A Raft of Ideas

We talk to DIANE HALL about her life in the region, her adventure into entrepreneurship, and how she had to take a different direction because of the pandemic and changes to the LOC in Singapore, which affected so many small businesses. It ended up pushing her to embark on something even bigger!

- DIANE HALL

Diane, where are you from, and what led you to Singapore?

I'm British, from a small seaside town in Kent. My expat story started in June 2000 when my partner, now husband, Steve was offered the opportunity to help finish the Changi MRT extension on a oneyear contract. We had just two weeks to organise ourselves, and with it only being a short contract we were keen not to miss any time. Little did we realise it would turn into a 22-year adventure!

Tell us a bit about the early days, and your other postings in the region.

We were excited and anxious about moving to Asia, a part of the world we hadn't been to, so we had no idea what to expect. We'd been offered a three-bedroom furnished apartment in the east of Singapore, and we left the UK with just two suitcases. It certainly wouldn't be two suitcases anymore!

We felt right at home here in Singapore. We made friends quickly - locals and expats alike. We got married at the ROM (Registry of Marriages) the following March. Steve finished the job in less than a year and was offered a two-year position in Thailand. So, a new adventure began, smack bang in the heart of Bangkok. It was so different from Singapore - busy, dirty and fun, and a true culture shock, but we loved every moment of our time.