86th GWB • Bhutan • Tiong Bahru • Tale of Two Onsen
who we are Welcome to the inaugural issue of Living in Singapore – The Magazine of the American Association! I must admit, when we first discussed taking the leap of transitioning from our much-loved monthly newspaper,
Singapore
American,
to
a
bi-
monthly magazine, I was daunted. How do you take a 60-year-old publication into a new era while respecting its rich traditions and roots? It’s a delicate situation when nostalgia holds us to protecting something dear, but the need to move with the times means letting go. Painful endings, though, are often exciting new beginnings in disguise, so it was time to get excited and embrace change. In
conversations
with
members
of
our
EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Katie Baines communications@aasingapore.com Publishing Editor: Christi Novomesky generalmanager@aasingapore.com ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Creative Director: Scot Mario: info@zadesign.com ADVERTISING Advertising Manager: Thila Chandra san.ads@aasingapore.com COLUMNISTS Dee Allan, Faith A. Chanda, Alka Chandiramani, Julian A. Chua, Amanda L. Dale, John Sarkis Hamalian, Richard L. Hartung, Andy Lee and Vivienne Scott CONTRIBUTORS Palani Balakrishnan, Melindah Bush, Andrea McKenna Brankin, Asif Chowdhury, David Lee, Sean Quinn, Marc Servos, Tyler Wisler, Jennifer Yarbrough
community about what they wanted from their
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS President: Michael Borchert
new magazine, the one word that resonated was
Vice President: Bill Poorman
‘useful’; the new publication should be ‘useful’.
Treasurer: Ria Hoban
Well, you spoke, we listened and it’s with quiet
Secretary: Brian Schwender
conviction that I say, I think we’ve cracked it. What we’ve endeavored to bring you is an extension of our Living in Singapore Reference
Directors: Sammie Cheston, Blair Hall, Christin Gustafson, Jason Iafolla, Michael Johnsen Immediate Past President: Stephanie Nash AmCham Chair: Ann Yom Steel
Guide Book and, while we continue to report
The American Club President: Dana Hvide
news from our community, the stories are woven
AWA President: Mel Rice
in with articles that hone in on what’s relevant to
SACAC Chair: Greg Rutledge
you in getting the most out of this island; articles
SAS Chair: Dr. Chip Kimball
written by expats, for expats. Our dedicated team
Non-Voting Members:
of writers offers a wealth of invaluable knowledge
US Embassy: Tor Petersen
and experience about living in Singapore and
US Military: Rear Admiral Joey Tynch
I am excited to be bringing their voices to your coffee tables, not to mention truly grateful for their contributions to creating a magazine we can be proud of. As we embark on this new venture with a new General Manager, Christi Novomesky, and a new President, Michael Borchert, the future of AAS and the direction it’s going in looks bright, but what remains constant is that we are committed to keeping you connected and engaged with your Association. We hope our magazine achieves this.
Editor-in-Chief Katie Baines
AAS: Christi Novomesky PUBLISHER – AMERICAN ASSOCIATION The American Association of Singapore (AAS) is a professional, notfor-profit organization established to enhance the well-being and living experience of Americans residing in Singapore and to promote relationships, both business and social, between Americans and those from different cultures and nationalities. 15 Scotts Road, #03-02 Thong Teck Building, Singapore 228218 (+65) 6738 0371 • admin@aasingapore.com • www.aasingapore.com. Living In Singapore magazine will be, circulated 6 times per year, with a readership of 10,000+, with the purpose of enhancing the expatriate experience in Singapore.
SUBSCRIPTION
A subscription to Living in Singapore is complementary with an AAS or CRCE membership. AAS annual family membership is $120. CRCE membership is $220. To join, visit www.aasingapore.com and have Living in Singapore magazine delivered to your home. Reproduction in any manner, in English or any other language, is prohibited without written permission. Living in Singapore welcomes all contributions of volunteer time or written material. Living In Singapore is printed by Ho Printing Singapore Pte Ltd. 31, Changi South Street 1, Changi South Industrial Estate, Singapore 486769. Living In Singapore Magazine Print Permit No. MCI (P) 077/04/2019.
what’s in... 6 AAS 86th George Washington Ball
All the glitz and all the glamor from this year’s George Washington Ball, Tropicana!
6
12 Diary of a Scout The Scouts have been busy! Campouts, awards and more.
20 12 Hours in Tiong Bahru
Lose yourself for twelve hours in one of our favorite neighborhoods.
26 Bhutan
An altogether different kind of magic kingdom. Make Bhutan your next travel destination!
30 Tale of Two Onsen Two distinct experiences of one of Japan’s cultural joys.
36 Rugby 7s
12
26 20
30
cover photo: Irina Nilsson Photography
health 40 • it’s ok to fail 42 • education 43-45 • business 47 • living in images 48 2 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
my singapore: sentosa 19 • networking 22 • comfort zone 24 • food n’ drink 32 • come home to kinou 34 • get hydrated! 39
humans of the embassy 14 • small spaces 17 • living healthy 18
up close and personal with... Mel Syers, Allied Pickfords
What motivates you? I’m motivated by a great team and a positive environment. I also like to feel that I am achieving goals.
AAS has been proud to partner with Allied Pickfords since 2012. We talk to Regional Marketing Manager – Consumer Asia & Middle East, Mel Syers about why the Allied Pickfords team enjoys being involved with our community and what makes her tick. Why partner with AAS? Allied Pickfords has a long history working with AAS. In an expat environment, it’s important to have support and a social circle and so we want to connect and have a social circle. As such, we want to support the Association’s members before and during their moves, as well as attending events and continuing conversations with them. We like to partner with organizations that enhance their members’ experience of living outside of their home country and we see a lot of synergies with AAS. What does your day look like at Allied Pickfords? Aside from going through hundreds of emails, I spend my days supporting the country offices around the Asia & Middle East region; creating marketing campaigns, driving customer support and continuous improvement. I also spend a great deal of time liaising with my counterparts globally, particularly with our head office in the US.
How would your colleagues describe you? Ha! A few words come to mind; weird, loud, friendly. I think for the most part they would see me as a cohesive part of the team. And we do have our regular Friday “chair dancing” sessions to Let It Go, which acts as an odd unofficial team building exercise. What is your greatest achievement? My greatest achievement would have to be my wonderfully weird little people - Ashley and Alex. My kids make me laugh and cry and I’m so proud of everything they do. If you didn’t work in your field, what would you be doing? I love reading. It would have to be a job where I could get paid to read books all day long – with a glass of champagne in hand of course! What are your top tips for organizing a big move or relocation? Plan ahead and use a professional and accredited moving company. Also, get insurance. Relocating your precious household goods is on par, stress-wise, with a bereavement or a family breakdown. You need to make sure you are entrusting your personal effects to an experienced team.
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community calendar
American Association Sister Organizations Dates For Your Calendar… American Association of Singapore (AAS)
Singapore American School (SAS)
PAR-TEE @ The Driving Range – April 27 • 7pm-11pm
Elementary School Open House - April 20 • 9am – 11am
Quiz Night – May 16 • 7pm
Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten Open House - April 20 • 9am – 11am Elementary School Open House – May 25 • 9am – 11am
American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) 46th Annual General Meeting – April 26 • 12 – 2pm US Embassy Farewell VIP Reception – May 29 • 5:30 – 8pm American Women’s Association (AWA) Fashion Show – April 26 • 10:30am to 3pm AWA Night at The Races - May 3 • 6:30pm – 10:30pm AWA AGM – May 7 • 11:30am to 2pm Scouts Troop 07 East Coast Campout – 12-14 April Troop 10/Pack 3010 Pinewood Derby – April 27 Troop 07 Pulau Ubin Campout - May 4-5 Pack 3017 Pinewood Derby (day) – May 11 Girl Scouts Leader Daughter – May 11 Troop 07 Court of Honor – May 17 Troop 10/Pack 3010 Blue and Gold Graduation – May 25 Pack 3017 Blue and Gold Graduation – May 25
Kindergarten Chinese Immersion Open Day – May 25 • 9am – 11am Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten Open House - May 25 • 9am – 11am SAS Graduation – May 31 • 4:30pm The American Club (TAC) Easter Egg Contest • April 8-21 Eggciting Easter Eggsploration – April 14 • 9 – 10:30am Easter Brunch – April 21, Various seatings • 10am-2:30pm Mother’s Day Brunch – May 12, Various seatings • 10:30am – 3pm Important Dates for April and May Tax Day April 15 Good Friday (Public Holiday)
April 19
Easter Sunday April 21 Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work
April 25
Mother’s Day May 12 Vesak Day (Public Holiday)
May 19
Memorial Day May 27
American Association Sister Organizations Directory AAS www.aasingapore.com +65 6738 0371 AmCham www.amcham.org.sg +65 6597 5730
Scouts Boy Scouts Troop 07: www.bsatroop07.org Boy Scouts Troop 10: www.facebook.com/BSATroopX Cub Scouts Pack 3010: www.sgpack3010.org Cub Scouts Pack 3017: SGPack3017@gmail.com USA Girl Scouts: www.singaporeusagirlscouts.org
American Dragons www.facebook.com/AmericanDragonsSingapore americandragons.sg
TAC www.amclub.org.sg +65 6737 3411
AWA www.awasingapore.org +65 6734 4895
US Embassy sg.usembassy.gov +65 6476 9100
SAS www.sas.edu.sg +65 6363 3403
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notable events
member benefits
PAR-TEE @ The Driving Range with AAS
Toptracer Range Golf at Laguna National On Saturday, April 27 AAS is teaming up with Laguna National for an evening of golf at their Toptracer Range Golf facility. Owned by Topgolf® US, Toptracer is designed to bring a fun and engaging activity to both golfers and non-golfers by simulating video game-like features that take the driving range experience to the next level. Bring your friends and get some healthy rivalry going between teammates and other teams to win prizes! Laguna National, Singapore, April 27, 7pm – 11pm
AmCham AGM
The event will be graced by Her Excellency Mdm. Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore. President Halimah will deliver a short keynote address followed by recognizing AmCham’s member companies for their CSR excellence in the AmCham CARES awards ceremony. The AGM business agenda will commence after lunch and will include the annual state-of-AmCham address and announcement of the newly elected AmCham board of governors. The St. Regis Singapore, April 26, 12pm-2pm
US Embassy Farewell VIP Reception
Bid farewell to Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Stephanie SyptakRamnath and the leadership team of the US Embassy to Singapore and express thanks for their tremendous partnership with AmCham. The VIP reception will include several US Embassy staff, AmCham’s Board of Governors, key business leaders, and other significant American organizations in Singapore. Cool Cats Bar, The NCO Club, May 29, 5:30 – 8pm
AWA Night at the Races
The AWA Spring Event changes on a regular basis to keep things interesting and exciting for our members! In 2015 AWA celebrated the 10th anniversary of our International Woman of the Year Awards at the Tanglin Club. In 2016, they lined up a special evening of food and wines from E. Guigal at the Tanglin Club. In 2017 & 2018 they held “A Night at the Races,” a very special horse racing experience under lights. Join them for this year’s event! Singapore Turf Club, May 3, 6:30pm – 10:30pm
AWA Fashion Show
In April each year, AWA members from all walks of life model clothing from local and international designers specially selected for members. In addition to seeing a great show, finding out about stores and designers you might not be aware of, enjoying plenty of bubbles and great food, there are also amazing shopping opportunities to be had on the day. The PARKROYAL Hotel, Beach Road, April 26, 10:30am to 3:00pm
California Pizza Kitchen
First opened in Beverly Hills in 1985, CPK offers handtossed pizzas, seasonally-inspired ingredients, handshaken cocktails and a slice of the California state of mind. 15% discount for a la carte menu for dine-in only. Through June 30, 2019. T &C applies.
Drinks & Co.
Laid back, casual dining and wine bar in Holland Village. A great place to meet friends and enjoy a fantastic range of beer, wines and spirits, pizzas, signature platters, tapas and grill dishes. AAS members receive a 20% discount on all food items. The offer is valid only at Holland Village outlet, through June 30 2019. Please call 9619 4568 for reservations as it can get busy especially on Tuesdays to Fridays.
Lawry’s
Since 1938 in Los Angeles and since 1999 in Singapore, Lawry’s is a benchmark of fine dining. AAS members enjoy a 15% discount for a la carte menu for dine-in only. T & C applies.
Outback
An Australian-inspired steakhouse restaurant beloved worldwide. AAS members receive a 20% discount for dine-in. Through June 30, 2019. T & C applies.
Telunas
This gorgeous, tropical vacation destination is just a ferry ride away! With a minimum 3-night stay at Telunas Private Island, AAS members receive a complementary 90-minute body massage for one person. Through June 30 2019. During April you are invited to visit and enjoy a 4TH NIGHT FREE. T & C applies.
Hedger’s Carpet Gallery
10% off professional carpet cleaning and restoration services. Free high quality underlayment with every purchase at our store (while stocks last). Through May 31 2019. T & C applies.
