Singapore American • November 2014
T h e A m e r i c a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f S i n g a p o r e ’s
www.aasingapore.com
MCI (P) 178/01/2014
Since 1958
BACK
The Thrill of Giving Back: The Chain Reaction Project
GIVING
By Lauren S. Power
A
Giving Back 15-23
Food & Dining
26-29
Arts & Culture
29-30
American Association
2-3
CRCE & Business
4-5
Community News
6-9
Living in Singapore Travel
November 2014
11-12 14
Giving Back
15-23
Health & Wellness
23-25
Food & Dining
26-29
Arts & Culture
29-30
What's Happening
31
Member Discounts
31
s I sat down to interview Tingjun Zhang, Co-Founder and Director of The Chain Reaction Project (TCRP), and Christina Liew, TCRP’s General Manager, I noted that they both wore their characteristic denim shorts and TCRP white polo sports shirts. Undeniably fit and refreshingly genuine, their down-to-earth style and inclusive manner made me feel welcome immediately. But these industrious change makers are anything but relaxed. In 2009, Zhang and some friends formed a four-woman team to compete in the Tour de Timor, a 450-kilometer competitive bike race across nine of Timor-Leste’s thirteen districts. As they prepared for their adventure, they decided to use the race to raise awareness and funds to benefit HIAM Health, an organization targeting malnutrition in women and children. Their campaign across various networks and media successfully raised SGD$44,500 for their charity. The teamwork and passion they built during the process created the core of what would become The Chain Reaction Project. By the end of the year, The Chain Reaction Project will have completed eighteen trips and raised nearly SGD$550,000 since its launch as a registered non-profit in 2011. The number of TCRP participants, called catalysts, has reached more than 700. Through physically rigorous and informative training sessions, TCRP prepares its catalysts for the adventure ahead and builds strong bonds among teammates. While most catalysts are adults between twenty and forty years old, families with children as young as seven have participated in trips. A mixture of Singaporeans and expats from all over the world, catalysts are drawn together by a shared love of an active lifestyle, the thrill of a good challenge and a drive to help others. Approximately 30 percent of the participants for each trip are repeat catalysts, a testament to the loyalty and dedication TCRP inspires. “We don’t have a bullhorn, but we have relationships and networks—that’s our advocacy,” says Christina Liew. TCRP tries not to take on too many charity partners, choosing instead to maintain long-term commitments to a small group of causes. Usually, each catalyst is given a fundraising target of about SGD$1,000 to benefit TCRP’s selected charity for a particular trip. In turn, TCRP provides physical conditioning, cultural education and assistance in making the travel arrangements. TCRP also is committed to holding the charity partner accountable for the funds given.
“Adventure is just the platform,” says Zhang of her process in building TCRP projects. The last time I saw Zhang in her cut-offs and polo, she was giving a presentation on innovation for the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), a prominent Singapore think tank for which she serves as a member of the advisory council. For Zhang, her involvement with the SIIA is to provide strategy and direction for TCRP trips. Advantageous insights from regional experts and access to
relevant networks help give Zhang and her catalysts a deeper look into the causes they seek to address. “We try to weave the cause into the adventure,” Zhang explains. TCRP’s upcoming trip to Cambodia in early December, which aims to raise SGD$40,000 to benefit the Sala Bai school’s fight to break the cycle of human traffiking through education and employment mirrors the journey of a young girl and Sala
American Association of Singapore Strategic Partners
Continued on page 19
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Singapore American • November 2014
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
A Message from the President...
T
his month, we focus on “Giving Back” in SAN. The American Association believes that we should contribute to our local community. To that end, I’m happy to announce that we are adopting the Singapore Children's Society as our official charity for 2015. We strongly believe in their mission. Since 1952, they’ve supported large numbers of at-risk Singaporean children and families at ten centers across town. In 2013, they reached out to more than 72,000 children and families in the areas of: Vulnerable Children Services, Children and Youth Services, Family Services, and Research and Advocacy. AAS has supported many charities in our ninety-eight-year history, like Over the Rainbow, Ronald McDonald House Charities and Food from the Heart—typically giving them each $30,000-$50,000. We are excited about supporting Singapore Children's Society with financial resources and meaningful volunteer opportunities for you and your family. Our SAN Editor Maureen Murray has a revealing interview on page 16 with Mr. Koh Choon Hui, Chairman of Singapore Children’s Society since 1978. He’s an amazing man who personifies giving back. In coming months, we will ask for volunteers on various projects and hope that you will join us in making a difference. One way you can help is to sign up for our annual AAS Turkey Trot fun run (see website). This will be the first event from which proceeds will benefit the Singapore Children’s Society. Whether you’re single, in a couple or with your family, it’s a fantastic Saturday morning event. Walk, jog or run your way through the beautiful Black and White homes in Sembawang and to a traditional, community pancake breakfast at the Navy Terror Club that cannot be found anywhere else in Singapore. (No, really!) If exercise isn’t your thing, just sign up and come for breakfast. You also can support the Children’s Society at the 82nd George Washington Ball on March 7, 2015. We’re keeping the individual ticket prices the same as last year—if you buy before January 5. The SG50 logo (bottom right hand corner) will start to appear on our materials and at our events in support of Singapore’s 50th Anniversary 2015. Thanks to Executive Committee member, Joe Foggiato, our point person for AAS SG50 events and activities. Also, thanks to those of you who hosted some one hundred sailors and marines from the USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group during our recent Home Hospitality. Captain Scott Murdock told me it was a great success and appreciate the chance to get off the ship and connect with “home.” I must give a shout-out to Crystal Wagar for giving an insightfully fun talk at our Meet the Ambassador’s Wife breakfast on October 2. A packed room of seventy-five people enjoyed getting to know Crystal and seeing her genuine warmth and charm in action. Thanks Crystal! As always we value your opinion and ideas. Contact me or General Manager Toni Dudsak: generalmanager@aasingapore.com. Also, visit our website and Facebook page or tweet us: @ AmAssocSG, #AmAssocSG, #AmerAssocSG, #AmericanAssocSG. Best,
Glenn van Zutphen president@aasingapore.com, twitter: @glennvanzutphen
EDITORIAL Editor in Chief: Maureen Murray, communications@aasingapore.com Publishing Editor: Toni Dudsak, generalmanager@aasingapore.com
DESIGN & L AYOUT Graphic Designer: Joanne Johnson, graphics@aasingapore.com
ADVERTISING Advertising Manager: Valerie Tietjen, san.ads@aasingapore.com
CONTRIBUTORS Janie Butler, Raelee Chapman, Kevin F. Cox, Lucia Damacela, Nithia Devan, Kristina Doss, Expat Insurance, Rob Faraone, Martine Hill, Andrea Kennedy, Joanne Liu, Louis Malta-Bey, Paige Nelson, Lauren S. Power, Paroma Ray, Jim Tietjen, UWCSEA, Admiral Charles F. Williams, Clarissa Wong, Margaret Woodbery American Association: Mary Ferrante, Anne Morgan, Danielle Spinks
A MERICAN ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS President: Glenn van Zutphen • Vice President: Steven Tucker Treasurer: Shelly Dee • Secretary: Stephanie Nash Directors: Joseph Foggiato, Shawn Galey, Christopher Keen, Anne LeBoutillier and Ana Mims Immediate Past President: David Boden • AmCham Chair: James Andrade American Club President: Scott Weber • AWA President: Annette Foster SACAC Chair: Stu Wilson • SAS Chair: Catherine Poyen US Embassy: Chahrazed Sioud Non-Voting Member: U.S. Military: Rear Admiral Charles F. Williams
PUBLISHER - A MERICAN ASSOCIATION
The American Association of Singapore (AAS) is a professional not-for-profit organization established to enhance the well-being and living experience of Americans residing in Singapore and to promote relationships, both business and social, between Americans and those from different cultures and nationalities. AAS was established in 1917 by a small group of Americans living in Singapore to provide a safety net of community support for American residents. AAS continues to provide community welfare as well as programs and community events. 10 Claymore Hill, Singapore 229573 T: (+65) 6738 0371 • F: (+65) 6738 3648 E: aas@aasingapore.com • www.aasingapore.com The Singapore American newspaper, a monthly publication with readership of 10,000+, has been published by the American Association of Singapore since 1958, with the purpose of enhancing the expatriate experience in Singapore.
SUBSCRIPTION
A subscription to the Singapore American is complimentary with an AAS membership. AAS annual family membership is just $70. CRCE membership is $160. To join, visit www.aasingapore.com and have the Singapore American delivered to your home. Reproduction in any manner, in English or any other language, is prohibited without written permission. The Singapore American welcomes all contributions of volunteer time or written material. The Singapore American is printed by Procomp Printset Pte Ltd, 57 Loyang Drive, Level 3 Annex Building, Singapore 508968.
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Singapore American • November 2014
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
AAS Upcoming Events
13
thursday november
Past Events
Dual Quiz Night AAS and DUAL are testing your knowledge once more! Test yourself against your contemporaries and former quiz champions to see if you can be victorious! Join us at Brewerkz to challenge yourself in categories including: Pop Culture, Science, History and more. Gather your team, or sign up individually (we will place you in a team), to see if you can be our next quiz champion! 7-9pm Brewerkz, Riverside Point, 30 Merchant Road, #01-05, Singapore 058282 AAS & DUAL Members: $35 • Team of Six: $180 For more information, visit: www.aasingapore.com
"Untouchable: Children of God"
17
AAS, The American Club and Singapore American School bring you an exclusive screening of “Untouchable: Children of God,” recent winner of the Humanitarian Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival. This documentary focuses on sex trafficking, slavery and the caste system of Nepal and India. The director of the documentary will be present at the screening.
monday november
6:30-9pm The American Club, The Colonial Room, 10 Claymore Hill AAS & The American Club Members: Free of Charge • Registration required Popcorn and drinks package: $10 For more information, visit www.aasingapore.com
25
tuesday november
Meet the Ambassador's Wife At a breakfast at The American Club on October 2, Crystal Wagar inspired and entertained more than seventy guests with stories that spanned her childhood, law school years, campaign work with President Obama and recent move to Singapore. With humor and warmth, she included details about marriage and motherhood. She’s a fabulous speaker with a great story to tell!
The Sparkle of the Holidays Join us for a festive holiday evening! We'll taste Clessidra's Italian delicacies including truffles, cheese and canapes along with a range of Italian wines. Clessidra's delectable products also will be available for sale. Valerie G. Brandt draws on her Asian, European and Indian design experience to create exceptional jewelry using pearls, precious and semi-precious gemstones. Her unique, affordable lines are ideal for holiday gifts. 7-9pm The American Club, The Colonial Room, 10 Claymore Hill AAS Members: $35 • Non-Members: $55 For more information, visit: www.aasingapore.com For more info and to register for an event: www.aasingapore.com
Food Exploration: Tastes of China On October 9, AAS members enjoyed a fabulous evening at Westlake Restaurant! Scrumptious food and wonderful company. A big thank you to Westlake for showcasing their tastiest recipes and to all who attended for making the night so much fun!
