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How to Cope When Friends Leave Singapore

Goodbyes are part of Singapore expat life

Here we go again. It’s nearly December. The contracts have finished. The farewell parties have begun and, once again, our carefully cultivated group of friends is being torn apart by relocation. It’s painful. It’s tedious, and it’s natural to want to become a hermit until this revolving door of friendships finally stops turning. According to a survey conducted by Aetna International, the loss of a stable support network is one of the top three ‘pressure points’ for expats and can be a major contributing factor in depression within expat communities. Therefore, as tiresome as the process may be, it’s imperative that you take conscious and constant steps to rebuild your friendship circles and social networks. The first step is to deal most effectively with the grieving and goodbyes.

Dealing With Farewells
Stiff upper lip, she’ll be right: we all know the phrases that imply that, if you’re feeling low, it’s best to just toughen up and get on with life. But, if you’re dealing with another sad goodbye, it’s perfectly natural to experience a low mood and/or low energy. Allow yourself the freedom to feel what you feel.* Furthermore, it’s okay if you want to retreat for a while and give yourself time to recalibrate, just don’t make the break indefinite. Set a timeframe (i.e: I’m going to lie low ‘til Easter; I’m giving myself six months to withdraw) and, ideally, get a family member or friend to hold you accountable. By creating a finite period for personal retreat, you’ll be better able to make the most of this rest time and you won’t wallow longer than is healthy for you.
Once your ‘retreat period’ is over, it’s vital you take bold steps to rebuild and reinvigorate your social circles. As emotionally exhausting as it can feel, don’t resist the opportunity to start socialising again – this may be as simple as inviting a new acquaintance for drinks, or reconnecting with familiar neighbours.
*If your low mood continues or deepens, you become unable to feel joy or happiness, or you develop anxiety or harmful thoughts, please seek help from
a trusted medical practitioner. You are precious and deserve to be both happy
and healthy.

Preparing For Social Disruption:
In addition to allowing yourself a healthy grieving process, there are everyday steps you can take to mitigate the painful disruption of departing friends. One important practice is to remain open to new friendships, all the time.
Sure, life may often be too ‘full’ for additional close friendships, but it can be incredibly valuable in the long-term to nurture acquaintances. Meet your neighbours, reach out to newbies, make an effort to extend beyond your familiar social circles. Pay particular attention to the people who make you feel good, even if you only see them sporadically. In time, as the social scene changes around you, you may find these casual connections are ready to develop into closer friendships.
It’s also important to acknowledge the value of ‘local’ friendships. Studies show that expats who socialise with hometown locals tend to settle easier and enjoy greater long-term wellbeing. Whenever you can, make an effort to cultivate friendships with Singaporeans (and other permanent residents) and enjoy the relative stability of these non-transient connections.

Knowing What You Need
As you set about rebuilding your social connections, it’s wise to become more cognisant of your (ever-changing) friendship needs. In other words, be conscious of the type of friendship you are ready for and allow your social circles to evolve accordingly. If you’re grieving the farewell of a very close connection, you may not feel like being totally vulnerable and developing that kind of closeness immediately. Instead, you may benefit from more surface-level social connections. If you’ve been feeling isolated, it may be time to open yourself up for a close “bestie-type” relationship. There’s no need for judgement around the type of friendship you (or others) need at this time. The vital thing is to be honest with yourself. When your needs change – allow your social circles to naturally evolve to accommodate them.

Being There In Support
Splintered social circles and sad goodbyes are a ubiquitous and unavoidable facet of expat life. You can almost guarantee that every expat you see – at the mall, at school, at work, at the gym, at the playgroup – has felt the empty grief of a departing friend. Therefore, it’s our responsibility to be there for each other. If someone in your wider circle is losing a friend, reach out; make yourself available for a catch-up; help create an environment of nurturing, compassion and support. A friendship may, or may not, bloom out of the interaction but – more importantly – you will have helped someone stay afloat through our shared experience of ‘revolving door’ friendships.

Kim Forrester is a holistic wellbeing author, consultant and educator. kimforrester.net

Would you like to contribute to our Life and Culture section? Contribute your thoughts on any aspect of life in Singapore by emailing your idea to editor@anza.org.sg

Modern Meets Vintage

Photos: Rafael Dalmau
French expat Amandine Samb-Calvez

Where is your home country and how long have you lived in Singapore?
My parents came to France in 1979 as political refugees from Vietnam and I was born there – I’m the eldest of four siblings. We’ve also lived in the Netherlands and Dubai and we’ve been in Singapore for three and a half years.

