On the Other Side of the Planet

She leaned over to me across the aisle as my rowmates snoozed in their seats. Her black upswept hair and beautiful traditional uniform made me very aware of my rumpled t-shirt and mussed ponytail. The Singapore Airlines flight attendant whispered through a perfectly lipsticked smile: "Would you like noodles or pasta for breakfast?"

Rubbing my eyes free from the grit that somehow accumulated over the past twenty-three hours on the Singaporean Airlines flight from JFK to Singapore, I debated the difference between the two. What to choose? Maybe they were the same thing anyhow? The terms were too vague to really be descriptive, or were they? Noodles, a more common term in Asia, probably meant a soup made with long slim noodles. Pasta was likely drier noodles in any given shape covered with sauce.

Another question following would likely be a fork or chopsticks? Tea or soda?

It was then that the idea for a blog struck me. These questions glance off the surface of what it means to be more Asian or Western. Just like saying noodles or pasta, the terms each encompass so much in an imperfect way, but they do describe certain aspects particular to each. If I could write a blog discussing the similarities and differences between my observations in Southeast Asia and my American background, maybe yall can comment.

Together we can come closer to the definition of Asian versus Western. If, of course, those are really the terms we want to use. I'll share my observations and photos from Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Hong Kong on my trip for studying international business in graduate school. Let me know what you think!

For now, know that I have landed safely in Singapore, hungry for more noodles and pasta.