The Next Destination

Could you introduce yourself, and what you do?
My name is Chie. I’m from Osaka, Japan. I’ve been living in Singapore for the past 3 years, working in the banking sector!

What made you choose this career path in banking, and how did you get into it?
My major in university was economics, which isn’t that related to banking, but I managed to join a bank because of my language skills. I studied abroad in Beijing, so I think my Chinese is better than my English, though it’s not great too.

Why did you decide to move to Singapore, and what do you enjoy most about living here?
The environment! It feels friendly and welcoming, especially for women when compared to Japan. It’s also quite easy to travel overseas from here; I love to travel, and lately I’ve been quite interested in the smaller cities in China, like Altay in Xinjiang. It feels quite different as it’s in central China.

I’ve been visiting China quite frequently since last year, because it’s so convenient now. You can do almost everything with your phone, such as payments, and transport is convenient and budget-friendly. Also, the scenery is just beautiful.

What do you like to do to unwind after a long day at work? Do you have any hobbies?
Oh, I like to watch anime! Do you know 86? It’s my favourite; it’s absolutely the best show. I watch a lot of different anime, but that one is the most memorable for me. The first episode can feel a little slow, and a bit ‘hmm…’, but once you push past that, it gets very good. It’s quite an old anime, but it’s still the best to me.

Even though you enjoy Singapore, what do you miss most about home?
Sake! It’s so expensive here. And konbinis. Here at night, you cannot drink past 10pm, and so many places have last orders by 9pm. And since it’s always summer here, I head back to Japan once a year, usually during autumn.