My Town
Singapore
UBC alum Suzanne Scott explores the terrace houses along Petain Road in Singapore's Jalan Besar Conservation Area. Photo courtesy of Suzanne.
Suzanne Scott (PhD’11) is a fundraiser and author who has been living in Singapore for the past three years. She recently published Until Even the Angels, her debut literary crime novel — set in Singapore in the 1950s — with Penguin Random House SEA.
What three words best describe Singapore?
Future-focused. Dynamic. Diverse.
How did you come to live in Singapore?
Many roads keep drawing me to Singapore. As a young girl living in Jakarta, Indonesia, in the 1980s, I used to come to Singapore often. Then in the mid-90s while working in Asia, I would visit briefly. Now our family has taken on work opportunities here.
What do you like most about living there?
Singapore is so culturally diverse and represents so much of everyone’s home here. My friend group consists of people from all over the world: Singapore, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Lebanon, Egypt, India, Japan, Holland… I love soaking in all the cultural diversity!
Describe your favourite neighbourhood.
Joo Chiat is a very cool part of “the little red dot” (Singapore’s nickname). Both the district and its buildings have won several architectural and heritage awards including the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The pace of life is more relaxed, and you can access the East Coast Park easily and ride your bike along the sea. Brightly painted shophouses stand in between Hindu temples and mosques, adding old-world charm. The vibe is friendly and you can drop in to any coffee shop or bar for a delicious coffee or relaxing drink.
Colourful shophouses in Joo Chiat.
Photo by mehdi33300.
A close-up shot of Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple, one of Singapore's oldest Hindu temples located in the Katong-Joo Chiat cultural precinct.
© frdric / Adobe Stock.
If you could change one thing about Singapore, what would it be?
The intense humidity. An ocean breeze is always welcome.
What might surprise a visitor about Singapore?
Singapore is very lush with easily accessible parks and walking trails. The National Parks Board in Singapore is building a network of ecological corridors to make nature more accessible. Just steps from my urban apartment block, I can cycle along the Rail Corridor and see monitor lizards, hornbills, and monkeys.
What are your favourite hidden gems or activities that only locals know about?
Visit the TreeTop Walk suspension bridge for a bird’s eye view of the forest canopy — but avoid eye contact with the monkeys! (They can find this threatening and become aggressive.) Then head to The Roti Prata House on Upper Thomson Road to enjoy roti prata (flatbread) with a glass of chilled calamansi juice.
A day on the ocean is a nice break from the city’s high rises, so from Changi Point Ferry Terminal take a bumboat ride out to Pulau Ubin, one of the last kampongs, or villages, in Singapore. Grab a plate of nasi lemak (a fragrant rice dish) and mango juice at the Changi Village Hawker Centre to rehydrate and enjoy tasty Singaporean fare.
What’s the most overrated tourist hotspot?
The buildings making up the striking Marina Bay Sands designed by Canadian architect Moshe Safdie are stunning, but the super expensive high-end shops are certainly not in my budget!
How easy is it to meet new people?
Depending on what you like to do in your free time, you can join endless types of communities — from volunteering opportunities to groups that meet to go walking, play tennis, race dragon boats, or attend lectures and museum exhibitions.
What issues are particularly important to the people of Singapore?
Singapore is an expensive city to live in and both my Singaporean and international friends share their concern for how to keep up with the cost of housing and food — a universal problem.
What is one local custom that every visitor should know about?
FOOD is Singapore’s national pastime. “Have you eaten?” is the national greeting. This shows how important food is to Singaporeans.
According to Suzanne, visitors to Singapore might be surprised by just how lush and green it is — "easily accessible parks and walking trails" abound.
Here, she enjoys a visit at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Photo courtesy of Suzanne.
"FOOD is Singapore’s national pastime," writes Suzanne.
Pictured here: a plate of nasi lemak (a fragrant rice dish), a bowl of laksa (a spicy noodle soup), and some refreshing calamansi juice.
Photo courtesy of Suzanne.
Suzanne enjoys biking along the Rail Corridor, which is both a recreational area and an important ecological corridor that enables wildlife to move between green spaces. It is common to see a variety of wildlife in the Rail Corridor, such as hornbills, known for its uniquely large bill and distinctive headgear.
© Kowsi / Adobe Stock
A shot of Marina Bay Sands, the iconic complex designed by Canadian architect Moshe Safdie.
For a terrific view of the city, Suzanne recommends taking a bumboat ride in Marina Bay at night.
© Sean Hsu / Adobe Stock.
Looking to connect with your UBC alumni community?
If you live outside our campus communities in the Lower Mainland and Central Okanagan, visit the Global Alumni Network page to see if there’s an alumni ambassador or social media community where you live.
Alumni volunteers also host fun My Town Meetups in locations around the world. Check out our Meetups page to see if there’s a gathering near you — or sign up to host one in your location!
