Always returning

USD 3136. That's what the Air France customer support agent we called from Italy said it would cost to change the date for our flight back to Singapore. On the website, we could book a new ticket for the same flight for USD 2400, but there wasn’t an option to update the existing booking ourselves. "We are unable to match the price shown on the website within our system, as our fares and availability might differ." What? We tried their French line, hoping customer service in the home country might work better. Same thing.

I later realized we could call the Singapore line. 30 seconds of IVR, and then a real person. The amount he quoted for the change was USD 997- expensive, but much better. Fifteen minutes later, we called back to book it since the flight was in 2 days, and didn't realize we got the same agent. We asked for the same quote again, inquired if it would be more economical to cancel & rebook, and he sensed our hesitation. Waived some fees, adjusted the booking and boom, just USD 238. Thank you, Marc!

Marc was likely not sitting in Singapore, but calling the Singapore line made all the difference.

That’s Singapore. Fast, efficient, helpful. Not particularly warm or chatty, but it works. I feel safe walking anywhere at 3AM, and the public transport is top-notch while being suspiciously cheap for a developed city. Living here is effortless in ways that are hard to fully appreciate until you leave.

"You should live somewhere you feel tall", I came across this in a book (Never can say goodbye) I was reading on the trip. While I do feel less short in Singapore than most other places (everyone else is also short), I think: You should live somewhere you look forward to returning to after a vacation. For me, that's Singapore.

The feeling starts as soon as you land. Passport-free fully-automated immigration within seconds, stunning art installations, seamless cab pick-ups. The Grab driver arrives at the exact door you're waiting at. No calls, no obligatory chit-chat, no anything.

Trees lining both sides of the road, 100 km/h, home in twenty minutes, $25. I've lived in 8 houses in Singapore so far, no matter where home is- you’ll likely cross Marina Bay Sands on the way from the airport. Always iconic. It’s a reminder that you’re back.

There's perks to living somewhere long enough. All the baristas at the cute cafe next door know I want my mocha “extra, extra hot”, I run into friends at restaurants, and I know the best spots to watch the fireworks from. The sunset from the Marina Barrage is better than the one from the Bay Sands, the Battery Road WeWork has a great bird's-eye view of the F1 track (coming weekend!), and ECP is always a good idea.

The best dosa in Singapore is the Mysore masala dosa at Bangalore cafe (even though I go to MTR more often), the free bread at D.O.C. is better than anything on their vegetarian menu, and Dearborn Granola is worth checking out even if you’re not a granola person. And then there’s the flip side: seeing some of my favorite places shut down. I still miss the vegan mango colada waffles at Well Dressed Salad Bar in Chinatown even though they shut down 5 years ago, I can't find an olive focaccia as good as the one at Rya Bakehouse, and I would have continued to go The Whole Kitchen for their Mumbai sandwich even though some of the staff were rude.

It’s not just the places that come and go- also the friends you share a table with. Sometimes they move halfway across the world. And sometimes, they move back.

Over the years, friends have fallen in love, broken up, gotten married, suffered heartbreak, and had kids. They have started new jobs, launched new businesses, hit revenue milestones, fundraised, shut down startups. Recollecting the beginnings and endings makes me realize how much living has happened here. It’s hard to separate the memory from the place. The skyline might change, favorite cafes might disappear, but Singapore- the backdrop that holds these stories, remains constant.

I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but Singapore will always be the place I look forward to coming back to. Home.