When I was 19, I made a decision that would have a monumental effect for the first phase of my adult life. I signed a scholarship with the Singapore Government. They would pay for my university studies at the University of Sheffield in England, United Kingdom. In return, I would work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore (MFA for short) for six years.
That was two decades ago. Back then, my family and I were very poor. I had studied hard in pursuit of a better life because that was what my late mother had told me to do. She died when I was 13. After her passing, I was lost in the wilderness for a while. With the help of good friends and the teachers who cared, I managed to pull up my socks and eventually got the results I needed for a scholarship. I resolved to give my only surviving parent the better life I had originally intended for two.
The scholarship solved my biggest conundrum after the ‘A’ Levels – how was I going to finance my university studies. There was no way my father was going to be able to pay for it and even if I worked part time through my studies, I would end up with some debt – though it is not as mountainous as the one faced by graduates in some other countries. Anyway, I thought the scholarship was a fair trade. Six years of my life in return for a relatively worry-free higher education, I could live with that deal.
I would end up staying close to 15 years at MFA. And what a time it was. I served overseas in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for over four years, and learnt there what it takes to establish an Embassy from scratch. It was a truly wonderful time in my life where I had many experiences and made many friends whom I still hold dear to this day.
Subsequently, I would be posted to Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the Deputy Chief of Mission (and also made the diplomatic rank of Counselor – bonus!). In terms of daily life, Riyadh was challenging but I was fortunate to have served there at a time of great change for a kingdom that had hitherto moved at a glacial pace but with gargantuan effects across the region.
Between 2008 and 2018, I spent a total of eight years outside of Singapore. My heart began to ache for my homeland, and my thoughts were occupied with the strains of relocation. The other thing that happened was the reawakening of a childhood dream I had long since shelved away.
A dream of writing and telling stories. When I was in primary school, English was my favourite subject. I particularly enjoyed writing compositions whether it was under examination conditions or otherwise. By the time I was nine years old or so, I was thinking exclusively in English. Alas, I did not enjoy studying English literature as much as a teenager, and I did not indulge in much storytelling in favour of more… serious subjects.
I won’t say that I was very unhappy with my job. It has done so much for me and my family. I can say with certainty that we are far from poor thanks to the job. And the memories it gave me along with the other non-material rewards are invaluable.
However, there had to be more to my life. Perhaps I was and am still insane for walking away from a stable job – especially during the uncertainty caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, between 2014 and 2020, I found myself increasingly consumed by the stories I read. I am partial towards horror but I also read adventure, fantasy, thrillers, drama and more. I realised that the media of storytelling was wider than I had first imagined it to be. Part of that was my own ignorance, and the other part was the growth of the trade facilitated by the proliferation of the internet and social media.
The other thing I came to realise was that my children had not read the myths and legends of Singapore I had grown up with. Well, to be fair, they are still quite young. But still, I felt sad that the fantastical tales of princes, lions, and swordfish were not as widespread as I thought they should be.
Therefore, a thought popped into my head which grew into an impetus that pushed me over the edge and into a rabbit hole of imagination. Today, I am halfway or so through the first novel, a retelling of the legend of Sang Nila Utama.
In the legend I read when I was a child, Sang Nila Utama was a prince of the Srivijayan Empire who sailed to Singapore, then known as Temasek. One day, while hunting, he came upon a strange and magnificent beast. His advisor told him that it was called a Singa, or lion in their language. Thus Sang Nila Utama determined that the island was to be renamed Singapura – the Lion City. The moniker has stuck to this day.
But there is so much more to the legend. The stories of how Sang Sapurba, the father of Sang Nila Utama (though this is disputed) came to Seguntang in Palembang, Indonesia; how they claimed lineage to Alexander the Great; and the sword that is apparently part of the regalia of the royal family of a state in Malaysia.
That was how the outline for the first novel was born. Fingers crossed, I will release it for Kindle, Kobo, and other major platforms.
I have other projects planned, including an anthology of stories themed around COVID-19 in Singapore. And a collection of traditional Singaporean horror, updated to suit the times.
My sole non-fiction project at the moment has the working title, “The Diplomat’s Handbook – A Guide to the first overseas posting”. This project was borne out of my experience from the two postings I served. I realised that many of the adjustment issues I had encountered in Abu Dhabi and to some extent, Riyadh, were not all that rare. Foreign services the world over face difficulties preparing their officers for life in another country. I believe that there are some common lessons for all foreign service staff – not just the diplomats, and I hope that the final product will be helpful to all.
So there it is. The reason behind my decision to pursue writing over a stable job. Wish me luck as I take each step in this new world.
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