Drukair -Royal Bhutan Airlines
AAS member is entitled to S$100.00 discount per person for every Bhutan package. AAS members are also, entitled to 20% discount for any Bhutanese product purchase from Bhutan Natural. Promotional period: April 1 to 31 May 2019. Travel period Sept 29 2019.
Easter Brunch The American Club
Have an egg-stra special Easter with themed brunches and takeaway menus! Start your Easter Sunday on an egg-cellent note with an indulgent brunch at The 2nd Floor or The Galbraith Ballroom, or choose from the takeaway menu and enjoy a decadent spread in the comfort of your home. The 2nd Floor, April 21, 11:30am – 2:30pm The Galbraith Ballroom, April 21, 1st Seating: 10am – 12pm 2nd Seating: 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Hairdreams Couture Salon
Mother’s Day offer to AAS members. 20% discount on all services. Through May 31 2019 Tel: 6589 8792. T & C applies.
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6 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
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VIP RECEPTION SPONSOR
PHOTOBOOTH SPONSOR
CORPORATE TABLE SPONSORS
BEVERAGE SPONSORS
LOGISTICS PARTNER
FLORAL SPONSORS
Thank you to the following companies and individuals for their generous contributions: A.N.K Jewellery
LA Comedy Live
Alpana Ahuja
Laguna National Golf & Country Club
Anyone For Tennis ARTitude Galeria Asia-Traders A-Star-Education Holdings Baker & Cook Banyan Tree Lang Co, Vietnam Bliing Brass Lion Distillery Dan Takeda Flower & Design Delta Air Lines DeRocks Drinks & Co. Kitchen - Holland Village
LAMC Productions Laurent-Perrier Champagne Longchamp Singapore Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chip House Manjrie MARTHA WHO Mendis Aesthetics & Surgery Merry Lion Comedy Café & Bar Montigo Resorts, Nongsa Montigo Resorts, Seminyak Onelowo PengWine
Drukair - Royal Bhutan Airlines
Praveen Lingamneni
Estheclinic
Telunas Resorts
Faith Bo Collection
Tempat Senang Resort & Spa
Farmer’s Market
The American Club
Flower Diamond Boutique
The Shanti Residence Nusa Dua, Bali
GOLFTEC Singapore Hacienda Blue Hedger’s Carpet Gallery Ishka JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach
Tower Club & Laurent-Perrier Champagne Tyler Wisler Home VGB Designs W Singapore – Sentosa Cove
L Hotels & Resorts Seminyak, Bali
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE GWB 2019 COMMITTEE CHAIR: Valerie Brandt AAS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE: Blair Hall COMMITTEE: Paulina Böhm, Willow Brest, Dana Cheong, Mary Kuo, Garima Lalwani, Chris Milliken, Kathleen Moroney, Christi Novomesky, Joanna Whitley
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t u o c S a f o y r a i D By Sean
inn
ichiko Qu M y B s o t o h Quinn P
f eekend o On the w e th 6 and 27, January 2 ad h 7 0 p Troo Scouts of out al camp its annu ck Scouts Pa with Cub ce h took pla 3017, whic out rimbun Sc at the Sa ern northwest Camp in f 20 . A total o Singapore ng ended alo Scouts att ub r 100 C with ove ing d support Scouts an adults. s core , on variou e camp ts th u o c g S rin b u D e Cu -starting our training th ching, fire ticed it c ile p h ra t w p n s te ill we nging, site, hing sk the camp n be challe and teac a p c u ip ts h g u rs o in e c tt d lea ce. This Cub S ing; se g experien ching the ills, includ a in sk it Te . xc g ts e n o ti d u n Sco fun a tying kn Arrow of made it a p with the tches and e a m w a m n c t o u e ti o n th h wit couts. bined their atte become S o se we com r to keep h u e a w c rd ts e o u b o l in so neering ub Sc specia for older C ing and pio ven more n sh e o s la ti a a e w u p r d ro a ye ooden their h is gra than 45 w ony, whic outs tested re c m o S re e m e th g C , n t y ti h n Lig mo nnec this free quired co for the cere to pull off re re rk a is o p Th w re r. m p e a w To t to ous te b Scouts a nine-foo ebolos Cu d tremend W n ild u a e b s in g n to in e s sh th skill for 90 la the other bridge to s a platform more than a a r h d it e e v w rv o s se ss le r po d taking towe nd cro endent an ampfire a llenge. The p c a e e h d c th in n to g re si in o de ing m n arrow p, becom p, shoot a growing u ts to climb u u o c e of rites S e d passag lizing th e o b m t. e m u o th sy c , n S e a sid d words meric es as a nd chante sponsibiliti a native-A a re is s re y rm o n o e o if m n m n o ere sed u llowing th of Light C theme-ba uated. Fo in d p ra u g te d ts a The Arrow e u nd Sco dress yful skits a nine Cub the Scouts ucted pla ement as d in which g n o ra c u o s, c g n e son and e g campfir of wisdom n among couts san S e th ollaboratio , c y t. n h d o n ig a n m e re rk e o th c amw g for mple of te efore retirin great exa s’mores b a s a w p is cam munity. Overall, th and US, China uting com o c S n a lived in the ric s e ha m e A H e . th SA olorado, U rn in C ers. and was bo aching oth outing is te 13 years old Sc is f o nn ts ui ar Q Sean favorite p One of his Singapore.
From top: Building the campfire; Scouts building a tower; Arrow of Light Ceremony
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USA Girl Scouts Have Been Incredibly Busy! By Jennifer Yarbrough
! n u b m i r a S n i Having Fun
Our youngest Girl Scouts had a full day of Day Camp in February! Under the Explore Your World theme, the girls had an amazing adventure learning about the world around them, all while playing games and making some really cute crafts. Girls in Junior Troops 18 and 82 earned their Bronze Award – one of the three highest awards in Girl Scouting – by putting in 20 hours each towards creating camp, which included a lot of work prior to the big day designing the patches and shirts, organizing goodie bags, as well as running a game and craft at camp itself. Several Cadettes earned their Leaders in Action badges by working with the younger girls all day, also running a craft and games and teaching why we need trees. To cap it all off, we had a sing-along around a campfire and the youngest girls got their first taste of a favorite Girl Scout tradition: s’mores!
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From top: Time for s’mores; Crafting fun; toasting marshmallows; Girls get their Bronze Awatd
The leaders have also been busy. In January, six women took a service trip to Baguio City in the Philippines, staying in the Ating Tahanan, the house of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines. The ladies served a meal and then distributed donated toys and school supplies, aiding typhoon victims in the community. Teaming up with local organizations, such as One Will Drive and JCI Baguio City, the leaders made new friends with local people, learned more about the community and how to help those in need. And yes, they saved time for fun - lots of fun! The trip was an incredible bonding experience for those who went. The hope is to take a group of older girls on a similar service trip next year. All this on top of the amazing things the individual troops are doing on their own, such as camping on Pulau Ubin, participating in the St. Patrick’s Day parade and attending our twonight Overnight Camp, planned and run by our oldest girls. Girl Scouts really is leadership training disguised as fun! Sound fun? Want to be a Girl Scout? You’re in luck! Registration for next year opens May 1. Just visit singaporeusagirlscouts.org Photos courtesy of Jennifer Yarbrough
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humans of the embassy
Palani Balakrishnan, Regional Security Office Singapore has changed a lot in my lifetime. When I was growing up, my family lived in a kampong where Raffles Town Club now stands. It was not an easy life. Fifty families shared an outhouse with no flush toilet. Our house flooded during the heavy rains because of the poor drainage system. Some houses burned. I was 18 when we moved to an HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio. The change was very nice. I got a job as a security officer at the US Embassy in 2003 after 10 years with Singapore Police Force and a few years of working with my brother. I’ve been lucky to have bosses who encourage me to keep learning new skills. I now oversee the local guard force for the Embassy and have trained in many different aspects of security – surveillance detection, investigation, driving an armored vehicle, being a body guard and responding to a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attack. When an opportunity to learn something new presents itself, I take it. I take pride in doing my job well and it makes me happy when someone recognizes it. In 2013, US Vice President Joe Biden visited Singapore and the head of his security detail took me under his wing. He taught me how to manage a large motorcade and, after the delegation left, he sent a note to my boss praising my performance. That gave me satisfaction, I have to say. I am happy to come to work every day. I like my colleagues and I talk with everyone at the Embassy, from the cleaners up to the Ambassador. There is no gap between us - we are all people, just doing our jobs. My main worry in life now is to make sure that my three sons do okay in life. My oldest is a navigation officer in the Navy and the middle one is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the Singapore Armed Forces. The youngest one is still finding his path. It worries me sometimes, but then again, I was doing the same at his age.
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small spaces Small is Beautiful By Tyler Wisler Designing a space that is a bit demurer in square footage can be daunting for many. Even seasoned designers may need an extra moment to strategize the game plan because we frankly just don’t have the room for mistakes. So, if you are tackling a small space and need some advice, I’m here for you.
3. Super cliché, but mirrors do double the size of anything! I am a huge believer of the mirror movement! Now, in a small space though, you want those mirrors to be BIG! The desired effect is that your eye focuses in on the reflection, so this is one of those times when bigger is better!
Here are my five tips that may help you transform that modest abode into your perfect jewel box! 1. Keep the color palette to a minimum. When we have an environment where we want to visually expand the space, it’s best to let the eye keep moving. When we offer up a multitude of colors it breaks things up, it makes things visually busy, in a sense, which is not what we need. Instead try to stick to lighter neutrals. They offer the most flexibility to move seamlessly between rooms without feeling like the space is being chopped up. 2. Choose furniture that is on legs. This is a simple way to expose more of the floor and keep things light. Big pillowy, chunky pieces will read heavy and seem disproportionate to their surroundings.
Photo Credit: Photographee.eu
4. Closed storage is key. When things are behind doors, or in drawers, there is less visual clutter. Now, that is not to say you can’t put out all that beautiful mid-century pottery you’ve scoured for on Ebay into the wee hours. Display them, but only give real estate to the ones that mean the most to you and put the rest away. The best of the best! If you feel like they all need a little love then rotate them like a gallery! Bring new items out and retire some for the moment. Collections are great and many of us have a passion for something, but edit them down and remember to always group in odd numbers. I would also say that you really shouldn’t exceed a grouping of more than seven items unless you’re a retail store. I usually prefer a cluster of three or five.
Photo credit: Photographee.eu
You can also choose a few pieces that are transparent! Using a glass table or Lucite chair can work wonders as well because you literally have a functional piece of furniture that is merely a silhouette of itself in the room.
Tyler Wisler is an international, influential and sought after designer. He currently stars as a judge and mentor on Asia’s biggest design competition show, Sony Channel Asia’s “The Apartment” where he is known for tough love and sound, practical advice. His work has been seen in Architectural Digest, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Elle Décor and Better Homes and Gardens.
Photo credit: svl861
5. Drama! With a smaller space, you can create magic! So have fun with the selection of furniture and accessories you put in there, but make them showstoppers! Since you are limited in square footage, you are limited in the pieces you curate to put in your home. Make sure you absolutely love what you are including… And, insider secret, there are no rules to design, so if none of what I said has relevance on you, rock on! You do you, because it’s YOUR space. Just have confidence in what you create! Happy Designing!
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living healthy in singapore By Faith Chanda Recently, my husband experienced some alarming symptoms that we thought might have signaled a minor heart attack. After appointments with several doctors, some uncomfortable tests and a scary few days, his cardiologist was satisfied it wasn’t a heart attack but sternly recommended a much healthier lifestyle… for both of us. Fatty, high-cholesterol foods were out, vegetables and plenty of exercise were in, which meant cutting down on red meat and starting a daily walk. Suddenly the struggle was real and we needed some help.
HEALTHY Diet Our meal planning was going to need a major makeover. While Singapore may tout high-end restaurants and lavish brunches, it is also possible to eat out here at local hawker markets with a huge variety of choice, albeit loaded with fat and salt, for very little. With busy lifestyles and imported supermarket produce coming at a premium, it’s easy to fall into the trap of opting for this over meals prepared at home. Personal trainer and nutrition coach Michelle Lavergne advises, “Nutrition is possibly the easiest to understand, but the hardest to implement. Old habits can be hard to break and nutritional habits can be exceptionally difficult to change.” So, what we needed to do is build new mealtime habits. I sent out a distress call (text message) to our friends and family asking for healthy recipes for our family dinners and was rewarded with a great selection of website and cookbook suggestions. Singapore offers many a service that will deliver a variety of freshly grown fruit and vegetables to your doorstep to kickstart your healthy menu planning. Companies such as Avo & Co., SuperNature, Zenxin AgriOrganic, and Quan Fa Organic Farm all have subscription services in Singapore that will deliver a selection of fresh vegetables to your doorstep.
