Member Spotlight
Getting to know our members beyond the usual chitchat by Helena A. Cochrane
Phine Sim
always awesome and the people are too, but I guess every country has its share of disgruntled people.
Josephine (Phine) Sim is a native of Singapore, What hobby or activity have you finally though she’s also attended been able to pursue in Singapore that university in the US. She is you had wanted to previously? How a vivacious singer and choir has it influenced your time here? teacher, both professionally and as a volunteer. I have always wanted to walk through Phine’s Chinese paternal the whole of Singapore, via its forests grandparents immigrated and trails. It was something I began to Singapore where they with my big brother when we were raised ten children. They kids. converted to Christianity, This past year I started trekking raising their large family to whenever possible along familiar be very God-centric. Phine Phine with two rescued bunnies trails and some lesser known ones is deeply committed to this and I hope to pursue this new hobby central pillar of her heritage. Phine admires her dad, who until the day I cannot. I go alone or at most with one other in turn raised his own children to love life, art, and nature, person. It is not possible to enjoy basking in a forest with and to work hard in any circumstances. a group: all the yak, yak causes the wildlife to disperse. Tell us about your family and your primary interests. What habit(s) make you feel most settled in Singapore? My husband and I are the same age as Singapore’s My neighbors and I trade plants and recipes, grow stuff, Independence and we have two children aged 28 and buy food with and for each other, share eggs, salt, yeast, 24. Our son is engaged to be married. flour, and household tools, house-sit or dog-walk, etc. I work as a Ministry of Education Co-Curricular Activities What advice would you give first-time expats? choir instructor and also with Voices of Singapore. I am active in my church and volunteer with some charity and Get involved with your neighborhood activities and socialise. Get a pet or grow plants. But, please, don’t animal societies. abandon your pet when you relocate. Most recently, we’ve been helping with rescued rabbits. Since June 2021, I have been the director of the AWA International Women’s Choir. What have you enjoyed more about Singapore than you thought you would? We went to Wisconsin, the land of dairy products, USA, in 1987, for three years. Wisconsin locals are lovely and warm, in contrast to the cold climate. Its snowy forests, wilderness, fresh air, and open spaces are unforgettable. I had to live abroad to enjoy Singapore more. Love our consistently hot weather and unpredictable rain, good government, easy access to all sorts of things from services to groceries. Upon my return, I struggled with the long queues for the majority of things, pre-Covid. My husband and I had to adjust to the rushing around and crazy-busyness. Coming back to the fast pace of Singapore, it took me a whole year to re-adapt to city impatience and crowded everything. Conversely, what have you struggled with that you didn’t expect to be challenging? It’s been disappointing to see discontented people complaining. I would love to brag that my country is
Phine with her family Since moving from Philadelphia in 2018, Helena has been active with AWA's Walking with Women, Writers' Group and International Choir as well as with Urban Sketchers of Singapore.
AWA Magazine Jan/Feb 2022
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