Why did you choose this living space?
We loved the high ceilings as they reminded us of our home in the Netherlands, and the outdoor spaces in the front and back of the house, which are ideal for drinks. We are into historical buildings with a modern twist and we knew when visiting this house that it would become our home. It looks small from the outside but it’s very long and spacious.

How have you set up the home?
We divided the house into several spaces. The light well in the middle of the building creates a subtle division between a more relaxing, quiet seating area for reading or lounging and action areas such as the playroom and the kitchen.

What do you love most about the house?
I love that there are very few separating walls, everything is open. We love the little village and family vibes of our neighbourhood. We always see the same people in the playground, so our kids play and grow together. The parents chat with each other, and some have become my friends – even best friends.

What are your favourite local haunts?
I love walking from Joo Chiat Road to East Coast Road with my son. As a French family, we love our local cheese shop, which also has a good selection of wine and our new bakery Petit Pain on Joo Chiat Road. For retail therapy, one of my favorites is the Vintage Tale where you can find premium vintage clothes from Italy and sometimes vintage Gucci and Celine bags. Three times a week I go to the Barre Lab and head to Estheclinic for a quick facial treatment.

Your favourite pieces?
We don’t have expensive art or collectibles and I make a point not to spend more than SGD$300 on furniture, except for bedding. My favourite pieces are the vintage school chairs which come from the Netherlands and the industrial chairs which are from North America, but I picked up in Singapore.

What’s your decorating style?
I love the mix between very old and new pieces. Antique pieces go well with a new Ikea white cupboard or children’s bed for example.

What is most important to you in a home?
We are very homey people and we love to invite people over. For me, the most important thing is that it has to feel like a comfortable, functional home for you and an inviting space for others.

Where did you get your furniture?
Mainly Europe through brocante (second hand shops and markets) and antique shops. I love to give second life to old pieces. I prefer to re-purpose a piece of furniture rather than buying a new one.

What do you do for work and what brought you to Singapore?
I hold an MBA from Rotterdam School of Management and was a business development director for a small company. I just resigned and would like to focus on my PHD applications in Behavioural Economics and find a job that could accommodate my research. Like a lot of families here in SG, my husband’s job brought us here. For now, Singapore is definitely home!

Remote Renovations

Karola’s fresh new open plan kitchen and living area
Before: A renovators delight in Melbourne

Karola’s Melbourne House Renovation
“Renovations are challenging under any circumstances but being overseas complicates the process. My family was halfway through an extensive renovation of our Melbourne home when we moved to Singapore. Although it was difficult, we learned that it’s certainly possible to manage a project remotely.”
– Karola Clark

The project:
In real estate speak, the historic Edwardian-style house we brought while I was pregnant with our first child was a ‘renovator’s delight’. Working around our time and budget constraints, we planned a two-part renovation that would see the highest priorities (bathrooms and bedrooms) completed first, followed by a second stage to replace the old kitchen and dining rooms with a larger, open plan living/kitchen/dining space.

The process:
The first stage went smoothly, apart from finding asbestos in the roof. Plans for the next stage started just as we found out we were relocating to Singapore. We considered renting out the house half-done, but after speaking to local property agents, decided to complete the renovation first. We had the advantage of an established relationship with our builder, but it was frustrating trying to manage the works from Singapore as we prefer being hands on. My parents-in-law visited the site every few days, to take photos and provide updates. We spoke to the site foreman every couple of days and flew back shortly before completion for a final check in person.

Patricia’s Portuguese Farmhouse Restoration
“Whenever there’s a big decision, the whole team (architect, project manager, interiors) meet, then they call me with the options and prices.”
– Patricia Almeida

The project:
After inheriting her great-grandmother’s 19th century farmhouse outside the town of Coimbra, Portuguese expat Patricia Almeida decided to restore the original stone building and extend it to create a holiday home for her family.

