June-July 2019
THOUGHTS OF HOME Our members reflect on the 4th of July as an expat 12 HOURS IN PUNGGOL A day in one of Singapore’s lesser explored districts BEST AMERICAN BURGERS IN TOWN Where to eat out this Independence Day
who we are I’m
not
sure
how
it
happened, but it has suddenly become mid-2019, which can only mean one thing: it’s almost the US’s birthday. The 4th of July may be the one holiday on our calendar where, on a cultural level, it’s truly all about celebration. Memorial Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day contain elements of reflection due to their origins, but Fourth of July is a birthday party. And that’s exactly what AAS throws, year on year, for celebrants who may be missing old-fashioned Americana of the parades, fireworks and picnics. On June 29 at Singapore American School, we will enter the spirit, eat, drink and be merry. With thoughts of home in mind, in this issue we ask members of our American community to reminisce about this most cherished of dates, tell us their stories and memories and what it feels like to be so far away from home, if not returning to celebrate with friends and loved ones in the US. Looking forward, though, and given that we’re halfway through the year, we can allow ourselves to press the ‘reset’ button, take our foot off the gas and take a look at what’s around us. And if what our writers have to say is anything to go by, there’s plenty. Many of us will be travelling; if so, ignite the wanderluster in you on the road less trodden in Uzbekistan, romanticize over adventures on transAustralian railways, then get inspired to go a step
EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Katie Baines communications@aasingapore.com Publishing Editor: Christi Novomesky generalmanager@aasingapore.com LAYOUT Graphic Designer: Miia Koistinen graphics@aasingapore.com ADVERTISING Advertising Manager: Thila Chandra san.ads@aasingapore.com COLUMNISTS Dee Allan, Faith A. Chanda, Alka Chandiramani, Julian A. Chua, Laura Coulter, Amanda L. Dale, Laura O’Gorman Schwarz, John Sarkis Hamalian, Richard L. Hartung, Andy Lee, Vivienne Scott, Tyler Wisler CONTRIBUTORS Kyle Aldous, Melindah Bush, Emma Hillman, Charles Leroux, Fran Martindale, Dr. Sundus Morgan, Melinda Murphy, Lily Ong, Quynh Pham, Marc Servos AMERICAN ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS President: Michael Borchert Vice President: Bill Poorman Treasurer: Ria Hoban Secretary: Brian Schwender Directors: Sammie Cheston, Blair Hall, Christin Gustafson, Jason Iafolla, Michael Johnsen Immediate Past President: Stephanie Nash AmCham Chair: Ann Yom Steel The American Club President: Dana Hvide AWA President: Mel Rice SACAC Chair: Greg Rutledge SAS Chair: Dr. Chip Kimball
months, loosen your belts and get involved with
Non-Voting Members: US Embassy: Tor Petersen US Military: Rear Admiral Joey Tynch AAS: Christi Novomesky
the foodie scene as we talk to two of Singapore’s
PUBLISHER – AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
influential food critics about the best of the island’s
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 is circulated 6 times per year, with a readership of 24,000, with the purpose of enhancing the expatriate experience in Singapore.
braver on a journey to Everest Base Camp. If you’re staying in Singapore over the summer
local cuisine and get the lowdown on the best American burger joints – perfect for celebratory eating over the holiday. The United States of America has 242 candles on its cake this year, but wherever you are in the world on July 4, blow them out, take a big slice and enjoy. Happy birthday USA!
Editor-in-Chief Katie Baines
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 Thoughts of Home Reminisce about what Fourth of July means to you with reflections from our community.
6
20 12 Hours in Punggol Get active in one of Singapore’s lesser explored districts.
24 Uzbekistan: Where the Silk Road Endures Travel to the road less trodden in this most enchanting corner of the world.
32 Why Challenge Is Good Brace yourself for a journey into thin air to Everest Base Camp.
42 Eating Under the Influence Whet your appetite with the best of local cuisine from Singapore’s food influencers.
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32 24
42
cover photo by Tatyana Kildisheva
burger joints 42 • sats or acts? 44 • listen up 45 • farming in singapore 47 • living in images 48 2 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
all about perspective 23 • travelling on the ghan 28 • kuching with kids 31 • prenatal yoga 36 • what’s bmi? 37 • work what matters 38
diary of a scout 8 • humans of the embassy 11 • living light 13 • rugs 101 14 • sentosa 17 • career 22
up close and personal with... Michael Hadley, Benchmark Wines
sent for consideration for our stock. In sourcing our wines, we both go to the vineyards directly or they come to us.
Benchmark Wines has very recently come on board with AAS as an Eagle Partner. We catch up with company Partner, Michael Hadley, about why we make a great partnership, what makes him tick and what’s hot in the world of wine.
Why partner with AAS? The biggest reason is the long-term relationship I’ve had with the Association and members are very much part of my target market. It’s a very enjoyable organization to work with, as well.
What first attracted you to the wine industry? I moved to London in my late 20s, which is when I fell in love with wine. At that time London had a very vibrant wine bar and wine scene, so it was a great chance to develop my existing knowledge on other grapes and wine regions around the world that I’ve come to enjoy as much as American wines.
What does a day at Benchmark Wines look like? Hopefully there are lots of orders and new clients to engage with and welcome personally. Then we’ll be picking and packing orders and getting them delivered. Two or three nights a week, we’ll taste samples I’ve been
If you didn’t work in wine, what would you be doing? I’m also an executive coach and I love that as much as I love wine. I guess I’d be a food and wine critic – food and wine always brings people together, there’s always great conversation and not just about the food and drink.
What’s popular in the world of wine at the moment? Rosés are doing well right now. The most popular ones come from Southern Rhone, France, and many winemakers in the world are trying hard to make a lighter style rosé that would be similar to this. They’re very enjoyable in warmer climates as they’re refreshing, they have good acidity and fruit that would be good for barbeques or hearty salads, but also as an aperitif before a meal.
What pairing would you recommend for Asian food? I would find something where the acidity is pronounced, so something like a dry Reisling. A lot of local cuisine here is oily or heavy. Having something that is more acidic will cut through the grease. For spicier food, such as Thai food, go for an ‘off-dry’ wine, or a wine from Alsace or southern Germany, such as a Pinot Gris, a Reisling or a Gewurztraminer.
AAS Strategic Partners We would like to extend our thanks to our strategic partners at the Association for their continued support and contribution.
Centennial Partners
Patriot Partner
Pantone 424c: C 57.4 M 47.29 Y 47.86 K 14.12
Community Partner PANTONE 424C
Eagle Partners
LIVING IN SINGAPORE 3
community calendar
American Association Sister Organizations Dates For Your Calendar… American Association of Singapore (AAS)
Singapore American School (SAS)
Coffee Connexions – June 12 • 10-11:30am Metworks Lunch – June 13 • 12-1:30pm AAS 4th of July Celebration – June 29 • 4-10pm
No events for June or July
American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)
Father’s Day Brunch at The American Club – June 16 Various seatings • 10:30am – 3pm
APCAC Washington Doorknock: Annual Advocacy Mission – July 14-18 American Women’s Association (AWA)
The American Club (TAC)
Important Dates for April and May Hari Raya Puasa
June 5
Local Tour: Art in Transit – North East Line (day) June 6 Family Portrait Photography Workshop June 15
Father’s Day
June 16
Independence Day
July 4
Scouts
Parent’s Day
July 28
Troop 07 Japan/Korea camp – June 17-23 Troop 07 Chang Mai camp – July 27 – August 4
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
4 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
notable events
member benefits
AAS Coffee Connexions
California Pizza Kitchen
Join us for morning coffee at Crossroads Cafe where you’ll have the opportunity to make new connexions and catch up with old ones, too. There’s no fee to join, but attendees are required to purchase at least one drink/coffee (minimum). Attendees will receive a 20% discount on food and beverage purchases. Registration required at www.aasingpore.com. Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, 320 Orchard Road, June 12, 10-11:30am
15% discount for à la carte menu for dine-in only. Through Dec 31, 2019. Tel: 6836 0110 T &C applies.
AAS Metworks Lunch
AAS members receive a 10% off discount on first podiatry consultation. Through December 31, 2019. Tel: 6464 8654. T & C applies.
As a social and professional networking group for men, Metworks has something for everyone. Meet others who share your hobbies and interests and make friends in areas outside of your current social, school, or professional circles while swapping ideas about the best Singapore has to offer. Registration required at www.aasingpore.com. Venue TBC, June 13, 12-1:30pm
AAS 4th of July Celebration Time to celebrate the American spirit in Singapore at the American Association of Singapore’s annual 4th of July Celebration, in partnership with Singapore American School! Enjoy a family-friendly day of music, food, drinks, shopping, carnival games and patriotism, capped off by formal ceremonies and a spectacular fireworks display. Singapore American School, 40 Woodlands Street 41, June 29, 4-10pm
APCAC Washington Doorknock: Annual Advocacy Mission – July 14-18 Every summer APCAC sends a delegation comprised of business leaders and AmCham staff members to Washington DC to meet with officials from the federal government in order to discuss policy issues affecting American businesses in Asia. Register to express interest to take part via the AmCham website.
AWA Local Tour: Art in Transit – North East Line The Art in Transit program is a bold and imaginative program that brings the works of Singapore’s top artists into the MRT stations and the lives of all who use them. In the process, the stations are transformed into a showcase of Singapore art for the world. Explore the past character of each neighborhood and gain a better understanding of Singapore’s development. Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, June 6, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Father’s day at The American Club Whether strong and silent or dorky and goofy, dads are the pillars of our lives. Treat dad like a king, with a delectable feast to boot, at the Father’s Day Brunch at The American Club. The 2nd Floor, June 16, 11:30am – 2:30pm The Galbraith Ballroom, June 16, 1st Seating: 10:30am – 12:30pm, 2nd Seating: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Drinks & Co. 20% discount on all food items. Offer is valid only at Holland Village outlet, through Jun 30, 2019. Please call 9619 4568 for reservations recommended.
Family Podiatry Centre
Hairdreams Couture Salon 20% discount on all services. Through July 2019. Tel: 6589 8792. T & C applies.
Hard Rock Cafe Singapore & Sentosa 15% discount on food and beverage upon showing your AAS membership card. Through May 2020. Tel: 6235 5232 (Singapore). Tel: 6795 7454 (Sentosa). 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 Jul 31, 2019. Tel: 6462 0028. T & C applies.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib 15% discount for à la carte menu for dine-in only. Tel: 6836 3333. T & C applies.
Morton’s of Chicago Complimentary cocktail or mocktail (one per diner) and one complimentary dessert per table. Applicable for Main Dining Room only. Through Dec 30, 2019. Present AAS membership card to enjoy. Tel: 6339 3740. T & C applies.
Outback Stakehouse 1-on-1 Beer & 1-on-1 Wine (House pour). Through Dec 2019. Tel: 6702 6842. T & C applies.
Solescape 20% off discount with any purchaseof Solescape shoes in Jun 2019 and 10% off from Jul-Dec 2019. www.solescapeshoe.com. T&C applies.
Telunas Resorts With a minimum 3-night stay at Telunas Private Island, receive a complimentary 90-minute body massage for one person. Through Jul 31, 2019. Tel: +62 811-7710-951. T & C applies.
AAS Members who do not have a membership card, please contact the AAS office (6738 0371) for your card. LIVING IN SINGAPORE 5
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The 4th of July as a kid meant decorating my bike for a neighborhood parade and then heading up to our club’s celebration that included swimming, barbeque and a greased watermelon competition. 4th of July as an adult has become more sentimental to me and a celebration of patriotism. Karen Shively, AAS member since 2017, Dallas, Texas.
Growing up , the 4th of July was fire have that works and p deeper me arties. We kn aning. That disconnecte ew why it m c hanged fiv d from our attered in te e years ag American ro rms of patrio party and w o when we m u tin tism, but it d es. Then we e jumped a oved to Sin idn’t found out th t the chanc gapore wh meaning to e a to t en we bec the Americ go, and we the occasio ame an Associa have come n in ways w Bill Poorma tion hosts a e never wo back every n, AAS Vice 4th of July uld have a year since. President, A ppreciated It a lways gives kron, Ohio. without relo a special cating here .
As a kid, my family focused on fireworks on the night of the July 4 as a community party in a street in my neighborhood. As most families on my street had kids, each year we had joint fireworks parties in the evenings after the sunset. We would take turns to see whose fireworks went the farthest or highest, and then see the other fireworks in other parts of the neighborhood. When the rules changed for fireworks in different states, we couldn’t celebrate the same. I hadn’t really returned to celebrating it until the AAS 4th of July Celebration. Michael Borchert, AAS President, San Antonio, Texas.
