#9 YBP's Story: Ahead of a New Chapter in New York
Editor: Seol Hye-su @hyssl.kr Park Ji-hyun @_j_ihn.b
I wanted to tell the stories of not only the trio of editors at YBP magazine, but also many more young broke professionals struggling to survive overseas. This began with the story of Taeyeon, who has just concluded her three-year stint in Singapore and is about to embark on a new chapter in New York. I first met Taeyeon on the same team, and she closely resembled the young professional I'd vaguely imagined. She seemed to be enjoying life in Singapore both inside and outside the office, until one day she suddenly announced she was moving to New York. Before sending her off across the Pacific, I was curious to hear her reflections on life in Singapore and her current state of mind as she prepares to embark on her journey. So, let's hear Taeyeon's story.
Q. Who are you and where do you live?
TY. My name is Jane Kim and I live in River Valley.
Q. Where did you live before the Singapore war?
TY. Singapore is the fifth city I've lived in while working. When I first started working, I was in New York, then Stockholm. I was back in Seoul, then worked briefly in Jeju during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then came to Singapore in July 2021. It's been exactly three years since I came to Singapore.
Q. Have you been able to adapt to Singapore?
TY. I came to Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I spent a lot of time in my hotel room chatting with people both inside and outside the company. What I remember most is that none of the people who returned to their home countries left because they disliked their jobs. Most left because they weren't satisfied with their personal lives, like not being able to make deep friendships or for other social reasons. To adapt well and stay here for the long haul, I resolved to build a solid foundation for my life outside of work, by making friends who feel like family and finding hobbies I can pursue here.
Q. How did you develop your life outside of work? I'm curious about how you met the friends who are like family.
TY. I'm about to embark on a new chapter, so I've been talking about these concerns a lot lately. For the first six months or so, I went through a period of trial and error, willingly saying "yes" to activities I didn't enjoy. To give you an example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with limited movement, one of the "yeses" I had was prawning. It's a bit cliché, but if you go north of Singapore, you can catch and eat shrimp from a large pond. I wasn't interested at all, but whatever. I remember catching shrimp in silence, keeping our distance from each other. Thinking back on the money I spent back then, I think I could buy a few buckets of shrimp at cold storage. It was exhausting in many ways, but I think that process helped me figure out which people I would have a more comfortable relationship with. Also, meeting friends who connect people helped me expand my network. In fact, if you have a friend like that, you can get to know 10 people through that one friend.
Q. I heard you also do podcasts… It seems like you’ve been doing a lot of creative work.
TY. I didn't initiate it. A friend of mine who's building a community for nomadic Asian women does a lot of impromptu projects, and the podcast was one of them she wanted to do. I have a lot of creative friends around me, and I'm not the type to say no, so I take on a lot of challenges. Now that I think about it, I'd forgotten about it.
I've even been in a book club. To build a community, it's helpful to broaden your circle of friends in the beginning, but I think increasing the frequency of meetings is helpful for getting to know someone on a deeper level. But since we can't just meet for a meal every time, I thought that by consistently attending gatherings where we do things we enjoy, we could make quality friends, so I created a book club. I'm still close with the friends I made there.
It's not that I have a tremendous love for my work. Whether my book club succeeds or fails, or how many people listen to my podcast, those things don't really matter. The significance lies in overcoming the psychological hurdle of "Can I do this?" and in meeting great friends.
Q. I imagine there must have been just as many goodbyes as there were encounters. Did the frequent separations have any impact?
TY: Absolutely. I love the diversity of my friends here. And I leave for the same reason. There are no seasons in Singapore, and seeing people around me leave made me feel like I had my own season. At first, I was incredibly sad. But as time went on, I found myself filled with opportunities. New friends came, and I spent more time with other people. I also had the opportunity to meet new people with interesting profiles. So now, saying goodbye isn't as serious as it used to be.
Q. I understand you've traveled a lot. Was that a consequence of these frequent breakups?
TY. That's true, but the journey itself is one of the core memories of my time here. In the past, I'd just focus on "Top 10 Things to Do in the City," but now I tend to travel based on my own goals. It's like traveling with a specific agenda, you know?
There was a time when Singapore was so boring that I traveled a lot. Back then, I had a hard time adjusting to the time difference, was always tired, and spent a ton of money. (Haha) I don't regret that time, but one thing I've learned is to use a self-approval system and only travel when you have a specific agenda. For example, if it's a trip where you can have meaningful time with the people you're traveling with, experience a place you want to live in and build a network there, or celebrate a friend's wedding, then okay.
Q. What do you like about traveling?
TY: I like refreshing my perspective the most. Sometimes, when you're in one place, it feels like everything. For example, things happening at work might seem trivial from a distance, but in the moment, they seem like everything. In the same vein, I think it's important to see new types of people. When you realize that not everyone lives this way, you can break free from the constraints of everyday life. It actually doesn't really matter.
Q. So, do you have any tips for meeting new people while traveling?
TY: It varies from city to city, but I think it's actually easier to make connections if you have a common interest. For example, running clubs are a great place to meet casually, and co-working spaces are also great places to meet people.
When I went on this trip to New York, I hadn't actually received an offer yet. When I was planning the trip, I didn't know I'd end up living in New York. I went there to see Tech Week, and I think it's easier to meet people at events like that.
Q. It seems like you enjoy meeting new people. So, Taeyeon, how do you want to be perceived by others?
TY. I want to be someone who's open-minded and can spread positive energy. One thing I always try to keep in mind is that when someone takes on a challenge, I always support them. I meet a lot of people who live different lives, and I've never thought their lives were strange. It just makes sense in her story.
Q. That's really "Cool." So, is Taeyeon's ultimate goal to conquer the world?
TY. Haha, because I've been traveling around so much, people seem to think I'm ambitious or risk-taking, but that's not true at all. I think I've always taken action with a prepared mind. I've always moved forward with a clear vision, so I've never traveled to another country without a job. Since I came to Singapore, I've been to New York every year to see if my desire to work there still holds true. I think this decision was a very realistic one, reached after much trial and error.
My ultimate goal is to just live my life as myself.
I'm turning 30 next year, and things like "Things to do before turning 30" keep popping up on YouTube. They're talking about what to do next, and then getting married. What I don't regret is that while not all of the decisions I made in my 20s were right, I've still done the things I wanted to do. Even if others might think, "Why are you suddenly going somewhere like that?", I believe those decisions shaped me. So, going forward, and my ultimate goal, I hope to continue making these decisions and living my life true to myself.
New York, cheers to Jane Kim.