HEALTHY Body Just like food habits, exercise is another difficult pattern to change. Our daily walk gets longer and faster as time goes on. But we know it’s not enough. Lavergne suggests some low-level weight lifting is the way to go. “Endless cardio isn’t doing you as many favors as you expect, and it’s actually been shown to have a smaller impact on weight loss than previously thought. One of the keys to weight loss is lean muscle mass, and strength training, not cardio, is the best way to increase those lean muscles. So, get lifting!” Another tip is to find your fitness ‘tribe.’ It can be really helpful to have a group to exercise with to encourage and challenge one another. Jaye Puia is Health and Wellness Coordinator at Stamford American International School. “I run bootcamp sessions for parents five times a week
and have noticed that creating a ‘fitness community’ helps people to feel connected.” As a result, they are more committed to their workouts and the friendships they’ve built with fellow parents are an added bonus.
HEALTHY Mind Perhaps the most important piece that ties it all together is mental and emotional health. Corporate CEO, Aikido martial artist and trainee Pilates instructor, Sharan Pinto, is no stranger to stress. Sharan says “fitness and a good exercise routine help manage my day-to-day stress, alleviate anxiety and clear my mind so I can make the tough decisions my job requires. Exercising increases energy levels during the day and encourages good sleep at night, both of which are critical in this increasingly stressful world.” Early on, my husband and I discovered that we have very different mental approaches to our fitness journey. He likes to go ‘cold turkey’ and cut out bad choices and influences right away. On the other hand, I need time to get used to the idea of change… any change, but especially big change. And while we walk together every morning now, his pace is faster than mine, so we soon end up on different parts of the path at the same time. So this is our metaphor for our journey to better health – we’re both doing it, but in different ways and at different paces. In the end, we’ll both be better for it and grateful to be Living HEALTHY in Singapore.
Faith’s Finds for Living HEALTHY in Singapore Healthy recipes • www.epicurious.com/special-consideration/healthy • www.eatingwell.com • The Healthy Kitchen: Recipes for a Better Body, Life and Spirit by Andrew Weil, MD and Rosie Daley • Cook Love Eat with Sarab: Creative Recipes from the Global Vegetarian Kitchen by Sarab Kapoor Vegetable subscription services • Avo & Co. - www.avoandco.com • SuperNature - www.supernature.com.sg • Zenxin AgriOrganic - organicdelivery.sg • Quan Fa Organic Farm - quanfaorganic.com.sg Favorite walking spots • From Gardens by the Bay East, along Kallang River across pedestrian bridge at SportsHub • Fort Canning park loop • Botanical Gardens
Faith Chanda arrived in Singapore expecting a two-year stint before returning to the comforts of “home”. Four years later and counting, it’s Singapore that feels like home thanks to the ease and efficiency of life on the Little Red Dot. As a freelance copywriter and chapter author for Living In Singapore Reference Guide 14th and 15th editions, she cherishes the chance to share the thrilling discoveries, rich experiences and marvelous adventures Living in Singapore offers.
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my singapore: sentosa By Marc Servos
Think of the island of Sentosa and it’s likely that you’ll conjure up images of theme-park rides, lavish hotels and breezy restaurants and cafés; a place to decamp for the weekend. Scratch beneath the surface of the island’s history and its former name of Pulau Blakang Mati, or ‘island behind death’ before it was renamed in 1970, rings truer to its previous incarnation. From pirates as far back as the 14th century plundering, looting and killing the inhabitants, to the Japanese occupation during the Second World War, Sentosa’s bloody history is rooted in being a frontier town and fortification. Reminders of its military history remain not only with Fort Siloso, one of Sentosa’s historical attractions, but with the remnants of others also remain on Sentosa, as well as Labrador Park across the water, some of which can still be explored today. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, piracy was rife and lucrative. Spice was then what oil is today and its traders ruled the Straits of Malacca. Plans to protect Singapore’s harbor were drawn up in 1827 by former soldier James Brooke, the ‘White Rajah of Sarawak’, to finally combat the threat and military installations were established on mainland Singapore as quickly as 1829. The first two fortifications in the immediate harbor area were Fort Teregah on Pulau Brani in the early 1860s, where a coaling station and a tin smelting pot were established, and Fort Faber, built in response to the 1857 Sepoy Rebellion in India against the rule of the British East India Company. However, it became apparent that a greater need to protect this vital spot was recognized by the late 1870s and so construction installations began on the mostly uninhabited Blakang Mati and on Fort Pasir Panjang across the western strait to be twinned with Fort Siloso. Siloso houses a wealth of World War II memorabilia, including its coastal guns and the remaining fortified military structures and tunnels. The fort is open daily, free of charge to visit and can either be visited via the Fort Siloso Skywalk, an 11 story treetop trail, or the Heritage or Gun Trails. Located near Fort Siloso to protect the western entrance of the harbor was Mount Imbiah Battery, which served as a command post screening merchant ships before they entered the harbor. It was broken up in the 1930s, shortly before World War II, but the gun emplacement of the battery can still be seen on the Mount Imbiah Trail, next to a bird watching tower and the Megazip. Further inland were Fort Serapong and Fort Connaught.
Today, only remnants of Fort Serapong remain as it was destroyed to prevent the advancing Japanese forces from gaining control of its powerful guns; the route to it is officially off limits as the structure is declared unsafe and authorized access is only through guided tours. Fort Connaught’s location was where the eastern end of Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanglin Course is today, across Cove Drive from One 15 Marina Sentosa Cove. Although there is no trace of the fort, post-war aerial photographs show its three guns still facing in the general direction of the Japanese line of advance. Further east around Serapong Golf Course and adjacent to Serapong Lake was an Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) battery that was in operation from the 1890s right up until 1956. Prior to land reclamation, it was situated in the then-separate small island of Berhala Reping and connected to Blakang Mati by a concrete railway bridge for ammunition trolleys from Serapong Pier. The military structures remain largely intact, but are covered with overgrowth as a small jungle has taken over this location. Today, one can also see former military structures other than the coastal artillery installations. Two colorful machinegun pillboxes are at Palawan Beach and at Labrador Park, while some larger structures have been converted into functional facilities. For example, The Blakang Mati Artillery Barracks, built in 1904 and also used as a prisoner of war encampment during the Occupation, was transformed in 2005 to become the offices of Sentosa’s Tourism Agency, and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and Images of Singapore are housed in what was a military hospital, known as the “sick quarters”, from 1893 until 1950.
Marc is married to a Singaporean, Sherley, has children ages 17 and 9, and has been residing here locally for a number of years. A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, he is a graduate from Indiana University. His US Army experience includes being stationed in Germany during the mid-1980s while enlisted and later an officer in the Indiana Army National Guard. In addition to writing for the American Association, he also has contributed to the Canada-based History Magazine.
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Eggs Benedict at Drips Café; Lunch at Tiong Bahru Market
With its blend of traditional shophouses and trendy cafes, Tiong Bahru is high on the must-visit lists of tourists and locals alike for its Instagrammable dishes, boutique shops and buildingside murals. But the enclave is also a microcosm of Singapore history, particularly the last century. Tiong Bahru became hip and trendy just after World War II, though lost its exclusivity in the 1950s, when new housing blocks were built. Over the years, the area has been home to various of waves of residents: British civil servants, the Peranakans and Chinese, the mistresses of the wealthy and now a blend of locals, celebrities and expats. Each demographic has left its own impact, adding diverse layers that have transformed Tiong Bahru into something truly unique.
12Hours in Tiong Bahru
By Laura Schwartz
7am – 8am
Wake up with the neighborhood with an hourlong yoga class at Yoga Movement’s cozy studio. Their Basics class is a peaceful way to kick off the day, but there are also more intense classes, such as Power, Core or HIIT yoga for those looking for a real workout.
8am – 9am
After all that stretching and balancing, an indulgent breakfast is due. The famous Tiong Bahru Bakery is ideal for both sweet and savory dishes, but it can get quite crowded at peak hours. Fortunately, it’s not the only breakfast spot in town. Other eateries known for tasty baked goods and high-quality coffee include Caffe Pralet, the entirely gluten-free TIANN’S and Drips Bakery & Café.
‘Tiong Bahru’s art deco apartments’
“Pasar & the Fortune Teller”. Mural by Yip Yew Chong
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Coffee at 40 Hands’
9am – 12pm
Thanks to the area’s lack of uniformity, vibrant murals and hidden gems, it’s a joy to explore on foot. And not just for architecture buffs. With its coconut-laden palm trees and community-focused ambiance, the neighborhood is a prime glimpse into the life of an average Singaporean. Tiong Bahru is the oldest public housing estate in Singapore and, as a typical flat of the 1920s/30s, it was designed to resemble transportation from that era (trains, propeller planes, cruise ships). Not too far away is the country’s oldest Thai Buddhist temple, Wat Ananda Metyarama, which had its centenary last year and is well worth visiting for the unique perspective it offers. Less visible to the casual observer is the gothic element to Tiong Bahru’s history. First mentioned in an 1868 newspaper, the area’s name is derived from the Hokkien tiong, meaning to die or in the end and the Malay bahru, meaning new, due to the cemeteries in the area. All graves were exhumed 1930; however, the resting place of Tan Tock Seng remains. One of the pioneers of modern Singapore, you might know him from the hospital that bears his name.
12pm – 2pm
Tiong Bahru has been described as a haven for foodies and it’s easy to see why. The food scene is not only lively, but reflects how cosmopolitan Singapore is, as all manner of cuisines at all manner of prices can be found along these little streets. The lynchpin of the neighborhood is the Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, which was completed and opened in 2006, the most recent iteration of the popular wet market which dates back to 1951, when it was known as the Seng Poh Road Market. Lunch is the best time to try Singapore’s famous hawker food, as it’s when most stalls do most of their business. In addition to the second floor of the Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, superb local dishes can be found at Ah Chiang’s Porridge, House of Peranakan Petit, Por Kee Eating House and Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh.
2pm – 3pm
Escape the heat of the day by hitting the shops. Boutiques, such as Maissone Home and nana & bird, offer lovely, curated collections of home décor and women’s fashion respectively.
The gallery ArtBlue Studio features contemporary Vietnamese artwork and is always worth pottering around. If you really want to treat yourself (or a special someone), head to Madly Gems, whose bespoke jewelry has been spotlighted by The New York Times, Singapore Tatler and more. Another option is to decompress with self-care treatments. Two standout destinations are the Neat Salon & Bar, which allows you to indulge in delicious cocktails while being pampered and the classy men’s barbers We Need a Hero. Tiny hair and nail salons can also be found tucked into the alleys.
3pm – 4pm
Now that you’ve spruced and shopped, it’s the perfect time to relax with an afternoon coffee. Australian-style coffeeshop 40 Hands has been a mainstay in Tiong Bahru for a decade and prioritizes serving exquisite specialty brews. Also hard to resist is Creamier Handcrafted, with its homemade ice cream in local flavors like Sea Salt Gula Melaka plus timeless favorites like chocolate. Add in their delicious coffee and you have a sweet, chilled pick-me-up to keep you peppy.
4pm – 6pm
BooksActually is at the heart of Singapore’s literary scene and offers an excellent gateway into the nation’s experiences, emotions and dialogue. In addition to publishing and highlighting Singaporean titles, the adorable bookshop also hosts an array of readings, book launches and panel discussions with authors. Check out their Facebook page for upcoming events to enrich your afternoon and wind down your day in Tiong Bahru.
6pm – 7pm
Since lunch was cheap and cheerful hawker food, you can make dinner a fancier affair. As before, there’s no shortage of options, from Italian bistro Chapter 55, to the très chic Merci Marcel, to the modern gluten-free fare of The Butcher’s Wife, to cutting edge Japanese delicacies at Ikyu, to hearty Indian food and cold beer at The Tiong Bahru Club Singapura. Your stomach’s the limit in this neighborhood. Photography By Katie Baines
Laura Schwartz (née O’Gorman) grew up in Tokyo, Singapore and New Jersey before majoring in Japanese Studies at Bard College, upper New York. Her fiction and non-fiction writing has appeared in The Shanghai Review, Thoughtful Dog Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. A voracious traveler, Laura has visited over 30 countries.
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networking The Spohisticated Networker How to Network like a pro to land your next job By Dee Allan Did you know that many animal groups have acquaintances and, like humans, some species can actually form true friendships. Intelligent animal species such as monkeys, horses and elephants have shown they can live within complex structures and form bonded social groups and stable ‘relationships’ across species. They seek out connections. Having each other’s back is key to survival in today’s modern world, as it is in the animal kingdom too. Wolves pack together; bees swarm; birds flock. This ‘togetherness’ maintains a stable ecosystem. We can learn a lot from the animal kingdom, which teach us that working together, setting aside differences and connecting with a common purpose is an incredible skill to master. Animals and Networking So what has this got to do with networking where humans are concerned? Well, in short, wildlife populations teach us that the entire ecosystem thrives when populations play off one another. Or, put another way, the balance of giving and receiving defines the ultimate ‘value’ of someone’s network. Singapore presents an ideal environment to create a valuable personal network, due to the following: • It’s a tiny island, you are never too far away from locating your target contact • There is a thriving networking scene full of exciting events and meetups • We have an entrepreneurial hotbed of startups as well as corporate headquarters located on our tiny Red Dot • The cultural diversity here promotes networking. People are generally open to meeting new friends and acquaintances With the above major positives in mind, creating meaningful networks should be part of everyone’s daily lives. Networking and Brushing Teeth If you really want to create a valuable network where you give or receive assistance at some level, then networking needs to become a daily activity. Whether you realize it or not, you have been networking all your life. As a child you networked in the playground, at school and when you pursued a hobby. Kids are amongst the best networkers around. We can really learn from them when it comes to making connections with ease. Despite us all knowingly or unknowingly networking, there are some distinct strategies that can help you network with sophistication and purpose.