The process:
“Because we don’t live there, we chose a local architect and a local project manager to manage everything. We also hired an interiors architect, Gracinha Viterbo, to design the whole interior. She’s Portuguese but she also has an office here in Singapore, which is why we chose her. We also have a landscape designer,” says Patricia. Managing all these parties remotely has been a challenge. “I was very involved in the beginning, but I don’t have the knowledge or skills to give detailed directions from here. We wanted professionals to handle every part of the process.”
Using a local project manager has simplified communication and decision-making and reduced the amount of time that Patricia needs to be on site. “We told the project manager we would go whenever he needed us, which has been three times so far. But he sends very good, detailed reports.”

A work in progress for Sue!

Sue’s Sydney Apartment Update
“My biggest problem with managing the project from overseas was lack of discipline. Not being there, it was too easy to get on with life and commitments in Singapore. When communications broke down and we lost the first builder, I realised my commitment had to change.”
– Sue Chamberlain

The project:
Australian expat and ANZA life member Sue Chamberlain and her husband are currently renovating their North Sydney apartment. “We bought it as our principle residence, but then my husband was offered a position in Singapore.”

The process:
The renovation was triggered by damage caused by a leak from the bathrooms. “The project started as waterproofing the showers, but the tiles couldn’t be matched so we had to re-tile the walls and the base of the showers. It would just look patchy in a very nice apartment, so we decided to completely update both bathrooms,” explains Sue. While the apartment was vacant, they decided to also update flooring damaged by the leak, upgrade the kitchen and laundry and install more energy-efficient lighting.
Sue flew to Sydney to meet with builders, but when she returned to Singapore, their chosen builder disappeared, not responding to emails or phone calls. “I came to Sydney again to meet with more builders. Friends came to the rescue as they were about to undertake a bathroom renovation themselves and suggested a company. Being based in Singapore, it was much easier to work with one builder who would project manage the various trades and supplies of materials. They’ve done jobs for people overseas before and could communicate the progress as needed. But as I was also doing other items outside this main scope of works, we decided that I’d be on the spot for most of the works.”

Top tips for managing an overseas reno:

– Use a recommended architect/designer and builder. Get a personal recommendation from a friend if possible. Ask how they plan to communicate their progress while you’re overseas.
– Investigate technology to make communication easier, such as shared Pinterest boards, video calls with computer screen mirroring so you can work on plans together, or 3D design walk-throughs to help you visualise the designs.
– Plan for one to three trips to see the works: for product/material selection if you want to do this yourself; during the early building phase to deal with any surprises that might come up; and a visit close to completion to ensure you’re satisfied before final payment.
– Choose a trusted advisor or friend who can check on works and provide independent updates. They can send photos or do a video walk-through for you. Have them check that works are progressing in line with the builder’s claims before you release payments.

Turquoise Treasure

Photos: Rafael Dalmau

Where is your home country Jenny? How long have you lived in Singapore?
I’m from South Africa, and Gordon was born in Canada. We moved to Singapore about two years ago, but we have lived in Asia (Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand) for 20 years. Home is wherever our cats are!

Why did you choose this house?
The conventional wisdom is that “kitchens and bathrooms sell houses”, but we loved this place despite its very ordinary kitchen and single, small bathroom! We fell for the character of the older building, interior space, unique cityscape, and the ability to walk out the front door into the green neighbourhood. We enjoy being in a street of houses, and nodding hello to the neighbours and nearby HDB residents as they walk by. It’s lovely to see cricket games being played on the oval below our balcony.

Where else on the island have you lived?
This is our first home in Singapore, we’ d originally focused on apartments in the Tanjong Rhu area, but our agent showed me these houses as a wild card, and after that we were done!

How have you set up the home?
We’ve made the largest bedroom, which should be the master, our shared home office and my sewing studio. One of the smaller bedrooms is lined with wardrobes and functions as our dressing room, and the third bedroom is our bedroom. Big enough for a king size bed, but not a lot more! Having one bathroom means that when friends visit us, we put them up at a nearby hotel. I was hoping to create a home that functions well and that makes us feel calm and our visitors feel welcome. In terms of interior decoration, I go for casual, comfortable, and colourful.

Jenny and her beloved burmese

What do you love most about this living space?
The wooden staircase, floors and picture rails have been beautifully maintained and provide a great backdrop for our furniture and art. Our favourite space
is the ‘gin deck’, the balcony off our office, which is a lovely place for morning coffee, and of course a drink at the end of the day.

What are your fave local haunts?
Little India is on our doorstep and we enjoy exploring its restaurants and shops. A PCN one block away takes us all the way along the river to the National Stadium. And we have two nearby wet markets, as well as a 24-hour grocery store. We are only 20 minutes from Arab Street, Bugis and Dhoby Ghaut, so we tend to head there for an evening out.

