Have to keep this one short as there are a number of errands I'm trying to complete before heading to Bali later this evening. Due to a change of plans - the US friend I was hoping to meet up with in Bali, Eileen, won't be able to make the trip - I'll only be in Bali for about 24 hours instead of the week I had initially hoped for. While this is of course regrettable (and means I won't be able to do my Open Water SCUBA diving course), it means that I'll be able to get to Sydney for the National Training Camp, which is the first step in the selection process for the Australian Ultimate Frisbee National Team. I think it's the right decision, even though I do feel the inevitable regret of not being able to do both.
My time in Singapore has been productive and useful, even though I haven't done as much writing as I had originally hoped to. I've managed to meet several interesting folks at the National University of Singapore (where I'm staying with my friend Angus) and hopefully can build upon that when I come back in Jan/Feb for my official research trip. Jakarta is also in the cards for that trip, and while visiting the National Mosque of Singapore I even managed to randomly meet an Indonesian academic who seemed quite excited when I told him that my thesis concerned US Foreign Policy towards Indonesia, and even mentioned the possibility of me giving a seminar once I get there.
For a trip that has mercilessly mocked my initial plans, it's still been very interesting and productive. It's a bit crazy to think I've only been away for about 10 days total as it feels like it has been much longer. The side trip to Malaysia last week remains one of the big highlights, but having a base in Singapore has been extremely valuable as well. It's also gotten me thinking about whether I might want to call Singapore home for at least a little bit somewhere down the line...but that's another conversation for another time. Off to plan my accomodations in Bali!
