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The Inside Scoop on Nightlife in Singapore MCI (P) 116/04/2016
A Fond Farewell By Melinda Murphy
Photo by Sue Levens
T
he US elections will bring a wave of change in the US and throughout the world, even here in the Lion City. In January – soon after the Obamas board the helicopter and leave the White House for the last time – US Ambassador to Singapore Kirk Wagar, his wife Crystal and their children will head back to the United States. Many are sad to see them leave, as the couple has been known for their warm and welcoming attitude, often opening their home and their hearts to both the American and Singaporean communities. In their three years in Singapore, the Wagars have been witness to some amazing political events, such as the death of Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew and the State Visit and Dinner held in Washington DC for Singapore. Their personal life has also been special, traveling around the region as expats here do. In August, they
added a new baby girl, Avery, to the mix. Kirk’s son (who lives in Miami) will be 11 in February and their daughter Rhys is now two. Crystal also faced a challenge all working mothers understand: finding balance between her personal and professional lives. Eventually, she gave up her law practice in Miami, choosing to focus on her public responsibilities and motherhood. Singapore has definitely changed their lives and touched their hearts. SAN: Has this job been what you expected? KW: The job itself is humbling and fantastic, the best job I could ever imagine. I don’t mean the role of ambassador. I mean being the US Ambassador to Singapore. I think I won the lottery of all of our friends who are serving elsewhere. [It’s exhilarating] when people come into the embassy to talk about what their companies are doing in this region, the choices they’re making, how they are using Singapore
as a platform, what’s going on in China and in India, for example. I just didn’t expect to learn as much across such a wide swath. It’s just unbelievable. That’s been the coolest part because who gets to learn that much at this point in their lives? CW: I came here with an idea of what we were going to be doing and what we were going to be learning and engaging in, but I think that I’m leaving with a different idea. I’m leaving with a lot more knowledge of not only the expat community living in Singapore and the Singaporeans, of course, but also of myself. My life has been totally changed and you couple that with learning what it means to be the wife of an ambassador and you’ve got this whole new sense of what the world looks like. Continues on page 9.
American Association of Singapore’s Annual Strategic Partners