6 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
The 4th of July was a really big event in my wife’s home town. My in-laws’ house is a block of the route of the largest parade in the state and they always host a big cookout in their yard for lunch after. After sundown there are two public and numerous impressive private fireworks displays visible from just about everywhere in town. It’s always a great day full of family and friends. This year we’re looking forward to celebrating with our friends from AAS and the whole community here for the first time. Scott Paintner, AAS member since 2017, Mandan, North Dakota.
ant, – brilli it ir p of ns eling erica e f m A e e ts th ts th nning resen resen nd kids ru p p e e r r that o a uly flags It als BBQ, h of J t e , l. 4 h s t u k f r e r ven are wo e, th owe and e of fire rom home s For m e and p n e s io u t f a ho siv I miss elebr ings, explo tes. . – a c What build . , s s r m d Sta n ersey o le e w k it d r n la e a U e p n r New J r f s , o u d h o d it o f e o o dw lac unity idgew aroun ntly p 017, R proud 2 mine e e o r h c t p are wing ber sin rs, sho AAS mem , on ca o er allest Neil V
Join the American Association of Singapore on Saturday, June 29 at Singapore American School for this year’s 4th of July Celebration! For information, go to www.aasingapore.com.
When I think back to how I celebrated the 4th of July during my childhood, I think of the sailboat parade that took place every summer at our island club. Boats of all shapes and sizes would break out their most festive red, white and blue decorations, from streamers to flags to pinwheels, and members would dress up their boats before sailing back and forth across the harbor. To enjoy the holiday festivities, the whole town would come out to watch the parade before the boats headed out of the harbor for an afternoon sail. Allie Maurillo, AAS family member since 2011, New York City, New York. The 4th o f cele bratin July has alwa g wit in 20 hf ys b 15, I ee have riends an Asso d fam n a spe had ciatio cial t ily. Sin h n e been of Sin holid ce m gapo opportun ay a wo o ving ity to awa re’s 4 n d to Sin spent e r ful w y from atten th of gapo ay to July C d the hom it co re e. Th mbin eleb cele Ame is e r b rican a e s r child t a v io m e t e n n a , whic t is es ny o the d hood f th pe h ha ay in w famil s ies fro ith the ch e patriot cially me aning my hom ic tra ance m th Sara e d e f u h Wa to sh it l bec US, S are in ions fam lston inga ause , AAS iliar f pore a da rom mem and y o f my f ber s acro amily ince ss the fun w 2015 w ith orld. , Wilso n, No rth C arolin a.
To me, 4th of July means celebration and community and, growing up in the US, it marks the peak of the summer holidays. I have fond memories of days with my family and friends, having picnics and playing games, with the day beginning with the community parade and ending with the fireworks in the park. Now, though, being so far away from home, 4th of July has a deeper meaning for me and when I hear our national anthem at AAS events, I can’t help but feel a little bit tearful and a little bit proud. Christi Novomesky, AAS General Manager, Fort Collins, Colorado.
LIVING IN SINGAPORE 7
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Derby Day! By Melindah Bush
In April, the Scouts and families of Cub Scout Pack 3010 held their annual Pinewood Derby model race car competition at the Stamford American International School’s Early Learning Village in Lorong Chuan. The Scouts built and decorated their own wooden race cars for an indoor track reaching speeds of up to 200mph. Everyone entered in the spirit of good sportsmanship and competition and learned the skills needed to construct durable, fast wooden model cars. When building their derby cars, the Scouts were helped by volunteers at the Singapore University for Technology and Design who allowed them to use their woodworking lab to design and build the cars. This year’s first-place winner for the fastest Pinewood Derby car in the entire Pack went to Iona H. from Wolf Den 1 (Girls). Her winning car consistently reached speeds of just over 200mph 8 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
and she is the first girl to win the Pinewood Derby in Singapore after the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) began welcoming girls into the BSA Scouting program earlier in the year. The Derby is the year’s final Pack-wide event before the Scouts celebrate their graduation at the Blue & Gold Awards dinner in May. While we’re wrapping up the school year, the Pack will begin taking registrations over the summer for the new academic term. Pack 3010 is a US Cub Scout Pack sponsored by the Stamford American International School (SAIS) for boys and girls of all nationalities in Kindergarden 2-5. For more information or to register for the next school year starting in August 2019, please contact us at: sgcubscoutspack3010@gmail.com. Photo by Melindah Bush
Photo courtesy of Melinda Murphy
irls… G e h t r o f t s u Not J Murphy By Melinda
redible ed an inc s develop a h r pretty te e h g m do so old dau to rg a e in -y rn 0 a 1 le My ce by learning lf confiden mping to a se c f o m se o n fr se making Girl Scouts riding to in k c ff a u b st e l rs o o co to h der, I’ve intenance r Troop lea a e h m s a le t c u y B bic to really more. ve come I’ d so much n d a n a lry r e e w je side h bonded right along o. They’ve ll to a , p it o e o n tr o d s in my safe, allt all the girl r up in a u e o th b o a h re c a c y Camp ing ea op ran Da unit, build o Tr e r u u tr o r, a a s a This ye lishment. r accomp vironment. jo n a e m le a a , m fe Award t out of would ge d a Bronze e I rn t a a e h w d n a ct is en things idn’t expe ne and se o d e v What I d I’ I wasn’t adult. ng as an rienced if ti e u o xp c e S l e ir v G ver ha ch about ed so mu ore I’d ne p rn a a g le n e Si v I’ in ng. erhood. Girl Scouti es, and sist ti ili b a s d n involved in ills a Philippine adership sk t to the n e w d rs e e y my own le ad sta several le where we This year, ve north ro d hands, e r u W o . ice trip ng with ti a e ; se u on a serv dle fight; ut ho l Gir l Sco d of a boo o fo f o y a in a loca ng arr tle hearts the amazi ped our lit p o sh ; sampling rb e ga p in nativ , dressed u ore. e service m h muc as to giv w ip tr y b r u out, and so n o oo al aim of cent typh But the re d by a re te ht with a g st u a v ro e b ose d toys we g n ti e u ib helping th tr dis experienc t food and nage, an a h . rp g o l in dishing ou a loc reward o visited a king and a re f -b o rt a p us. We als e u yh dac ultaneousl e smile an id w , y jo I found sim le mp true and si rever. To see the with me fo y a involved in st ill w t h g u re you so ro a y it h food b “W , e because en ask m ork?” It’s w f r o e People oft t v lo e it a g I’ve ng? Isn’t rding thin a w ; re lf st se Girl Scouti o y e m wing m ed, be th row; to gro g t ls a ir h g may, inde w e th ecause watching st of all, b o m d done, from n A s. new friend to making aughter. d y m s e giv Girl Scouts
Just as Much Fun for Parents! By Fran Martindale Cub Scout Pack 3017 has been active this year going on adventures, ranging from kayaking at MacRitchie Reservoir, to hiking at outlying islands, as well as cultural walks through the city and, of course, the big Pack campout held every year. As we prepare for the annual Pinewood Derby car race, we know that the Scouts have a lot of fun, but the real surprise for many parents is that they enjoy Scouts just as much as their kids. “It’s a great way to bring our family together, as we do things in Singapore that we wouldn’t normally do on our own. It’s really not just my son learning how to do first aid, or put out fires, or outdoor survival skills – I’m learning alongside him,” says parent, John Sharp. “We’re away from his electronics, but also away from my distractions, too, so we really get genuine quality time together. There’s really nothing else like this.” Cub Scout Pack 3017 has been offering families these unique opportunities for many years in Singapore and, while it has kept all of the outdoor skills and training as part of its program, it has also introduced badge activities for skills such as safe computer surfing and game design, with the goal of introducing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) experiences to the Scouts. This provides a balance of traditional and modern activities that the Scouts (and parents!) enjoy. OPENING TO GIRLS Also this year, Cub Scout Pack 3017 is opening up dens for girls starting in August of this year. So now, families will have even more reason to join. It will be exciting to have girls learning the same skills and having the same experiences as our boy Cub Scouts do. Contact us at: sgpack3017@gmail.com for more information.
Photo courtesy of Fran Martindale LIVING IN SINGAPORE 9
10 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
humans of the embassy
Quynh Pham, Consular Section My first taste of freedom came as a young boy of 12 during my first conversation with an American. It was 1983 and I was in the Pulau Bidong refugee camp in Malaysia, specially set up for the ‘Vietnamese Boat People’; refugees who had escaped by boat after the Vietnam War. I didn’t speak a word of English so, through a translator, the US government official asked me, “Why do you want to go to America?” My father was an artillery officer for South Vietnam during the War. After the Communist Party took over in 1975, my father was arrested and taken to a labor camp for seven years. When he got out, we had to seek better opportunities somewhere else as our family was blacklisted. My parents could only afford to pay for smugglers to take my 14-year-old sister and me out, while they stayed behind in South Vietnam with my three other siblings. My sister and I survived three days and two nights on a fishing boat before we made it to Malaysia. Some other boat people weren’t so lucky. I’ve heard stories too horrific to repeat. In the early 90s, my father and brother had to walk from Vietnam to Cambodia and then went on to Thailand by boat. Their journey took them a month. My mother attempted to escape three times before she was successful. She was among one of the last few to be accepted in the refugee camp before it was closed to the boat people. I was offered refugee status to migrate to the US and live with a foster family in Arizona. My foster parents treated my sister and me as their own and we remain in close contact. My own family reunited in the United States in 1994. Now, working in the US Embassy’s Consular Section myself, I get to hear hundreds of peoples’ stories each day as they are asked, “Why do you want to go to America?” I don’t let my own experience color my work as US law is very clear about who qualifies to go the United States. Working for the State Department is my way of giving back to the country and a system that welcomed me with open arms.
LIVING IN SINGAPORE 11
living light in singapore By Faith Chanda De-cluttering isn’t a new concept, but Mari Kondo‘s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has got everybody wandering around their homes thinking about what does and doesn’t “spark joy”. With the average condo square footage being much smaller in Singapore than our home countries, a good purge at least every year isn’t such a bad idea. But what to do with all the ‘stuff’ that no longer sparks joy?
Re-Sell The first option most people turn to is re-selling. The green movement to reduce, reuse and recycle has given rise to a wealth of internet pages dedicated to selling items you no longer want, including Carousell, Gumtree, Craig’s List and Facebook’s many buy/sell/ trade pages, as well as its Marketplace. When posting items, make sure to include a detailed description, where the pick-up point is located, or areas you are willing to meet, measurements, where appropriate, and information on any defects. Many folks are still willing to forgive a small defect, but they won’t be happy if the seller isn’t up front about it. Research pricing by checking online stores for the original price and check other preloved sales sites for the same item to see what price others are listing at. You won’t make a ton of money, but it might be enough to soothe the packrat in you who hates getting rid of anything.
Give Away Along with the sales platforms, there are sharing and blessing groups, where all items are free. • Pass It On allows people to post unwanted, but useful items to benefit anyone with limited means, www.passiton.org.sg • You can take up a stand at Singapore Really Really Free Market which happens a couple of times each year and experience the joy of giving your stuff away directly to people who’ve come to shop. www.facebook.com/srrfm Other pages for free-cycling include: • Singapore Moms Preloved and Blessing Group • Blessing Items for Low Income Families! • 3R Recycle, Sharing Is Caring • FREE loved FURNITURE (Singapore)
Donate My favorite option of all is donating. There are so many great causes and organizations in Singapore that would love to have your pre-loved items, but it takes a bit of digging to turn up which in-kind donations would be most helpful to them.
Before you load up a truck full, be sure to contact any group you’re planning to donate to. Some require only certain items within broad categories and it’s always a good idea to confirm they still need the items you’re letting go because busy charities on limited budgets don’t always get around to updating their websites in a timely manner. Refer to the online version of this article on the AAS website for active organizations and the types of items they have a need for at the time of writing.
Change Your Habits And if all that purging has got you re-thinking your life choices, well, there are a few organizations for that, too. The ‘Zero Waste’ movement is based on the idea that if you try hard enough, it is possible to live your life without creating any waste at all. This means being very careful about everything you use, because when you’re done with it, it has to go somewhere besides the trash bin. For tips on how to cut down on your waste, check out these groups: • Zero Waste SG www.facebook.com/zerowastesg • Journey to Zero Waste Life in Singapore www.facebook.com/groups/ZeroWasteJourneySg • Zero Waste Parenting Singapore www.facebook.com/groups/500656573623900 Once you’ve de-cluttered, sold, blessed and donated, you just might find that not only do you end up with a tidy, clean home, but your mind and heart are feeling a bit lighter and brighter as well.
Faith arrived in Singapore expecting a two-year stint before gratefully returning to the comforts of “home”. Four years later and counting, it’s Singapore that feels like home. She is a volunteer on the Admin team of Real Singapore Expat Wives Facebook group, freelance copywriter and chapter author for the Living in Singapore Reference Guide.
LIVING IN SINGAPORE 13
rugs 101 By Tyler Wisler If there is one thing I love to use in my designs, it is a rug. Truthfully? It’s normally plural. RUGS! Rugs are so important in any well-designed space. This textural delight woven in wool, cotton, silk or a multitude of other materials can add color, pattern, depth, definition and even acoustical control to any room with its mere presence.
“Whether designing an indoor room or an exterior space, rugs are an essential part of my creative process!”
Define Rugs help us delineate spaces without physical barriers. Many of us live in open concept floor plans where the entry foyer spills into living room, which is also the dining room transitioning into the kitchen. Once you place a rug down, though, you have clearly defined that zone. Laying down a rug also helps with what I call ‘floating furniture’. When furniture is just existing in a space without a rug to help anchor the grouping, it is essentially just floating around.
