Member Spotlight - Elissa Viornery

Getting to know our members beyond the usual chitchat

by Helena A. Cochrane

Originally from Michigan, Elissa has spent 32 years abroad, including a thirteen-year banking career in Paris and New York. She has lived in Singapore with her husband Pascal since 2014. Her daughter Ilona, born in Paris, studied business here in 2011. On July Fourth, 2021, her granddaughter Eva was born in Paris.

Elissa Viornery

What has surprised you most about Singapore culture?

This memory resurges first:

“Madam, Madam!” a high-pitched voice called out in Raffles MRT station. A young, professional-looking woman was hurrying towards me while she extended, like a banner, a large, square Band-Aid. In the train, the rim of my shoe had cut deep into the side of my foot, causing it to bleed profusely, and no amount of tissue had squelched the stem. This woman’s offer to help was an endearing act of kindness, particularly in pre-Covid times.

Second, so many activities, classes and museums are easily accessible. The numerous festivals open to all, whether religious, cultural, literary or just for fun, create continual highlights throughout the year.

Third, Singaporeans’ willingness to share and explain their multifaceted culture. An open, respectful and sincere interest will easily unlock many doors to the rich diversity of Singapore.

What activity previously of interest have you finally been able to pursue in Singapore?

In France, as a member of a poetry performance group uniting poetry recitation with other art forms and presenting well-known poets, I reveled in and shared great writers’ words with others. In Singapore, joining the AWA Writers’ Group enabled me to reconnect with my own voice. An intermittent activity since grade school, writing poetry became a serious endeavor for me. I delighted in the members’ genuine interest in their craft, their openness, and supportive feedback on each other’s work including mine, creating a positive atmosphere that continues to this day. One member, a former journalist, liberated any remaining inhibitions by telling me, “Don’t concentrate on whether it’s good or bad, just write!” Thanks to Zoom, neither pandemic nor geographical distance has prevented us from sharing our passion.

Have you tried something new in Singapore? How did it turn out?

Recently, I began Chinese ink painting with a Singaporean artist. There is both a meditative quality and an energy about each gesture, from preparing the ink to applying the brushstrokes. I love the awesome tranquility of the landscapes and the soft, light vivacity of bird, gourd and fish arrangements. All my classmates are Singaporean, and our artist/teacher speaks almost no English — a full cultural immersion. Fortunately, my classmates translate essential points. It reminds me of family reunions in my childhood. With my grandparents’ scant knowledge of English, all the adults spoke Hungarian, a lilting, agglutinative melody. Now, Mandarin, monosyllabic with four tones, creates a lively beat.

Any tips for newcomers?

• Delve into Singapore history through the eyes of people who lived it: "Singapore, A Biography" by Mark R. Frost. Then, visit the National Museum of Singapore.

• Read Josephine Chia’s "Kampong Spirit," which brings to life her kampong, or village, existence before independence, to truly appreciate the incredible progress Singapore has made during its 56 years as an independent nation, as well as some of the nostalgia.

• Join AWA and Friends of the Museums (FOM) if you haven’t already. Thanks to AWA, I spent my first Singapore summer going on guided tours learning about its many diverse neighborhoods. At the 2014 Welcome Fair, I joined the Choir, After Ni Hao, and Writers’ Group, of which I have been a co-chair since 2017.

Indeed, Singapore offers much to appreciate!

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.