Happy New Year 2024

The last time I published an annual newsletter was in December 2015.  As I wrestle again with the challenge of compressing a whole year's worth of living into one post, I am reminded why I gave it up.  This requires discipline. Of thought, emotion and choice.  To sift through the overwhelming crush of daily living and courageously pick out the things that are of significance.  To showcase to the world what we value, and risk being judged.  

But as Aeschylus once said, "Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times." These are the choices I've made this year on a quest for happiness for myself, and the people dear to me.

Two years ago, I agreed to join Nansen - a blockchain analytics startup serving global crypto investors from Singapore - with a job description that simply read "help out with HR stuff". Those five little words laid the foundation for the biggest adventure in this second half of my professional career. 

Leading HR (or People as it's known today) for a fully-remote company of 100 people across 35 countries requires a deep re-thinking of many of the people practices I thought I knew.  While many of the fundamentals still apply; the audience, context and tools have changed dramatically. And I must change along with it.  I'm really excited about pioneering practices for the new kind of company that has emerged from the global pandemic.  Building alongside leaders and a team who care as much about the technology as they do about people.  Such a rare and refreshing combination!

Other highlights that stand out this year include:

• Taiwan trip with my high-school friends in the spring.  Totally unprepared for the hiking and trekking; but the enforced brush with nature and fresh air was exactly what I needed to relax and rejuvenate
• Hubbing in London with my People Team.  We worked together in person for 3 weeks, mapping out strategies and the operational cadence required to achieve our targets.  Living and working in Central London was really a dream come true for me.  Watching Hamilton in the West End and eating my way around the world cuisines at my doorstep was absolutely fabulous!
• Summer holidays in UK allowed me to return to Birmingham University and enjoy charms of country living in Worcestershire.  A big thank you to Cris for her hospitality and introducing me to Otto - the first and only dog I've ever loved.
• Taking over caregiving responsibilities for my mother from my sister Julie, who returned to California to resume her nursing career.  Monthly trips to Penang became the norm from June onwards.  Coping with the symptoms of dementia is as frustrating for the patient as it is for the caregiver.  I wish I could say I'm more patient now; but I'd be lying. Fully dependent on God's grace with this one.
• Living in Penang has been a journey of discovery.  Thanks to the flexibility of remote work, I'm able to easily step into the culture and heritage of my father's birthplace, which is now just a 30 minute drive from home
• Speaking about driving, I finally got my Singapore driving license.  After 8 torturous months of tests, lessons and more tests, I am driving again. Legally. 😉
• Fangirling for my favourite Korean idol and actor Lee Junho when he stopped by Singapore on 8 December!

 Enjoying family time at Taiping Lake

  

Back in Priorsfield (University of Birmingham)

Hanging out with Cris and Otto - the most wonderful dog in the world

Saranghae Oppa Lee Junho 😍💕

Thank you to all my family and friends who've reached out via calls, chats, social media and in person.  I am grateful for every one of you.

" I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 

always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy." 

Philippians 1:3-4

Penang Eats

This is my most frequently requested list, from friends who know that Penang is my Malaysian home.  Here's a list of places that I have personally dined at and enjoyed.  It may not match many of the known foodie blog posts out there, and that's because this is where locals (not tourists) dine :)

• Cecil Street Hawker Centre | Also known as Chit Teow Lor Ban San (in Hokkien) or Seventh Street Market | A list of my personal favourite dishes are listed in detail here including curry mee, koay teow thng, char koay teow, pasembur, popiah, nyonya kueh...seriously the list is endless
• Winn's Cafe | Authentic northern Nyonya cuisine.  I highly recommend the nasi ulam, otak-otak, salted fish curry and sambal belachan. Be sure to check out the art gallery upstairs as well.
  
• Double Good Restaurant | Chinese restaurant where I host monthly dinners for my extended family.  Skip their set menus and order a la carte instead.  I recommend the Indonesian prawns claypot, steamed garoupa fish HK style, salted egg mantis prawn, braised pork trotters, sweet & sour pork, kailan double style, fuyong omelette
  
• Pitt St Koay Teow Thng | Michelin street food is now a thing in Penang so if you must indulge, this noodle soup dish is a good place to start.  The fishballs and meatballs are all made in-house and the taste and texture is uniquely delicious.  Be warned : the ladies who run this place are loud, really loud. 
• Joo Leong Cafe | Butter toast and half-boiled eggs with local coffee & tea for breakfast.  My family has been coming to this local village shop for decades.  Was surprised when it was discovered by bloggers.  The owners were my dad's mahjong buddies.  It's conveniently located on the way to the Penang International Airport.  
  
• China House | This is my one nod to tourists' favourites. It's worthy of mention for the novelty of having 4 dining concepts under one roof: cafe with delicious cakes, upscale dining, outdoor beer garden and cocktail lounge.  I love sitting in the Chinese garden section of the house complete with it's it moon gate and koi ponds.  A welcome respite from the hot and hectic world outside.