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So powerful is networking, that you can network your way into your next dream job and completely by-pass job-boards, agents and rejection letters. A well-networked individual connects with others whenever an opportunity arises. At the school gates, in the supermarket line, at the bank, at social gatherings, play dates, gym classes and so on and so forth. In the end, these individuals become ‘valuable’ as they connect others and, over time, become influencers within their circles. Start to think of networking as important as anything else that forms part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth, and you will be well on your way to becoming a valuable connector and/or influencer in your own right. Networking Your Way to Your Dream Job Sophisticated networking occurs when you purposefully position yourself within environments where you can rub shoulders with the people you wish to target. Here, pro-networkers seek out events, workshops, networking breakfasts, lunches, dinners, seminars and conferences to source individuals who can help ‘move the needle’ towards the intended direction. For example, if you were a marketing professional, you may seek out marketing events and target the speakerlineup who often tend to be decision-makers, influencers and connectors themselves. These sorts of people may prove to be extremely powerful connections in helping to make further introductions for you. Give and Take When I embark on purposeful networking (networking to fulfill a particular objective; for example, meeting new clients), it’s prudent to adopt a ‘give’ mindset first and foremost. This means looking for opportunities to add value to the connection before requesting any help. Asking for a favor when you don’t know someone is not always conducive to building a strong network. So, where possible, look to offer help in the form of advice, thoughts, articles, share events, make introductions, or volunteer before asking for anything that would benefit you. Coffee Meetings Singapore’s coffee scene is thriving. So many networking meetings and business opportunities are discussed over the aroma of roasted coffee beans. You should look to personalize and deepen your relationships with contacts over coffee, drinks or lunch where possible. These meetings give you uninterrupted time to get to know your contact, see how or where you can add value for them and, if appropriate, request their help too.
A quick step-by-step guide to networking Networking can be daunting for some. Having a process or blueprint and repeating the steps over and over, will make networking easier. • Decide what your objective is (job hunting, making friends, finding a volunteering opportunity, etc.) • Research relevant events where you can meet your desired connections • Use LinkedIn to find the relevant contact names and titles of those attending the event. Connect, like articles, post comments and send introduction messages where appropriate • At the events, approach contacts and introduce yourself with your business card. Remember to ask them for their contact/business card too • Connect with other individuals you meet on LinkedIn/Whatsapp and send a message requesting a coffee meeting where appropriate • At the coffee meeting, look for how you can add value to your new connection before asking them for help with your own agenda • Send out thank-you cards or messages, thanking your contact for their time (I prefer sending physical cards to leave a lasting impression) • Schedule a follow-up with your contact, so you don’t ‘love them and leave them’. A forgotten connection is not really a valuable contact at all • Share contacts, articles or events that may be useful to your connection. They will appreciate the gesture and likely reciprocate • Keep in touch with your network, especially those who have helped you, or are connectors/ influencers. A simple text message will suffice and keep you fresh in their minds In conclusion... Networking is fun and powerful when done with a giving attitude and with a purpose in mind. We are social-beings who thrive on human connections, so try networking your way to your next dream job or volunteering mission.
Dee Allan is the Founder and Director of 3C Synergy recruitment consultancy. She is a Keynote speaker, copywriter and career coach. You can email her at deeallan@ protonmail.com for career consulting, workshop facilitating, keynote speaking requests and of course coffee meetings.
careers What is Your Comfort Zone? By Alka Chandiramani Change is inevitable, it is constant. When we encounter any form of change, our emotions move across the spectrum without much effort. The neurotransmitters in our brains activate at a much higher rate in this disruptive, volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world. How do we incorporate change as part of our life? Does staying in our comfort zone makes us complacent? We often fear the unknown because our brain likes to visualize the bigger picture. However, there are times when we have to accept the lowlights and trust in the cycle of life. In a recent article, Be the Change Before Change Changes You, by founder and managing partner of Ultimate Balance Consultancy, Kim Underhill, articulates the 5Cs that can help learn to be positive about change: Never Stay Too Comfortable Embrace continuous learning. Our biggest growth comes when we move out of our comfort zone and take action, even in the most challenging situations. Always Be Curious Be an observer and make it a habit to understand what goes on and why things happen. Reach out to enhance your presence with the people who are stepping up to make a difference. Stay Connected at All Times It is not only what you know and who you know, but also who knows you that matters. What’s your personal brand? The act of collaboration, as the saying goes: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” It is nearly impossible to succeed alone. Conscious Decision-Making Choosing between doing things right versus doing the right things should never pose a dilemma for leaders. Leader sustainability requires you to be mindful and change only on rightful terms that do not compromise the ethics and integrity of how you lead. Carping Is Not Allowed There is no point in complaining or whining if you are doing nothing to change. With every challenge, comes an opportunity for you to make the right choice. Change happens when you take action. As with designing any form of action, we have to undertake specific activities, tasks or steps to move into the next phase. This requires us to step back from our current reality, notice our own thinking, identify the hurdles that stop us from making the first step, which could possibly result in the biggest change. Often, we have to give ourselves permission to delve deeper, as hard as it can be – how could I think about this situation differently? What would I like to see happen for me in this area? How do I feel about this in one or two words? Sometimes using a technique called ‘symbolic labelling’ to identify an emotional sensation reduces the activity in our brain’s limbic system, which is primarily responsible for our emotional life and has a lot to do with the formation of memories. Numerous studies also show that speaking about an emotional experience brings the emotion back to the surface; how one manages it is the key factor. Being able to use just a few words to label the emotion in symbolic language using metaphors helps simplify the experience. Step back, reevaluate, visualize and readjust your direction.
Alka is a multi-lingual human resources practitioner with over 25 years of HR and legal experience. She provides neuro-leadership, intercultural training & executive career coaching to Individuals, high school and university students in Singapore around the region. She currently provides advisory services to the Career Resource Center for Excellence (CRCE), a program run by the American Association of Singapore, with continuous support in their career-related programs.
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“ the first country to adopt
BHU Tucked away in a quiet corner of time itself, in the deep hinterlands of the legendary Himalayans, lies an elusive land overflowing with hearty people and stunning beauty. A hidden wonder that, until the 20th century, was virtually unknown to the outside world. Now, its substantial treasures have been slowly revealed to those with enough spirit, bravery and respect to partake in its unique locale and traditions. This is Bhutan – where a shy kingdom’s inhibitions have finally diminished and paradise yet remains within reach of humanity.
Persevering Kingdom at the Peak of the World
“If you see us flying extremely close to the mountains on descent, don’t worry – this is normal procedure”, the pilot’s voice crackled on the plane’s public address system. Very comforting. True to his word, we seemed to aim straight for one of the mountain faces then made a wicked left turn to approach the narrow flatlands of Bhutan’s Paro valley. So challenging is the aviatic approach to Paro Airport, the country’s sole international air field, that all pilots must receive a special certification to land there, a distinction only a handful in the world qualify for. They will, however, be richly rewarded by what must be one of the world’s 26 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
most beautiful airports. Situated in a breathtaking setting, with rolling mountains straddling the landing strips and lush greenery all around, the structure itself is built in traditional Bhutanese style, looking more temple than airport. The shaky aeronautical passage to Bhutan has also offered one surprising treat: a clear view of mighty Mount Everest herself, looking as majestic and magnificent as she always has. Hugging the soaring Himalayan Mountains, with a few dots of lowlands scattered about, tiny Bhutan is girded by giant China and goliath India both physically and politically. It is somewhat of a miracle that Bhutan has somehow maintained its independence and the fact that it was never colonized is a matter of fierce pride among its people. In the frantic land grab that was largely a byproduct of the power vacuum left by the dissolution of British India in 1947, most of the old Himalayan kingdoms were swallowed up by their much larger neighbors. Since nearby Nepal deposed its king a few years ago, Bhutan now stands alone as the Last Himalayan Kingdom and one of the few remaining in the entire Far East.
Alluring Nest on the Mountain’s Edge
An early wake-up is in order for a visit to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, a must-see for anyone traveling to Bhutan. This monastery is considered to be one of the holiest sites in the country, as it was built to commemorate Guru Rinpoche, the legendary founder of an important Buddhist sect. The Bhutanese are deeply religious, their distinct brand of Buddhism being as deeply permeated in society as Catholicism was to the Romans. The Tiger’s Nest is located in a remote recess on the very edge of a sheer rock cliff that plunges 900 meters (around 3,000 feet) to a valley far below. This sounds fantastic, but the hard part is getting there.
happiness as an official goal of public policy is the tiny little country of Bhutan...” Derek Bok
UTAN
A Hidden Kingdom Revealed BY JOHN S. HAMALIAN
We trudged up the rather steep mountain as the late morning sun was blazing afire. As we are huffing and puffing, a group on mules casually passes us by. I joke and ask “Do the mules get overtime pay?” A rather large rider quipped, “No, but they do charge an overweight fee!” After climbing the mountain for several hours, we finally gazed upon Taktsang as if it magically appeared from nowhere. Its majestic design, with bright gilded roofs and staggered fortress-like walls, is seemingly fused with the rocky precipice it was built on, creating a truly spectacular vision. It is then that one realizes this is one of those great, stunningly photogenic places of a manmade object on the face of the earth. At that moment it was as if all that is beautiful, serene and magnificent in the world was condensed into this one wondrous scene. The long hike was infinitely worthwhile.
A Limited Ticket of Entry
Travel to Bhutan is highly regulated, with one of the most complicated entry procedures in the world. Those who wish to partake must coordinate through an authorized travel agency, pre-pay a fixed daily fee (minimum US$200) and also pre-purchase their airplane ticket before the government will finally grant documented approval for a visa to be stamped later at Paro Airport. There are only two airlines that are allowed to enter Bhutan and only from a select number of cities. The government wants to limit the volume of visitors to avoid over-commercialization and environmental damage, though contrary to a lingering myth, there is no annual tourist limit. Perhaps all this care Bhutan puts into preserving its natural resources is worth it: by law at least 60% of the land must be maintained as forest for all time and, currently, the nation absorbs three times as much carbon as it emits.
A Dzong and a Dream
In a quiet town of the same name lies Punakha Dzong, situated on a supremely picturesque location at the convergence of two cheerful rivers. Bhutan’s largest dzong is skirted by pleasantly purple jacaranda flowers and connected to the mainland by a charming footbridge that looks as if it came right out of a fairy tale. A word about dzongs: these unique buildings are the perfect manifestation of Bhutanese customs and way of life. Part administrative office, part monastery, part Buddhist temple, the dzong neatly packages these all together to reflect the close symbiotic relationship between state and religion. In Bhutan, far from being separate, they are considered to be inexorably linked. Any other reality would be difficult for the average person here to comprehend. In an actual demonstration of this ‘one-ness’, I happened upon an important-looking entourage of government representatives and high-ranking monks in close unison, LIVING IN SINGAPORE 27
making way to their dzong in splendid pomp. The officials’ handsome traditional attire (gho), with plaid coats and high boots, coupled with the bright flowing burgundy robes of the Buddha’s acolytes made quite an impressive and colorful scene. They also proved to be remarkably down-to-earth. After I said “hello” to one of the officials, he turned to me, smiled warmly and exclaimed in perfect English: “How are you?” My guide later told me that man is the Governor of Bhutan’s most important state.
side, the dzong is an astounding feat of construction: foreboding, intricate and simplistic all at the same time. Time seems to linger here. Chimes ring. Devouts sing. Children gambol. A curious monk pops his head from behind an ornate arch, much the same as one may have done back in the 17th century when the main part of this dzong (and most in Bhutan) was built by the great hierarch Shabdrung Namgyel, who fled from Tibet and unified the country. This pioneer, who developed Bhutan like no other before, was part of the Drukpa religious sect – Druk, meaning ‘dragon’. Legend has it that thunder, believed to be the voice of the dragon, was heard at the consecration of its first monastery. In fact, the real name of Bhutan is actually Druk Yul, ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’.