The American Association of Singapore Needs You! Share your time & talent with the American Community by joining the American Association Executive Committee Work with the team that contributes to programs, publications and events for the expat community in Singapore. The nominating committee is seeking candidates who have experience in marketing, membership, finance, sponsorship or community outreach to sit on the 2015 Executive Committee Board.There are monthly, afternoon/evening meetings and the position is for one year starting March 2015. No prior board experience is necessary and candidates must be US citizens. Please send your resume to: nominations2015@aasingapore.com. Deadline for submission is Nov. 11. All interviews to be completed by Nov. 22.
Save thethe Date! Save Date!
the American association Brings You The Glamour of The Orient Express Join Us For The 82nd George Washington Ball March 7, 2015 • 7pm-1am • W Hotel
All Aboard • Tickets Available November 22 Proceeds will benefit: Singapore Children's Society
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Singapore American • November 2014
CRCE BUSINESS
Spotlight on Jobs
CRCE: Career Resource Center for Expats
CRCE
Childcare Teacher
Reflections from Louis Malta-Bey Past CRCE Member, Louis Malta-Bey shares his story since his relocation from Singapore to London
An established childcare center is looking for English and Chinese Childcare Teachers (part time) who are passionate about children and possess a degree and diploma in Early Childhood Education. (job #2909) Marketing & Communications
I
n June 2011, when we left Singapore after example, speaker corner in Hyde Park) and a three-year stint, I felt as though I just had terrific international food. (The best chicken run a marathon: happy that it was over but curry is found in London, right?) We even see Manchester United fans in London, as empowered from the experience. That summer, we moved to Brussels for numerous as they are in Singapore, which for what was supposed to be a two-to-three-year a Gunner like me is hardly imaginable! We have been very fortunate to be living in stint at Regional HQ. As it turned out, Brussels would only be temporary (ten months) as we Central London where my wife had a sevenunderstood after a few months that moving minute walk, (yes walk!) to her office; with again would be the best decision. A re-orga- the nursery for our now four-year-old son right down the street. nization was in the making. Well, how could this get any better? It was rather unfortunate to be relocated A new reorganization later (March 2014) so quickly since I had just secured a role at Anheuser-Busch InBev Global HQ in Leuven, with the closure of the Central London office, 25km outside of Brussels. Working in Belgium and you have it! The never ending packing and moving of for the number one beer company of the world is certainly a very enjoyable experi- expats continues. My experience with dealing with transience! But more seriously, leaving probably one of the best FMCG companies in the tions, is best described as: Accepting what is, world has been disappointing to say the least. adapting the best possible way, and making An appealing city, London is described as the most of each instance. I would say my best memories of Singapore an Alpha ++ with New York pressing behind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city). are: And it proved to be our experience as well! • Makan with the colleagues on week days at Some of the best attributes of Singapore were ABC Brickworks off Jalan Bukit Merah. matched in London, from the multicultural • pack with diverse and large communities Playing football (soccer) on Saturdays at the living as neighbors to the economic pulse of Swiss Club. the city acting as magnet. Both cities also offer • Having outstanding Sunday brunches many parks to resource or express oneself (for (with champagne) and more broadly those
Manager As a key member of the team you will be the mastermind behind the content marketing plan and the craftsperson making it happen. You will have responsibility for printed and digital communications, social media channels, advise on all outgoing communications and actively promote all advertising opportunities to meet targets. (job #2908) Secretary A multinational organization with its regional HQ in Singapore is hiring
fantastic restaurants.
an experienced secretary to support
• Walking the Botanical Garden Orchids collection.
its executive management. The ideal
• Landing in Changi Airport.
working with expatriate bosses and
• Having a Stella at the roof top bar of 1-Altitude.
handling their travel and meeting
• And of course the American Association of Singapore, more specifically the CRCE community!
Did you know that employers can post jobs for FREE? Visit www.aasingapore.com/for-employers
candidate should have experience in
arrangements. (job #2907) Food Technology Assistant The objective of the Secondary School Food Technology Assistant is to support and enhance the learning environment of the students and teachers with a
Is your teen ready for college? Looking for Work or Internship? Sign up for CRCE's one-on-one career coaching session now! Please check website for more details.
particular focus on the food-related
CRCE’s Power Lunch. Friday, November 21. For more details please see events calendar.
planning and the day-to-day running
courses offered. The expectation is that the Assistant is a proactive person who shows their initiative in assisting in the of the Technology Curriculum Area. They are able to work independently and efficiently to assist the technology
CRCE November Workshops register at: www.aasingapore.com Stop Procrastinating Take Action to Achieve Better Results Speaker: Jochen Siepmann Wednesday, November 5 9:15 – 11:30am
Your Career Self-Assessment Profile Speaker: Aude Beneton Friday, November 14 10am – 12pm
Ace Your Interview Speaker: Alka Chandiramani Wednesday, November 26 10am – 12:30pm
Power Lunch Topic: The Art of Self-Promotion Through Social Media Friday, November 21 11:45am – 1pm
staff in their duties and to promote technology in a wider school context. (job #2906) Part-time Biology Teacher A test preparation specialist is looking for a part-time Biology Teacher. The successful candidate will be required to teach science-based standardized tests, such as SAT Biology and BMAT, to young students, and is expected to
Join the Conversation Friday, November 28 1:30 – 3pm
be fully prepared for each class, to monitor your students' progress and to motivate and assist weaker students. Class sizes are small to ensure maximum attention. (job #2905)
for more information about CRCE www.aasingapore.com - click on the CRCE link
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Singapore American • November 2014
CRCE & BUSINESS
Dividend Growth: Set it and Forget it By Andrea Kennedy
M
ost clients who seek estate planning advice share similar hopes for a worry-free retirement. Their top three financial “wishes” include having more than “enough” of a nest egg to manage inflation, tax efficiency and wealth preservation for a legacy or heirs. Wishing at the financial fountain and having a strategic plan that suits today’s investment environment, however, are two separate things. Investors are facing a crisis of low returns due to historically low interest rates. People planning for retirement using yesteryear’s 60/40 passive index investing playbook will only achieve real returns of around 3% a year, not the 7% needed to accumulate a serious nest egg. Even the godfather of this investment approach, Random Walk Down Wall Street author and Princeton Professor Burt Malkiel calls the 60/40 portfolio “outright dangerous” and “wrong for investing in a globalizing world.” (CNBC November 2013) For retirees, planning gets tougher if you intend to rely on “traditional wisdom.” Most retirees equate retirement income with fixed income from CDs and bonds with an eye to capital preservation. Using the rule of thumb draw down of 4% per annum, if the “safest” bonds yield only 2.5% or less, simple math tells us you won’t be preserving capital but tearing a gaping hole in your nest egg. Because of the unprecedented low interest rate landscape, investors need to look past investment advice based on a 1980s world order. And while many asset classes should be considered such as productive farmland and foreign real estate, not everyone can access or afford these options. Dividend growth investing, however, is accessible to investors along the entire wealth continuum, and should have a place in everyone’s portfolio whether you are building wealth or preserving it. Dividend growth stocks are equity investments that pay an increasing dividend year on year. This is not about chasing the highest yield, but rather investing in companies that consistently grow their dividend payments. Smart wealth builders reinvest growing dividends. They do so through bull and bear markets to accumulate significant shareholdings without further capital commitments or tedious rebalancing that raise tax liabilities. But the real beneficiaries are retirees. Retirees can pair these growing income streams with fixed income investment streams to bolster cash flows and stave off inflation. Take a $100,000 allocation of dividend growth stocks that yields 3% today and delivers a growing dividend at a modest increase of 10% per year for ten years. Over ten years, you will collect $52,593 in payments and that’s before even considering capital gains. Most people don’t realize that since 1988 40% of the US stock market’s total returns are due to dividends. The best dividend growth payers are
CORPORATE PARTNER known as “Dividend Aristocrats.” These companies have increased dividends every year for twenty-five years or more. (Mostly US companies, these include: Emerson Electric, Coca Cola and Diebold, among others). For those who find investing in individual companies nerve wracking, the ETF NOBL or VIG follows this group of companies. The real bonus with dividend growth is that as a group they consistently outperform most other US equity indices (see graph) in the long term. So you outperform and get paid in good times and bad, making this the ultimate “set it and forget it” asset class. Dividend growth also helps you achieve all three “wishes” mentioned above: capital gains tax avoidance, growing cash flows to offset inflation and wealth preservation. You can learn more about dividend growth investing at www.wiserwealth.net.
Andrea Kennedy is an American certified financial planner (CFP), now based in Singapore. She maintains a personal finance blog, Wealth Rain Dance.
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Singapore American • November 2014
COMMUNITY NEWS
AmCham’s 2014 Corporate Community Day By Clarissa Wong, Communications and Public Affairs Executive at AmCham
O
n September 27, AmCham hosted its largest ever Corporate Community Day (CCD), a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative involving eighty-seven companies and organizations, fifty-four events in locations across Singapore with 2,181 volunteers and benefiting over 7,500 Singaporeans. CCD is an annual event in which employees of US organizations based in Singapore volunteer to give back to the community.
Camp Asia, Cognita, Emmanuel Stroobant Group, KKR and Stamford American International School Camp Asia, Cognita, Emmanuel Stroobant Group, KKR and Stamford American International School partnered together by organizing a super chef camp for underprivileged children from the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. The children had a fun time learning how to make pizzas and then tasting their own yummy creations. Fun at Super Chef Camp
AmCham Singapore Through the Yellow Ribbon Project, AmCham Singapore and representatives from eight member companies hosted eighty beneficiaries at Underwater World. Children and adults alike enjoyed the guided tour, ocean colony feeding and dolphin show. The Yellow Ribbon Project aims to help ex-offenders reintegrate into society and assists their families in getting back on their feet.
General Electric General Electric established Singapore’s first Urban Health Park (UHP), an initiative that uses paintings at the void deck of a building in Bukit Batok to educate, encourage and engage residents to live healthily. The artwork displays simple fitness regimes, nutritional advice and activities to improve mental and emotional well-being. GE hopes the UHP will attract the elderly residents to visit the void decks more often to exercise and learn how to keep fit. Cargill helps wi
th food distrib
ution
Cargill
ject
h the Yellow Ribbon Pro
At Underwater World wit
Cargill has been actively supporting CCD since its inception. Tying up with the APEX Club of Bukit Timah, its long-standing partner, Cargill’s employees participated in a food distribution which benefited more than 250 elderly and less-privileged people living in the Redhill estate.
