doesn’t really love Asian flavors.

Still, there is something compelling about being so close to the center of action in our world; and especially about being there with children… exposing them to a culture that is driving the future.

Our dinner neighbors and my husband also felt it would be nice to be able to afford a personal housemaid. Me personally…. not so much. I hate to clean, but would find it difficult to have someone live with me and not feel the need to take care of theminstead of letting them care for us. 

On the other hand, I wonder how much writing I could get done if I had someone else to help shop, clean, prepare meals, even pick my daughter up from school. It is, of course, a trade-off. Those little things also help me to
be a better writer. And besides… how on earth would I find my overhears without understanding what was being said around me.

So for now, I think we will continue to enjoy our gentle life here… pushing our daughter’s boundaries by bringing her back to EVOE and actually making her eat something other than the bread and butter she insisted on last time.