Kent Otto

After leaving Thailand, we returned to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) for a few hours before we caught our flight to Rome on Kuwait Airways. Yes, I know, Kuwait Airways is an interesting choice, indeed. The ticket was ridiculously cheap and the stop in Kuwait International Airport was one to remember. We actually flew right over Iraq (we were to far to see any of Baghdad). There were several US Armed Forces aircraft carriers on the runway at the airport. It seems Kuwait is one of the few “safe-havens” left in that area of the world.

Before we left KL, we met a woman from Kuwait who was doing Christian mission work in Malaysia. She told us several stories of the “miracles” that had taken place while she preached in the northern part of Malaysia. She and her husband started a church in Kuwait and travel around the world spreading their beliefs. She spoke fondly of Americans and led us to believe that most everyone in Kuwait also held no hostility towards our people. It’s hard to tell though, because she seemed to be in a bit of a different class of people than you would typically find in Kuwait. One, because she’s Christian, and two, she had plenty of money.

We’ve spent the last few days in Rome, basking in the wonderful, pleasant weather. The humidity is lower and there actually seems to be wind. A MUCH welcomed relief from the Asia-Pacific climate.

It’s amazing how things in Europe compare to Asia. First, most everyone is white, and second, everything is much older. Asian countries are just now developing and therefore have much newer structures, but they lack any sense of historical background. Ancient Roman remains are all around here and everything has a story. The Coliseum, the Pantheon…they are all architectural marvels.

Rome’s churches are plentiful. It’s a bit of a change from having a mosque or temple on every corner. Surprisingly, only a small percentage of Rome’s citizens regularly attend services. It’s also hard to find services in English as Italian is the dominant language.

Our visit to the Vatican was fulfilling but didn’t quite give me the feeling I would have expected. Maybe that’s because I usually picture St. Peter’s square filled with people and the Pope presiding over something. Not quite what we encountered, but it was still great to see some things I’ve only otherwise seen on TV.

My favorite stop was the San Giovanni In Laterano basilica. This church is the official church of Rome and is the church the Pope serves as Bishop to. Right next to the church is an old chapel known as “Scala Santa.” It was originally built to be a private chapel for the Pope and later the steps that were allegedly crawled up by Jesus to Pontius Pilate were brought there. We got to climb the stairs with our knees and see the chapel at top. Both enriching and fulfilling…a feeling I was waiting for these past few days in the holy city.

Were concluding our stay here and will be heading to Spain tomorrow.

Our last Asian country to visit – Thailand – was a repeat for me but the trip turned out to be relatively inexpensive and I bought two custom-tailored suits for the price I’d likely pay for one at home. Considering that was one of the main reasons we even went to Thailand, consider mission accomplished.

Customs in the Bangkok (Thailand) airport was atrocious. I think we waited more than 45 minutes to get through the lines. But when we do get to the counter, things move quickly. The power of an American Passport is simply amazing. We’ve consistently enjoyed minimal waits and visa-free entries because of our American citizenship. Citizens of other countries are not always so lucky.

The weather was almost unbearable, with normal temperatures during the day surpassing 100 degrees with air so humid and polluted you could cut it up and serve it for lunch.

We managed to buy several souvenirs and just spent most of our time taking in the sights and trying our best to conserve the cash we have remaining. We did get to see the oldest temple in Thailand – the Lucky temple – which was apparently open for that one week all year (not sure if any of that is true). It was impressive, but it seems that if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.

I was sort of glad we only stayed two nights in Bangkok. Mainly because it was so hot and our hotel was far from anything of interest, but also because I’m ready to get out of Asia and move into a part of the world I haven’t seen much of.

Although it’s the most under-developed country of our trip, Vietnam welcomes Americans with arms wide open. It’s apparently part of the Vietnamese culture to forgive and move on in the midst of adversity.

Western food is plentiful and everyone accepts the US Dollar. Their currency, known as the “dong,” was definitely fun to make jokes about…but is extremely weak (it takes over 16,000 dong to equal one US dollar). Because of this, food, clothing, and almost anything else you can imagine was cheap.