What’s something surprising about your home?
How much we like turquoise! I have a clear picture in my head of the colour scheme for our homes. I don’t like neutrals, or a hotel room feel, I prefer lots of colour. For this house, we started with the painting in the living room, and went with turquoise throughout the house.

What are your most prized pieces?
We’ve made a habit of buying artwork on our travels. They’re wonderful memories of our trips. The Chinese bamboo painting was bought in Xian when we went to see the Terracotta Warriors with Gordon’s parents. We bought the Aboriginal painting on a trip to Margaret River several years ago. And the Vietnam painting (women harvesting wheat) was something we deliberately went to Hanoi to look for. After a fruitless morning we walked into the Apricot Gallery and knew that was the one! Besides the artwork, we particularly love our large turquoise Chinese cabinets, which were custom made in Hong Kong, and my mother of pearl inlaid desk (bought in Hong Kong) from India.

Where did you get the bulk of your furniture?
We bought most of our big pieces when we moved back to Hong Kong. We spent many weekends exploring the furniture stores of Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau. More pieces probably came from eco furniture store Tree (tree.com.hk) than anywhere else. In Singapore we bought some additional items at Hotlotz (hotlotz.com) and at the furniture shops on Dempsey Hill.

What you do for work and what brought you to Singapore?
I’ve been on a semi-sabbatical for the last year since I left my InsurTech startup. While I’ve been exploring new opportunities, I’ve been consulting to non-profits and looking for female-founded startups to invest in. Gordon left his consulting career to pursue a PhD, and before he had formally completed his degree, SMU offered him a position on the faculty of the Business School which he took up in May 2017.

What is your work/home life balance?
I work from home and Gordon goes to the office most days. We cycle, run or walk almost every day. We try to balance healthy eating at home during the week with the inevitable feasting on the weekends! During the university breaks we generally travel somewhere on holiday or go to visit family.

Do you have a connection to ANZA?
We joined as members and it’s been wonderful for me personally, as I’d stopped working and was looking to get involved in a community. I’m a regular in the ANZA Kill-o-Metres walking group and ANZA Cycling women’s and Saturday rides. More recently I’ve joined ANZA Stiches and a pottery class with some ANZA members that meets in East Changi. Gordon has Australian citizenship and we expect that our next, and hopefully final, move will be to Australia. But for now, Singapore is home.

The Essence of Australia – Stunning Original Art

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Australia’s most exciting emerging contemporary visual artist, Lara Scolari’ s paintings have made a serious splash on the international art scene. Lara will be exhibiting for the first time in Singapore this month at the Affordable Art Fair.

Lara specialises in creating exquisite statement artworks for Architects, Interior Designers, Homeowners, Stylists and Decorating Professionals that deliver the ‘wow’ factor and enhance and complete a space. Lara will be exhibiting in Singapore at the upcoming Affordable Art Fair Singapore from 22 – 24 November, where a variety of local, regional and international galleries and artists will delight both first time buyers and experienced collectors with fresh, contemporary artworks.

Influenced by major artistic figures such as Brett Whiteley, Helen Frankenthaler, John Olsen, Hans Hoffman and Mark Rothko, Lara has developed her own distinct approach to the ‘abstract expressionist’ style, where a variety of media, developed experimental techniques and processes are used to create depth through exquisite, transparent layers that reveal hidden dioramas.

Featuring organic forms and fluid shapes, her stunning works are inspired by memory, meditation, music and the culture and essence of Australia. Each of her eye-catching paintings feature a beautiful translucent veiled colour palette that reflects the natural landscape.

Lara’s coveted artworks explore multilayered organic forms, lines, shapes and composition that create an enlivening space for contemplation and a resting place for thoughts.

Her use of tonal combinations with rich and luscious colours have been a particular hit with some of the world’s leading interior designers, including the multi-award-winning Greg Natale who has purchased Lara’s exquisite pieces for many of his A List Clients. Collaborating with many design professionals, this year Lara also worked with Designer Rugs Australia as well as Luxe Walls to release a Lara Scolari Collection, showcasing her exquisite designs on carpet and rugs, as well as luxury wallpaper. Both offer exceptional quality for high end residential homes and commercial spaces all over the globe.

