Where The Heart Is

Introduce yourself!
My name is Sena. I’m 24 this year, and I’m from Korea, but I’ve been living abroad since I was 12—I was in Malaysia for about five years and now I’m living in Singapore by myself.

My parents have always wanted me to explore and see the world. So when they asked if I wanted to study abroad, I said yes, and within a month, we moved! However, I do go back to Korea quite often, maybe about once a year, so I don’t really feel too homesick.

What would you say is the biggest difference between living in Malaysia and Singapore? 
I stayed in Kuala Lumpur while I was in Malaysia, and I would say it’s much more convenient here in Singapore in terms of transportation. In Malaysia, you definitely need a car to commute anywhere, but I actually do enjoy that because you get to drive around by yourself—it gives you that freedom.

What is it like living on your own? Is it as freeing as most people say it is?
Oh, I quite enjoy it because I get to have lots of alone time, which is great because I don’t really go out very often—I like staying home.

In my own time, I collect stickers, make collages, and journal a lot. When I do go out, I like strolling around the neighbourhood or thrifting, but it’s quite hard to find affordable items here. I usually end up going to Haji Lane or Queensway just to look around.

Having lived abroad for so long, do you see yourself settling down somewhere else?
Probably, maybe. Initially, I wanted to go to the UK for university, but my dad said that I was still too young to be moving so far away, so that’s why we ended up moving somewhere closer.

You seem like quite the jet-setter! I suppose you like travelling too? 
I do! All I want is to do is travel (laughs). Since I started working, I’ve been trying to save up and do that more. Thailand has always been my go-to for a quick trip, but recently I went to Vietnam with a few friends for my grad trip, and it was really, really fun.

What kind of a traveller would you say you are? 
I never plan. Usually, I’ll just book a flight ticket and maybe accommodations, and end up exploring, wandering around, and trying new stuff wherever I end up. Like with my recent trip to Vietnam, we didn’t plan anything at all. For most of the trip, we just followed one another’s suggestions to go some place or do something!.

Since you travel so much and have lived in quite a few places, what is home to you? 
Home to me is more of who I’m with. Even though I was born and raised in Korea, I don’t really feel like Korea is my home. Wherever my family or my close friends are feels more like home to me.