Where Monks Gather and Dragons Scream
As my inquisitive footsteps echoed along the centuries-old interior walls of Punakha Dzong, at once dozens of young monks poured out of one of the seemingly infinite doorways, creating a temporary sea of crimson and maroon. Their stone-faced master trailed closely behind, literally cracking a whip in insistence of discipline. Inside another door, an ancient practice blending custom, doctrine and servitude is taking place precisely as it has from generations before. To witness a Buddhist ceremony in a Bhutanese temple is a deliciously odd and truly unforgettable experience; butter lamps flickering against bobbing shadows, pungent incense permeating the still air, close-eyed monks chanting in a trance-like state of alternate reality – interrupted only by the shuddering drawn-out baritone blows of traditional multi-sectioned horns. They all conspire to create a highly spiritual and utterly surrealistic scene more reminiscent of a fabled ritual than an actual routine. Finally, we arrive at Tongsa Dzong, the longest and most impressive dzong in Bhutan. Hugging a broad mountain
Echoes of Thunder in the Distance
As evidenced by Bhutan’s seemingly perpetual independence, it appears that the Thunder Dragon still protects the land and its people. Yet, even in this remote, farflung nation, the currents of change lap at the stone shores of their rugged land. In the shadows of modernization and a global economy, it could naturally be said that the future of Bhutan’s distinctive identity is uncertain, but just a few days here, witnessing the glint in the eyes of its people and the pride churning in their hearts, there is no doubt that their destiny is well established. In Bhutan, time stands still yet somehow marches on. The kingdom may have been revealed, but the deepest secrets of the Thunder Dragon may yet lie hidden forever.
John Hamalian is a US citizen and an avid explorer with a passion for travel journalism and photography. He has visited over 65 countries, including the entire Far East of Asia, and speaks conversational Mandarin Chinese. In addition to the American Association of Singapore he has written for the Singapore Straits Times, Shanghai Daily, The Armenian Mirror-Spectator, My Paper, The American Women’s Club of Korea and the inflight magazine of Royal Bhutan Airlines.
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A Tale of Two Onsen
By Asif R. Chowdhury
The very first time my Japanese colleagues offered to take me to an onsen on the outskirts of Tokyo, I was quite excited. I had heard of their therapeutic properties and was looking forward to soaking in these hot springs. However, once I entered the onsen and the etiquette of the Japanese public bath had been explained, my enthusiasm quickly died. It turned out that Japanese onsen etiquette requires that one must be in one’s birthday suit when using the baths. Obviously, men and women bathe separately, but I was still well out of my comfort zone. I was at a point of no return so, timidly, I entered the bath along with my Japanese friends and colleagues. Very soon my apprehensiveness evaporated and I began to relax in the steaming hot bath. It felt heavenly, especially since we had just come straight from completing our eighthour hike up and four-hour hike down Mount Fuji. The next morning, following my soak in the hot springs, I felt as good as new and, from there on in, I was hooked. Japan lies within the Ring of Fire, where ten percent of world’s active volcanoes are located, which gives the area abundant access to natural hot spring water. Bathing in an onsen is deeply rooted in the tradition, culture and history of Japan and links with the ritual of ofuro. Ofuro, meaning Japanese bath, is the custom of taking a hot bath at the end of every day, in which most Japanese people partake. Onsen is essentially taking this practice to geothermally heated natural spring water in a public bath. According to the official figures, there are over 3,000 onsen resorts in Japan today. But there are two onsen worth mentioning due to their uniqueness. Both provide the rich onsen experience but lie at opposite ends of the spectrum. Oedo Onsen, Monogatari, a large-scale onsen with a theme-park feel to it, is a very recent addition to Tokyo, while Dogo Onsen, located on Shikoku island, is steeped in tradition. Established in 2003, Oedo Onsen, Monogatari, is in the Odaiba district of Tokyo. The baths use natural spring water pumped from 1,400 meters underground, which service its thirteen baths containing different minerals with unique therapeutic qualities and offer different levels of heat. There are also a few outdoor baths surrounded by beautiful Japanese landscaping, as well as a 2,300-meterlong footbath winding through a pristine Japanese garden, bringing guests a feeling of being close to nature. In line with the theme-park concept, visitors wear colorful yukatas, similar to kimonos, which add to the experience of milling through the streets and shops, evoking the fourhundred-year-old Edo period. There are multiple diversions besides soaking in the hot baths as the complex has 30 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
several restaurants offering authentic Japanese food, as well as bars, juice bars, souvenir shops, ice cream shops, resting areas, massage and bodyscrub facilities, and theme parkstyle activities. It also has traditional Japanese tatami style rooms for guests wanting to spend the night. The Oedo Onsen entrance fee is higher than most other onsen in Japan at ¥2,200 to ¥2,600 (SG$27 to SG$32) depending on the day of the week. The fee includes access to personal lockers, a set of yukata to wear, a pair of indoor sandals, access to all the baths at the entrance. The onsen operates a cashless system through use of wrist bands that allow guests to buy food and souvenirs at the stores, or use any of the additional services, such as body massages. Guests can settle the bill on exiting. Getting to Oedo Onsen is relatively straight forward from almost anywhere in Tokyo. Taxis from Haneda Airport are approximately ¥6,000 (SG$73), while the train will set you back ¥800 (SG$10). The onsen is located five minutes from Telecom Center Station on the Yurikamome line, two stops from Tokyo station. It opens at 11am and stays open until 9am the next morning, meaning visitors to Tokyo can dip in the hot baths after a day of sightseeing or to alleviate fatigue from jet lag. While Oedo Onsen is only fifteen years old, Dogo Onsen, has a history that dates back over 3,000 years and is Japan’s oldest thermal spring baths. Is truly a national icon. The current grand structure was constructed in 1894 and declared a cultural asset of Japan on its 100th anniversary. The first thing a visitor will notice is its majestic structure. The three-story traditional wooden building with its stunning curved Japanese-style roofs give it the appearance of a castle from ancient times. The long history, the legends and the characteristic Japanese architecture have inspired many works of literature and art. It features in the classic Japanese novel Botchan, by Natsume Soseki and, more recently, in Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 animé Spirited Away. Dogo Onsen offers two public baths, the larger of which – Kami no Yu, or ‘bath of the gods’ – is on the first floor. The second set of baths, Tama no Yu (bath of spirts), on the second floor are comparatively smaller, but locals consider bathing with the spirits to be more prestigious. Hence, entry
Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama, Japan SeanPavonePhoto
to these costs a little more. This onsen in particular has been used by the Japanese imperial family for generations and the bath house holds separate areas with dedicated baths for the family members. One of the baths, known as Yushinden, is reserved exclusively for the emperor and it has a separate entrance. Prices are reasonable and one can access the public baths for ¥410 to ¥840 (SG$5 – SG$11), with the higher price providing access to both sets of baths. For ¥1550 (SG$19), guests can gain access to their own private room and private bath to relax for 90 minutes. A tour of the imperial bath facilities is also included in the higher entry fee. Yukatas are available for rent and there is a locker service available for storing shoes and personal possessions.
Dogo Onsen is located in Matsuyama, a small town on the eastern side of the island of Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four primary islands. The best way to get there is to take one of the daily one and a half hour flights direct from Tokyo, then either local bus, train or 30-minute taxi journey from the airport. While there is not much else to see in Matsuyama, the town is reminiscent of Japan at the time of the Samurai and it would not be uncommon to see many Japanese tourists in yukatas, especially around the area of Dogo Onsen, which adds to the air of antiquity. A visit to a Japanese onsen is a cultural joy of Japan not to be missed. Leave your self-consciousness at the door and truly enjoy this quintessentially Japanese experience.
Asif Chowdhury is part of the executive management at a global semiconductor company and has written for various trade journals. Asif spent four years as an expatriate in Tokyo, Japan in business development, which led him to travel extensively over the country. He currently lives in Singapore with his wife and son, while his daughter is studying for a BSc at Purdue University, Indiana.
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food n’ drink Just Brew It: 5 Places to Get a Good Cup of Joe By Julian Chua With over 400 billion cups consumed each year, coffee has to be one of the most popular beverages in the world. In Singapore, coffee culture is intrinsic to the fabric of the F&B scene. From the humble Kopi Tiam stand to the specialty joints popping up all over town, coffee represents more than just a hot drink; it gives us an opportunity to start conversations, connect socially or professionally and allow time for ourselves. The foundations of what makes a brew to your taste is down to the origin, grade and roast of the beans. However, perfecting the art of roasting and brewing coffee takes skills and knowledge. A seasoned barista should understand water quality and temperature, correct brewing methods, roast level, rate of extraction, grind size and ratio of coffee to water. Kick back and relax at one of these five great coffee houses in Singapore whose baristas have their art down to a science.
Baristart Coffee Concept: Popular Hokkaido café This famous Japanese café produces high-quality coffee with milk imported exclusively from Hokkaido, Japan. This isn’t any ordinary Hokkaido milk, mind you. This particular milk is from Brown Jersey cows farmed in Biei, a small town in Hokkaido and is prized for being rare. There are fewer than 800 Brown Jersey cows left in Japan, making up around 1% of the total cow population. With its ultra-premium Hokkaido, fuller-than-full-fat Jersey milk as the key ingredient in many of its items on the menu, baristas are able to achieve that extra creamy taste to the full-bodied flavor of their Arabica coffee blend. AS well as serving coffee, its menu also includes shaved ice, parfait, ice-cream selections and food items such as salads, pasta and sandwiches. This 40-seater café is bright and spacious and has an open-glass high ceiling to let the sunlight in. Lush greenery spreads across its countertop and trails across the walls, so you can sip your coffee with the feeling of being al fresco inside. Decor is deliberately simple and cozy. 65 Tras St, Singapore 079004 • www.baristartcoffee.sg
Bearded Bella Concept: Melbourne-inspired eatery Bearded Bella has two flagship offerings: its brunch a its coffee. You can expect great coffee from this place and its co-founder Regina Tay, emerged as the winner of the Singapore National Barista Championship back in 2016. They source raw coffee beans directly from producers and roast them on-site. Must try coffees
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include espressos, cold brews and their house ‘coffee slushie’. Their food is largely inspired by café trends in Melbourne. Must try dishes include Eggstraordinary eggs & snags, Italian meatballs and sauerkraut and Spiced scrambled. Located in an ornate shophouse, this café exudes a bright, personal and cozy vibe with its glass rooftop, modern design layout, wooden tables and pink cushions. To the front of the café is an enclosed courtyard seating area – great for anyone who enjoys their coffee experience outdoors. 8 Craig Rd, Singapore 089668 www.beardedbella.com
Coffee Academics Concept: Purveyor and roaster of specialty coffee This coffee house brand originates from Hong Kong, with Singapore being their first expansion overseas. Known for their specialty coffee, where state-of-the-art equipment is used to brew the perfect cup, their core mission is to make specialty coffee as accessible as possible to the masses. They strive to design a unique experience inhouse with what they call their “7 Sensory Station” – a personalized and educational coffee session at the Espresso Bar, Tea Academics Bar, Cupping Corner, Culinary Counter, Custom Blend Concierge, Hand Brew Bar or Roasting Corner. In terms of food, their menu showcases a distinct selection of Modern European and Modern Asian dishes that come in generous portions. The vibe of this coffee house is friendly, relaxed and welcoming. Its interior marries modern with a nod to the coffee houses of old, blending wood, brick and black, white and gold decor. Scotts Square Level 2, 6 Scotts Road Singapore 228238 www.the-coffeeacademics.com
Kurasu Concept: Japanese specialty café Originally a coffee equipment retailer in Japan, this Japanese brand branched out into coffee-brewing with a goal - to promote and educate people on Japanese-style coffee making and its coffee culture. It has since captured the hearts of many coffee lovers with its quality coffee brews such as its Matcha Latte, All Seasons Coffee in Tokyo and Taco Coffee from Hyogo. All their raw coffee beans are sourced from countries worldwide, such as Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia. Its interior design is quintessentially Japanese: minimalistic, yet homely with clear floor-to-ceiling windows and extremely comfortable cushion chairs to lounge in. Located in the City Hall district, it’s the perfect place to indulge in a cup of morning coffee before the daily grind. 331 North Bridge Road, #02-01, Odeon Towers, Singapore 188720 https://kurasu.kyoto
The Populus Café Concept: Contemporary gastro-café The founders behind this café have a ton of experience when it comes to the delivery of caffeine-rich beverages to consumers. This collaboration between well-established Department of Caffeine and 2Degrees North Coffee Co, a coffee bean roaster/distributor, has resulted in the creation of a new eatery that brings together good food and fantastic coffee. Coffee drinkers are spoiled for choice with a wide range of seasonal specialty coffee that are sourced from producers all over the world. Their specially roasted beans are also available online for you to continue the experience at home. This modern-looking café that is hidden within a row of shophouses on Neil Road, looks stylishly bright, contemporary and has an industrial interior design. Seating layout is compact, yet efficiently arranged to accommodate traffic flow and ordering of food and drinks. 146 Neil Road, Singapore 088875 https://thepopulus.cafe
Julian A. Chua is an entrepreneur who runs several businesses that deal with consulting and brokerage in Singapore. As well as a passion for writing, he loves to eat, cook and dine out. Julian combines his love for food and writing with his business experience to provide readers with a balanced perspective on the F&B scene here in Singapore. For the past decade, he has been a freelance writer for various major publications such as NTUC Lifestyle, Business Times, Spin Asia, Asian Gaming Brief and Time Out.