Walking with Daddy

I've always been Daddy's girl.  Since his passing in May 2022, I've tried many ways to keep his memory alive for myself.  One of my favourite pilgrimages is to go for a walk in Georgetown, Penang. Drawing on his stories, I love re-tracing the steps he would have taken from home to school.

The walk starts at Beach Road Fire Station, where my dad lived with his family.  My grandfather was the chief mechanic and driver of the longest fire engine in Penang in the 1950's.  He was a dedicated fireman who died in his uniform, from a heart attack at the prime age of 50.

Kapitan Kling mosque street is lined with money changers and nasi kandar stalls.  This is where my dad used to stop for his daily breakfast. Ten cents for a plate of nasi kandar and fish curry.  If the mamak was feeling generous, he would throw in a piece of beef for free.  Which my dad technically was not allowed to eat, coming from a Buddhist family.  But he whacked it anyway!

The Goddess of Mercy temple is where my grandmother offered prayers on festival days.  Built in 1728, this 300-year old temple is the oldest Buddhist temple in Penang.  The centuries-old tree in the courtyard of the temple would have rustled its leaves as my dad ran past it every day on the way to and from school.

The back of Assumption Church hosted many of my dad's infamous fights, including one which almost got him expelled from school.  The losing opponent reported my dad to his brother who was a teacher.  When called to the Principal's office, my dad produced a signed contract with two signatures stating that both boys had agreed to a friendly match to test their boxing skills.  Case closed.  

St Xavier's Institution is the seat of my dad's happiest childhood memories and achievements.  The street urchin found his calling in the athletic fields as a 110-yard hurdle champion training under Jimmy Boyle, one of Malaysia's most beloved composers, who also happened to be dad's athletics teacher.  He also spent many happy days as a Boy Scout, which provided an excellent foundation for his career as a soldier in the Malaysian Army. He was a proud Xavieran till his dying day.

English summer

Afternoon tea at the Corinthian with Claire, Tom and Steph

Travelled to London this summer to work in person with my People team.  While we love the flexibility that comes with remote work, team bonding is taken up several notches when we get to meet in real life and make memories together.  We had a fabulous time setting out our strategy, discussing priorities and mapping out our plans for the rest of the year.  In between sightseeing, afternoon teas, West End musicals and world cuisines at our doorstep.  It was such a dream come true for me to work in Central London!

Showing Claire around some of my favourite sites during my student days in England

Managed to also take a week off and travel to the Midlands to visit friends.  Went back to University of Birmingham for the first time since I left in 1996,  and found Priorsfield.  It was the business school during my MBA days but now serves as the Institute for Language Studies. 

Thanks to hospitality of my friend Cristina Sambrook, I got to enjoy the charms of English country living in Worcestershire. A week of pub lunches, tea on the lawn, dinners by pretty canals and long walks with the dog was so therapeutic.  Exactly the type of summer break I needed to unwind from a particularly challenging spell at at work. Falling in love with her dog Otto was an unexpected bonus 💖

Otto - the first dog I've ever loved

Taiwan Trails

What happens when a group of six school friends from Class of 1987 travel to Taiwan together?  If you're expecting mature elegance and sophistication, you'd be dead wrong!  Read on if you're open to a dose of laughter, silliness and map-cap adventures.

Day 1 in Ximending, the hippest, happening shopping district which was our landing base in Taipei. You can tell we were all very happy to be there!  

While the capital city held all the bright lights and excitement, Taiwan really began to shine for me when we ventured out to the countryside.  The mountain vistas, nature parks and waterfalls were exactly what I needed to let go of work stresses and start relaxing with my friends.  

I wasn't quite ready for the all the walking and trekking that was planned but very glad I went along with the itinerary.  The fresh air and exercise was exhilarating and once I got started, it was quite hard to stop.  Even for photos.

But here's one for the books.  Proof that I really did enjoy the hike to the waterfalls and back!

No trip to Taiwan would be complete without food.  And we certainly had plenty of it!  From night market street snacks; to Instagrammable staples in heart of tourist traps; to a surprising seafood feast in a quiet fishing village.  

We enjoyed the good stuff and laughed away the not-so-good.  There's a deep enduring joy that comes from sharing the highs and lows. Not just of food and travel, but life experiences too.  A true reflection of our friendship over the years.  

There's a quirky charm in many parts of Taiwan. Jimmy Park in Yilan City stands out in particular. Home of a famous illustrator, the colourful whimsical art installations provided us with a full morning of entertainment.  

Some of us are very good at sharing burdens...

...while others are less inclined. Sigh; once a diva, always a diva!

A big thank you to:

• Pat & Jean for planning the itinerary and all the heavy lifting with the logistics
• Pek Yee for being our human we-fie stick and photo editor throughout the trip
• Lu Meng, my long-suffering room mate who has to put up with my idiosyncracies
• Siok Chu, for your endearing nature. You're so funny without even trying:)
  
  

I am thankful to have grown up with all of you and even more grateful that we can age disgracefully together.  

I thank my God for every remembrance of you.
Philippians 1:3