Lara was recently featured in the Australian television network SBS documentary Why Diversifying Is the Key to Lara Scolari’ s Artistic Success as well as Real Estate Lifestyle – In my Place with Abstract Expressionist – Lara Scolari together with many other print and online media networks showcasing her exciting work and her incredible journey thus far!

From North America across to Europe, Asia, Australia and now here in Singapore, Lara’s award-winning artwork is represented in public and private collections throughout the world.

Visit Lara at the upcoming Affordable Art Fair on Stand 3D-12, Room D, Level 3 – near the bar!

COMPLIMENTARY Tickets to Private View Click Here
COMPLIMENTARY Tickets to Arty-Licious Evening Click Here

larascolari.com

Bali Sabbatical

Where to?
The grass is always greener elsewhere, and as a nomad, I got itchy feet after seven years living in Singapore – a personal record for living in one place. This raised the difficult question: where should we go? That question has been buzzing around our household for years.
Often a next move for expats is dictated by work, but if there’s no such push, just a general pull towards adventure – the world is your oyster. That sounds like the ultimate luxury, but it also makes things complicated. We were drowning in a sea of choices, and having to consider too many factors – a good education for the kids, a pleasant climate, liveable surroundings, a good culture for raising children, and exciting prospects for work. For a while, we felt stuck. We were tired of the high pace lifestyle of city-state Singapore and we needed a break; time to spend together as a family before the kids get too old to want to spend it with us.

Why not Bali?
After years of debating our next move we eventually decided on Bali. It was an impulse choice, after seeing a Facebook post on The Green School. Combined with my fascination for all things Indonesian, and my husband Roel’s wish for a fun place to spend his upcoming sabbatical overthinking his next steps, it seemed perfect. The question I’ve been asked many times in recent months is ‘why Bali?’ I always want to answer; ‘why not Bali?’

Packing up
I like to call myself a nomad but a genuine nomad tends to travel lightly, whereas I carry a lot of stuff! I take my home with me wherever I go. And it’s a full home. My children are the same. When we travel and arrive in a new hotel, sometimes for just one night, they start nesting. They divvy up the beds, arrange their stuffed animals, notebooks, pyjamas and other items and voila; they feel at home. They often refer to hotels or guesthouses we stay in as home, too.
I get ridiculously, sentimentally, attached to objects. I still remember some items I lost years ago, and genuinely miss them at times. One of the reasons for my attachment is that I rarely simply buy something. Years ago, I needed a new teapot, and I spent hours online, browsing vintage websites to find the perfect one. At some point my husband looked over my shoulder and dryly commented: ‘Normal people just go to a shop and buy a teapot…’
So when we move house or country, which is on average every few years, I pack up all this stuff and ship it to the next location; even if it’s across the world. But our move to Bali proved a painful one. It soon became clear most houses there are rented out furnished. At the same time, storing furniture in Singapore proved more expensive than renting a house in Bali!
When I asked for advice on an online group, the first comment came in quick: “sell everything, you will feel so happy and light afterwards.” Never would I sell my collection of vintage enamel trays! The antiques we collected over the years! My Omani silver! Or our gazillions of books!
Thankfully, where there’s a will there’s a way. We shipped as many small items as we could manage to Bali and stored the bulk of the furniture in Europe.

A new home
So here we are. In Bali. In our new house overlooking rice fields, with our new Bali rescue dog, discovering new things, learning a new language. Away from the safety and comfort that was Singapore. We are starting to figure things out. The Bali traffic no longer defies us, as we find order in the chaos and the politeness of the Balinese (if you get cut off on your scooter you can bet it’s not a local on that bike). We are starting to find out where to get our groceries and realising we do really need to cut down on cheese. Who would have believed there is a country in the world where cheese is more expensive than Singapore?

Karien in her new Bali home

The kids are starting to settle into their new school, and things are definitely greener there! All the new parents (including me) sigh and say: ‘I wish I was a kid again so I could go to school here.’ The classrooms are made of bamboo and have no walls. They are situated in lush gardens. There are rabbits, chickens, and cats wandering about for my daughters Linde and Jasmijn to cuddle. My son Tijm has started Middle School where he can select exciting elective subjects like surfing and free diving.
The focus is on sustainability; the school wants to educate the green leaders of tomorrow. At the same time, they are innovative educators. The guiding principle is that school should be fun, as kids learn more when they can follow their passions and enjoy themselves. We hope that they will manage to challenge our boy with a passion for maths, as well as sports.