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food Come Home to Kinou By Vivienne Scott
Kinou, like its founding owner and chef Benjamin Tilatti, is the perfect cocktail of contradictions. Opening in June 2018 on Tras Street, where the more discerning foodies go to escape the ‘same-same’ of busier food and beverage haunts in Singapore, Kinou is a no-nonsense restobar that presents delicate ceviches alongside the protein-fest Vegan Nightmare meat platter on a clever and playful fusion menu. The delightful contradictions continue, from the rough-around-the edges décor with bare walls and a well-loved Montreal ice hockey cap hanging proudly by the bar, to the flawless customer service and impeccably presented plates coming from the open kitchen. Much like its owner, Kinou is understated, friendly and welcoming; summed up in Ben’s own words: “My home is your home.” You probably wouldn’t imagine Ben in a corporate hotel kitchen environment, but don’t be fooled by the casual lumberjack shirt and scruffy cap. Ben’s chef experience has taken him around the south of France, London, Montreal and Seven Seas cruises and is now presented in creative dishes that celebrate and bring together flavors from around the world. The concept he has created at Kinou is about bringing friends together over great food and drinks and not taking yourself too seriously; humor keeps things real and can be found throughout the menu, where dishes and cocktails are often created by or named after staff under the guises of plays on words and what are seeming inside jokes among them. Kinou’s playfulness follows all the way through to what is possibly the most fun little restroom in Singapore – think glitterball and disco tunes! Lovingly borrowing his late mother’s nickname, Kinou, Ben has ensured that family is the heart and spirit of his establishment and, having been once, you will be personally remembered and welcomed back with a feeling that you have known these guys for years. The open front invites passers-by to relax with familiar music and explore the intriguing mixology and global wine list, while staff take time to enjoy getting to know you personally and ensure you feel at home. Tell them just a little about your favorite cocktails and they’ll recommend something that equates, but just a bit more out of the ordinary to whet your appetite.
Further inside, dining can be as intimate or casual as you like depending on whether you are after some Peckish Picks to nibble on, fresh tartares and fusion seafood dishes, or flavorsome and robust meat plates. Ben’s training, background and style somehow marries the finesse of fine dining with laid back comfort food and, of course, fun. If crisp, clean flavors are your thing, try the beautifully presented ceviches: Lost In Peru incorporates flavors of a fresh lime and tomato marinade to compliment the sliced fish of the day alongside corn guacamole, while Plenty of Fish in the Ocean balances the sweetness of strawberry with tart ponzu and fragrant basil to envelope the meatiness of the tuna. Meat gourmands will love the full-bodied flavors of their Hooked on Quack burger, garnished with zingy red wine and shallot compote that cuts through the richness of the duck smothered in blue cheese and the Signature Burger on toasted brioche with tender Wagyu beef that falls apart in the mouth. To finish, the star of the dessert menu has to be Nadya’s Some Kind Of Chocolate; an opulent chocolate parfait and caramel mousse with hints of savory saltiness from Japanese miso and shoyu. Whether you’re heading straight from the office for after-work drinks, with a generous ‘New York’ pour, light bites or an indulgent feast, Kinou is an easy choice and, once you discover its honest charm and inclusive, welcoming environment, you will be coming back for more.
81 Tras Street, Singapore 079020 • 6224 0463 reservations@kinourestaurant.com
Relocating from Scotland, Vivienne Scott has spent four years living and working as an Educational Psychologist in Singapore. When not at school, Vivienne is a nighthawk who loves to explore what the island has to offer after dark. Between semesters she is an avid traveler and enjoys hopping over to neighboring countries in Asia.
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Danny Barrett (credit: Taka Wu/Alamy Live News)
HereCometheEagles! By Andrea McKenna Brankin
USAIsReadytoSwoopin
The National Stadium looms large in Kallang Bay on the East Coast of Singapore. If you’ve ever considered attending an event there, one not to be missed – especially by American sports fans – is the international rugby 7s tournament running April 13 and 14. The Singapore 7s is part of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – the main route for qualification to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The series is a yearly league that features the top seven-a-side rugby teams in the world. And that includes the US men and women’s teams. As we who live here all know, Singapore is a showcase city with much to offer an international crowd for an event: a beautiful city, modern infrastructure and a world-class sports facilities. Singapore was awarded ‘host city’ status in 2015 with the first event in April 2016 on a four-year cycle (2016-2019). Kiwiborn Calven Bland, known around town as The Beige Assassin and having been in and around the rugby game for 42 of his 47 years says of the process: “It was a fairly comprehensive bid which was a collaboration with a French party who would help the SRU (Singapore Rugby Union) run the first 3 events. We had a specific bid team and all major decisions were routed through the Singapore Rugby Union Management Committee for endorsement.” 36 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
Bland holds a number of titles in the game, including Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) Management Committee Member, SRU Competitions Commissioner, Wanderers RFC Vets Coordinator, Titans (kids) RFC Founder & Director and Titans RFC Mini Rugby Coordinator. Although he was not on the bid team, he did help source a bid manager whom he’d known from the rugby community, as rugby family provides some of the best connections. He says “[Singapore] winning the bid for a leg in the HSBC 7s Series was important for world rugby, as it helps with increasing the profile of the sport in Asia, especially in the lead up to Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019.” Not only does it boost tourism, having a showcase event at the new National Stadium raises the profile of rugby as a minority sport in the city state. Even if you’re not a rugby fan, Bland encourages people to give rugby 7s a try. “As with all rugby 7s, the competition is intense and there have been a couple of surprise winners over the years; Kenya in 2016, Canada in 2017 and favorites Fiji in 2018.” Now, how about our American team, The Eagles? While the US men’s rugby program has often been called a minnow or second tier team, that is no longer the case with the US 7s men’s team.
In fact, The Eagles have been ranked number one all season as of February. The “Sleeping Giant,” as the press calls them, now has insomnia and is a force to be reckoned with. The men’s Eagles made rugby history by winning their fourth straight Silver medal, having won second place in Cape Town, Dubai, Hamilton (New Zealand) and Sydney 7s. At the time of writing, they were the only men’s team to medal at every competition this 7s season and were ranked number one, tied with 2018 World Cup Champions New Zealand. When it comes to lauding who has elevated USA Rugby 7s in the worldview, the Eagles have one name: Perry Baker. He has scored 179 tries for The Eagles and has been named the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year for the last two years in a row. He’s been injured recently, but has absolutely smashed American rugby expectations with his lightning speed and athleticism. Think stop, go, juke, switchback and blow-them-away finishing speed. He goes by the name ‘Speed Stick’ (as in the old deodorant brand) because, well, he’s thin, fast and presumably never sweats it. We’re hoping to see him return from injured reserve (IR) for Singapore 7s. However, despite some criticism of the US team’s strength, they’re not a one-man show. Bland praises Danny Barrett as great to watch. At 6’3” tall, 220 pounds, in his late 20s, he’s a prime candidate for American awesomeness. “The big man Danny Barrett is a personal favorite with his stiff-arm fends. He runs down the sideline, bumping off opposition with ease,” Bland surveys. Chicago-based 200-level women’s rugby coach, Rugby Illinois (USA) Board Member and former Division One player, Stephanie Esposito, also says USA Head Coach Mike Friday has done a good job leading the current squad. “They seem to know how to work together and communicate as a team. One benefit is that the 7s side actually trains and practices together regularly
onSingapore7s where as the15s tends to be meet up 5 days before a match and see how things work. The fact that they are putting in money and time to really develop the team is showing. The strength of players is great and as they continue to stay on the top of the competition it will naturally raise more awareness of the sport and attention of people here.” Another super-fast player, Carlin Isles, who can chase down and outrun the fastest of the fast in world rugby, is expected to continue to do so for Singapore 7s. Isles has been named the fastest player on the planet in past years and the winger has put up 13 tries this 7s season. Esposito warns that, to beat the US’s world-class speedsters, teams have to close down any open space for them to run. She says: “The US team’s opponents need to really focus on the basic flat line defense and not leave a gap for Isles or Baker to get through, because if they do it’s over. “With 7s being such a quick game and having players that can burn down the field, you are opening up the chance for them to not just score but really hit a high score in a short amount of time and place it well in the end zone to get the kicks. And we’ve all seen how those extra few points can make or break a match.”
HSBC Sydney Rugby Sevens; Womens Final; winners New Zealand, runners up Australia and third place USA (credit: Action Plus Sports/ Alamy Live News)
USAWomen’sTeam HasRugbyPower Not to be left out, or outdone, the Eagles Women’s program also is gaining traction. The women’s team is ranked an impressive number two in the world, behind a powerful New Zealand squad, as of this writing. In February, the team won a Bronze medal at the HSBC Sydney Sevens tournament and have tied their record for most medals won in a single season, according USARugby.org. As with the men, the Women’s Eagles 7s also can qualify for the Olympics through the 7s series. And it likely will be so! The Women’s Eagles 7s will next compete at HSBC Kitakyushu Sevens in Japan, April 20-21. All matches are broadcast live on facebook.com/worldrugby7s. Certainly, the growth of rugby 7s as a viable Olympic sport has helped the US further develop competitive sides for both the women and men. “This is allowing for players to not just be together right before they play, they can really become a cohesive unit, learn how to work with each other’s strengths and support one another where they are weak. It gives coaches the ability also to develop what they need and really see and analyze what should be growing,” says Stephanie Esposito. “It also helps show that women can keep up with the men and have continually been ranked better than them in the past,” she says, adding that it becomes a fun competition between teams as well to build rivalry, pride, positive drive and competition.
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HereCometheEagles! Although the Eagles squad is near and dear to our hearts, certainly there are other international contenders for winning the tournament. Other top teams include World 7s Champions, New Zealand, fast-moving Wallabies from Australia and one can never rule out England for a good tournament performance. Kenya has also been known to smoke the competition now and then, having won the first Singapore 7s tournament in 2016. Fraser Jamieson, a Singapore expat from Scotland, sees power performances coming from the Pacific Islands: “I think Fiji are looking good again after a few years out of the reckoning. They are always an entertaining side,” he says, as are their magnanimous, blue-wigged fans. He adds though that his heart (and costume) is still behind his home team. “There have been a few shock winners previously at Singapore 7s, so why not Scotland this year?” Indeed, true to Jamieson’s wildcard predictions, the Eagles came in second in the Singapore 7s 2017 final to our dear Canadian neighbors from The Great White North, then ranked 9th; their only series win to date. So, there’s no ruling any team out! Statistics and player profiles are a fun part of any sport. But rugby 7s also has an additional fun side. And I mean fun as in fun with friends, family fun, dress-up-in-costumes fun, dancing-during-commercial-breaks fun and more. Singapore 7s has been building on its costuming efforts since its inception in 2016 with more shenanigans to be had every year. Jamieson says attendance and the fun that comes with it increases every year: “It’s a great family atmosphere as well as a party. I have been to Hong Kong
Carlin Isles (credit: Elsie Kibue / Alamy Live News)
7s many times and Singapore 7s can stand on its own two feet. The costume side of things is growing and plenty of kids are doing it, as well as adults.” For Singapore costumes, there have been the Singapore Scotsmen, Viking Ladies (props to the Bucks Women’s Rugby team), WWE Wrestlers (from The Wanderers Rugby Club) and even a group of families who dressed up as various MRT stops, such as Chinese Gardens, Orchard Road and Botanic Gardens, among others. For Eagles supporters, you can see flags, super heroes, cheerleaders and Eagle-head hats across the stands. There is plenty in the way of entertainment, too. Past musical performers have included The Village People in 2018 and Singapore’s own Singapore Idol finalist, rock/jazz dynamo Leandra Lane, who brought down the house in 2017. This year’s musical events will include American rock band, Smash Mouth, who will bang out such hits as “All Star” and “Walkin’ on the Sun.” Also, listen up for nostalgic 80s songs with Broadway’s “Rock of Ages” performances. Another fun part of Singapore 7s is that it’s pretty easy to spot the players around town, usually in the Marina Bay-area hotels. Many famous ruggers, such as the South African Blitzboks and New Zealand All-Blacks, have been seen eating at Millenia Walk and Suntec, while Scotland’s team have made regular appearances at the Ronin Café on Hong Kong Street. Wherever you may be in mid-April, The Eagles will have landed in the Lion City. Hopefully, they’ll catch a glimpse of the Gold. Nevertheless, it will be a proud weekend to be both American and a rugby fan. Go Eagles!
Andrea McKenna Brankin has been a writer and journalist for more than 25 years, covering business and lifestyle topics in the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia. Hailing from Mystic, Connecticut (USA), Andrea now calls Chicago “home away from home.” She has lived in Singapore with husband Christopher and daughter Georgia since 2012.
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Singapore is an island, with several freshwater bodies of water to boot, meaning there is plenty of opportunity to get involved with life aquatic. Check out below what’s on offer on the Little Red Dot.