Sound Here in Singapore, two of the most common flooring materials for the main living areas is tile or stone. This is not only very cold and sterile looking, but also a highly reflective surface in terms of sound. With the use of a rug you dampen the ability for sound to bounce around a room, keeping your space from sounding like a catering hall.
Size and Shape Many times, people get caught up in what the proper size of a rug is. Well, first thing is the size of your room. A rug should never be closer than 12 inches to a wall. It should never appear to be kissing the baseboard. That is not to say that this is the only thing to think about.
In a living room setting, your sofa is usually the widest piece of furniture, so it will typically sit on the long side of the rug. For example, if your sofa is 7 feet, then an 8 x 10 feet rug will be the minimum size to consider. This gives you 18” of breathing room on either side to give you the space for small end tables or a floor lamp. This is the minimum, but you could easily enlarge this to a 9 x 12 feet as long as your area can handle it. Again, I’m speaking in standard sizing, but there are reasons for using square, circular, or even organic shapes. Sometimes choosing something more organic, such as a cowhide, can help break up rectilinear lines and soften the aesthetic of a room.
Placement Now, furniture. Is it sitting on the rug? Off the rug? Are the front feet on it? What’s the story? I generally say that the large pieces, i.e. your sofa and your larger lounge chairs should have their front feet on the rug, in about 6-10 inches from the edge. Those wonderful accent pieces, like that gorgeous Chinese horseshoe chair rounding out a conversation space can sit completely on or off the rug.
“This bedroom suite I designed for Living Spaces is a great example of how rugs can fill a space with visual interest, but not appear overwhelming”
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“Layering rugs can be playful and unexpected, as evident here in the Rockstar Retreat I designed for Casaza.com”
Color & Pattern
Layering
This is completely subjective, but you should consider where you want your ‘wow factor’ to be in your room. If you want your lighting to be the most eye-catching piece, then keep your rugs subtle. Use something that celebrates texture over pattern. Keep colors neutral and I would say err on the side of darker, since darker colors tend to recede. But, if all pieces in your room are simple and you want to make a statement, working from the ground up is such fun! Be bold! My personal favorites are over-dyed Turkish rugs, Moroccan shags and bright Kilims.
I love to layer rugs. This has become almost a signature of my spaces. I believe when you layer rugs you can add such dynamic energy with mixing textures, colors and shapes! Another reason I love to layer rugs is many of us do not have perfectly rectangular or square rooms. Layering rugs can help make strange architectural intrusions work within the same space. And, by the way, no, you will not trip on the rugs. The trick to layering rugs is to keep them relatively thin and to keep the overlapped sections out of the direct path of traffic.
Materials
Now that I’ve piqued your interest in all that is underfoot, here are a few of my favorite sources when you are on the hunt for your next rug!
When choosing a rug, I always recommend going with a piece that is all, or at least a majority of natural fibers. My choice is always to go for 100% wool. Wool and silk will always clean better than any synthetic. Rugs made of more natural grasses, such as sisal and jute are the opposite of easy to clean, they end up being very temperamental and can look terrible quickly if you’re not the tidiest person. I highly recommend steering clear of the polypropylene or acrylic rugs. Yes, they are generally very affordable and can come in some exciting patterns and colors, but after the first accidental spill, you will understand why they are so cheap.
Jehan Gallery Tan Boon Liat, 315 Outram Road #03-08 www.jehangallery.com Hassan’s Carpet Tan Boon Liat Building, 315 Outram Road #02-06 www.hassanscarpets.com Hedger’s Carpet Gallery 13 Dempsey Rd, #01-02, Singapore 249674 www.hedgerscarpetgallery.com.sg The Orientalist Tan Boon Liat Building, 315 Outram Road #12-03 www.theorientalist.com Photos courtesy of Tyler Wisler
Tyler 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.
LIVING IN SINGAPORE 15
my singapore: destination sentosa By Marc Servos In spite of Sentosa having a serene connotation, its direct translation from Malay being ‘peace and tranquillity’, the island actually has a grisly past. Formerly known as Pulau Blakang Mati, meaning ‘island behind death’, as far back as the 15th century it was an enclave for pirates, then a fortification in the 1800s, up until World War II when Japanese forces seized the island and brought its inhabitants to a gruesome end. In almost a sentimental twist to make peace with its past, Lee Kuan Yew approved the island to be a recreational area and, since the Sentosa Development Corporation began administration in 1972, it has gone through extensive changes. Many earlier high-profile landmarks in the form of military barracks and outposts disappeared to make way for Genting Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) beginning in 2007. Among the first major projects was the Sentosa Ferry Terminal, completed in 1973. It served as a disembarkation point for visitors to explore the island. Further recreational amusements developed the following year with the opening of the cable car system connecting Sentosa and Mount Faber, the Sentosa Golf Club and the conversion of Fort Siloso to a military museum. Although the ferry terminal was demolished to make way for RWS, the cable car is still in operation today and offers fantastic views across Sentosa and Singapore’s coast. Near the ferry terminal were two other bygone attractions, still ingrained in many of our memories, that were also razed to make way for RWS. The Singapore Musical Fountain, completed in 1982, encompassed a water feature and entertainment venue to accommodate 5,000 people for many events, special performances and variety shows. The Fountain Gardens, completed in 1989, was a promenade attraction inspired by French formal gardens and served as a gateway between the ferry terminal and the musical gardens. With an increased focus on tourism, Sentosa’s monorail began operations in 1982 to provide passenger services across western parts of the island, but made way for the Sentosa Express which opened in 2007 to transport visitors from VivoCity’s Sentosa Station to Resorts World, Imbiah and Beach Stations. On the east side of the island sits Sentosa Cove. A 1986 approval by the Singapore Cabinet to redevelop Buran Darat Island, at the time separated from Sentosa, led to the approval of the Master Plan in 1993, with the first residence being completed in 2006. Attractions elsewhere have come and gone. One popular attraction was Underwater World located near Fort Siloso, operating from 1991 until 2016. It featured a travellator through a glass tunnel enabling visitors to view marine life beneath the water. On the site of where Universal Studios Singapore now sits was Fantasy Island, a
water-themed park, which opened in 1994 for only a brief six years before it closed due to several accidents. The Asian Village also had a short-lived stint as an attraction, operating from 1993 to 2000 and featuring architecture, performances and crafts of different cultures. The most recent closure was The Tiger Sky Tower, formerly the Carlsberg Sky Tower which closed in December 2018. Sentosa seemed to hit its groove in January 2010, with RWS launching its four hotels. Other attractions as part of this integrated resort were later unveiled, the last of which was the Marine Life Park, which includes the S.E.A. Aquarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark. Major attractions also include the casino and Universal Studios Singapore theme park, the Maritime Experiential Museum and the luxury tall ship, Royal Albatross. In recent years, Sentosa’s importance in branding Singapore as an important tourist destination has grown with the introduction of amusements, such as the Skyline Luge and Skyride and Mega Adventure Park. Then, of course, there is the Merlion, looming over Imbiah Station, from where visitors can take the elevator to its upper levels to enjoy a panoramic view. On foot, Sentosa can be accessed with a leisurely stroll on the Sentosa Boardwalk. Bus services and the Sentosa Line cable car allow for ease of travel around the island so visitors can enjoy the waterfronts at Palawan and Siloso Beaches, as well as a scenic trek among treetops at the 11-story Fort Siloso Skywalk. It was in 2018, though, that Sentosa truly put Singapore on the world’s stage as, on June 12, the Cappella Resort was designated as the venue for the historic North KoreaUnited States Singapore Summit between Kim Jung-un and President Trump. From a troubled past, this island really has come a long way.
Marc is a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and 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 Living in Singapore magazine, he also has contributed to the Canadabased History Magazine. LIVING IN SINGAPORE 17
Woodlands Coney Island
in Punggol
By Laura Schwartz
Perched on Singapore’s northern coast, a day in Punggol means fresh air, seafood and plenty of physical activity. Believed to be one of the oldest settlements in the country, historical documents indicate that Kampong Punggol, situated around the jetty, existed over 200 years ago, predating the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. Unsurprisingly, due to the proximity to Malaysia, the first settlers were Malay and mainly fishermen who made their living off the waters surrounding the marshland. However, from the mid-19th century onwards, the area saw a steady influx of Chinese immigrants, most Teochew, who were primarily rubber tappers and poultry and pig farmers. Catholic missionaries also developed a foothold and built several churches and schools. Punggol is a Malay word that loosely translates to “hurling sticks at the branches of fruit trees to knock them to the ground” and is presumed to also refer to a place where produce was sold wholesale. Up until the area’s very recent redevelopment, the forested areas along Old Punggol Road were prime hunting grounds for durian enthusiasts, who would sometimes wait hours for free, delicious durians to drop. These days, the region has quite a different reputation. Over the past decade, Punggol has received a lot of TLC and attention from the government, thanks to a revitalized planning project initiated in 1996, but delayed by the Asian financial crisis. Positioned by the Housing Development Board as Singapore’s first eco-town, Punggol manages to be both a highly modern hub as well as a peaceful nature escape.
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8am – 9am An active schedule means a good breakfast is in order. The Waterway Point mall is right off the Punggol MRT/LRT station, which not only makes it ideal as a starting point, but also a convenient spot for any end-of-day shopping sprees. The integrated visitors’ center is open from 10am to 8pm every day except Monday and is worth checking out if you’re interested by the region’s history and heritage. Though most shops won’t open until 10am or 11am, Dough Culture, Dunkin’ Donuts and Encik Tan are all open by 8am and offer some tasty breakfast options. There’s also a 24-hour supermarket, perfect for stocking up on the snacks and bottles of water you’ll need to keep yourself fueled throughout the day.
Punggol Waterway Park
9am – 10am Time to get outdoors! Completed in 2011, the Punggol Waterway Park is the heart of the town. Cycling and jogging tracks follow the 4.2km long manmade canal, whose banks are replete with benches, trees, gardens and shelters. The National Parks Board website has every lookout point, carpark, restroom, playground and event venue clearly marked, which will make planning your walk along the waterway a cinch. The park is segmented into four different themes: Nature Cove, Recreation Zone, Heritage Zone and Green Gallery. These are excellent bird-watching places and photographers will find plenty to work with. For kids who are less enthralled with simply strolling, there are sandboxes and a Water Playground designed just for them.
Coney Island
Fresh Seafood
10am – 12pm
2pm – 5pm
If they can’t get enough of water-themed play areas, head to the SAFRA Clubhouse Punggol, just a few minutes’ walk away. SAFRA Clubs are leisure centers aimed at National Servicemen and their families, but non-members can also make use of the facilities for a fee. And since SPLASH @ Kids Amaze is one of the largest indoor water playgrounds in the country, it’s not to be missed. Spanning 24,000 square feet, SPLASH offers water slides, a giant water bucket and wading pools for the little ones. If the weather takes a turn towards blisteringly hot or pounding rain, the clubhouse is a superb back-up plan. With karaoke, darts, a spa, bowling, restaurants and bars, you could easily spend the rest of the day here.
Cosseted by breezes, the Punggol Promenade hugs the coast for several kilometers. It makes for a soothing walk and an exhilarating bike ride. GoCycling @ Punggol Jetty rents bicycles at reasonable rates and many of their bikes have handy baskets. Head east along the water until you come to the west entrance of Pulau Serangoon, better known as Coney Island. Cross the bridge and you’ll find a cozy park home to coastal forests, grasslands, mangroves, casuarina woodlands and five designated beach areas. The shaded trails remain fairly cool even in the afternoon sun, but as the paths shift between gravel, dirt and sand, you’re almost certain to work up a sweat. Note that there are no restrooms or electricity on the island, so be mindful not to linger past sunset if you don’t want to find your way back to the mainland by flashlight.
12pm – 2pm However, if the weather is on your side, I recommend a walk along Old Punggol Road. Once the main transport route for farmers and fishermen, the road is now a 1.5km long heritage trail that leads directly to the Punggol Point Jetty. Too hungry to walk? Take the LRT to Punggol Point, just 10 minutes on foot from the jetty, where you’ll be spoiled for choice for lunch. Enjoy the salty sea air at one of the many restaurants’ outdoor seating areas. A few good options are Georges By The Bay, White, Izakaya 95 and The Punggol Settlement, though anywhere serving fresh seafood will probably do right by you. Afterwards, stroll out onto the Punggol Point Observation Deck to gaze at Malaysia and take a moment to reflect on the sober history of Punggol Beach. As the memorial plaques erected there will tell you, in February of 1942, during World War II, 400 Chinese civilians were slaughtered on the shore by Japanese forces. The beach is listed by the National Heritage Board as a historical site.
5pm – 8pm After returning your borrowed bicycles, hop in a quick cab to Hai Bin Prawning on Tebing Lane (about a 15-minute drive). Try your hand at fishing for freshwater prawns, then grill your catch on the BBQ pits provided. The lovely staff are happy to give you pointers and Hai Bin is open 24-hours, so you can take as much time as you need. If you’re tired after the long day and aren’t looking to work so hard for dinner, head next door to the Punggol East Container Park, a trendy foodie enclave formed entirely out of shipping containers that now house bars and bistros offering a range of delicious dishes, from Peranakan to pasta to, of course, seafood. As you’re right next to the Riviera LRT, getting home won’t be difficult. Though if you want to collapse in a cab instead, no one will hold it against you.