GE helps elderly to get fit
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Singapore American • November 2014
COMMUNITY NEWS
Hewlett-Packard
FMC Technologies
UN Women brought youths from the Women in STEM program for a field trip to HP premises where they learned more about the company and explored career prospects in the IT sector. The beneficiaries also went on a manufacturing tour at HP and participated in some hands-on activities to see how their products are manufactured.
For two consecutive years, FMC Technologies has actively participated in AmCham Corporate Community Day. This year, the staff wanted to help children from lower income families and chose FaithActs as their beneficiary. The focus group was children ranging from eight to sixteen years old. The highlight of the day was the “Healthy Push-Up Cakes”—especially planned to bring out the creativity of each child while having fun “building up” your own cakes.
na Bay Sands
Real-life working environment at Mari
Moody’s Moody’s beneficiaries learned to build monster robots under the guidance of the volunteers by using Lego Mindstorms Robotics sets. The children were also taught simple programming to give commands to the robots. Both volunteers and beneficiaries had a great time bonding with one another while learning the mechanics of the robots and the programming logic. Field trip to HP
Love my first yu m
my fruity push
Marina Bay Sands Marina Bay Sands invited about fifteen beneficiaries from the Association for People with Special Needs (APSN)—Centre for Adults. The beneficiaries had the opportunity to visit the herb garden and enjoy refreshing non-alcoholic drinks mixed by the bartender using these herbs. The event aimed to maximize the learning experience of the APSN’s beneficiaries as they gain exposure to what it is like to work in a real-life environment.
Building robots with Moody's
-up cake!
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Singapore American • November 2014
COMMUNITY NEWS
AWA Community Outreach By Janie Butler, AWA Community Outreach Chair
C
ommunity building with people we know or don’t know can be a way to root ourselves and to give us wings at the same time. As expats, sometimes we can use both roots to ground us, and wings to help us soar. AWA gives back by offering a variety of community outreach volunteer opportunities throughout the year, like reading with kids to ignite a love of reading, spending time with the elderly to visit and offer a smile, and/or sharing a passion with children with special needs. Community outreach allows AWA members to build community, remain grounded and soar during their time in Singapore. Each year after researching, reviewing, training and making on-site visits to charitable organizations, the Community Outreach (CO) Team selects several AWA Featured Organizations. Relationships are built and Volunteer opportunities are focused on with these community organizations throughout the year. The 2014-15 Featured Organizations are:
The kidsREAD program is a nationwide reading program launched in 2004 by then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The
mission of kidsREAD is to promote the love of reading and cultivate good reading habits among young Singaporeans ages four through eight. This program specifically focuses on children from low-income families. The AWA volunteers are the lifeline of this organization, reading stories and supporting the children who discover the joy of reading.
crafts and visits. More information on AWWA can be found at www.awwa.org.sg. Lakeside Family Services provides quality care to disadvantaged and distressed individuals and families in the Jurong community—through casework, counselling, preventive and developmental programs, as well as assistance. Started in 1993, Lakeside serves children, youths-at-risk, families, the elderly, the incarcerated, ex-offenders and the homeless. With a vision of changing lives and transforming communities, Lakeside Family Services offers a helping hand regardless of race, language or religion.
painting). More information on Lakeside can be found at www.lakeside.org.sg. The AWA International Woman of the Year recipient of 2013, Robin Rheaume, spoke about her experience in discovering that it can take time to find a fit with regard to community volunteering. With both current and past featured organizations, the AWA Board and CO team works to provide members with a variety of volunteer opportunities. Women of all nationalities are welcome to join the AWA (www.awasingapore.org) and participate in the Community Outreach volunteer activities. We find that giving back is both rewarding an enjoyable to our members! “We rise by lifting others.” –Robert Ingersoll
In Singapore since 1976, Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA) has been providing diversity of services to different age groups including: services to the disadvantaged including the elderly, special needs children, youths, families and caregivers in need. For example, AWWA runs a Community Home for Senior Citizens, a Senior Activity Center, programs to support children with special needs, and programs to support the integration of physically challenged youths into mainstream education and community. AWA is excited to have the opportunity to support the AWWA in 2014-2015. Our key volunteering opportunities will be a variety of activities such as educational outings, baking,
AWA is pleased to announce that one of the focus areas is the Lakeside Creative Arts Program. This program aims to empower children (ages seven through twelve) with behavioral issues and/or mild learning disabilities by giving them a new focus in the arts while helping to reduce their social or behavioral issues. This program also provides opportunities for selfexpression and for developing talents in either the performing arts (such as music, dance and drama) or the visual arts (such as drawing or
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Singapore American • November 2014
COMMUNITY NEWS
Cleaning Up Singapore's Lim Chu Kang Mangroves By Kristina Doss, Communications and Media Specialist at Singapore American School
S
arah Kinsley Du took one step in the mud and immediately began to sink. She panicked, not wanting to lose her camera or boots to mud that had already claimed possessions from other people who dared to visit Singapore’s Lim Chu Kang Mangroves. Kinsley Du, who is a freshman at Singapore American School, fought to break free of the mud for about twenty minutes until she finally succeeded. Hot, dirty and exhausted, Kinsley Du could have complained about the conditions or tried to escape. Instead, she decided to stick around, finding inspiration in what she saw going on all around her: a fellow SAS student pulled a long piece of plastic out of the mud while another student found a fender. “I realized how amazing it was that these kids wanted to go out and help the environment,” Kinsley Du said. Kinsley Du and sixty two other SAS students, parents and teachers on September thirteen braved the Singapore humidity and mud to pick up trash littering Lim Chu Kang Mangroves. The effort was part of the International Coastal Cleanup—an event organized by Ocean Conservancy to mobilize volunteers around the world to clean up trash along beaches, lakes and rivers in their communities. An SAS club, Students Against the Violation of the Environment or SAVE, organized the group of volunteers from the school according to Andrea Makalinao, the club’s president.
Together, the volunteer group cleared the mangroves of 542 kilograms of trash, which included a fender, television, Barbie suitcase, toy plane, tarps and shoes, among other things. “The most memorable moment from this year’s clean up was the moment I stepped out into the mangroves and couldn’t see any trash around. I was incredibly shocked,” Makalinao, who is a senior, said. “The first time I went out to this area of the mangroves was in my sophomore year and the place was covered in trash.” Makalinao attributes the improvement to the clean up efforts that take place each year, which is bound to help the health of marine life and the ecosystem they live in. “Picking up the trash that we find on our coasts prevents the debris from reaching the ocean, which in turn prevents the deaths of countless sea creatures,” she said. According to Kinsley Du, the clean up didn’t just give volunteers like her an opportunity to help the environment and contribute to the local community—she was able to experience a unique area of Singapore. Makalinao agrees, describing the mangroves as “quite beautiful” and “something you have to go out and see for yourself.” “The trees in this ecosystem are like no other; they have roots that stick up out of the ground, which you can’t help but step on as you move through the mangrove,” she said, adding that there are a variety of unique little critters out
there like mudskippers and horseshoe crabs. “Being out in the mangroves is just a really unique experience that’s hard to put into words,” Makalinao said. It serves as a break from the “concrete jungle that we live in. The mangroves serve as a reminder that there is beauty and life in nature that is worth saving.” Photos by Alexis Mountcastle and Sarah Kinsley Du
Troop 7's Mongolian Adventure By Margaret Woodbery
O
n July 28, twelve scouts and five adults from Boy Scout Troop 7 headed to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for the 2014 Asia Camporee. Two flights and an hour bus ride later, they arrived at camp where
they would live, work and play for the next seven days. Over the course of the next week, along with camping and working on merit badges, the boys enjoyed riding Mongol horses, visiting a
local Mongolian village and partaking in local cuisine. They tasted fermented horse milk and watched archers and local wrestlers while making friends with scouts from across Asia. In addition to the fun, the troop worked hard and completed sixty merit badges including some “troop firsts” such as Horsemanship, Veterinary Medicine and Mining. Wilderness Survival was also completed only after some scouts endured a night in make-shift shelters while temperatures dipped to 4*C. Troop 7 also received the Honor Troop Award for the third year standing as well as a special commendation for “performing the best flag ceremony” at camp. The trip was a group effort with adult leadership from ASM Larry Stanton; ASM Deryk Jeter; William Woodbery (Eagle Scout); scout mom, Hyeyon Allen; and scout dad and photographer extraordinaire, Dzung Lee. The trip wouldn’t have been possible without the logistical support of scout mom, Juliet Low. While Troop 7 enjoyed the people and
natural beauty of Mongolia, they are now looking forward to their week-long sailing trip around Phuket, Thailand this Fall Break. Troop 7 meets at the Singapore American School on Tuesday nights from 6:15-7:30pm in room H301. Margaret Woodbery is a former army officer, presentday mom and lifetime scouter. She got her first taste of International scouting in 1974 while climbing Mt Fuji with her Girl Scout Troop. Photos by Dzung Lee
Singapore American • November 2014
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Singapore American • November 2014
LIVING IN SINGAPORE
Moving from Idealism to Action By United World College South East Asia
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n August 2014, Chris Edwards joined United World College South East Asia (UWCSEA) as Head of College. After a decade at one of Britain’s most successful independent schools, he was drawn by the dynamism and passion of the school community and a shared commitment to the ideals of the UWC movement. One of the first events he has attended as Head of College was the International Round Square Conference, which the two UWCSEA campuses will co-host next year in Singapore. Below Chris Edwards describes his experience in Bhopal at this year’s conference. Yesterday, “Bhopal” was reborn in my imagination. Defined, in my mind at least, by a single night in 1984 when a methyl isocyanate leak from the city's Union Carbide plant killed thousands, “Bhopal” had no other dimension for me: it was one of history's horrific one trick ponies like Guernica or Gommorah. Until yesterday. I was in Bhopal with colleagues and students from UWCSEA. The sky was clear, the sun shone and the city's lakes glistened. We gathered for the annual conference of Round Square schools—united in the name of turning ideas into action. One of the most impactful accounts of student service was given by an Indian Headmistress. She described how her students started building toilets for girls in an area where honor killings and female feticide invoke no surprise. It was hot, hard, repetitive work with confused or even hostile locals nearby, but the young people kept at it. As relationships developed, it became not just a question of providing toilets (their presence has already reduced school drop-out rate for girls) but sharing experiences that have led to a remarkable, longterm cooperative venture. Yes, you can point to the new buildings, but in a few years we hope to be pointing also to empathetic, decisive adults with a bias not for handwringing, but action. The example from the headmistress serves a reminder of what binds the UWC and the Round Square movements (and it’s not just having the same Founder, Kurt Hahn): an enthusiastic idealism, a commitment to action and above all a belief in the good of young people and their ability to make the world a better place. I smile when the pragmatists try to measure how service might be damaging to a young person's “academic career.” I'm minded of the famous Raphael painting of Plato and Aristotle in which the latter—the great reasoner and
classifier—holds his hand flat, while Plato points to the stars. When it comes to young people's development, I'll take Plato every time. And don't tell the party-poopers but the grades at UWCSEA are still great. Maybe our guys just play fewer video games. So for us at UWCSEA, just like our colleagues in Round Square schools around the globe, Internationalism and Service are as important as Mathematics and Chemistry; Platonic ideals are not cloud-fantasies but motivational siren calls for change; “Isn't it terrible!” becomes “How can we help?” We will leave here with even greater faith in the idealism of youth and the impact of positive action. And anybody cynical about our capacity for change need only watch these extraordinary students from across the globe breathing the clear autumn air. That would be the clear autumn air of Bhopal.