Get Hydrated! Dragon Boating Dragon boating is a social sport since there will be at least nine others in your boat and teams often get together after practice sessions for a drink, so it’s very easy to get to know your teammates. The Singapore Dragon Boat Association is the national organization that promotes and coordinates dragon boat activities. The American Dragons, British Dragon Boat Team and Canadian Dragons welcome all nationalities and train in the Kallang Basin. Kayaking Rent a kayak at the Paddle Lodge @ MacRitchie Reservoir and see the reservoir from another angle and get some exercise in the process. The Singapore Canoe Federation can also teach you recreational or technical kayaking. They also offer a weekend Kid-in-a-Kayak program, designed for children at least 43” tall who can swim unaided for 55 yards. But why kayak on a reservoir when you could have an “eco-adventure”? With Sea Expeditions Centre of Southeast Asia, you can spend half a day paddling along Pulau Ubin’s coast, or literally bisecting the island, in the company of an experienced guide. They can also lead you on an “East Coast Escapade” kayak trip. Or, you could learn how to kayak with People’s Association-Water Venture and also take part in the annual “Round Ubin Kayak Race,” a 23km sea marathon around Pulau Ubin. X-Current owns the largest privatelyowned fleets of closed and opened cockpit kayaks in Singapore. Sailing, Surfing and Windsurfing Many organizations offer not only sailing classes but also sailing for the experienced, as well as other wind-driven sea sports. People’s Association – Water Venture can teach you how to sail or you can sail or learn to sail with the Singapore Sailing Federation at the National Sailing Centre. Courses at the
By Melissa Diagana
Keppel Bay Sailing Academy are accredited by the UK-based Royal Yachting Association. Members of the public can also learn how to sail or windsurf with Constant Wind. You don’t have to be a member of the SAF Yacht Club to take sailing lessons there. The same is true for a subset of the sailing courses at the Changi Sailing Club. You can join the sailing courses at the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club if you are the guest of a member. At Wave House, you can bodyboard (minimum height 42”) or surf (minimum height 52”)on some amazing artificial waves.
Dragon Boating American Dragons www.americandragons.sg British Dragon Boat Team www.britishdragonboat.com Canadian Dragons www.canadiandragons-sg.org Singapore Dragon Boat Association http://sdba.org.sg Kayaking
Scuba Diving Singapore’s waters are far more interesting that you might expect and can be good preparation for dive trips to more stunning spots. If you are already an experienced diver, again you have numerous options to dive locally. You could dive at Pulau Hantu with the friendly and experienced Hantu Bloggers, whose mission is to safeguard Singapore’s natural marine heritage. They are the only non-profit, volunteer dive organization in Singapore that conducts regular guided dives for members of the certified diving public. The Sisters’ Islands Marine Park and NParks has already created two dive trails (one six yd deep and the other 16) to allow you to discover the impressive variety of marine biodiversity on the reef. You may only go with one of NParks’ approved dive operators (refer to their website for an up-to-date list), most of which offer PADI or NAUI courses. It’s also possible to join Free Flow Divers even if you are not a member of its partner, the British Club.
Paddle Lodge @MacRitchie Reservoir www.scf.org.sg
Wakeboarding You can wakeboard and learn to wakeboard, with Wake Time (starting at age 6) and with Wake Pirates.
Free Flow Divers www.freeflowdivers.com
As featured in Living in Singapore Reference Guide 14th Edition.
Sea Expeditions Centre of SEA www.sec-sea.com Singapore Canoe Federation www.scf.org.sg X-Current www.exponentasia.com.sg/x-current Sailing, Surfing and Windsurfing Changi Sailing Club www.csc.org.sg Keppel Bay Sailing Academy http://marinakeppelbay.com People’s Association – Water Venture www.pa.gov.sg Republic of Singapore Yacht Club www.rsyc.org.sg SAF Yacht Club www.safyc.org.sg Singapore Sailing Federation www.sailing.org.sg Wave House www.wavehousesentosa.com Scuba Diving
Hantu Bloggers www.pulauhantu.sg National Parks Board (NParks) www.nparks.gov.sg Wakeboarding
A molecular biologist by training, Melissa regularly writes about environmental and biological topics. She has also written a coffee table book with Jyoti Angresh about Singapore’s multi-faceted Fort Canning Park.
Wake Pirates http://wakepirates.com Wake Time www.waketime.com.sg
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Making Health a Habit: Why What You Do Often is More Important Than What You Do Well
By Amanda L. Dale
Imagine the scenario: at the beginning of 2019, the ‘newyear’s-resolution’ bug hits and you decide that this is your year – this is the year you’re going to finally become a runner. You go online and sign up for a local 10K, find yourself a manageable online training plan, head to the store for a brand new pair of sneakers and boom, you’re off. The first week of January goes great. You’re running four times a week as the training plan recommends, you’re breaking in those new shoes like a champ and you’re on track to finish your 10K race with your fastest time ever. The problem is, the weeks roll on and, try as you might, come February those running shoes get less and less wear. Your fourtimes-per-week program dwindles to two, at best. In fact, your shoes sit next to the front door more than they get onto your feet. Even worse, your daily run seems to fall further and further down the to-do list and with each busy day comes a new excuse to drop running out of sight and out of mind. The race is suddenly just weeks away and you realize: you haven’t yet become a runner and, to make matters worse, now you feel like a failure for having even started in the first place, only to crash and burn. Sound familiar? The truth is this: setting fitness and health goals is easy, but reaching those goals is hard. And the most challenging thing of them all is to keep reaching the same goal day in and day out – in other words, forming a healthy habit. Yet this is the skill that lifelong healthy people have mastered, often unknowingly; the ability to keep performing the same healthy tasks, no matter the mundanity, each and every day. More often than not, the best intentions get buried beneath the demands of day-to-day life, the ebb and flow in that myth we call ‘motivation’ (more on that later) and the cold hard fact that making meaningful change is a lot harder than we predict it to be when we are just starting off on a new goal. That’s exactly why James Clear, author of New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits, suggests that we drop the idea of goals in favor of habits; concrete, measurable, bite-size, repeatable actions that chip away to become greater shifts
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in our identities. Changing an identity, Clear argues, is more important than just reaching a goal. Given the example above, instead of wanting to “become a runner,” one should aim to become “the type of person who never misses a run.” The process and habit of running four times per week, rather than just completing the 10K itself becomes the indicator of success – and lasts far beyond race day. A recent article from the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity suggests that voluntary exercise behavior – you know, that nebulous force inside of you that forces you to lace up your running shoes and get out the door – is actually quite stable across the lifespan and it tends to follow the same pattern throughout adulthood. What this means is that whether you are one of those people who is motivated to work out on your own – or, unfortunately, you’re not – you’ll probably stay that way in the long run. This is why the myth of motivation exists – we want to believe that there will, at some point in our lives, be some kind of awakening, a sort of magic bestowed upon us that will suddenly remove all barriers and make us “motivated” toward whatever our goal may be – eating healthier, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, or losing weight. The reality, however, is that we all have equal ability, motivated or not, to create a healthier lifestyle. The key is to identify, form and practice habits; actions that are repeated over and over on a daily basis until they become automatic. Clear says that the question to ask when it comes to habit is not how long will it take to get there, but how many? Habits are a game of frequency and repetition. Linking a new, healthy habit to an existing, easy one – for example, taking a 30-minute walk each morning after you drop the kids at school, or making a healthy salad for lunch as you drink your usual morning coffee – makes you more likely to stick with the task. If you want to take it up a notch, consider joining a group where the habit you want is the one they’ve already mastered; for example, a running club. Habits tend to stick in environments where they are valued and practiced frequently.
Clear also notes that in order for a good habit to stick, it must be obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying, which means that to break a bad habit the contrary is true: it must be invisible, unattractive, difficult and unsatisfying. To give this a nutrition example, if you’re trying to clean up your diet, keep tempting, hyperpalatable foods out of your house. Don’t buy them and don’t allow anyone else to bring them home. Stock your refrigerator with colorful, pre-cut fruit and veggies and keep them at eye level when you open the door. Make the healthy choices the easiest ones and the unhealthy choices the hardest ones. It works. There is no magic in creating a habit – if you do something often enough, it sticks, for better and for worse. Habits are the automated solutions to recurrent problems in our lives. The struggle is that maintaining healthy habits can be boring – how many times have I had a client ask, “how long do I have to eat/work out like this?” And when my answer is, “for the rest of your life, if you want to stay healthy,” the shock on their faces is real. But therein lies the rub: the only way to make sustainable change in your life is with years of consistency, not ‘30 day challenges’ or grand gestures that fizzle out after a few weeks. Even the smallest healthy habit can be meaningful if you stick with it long enough; drinking just one extra glass of water per day adds up to over 91,000 extra milliliters per year! These seemingly small actions can compound into big results – just remember to take them one habit at a time. Amanda L. Dale (MA, MEd) is a certified trainer and nutritionist and director of Singapore-based fitness consulting firm Peak Health. With over a decade of experience in the health and wellness industries, Amanda has coached and transformed over 200 individual clients, consulted for companies such as Disney, Toyota, Dairy Farm, PayPal, and 20th Century Fox, and contributed to fitness publications such as SELF magazine and SHAPE.com. Her years of international expertise in weight loss, functional fitness, and nutrition planning have made her an in-demand wellness expert.
health Why It’s OK to Fail By Vivienne Scott Singapore was recently ranked joint first place as the “best country for children to grow up in” by Save the Children’s 2018 End of Childhood Report, while the United States ranked 36th alongside Russia, Kuwait and Bosnia. The report rates 175 countries, worldwide, on indicators relating to childhood mortality, education, conflict, labor and safeguarding. It is difficult to argue that Singapore does not have well-resourced and privileged healthcare, education and criminal safety but, as expatriates, are these criteria really relevant to the lives we have left and the new context in which we are raising our families? Risk factors such as child labor, child marriage, poverty and extreme violence were unlikely to feature in our former circumstances and, fortunately, the priority for our kids here is to thrive, not survive. Singapore is safe, clean and multicultural and offers many outdoor and family friendly spaces. It presents a lifestyle that may be far removed from what we have been accustomed to in our home country and, as creatures that adapt to their surroundings, what we initially perceive as being pampered and, to a certain extent, spoiled can easily slide into becoming the norm. While this environment is an enviable one in which to bring up children, the issue that emerges when we eventually repatriate our kids may not have had the same preparation for life’s hard knocks as their contemporaries back home. And this is a shock to the system. So, are we setting them up for failure in adulthood? In my career I have seen some of the most privileged and high achieving students present with very few coping skills, poor mental wellbeing and high levels of dissatisfaction. The situation corelates with the trend of educationally gifted students having some of the highest dropout rates when reaching further education, possibly because they have had less experience of failure or significant challenge and, as a result, have a lower level of resilience or perseverance when perfectionism is not possible. It is vital, therefore, that we raise our children to be mastery learners and not encourage focus on competitive attainment outcomes. Similarly, we must nurture learning on how to face challenges with confidence, independence and resilience. Although long-term stress is damaging to our physical and mental health, research now suggests that exposure to low levels of stress can, in fact, be beneficial. In the short term, a little stress can temporarily boost the immune system, improve memory and increase energy levels, while exposure to the same low levels of stress in
the longer term makes us mentally stronger and better equipped to manage future stressors. Students who avoid situations that cause them anxiety, such as public speaking, exams or swimming lessons, only learn further avoidance strategies and never access opportunities to develop resilience or their abilities in these areas. Experience in overcoming stress teaches children how to apply effective coping and self-regulation skills and builds confidence to approach challenge in future. The challenge for parents, then, is to strike a balance between preparing their children to experience failure, minor worries and struggles that they will inevitably come across in adulthood while benefitting from growing up. In busy households and with the accustomed privilege of employing a helper, it is easy to fall into the trap of withholding early opportunities for our children to develop independent skills by simply doing too much for them. Failure is important for learning and age-appropriate responsibilities teach children how to be self-organized, reflective and grateful, as well as strengthening vital skills for multi-tasking, planning and remembering. Adolescents who are delayed in acquiring these traits in childhood are often burdened with additional stressors when greater independence is demanded in higher education. When working in more socially disadvantaged locations, I have witnessed far younger children with exceptional independence and resilience, motivation and tenacity. As expats, it is likely that most of our children will not spend the rest of their lives in Singapore, but will move to other countries and come across others, perhaps from similar disadvantaged backgrounds. Perhaps from different social dynamics and outlooks, different cultural mixes, different family structures, different social backgrounds and, moreover, an altogether different environment with the challenges it brings. Our job is to ensure our children are prepared and ready to be resilient, independent, happy and contented when that time of transition happens and as they develop as young adults.
Vivienne is an Educational Psychologist with extensive experience in assessing and responding to a diverse range of mental health and additional support needs for children and families. She regularly provides workshops and training opportunities for parents and educators to increase their capacity to manage children’s and their own wellbeing needs. Vivienne hopes to support readers by focusing on some of the challenges experienced by expats living in Singapore.
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education Digital Citizenship By David Lee
Sometimes, it helps to get back to the basics! Arming students with knowledge and skills in digital citizenship is incredibly important in how they use the internet in a safe and positive manner. It is important that our children think about the impact of what they do online — on themselves, on people they know and the wider online community. Here are some friendly reminders from a course developed by Google for Educators that could help you practice digital citizenship skills in your daily life, as well as model the skills for your children. Creating Passwords Create a password that contains a mix of numbers, symbols and lowercase and uppercase letters. It should be eight to nine characters long and should not identify any important information, such as your address or name. Create different passwords for different accounts and platforms. Two-Factor Authentication This offers an additional security measure in the logging-in process. After entering your password, you will be sent a code via text which you will then enter. Signing Out Make sure to sign out of your accounts when using a shared computer at work, the library, or an internet cafe so that other people who get on the same computer will not be able to access your accounts.