Laura 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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career Get Ahead by Volunteering By Dee Allan Most people have experienced the slow slog of conducting online job searches and firing resumes down vague, unmanned generic email black holes. Over the years, I’ve started to suggest that jobseekers try other creative ways to be noticed when it comes to applying or being interviewed for jobs. One such way is to offer to volunteer. A perfect time to explore the option of volunteering is either at application stage, when you can offer to volunteer as part of your cover letter, or during the interview itself. The mere gesture of volunteering, whether you are taken up on your offer or not, acts as a powerful way to get you noticed and create a lasting impression. After all, how many other applicants will volunteer their time?
A Personal Volunteering Story Back in early 2018, I was introduced to a British tech startup which was launching a social marketplace application. The company was looking for a copywriter to write a well-researched white paper. I volunteered to write up their paper for free. At the time I wasn’t actually looking for a job, but wanted to gain experience writing more robust researchorientated papers. I spent the next few months researching data and statistics, scouring other research papers and fact-based studies for supporting evidence. Finally, I wrote up the 15,000-word report with multiple rounds of edits. During the write-up phase, I offered to participate in the weekly global calls, where project team members from the US, UK and myself in Singapore would dial into a conference call. These calls occurred at around 4am, Singapore time, on Monday mornings. I attended each one, even if they lingered beyond the two-hour call allocation. After completing my project deliverables, the owner of the company contacted me to offer me a full-time senior board-level position on the team, as well as equity in the company. He had never seen a copy of my resume. By volunteering, I had proven to him that I was proactive, willing, resourceful and dependable. The company had had an opportunity to ‘try before they buy’. I was noticed as I was prepared to ‘give’ without demanding anything in return. As it turned out, I kindly turned down the offer, but kept in touch and left the door open for a possible collaboration in the future. I share this example to demonstrate that volunteering can be a powerful tool to get noticed. You don’t have to dedicate months or wake up before sunrise to prove
your worth. However, you may consider volunteering if the opportunity is worth it.
Why Volunteer? In the Singapore context, with visa restrictions and quotas, volunteering can really help both the job seeker and hiring company for various different reasons. The hiring company gets to see you in action without any risk to them and, at the same time, you get to preview the company, its culture and the office environment while sampling the type of work you may be hired for. This is also a fantastic way to network and build a human connection with other hiring managers and staff members, which works deeper than an introduction made during an interview. Your new connections may have vacancies in their respective departments and, by making yourself known, you are exuding confidence and goodwill as you are effectively saying “I’m willing to work for you risk-free in order for you to make an effective assessment of my skills”. This makes you a prime candidate for potential opportunities.
Volunteering Pointers Volunteering may open doors for you regardless of whether you are offered a job or not. Here are some pointers to note: 1.
Meet as many internal staff members as possible and find out about the culture of the company.
2.
Stay in touch with those who you think may add value to your job search.
3.
Ask fellow colleagues for guidance and advice. Their knowledge and contacts may be invaluable to you for your future career.
4.
Be pleasant and authentic with everyone you meet. It’s likely they will be asked for their feedback about you once you leave.
5.
Go over and above the call of duty, looking constantly to add notable value to the duties you have been assigned.
6.
Be proactive and look for ways to help. Don’t always wait to be given instructions.
7.
Share what you have observed in a constructive manner.
8.
Thank your department, human resources and the hiring manager for their time.
9.
Enjoy the experience, learn what you can and network to the max. You never know if your paths will cross again.
10. Your objective is to be memorable and valuable.
Dee 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. 22 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
career Is It All About Perspectives? By Alka Chandiramani Is understanding another person’s perspective essential for effective, crosscultural communication? When a way of thinking about something is similar to ours, we feel rewarded, whereas the opposite may be true with people who have opposing viewpoints. In a company context, there can be a risk of creating a toxic environment stemming from two overriding issues: the first is the sole use of technology to communicate, removing us from face-to-face interaction; the second is the assumption that others share the same values without taking into consideration perspectives from a different cultural mix. Whether we identify with another person often starts with visual perception. The New Yorker article, On the Face of It, mentions that, at the time of his presidency, few people knew that America’s thirty-second President, Franklin Roosevelt, was paralyzed. Many knew that he had polio, but were not aware that he could not walk. He managed to hide the extent of his condition from the majority of the voting public with a simulated walking technique. Aside from this concealing his frailty and projecting him as strong and ablebodied leader in the eyes of the public, it portrayed a figurehead that people could relate to. Had he presented himself to the public in a wheelchair would that have had any effect? Perhaps, it would have, as public perception of the President would have been completely different. Understanding perspective and the ability to connect with people and build successful teams in a cross-cultural environment helps leaders and organizations stand out amongst competitors. Many of us work in companies that operate globally and have to understand cross-cultural perspectives. Now, more than
ever before, ‘relatedness’, or a feeling of connection, is an important component to building effective collaborations between team leaders from different cultures. A sense of relatedness essentially builds mutual trust between people. I work with a diverse group of individuals from across many cultures and building relatedness and a sense of belonging is crucial. ScienceDaily reports that witnessing a person from our own group, who we can relate to, or an outsider, who we do not relate to, who suffers pain causes neural responses in two very different regions of the brain. The specific region activated reveals whether we will help the person in need. Research to investigate this, carried out at the University of Zurich on soccer fans, suggests we are more likely to help members of our own group. The importance of creating a sense of relatedness when working in a multicultural environment is often underestimated. There is often more focus on creating tasks and objectives without much thought given to the relatedness within a team. These days we are confronted with cross-cultural differences in cases such as mergers or international expansion. The differences are there, the misunderstandings are there, but no real change in mentality takes place. Thinking in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ will cause friction, resulting in a fragmented team and, thus, team members may hesitate in going that extra mile for each other. The impact that has on business success is clear. Companies gain a strong competitive edge by creating mutual trust and a sense of relatedness, despite the cultural differences. As a result, this element is a significant one in managing teams successfully in today’s global environment.
Alka is a multi-lingual human resources practitioner with over 25 years of HR and legal experience. She provides neuro-leadership, intercultural training and executive career coaching to individuals, high school and university students in Singapore and around the region. In Singapore, she currently provides advisory services to the AAS’s Career Resource Centre for Excellence (CRCE).
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Uzbek Where the Silk Road Endures By John S. Hamalian From out of the ashes of a crumbled empire, Uzbekistan has arisen to face a brave new world. Relegated to a Soviet republic in the former USSR, the territory had lost some of its traditions and perhaps a bit of pride. The reawakened nation is now attempting to catch up with the modern world but at the same time embrace its long and rich history. Though often grouped together as a generic ‘stan’ country, Uzbekistan has created its own unique customs and culture, forming a truly warm and wonderful land. For here, perhaps more than anywhere else, do the timeless trails of the ancient Silk Road yet permeate through the soul and the spirit of a nation.
A Splendid Cocktail of Cultures The capital, Tashkent, was a surprisingly modern, yet decidedly low-rise, city. We were welcomed upon arrival by our driver, Vladimir, a hearty Russian who remained in Uzbekistan after the fall of the Soviet Union. Despite the fact that Russians still dwell here and their language remains essential, there seems to be an unmistakable attempt to ‘re-Uzbekize’ the country and reduce Russian influence. Though Tashkent has its share Kalyan Mosque
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of cultural sites and decorative mosques, what struck me the most walking around the city’s bustling streets was the cultural diversity. During the darker years of the Soviet Union, Stalin ordered many non-Russians out of Russia proper and into the remote extremities of the empire. As such, many Koreans and other ethnicities settled into Uzbekistan and the strong bond to their home countries is still felt today. Because of this, and also its position along major east-west trading routes, this region truly is an ethnic bridge between Russia, the Middle East and the Far East. As evidence, one of the more interesting people I met was a Tajikistan-born, Russian speaking, half-Japanese, half-Korean Uzbekistan citizen. Her name: Natasha Kim. What a fascinating mix!
Lingering Path to the Past Steeped in myth and mired in legend even among the deepest recesses of modern memory, the remarkable dream of seeing the Silk Road became a permeating reality to me as I arrived in Bukhara, one of the main cities along that famous trading route between Europe, the Middle East and China.
istan The Silk
More of a perpetual journey to discover our own humanity than a single path to economic gain, the Silk Road yet winds through collective consciousness and weaves into indelible imagination. Throughout the centuries it has persisted as a cultural bridge between many different worlds. Perhaps nowhere is this more apparent than in Bhukara, for more than two thousand years a surviving bastion of ethnic migration and a welcoming oasis for brave caravans, where echoes of the weary footsteps of Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Uzbeks and others can still be felt today. The Uzbeks, whose earliest clans were a nomadic TurkoMongolian people, are said to be descendants of Uzbek Khan, the grandson of the great conqueror Genghis Khan. Although Islam had been present in Central Asia prior to the Mongol invasions in the 12th and 13th centuries, it really flourished here after descendants of Khan converted and ushered in a golden era of Islamic architecture fused with Indian, Arabian and Persian styles, so wonderfully apparent in the brilliant palaces, mosques and madrassahs (religious schools) that still dot the city even today.
Road
One of the highlights in Bukhara is the Kalyan Mosque and its spectacular Minaret, a 48 meter (157 feet) high tower of exquisite stone dating back to 1127, intricately carved with complex designs and flowing Arabic script. In a symbol of the struggle with Tsarist Russia and, later, the Bolsheviks and Soviet Union, Vladimir showed me an old photo of the ancient minaret severely damaged from armed assaults, with huge chunks of it blown away. During Soviet times, such photos were forbidden and only fairly recently has the truth been revealed.
A Warm Reputation During our stay in Bhukara, I experienced firsthand the full effect of the legendary Uzbek hospitality. The people take great pride on their reputation for strong family ties and kindness towards guests. A warm and affectionate lot, the people here just want to hug you and kiss you and kiss you and hug you (did I mention the hugs?). One holdover from Russian influence that seems to be well-rooted here is an amazing fascination with vodka. This, coupled with
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the common practice of inundating guests with far more cuisine than they can possibly digest, proved to be quite a challenging combination. The sheer amount of food and alcohol stretched my imagination as well as my stomach lining. And just when you thought it might be over…behold! Another plate of kebabs and another bottle of vodka magically appears! When it comes to foreigners being hosted by locals, I would come to find out that there does not seem to be a direct translation of the word ‘No’ in Uzbek. Yet I was extremely grateful for their exceptional warmth and generosity, and the food was, indeed, superb.
A Cold Shadow Lifted As we drove from Bhukara to Samarkand through the barren wastelands of the vast desert that lay between, I had a chance to speak more deeply with Vladimir, who proved to be quite an intriguing character. This man has really been around, having been to nearly all of the fifteen former Soviet republics as well as much of the Middle East, including a stint in Oman as a chemical engineer. When the USSR broke up, he somehow missed the time window for ethnic Russians to convert their Soviet passports into a Russian one and, thus, accepted Uzbek citizenship. Meanwhile, his wife and children live in Moscow. Talk about a long-distance relationship. I asked Vladimir what he thought about the demise of the Soviet Union and he seemed to reflect on it with a hint of nostalgia, but mostly with practicality. He said although the dismantlement created some opportunities, he regretted the change because it led to too many barriers on travel and exchange between the former Soviet states. Later in our journey we saw a soaring communist-era red and white radio tower that Vladimir explained was used to jam transmissions from Voice of America during the height of the cold war. As we passed it a slight shiver from the past ran up my spine and I silently gave thanks that this chapter of our world’s history has been closed.
The Golden Road to Samarkand Our final destination was to the spectacular Silk Road city of Samarkand, a place so magical it motivated the writer James Elroy Flecker to write, “For lust of knowing what should not be known, we take the Golden Road to Samarkand”. An ancient city around 2,500 years old, Samarkand was once the capital of one Asia’s mightiest empires from the 14th to 16th centuries. Its most famous ruler, Amir Timur (also known as Tamerlane), was a much-feared conqueror and, for a few short but highly influential years, commanded an immense territory from India to Russia to Turkey. Timur and his successors built magnificent mosques, splendid madrassahs, and elegant palaces – fusing different ethnic styles so thoroughly that it had created a
distinct Islamic architectural style that has influenced Muslim society around the world. Without a doubt, the premier attraction in Samarkand is Registan Square, a breathtaking complex of three massive madrassahs that form a singular visual experience difficult to comprehend in one gaze. With its brilliant turquoise domes magnificently reflecting the glittering afternoon sun, Registan must be one of the world’s most impressive sights. While wandering around its streets and exploring the elegant buildings of modern-day Samarkand, through it all ghosts of the past remain. On the very soil I am planted on, some of the world’s great figures did traverse: Alexander the Great, wielding sword and shield, Genghis Khan, brandishing club and torch, Marco Polo, clutching quill and scroll. To stroll along the remnants of the ancient Silk Road is to travel back into the depths of time itself. Staring into the mirror of the trials and tribulations of humanity, it is there that we realize that we have come face to face with a reflection of ourselves.
Enduring Road to the Future Uzbekistan has once again come full circle in the continuum of its own history. It has shed the old skin of a former empire and now grows comfortable in its independent clothes. This is a state in transition. Striving to remember its past, attempting to grasp its present, determined to define its future. Through it all, the Silk Road yet meanders its way through the heart of the land and the soul of its people. Less a road than a map, from what was to what will be, a path that crosses cultures, a bridge that joins people. Nations may come and empires may go, but the Silk Road will always endure.
