This I will not miss

If you have a conversation with me in the next four weeks before we leave Singapore, don't be surprised if I burst into tears. I feel like I'm just on the edge a lot of time as it hits me out of nowhere, "I'm really going to miss this!"

But here's something I won't miss: rules without logic. They abound in Singapore, and the general public is highly committed to maintaining them. Take this for example: yesterday I was at a friend's condo. She was standing in the pool to keep an eye on her 3 and 1 year olds while our older kids played. I was sitting on a ledge with my feet in the pool because I didn't bring my suit.

A man who worked for the condo came over and said, "I'm sorry miss, but you can't have your feet in the pool because you are not wearing proper swimming attire."

I stared at him for a second and then asked, "If I were wearing a swimsuit could I sit here?" and he replied, "Yes, but you're not, so you didn't take a shower, and your feet are dirty."

I was on the verge of asking him if I could sit there if I went over and washed my feet in the shower, but I knew the answer would be no. I also wanted to point out to him that if I had my swimsuit on, I would be sitting there without having taken a shower. but I looked at my friend and she gave me the head shake that says, "Don't bother, not worth it, can't fight it." So I took my feet out of the pool.

I'm not a rebellious person by nature, but times like that make me want to disobey all their rules.