www.uwcsea.edu.sg
Veterans Day By Admiral Charles F. Williams, US Navy
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aving recently moved to Singapore from the Washington, D.C. area, my family and I are already enjoying our time here and are thrilled to find ourselves celebrating Veterans Day as part of the American community in Singapore. Spending this time halfway around the world from the United States adds special meaning to this important holiday and provides ample opportunity to reflect on the values and traditions that shape our Navy and our American identity. While every national holiday has its own unique significance, November 11 connects Americans both at home and abroad with the enduring sacrifices of the generations of veterans that have made our nation great. The origins of Veterans Day are intertwined with World War I, the first of many global conflicts in the 20th century that produced millions of veterans worldwide. On November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that day as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. The date was based symbolically on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the previous
year, when a temporary cessation of hostilities paved the way for the end of World War I. Many Commonwealth Nations still observe Armistice Day, often known as Remembrance Day or Poppy Day. Fittingly, this year marks the international centennial of WWI, which was short-lived as “the war to end all wars” as President Wilson once hoped. Armistice Day evolved over the decades, from its original intended purpose to celebrate the sacrifices of America’s WWI veterans with parades and a moment of silence, to the legal holiday that Congress declared in 1938. As the ranks of our nation’s veterans soared after World War II and the Korean War, on June 1, 1954 Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day to honor all American veterans—past and present. Though the name changed, the symbolic legacy of WWI continued with the preservation of 11-11-11. In fact, Veterans Day is one of the few federal holidays observed on its calendar date, rather than on the closest Monday. In his 1954 Veterans Day Proclamation, President Dwight D. Eisenhower encouraged
Americans to, “remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, in the seas, in the air and in the foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom,” and to pursue, “the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.” These words resonate across the many conflicts American veterans have fought in since then, and help explain why our nation’s citizens remain willing to serve when it matters, where it matters. Our community in Singapore is a brilliant example of America’s heritage of freedom abroad. American businesses thrive here and US Navy ships, aircraft and sailors visit Singapore routinely to rest, relax and repair while deployed throughout the Asia-Pacific in support of regional security and stability. These anniversaries ultimately reaffirm the values and traditions that foster American prosperity. This proud legacy spans lifetimes and travels vast distances in the hearts and minds of Americans around the world, from Washington, D.C. to our community here in Singapore. Thank you for what you do this
Veterans Day to remember and celebrate those who went before us as well as those who serve the nation today, and also the families who sacrifice so much so that their loved ones may serve.
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Singapore American • November 2014
LIVING IN SINGAPORE
Singapore American School Student Awarded Congressional Bronze Medal By Maureen Murray The activities that I was already pursuing came under the umbrella of the Congressional Medal and I thought that it would add structure and focus to my afterschool activities. So I met with counselors at my high school in Houston. They hadn’t heard of it but they worked with me and then when I transferred to Singapore American School, the counselors there were a big help, too. MM: Was it difficult to make the transition to a new school with your projects?
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laudia Krogmeier, a senior at Singapore American School, recently received the Congressional Bronze Medal Award. She was commended for “her willingness to give of herself to voluntarily help others in the community and her achievements in personal development, physical fitness and expedition.” I had the opportunity to sit down with Claudia in Thyme Café at the American Club so that I could ask her about her four-year commitment to completing the goals set out by the Congressional Medal Committee. She is a bright, exceptionally focused young woman who shares a story about channeling her energy to maximize her high school experience. Like many truly exceptional students, she helps others along the way. MM: With high school students often juggling busy schedules, what makes pursuing the Congressional Medal worthwhile? CK: The great thing about pursuing a Congressional Medal is that it gives you clear goals and parameters for how you spend time on extracurricular activities. I would have done the same activities regardless of the award but I quickly became much more focused. For the award, you have to balance three areas—sports, service and personal growth. When I was setting my goals during freshman year, I realized that I had spent a disproportionate amount of time on volleyball. MM: How did you Congressional Medal?
learn
about
the
CK: I heard about it at the end middle school.
CK: When I arrived in Singapore, I was faced with having to find a new service project— and it had to have both an organization and service component. Luckily, I quickly joined Caring For Cambodia at school. One of the highlights has been traveling to Cambodia (CFC) to work with kids at their schools. I’m also a correspondent for the CFC blog, offering a student volunteer point of view. I’ve become more and more involved with the organization: this year, I’m an officer and I hope to set up a CFC service club at whatever university I attend. MM: What did you do to complete the personal development part of the Congressional Medal? CK: Because sports and service are so time consuming for me during the school year, I worked on my personal development during the summers. I decided to focus on marketing and advertising. A family friend, Denise Palladino, has a small company called “Chic Stash” where she resells luxury fashion items in Singapore. So after sophomore year, I helped with pickups and deliveries, events and social media. The summer after junior year, I interned at CPM marketing company where I learned more about the nitty gritty of telemarketing. I concentrated on competitor analysis research. You quickly learn that a career in marketing and communications is a lot more than attending events! I gained a better perspective on what it takes to pursue the career that I’ve had in mind for years. MM: Any advice for students interested in pursuing this medal? CK: This medal encourages any student to participate—in that way it’s not like the National Merit Scholarship. It’s a lot of work but organizing your extracurricular activities
according to the Congressional Medal parameters can create balance for you in high school. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to have this focus for the past four years. I’m also grateful to teachers, counselors, friends and the CFC community for helping me along the way. And the Congressional Medal representatives! Pursuing the Medal has pushed
me to go after experiences that I’m interested in and to be my own advocate. I know these are important life tools to be successful. Maureen Murray is the editor of Singapore American Newspaper. Volleyball photo by Rich Seow
Fostering a Child Through Sanctuary House By Paroma Ray
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his August, Jackie Bancroft became a foster parent through Sanctuary House for a five-day-old boy who continues to live with her family today. Jackie explains how the newborn quickly weaved his way into their family life. “Gabrielle, our sixteen-yearold daughter suddenly found herself changing diapers. She also washes, feeds and entertains him,” Jackie says. “Meanwhile, my son Jack immediately became part of the baby’s routine by giving him the bottle at a certain time everyday.” The family works together to create a normal life for the baby and Jackie believes that her own children will benefit from the experience as well. Well versed in the “rights of children” as laid
out by the UN declaration, Jackie is quick to point out how fostering is aligned with these principles. She brings a holistic approach toward fostering—confident that it takes into account the best interests of the child but also the needs of the birth mother who is unable to raise the child herself. In many cases, it also gives willing couples a chance for adoption. Jackie defines “giving back” as not always a monetary donation but an opportunity to make a personal contribution. When asked how after becoming so attached to the newborn she will feel when the baby is adopted, she says, “I have to keep the bigger picture in mind and the interests of the child in mind. My husband Bryan and I are creating
two scrapbooks—one for the adoptive parents and one for ourselves.” Inspired by the work of Sanctuary House, Jackie is hopeful that more people will take up fostering as a way of making a positive contribution. Since 2005, Sanctuary House has been providing foster care to children deprived of family care for various social reasons and supporting families where children are at risk for being separated from their families. Paroma Ray is a Sanctuary volunteer committed to social and human rights issues.
Photo by Bancroft family
Singapore American • November 2014
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Singapore American • November 2014
TRAVEL
Telunas Private Island Resort By Rob Faraone
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typical jaunt to Bali or Phuket takes five-to-eight hours door-to-door or two half days of transit. So don't restrict your weekend destinations to where budget carriers fly: a different experience awaits you in Riau Islands' secluded Telunas Beach. As the island is basically internet and television-free, guests can: • Rejuvenate dinner-time conversational skills with family members • Relax those texting fingers and ease the eye squint by setting aside the mobile phone • See twinkling stars that we never see in Singapore and take in sunsets as good as Bali's • Renew faith in humanity—the resort has unlocked rooms (unless you request a key), so no more fishing for keys • Hear the sound of the gentle sea's lapping waves, uninterrupted by phone or television • Peacefully contemplate how many uninhabited small islands you saw after leaving Batam
Getting There Is Half the Fun The trip to Telunas takes about three hours starting at Harbourfront ferry terminal: forty-five minutes to Sekupang (Batam), a quick stop at Indonesian immigration, then ninety minutes on a twin Mercurypowered bumboat past an array of islands, some with fishing villages and some uninhabited. Just thirteen minutes beyond Moro Island ferry terminal is the resort. Visa upon arrival is free for Singaporeans but Americans pay US$15 per person for a three-day visa. Bring US$10 or $20 notes because change is returned in Rupiah at a disadvantageous exchange rate. A Tour of the Resort Guests disembark the bumboat at Telunas Beach Resort or Private Island. About a mile of quiet sea separates them and a free boat shuttle service connects them. The resort has ten chalets that can sleep four or more guests and dorm rooms thus making it popular for international schools and families. The new Private Island boasts fifteen villas and a pool, perfect for couples or families. Meals and reception center on a two-story resort hall. “Refined rustic” might describe chalets while “simple luxury” is what the villas offer. Units are solidly mounted on concrete columns approximately 4 meters above the sea. Superb views and overwhelming tranquility are the first impression. Local wood inside and out ages gracefully to a driftwood gray color that reflects the warm colors of every sunrise and sunset. Interior design is refined and the Western fixtures meet discerning guests'
needs. Modern ceiling fans and Western quality windows provide excellent ventilation though the sea breezes are prevalent and constant. Four deep wells ensure adequate water pressure. Mosquitoes and other insects were not a problem. Dining There Is also Fun Meals at Telunas’ Private Island were a pleasure in terms of quality, scope and presentation. Guests are offered four dinner choices, a set lunch menu and good breakfast options. A gluten-free menu is available. Chef Surya has wonderful culinary experience including the Marriott, United Kingdom; Hilton, Maldives; W hotel, Qatar; and Angsana /Banyan Tree, Dubai. “I make up a new menu every few weeks and order well ahead,” said Chef Surya. “The supplies we need come in every two days. Our meat and fish is mostly local as are many of our seasonings to maintain freshness. We do bake and prepare a lot here on site, like the bread and even the gnocchi is handmade.” Activities Around the Island Telunas is not the Gold Coast or Phuket with night spots or commercial attractions. This is a “natural” environment with lots of outdoor activities. Serious “chilling out” is an antidote to Singapore “kiasu” or corporate overload. Enjoy passive pleasures such as reading, playing board games or weather watching from your veranda. One can buy a local Indonesia SIM card for light web work but, really, is that distraction how you really want to spend your time? Boats shuttle four times per day between Private Island and the resort projects. Both islands have trails and hills, and beach activities are available all day long. The resort offers optional half-day ventures such as a trek to a swimming hole that starts after a twenty-minute bumboat ride along a pristine mangrove lined inlet.
