SHENTONISTA

“Durian actually smells amazing to me, but I was so disappointed because it just tastes like a mix of creamy garlic and onion! I guess it’s an acquired because we have some food in Barbados that may seem weird to others like a savoury porridge made from okra and cornmeal, and a really bitter drink made from tree bark.”

“In my previous job, I worked remotely and was really living the life of a digital nomad. I would spend up to six months at a time in places like Europe or South America. Now, I’m in the process of becoming a Permanent Resident of Singapore and hope to be able to settle down here in the long run, while still travelling the world, of course!”

“Everything has become a delicate balancing act as a working mother of three. When I’m not at work, most of my time is spent with my kids, but I hope that seeing my hard work will instil in them the same drive to pursue their passions in the future.”

“I started @strandgal, a small jewellery business, three years ago to go back to my roots of creating tactile art. I really love what I make and seeing my pieces on others, but I don’t wear them myself because it's so paiseh to be a walking advertisement for my brand!”

“I’m 25 this year and the youngest of seven siblings, with two brothers and four sisters. We’re all pretty close, and have similar interests and tastes in fashion and music. In our free time back in Malaysia, we like to hang out, hunt for new cafés around KL, and go shopping.”

When asked what local dishes she liked best, Miyako whipped out her phone excitedly and, in true mum fashion, showed us pictures of all of the good food she’s eaten, from dim sum to masala dosa, which she described as being “spicy, but very delicious”.

“I have a two-year-old son and a baby on the way. Being a father means that life is no longer about what I want but what my children need. I really have to pay close attention to our finances now because everything is so expensive these days! But whatever it is, I’ll try to do what’s best for my children.”

“My brother, Adam, and I are three years apart but we’re just like twins! We like to do many things together like cafe hopping, shopping, and attending concerts. In the past year, we caught many of our favourite acts live, like Muse and Last Dinosaurs, which have all been really great!”

“My interest in filmmaking began when my dad gifted me one of his old cameras when I was in secondary school. I’d always been intrigued by photography and capturing still images, but I eventually found that I could be a lot more expressive with filmmaking. The rest, as they say, is history.”

“I’m visiting Singapore for the first time with my girlfriend who's here to attend a conference. I'm hoping to work here after I finish my studies—it’s a beautiful city, and the North Indian food in Little India is pretty authentic too!"

“Our ultimate goal is for a stray-free Singapore, as street animals sadly don’t have a place in our society. We do so through our Trap, Neuter, and Release programme that helps to manage the stray population through sterilisation.”

“I wish someone had told me how tough it would be to juggle between work and my two kids at the same time. It’s challenging, but being able to watch my children grow up well while carving out a career for myself is more than enough for me.”