Now I Know what a Nomad is

Thanks to a very generous patron (no, not the two french guys), I was lucky enough to spend two nights at the Marriott Hotel in Singapore's main shopping district (Orchard Road). Not only did I get two nights with a King Sized Bed and HBO, but I had access to the hotel's Executive Lounge, where they have a free happy hour every night and spreads of food for breakfast, dinner, desserts, and coffee, tea, juices and sodas all day long. It was heavenly. I basically didn't leave the executive lounge for two days straight, cause I had everything I needed there, including free wireless Internet access. And it's fascinating the people you encounter in this lounge! Almost everyone up there was a middle-aged American man (with your occasional Brit and Aussie thrown in the mix), staying there on extended business; their families left at home, and they have no one to talk to...until they spot a dazzling young woman in their midst. A twenty-two year old woman writer really sticks out in that room. A starving artist in a 5 Star Hotel, hah. But you'd be amazed at how many people struck up conversations with me! I'm thinking about writing a play about this place--from inside the Executive Lounge--the conversations I heard were dramatic, the people I talked to were fascinating--contractors, pilots, etc. And you'd be surprised at how many people live at the Marriott! The one guy is staying there through December! His company is putting him up. I ate and ate and ate. I was not ashamed. I brought my classmates. We really took advantage of this place, but it was incredible for my mental/emotional health! So thank you generous patron and thank you Marriott.

But alas, all good tales must come to an end, and come 3pm on Monday afternoon, I was officially homeless. I went from living in the lap of luxury to being genuinely worried about my living situation. I have been ditched by potential roommates, screwed over by Realtors, denied apartments because of my gender, and my temporary housing has run up.

Then, on Sunday night, I saw the perfect apartment. It was in a neighborhood that has character. Probably too much character for some, but for me, it was just the kind of character I was looking for. It's in the midst of Little India, so you can be assured the food will be very cheap and very good. Despite the seemingly seedier exterior of the building, the interior of this apartment is simply spectacular. Spacious, new, and the view, oh the view. The view of the skyline, and the Singapore Flyer (London Eye Knockoff...i.e. giant Ferris wheel) was simply breathtaking: it's a writer's paradise. And the room that was available in this apartment, had shelf space-lots of shelf space--i could really see myself making this room my own. Well, I had to go through a pseudo audition process with the current tenants. Understandably, they wanted to make sure that the person they let live with them was someone they could trust and get along with. I was the first of three to see the apartment and meet with them. So it was a little nerve wracking on my part, having to play the waiting game, knowing what I could have, but also knowing that I was homeless come 3pm Monday. They said they'd let me know by Wed. (You know, "don't call us...we'll call you..." I never was one who mastered the art of auditions.)

Come Monday, I was soo sad to say goodbye to the Marriott. I didn't have the heart to tell the gentlemen in the Executive Lounge that they would not be seeing me at Happy Hour that evening. Instead, I stocked up on donuts and Pepsi's, to take on the road with me. I repacked my suitcases. (It had been time for a reorganization of my stuff: I decided I needed to pack a duffel bag, with the bare minimum of what I would need to survive for the next week, because I knew I'd be moving around a lot, while I'm still looking for a permanent place to reside.) Interestingly, the man who does the room cleaning helped me pack my suitcases. (I didn't ask him, in fact I insisted that he didn't help, but he seemed really happy helping me to do this. He literally folded my clothes and put them in the suitcases for me). Anywho, moving on.

Jump to 9pm on Monday night. I am carrying with me my duffel bag, my backpack (with my tennis racket sticking out... everyone keeps asking me if I just came from a tennis match... no, this is my life I'm carrying with me, I explain.) and the large silver hand bag that Colleen Daigel gave me for my graduation. This is everything I'm living off of until I find a home. (I left my 2 suitcases at the Marriott, in storage until further notice.) I had just left campus after a 4.5 hour screening of Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet. One of my classmates gave me a ride to a taxi cab. I hopped in the cab and said, "Take me to a hotel in Chinatown." (I chose Chinatown, cause I had researched budget hotels that were in reasonable distance to campus, and I knew Chinatown had these.) He took me to Hotel 81. A "budget" hotel chain in Singapore. This place was over my budget and under my expectations. But I had no choice. I took a room there for the night. (I had already arranged to stay with another classmate the next night, as in tonight, so I knew one night in this place couldn't be too bad.) It was not nice, it was not fun, but it was a place to sleep. I locked my door, I turned on the TV, and I went to sleep. This morning I got a call from the girls with the perfect apartment, and they said they would be happy to have me as their roommate! What a relief! Not only do I have a place to live, but I have a place that I will love and that I will be able to live in, and a room to make my own, and a view to inspire me, a place to sit and write and be inspired.

Tonight I will stay with my classmate who is native to Singapore. And tomorrow night, if all goes well, I will move in to this new apartment!