American Entrepreneurship The three founders of the resort, friends since college, were introduced to the Riau Islands along with their wives while on a tour of Indonesia back in 2000. A few years later, they created a business plan, moved to Batam and worked to create a resort destination “flavored by the local culture and environment in a way that captured the romantic elements of an island escape.”
Rob Faraone has lived in six countries in the region over thirty years, including three stints in Singapore. After a career in the moving/ relocation industry, he enjoys sharing settling-in tips with new expats in Singapore.
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Bettr Barista: Empowering Through Coffee By Nithia Devan
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hen you settle down to enjoy a café latte at a coffee chain, you rarely think about what went into creating that coffee drink. But if Bettr Barista provides your shot of espresso, it’s worthwhile to take a little time to consider the person who prepared your coffee. Bettr Barista is not your usual coffee joint but a coffee academy. In 2011, Ms. Pamela Chng set up the Bettr Barista Coffee Academy to help at-risk youth and disadvantaged women. The Academy started by taking a holistic approach to training by including instruction in areas such as emotional management and physical development, as well as honing the trainees’
coffee-making skills. This approach proved to be a success: Bettr Barista was named the Social Enterprise Start-Up of the Year at the President’s Challenge Social Enterprise Award in 2013. So what motivated Pamela to start Bettr Barista? “Insanity! That and a love for good coffee!” she jokes. She spent eight years building up a successful web consultancy before founding Bettr Barista, “I knew I wanted to start something with ‘more heart,’ a social business that would help people.” So she decided on empowering women and raising the standard of coffee in Singapore. “There’s so much disparity in this world.
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In particular, I’ve always felt there are many disadvantaged women who could do with more opportunities. At the same time, as a coffee connoisseur, I’ve noticed that the coffee industry in Singapore lacks skilled baristas to meet the growing demand of specialty coffee. I thought, Why not kill two birds in one stone? I can provide valuable work opportunities to women while helping to boost and balance out the small, male-dominated coffee scene in Singapore,” she says. “I firmly believe that when you empower women in this all-round way, they have a tremendous capacity to change the lives of people around them in turn,” she adds. The coffee loving entrepreneur, who is also a US- and Australia-trained barista and roaster herself, is passionate about social businesses being the best avenue for bringing about social change. Interestingly, Bettr Barista does not call itself a social enterprise or a “not-for-profit” business but a “social business.” Its website states that the organization is geared towards creating as much social impact as possible while keeping an eye on being profitable and self-sustaining. More importantly, Bettr Barista boasts a triple bottom-line of: People (helping as many women in need as it possibly can), Planet (reducing its environmental impact consciously and consistently by reusing, recycling and refurbishing) and Profit (lifting the quality standards of training while ensuring that it is profitable and self-sustaining). Bettr Barista offers a twelve-week Bettr Holistic program for underprivileged women that are referred to them by social service
organizations and community development councils. Besides professional barista training and apprenticeship, these trainees go through life and emotional management training, as well as physical training that involves yoga, outrigger canoeing and self-defence classes. With all these activities, Bettr Barista brings in top-notch trainers to ensure these women get the most out of this program. At the end of the twelve-week program, the trainees graduate as certified baristas. They also have benefitted from counseling as well as training to help them build confidence and reenter the labor force. To date, thirty women and youth have been trained and have undergone internships at cafes such as Forty Hands. Bettr Barista is also the only organization in Southeast Asia that offers international coffee certification programs from America and Europe. In order to fund the training, Bettr Barista offers professional barista and coffee training for the industry and public. It runs coffee appreciation classes, team-building events and provides pop-up coffee brew bars for events. It also sells coffee machines, related paraphernalia and roasted coffee beans online. The coffee beans used in the brews come from around the world and have exotic names such as “Panama Geisha Aristar” and “Ethiopian Organic Guji Shakiso.” When asked about the future, Pamela wishes that more members of the public and corporations in Singapore will get involved and help support Bettr Barista. At the moment, the organization’s activities are focused in Singapore but Pamela hopes that the Bettr Barista model will be replicated around the region. All this in a cup of coffee. To find out more about Bettr Barista, please visit www.bettrbarista.com Nithia Devan is a freelance marketing communications professional, copywriter and editor. Her passions are cookery, cinema, travel, arts and crafts. Nithia also writes for City Nomads, a guide to what's happening in Singapore, www.citynomads.com. Photos: Courtsey of Bettr Barista
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Singapore American • November 2014
GIVING BACK
Bringing Relief and Happiness to Children in Need An Interview with Koh Choon Hui, Chairman of Singapore Children's Society By Maureen Murray
continues to thrive today, mainly because we keep reinventing the program to meet the changing needs of the students. For instance, a focus on bullying now includes resources on cyber bullying. The kids’ needs are constantly changing and we work hard to provide the services that address them. MM: The Ministry of Education is dedicating more resources to “character development” in the Singapore Schools. Does that initiative influence your child and youth services? KCH: We’ve been addressing character development for many, many years beginning at the preschool level where we start with the simple things: learning how to share, to keep the classroom tidy, to respect adults and other children. In all of our programs, we focus on respect, resilience, hard work, empathy, cultivating an attitude of gratitude and kindness. Our highly professional staff model these behaviors and our hope is that the kids bring these qualities home. As the kids develop self-discipline, we find that it’s easier to identify their special talents such as music, art, the performing arts or sports. Then we try to find training for them to build their confidence further. Some of them proudly perform at Children’s Society functions! MM: Would you tell us something about Project LADDER?
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ingapore Children’s Society (SCS) has a rich history and comprehensive approach to helping needy and disadvantaged children and families. Established in 1952, the society’s initial aim was to offer relief and comfort to malnourished, poor, abused and neglected children. Today, Children’s Society has ten service centers spread across the island with 175 highly trained employees supported by 850 volunteers. I had the honor of interviewing Mr. Koh, Chairman of Singapore Children’s Society. Heading up the Society since 1978, he shared how the organization has evolved over the years to meet the changing needs of Singapore’s least fortunate families. MM: The Society provides help in four areas of service, the first being “vulnerable children.” How do you identify these children and what do you do to protect or guide them? KCH: Vulnerable children are kids from broken or dysfunctional families. In some cases, the father is incarcerated or both parents are. We also help single-parent families and reconfigured families—comprised of stepparents and blended families from different marriages. All complex, mostly lower income families who are struggling to put food on the table and are unable to provide adequate care for their children. These kids are at risk so we provide counseling as well as financial and emotional support. We specialize in the area of children; it’s the best investment we can make for the future. The kids have a long runway of life ahead before they take off for adulthood. To intervene at the foundation stage is very important. We encourage early education and preschool participation so that Singapore’s disadvantaged kids are not left behind in
primary school. We try to get them to the same starting line as their more fortunate peers. Besides building skills, this focus on the early years actually helps build the kids’ sense of self-esteem, hope, confidence and pride. MM: Singapore Children’s Society provides “Children and Youth Services” that include talks, workshops, programs about prevention of sexual abuse. Which intervention stands out as being particularly successful? KCH: As for sexual abuse prevention, we have a Research and Advocacy Standing Committee that brings in experts to educate teachers, nurses and social workers to identify symptoms of abuse—or the telltale signs. We also run a program called “KidzLive: I Can Protect Myself ” that aims to teach preschool and primary school children to protect themselves from sexual abuse. We have also given permission to a Russian social service agency to adapt and translate the KidzLive information booklet into Russian. And more recently, our public education team conducted a training course for teachers and a sharing session with parents in Medan. We’re extremely pleased that so many children can benefit these prevention materials. Another highly successful outreach initiative is Project CABIN, a secondary-school-based drop-in service that offers kids from low-income families a safe and welcoming environment during afterschool hours. In the eighteen Project CABINs at Singapore schools, students can do homework, study together, play, perform music and enjoy art activities. Interestingly, some kids emerge as leaders and chair project CABIN committees in CABIN Clubs, which is a co-curricular activity. If any of the kids are at risk, we have social workers on hand to intervene. Children’s Society started project CABIN in 1994 and it
KCH: In a joint venture with Singapore Prison Service, Project LADDER offers children the opportunity to have frequent contact with an incarcerated parent via virtual connection, saving time and transportation costs. And even more importantly, social workers overseeing the “visits” can support the families and intervene when necessary. Children of prisoners are at a much higher risk of becoming offenders themselves. To break that cycle, we try to strengthen the bonds within the family. Back in 2003, after observing many visits, we decided to implement a training program for the inmates to improve their parenting and communication skills. The more positive and intimate the relationship, the better the inmate’s reintegration into the family and society. It’s extremely important: if the family bond is strong, when a prisoner is released he/she is much less likely to commit another crime. MM: The American Association of Singapore has chosen Singapore Children’s Society as its official charity for 2015. What are your hopes for this partnership? KCH: I am honored that the American Association Board has chosen our society as their official charity for next year. We are encouraged that AAS believes in our vision, mission and the work that we do to support the children and families of Singapore. I am really looking forward to a close collaboration with AAS. We’re eager to show their volunteers our centers and welcome them to participate in our activities.