Starbucks and McDonalds were no where to be seen in Hanoi but the influence the French left while they occupied the country was obvious as evidenced by the immense amount of desserts and pastries available.

Hanoi was definitely a culture shock for many of the students on the trip, and frankly, is as close to India as I’ve seen in terms of quality of life, congestion and pollution. As we rode into the city from the airport, one student who was particularly struck by the new sights, said “Everyone should have to come to a place like this at least one in their life.” It’s offered some much needed perspective for many, and is helping to accomplish the goal of study abroad programs like this.

Cars are not a common possession. Instead, it seems everyone owns a motor scooter, motorcycle, or bicycle. I’m not sure how anyone gets anywhere in this city, though. It’s pure chaos at most traffic stops – both for pedestrians and the drivers. Traffic lights are more of a suggestion than anything and weaving in and out of lanes successfully without signaling or even looking behind you must be part of the driving exam.

The most interesting part of the visit was, by far, our visit to the Hanoi prison. This prison held Vietnamese prisoners during the French occupancy, and later war prisoners during the Vietnam war. All the prisoners were shackled at the ankles and many were placed in small, dark rooms. I’m not sure a death sentence was necessary for many considering the living conditions you’d find there.

There was a full room dedicated to US pilots who had been held here, including US Senator and presidential candidate John McCain. The interesting part of the American exhibit was how it portrayed their treatment. The photos and writing insisted that Americans were treated with the utmost respect and were allowed to do things you’d never imagine in a prison (play games, etc.). I suspect this is a bit of a stretch of the truth, but they sure made extra effort to prove their point. Even John McClain’s (supposed) clothing was set out display.

It was a short stay in Vietnam, but one I thought to be ample. There wasn’t much to do besides eat and shop – which is true for most cities I suppose.

What a difference a bridge makes. Although I’ve experienced it before, the vast differences between Singapore and Malaysia are remarkable. What’s even more amazing is that Singapore was part of Malaysia at one point (connected by bridge) and has since developed much more rapidly after breaking away from Malaysia. Their claim to success? Focusing on the knowledge and skills of the people instead of natural resources (which are near to none on the island).

But then again, Singapore is just a tiny dot on the map. In fact, the country is really just one big city. It would obviously be easier to reform a smaller population and area of land. Nevertheless, Singapore’s port system is “world class” and their economy is bustling … with prices higher than what we’d find at home for many things (even after the currency conversion).

Singapore is clean, organized, and strict. The streets are near spotless, spitting and littering lead to a fine, and chewing gum is almost prohibited (you can only find it in pharmacies).

The taxi cabs are large, clean, and actually run their meters. They even have GPS and receipt printing machines. Those are things you definitely don’t find in KL. But, as the saying says, you get what you pay for.

Singapore is currently facing a workforce crisis. A business magazine I scanned at a magazine shop estimated that, in the next few years, three times more jobs would be available than there will be employees available to fill them. How does government plan to remedy the problem? Import workers. Wow, what a contrast from the problems we face at home. While we are fighting to keep people out, Singapore is begging for people to come in. But not just anyone is welcome I suspect, considering Singapore’s strict personality. They’ve also just recently set a goal of doubling their total population and removed all birth restrictions.

But to balance the amount of people, and thus congestion that arises, cars are difficult to obtain. Citizens must first purchase a certificate allowing them to own a car and then much pay heavily-taxed prices on new vehicles. The total cost of a vehicle and certificate could start at $60,000+. And we’re talking bottom-line prices here. Prices like that would certainly persuade me to rely more on public transportation…the exact goal of the government. As you can imagine, then, your car can sometimes cost more than your home.

All in all, Singapore is more than impressive. I’ve considered the idea of attending graduate school in this country but it would be a few years from now before I’d be eligible. Most of MBA programs require at least two years of work experience after undergraduate.

Too long in Singapore would cause a guy to go broke so we were all happy to return to Malaysia for a few days before our next adventure to Vietnam.