In Balance

Introduce yourself!
My name is Norah and I’m an auditor. I’m originally from Nanjing, China, but I’ve been in Singapore for three years now. I first came to pursue my masters in accounting, but I’ve since completed it and am now working here full-time.

Nice! Do you go back to Nanjing often?
Sometimes, yes. Maybe two or three times per years? I usually go back during Chinese New Year and will also take some annual leave to go back another time. I miss my parents most because they’re still in China.

Aww, it’s nice that you still get to spend quality time with them when you do go back though. Between China and Singapore, which country would you say you’d prefer to live and work in?
Both actually. I think each place has something that I like. In China, it’s more convenient to live in, but in Singapore, the working environment is healthier. I actually think Singapore is quite similar to China, just that there’s more work-life balance here (laughs). In my job, there’s quite a lot of flexibility. We can choose to work from home or in the office, so when we don’t have too much work to do, we can manage our own time and take a rest maybe. But of course, we still have to OT sometimes.

Ahh yes, that flexibility is so important! Outside of work, do you have any hobbies or ways in which you like to spend your time?
I like to play badminton and swim. I also go hiking sometimes. I particularly enjoy going to MacRitchie Reservoir and Mount Faber, but I don’t hike very often, maybe only two to three times a month.