The Bollywood dance lessons were very interesting! I never knew that Bollywood dance could be so sensual. In the words of the instructor, some of us “arrived” and some of the group “did not arrive.” Unfortunately Dr. Jennings got it all on video. Hopefully it will not hit Youtube.
After the dance lessons, some of the ladies and I ventured to Tapas and Bogota sharing an assortment of dishes, drinks, and stories. Needless to say, we were all giggly on the way back to our apartment!
Today we started out with a cross-cultural interview at the “Counselling and Care Centre” with two expert therapist from Singapore (Tan Boon Huat and Juliana Toh). It was a rich discussion consisting of couples, gay, lesbian, and multicultural experiences. One stated that we should challenge our own cultural beliefs constantly to allow us to have a better understanding of who we are and what we believe in. Throughout the entire lecture it was brought to our attention that individuals are not superior to one another, we just chose different pathways. It was a very inspiring lecture.
The class and I traveled to the heart of Chinatown in Singapore to grab a bite to eat at a yummy viet vender. The spring roles, curry, and noodles were amazing…very authentic and the smells were extraordinary. Jen, Amanda, Mariam, and I decided to stay in Chinatown where Jen and I found an awesome local fish market. The day consisted of becoming immersed within Chinatown and visiting the medicine doctor, and viewing local temples.
The temples were outstanding! The first temple we went to was the Sri Mariamman. It was the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. The second temple was absolutely breath taking. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple consisted of five levels and we made it in time for the Medicine Buddha Prayer. You could feel the chanting in your chest. I cannot put into words how powerful the experience truly was.