Our First Durian

We ate our first durian here in Singapore! On our way back from dinner we stopped by a durian shop close to the hotel. Students selected their desired durian and watched as it was split open in front of them. Keeping in form, the group clapped and cheered when the durian was determined “good” (the group also did this when other customers bought their durians; the shop staff loved the group)!

Sitting around the table, the group put on their plastic gloves and dove into the durian with their hands. The smell and taste of the durian was ultimately off putting to roughly half of the group, but it's an acquired taste so I am sure we will give it another try.

Every night we wrap up the day with group reflection and discussion, so we used this as our opportunity. During reflection students remarked on the things that have surprised them so far about Singapore; including the friendly nature of the people they meet, the architecture, greenery, and cleanliness of the city, the mix and balance of multiple cultures and religions, and the variety and affordability of food.

Give a durian a try, just don’t bring it on public transportation!