Lock Your Device Set your device to have a PIN or a pattern so that people will not have access to your data. Make sure your PIN is a random set of numbers. True and Reliable Content Ask yourself: where is the content published? Who is the person or group creating it? What is the point of view? When was the content published? Asking these questions will help you identify the purpose of the content, whether or not the content was published by an expert, if the content has a bias or is balanced and whether or not it is up-to-date. Online Reputation Be sure to establish some boundaries for yourself in what and how you share information, because your online activities can leave a digital footprint that can be traced back to you. Familiarize yourself with the privacy settings of the social networks you are a part of, as well as the guidelines of the online communities you are in. Finally, be kind when you are in these online spaces. The internet can be a negative place so add some positivity to it!
David Lee is the Elementary School Educational Technology and STEM Coach at Singapore American School.
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education Behind the College Admissions Process By Andy Lee
You have just spent the past six months polishing your application essays, retaking your standardized exams and chasing after your teachers and counselors to send their recommendation letters. After those long caffeine-fueled all-nighters you have pulled in the months leading up to this moment, you are now finally ready to hit the submit button. The next part, the seemingly eternal wait before your admissions decisions are finally sent, is perhaps the most grueling. When students and their parents embark on the college application process, the majority of them do not actually know what happens behind the scenes of an admissions office, the department that is responsible for deciding which students are admitted into a university. How are applications evaluated? Who decides on the fates of these applicants? How do they come up with a final verdict? While all leading universities employ their own independent admissions practices, the majority of them actually adhere to a fairly similar model based on four successive steps: sorting, evaluating, deliberating and finalizing. Sorting: During first step of the process, applications are carefully checked to ensure that they are fully complete. Application essays, transcripts, standardized test score reports, recommendation letters and other supplementary materials must all be received before the applications are funneled to admissions officers for evaluation. Evaluating: In the next stage, all elements of the application are carefully scrutinized by the first reader. This admission officer will closely assess each component of the application by assigning a score based on a rating scale that is specific to each college. Afterwards, the reader will summarize all the main aspects of the application and then render one of the following decisions: admit, deny, waitlist or defer. In order to ensure fairness, this file is subsequently sent to a different officer for another round of evaluation. This officer will conduct a review and then issue an independent verdict. Deliberating: The files are then sent to a committee composed of admissions officers for deliberation. Usually, if both the first and second readers reach the same decision, the committee will defer to them. However, for a file where the two readers arrived at different verdicts, the committee will debate the merits of the application before putting it to a vote, with the majority opinion prevailing. Finalizing: In the final stage, senior admissions officers will conduct one final review of all the decisions to ensure that the next incoming class of students are qualified, diverse, balanced and reflect the institutional priorities of the university. Occasionally, some decisions may be overturned at this juncture to ensure that all the objectives enumerated above are satisfied. Lastly, all the finalized admissions decisions and financial aid packages are released to all the applicants. This process is highly subjective because it employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches, where
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Admissions Officers’ facts are balanced with feelings. In order for students to gain a coveted seat at a prestigious institution, they must craft a flawless application that showcases all their distinctive skills, talents and attributes in a compelling manner in order to capture the attention of the admissions officers. By planning early, thinking strategically and working hard, students will be able to ensure that they are maximizing their chances of gaining acceptance into their dream school.
Five ‘Dos’ and Five ‘Don’ts’ of Applying to College The Dos 1. Plan and strategize at least two years before the application deadline 2. Consider early decision and early action admissions plans 3. Revise your applications multiple times and read them aloud before submitting 4. Visit college campuses and interact with admissions officers and current students 5. Focus your time and energy on no more than two extracurricular activities at high school
The Don’ts 1. Don’t procrastinate on your application essays. Start working on them during the summer before your final year of high school 2.
Don’t judge a college based on its appearance and/or ranking. Make a concerted effort to understand its academic and extracurricular offerings and student outcomes after graduation
3. Don’t bombard admissions officers with questions that you can easily find answers to by simply researching the universities’ official websites 4. Don’t request prominent people who do not know you well to write recommendation letters for you. You should only ask people who are intimately aware of your strengths, passions and special qualities to write these letters 5. Don’t use the same supplementary essays for every college you apply to. You should try your best to tailor each essay for each college
Andy Lee, a seasoned American university and boarding school admissions consultant with nearly a decade of experience, possesses a distinguished track record in helping students realize their academic goals and aspirations. Andy has provided comprehensive educational counseling to over 100 students, many of whom have gone on to attend leading institutions like Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Berkeley, UCLA, Georgetown, NYU and USC. on a regular basis.
education
Let the World Be Their Oyster
Photos courtesy of GEMS Academy
By Jonathan Cox Choosing the right pathway for your son or daughter’s move from high school to university and beyond can be a nerve-racking affair. But it needn’t be. One of the great things about education nowadays is that there are so many different routes and very few dead ends. The most common concern that parents have is that, at the grand old age of 15, their son or daughter doesn’t know what they want to do. Actually, this makes the decision-making process relatively straight forward. Start with what they are good at, look at what they enjoy and pick those subjects. It has become a cliché that most of our children will be doing jobs that don’t even exist yet, but like all clichés, it is based on a large degree of truth. Flexibility, emotional intelligence, a sharp intellect and communication skills are some of the most employable skills and any good degree program will develop these. If your child does know which degree or career they want to pursue, you should still start with the same two questions:
1. What are they good at? 2. What do they enjoy?
Once you have answered these, then go to question 3:
3. What do they need?
I have worked with countless students who have nursed a “lifelong” ambition to be an engineer or doctor, only to find that their science and math grades are weak. There may still be a pathway to their career of choice, but it may not be a direct line. Or it might just be that the “lifelong” ambition needs some readjustment. After all, doctors should be great scientists and engineers should be outstanding at math for very obvious reasons. I remember very clearly sitting opposite a family. Both mom and dad were doctors and they told me with great confidence that their daughter also wanted to be a doctor. I noticed the daughter’s eyes drop slightly and asked her if that was true. She looked up and said, “No, I want to study design.” Mom looked aghast. “You never told me that.” she said. The daughter looked at her and replied very simply, “You never asked.” And this leads me to my final point. Above all else, listen to your child. In talking through their ideas and goals, you will be able to plan a course of action and make these ideas and goals come to fruition, allowing your child to become the person they truly want to be.
Jonathan Cox is the Secondary Years Deputy Principal at GEMS World Academy (Singapore)
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business Easy Personal Investing in Singapore
Phillip Securities both having been established in the 1970s.
By Richard Hartung If you have extra money saved in your Singapore bank account it would be easy just to leave it there. Interest rates on savings accounts are low, though, and even time deposit rates of around 1.8 percent barely keep you ahead of last year’s core inflation rate of 1.7 percent. With the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) expecting inflation to be 1.5-2.5 percent this year, it may be beneficial to look at easy ways of investing so your money can work harder for you. Exchange-Traded Funds While inexperienced or busy individuals have plenty of options for investing, some of them are expensive. Unit trusts, similar to mutual funds where investors’ money is pooled, or life insurance can cost up to 5 percent initially and, on top of that, fund managers charge a fee of between 1 and 2 percent of your assets every year. An easy alternative is to invest in lower cost exchangetraded funds (ETFs) through a bank or securities company. At POSB, for instance, consumers can invest S$100 or more a month in either Singapore bonds via the ABF Singapore Bond Index Fund ETF or in blue-chip stocks via the Nikko AM Singapore STI ETF. POSB charges fees of 0.5-1.0 percent of your investment and fund management fees are relatively low. The STI ETF, which largely replicates the performance of the Straits Times Index (STI), earned an average of 5.33 percent annually over the past three years. For investors who want lower risk, the Bond ETF earned an average of 2.85 percent over the past three years. Other banks offer similar opportunities, with options including OCBC’s Blue Chip Investment Plan and Maybank Kim Eng’s Monthly Investment Plan. Robo-Advisors For those in need of some help with selecting investments, digital investment platforms known as ‘robo-advisors’, such as AutoWealth or Stashaway, take investors preferences into account and create customised investment portfolios. You’ll start by answering questions to provide details about your goals and risk tolerance, then receive a proposed investment portfolio. Your assets are usually allocated to low-cost ETFs and the robo-advisor adjusts the portfolio automatically based on changes in market conditions. Fees can be as low as 0.2 per cent per year, the minimum investment is low and can yield healthy returns, too. AutoWealth reported returns were 7 percent in 2016 and 7.6 percent in 2017. Last year, when the Straits Times Index lost 7.5 percent, it lost 5 percent. Brokerage Accounts If you are comfortable with the investment market and want more options, you can set up a brokerage account and select shares or ETFs directly. There are more than a dozen local brokerage firms, all regulated by the MAS. Many have been around for decades, with Lim & Tan Securities and
Along with stocks, brokerages may offer access to ETFs, unit trusts, bonds or options. When selecting a brokerage firm, they’ll help you to open a central depository (CDP) account where your shares will be held. You can then open a brokerage account to buy or sell shares or bonds, often online. Most firms charge similar fees of about 0.275 percent of your purchase price or a minimum of $25 per trade, however, which is higher than in the US. Unit Trusts (Mutual Funds) Unit trusts are also an option, but may be expensive and there are more than 1,000 in Singapore, so selecting the right one for you can be complex. A bank or a brokerage firm can help you to set up an account for your investments and may provide ideas about which funds to select. Apps such as OCBC’s OneWealth give you insights into the market and let you invest in unit trusts. Other local banks also have apps or online services, too. Another alternative is to use a non-bank platform for investments such as FundSupermart, an investing ‘supermarket’ with a huge variety of unit trusts, ETFs, bonds and stocks. FundSupermart investment advisors can help you sort through the plethora of choices. Crowd-Lending A more risky but potentially higher yielding investment is peer-to-peer debt crowdfunding, which is essentially lending to small businesses. Investors collectively provide a loan and earn interest from a small business that agrees to pay back the principal plus interest. This type of investment can usually be arranged by signing up online; Funding Societies, for instance, facilitates lending for SMEs and interest rates are of approximately 8-14 percent per year. This and other sites such as MoolahSense also offer auto-invest tools which investors can use to loan funds automatically on a regular basis. While the returns are good, however, the risk is that the borrower may not pay investors back and the loan amount will be lost. Investing in a larger number of smaller loans can help mitigate the risk. Investing is Easy While there are plenty more alternatives for investing in Singapore, options such as these provide easy ways to earn more than you would on money in a bank account. Simply by doing a little online research and asking questions from a few institutions can improve your investment returns and give you an opportunity to beat inflation. Richard Hartung, the Managing Director of Transcarta, is a freelance writer for Today, gtnews, Challenge, OOSSKAnews, The Asian Banker and other media as well as the author of Changing Lanes, Changing Lives. He is also a consultant in retail banking, focusing on payments strategy and efficiency, with more than 20 years of experience in Asia. LIVING IN SINGAPORE 47
our singapore: living in images How do you see Singapore? Every issue we’ll showcase moments captured by members in a photography competition depicting our island at its finest; from the throng of the city to the wild wetlands, from the characters among its people to its varied landscape. For the inaugural issue, we have selected photographs previously submitted to the Association; for the next issue, we invite you, our members to submit your photographic take on life in Singapore.
1st: Lau Pa Sat; Francisco Marin wins $100 in Outback Steakhouse vouchers. Francisco, from Mexico, has been living in Asia for 15 years and has been a member of AAS since he arrived in Singapore in 2014. His passion is in teaching photography and sharing his experiences with his students and friends.
2nd: Tiong Bahru’s Art Deco Apartments; Emma Hillman wins $50 in Hard Rock Café vouchers. Emma is a travel writer and photographer from California. While she spends much of her time on the move all over Southeast Asia, her base is in Singapore and she joined the Association earlier this year.
3rd: Pastel Peranakan Houses; Hannah Wilson wins $30 in Drinks & Co vouchers. English teacher, Hannah, is from London and moved to Singapore in 2016. When not in the classroom, she freelances in photography and loves exploring the island with her camera.
Submit your photo of your Singapore! Just snapped a cool picture? Send it on to our Editor-in-Chief, Katie Baines, at communications@aasingapore.com with ‘Living in Images’ in the subject line. The competition is reserved for AAS members only • Members may submit images that are 300dpi and 1MB in size (minimum half A4 paper size) • Each entry must include name, short photographer biography and complete caption • Readers must own the rights to the picture submitted and must have obtained permission to photograph human subjects depicted • Judges’ decision is final • Entries are automatically disqualified if they do not meet our criteria and stated T&C • Winners will be notified via e-mail when the prize is ready to be sent out • Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash. 48 LIVING IN SINGAPORE