Maureen Murray is the editor of Singapore American Newspaper. Photo by Eric Janes
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Singapore American • November 2014
Contributing as a Museum Docent By Lucia Damacela
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never imagined that within a year of moving to Singapore, I would be talking to tourists and students about Marcel Duchamp’s art and its connection with a wall display of animal traps. A month after my arrival, at an expat newcomers meeting, I discovered a volunteer program that caught my interest. The speaker must have been convincing because I immediately decided to become a museum docent. Soon after, I attended a public information meeting held by Friends of the Museum (FOM). I knew nobody at the meeting. What a difference a year makes! The FOM gathering had a “mingling” time before the presentations started. I quickly realized how diverse this group was: people, most of them women, came from Europe, Australia, North and South America and Asia, including Singapore. Their education and work background were just as diverse. Few of them were art majors or artists; most, like me, were art enjoyers. I felt right at home within that community. When docents presented their respective programs, all the options seemed enticing but I registered with SAM, the Singapore Art Museum, as its focus on contemporary Southeast Asian art appealed to me. Then the process of becoming a docent began: before summer break, I interviewed with the training leaders and a few months later I was officially a trainee. Running from September to March, the program included plenty of reading and twice-a-week sessions comprised of lectures, practical activities and visits to studios, art galleries and other museums. Gradually, we began to develop our own tours. We started with a few pieces and finished with an hour-long graduation tour—conducted with real museum visitors and in the presence of an experienced docent. The training is based on practice and feedback. Our guiding style should engage visitors with a theme-based narrative and the tour also should connect the selected pieces with relevant socio-cultural, political or historical events. While the expectation is to guide at least twice a month, many colleagues guide more frequently. After months of training, the transformation was palpable. Colleagues, previously unsure about their public speaking skills, gracefully conducted their own tours and enjoyed leading them. At museums, docents guide thousands of people yearly. Tourists and students are the main “consumers” of tours—with a particularly numerous and important group of Singapore students, from both local and
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international schools. We encourage kids to let their imaginations fly, find inspiration in the artwork, and formulate their own impressions, feelings and interpretations of the art. In this way, the program aims to help students develop creativity and critical thinking skills. Interestingly, we often gain new appreciation for the art from their observations and interpretations. At moments, giving tours can be stressful. Sometimes, we have large groups or quickly need to modify the tour to suit the group or accommodate ongoing events at the museum. Exhibitions tend to change frequently so we constantly redesign our tours as we learn about new artists and pieces. Overall, support from museum officials and staff, the FOM organizations and other docents greatly helps to overcome difficulties. If you are an art lover, the benefits of participation in the docent program are many. First, you make new friends with shared interests and goals, and can easily stay abreast of cultural happenings in Singapore and surrounding areas. Docents also experience the benefits that art appreciation brings to our minds and spirits. For example, docents at the Asian Civilization Museum recently learned about Chinese porcelain and its worldwide influence for the “Chinamania” exhibition. SAM docents got their hands “dirty” in order to guide “Unearthed,” an exhibition focused on the society-nature interaction in this country. They familiarized themselves with Bukit Brown Cemetery for one installation. Week in and week out, Peranakan Museum docents explore the everyday lives and customs of migrants who created a unique cultural blend by marrying local partners. Years ago, I took a graduate-level course on prosocial behavior. One of the topics we covered was what motivates people to volunteer. Research suggested that individuals start “giving back” for a variety of reasons, but what makes them “tick” in the long run is a combination of both altruistic and self-rewarding elements. Feeling good about the task and oneself were paramount. Perhaps the docent program is so successful at retaining members because it has the right balance between performing activities that benefit the community and experiencing personal growth and fulfilment. Singapore has been a fine place to find this right blend. Lucia Damacela moved to Singapore with her family in 2013. A social psychologist and researcher by training, she started foraying into creative writing and recently contributed a short story to the book, Rojak—Stories from the Singapore Writers Group.
Singapore American • November 2014
Continued from front page: The Chain Reaction Project
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Singapore American • November 2014
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Finish line
Sala Bai kitchen
Bai graduate. Catalysts will cycle through the fragile communities of Tonlé Sap Lake and hear from Sala Bai students and graduates. After returning to Siem Reap, participants will join in the annual Angkor Wat Half-Marathon. Through meeting the challenges of a TCRP adventure, Liew and Zhang believe that catalysts build the resilience of character needed to drive social change. “We are motivated by the intangible,” Liew reflects. “It’s not about controlling an idea. It’s about a global network made of catalysts.” The Chain Reaction Project, as its name implies, is about connectivity. As seasoned catalysts travel, relocate or move back to their home countries, Zhang and Liew hope that they
will begin their own TCRP initiatives. TCRP plans to increase fundraising and volunteer opportunities in Singapore in addition to continuing its commitment to causes and adventures abroad. To learn more about The Chain Reaction Project or register for the December 6-8 trip to Cambodia, please visit the TCRP homepage at www.thechainreactionproject.com or contact info@tcrp.com with any questions you may have.
Lauren S. Power is a freelance writer and research consultant. She came to Singapore to enjoy her passion for social, economic and foreign policy studies.
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Singapore American • November 2014
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Water for Life
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By Joanne Liu
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nnie Yeo, Deutsche Bank’s Head of Corporate Responsibility in Asia, believes in helping people help themselves. She says, “I am a firm believer in getting more engaged with the causes that we support. Whenever possible, we empower beneficiaries, giving them the means to uplift themselves. Deutsche Bank works closely with non-profit organizations to address the beneficiaries’ deep-rooted needs. To make a real difference to the community, we select programmes that are measurable and sustainable.” Since 2010, Deutsche Bank Asia Foundation has worked with the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) and Water for Cambodia (WFC) on the Water for Life project, installing bio-sand water filters in rural households in Siem Reap to provide a clean and sustainable water source for villagers. Over the last four years of partnership, about 2,350 water filters
have been installed, benefitting more than 14,000 villagers. The SIF believes in bringing world communities together to enrich lives, and one of the ways it does so is through the Water for Life project. In addition to monetary support, in 2010, Annie and twenty other volunteers formed the inaugural batch of corporate volunteers for the project. Since then, Deutsche Bank has sent one batch of volunteers every year to Siem Reap to help build water filters. This year, a team of twenty Deutsche Bank volunteers comprising ten nationalities working in six Deutsche Bank branches gathered in Siem Reap on September 18 and 19 to make a difference.
For many Deutsche Bank volunteers, being able to experience the water filter construction from start to end was gratifying. Commenting on the project, Deutsche Bank volunteer Shangzhi Hua said, “Water for Life is a wonderful initiative that helps people effectively and efficiently—it employs reasonable resources to achieve a big improvement for many villages in the most basic aspect of their lives—clean drinking water.” In total, twenty-five filters were constructed, providing clean water to 170 villages. Joanne Liu has been working in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Deutsche Bank since 2013. The team is tasked with implementing and promoting CSR initiatives in Asia. Joanne is a graduate of Nanyang Technological University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biological Chemistry.
Singapore American • November 2014
22
Food from the Heart By Anne Morgan
I
n our affluent world, we never go hungry and we think nothing about throwing food away, ignoring a momentary pang of guilt. After all, we are in Singapore and nobody is in real need, right? People like Ron Stride know differently and he says, “There is a soft underbelly in every city in the world. Every city has its poor… Singapore has done a very good job of taking care of its people, but there are definitely people whose incomes cannot sufficiently feed their families.” Ron Stride is currently Chairman of Food from the Heart (FFTH) a charity founded in 2002 by Austrian couple Christine and Henry Laimer. An article on food wastage published in that year prompted them to come up with an idea to gather unsold loaves from bakeries at closing time and deliver them to nearby charities. Starting with a few volunteers who picked up bread from thirty-seven outlets owned by four bread companies for delivery to forty children and old folks’ homes, FFTH has grown to over 17,000 volunteers including more than fifty City Cab drivers who either deliver the bread themselves or ferry fellow volunteers to delivery points free of charge. Over 28,000kg of bread per month that was destined for the trash is now distributed to those who need them.
In his role as Chairman of FFTH, Ron has been instrumental in expanding the FFTH Food Goodie Bag Program where carefully balanced nutritious bags of food are given to pre-determined schools. Principals and teachers distribute the bags to the neediest families. He says, “There are children who go to school hungry or who do not go to school at all because they are hungry. What
BACK
Singapore American • November 2014
GIVING BACK
GIVING
we are trying to do through this program is to get the kids to come in.” Ron keeps a close eye on feedback from the schools to make sure the program is having a positive effect.
Ron and his wife Janet have lived in Singapore for more than twenty-seven years. He is a passionate philanthropist and has served on many non-profit boards including a five-year term as the American Association of Singapore President. He has been involved in many fund-raising initiatives and applies his impressive management skills to raising funds for FFTH. Passion Ball, an annual FFTH fund-raising event, is now in its eleventh year. Funds from Passion Ball are used to purchase staples for the food goodie bags and to run FFTH operations. Ron estimates that it takes more than $33,000 to feed fifty families a year so funds from the Ball and donations from corporations are vital to ensure FFTH continues its work. Ron feels that one of the biggest challenges is to get the privileged to understand that there are needy people in Singapore. He says, “FFTH is a story of a community coming together to help its most needy members. Our volunteers are bursting with pride because they know who the hungry people are in their communities and they’re doing something to help these people. It gives them a lot of satisfaction.”
Anne Morgan is the Business Development Manager at Career Resources Center for Expats (CRCE) at AAS. Photos: Courtesy of Food from the Heart
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Singapore American • November 2014
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Best Buddies International
Fostering Pets
By Paige Nelson
By Martine Hill
M
O
ost of us know how to make friends. Whether two people connect over their favorite color in kindergarten, or bond at school, for them, making friends just seems easy. But it isn't easy for everyone. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are often overlooked despite their radiant personalities and contagious smiles. Best Buddies is changing that. Founded in 1989, Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization devoted to establishing one-to-one friendships between someone with and without IDD. The organization also provides buddies influenced by IDD with job opportunities and ambassador programs. Best Buddies is present in countless schools around the world, including the National University of Singapore. The program offers events like the “Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign” where students work to eliminate the use of the derogatory “r-word” and the “Friendship Walk,” an event to raise money and promote inclusion. While engaging in fun activities, students both with and without disabilities build friendships to last a lifetime. As the president of Best Buddies at Corona del Mar High School in California, I believe my buddy has provided me a perspective and a friendship I otherwise would not have had. I met my buddy Reilly before I was even involved in Best Buddies. She was my high school volleyball team's manager, and I knew we had things in common right away. Reilly
loves playing sports and reading sciencefiction novels: two of my favorite activities. When I joined Best Buddies and learned she would be my buddy, I was overjoyed! Reilly and I have so much fun: we often go to lunch or pass the volleyball together. She has been my buddy for two years; I am so lucky that Best Buddies gave me a friend like her. For twenty-five years, Best Buddies students have proven that a disability doesn't have matter when it comes to friendship. The Best Buddies' mission is to “put itself out of business” in that there will no longer be a need for an organization to encourage these types of friendship. The hope is that these friendships will someday occur naturally. To learn more about Best Buddies, please visit www.bestbuddies.org
Paige Nelson is a former Singapore American School student who is now a junior and Best Buddies President at Corona del Mar High School in California.
wning a pet can be a great way to teach responsibility to children but given your life situation in Singapore that might not be an option. Getting a pet in Singapore can be a difficult decision for many expat families. There is usually some uncertainty with the length of stay, future postings and how to integrate this new animal back in the family’s home country. Although clearly a different experience to owning a pet, fostering an animal may be a worthwhile alternative for your family. There are countless things to take into consideration when fostering a pet—so make sure to research prior to embarking down this path. Although the decision to foster a pet must be weighed seriously, it can be rewarding experience for a family by teaching compassion and caring. Foster care in Singapore varies as the options may be to foster an animal back to health or provide a temporary home. Another possibility is to save the lives of very young animals whose chances of surviving in a kennel environment (without falling sick) are slim. It can be a wonderful opportunity to teach children important lessons about compassion and respect for life. Animals also teach us how to listen: not just with our ears but with our eyes and our hearts, too. Fostering an animal can help a child learn how all animals, including humans, communicate with their bodies and their eyes, as well as their mouths.
