Freefloating

Tell us more about what you do for work, and where you’re from.
I’m a freelance web designer, and I was born in Serbia, but live in Da Nang, Vietnam now. It’s a growing city, where the people are really nice, and life moves at a slower pace.

There are beaches, rivers, and mountains close by there, and it’s generally very quiet. I’ve lived there for three years, and I think I’ll stay for another three more years? Then we’ll see.

Before that, I was living in Shenzhen. I was there for three years before moving to the quieter Da Nang.

That must be quite the change then, moving from Shenzhen to Da Nang.
Yeah! Shenzhen is a nice, big city, but it’s actually not too chaotic for how big it is. It actually reminds me a little bit of Singapore, just with a different culture (laughs).

Is this your first time in Singapore?
Yes, it’s my first time. It’s very nice here—I like walking around and seeing all the greenery. But it’s only my first day here, so I need to spend more time here for me to have a proper impression of the place.

I’m here with my mother and my wife for a short trip before heading back to Vietnam.

Tell us more about your wife and how you two met.
We’ve been together for six years, and married for three years. We used to work on a cruise ship, which is where we met.

After we got together, we moved on from the ship life and lived in the Caribbean Islands on Saint Martin for a while. Then we moved to Asia to live in China, and now, Vietnam.

What is it that you like most about Asia?
The people, the food, the nature, and of course, the culture.

Is there anything you miss about Serbia?
Ahh, yes. It’s my home country, so I’ll always miss certain things, like the people and the nature (laughs). All the things I mentioned I like about Asia, I miss in my country as well. But you know, because it’s my home, I can always go back.

I think it’s more interesting to travel around when I’m younger, up till a certain age, then when I’m older, I’ll head closer to home in Europe.

You were away from home in Vietnam during the pandemic. How was that experience like for you?
It was good. In the first year, we didn’t have to worry about the virus at all, because Vietnam closed off very quickly, so we were very carefree.

It was like we were in a bubble you know. A lot of expats and foreigners that were in Vietnam at the time chose to stay, so we were just going to bars, experiencing the nightlife, and celebrating.

Afterwards, things got a bit stricter with the lockdown, but it passed, and now Vietnam’s opened up again, and there’s a sense of unity in the community, because we’ve all gone through the same problems, faced ups and downs, but now, it’s all okay. I know it can’t compare to what other countries have experienced, but I’m glad that many places are opening up now. That’s why we’re here in Singapore (laughs).

Tell us about your outfit. Where do you usually like to shop?
I usually buy my clothes from secondhand shops, because I don’t like to buy new things. I don’t pay much attention to brands, but I do still enjoy fashion because it’s a way to show our individuality.

That said, I really miss the street style in China, because people there are not afraid to wear whatever they want. It’s very interesting to see how the young people dress there.

As for my outfit, everything is secondhand. My shirt, pants, shoes, backpack—everything. My wife actually embroidered my backpack for me. She’s been trying to get into it as a hobby, and she’s really good!