There is plenty for the parents here, too. Roel and I have enrolled in a course where we will work alongside the Balinese to learn about the rice cycle, establishing ties with local farmers and developing a shared vision for expanding organic rice supply. I can’t wait to get my feet in that mud! Roel’s other goal this year is learning to surf, whilst I am looking forward to many mornings like this one, where I sit on my patio alternating writing and gazing at our amazing view.

Karien writes about her life and adventures at bedu-mama.com

ANZA Melbourne Cup Race Day 2019, Proudly Presented by Crossbridge Capital

The Race That Stops a Nation returned to Singapore on Tuesday 5 November when a spirited crowd of over 400 joined in the festivities at The Singapore Turf Club to see Vow and Declare nose past the winner’s post in a thrilling finish.

All the buzz of Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse was recreated in a beautifully decorated room, overlooking the lush green racecourse. Guests placed live bets on the races, with big screens beaming all the action from Flemington in Melbourne. Patrick Taylor and the Secret Men’s Business blokes presided over the sweeps, with punters keen for a flutter on the big race.

A charity prize draw with incredible holiday giveaways raised money for Riding for the Disabled, Singapore, and the upkeep of ANZA Action sponsored therapy horse, Kodi. We are thrilled to have reached our fundraising target this year, keeping Kodi in action for 2020. It was a day of wins with the Currency Fair Spin the Travel Wheel sending guests off to luxurious holidays around South East Asia, ArtWorks gifting one lucky guest an eye-catching artwork, and QV leaving surprise skincare packs under each table. Of course, The Cup is all about fun photo opps, and the ArtWorks photo booth had plenty of posers taking away their happy snaps as mementos of the day.

To view all the photo galleries from the day, go to anza.org.sg  

FASHIONS ON THE FIELD – Winners!

The Pavilions Hotels and Resorts’ Fashions of the Field was fiercely contested, with onlookers noting the high standard and creativity of the outfits and millinery this year. Judges Nick Oxborrow, Megan Kinder and Stacey Halliwell presided over the awards, handing out enviable holidays to Pavilion’s Phuket, Bali and Himalayas. And the winners were…

Ms Melbourne Cup: Katie Dunston was the belle of race day in a classic pale blue and floral dress and retro millenary.
Mr Melbourne Cup: Rick Pratt looked dapper in navy tails.
Best Millinery: Lynne Chao, unforgettable with her red bowl of blooms.
People’s Choice: Madeline Critchley

The party didn’t stop when the races ended, with an afterparty kicking on at Bar Rouge at Swissotel, The Stamford. Revelries lasted well into the night. Huge thanks to all our hard-working volunteers, especially the Busy Bees and Mike Sabey who worked so hard on the equine-themed decorations… see you next year!

 

Visit Jeju Island, South Korea

From the buzzing modern metropolis of Seoul, our arrival on South Korea’s Jeju Island was instantly relaxing. With its dramatic volcanic rock formations and black sand beaches framed by greenery and farms, it’s easy to see why Jeju Island is the top honeymoon destination for South Koreans.

South Korea’s largest island, Jeju lies 64 kms south of mainland Korea, just over an hour’s flight from Seoul. The best way to explore the island and experience the local lifestyle is by walking along the Jeju ‘Olle’ trails. Named after the local word for the path between your house and the street, the 21 different Olle walking trails take visitors through Jeju’s most picturesque scenery. The shortest trail takes less than an hour and the longest up to eight hours. A free trail guidebook is available at hotels and the airport, or online at jejuolle.org. Each trail has guideposts along the way so there’s little chance of getting lost.
We chose Olle trail 7, a 14km coastline walk famed for its view of the Oedolgae Rock. This striking volcanic formation sits on the southern coast of Jeju. From there, the trail hugs the coastline, giving spectacular sea views as well as some glimpses into the life of the Jeju islanders. Part of the track runs through fields of wildflowers and farms, including Jeju’s famous tangerine farms. Traditionally, tangerines were one of Jeju’s biggest exports, and during the season (usually November to March) some farms allow tourists to join in with the tangerine picking.