Fostering can provide hard lessons, too. Many foster families sometimes have difficulties saying goodbye to the animals they have cared for. When it’s time for the foster animal to go to their forever homes, the kids will probably be sad. That is completely normal. It’s a great time to acknowledge their sadness, let them talk about it and tell them they did a wonderful thing. Remind them that their help has made a huge difference in an animal’s life. Occasionally, animals get sick and die. Most children’s first experience with death comes in the form of losing an animal companion, and the way we react to our children’s grief (and our own) can color their whole outlook concerning the end of life. If your family likes animals and fostering an animal would work well with your lifestyle and schedule then it can be a great opportunity to show the children the importance of helping others. It’s a daily commitment. Community service isn’t just something you do because it looks good on a resume or college application. When you compassionately help others, whether those others walk on two legs or four, you’re making a difference. Now that’s a lesson worth teaching your kids.
Martine Hill is the Director/Counselor of Alliance Professional Counselling LLP www.alliancecounselling.com.sg
Singapore American • November 2014
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Singapore American • November 2014
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Shopping for Health Insurance: What to Consider By Expat Insurance
M
ost of us have purchased some form of private insurance, be it health, travel, home, motor or life. We are familiar with a table of benefits showing a tiered-pricing scale of options outlining Basic, Intermediary and Comprehensive cover. In Singapore, a basic policy will cover hospitalization and inpatient costs, including surgery. The next tier will usually cover outpatient services (GP), but exclude specialists and restrict you to a specific list of local primary care doctors. Comprehensive plans will typically cover all your medical expenses in the year and will rarely leave you out-of-pocket, reimbursing costs for specialists, dental, maternity, physiotherapy and routine screenings. Deciding what plan is best for you may seem straightforward at this stage, but with health insurance, the devil is in the details! Always be sure to review the policy wording attached to the benefits and take into consideration the following essential components. As the famous saying goes, Location, Location, Location! In insurance terms, this means deciding between a Singapore-only plan or worldwide coverage. If you want to be treated in your home country for illness, you need to consider a global plan. You should also take into consideration the possibility of relocation, and therefore choose a plan that is portable and can be taken with you to your next location. In Singapore, we immerse ourselves in the
culture, food and local lifestyle with ease. When it comes to medical treatment, however, many of us still prefer to see doctors who share our home culture. Be mindful that some plans restrict you to government hospitals and public clinics (polyclinics) only. If you would like to decide which doctor/clinic you see for treatment, make sure your plan allows freedom of choice and is not on a referral-only basis. For couples and young families looking to have a baby, maternity benefits are generally subject to a 10-24 month waiting period, so you must purchase well in advance of pregnancy. As maternity insurance cannot be purchased on its own as a separate insurance policy, your insurance advisor will show you how to select it as a benefit extension attached to your main health insurance policy. Pre-existing medical conditions can be a deciding factor in the policy you choose. Every insurer has a different way of addressing a preexisting condition that affects the premium and coverage. If you have a pre-existing condition, speak to an advisor who can find an insurer with favorable terms for your specific condition. For families, keep in mind that it is not necessary to put all members on the same plan or with the same insurer. The employed spouse may just need a top-up plan because work provides basic cover whilst the other spouse may have a pre-existing condition best served by another policy. Outpatient coverage for children is a must, as they tend to have minor
accidents and illnesses, and require GP visits regularly. By speaking with an insurance advisor you will have these and other items addressed to ensure you choose the right policy for you and your family.
For professional assistance and complimentary advisory services, contact Expat Insurance at 6401 9201 or visit www.expatinsurance.com.sg
Thanksgiving Bounty Singapore American • November 2014
by Mary Ferrante and Danielle Spinks
Blueberry Crumb Cake
Country Apple Galette
Ingredients Pastry
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1/3 cup ice water Topping
4-8 Golden Delicious apples 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon honey, preferably wildflower
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
In a food processor, combine the flour with the sugar, salt and butter and process for about 5 seconds. Sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture and process until the pastry just begins to come together, about 10 seconds; you should still be able to see small pieces of butter in it. Transfer the pastry to a work surface, gather it together and pat into a disk. Wrap the pastry in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate until chilled. (You can also roll out the pastry and use it right away.) Peel, halve and core the apples and slice them crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Set aside the larger center slices and coarsely chop the end slices and any broken ones; about half of the slices should be chopped. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12-by-14-inch rectangle and transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the chopped apples over the pastry to within 1 inch of the edge. Drizzle the honey over the chopped apples. Decoratively arrange the apple slices on top in concentric circles or in slightly overlapping rows. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the apples and dot with the pieces of butter. Fold the pastry edge up and over the apples to create a 1-inch border. Bake the galette for about 1 hour, until the pastry is nicely browned and crisp and all of the apples are tender. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the galette cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Make Ahead: The buttery pastry can be refrigerated overnight. From Jacques Pepin's Best French Classics
Old Fashioned Gingerbread
2/3 cup sour cream
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling
Ingredients For the streusel:
¼ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour For the cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice
Ingredients 1/4 cup dark rum or water 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/3 cup minced dried crystallized ginger (not in syrup)
From www.foodnetwork.com
From www.foodnetwork.com
Pineapple Casserole
1 cup confectioners' sugar, optional
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-by8 inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan. Place the rum and raisins in a small pan, cover and heat until the rum boils. Turn off the heat and set aside. Place the butter and molasses in another small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix in the sour cream and orange zest. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Mix with your hands until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix only until smooth. Drain the raisins and add them and crystallized ginger to the mixture with a spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely. When the cake has cooled, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice and pour it onto the gingerbread, allowing it to drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set. Cut the gingerbread into 9 squares.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan. For the streusel, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside. For the cake, cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups grated sharp cheddar 2 (20-ounce) cans pineapple chunks, drained, and 6 tablespoons pineapple juice reserved
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a medium-size casserole dish with butter. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Gradually stir in the cheese. Add the drained pineapple chunks, and stir until ingredients are well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. In another medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, melted butter, and reserved pineapple juice, stirring with a rubber spatula until evenly blended. Spread crumb mixture on top of pineapple mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. From www.foodnetwork.com
Share the spirit of gratitude for all of life’s blessings with a scrumptious Thanksgiving meal
1 cup cracker crumbs (recommended: Ritz)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan Butterball Roasted Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing & Turkey Gravy Medium 4.5kg – 5.4kg $61.99 Collection Period: Nov 25-27 after 2pm Last day of order: Nov 20 www.coldstorage.com.sg
Singapore American • November 2014
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Singapore American • November 2014
FOOD & DINING
Thanksgiving with an Asian Twist By Kevin F. Cox, Culinary Explorer
I
t’s that time again when most American expats start thinking of distant family sitting around a table laden with all of their favorite foods from home. But, hey, you’re in Singapore, so why not give your age-old traditions a little Asian flair and celebrate both where you come from and where you are now. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying you should throw out the turkey for a plate of chicken rice, but a little creative thinking and you can convert that notthe-same-as-home meal you cobble together into something that breaths a refreshing new life into your wannabe Thanksgiving tradition.
The Turkey
Tradition dictates that turkey is the main event at Thanksgiving, even if 9,000 miles from home. But skip roasting an overpriced Butterball and deep fry a locally-sourced bird after brining it in Asian spices. A 24-hour soak in water with salt, soy, hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and maybe a couple of chili padi, and your bird will be moist and deliciously flavored with a succulent hint of Asia that won’t drown out that nostalgic turkey taste. And the crispy, golden skin on that gorgeous bird will drive your family and friends wild!
The Sides
Everyone has their own special favorites at Thanksgiving—whether it’s the mashed potatoes, green beans or carrots and peas—and
Drinks
you don’t have to skip them here. But jazz it up a little, Singaporean style. Instead of stuffing (which you won’t have if you deep fry) how about some glutinous claypot rice mixed with shitaki mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Forget the brussels sprouts and sear up some local greens — baby bok choy, kai lan or delicate dao miao — with garlic and oyster sauce. Then add a little heat to your meal by skipping the green beans with slivered almonds and going instead for crispy-fried sichuan long beans. And to replace the mashed potatoes with heavy cream and butter— well, nothing can beat them! But switching out a few old items for new will make your traditional meal more memorable. So if you usually fortify your turkey centerpiece with a spiral ham, why not serve sliced char siu pork instead — it’s in the same food family but the sweet red marinade adds a bit of Asia that drives most kids nuts. And round out the feast with pillowy steamed buns or golden brown mantou instead of bread or rolls to soak up the luscious flavors on your plate.
The decision of what to wash down one’s Thanksgiving meal with is always important. In Singapore, with the high cost of wine, this requires even greater attention. Sure, you can go for the usual Australian options which dominate the wine bar scene, but why not opt instead for one of the outstanding and affordable selections of PengWine made by fellow Singapore expat, Chris Milliken. Handmade in Chile and sold all around Singapore, PengWine has a distinct Chinese association (“Peng” means “friend” in Mandarin) and is quickly becoming one of Asia’s go-to labels. For a local beer experience there is only one true Singapore choice— Tiger—the clean, lightness of which happens to go especially well with a Thanksgiving roundup. And for non-alcohol beverages, why not skip the soda and brew up a pitcher of lemongrass iced tea. More flavorful than water, it’s a clean, refreshing Asian-inspired drink that goes with everything.
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Singapore American • November 2014
ARTS & CULTURE
By adding a little Asia to your Thanksgiving celebration you can calm the pangs of homesickness while at the same time embrace your Asian existence. It’s fun, it’s delicious... it’s Thanksgiving in Asia! just might have a helper or two to share the load with. Have them cook with you, teaching them new recipes and traditions from your homeland. They’ll love the festive specialness of the day and feeling included in the preparation of it all. And it gives you the luxury of doing what you really want to do on Thanksgiving: eat!
Capture the Tradition
Dress It Up If our school book pictures were accurate the Pilgrims dressed up for the first Thanksgiving and so can you. But instead of top hats, bonnets and big belt buckles, bring a little Asian garb to the party to make it even more special. A men’s Chinese tunic suit or a colorful Cheongsam or Indian sari for women is both stylish and comfortable for a day of dining and makes for great festive photos for far-off family.