How to Get There Flights from Singapore Changi to Tashkent International can be booked with a layover in either Dubai, Istanbul or Seoul.
Registan Sq
uare
John 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. 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 in-flight magazine of Royal Bhutan Airlines. 26 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
All Aboard! Travelling on the Ghan By Laura Coulter
All Aboard! For many travelers, the idea of train trips conjures images of fine dining, impeccable service, colorful fellow passengers and slow travel. From the Orient Express to the Trans-Siberian Rail, train routes have romantic histories, snaking across continents that were otherwise too challenging and time consuming to explore. In the spirit of exotic travel by rail, I suggest that you forget the budget airlines and rental cars and look into a slow, luxurious journey across the continent of Australia on The Ghan. This year, The Ghan celebrates 90 years of outback adventure, its legend stemming from the 1930s when the first Afghan cameleers arrived in Australia. On that momentous journey, the train was dubbed ‘The Afghan Express’ and then shortened to the icon it is today, ‘The Ghan’. Regarded as one of the world’s greatest rail journeys, it delivers so much more than an extended train ride.
History of The Ghan The Ghan train was named for the pioneering cameleers who blazed a permanent trail into the Red Centre of Australia more than 150 years ago; the original Ghan line following the route of explorer John MacDouall Stuart. Today, the north-south cross-country journey covers 2,979 kilometers and encounters spectacular and diverse landscapes from the soft shades of the South Australian plains, the rusty reds of the MacDonnell Ranges and the tropical greens of Katherine and Darwin. There are still many camel sightings from the train, as packs of them are roaming wild. Whatever time of day, you’ll be treated to amazing, changing landscape from all viewpoints.
Life On board After catching a budget flight to Darwin from Singapore I purchased Gold Class tickets for the The Ghan, travelling from Darwin to Adelaide over three days. A former frontier outpost, Darwin is the capital of Australia’s
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Northern Territory and a gateway to the massive Kakadu National Park. Its popular waterfront area has several beaches and green areas, such as Bicentennial Park. Also, near the water is the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, displaying Southeast Asian and Pacific art, plus a pearling lugger and other seafaring vessels. Train travelers could easily spend a few days here viewing art, relaxing into the Australian wine culture or going to see the diverse tropical ecosystem. I spent three days enjoying the clean and organized city before being picked up from my hotel by the Great Southern Rail company, which owns and operates The Ghan service. For anyone who backpacked through Europe and slept upright in a seat to save money, the onboard options on The Ghan are a dream. Greeted onboard by a cheerful steward, who remained on-call for the entire journey, I settled in quite easily to this type of train life. I opted for the Gold Class package and had a self-contained single unit to myself for three days, two nights and seven meals. In my carriage, there was a wash basin and sink; a larger shower and toilets were at the end of the car, shared by other passengers, although I didn’t see another passenger at any time waiting for the facilities. There was enough room to easily stow a carry-on, with larger suitcases with an allowance of up to 66lbs being kept in storage for duration of the journey. I had a chair and table that magically converted into a single bed while I was in the dining car enjoying a multi-course meal and, when I retired to my cabin, the bed was made with lovely crisp sheets and plump duvet. This was my private oasis, a superbly comfortable overnight room to recline and let the rhythm of the tracks sway me to sleep. In the morning, there was a soft knock at the door and I was presented with a coffee – ordered the night before – to enjoy while I sat up in bed, looking out the window at the changing scenery. With the Gold Class package, all meals and drinks were included and no one went hungry. There were three dining
cars on board and guests were given meal times to attend. The two available for Gold Class were the Queen Adelaide restaurant, adorned in art deco furnishings that evoked the golden era of rail, and the Outback Explorer Lounge that offered camaraderie and cappuccino in a relaxed social setting. Staff were efficient and friendly and all were on board for the entire three-day journey. The chief steward did an excellent job of mixing up groups, so that each table was full. I dined with different people each night. For the most part, guests were social and pleasant, happy to chat while enjoying a four-course meal, with Australian wines and seasonal menus featuring mouth-watering dishes such as saltwater barramundi, grilled kangaroo fillet and Australian cheese plates. Once your meal was finished, you could enjoy a coffee or after-dinner drink in the Explorer lounge or back in your room. From the looks of a few guests, they spent most of the trip in the lounge tasting the local wine, while others were happy to play cards, nap, visit, read or walk up and down the carriages. There was an intriguing mix of backgrounds, nationalities and age groups on board, although I was the youngest being in my late thirties. I saw very few families (sorry kids!) and plenty of white-haired seniors with some of the guests in their 90s. Some were on an “all-Australia” highlights tour, while others were just treating themselves to a few nights away and adventure in their own home country. One thing that united most of us was that we had ‘dressed to travel’.
Off Train Excursions and Short Stops While I would have been content to stare out the window at the changing landscape for the entire journey, off train excursions were also included in the package. River cruises, cultural experiences and optional camel rides or helicopter flights added another exciting dimension to the journey. Some of the outings I experienced included the Nitmiluk River Cruise, which stops in Katherine and Manguri and travels to the world’s largest classroom, the Alice Springs School of the Air. The school was established in 1951 and
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was the first education service to use two-way radio broadcasts to help with the education of students in remote areas who were unable to attend face-to-face lessons. It is still in operation today and covers more than 1.3 million square kilometers. The visitors center depicts its mission to provide schooling to children aged 4 to 13 years at cattle stations, roadhouses, Aboriginal communities and national parks with daily lessons via satellite broadband. The off-train excursions are extremely organized and very limited in spaces – several were already booked out before the trip started, especially the helicopter outings. Other guests chose to extend their trip by staying a few nights in Alice Springs to visit Uluru, or Ayers Rock, joining another train at a later date for the final leg to Adelaide. There was also a special ‘unscheduled’ surprise stop on the second evening. A few hours after the sunset, the train came to a halt in the middle of the desert. The very few guests who were still awake were invited to get off and experience star-gazing through telescopes set up by the crew. There was also a big bonfire, hot chocolate and a chance to see the train from the other side. It was quite a site to see the silent, hulking giant sitting there with its lights on, surrounded by the night’s stars and sky. By the time the train pulled into Adelaide at the end of our three-day journey, I’d seen diverse landscape with beautiful sunsets and sunrises, had been fed very well and found effortless company among a large amount of new people. It was a breeze! If the charms of The Ghan lures you into this easy mode of travel and leaves you wanting more, the Great Southern Rail also runs the Indian Pacific route from Sydney to Perth – another adventure through the ‘middle of nowhere’. All aboard!
Novels for the Journey
Further Reading on The Ghan:
Nine quintessentially Australian novels to connect you with the outback, perfect for savouring on board.
Spirits of The Ghan, by Judy Nunn Arabana and The Ghan, by Michael Duke
Cloudstreet, by Tim Winton
The Ghan: The Story of the Alice Springs Railway, by Basil Fuller
Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence, by Doris Pilkington and Nugi Garimara
Helpful Links
Picnic at Hanging Rock, by Joan Lindsay
www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/
The Slap, by Christos Tsiolkas
Getting There
My Brilliant Career, by Miles Franklin The White Earth, by Andrew Mcgahan
Direct flights to Darwin from Singapore Changi with a duration of 4.5hrs depart daily. Return flights from Adelaide are for 7.5hrs.
A Fortunate Life, by A. B. Facey
Photos by Laura Coulter
Dirt Music, by Tim Winton
Laura is the Girl About Town with a passion in connecting others together to build community and celebrate the joy of living abroad. Laura created and hosts the eco-friendly event Your Clothes Friend Swap and volunteers her time to build homes with Habitat for Humanity. As contributor to the Living in Singapore Reference Guide Nightlife section, Laura continues to search for the perfect martini. 30 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
Kuching with Kids By Lily Ong Kuching is the capital and the most populous city of Sarawak on Malaysian Borneo. Although the name itself means ‘cat’ in Malay, stories of how it got its name have ranged from being a city filled with wild cats a long time ago, to meaning ‘port in Indochina’. Sarawak’s time under the White Rajahs ranks as one of the most notable historical moments in Southeast Asia, so no trip to Kuching would be complete without a visit to Fort Margherita. It was constructed in the style of an English castle in 1879 and was intended to protect Sarawak from pirates. As I watched my daughter skip her way across its courtyard though, I found it hard to fathom that prisoners were once executed on this very same spot. Nestled within Fort Margherita is the Brooke Gallery, named after James Brooke, the British adventurer credited with founding the Kingdom of Sarawak, ruling as its first White Rajah. The history of Sarawak, its former people, places and events come alive through the gallery’s exhibitions and narrations. Next, we took a cruise on the Sarawak River on an old sampan, a flat-bottomed Chinese boat with a modest-sized shelter. The cruise fare is equally modest at RM1 (S$0.30), with kids going free and is a lovely way to see Kuching from a different vantage point. About 20 minutes out of the city is Siniawan Night Market. Although its architecture is Chinese in style and strings of Chinese lanterns overhang the streets, the variety of food is proudly Malay. One of the celebrated dishes is the lemang periuk kera – sticky rice covered in coconut milk steamed in pouches of pitcher plants. We stayed at the reasonably priced Tune Hotel directly across from the Hilton and a stone’s throw from the riverfront promenade, perfect for evening strolls to the pleasant sounds of street musicians and the aroma of street food. If inclement weather is against you for a walk, though, Mr. DIY stores around town sell inexpensive craft packs to keep kids amused back at the hotel. A fun place to visit is the Upside Down House where everything is, as the name implies, upside down! You will be guided on how to take pictures that go from the cool to the wacky. Our favorite was a picture of us chilling upside down on the ceiling of one of the rooms. Sarawak’s very own living museum, the Sarawak Cultural Village, is located in the foothills of Mount Santubong, where the lives of seven ethnic groups are depicted. Here, one can take in the Chinese Farm House, the Traditional Malay House
Photo courtesy of Lily Ong
and the Longhouses of the Iban Orang Ulu among others. For those who love the outdoors, Kuching offers various national parks. For a visit to the caves, head to Mulu National Park; to see pepper and cocoa growing, go to Gading National Park; for a walk on a beautiful beach after swimming in crystal clear water, head to Tanjung Datu National Park; and, lastly, if you’re keen on wild proboscis monkeys, monitor lizards and wild boars, Bako National Park will have plenty in store for you. Away from land, there are also wildlife cruises that take you to the company of crocodiles and dolphins. About a 45-minute drive away from Kuching City Centre is Borneo Happy Farm, where visitors can learn about life on the farm and meet the animals that live there. This idyllic pastoral scene of green hills dotted with grazing horses, pasturing sheep, crawling tortoises, staring water buffaloes and hopping rabbits makes up the centerpiece of a 130-acre landscape; a far cry from the city. Local fruit, such as mangosteens, langsats, rambutans and durian – a word of warning to anyone sensitive to its odor – are grown here and sold in their Tropical Farm Café. Our final stop was at the Cat Museum. I didn’t know so much could be said about cats, but we saw many from different junctures of history; from an ancient Egyptian mummified cat to the modern Hello Kitty. Walls were adorned with everything feline, including inscribed plaques of idioms linked to cats, such as “Busier than a one-eyed cat watching two mouse holes” and “Busier than a three-legged cat in a dry sand box”. One thing I knew for sure, by the time our visit was over, I was more than ready for a Kuching-style cat nap!
Former residents of America but currently based in Singapore, Lily and her daughter, Tess, traverse the world regularly as a mother-daughter team. Lily is involved in media and diplomacy while Tess is a kindergartener and the only one known to study the safety instruction cards before every flight.
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nepal
Everest Base Camp why challenge is good BY VIVIENNE SCOT T It is difficult to prepare for two weeks on the world’s tallest mountain while living in a country with a maximum altitude of 541 feet and a tropical rainforest climate. I know from my, albeit limited, previous trekking experience that good footwear is essential and so I begin the transition from flip-flops to hiking boots by breaking them in up the 46 stories of my condo fire escape. Despite being told that I look “like a pair of golf clubs” in my utterly incongruous footwear, I am enthused to literally be taking first steps towards a lifetime achievement and ultimate bucket list experience. The following months of sweating up steps, long walks and treadmills lead me to ask myself why it is that we set ourselves such challenges and find meaning in pushing our limits in pursuit of some notable achievement. As a psychologist, I often emphasize the importance of resilience in preparing ourselves for life’s inevitable struggles, but why do we test our physical and mental endurance and abstain from comfort and indulgence voluntarily? Furthermore, why do we attach emotion and meaning to our goals and enlist others through sponsorship and fundraising appeals? “While we are doing it, we may as well support a good cause,” my brother tells me, who set up a donation link to Cancer Research UK in memory of our dad. The old adage of, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey,” is on the brink of being put to the test. Other than some credibility on social media, what will be gained from the challenge I have set myself?