Other highlights of Olle Trail 7 are the Gangjeongcheon stream which is a popular picnic spot, and the Dombenang forest track. Although it was at times a little steep and rocky, the passing scenery made walking almost effortless. The trail also passes through Beophwan port where we came across a statue dedicated to the haenyeo, the women divers of Jeju. In times gone by, while the men of the community spent days or weeks on fishing boats, the women of Jeju started freediving to collect shellfish like abalone or sea urchins. It has become a tradition in Jeju and some of the female divers can descend below 10 metres on one breath. Beophwan’s rich marine life is perfect for the haenyeo to harvest sea cucumbers, conches and abalone. If you’re walking any of the Olle trails, make sure you have good walking shoes, plenty of water and some snacks, as some trails don’t have restaurants nearby.

Must-see attractions:
Halla Mountain: the highest mountain in South Korea and its surrounding national park has a number of hiking trails, some of which take less than an hour to complete. The 9km summit hike takes around 5 hours one way.
Sunrise Peak (Seongsan Ilchulbong): Seongsan Ilchulbong rose from the sea in a volcanic eruption over 100,000 years ago. This UNESCO world heritage site is a popular place to watch spectacular sunrises.
Geomunoreum: an extensive system of caves and lava tubes, formed by a volcanic eruption between 100,000 and 300,000 years ago.
Cheonjeyon waterfalls: This 22m high waterfall is on Olle trail 6 and is reached by a short walk through a beautiful gorge.

Museums:
As well as the Haenyeo Museum dedicated to Jeju’s women divers, the Jeju Folk Village showcases the area’s heritage. It replicates an 1890s village and demonstrates local culture and trades like fishing, shamanism, traditional cooking methods and crafts. The island also boasts an eccentric collection of less-traditional museums, like a teddy bear museum with bears from all over the world, and ‘Hello Kitty’ Island, which is not actually on an island. Less family-friendly (but perhaps useful for the many honeymooners visiting the island) are the Museum of Sex and Health; and Loveland, a sex-themed sculpture park.

Before you go:
Where to Stay: We stayed at The Shilla Hotel, a large five-star hotel on the south coast near Jungmun Beach, a picturesque surf beach. Rooms start from SGD$300.
What to Eat: The island’s speciality is BBQ black pork, which is cooked over charcoal. Or try traditional Korean fare like bibimbap (a rice dish topped with vegetables or kimchi, egg and sliced meat), and lots of fresh fish and shellfish.
Getting there: Multiple airlines fly the 6.5-hour direct route from Singapore to Seoul, including Singapore Airlines, Asiana and Korean Air. From there it’s just over one hour to Jeju on Korean Air, Jeju Air or Asiana.
Best time to go: July, August and September have highs of 31 degrees. The northern winter months of December to February can get cold, with temperatures dropping to 1 or 2 degrees and occasional snow.

Boosting your child’s mental wellbeing in Singapore

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All parents in Singapore want their children to grow up happy and strong. Consuming the right food and getting enough exercise can help with your child’s physical health, but what can you do as a parent to make sure your child is as mentally fit?

According to the Strait Times, more teenagers are seeking help for school-related stress at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH). The clinics saw an average of about 2,400 new cases every year from 2012 to 2017. The statistics are worrying, but with the help of parents, this trend can surely be reduced.

Here are some ways that you, as a parent, can help boost your child’s mental wellbeing:

Spend quality time together

Being a parent means spending as much time as possible with your children to make them feel they are important to you. It is important to develop the relationship and family bonds by having fun and doing activities that everyone will enjoy together, like going to the park, participating in family events, and so on. By doing things together, everyone can learn from each other and be more open to sharing thoughts and feelings.

Teach children to think positively

Teaching children to think positively and optimistically can help them overcome the day-to-day challenges they face, such as academic stress from school or social anxiety around events. By teaching children to think positively, they will develop a drive to succeed, no matter the setbacks or failures that they may come across.

Encourage children to develop strong and meaningful friendships

As social beings, we are often able to overcome challenges and achieve success by interacting and working with other like-minded people. Children, in particular, are more drawn towards these social interactions, as they are naturally curious about the world. By developing meaningful friendships, children can receive trusted emotional support and interactions as they grow up into adulthood.

Protection the whole family with a family health plan

The aforementioned ways to boost your child’s mental wellbeing are great for ensuring they grow strong, motivated, and resilient. The mental health of not only children but also parents is often overlooked and goes unnoticed. If left untreated, poor mental health can have a negative impact on physical health. With that said, getting the right family health plan for the whole family is crucial.