Spread the Love All of this may sound like a lot of work but remember, you’re in Asia, so you or a guest
However you choose to merge Asia and America in your Thanksgiving celebration, what’s important to keep in mind is that you’re creating new millennium traditions. So you want to document it well. Take pictures throughout the day: in the kitchen, at the table, even falling asleep on the couch later. Leave a couple of digital cameras laying around for anyone to grab and snap off a few pics. Afterwards, make the memories permanent by uploading them to any of the countless online photo services. Photobooks make thoughtful and affordable gifts to your guests and for years to come will offer a nostalgic look back at your fabulous life in Asia. For the recipes, visit: http://foodwalkers.com.
Kevin F. Cox is a food and travel writer for numerous publications and online sites in the region. After five years in Singapore, he now resides in the United States and is the founder of Foodwalkers, a culinary exploration network found at www.foodwalkers.com.
ROJAK Stories: Singapore Writers Group Review By Raelee Chapman
S
ingapore Writers Group recently published an anthology of nineteen short stories aptly titled, Rojak, a Malay term meaning mixture. Just like the famous dish, this disparate collection comes together nicely as a whole. The stories take you to destinations as far flung as the nationalities of the authors. The two strongest stories in this collection, “Lions in the Morning,” by Alice Clark-Platts and “Africa Sucks,” by Tara Mitchell, are set in Africa, one in colonial times and the other in contemporary Mozambique. Both assuredly written stories lead to denouements that will astonish the reader. Ta’afuli Andrew Fiu’s “Not my Mother” and S. Mickey Lin’s “Adrift” focus on the pull of family memories. Told from a child’s point of view, “Not My Mother” takes place aboard an airplane while “Adrift” unfolds on a patrol boat where a Singaporean immigrant encounters refugees from his former home country who are in circumstances similar to those he was once faced. “A Deviation” by Vincente Miguel Locsin is as a heart-warming distraction after some of the heavier pieces. It features a jet-setting business man passing through Singapore on a brief visit. Two other excellent stories, “Mr Lim and Minah,” by Kim ONG S.K. and “Mangala” by Sarah Salmon touch upon the lives of domestic workers and offer differing points of view. Another mentionable, “New Guinea Gold” cleverly tells the story of a student and his girlfriend’s cockeyed plan to trade arms for drugs. Some of the shorter pieces in the collection read more as vignettes or as a taster of the budding author’s potential. Other stories leave too many questions; sometimes I found myself wondering if a particular story would serve better as a beginning to a longer work. Overall, I enjoyed this quirky collection of quick reads: each story is accessible and intriguing. A number of the authors are already published, seasoned bloggers or writers working in the field. I have no doubt the others will continue to be nurtured and spirited on by this diverse and inclusive writing group. This book is available on Amazon as well as in selected bookstores. www.rojakthebook.
Raelee Chapman moved to Singapore in 2011 as a trailing spouse and started her family here. A former bureaucrat from Canberra, Australia, she now works as a freelance writer. Her fiction and non-fiction work has previously published in WellBeing, Lip Magazine, Woorilla and Southerly in Australia.
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Singapore American • November 2014
ARTS & CULTURE
Singapore Garden Festival 2014 By Jim Tietjen
I
n June, Singapore American Newspaper previewed the fifth biennial Singapore Garden Festival, SGF 2014, and one of its two award-winning American landscape designers, Joe Palimeno. Within nine days, August 16-24, SGF 2014 hosted 300,000 visitors, showcased fifty floral displays by fifty designers from fifteen countries, all with 250,000 plants at Gardens by the Bay. There were fifteen Landscape and Fantasy Gardens, fourteen Floral Windows to the World displays, eight Balcony Gardens, seven Table Top Floral displays, six miniature gardens and the Orchid Extravaganza which featured some 18,000 plants and more than forty orchid species and hybrids. Michael Petrie from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania won Best of Show and a Gold Medal for his Fantasy Garden, “Back to the Wild” which blended recycled materials and plants to affect a modern city scene overrun by nature.
He succeeded beyond belief and was duly recognized! Joe Palimeno from Sewell, New Jersey won a Gold Medal for his Landscape Garden, “Layered Spaces” which manifested a progression from architecture to nature using line, form and space (reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s style). Of note, Palimeno won Best of Show and a Gold Medal at SGF 2102. The highlight of SGF 2014 was the Orchid Extravaganza. This monumental work was created by Jun-ichi Inada, a well-established Japanese landscape architect. No stranger to Singapore, the ebullient Inada has overseen projects here such as the redevelopment of the Botanic Gardens and the National Orchid Garden, and the conceptualization of the Park Connector Network. His 360-degree vertical orchid garden, Orchid Kaleidoscope, was spectacularly displayed in the Flower Dome along with his Orchid Clouds, Orchid Boughs
MEMBER OFFER!
Singapore Repertory Theatre's The Little Company presents: Junior Claus with an exclusive
15% discount for AAS Members Saturday, November 29 To purchase tickets click here.
and Orchid Cornets. Also featured in the Dome was a gallery of competition orchids presented by the Orchid Society of South East Asia. This was truly a symphony of color, incredible natural beauty and artistic genius. As you revel in the photos of SGF 2014, plan to attend SGF 2016… you will be amazed!
Jim Tietjen is an avid sportsman and amateur adventurer. He enjoys tennis, golf, diving, trekking and all travel, and also has a passion for watercolor paintings, carpets and wine. Most of all, he likes to help people achieve their goals. Photos by Jim Tietjen
Singapore American • November 2014
calendar
of
events
Any responder should make any further enquiries with the organizer or should verify the information independently if necessary.
MUSEUMS 1 November – 31 December My Mailbox @ SPM Singapore Philatelic Museum 39 Armenian Street 10am-7pm www.spm.org.sg 1 November – 25 January Auspicious Designs: Batik for Peranakan Altars Peranakan Museum 23-B Coleman Street 9:30am-7pm www.peranakanmuseum.sg 1 November – 8 February Still Moving: A Triple Bill on the Image Singapore Art Museum 71 Bras Basah Road 10am-7pm www.singaporeartmuseum.sg 1 November – 10 August SINGAPURA: 700 years National Museum of Singapore 93 Stamford Road 10am-6pm www.nationalmuseum.sg 14 November – 28 December Hearts on Fire Asian Civilisations Museum 1 Empress Place 10am-7pm www.acm.org.sg
ENTERTAINMENT 11 November The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with Maestro Zubin Mehta Sands Theatre, MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands www.sistic.com.sg 11 November Piano Seven 7 pianos with percussion and string trio Victoria Concert Hall www.sistic.com.sg 12 November Comedy Night with Orion Perez A Fundraising Event by Friends of AkarakA Brewerkz Riverside Point www.akaraka.org.sg 13 – 16 November Shakespeare’s Globe – A Midsummer’s Night Dream Esplanade Theatre www.sistic.com.sg
21 – 30 November Kaala Utsavam Indian Festival of Arts The Esplanade www.sistic.com.sg
MEMBER DISCOUNTS AAS Member Discounts AAS members enjoy discounts at a range of local businesses. Present your AAS membership card at time of purchase. Please see a full list of discounts at www.aasingapore.com/member-discounts.
28 & 29 November SCO Series of 2014/2015 – Tunes of Min Nan SCO Concert Hall www.sistic.com.sg 5 – 7 December Voices 2014 – The Puppini Sisters Esplanade Concert Hall www.sistic.com.sg
2 hours free handyman service worth over $200 when you book your move with Allied Pickfords. Call 6862 4700.
LIFESTYLE
Receive a complimentary round trip transportation to and from Changi Airport when you book a package tour with Country Holidays. Call 6334 6120.
1 November – 31 December Hedger’s Carpet Gallery Year-end Carpet Sale 15 Dempsey Road #01-09 10:30am – 7pm www.hedgerscarpetgallery.com.sg 2 & 3 December Christmas Fair Raffles Town Club, Dunearn Ballroom 10am-6pm (Tuesday), 10am-7:30pm (Wednesday) www.theexpatfairs.com
Receive complimentary insurance consultations with an experienced insurance advisor. Visitors can choose to receive free, no-obligation quotes on Home, Medical, Life, Travel, Motor and Business Insurance. Get a six-month free membership to Expat Living magazine. Redeem: www.expatliving.sg/aas
EDUCATION From 1 November UWCSEA Applications for Admission to UWCSEA in 2015/2016 open now Dover or East Campus www.uwcsea.edu.sg admissions@uwsea.edu.sg
Receive a 10% discount on all purchases over $100 at both Marina Bay Link Mall and Rochester Park locations.
If you spend over $800 at their Dempsey Store, receive a hand-woven Indian Kelim flat-weave rug (5’6”x3’6”) worth $150 absolutely free (while stocks last). Call 6462 0028.
7 November & 5 December Open House Stamford American International School 279 Upper Serangoon Road www.sais.edu.sg
Receive a 10% discount on a one-year membership.
22 November Testtakers SAT Preparation Program UWCSEA Dover & East Campuses 12:30pm www.testtakers-sg.com 25 November Open House Canadian International School Lakeside Campus 7 Jurong West Street 41 9am www.cis.edu.sg
SPORTS
27 November Chinese and Multilingualism: Equipping Your Child for Success Hosted by Canadian International School Hilton Hotel Ballroom, Level 3 7pm www.cis.edu.sg
8 & 9 November Sin City Invitationals A regional CrossFit community event F1 Paddock sincityinvitationals.com 29 November Santa Run for Wishes The Promontory@Marina Bay 4-10pm www.makeawish.org.sg
Primary Eye Care Optometry Comprehensive Eye Exams Available Here • Binocular Vision Assessment • Retinal Imaging • Glaucoma Screening • Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) • Visual Field Assessement • Corneal Topography
• All types of Contact Lenses • Multifocal Contact Lenses • Orthokeratology • Prescription Glasses • Specialty Contact Lenses for unusually shaped corneas e.g. Keratoconus
Attending Optometrists PHILIP D. IZAAC
ROLAND J. IZAAC
DIP. OPTOM; B. Sc. OPTOM. (USA) M. Sc. IN CLINICAL OPTOMETRY (USA)
DIP. OPTOM; B. SC. OPTOM. (USA) M. SC. IN CLINICAL OPTOMETRY (USA) MEMBER OF THE ORTHOKERATOLOGY SOCIETY OF S’PORE
Members: Singapore Optometric Association
PHILIP D IZAAC OPTOMETRIST
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CONTACT LENS CLINIC
290 Orchard Road, #18-02 The Paragon Tower 2, Singapore 238859 • +65-6734-8018 • enquiry@philip-d-izaac.com.sg
philip-d-izaac.com.sg
Mon-Sat 10am-7pm • Sun & P Holiday Closed
Singapore American • November 2014