DAY 1: Arrival in Kathmandu (4,593ft) As soon as I arrive in Thamel, the tourist heart of Kathmandu, I am instantly overwhelmed by color and chaos. Above the trekkers, tourists and crowded streets, lung ta (prayer flags) are strung almost everywhere; their five colors depicting the five elements of sky, air, fire, water and earth, and the wind blowing their blessing of health and harmony to the surroundings. Little do I know that three of these elements will be in such short supply in days to come. As my friends, brother and I arrive at our hotel we are greeted with a salute and “Namaste” from the guard. In Hinduism, namaste literally means “I bow to the divine in you” and the reception certainly encourages pride in the venture on which we are about to embark. The welcome doesn’t last long, however, as we are informed that we have only four hours to sleep before a 2:30am departure for Manthali airstrip, some four hours’ drive away.
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DAY 2: To Lukla (9,383ft) My resilience is immediately put to the test as our minibus, which seems to lack any form of suspension whatsoever, careers along cliff edges and uneven roads in the dark and through a torrential storm until we eventually arrive at a very water-logged “airport” where safety precautions involve chasing goats from the runway. Having departed Changi the day before, I wonder if any of the criteria for the seven-time awarded best airport would have relevance here, where it’s more of a ‘wait and see’ scenario as to whether any flights will operate. When aircraft finally do get clearance, our pilots do little to reassure us as we fly to the world’s most dangerous airport, Lukla. In knock-off Nike sneakers and flaunting a chunky gold necklace, our pilot looks confident even if none of his passengers does. As our tiny plane skims mountain ridges to reach Lukla, I realize that sometimes ignorance really is bliss. My brother, a commercial airline pilot, is enduring significant stress while the automated alarm, “terrain – terrain – pull up”, sounds repeatedly from the cockpit. For the rest of us, the scenery from the window is spectacular!
DAY 3: To Tok Tok (9,186ft) As we begin our hike in our high-tech outdoor apparel, alongside porters wearing sandals, jeans and sweaters, and carrying up to 66lbs on a strap across their foreheads, we soon realize that we may have “all the gear but no idea”. Yaks and donkeys replace any motorized form of transport and the only wheels to be found are the cylindrical prayer wheels, spun clockwise on passing to purify bad karma. The simplicity of life in the Himalayas values what is fundamentally important: good intentions and good deeds. Things are done when needed, in their own time and with the resources available. After a fairly pleasant day of trekking we negotiate spending the night in a teahouse instead of the three tents and four sleeping bags planned to accommodate our group of five people and insist on a hot shower, albeit in some rocky cavern dubbed ‘The Cave’. Home comforts are now far behind us, but when I wake up at night and brace myself to lose warm layers in order to squat over the outdoor ‘facilities’ in the dark, I notice the sky full of stars and moonlit snowcapped mountains extending above me. Is this a metaphor for having a goal to draw you upwards from your low points, I wonder? LIVING IN SINGAPORE 33
nepal DAYS 4-5: To Namche Bazaar (11,286ft) Our hike quickly begins to steepen and the scenery takes my breath away, or perhaps it is the lack of oxygen. Dwarfed amid looming peaks, my first-world worries seem to lose perspective and, as the pace slows to compensate our breathing, our group’s shared focus is solely on appreciation for our surroundings. So much time in my daily routine involves worrying about decisions and options that do not exist in this environment, yet I cannot recall the last time I simply stopped what I was doing, looked around and felt appreciation. With the constant pace and desire for newer, bigger and better things, we lose sight of gratitude for the present, where there is opportunity for calm, contentment and satisfaction.
DAYS 6-8: To Deboche (12,532ft), Dingboche (14,468ft) and Lobuche (16,207ft) As we progress to increasingly higher altitudes our environment becomes ever more basic. The landscape contains little vegetation and is mostly rock and sand. Accommodation offers little more than a roof and cold, damp, dirty blankets. Our diet is restricted to carbohydrates: porridge, dal bhat and noodle soup. Headaches persist and are a sign that oxygen deprivation is taking effect. Evidence of heli-evacuations and descending altitude-sick travelers are common. As we continue to ascend, showers and clean clothes are no longer a concern and would only involve losing valuable body heat. The dilemma of whether to spend US$6 on a hot drink or patchy Wi-Fi connection reminds me that so much of what we take for granted is still a luxury in many parts of the world. We make way for porters overtaking us with timber doors and solar panels strapped to their foreheads; evidence of how the simple Nepali way of life is changing for the benefit of privileged travelers who come to find their perfect Instagramable moment.
DAY 9: Gorak Shep (16,945ft) and Everest Base Camp (17,650ft) I wake up early in the morning of the final leg of our journey, cold, nauseous, a tearing pain across my chest and a pounding headache. Every movement reverberates inside my head and leaves me out of breath but the potential heartache of coming this far and not reaching my goal is worse. Humor, encouragement and empathy from my group gets me putting one foot in front of the other and before long I am wheezing my way up the Khumbu glacier to Gorak Shep and, a few hours later, Mount Everest Base Camp. Finally, I can breathe a painful sigh of relief and relax, reassured that I have made it. The atmosphere is one of celebration as travelers from all parts of the world pull out their countries’ flags and hug members of their team. The bitter wind and developing blizzard doesn’t allow much time for reflection and, between tiredness and lack of oxygen, there is little opportunity for much thought about the situation or surroundings.
The culmination of a week of hiking is a pile of rocks covered in prayer flags and a hand-written sign marking 5,380m (17,650ft). Joining the queue for photographic evidence of our achievement I realize that, despite the months of training, planning, physical and mental endurance and tolerance of challenging conditions, this remains a very privileged tourist destination and, ultimately, an adventure holiday. It is humbling to consider that, for some, where I am standing marks only the beginning of some climbers’ goals; ones from which they may not return. The shrines we passed in the last few days honor the lives of individuals for whom personal challenge was ultimate. In life, everyone’s challenge is personal and relative to their own circumstances. For my brother and me, a stone etched with our dad’s name now sits at the highest point of the world that we could reach and symbolizes what remains most important in the most challenging of situations and circumstances: loved ones. As we make our descent over the next few days and as oxygen returns to my brain and I start thinking again, I reflect on why challenge is so important and go back to the saying, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey” that entered my head before leaving for Nepal. Without challenge, we take things for granted. We lose perspective on what is really important and valuable. We fail to discover what our potential and capabilities might be. In terms of a goal or destination, success in every challenge is less important since attempting the journey itself humbles our egos and brings new found respect for ourselves and others. Life shouldn’t be easy; if it were, we would have no opportunity to learn.
Getting There Five-hour flights direct to Kathmandu Tribhuvan International depart from Singapore Changi daily. Photos courtesy of Vivienne Scott
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 while living in Singapore. 34 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
health & wellness Singapore’s Boutique Yoga Studios: Prenatal Practice for Expecting Mothers By Jennifer Davidson Originating in ancient Indian philosophy, the spiritual practice of yoga has evolved and is embraced by many throughout the world for its physical and mental health benefits. Yoga may be encouraged as adjunct treatment to medical conditions or encouraged for self-care and a healthier lifestyle. Benefits may include reduced stress and anxiety, less pain, metabolic regulation and increased cardiovascular and pulmonary health. In Singapore alone, you can find various forms of yoga practices; from Vinyasa, or flow yoga, to hot yoga, to meditation, to restorative. For expecting mothers, many studios provide prenatal classes. As with all practices, prenatal yoga focuses on breathing, stretching and typical postures. Included within the class are specific modifications to safely practice as your body embarks on this wonderful transformation all the while increasing awareness with a focus on your baby.
Kate Porter Yoga With its moto “Yoga for Normal People” this boutique studio provides an array of classes to meet anyone’s needs and their prenatal class with Anna Teh does not disappoint. As a leading pre and postnatal specialist in Singapore, Anna orchestrates a beautiful flowing practice to soothing music by incorporating specific prenatal stretches and strengthening postures while creating a greater inner intention between mother and baby. With her weekly class you will become more physically and mentally prepared for delivery. Visit the studio before June 30 and you’ll get your first class free. 5000G Marine Parade Road #01-27 Laguna Park www.kateporteryoga.com Prenatal Schedule: Wednesday 6:30-7:30pm
Art of Yoga With an intimate class size, Natalie Lim provides individual focus on alignment while guiding you through the practice. She allows a moment of meditation dedicated to an inner focus with your baby. Take it however you want to, but it is a nice moment to reflect on the new life you will soon be bringing into the world. Check out their postnatal and restorative classes, too. 121 Upper East Coast Rd #02-01 www.artofyoga.sg Prenatal Schedule: Tuesday & Thursday 11:15am – 12:15pm, Saturday 12:15 – 1:15pm, Sunday 11am – 12pm
Terra Luna Yoga It’s all in the details at this women’s enriching studio. Between the lighting, the calming sounds and the gentle smell of essential oils, you feel at peace before hitting the mat. In addition to typical modified postures, their 75-minute prenatal class includes an assortment of pelvic strengthening, breathing exercises and great intentions to carry with you daily as you prepare for the birth of your little one. Be sure to drop in for their women-focused sessions and enjoy a cup of herbal tea after class. AAS members will also receive $15 off the 5 and 10 class packages if mentioning this article on their visit. 611A Bukit Timah Road www. terralunayoga.com Prenatal Schedule: Monday 6:30-7:45pm, Wednesday 11:30am – 12:45pm, Sunday 11am – 12:15pm, (weekly schedule may change)
The Yoga School Every detail in this studio exclaims luxurious perfection and makes you feel like you are practicing in the clouds. Located in the heart of Singapore on the 39th floor of the OCBC building, you are surrounded by breathtaking city views. Lay Peng is an extraordinary instructor as she guides you through your practice while incorporating relevant guidance on pregnancy and birth. Savasana is one to savor as you unwind and melt away using their premium yoga props. Enjoy their aromatherapy toiletries while you refresh post-practice, then come away as rejuvenated as you would after a spa day. 65 Chulia Street, #39-01/08 OCBC Centre www.yogaschool.asia Prenatal Schedule: Tuesday 1-2pm, Wednesday 6:30-7:45pm, Friday 12:15-1:30pm Did you know June 21 has been declared by the UN as the International Day of Yoga? Make it a day to explore the potential psychophysiological benefits and test your strength, coordination and balance! **Be sure to discuss with your physician before partaking in any physical activity.
Jennifer is an American primary eye care physician with a passion for health education. She enjoys reading optometric journals and listening to financial and political podcasts. Her favorite thing about Singapore is the hawker food and traveling. Today’s fitness regimen: yoga, long walks, and weights.
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health & wellness BMI – What Do I Need to Know? By Dr. Sundus Morgan Many people want to know the answer to this question: how much should I weigh? However, there is not one ideal healthy weight for each person, because a number of different factors play a role. Arguably, a more accurate indication of whether we are at a healthy weight is the Body Mass Index (BMI) which takes into consideration both weight and height. Dr. Sundus Morgan at IMC, Katong, tells us about what we need to know.
What does ‘BMI’ stand for? What do the various BMI categories mean? BMI gives you an idea of how your weight compares to common values and is calculated as your weight in pounds divided by the square of your height in inches, multiplied by 703: BMI = lbs/in2 x 703. Body mass index (BMI): Underweight BMI is less than 18.5 Normal weight BMI is 18.5 to 24.9 Overweight BMI is 25 to 29.9 Obese BMI is 30 or more.
For people over 60, muscle mass tends to drop and body fat rises so this will affect BMI calculation and should be taken into consideration, as well. Alternatives to BMI are ‘waist to hip’ and ‘waist to height’ ratio, which take into account intra-abdominal fat and abdominal waist circumference. A recent study found that the most accurate way of predicting your whole-body fat level was waist to height ratio.
Can we calculate BMI for children?
Can I calculate BMI myself?
Yes, BMI be can used for children using the same calculation, however it is interpreted differently compared to adults. Age and gender specific percentile charts are used to interpret a child’s BMI and show a child’s relative position among children of the same age and gender.
This is very simple to do and there are many online tools that can be used. All you will need is your height and weight, then use the formula BMI = lbs/in2 x 703. If you feel you would like support with your BMI or would like a health screening International Medical Clinic offers a variety of health checks which could be a starting step to managing your weight and overall health.
What are the risks associated with a high BMI?
What does a BMI tell doctors and are there limitations in what it tells us? BMI is a useful tool that allows doctors to objectively look at weight and evaluate how this affects risk of diseases that are linked to obesity or being underweight. Together with other tests, BMI values can be helpful when discussing healthy lifestyle measures and treatment options. There are limitations when using BMI that need to be considered. The measurement is based on an average distribution of body fat, including ‘intra-abdominal fat’ – the fat deep inside your stomach cavity rather than under your skin. People of Asian origin, have higher intraabdominal fat, so BMI calculations will give inaccurately lower readings. The World Health Organisation has recommended that some Asian groups should be considered overweight if their BMI is 22-25 and obese with a BMI of 26-31. Likewise, for people who are very muscular BMI may be inaccurate because these people have lower body fat levels, which means BMI results may be inaccurately high.
Having a high BMI and being in the ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’ category, significantly increases your risk of a number of medical conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
What are the global trends of BMI in western countries? It is evident to see that the global trend of BMI in Western countries is rising mainly due to the overconsumption of food. Consequently, there has been a rise in medical conditions related to obesity. In the United States obesity is responsible for 6–10% of national health expenditures and is 2–4% in other developed countries.
