(Wikipedia) ‘An Expatriate (often shortened to Expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of their citizenship. The word comes from the Latin terms ex (“out of”) and patria (“country, fatherland”).
This blog aims to discover people who are adventurers like me, venturing out in a new place to call home and creating memories. I have previously lived with my parents and siblings in the Saudi Arabia when I was in high school. I have enjoyed and cherished my memories in the beautiful Sandbox I once called my home. Now, I am in a new adventure with my husband and sons here in Singapore.
I am featuring Expats in different countries every two weeks to share their experiences and adventures with you and me.
I met this featured charming and friendly expat at a #BlogMeetSg event. Wieteke is the Marketing and PR manager of August Society, a swim wear line. She will be sharing with us about her expat life in Singapore and more about August Society.
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1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are originally from?
Photo Credit: Natasha Shuttleworth
I am Wieteke van Zanten, I am a freelance Marketing & PR Manager originally from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. I’ve worked over 10 year in fashion marketing roles in Europe after the move I decided to start my own business and share my knowledge in Singapore. I love to travel, cook, read and visit all different kind of museums. I am married to Mark, also a Dutchie.
2. What made you move to Singapore? How long have you been here?
I have been here for almost 3 years now, time flies. I still love the city and all the amazing countries in the area. So, there is no reason to head back to Europe soon. We moved here because we wanted to live and work in another part of theworld. I applied for a role at a Design Academy and I got hired. I enjoyed teaching and creating new programs for them but after 1.5 years I also missed the corporate world and decided to take on more commercial projects. That’s how I met Toni, the founder and creative director of August Society.
Photo Credit: Natasha Shuttleworth
3. What do you miss about your home country?
Of course I miss my family and friends but also the Dutch cheese and the chocolate sprinkles on my bread. They are the best!
4.What are the wonderful discoveries and things you like about in Singapore?
That’s easy: food! I really love the variety of Asian and Western dishes. Even late at night you can enjoy a great and affordable meal in one of the hawkers.
5. What are the 3 tips you can give to fellow expats in Singapore or those you planning to move here?
Visit all the beautiful museums, and see or learn something new every day. – Travel and discover new places. Besides Singapore there are plenty of options in the region: from the beautiful beaches in Thailand till the stunning cities like Ho Chi Min City. – Just smile and enjoy yourself as much as possible, Singapore is a great place to live for a few years. Make the best of it. It’s so easy to make new friends; the city is full of newbies.
6. The LITTLE MISS HONEY community gets inspired through travel, food and books. Can you tell us your current FAVORITE TRAVEL SPOT, current FAVORITE FOOD/RESTAURANT DISCOVERIES & current FAVORITE BOOK?
My all time favorite city is NYC, my current travel hot spot is HCMC. I just love that city, the energy, sweet people and the best food. My favorite restaurant depends on my mood. It can be my local hawker on Zion road, or one of the tucked away restaurants in China town or just a fancy Italian.
I am more a magazine kind of girl. Magazines are so easy, you can read and bring them everywhere. I really like to read short stories, get inspired by the latest trends and to try recipes.
7. Where do you get your inspirations? Who or what inspires you?
There is a lot that inspires me – but I need to go out. For example I can walk on Haji Lane, where our office is located, and get inspired by all the hipsters who hang out there. Same with magazines, TV series, movies, you tube, bloggers they all inspire.
8. Can tell us about your swimwear line, August Society?
What makes it special from all the other swimwear brands out there? Toni, the founder and designer of the brand, created all mix and match tops and bottoms. That’s a big plus if you like to choose your own cut that suit your mood. We use top quality Italian-made fabric, which contains XtraLife Lycra to help retain its shape, it is ultra chlorine resistant, sun creams & oil resistant and has excellent UV protection. And the good part is that it is made from recycled plastic – this means waste plastic (that would have been dumped in a landfill, or worse, the ocean) is repurposed into fibres and made into the polyester or nylon for our swimsuits.
9. Can you share with us three of your favorite August Society swimwear in your collection?
I love that you can choose the cut based on your mood. Take for example the bottoms: the Ipanema Brazilian bottom is not for shy girls, it shows a lot of your bum, the Tahiti String Bottom has a more medium rise and back coverage but the right amount to still look sexy and than the Boracay Hipster will give you full confident in the water. Perfect for an active day on the beach.
10. Give us tips in how to pick the perfect and flattering bathing suit.
You need to feel confident in what you wear. Find a suit that fit’s you well, gives you the right support and has a flattering color. If you can check all the boxes you have found the right bathing suit!
11. Lastly, can you share with what is your inspirational mantra in life?
Love Life. That’s it, just love life.
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Thank you Wieteke for sharing with us your story and August Society! We will definitely check out your website/showroom if we are heading off to the beach or resort very soon.
To get hold of the timeless pieces in August Society, check out their website at www.augustsociety.com or you can visit their showroom:
16A Haji Lane, Singapore, 189209
Tel: +65 6816 9980Open for drop-ins: Tuesdays – Fridays 1pm – 6pm
If you are an expat or know any expats who are interested to be featured, drop me a line at littlemisshoneyblog@gmail.com.”