At Pacific Prime Singapore, we know that at first sight securing health insurance can be daunting and complicated. That’s why our team of experienced advisors are at your service free of charge. Contact us today to get a free quote, plan comparison, and answers to all your questions!

Need to obtain private health insurance that covers both you and your family’s health? Talk to the experienced insurance experts at Pacific Prime Singapore. They also offer coverage for hospitalization and maternity to reduce the financial burden and give your family medical support. Check out a comparison of plans from a number of different insurers and a free price quote. Contact here.

A Jungle Retreat

 

Photos: Rafael Dalmau

Isabelle Walsh-Wyndham’s black and white house is in a scenic area north of Novena, backing onto the jungle that surrounds the historic Bukit Brown cemetery. On arrival, I admired the stunning jungle vistas until Isabelle casually mentioned the resident (harmless) snake in her mailbox, and the venomous black spitting cobra spotted on her terrace and laundry room in recent days. Snakes aside, the house makes the most of its location, beautifully set up for indoor-outdoor living. The entrance leads to a light-filled, spacious living and dining room with sliding doors onto a wide, shady verandah that runs the length of the house. From the verandah and the adjacent pool, all you see is greenery. A master bedroom has been converted into two smaller bedrooms for the children, with the parents’ bedroom close by. The other end of the house features the kitchen, a guest room and two rooms used as a music room and office.

Serendipitous search
Isabelle, her husband Leo and their son and daughter have lived here for two years. “Prior to that we were in at Holland Village in a little house at Chip Bee Gardens. We loved it, until one day someone erected a barrier at the end of the garden and started destroying the houses behind to build a four-storey condo. We really struggled with leaving, as we loved the house and the location, but we didn’t know if we could go through two years of building noise,” explains Isabelle.
The family set their sights on a uniquely Singaporean house. “We were looking for a black and white or a shophouse. We thought, we’re never going to live in anything else that’s so Singaporean so let’s try it.”
Isabelle viewed a nearby house on Mt Pleasant Road, and on returning for a second look drove past a family she knew from her son’s school class. “I stopped to say hello, and the Dad asked what I was doing here. I told him about the house search, and he said ‘Why don’t you take our house? We’re leaving this summer.’ It was a bit of serendipity.”
“There’s no MRT station and the bus is two kilometres away so there is a drawback to this location. The convenience of Holland Village is missing but every day I walk in here and I feel at peace. In the morning I walk for half an hour in the jungle, then do a bit of Pilates and my reward is a cup of coffee on the couch outside. I really try to make the most of where we are. We’re never going to live in a place like this again. Snakes and all!”

Passion for design
As an interior designer, Isabelle has a passion for design that naturally extends to her own house. “This house is a good reflection of Leo and myself. Everything has a specific place in our hearts. “ Isabelle says of her design style: “It’s an organic process – you collect things over the years and then arrange them in whatever new space you have. I really wanted a feel that was ‘tropical modernism’. I wanted the jungle to come out and for the space to feel green and flowery. So, we have rattan and natural materials and a South East Asian vibe, but also my husband and I really like some modernist furniture and designers and it needed to work together.”

Treasured pieces
The living and dining space hold some of Isabelle’s favourite pieces.“The shelves, are by an Italian designer called Gio Ponti, who I found when I was doing my interior design studies. They’re very simple but beautifully designed. And the dining room chairs I had custom-made for this house. They’re inspired by a designer called Pierre Jeanneret.”
The family has a passion for art, extending to the wood-framed TV that displays artwork when not in use. “Some of the artwork are actually photos of the original works, because we didn’t want them damaged by humidity. They’re in a storage facility, but we still get to see them every day!” One unique piece in the dining area holds special meaning for the family, a blown-up section of a magazine cover from the 1960s featuring Leo’s grandmother. “His grandparents were quite a prominent couple in Shiraz, and she was the curator for the Museum of Shiraz. This is the Iranian equivalent of Hello magazine. It’s so kitsch but at the same time, it’s family.”
Moving to this relatively quiet area has changed the family’s lifestyle in small ways. “We often entertain outdoors and we don’t go out so much in Singapore now, because we have this. When we go to places we think, ‘this is great…but it’s really nice at home too’. We were looking at going to Borneo to see the jungle and the orangutans, but then we thought, well, we have a jungle at home!”

isabelleWdesign.com

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