What should I do to reduce my BMI? Make realistic and sustainable changes now. Walk the few stops instead of taking the bus to your destination, use the stairs instead of the escalator or set a timer and get up from your desk every so often to walk around the office rather than sitting at your desk for hours on end. Find a sport or activity you enjoy that does not feel like a chore and that fits into your lifestyle.
Dr. Sundus Morgan is a UK trained doctor based in IMC Katong. Call 6342 4440 or visit www.imc-healthcare.com
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Work What Matters: A Beginners Guide to Maximising Your Gym Time
a L. Dale By Amand
We’ve all been there: standing in the middle of our fully stocked condo gym, surrounded by the latest in fitness equipment, headphones on, shoes tied, ready to roll. The only thing missing? A darn clue about what to actually do in that gym. On a good day, we might walk or jog a bit on the treadmill, haphazardly pull at a few cables or pick up a couple of dumbbells and tack on a few crunches at the end for good measure. On a bad one, we might get so frustrated with not knowing what to do that we end up doing nothing much at all – making the gym trip a total waste of time. Two of the main reasons people come to me as a personal trainer is to get ideas for what to do in the gym and learn about what movements are most important for an effective exercise program. The bulk of my client base is busy parents and harried executives, neither of whom have time to dillydally in the gym wondering what to do next. What we devise is a program that moves seamlessly from one functional component to the next to maximise results and minimize time spent actually working out. One common myth – and, truth be told, one that is perpetuated by the fact that most exercise classes and personal training sessions are billed by the hour – is that exercise must last at least 60 minutes to be worth doing. However, studies show that just 10 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can produce the same cardiometabolic benefits as 50 minutes of steady-state endurance training, such as jogging. Furthermore, exercise broken up into short bouts – for example, doing three stints of 10 minutes apiece rather than one 30-minute effort – can actually be more beneficial for heart health. Various studies on obesity do point to the fact that adults looking to lose weight need longer bouts of exercise (270-300 total minutes per week), which includes everyday exercise, such as walking or doing household chores, not necessarily heart-racing HIIT or heavy weight training. The message here is clear: some exercise is better than none, but more isn’t necessarily better. 38 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
“Just 10 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can produce the same cardiometabolic benefits as 50 minutes of steady-state endurance training”
So, how do you structure a weekly exercise program that is both time-efficient and physically effective? When I ask clients to think about their weekly workout schedules, I recommend they use the FITT principle, considering frequency, intensity, time and type. Aim to get movement on more days of the week than not, meaning at least 4 days per week. Try to log at least 150 total minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, or cycling or at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity exercise, such as HIIT, running, or circuit training, plus at least two 30-minute sessions per week of resistance (strength) training. It’s worth noting here that a truly ideal exercise program, especially for adults over 40, should also have a dedicated flexibility component. Whether it’s a yoga class per week, a few minutes of stretching each day, or simply making time for an assisted stretching session or physiotherapy work, keeping your body mobile and injury-free is just as important as cardiovascular and strength training. Within the recommended 30-minute strength training efforts, the means (whether you choose resistance bands, dumbbells, barbells, or weight machines) is secondary to the movement. Your weekly workouts should always include the five fundamental movement patterns of squat, hip hinge, push, pull and rotate. If you have two strength training days per week, you should try to perform a full body workout on each day, but if you have more days available, you can break it down into ‘splits’ (for example, push/pull exercises on one day, squat/
hinge moves on another and rotational/core focus on the third day). This allows you to focus on both fundamental and accessory movements with adequate rest time in between. When it comes to the exercises you choose, fundamental movements can be worked in isolation – for example, a barbell squat – or as part of a compound exercise, such as a barbell thruster (squat + push). Compound movements can be more efficient but also more challenging, which is why I recommend employing a personal trainer to help you design a workout, refine your alignment and check your form before putting a program together on your own. Also consider joining group or semi-private weightlifting classes, such as CrossFit or Les Mills Body Pump, to further develop basic skills. If you’re a veteran exerciser with some weight training experience, you can maximise your gym time using supersets – a term that refers to multiple exercises performed back-toback without rest. Focus on opposing muscle groups when designing your supersets, such as pairing lunges (a squat movement) with single-leg deadlifts (a hip hinge movement). Aim to complete 6-12 different exercises with three sets of 8-10 reps each for a complete functional workout. When it comes to exercise, there is no one path that works for everyone – some are better suited to short, high-intensity bouts that get them in and out of the gym more quickly while others find solace in slower-paced, longer efforts with heavier weights. What is crucial is that you make time for your workout, even if it’s only 10-20 minutes per day. Go into it with a predetermined plan and execute it in the safest way possible for your ability, body type and goals.
Amanda 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, and consulted for large multi-national companies. She has also contributed to fitness publications such as SELF magazine and SHAPE.com. LIVING IN SINGAPORE 39
eating under the influence By Julian Chua If you ever want an expert opinion or recommendations on food in Singapore, look no further than the passionate foodies who put out food content regularly. With stiff competition among restauranteurs in Singapore, social media influencers with gravitas, who often have thousands of online followers with the same love of food, may be both loved and loathed by the different eateries they review. I recently caught up with two prominent Singapore influencers who have had a hand at shaping the food & beverage (F&B) scene to hear their stories of how they started, what it’s like to be in their shoes and, more importantly, to provide insightful recommendations on where and what to eat in Singapore as an expat or tourist.
#1 – Influencer ID: @Zanthrea Zanthrea currently runs her own translation agency and describes her relationship with food as an unbreakable bond. Since 2014, she has been an avid food photographer, which started out as a “personal food diary”, but after her work gained traction, via Instagram and her blog, with followers, F&B brands and eateries began to approach her to collaborate.
What do you get up to as an influencer? The best part is being able to try food first before the opening of a new restaurant to the public. Through events, I get to meet like-minded foodies who eventually become my friends. I don’t consider myself as an “influencer” per se. I’m just a foodie and I like sharing my view on food – both the good and bad. I usually attend food tasting media sessions or scout for new restaurants on my own.
How would you describe the current food scene here in Singapore? I think it’s constantly evolving and ever-changing; with new cafés and restaurants to visit and cocktails to drink. From cheap eats to expensive fine-dining, there is always something to please everyone’s taste buds. Currently, following the salted egg craze, brown sugar is in the spotlight. From bubble tea to freshly baked cookies to tiramisu, I don’t see these trends coming to an end anytime soon.
What are your favorite dishes? I can’t pinpoint if I have a favorite food as I love all food in general. But, if I have to choose one, it would be Japanese ramen served with flavored egg. Not the instant kind, but the one with rich, creamy soup, full of pork and chicken flavors.
What are your least favorite dishes? Raw oysters. I don’t like the rubbery, mucus-like texture. It’s just like swallowing chewing gum with a fishy and metallic taste.
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What top five eateries would you recommend to someone who wants a taste of what Singapore has to offer? Seafood Paradise It has one of the best chili crab and creamy butter crab dishes around. Also, the location at Marina Bay Sands is stunning, with impeccable service and outstanding staff. 8 Bayfront Avenue, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands #02-03 www.paradisegp.com
Mitzo This innovative Cantonese restaurant arguably serves the best dim sum in town. Its barbecued pork, char siew, is not to be missed. Coated with crispy honey glaze, the meat is tender and juicy. Best still, you can sip a cocktail while you’re there, where the lines between restaurant and bar are blurred. 270 Orchard Road, Level 4 Grand Park Orchard www.mitzo.sg
Candlenut (COMO Dempsey) Helmed by Chef Malcolm Lee, Candlenut is the world’s first Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant. If one wants to experience Singapore’s heritage through food, this is the place to be! Block 17A Dempsey Road www.comodempsey.sg
NOX – Dine in the Dark As the name suggests, you’ll experience dining in pitch black. I tried it out myself and it was fun trying to guess what you’re eating. This will only be revealed to you at the end of your meal, but don’t worry, they will ask for any dietary restrictions before you eat. 269 Beach Road www.noxdineinthedark.com
Elemen Perfect for vegetarians, they always come up with interesting interpretations of modern meatless cuisine. Really creative! 9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-75A/76 Millenia Walk 301 Upper Thomson Road, #01-113 Thomson Plaza 1 Maritime Square #02-85 www.elemen.com.sg
What top five dishes represent the best of Singapore’s food? Chicken rice, bak kut teh, chili crab, fried carrot cake and kaya toast. This is authentic local cuisine in Singapore which you are unlikely to find in other parts of the world.
#2 – Influencer ID: @yongweikai Wei Kai’s first stint in the F&B industry was at the age of 18, where he went on to help several brands, including Tien Court, Yoogane, Sweet Monster and Dopa Dopa, achieve their marketing goals. Little did he know that his adventures in food would get him into blogging fulltime. Since 2014, his site, SGCafeHopping, has evolved into a platform covering restaurants and hidden gems across the island and was nominated for Best Website of the Year 2018 at the Singapore Website Awards.
How did you get started as a food influencer? I started around six years ago. I think it was by chance. I never expected myself to become an influencer in the first place, I just wanted a platform to share my café-hopping experiences. As time went by, more and more restaurants and cafés were keen to work with me for honest reviews. I think the best part of this journey so far, is making a lot of new friends with a common interest. As foodies, we meet up most of the time, be it for tasting or checking out new F&B establishments. Also, it’s really nice to meet inspiring F&B owners. You learn so much from their background and story.
How would you describe the food scene here in Singapore currently? Thank goodness the trend for Mala, a popular oily, spicy and numbing Chinese sauce, has ended! I’m starting to see more brands bringing back nostalgic dishes with a modern twist to the forefront this year. White Rabbit milk candy ice cream and Pi Pa Gao – a traditional Chinese cough syrup – ice cream and bubble tea have gone viral on the internet! Consumers these days are very visually-driven. If the food or dish is not aesthetically-pleasing, most would not bother to even try it out. They are also very internet-savvy and would have read reviews or researched online before heading to the place.
What are your favorite dishes? Because I have a strong sweet tooth, I’ll always look at the dessert menu first. If I spot any Matcha desserts on the menu, I’ll definitely go for one of them. Anytime, anywhere, for matcha!
What are your least favorite dishes? I’m not a fan of durian. While most Singaporeans, including my family, love it, I can’t stand its stench. If my family is having a mini durian party at home, they will usually ask me to come home a little later until the pungent odor wears off.
What top 5 eateries would you recommend for discovering what Singapore has to offer? Roast Paradise (Stall) - Old Airport Road Hawker Centre I would recommend Old Airport Road hawker market because there’s so much good and under-the-radar local food you can find there. Check out the stall called Roast Paradise – they are famous for their to-die-for char siew. 51 Old Airport Rd, #01-121 www.facebook.com/Roastparadisesg/
Two Chefs I would also recommend trying out zi char [variations of rice, noodle, vegetables, meat and seafood], at Two Chefs because the food there is seriously good (especially their Butter Pork Ribs), without hurting the wallet. Blk 116 Commonwealth Crescent, #01-129 www.facebook.com/TwoChefsEatingPlace/
Tiong Bahru Bakery Because I’m an avid café-hopper, I would also recommend checking out Tiong Bahru Bakery for some delicious bakes and Singapore-inspired tea. 56 Eng Hoon Street, #01-70, Singapore 160056 www.tiongbahrubakery.com
A Noodle Story This is another place that I would bring my overseas friends. I have loved their noodles since they opened and, yeah, the queue says it all. 7 Maxwell Road, #01-39 Amoy Street Food Centre www.facebook.com/pg/ANoodleStory
Hai Di Lao Last but not least, for a steamboat try Hai Di Lao, where the service is top-notch and the hotpot food is equally good. Vivocity, #03-09 1 Harbourfront Walk www.facebook.com/HaidilaoSingapore/
What top five dishes show Singapore food at its best? Since Singapore is known for its wide array of cultures, races and religions, it’s a must to try all the different local cuisines available here. In particular, I would recommend nasi lemak, chili crab, bak chor mee, roti prata and chicken rice. These are some of the most iconic Singaporean dishes. Zanthrea can be followed at www.instagram.com/zanthrea and www.zanthrea.com Wei Kai can be followed at www.instagram.com/yongweikai and www. SgCafeHopping.com Photos courtesy of Julian Chua
Julian is an entrepreneur who runs several businesses that deal with consulting and brokerage in Singapore. He 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 NTUC Lifestyle, Business Times, Spin Asia, and Time Out. LIVING IN SINGAPORE 41
food n’ drink Have It Your Way This Fourth of July By Emma Hillman Although claim to its origin has been disputed, if there’s one thing the US does well, it’s a burger. This staple of American fodder has to be one of the nation’s greatest exports, as the foodie scene in Singapore knows only too well. From gourmet delectation to instant fast-food gratification, there’s plenty of choice on the island and from familiar American restaurants that have made it here, too. What better way to dine this Fourth of July than chowing down on comfort food from home? Loosen your belts and check out these five burger joints.
Fatburger If your appetite has been left wanting with modest sized burgers in Singapore, then you’re in for a treat: Fatburger has made it to town. Hollywood’s iconic burger stand has brought with it gargantuan-sized patties, which you can order sandwiched in a bun, or go bun-free by swapping the bread for additional burgers. If you’re super-hungry, bring on the meat sweats and go for The Quad Burger packed with four thick patties. Kinex #01-70/71/72, 11 Tanjong Katong Rd Velocity @Novena Square, #01-08/09, 238 Thomson Road www.fatburgersg.com
Meatsmith At either one of these American steakhouses you’ll find chefs fanning the flames for meat lovers who prefer their burgers on the smoky and slightly charred side. Although the showstopper at this rugged, rockabilly restaurantcum-smokehouse is their pork ribs, another menu starlet has to be their thick, beef short rib cheeseburger, served on a brioche bun and topped with melted cheddar. 167/169 Telok Ayer Street 21 Campbell Lane www.meatsmith.com.sg
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer Back in 2015, Black Tap started out as a small New York diner. Since then, the chain has grown and now has 11 restaurants worldwide, one smart outlet of which is located at Marina Bay Sands. Portions are generous, as you would hope with a premium-priced menu, but the All-American Burger and the Chili Cheese Burger, offering a little more kick, are worth every red cent. Wash your sandwich down with any one of their 18 craft beers or, for something sweeter, try one of their outrageous milkshakes that shot them to fame when they originally opened. L1-80, Bay Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands www.marinabaysands.com/restaurants/black-tap
OverEasy OverEasy purports itself to be the “ultimate American diner” and it has done a pretty good job, fusing all the garish neon of the 80s with all the kitsch fun of the 50s. Again, this is a higher-end eatery, but you certainly get what you pay for with the “To-Die-For” Burger and the powerfully flavored signature Truffle Burger, both with a thick wagyu chuck blend patty, and upgrading with a side-order of fries is reasonably priced. 1 Fullerton Road #01-06 One Fullerton 541 Orchard Road, #01-01 Liat Towers www.overeasy.com.sg
Burger Joint New York This is a no-nonsense burger joint, hailing from NYC, and it’s almost as if it wants to remain the best kept secret in town. Its website is deliberately evasive, detailing only the address and the menu, and it’s hidden in the back-alley of Gemmil Lane, off Amoy Street, Telok Ayer. In what is tantamount to a speakeasy experience, you’re taken through velvet curtains before entering what feels like an underground, graffiti-adorned bunker. Go vanilla with either the single or double burger or cheeseburger, done your way. 115 Amoy Street #01-03 www.burgerjointny.com
Coming soon! Watch this space for our new burger night out with AAS.
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 American Association earlier this year.
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education SATs or ACTs:
What are they and how do you choose the correct exam to take? By Andy Lee Are you taking the SAT or the ACT? This is one of the most common and perplexing questions that most high school students confront when they begin to embark on the college application process. Contrary to popular belief, these two college entrance exams actually share a lot in common. First of all, they both seek to assess students’ readiness for higher education. Secondly, the structure and content of these two exams are more similar than they are different. Both exams are also employed by
college admissions officers as a major factor in allocating seats and scholarship awards. The vast majority of universities accept either exam and treat them equally in the admission process. Despite all these commonalities, however, it’s helpful to compare both exams to understand which is the right fit for the student. The following table provides a comprehensive side by side comparison of these two standardized exams.
Comparison Table SAT
ACT
Total Length
• 3 hours (without essay) • 3 hours, 50 minutes (with essay)
• 2 hours, 55 minutes (without essay) • 3 hours, 40 minutes (with essay)
Sections
• Reading • Writing and Language • Math (without a calculator) • Math (with a calculator) • Optional Essay
• English • Math • Reading • Science • Optional Essay
Scoring
• Total Score Range: 400-1,600 • The Evidence-Based Reading & Writing section and the Math section are each scored on a scale of 200-800. The total score is the sum of these two sections.
• Total Score Range: 1-36 • Each section of the exam is scored on a scale of 1-36. The total score is the average of all the sections.
Pros
• Less time pressure • Slightly more time allotted per question • Provides commonly used math formulas
• Questions are sometimes presented in a marginally more straightforward manner • Use of calculator is allowed on all math questions
Cons
• For students who struggle with computation, this exam contains some questions that do not allow the use of calculators. • More challenging vocabulary • Slightly longer exam time
• For students who are weak at analyzing graphs, charts and data, this exam contains a Science section that assesses such skills. • There are more questions. There are 215 ACT questions and 154 SAT questions.
What to do next? In order to decide on the appropriate exam to take, students should take one official practice test for each exam. In an attempt to closely mimic actual test taking conditions, take the practice exams in a quiet setting according to the official time limits. Once both practice tests have been completed, their total scores can be computed and compared. The easiest way to compare scores is by converting the total ACT test score to the total SAT test score using the conversion chart published on both the official ACT and College Board (the organization that
administers the SAT exam) websites. To ensure accuracy, is it highly recommended that this process is repeated at least three times. Ultimately, students should prepare for the exam that they have consistently scored higher in. Standardized test scores are a critical component of the college admissions process. By choosing carefully and preparing thoroughly for these exams, applicants are putting themselves in the best possible position to gain entrance into their dream school.
Andy is a a seasoned American university and boarding school admissions consultant with nearly a decade of experience. He is a graduate of Columbia and Cornell and has provided comprehensive educational counseling to over 100 students, many of whom have gone on to attend institutions like Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Berkeley, UCLA, Georgetown, NYU and USC. 44 LIVING IN SINGAPORE
education Listen Up: Being Heard in a Noisy World By Kyle Aldous Here’s a question for you: how many words on average do we consume each day? 10,000, 50,000, or 100,000? In 2008, IBM and Cisco Systems funded and conducted a study to determine this number. They estimate that the average American consumes roughly 100,000 words each day. Each year this means you hear or read roughly 36.5 million words. With the development of social media and constant connection to dialogue that number has likely crept up since 2008. Is it any wonder, then, we are up against fierce competition when it comes to getting our voice heard? What we’re missing, though, in our bid to get our point across, is interpreting, validating and understanding the data being fed to us. So, in a world where we are all overwhelmed with content how do you stand out? Stop talking! The issue with many exchanges of information is that the person who is supposed to be listening is instead simply preparing what they’re going to say next. This is where the majority of miscommunication happens, because as you’re thinking about what to say next you are missing out on the nuances of what the person in front of you is saying and, thus, sabotaging a potentially more successful outcome of the discussion. In our children’s educational development, the ability to listen is key to critical thinking skills; vital when it comes to assessment, then, potentially, at college and, almost certainly, the workplace. This is not a skill that is learned overnight, it is something that is fine-tuned both at school and at home.
Doing Mindset vs Thinking Mindset Research on motivation by Arie Kruglanski, a social psychologist, and his colleagues at the University of Maryland suggests that there are two distinct motivational mindsets: a ‘thinking’ mindset and a ‘doing’ mindset. Listening garners a thinking mindset, giving the speaker the opportunity to understand what is going on around them. However, by planning a contribution to the conversation, the speaker enters a doing mindset and, therefore, limits critical thinking. Students’ problem solving skills both in and out of the classroom will most likely be tested daily. If employing a doing mindset, their initial reaction may be in preparing to solve the problem presented at face value; however, there may also be an underlying issue at the root of the situation that a thinking mindset would pick up on. In assessing by listening, the disease is cured rather than just the symptom.
So, how do we encourage our children to foster a mindset where less is said, stronger understanding is created and, ultimately help themselves be heard in a noisy world?
Remove distractions We’re all guilty of it. The screen on our device lights up and we’re instantly drawn to the message we’ve been sent, sometimes to the extent of breaking off conversation with the person we were just talking to. In groups, and no less so at school, it has almost become socially acceptable for one person to be speaking while others are on their laptops or phones only for them to pop their heads up and offer an obligatory laugh or even miss the comment altogether because they were distracted. In a world where everyone is highly connected to their tech, our kids can stand out and become a person of presence by being 100 percent present in their conversations by breaking these habits.
Repeat after Me Repeating back at least some of what people have said when dealing with important issues is invaluable. It forces the listener to listen carefully to what the speaker has said in order to be able to repeat it back. When what was said is accurately repeated, the speaker feels their dialogue has been taken on board. As a result, they trust the listener’s response more than if they don’t feel they were heard. By repeating it back, the listener also ensures understanding. If something was missed, the listener may find they have trouble actually summarizing what was said, and so they can ask for clarification.
Tell Me More These three words can save anyone in almost any conversation. When talking with someone, there is almost always an opportunity to throw these three words, or variations thereof, into the exchange. The goal is to open up the opportunity go deeper into the subject matter, to move beyond surface level discussion. This not only strengthens the bond between the interlocutors, but enhances analysis and critical thinking.
Kyle is Director of Communications at Singapore American School.
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business Farming in Singapore By Richard Hartung Living amidst the urban jungle in Singapore, even the idea of farming here may seem a bit ludicrous. Surprisingly, though, Singapore produces nearly 10 percent of its own food. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said there were 194 vegetable, fish and egg farms here in 2018, with the 12,200 tons of leafy vegetables grown locally last year making up 13 percent of all leafy vegetables consumed in Singapore and 4,600 tons of locally produced fish, accounting for nine percent of the fish people eat. This level of production is small compared to what will happen before long, though, as the agricultural sector is set to soar. Feeling that Singapore is exposed to volatility in the global food market, exemplified by Malaysia threatening to cut off egg imports recently, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Masagos Zulkifli, says the Singapore Food Agency has set a “30 by 30” target of producing 30 percent of Singapore’s nutritional needs by 2030. This new strategy doesn’t mean farms will suddenly be sprouting up in your neighborhood. Indeed, the government is shutting down many of the farms in the Kranji Countryside farm area to make way for the military and allowing just some of them to be leased as land for farming in Lim Chu Kang. Instead of using more land, agriculture is shifting to focus on using agri-tech and innovation to produce more food in less space. As Zulkifli stated, “To get to the ‘30 by 30 vision’ will require our agri-food industry to adopt new solutions to raise productivity, apply R&D, strengthen climate resilience and overcome our resource constraints. We need new paradigms in the agri-food industry.” Part of the impetus for innovation will come from the Singapore government. The government’s Research Innovation and Enterprise Council (RIEC), for instance, is allocating S$144 million for research related to food. Moreover, Enterprise Singapore is deploying its investment arm, Seeds Capital, to work with seven partners to coinvest more than S$90 million in Singapore-based agrifood startups that they expect will create disruptive food and agritech solutions. Singapore has chosen two particular sectors in agritech, according to Future Food Asia Platform founder, Isabelle Decitre: aquaculture and indoor farming. Already, new ventures in those sectors are paving the way. Sustenir, for example, provides locally-grown highquality produce to outlets such as Cold Storage, Jason’s
Marketplace and Redmart. It uses modern hydroponics and the latest technology to produce crops such as strawberries and kale. Artisan Green also uses hydroponics in a controlled indoor environment to grow fresh greens in the heart of Singapore, with a target of harvesting two tons of spinach every two to three weeks. Crops are grown in trays on six tiers of vertical metal racks and the farming method saves about 95 percent of the water that would be used in traditional soil-based farming. On the aquaculture side, Apollo Aquaculture has a three-story automated fish farming facility that provides quality, live seafood and it is building an eight-story facility to produce grouper and shrimp. You can have their seafood delivered, or even go to visit their facility in Seletar. Barramundi Asia, which was actually founded more than a decade ago, uses large sea cages and innovative technology to raise Asian seabass in the waters off Pulau Semakau. Many of the high-tech farms may well end up in a new 18-hectare agri-food innovation park that is being built in Sungei Kadut as part of efforts to grow the food and agritech sector. Anecdotal evidence indicates that some of the innovation may also happen in what were once bio-medical research labs at One North, many of which have reportedly been converted to research labs for agriculture. Beyond growing the types of food it produces now, Singapore is also looking at becoming a global hub of agritech innovation. According to Today, venture capital firms known more for betting on the next Alibaba or Grab, are starting to get in on the action and are investing in innovative agri-food tech startups. Venture capital firms, such as Decitre’s ID Capital, and accelerators, such as Yield Lab, which mentors agri-food startups, are just a few of the investors powering the sector. One example of those innovators is Alchemy Foodtech, which created a low glycemic index (GI) fiber that can be added to rice, bread and noodles to lower the GI of the food product without compromising the taste. Another is Life3 Biotech, a food-tech startup that has developed a plant-based meat alternative called Veego. Even though Singapore won’t have enough local food production to feed the entire population, as it did until the 1960s, there will be a lot more locally grown food available here soon. The vegetables and fish you buy in the store may actually be local and, in some cases, you can visit the farm where it was grown.
Richard is the Managing Director of Transcarta and a freelance writer for Today, Challenge, The Asian Banker and other media, as well as writing for corporates. He is also the author of Changing Lanes, Changing Lives. Richard is 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 AAS 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.
Singapore’s CBD – David Wilson David, from Denver, Colorado, is an art teacher and loves photographing Singapore’s cityscape.
David wins $100 in Outback Steakhouse vouchers.
2nd: Old Meets New in Singapore – Catherine Taylor
3rd: Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall – Julia Jones
Catherine is a freelance photographer from Australia and enjoys the eclectic architecture of Singapore.
Julia is from New York City and likes to wander the heritage district with her camera.
Catherine wins $50 in Hard Rock Cafe vouchers.
Julia wins $30 in Drinks & Co vouchers.
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