00:00We are having party.
00:02The whole thing. No need to buy.
00:04No. The whole thing?
00:06It has to explode in your mouth.
00:08Cheers.
00:12Hi. Hello.
00:14Hello. Hello.
00:16Hello. Hello.
00:18Hello.
00:20My name is Poonam.
00:22I am 52 years old.
00:24I am from Haryana.
00:26It's a northern state in India.
00:28Life in India was little different.
00:30Definitely, I was very young.
00:32Different phases of life.
00:34I was going to school, then college,
00:36etc.
00:38I was going to school, then college,
00:40etc.
00:42My name is Poonam.
00:44My name is Poonam.
00:46In college, I was a player also, table tennis player.
00:50I played at district level, state level,
00:52and even at the university level.
00:54Definitely, that time, there was no iPhones,
00:56no iPads, so more times in the outdoors and everything.
01:00So, in India, all four seasons we experience.
01:02Sometime, it is super hot, super cold,
01:06beautiful spring and autumn.
01:08On the other hand, Singapore is a tropical country.
01:12It's mostly warm and humid,
01:14and it's more predictable,
01:16which is nice.
01:18When we came first time to Singapore,
01:20it was like definitely we were very anxious,
01:22because I have never thought I will go to Singapore.
01:26I have never even heard about Singapore.
01:28Yeah.
01:30My husband got the opportunity for a project.
01:32It was for about six months,
01:34and I was having a daughter of one month old,
01:36and I was thinking I don't have any help here.
01:38I remember we came in the middle of the night.
01:40Next day morning, when we woke up,
01:42we saw the neighbours.
01:44There was one Chinese neighbour,
01:46but they saw us that we are very new here.
01:48They smiled, and they talked to me.
01:50Then it was a little bit comforting.
01:52Staying in Singapore was not an overnight decision.
01:56Initially, we came for six months.
01:58Then we extended another six months.
02:00Then a year,
02:02because we were liking the life here.
02:04Everything was good for young parents.
02:06Everything was easily accessible.
02:08So many playgrounds are here nearby.
02:10School, colleges,
02:12and people were very kind and welcoming here.
02:14Life is little more fast driven,
02:16organized, very structured.
02:18Everything runs on time, smooth,
02:20in a super efficient way.
02:22Everybody knew English here.
02:24So we didn't have any language issue.
02:26So staying here,
02:27continuing here was very easy.
02:28But after two, three years,
02:30I was blessed by twins.
02:32One boy, one girl.
02:34They were born in KK Hospital Singapore.
02:36Children started growing up,
02:38and I was blessed by twins.
02:40One boy, one girl.
02:42They were born in KK Hospital Singapore.
02:44Children started growing up,
02:46and we saw how many opportunities
02:48they are having here.
02:50Not only in academically,
02:52exceptionally in the sports
02:54and all other activities.
02:55You can see all the medals
02:57and trophies they have got.
02:59So this is why I decided
03:01to stay in Singapore.
03:06Life right now is really fulfilling.
03:08I have got the opportunity
03:10to teach Hindi here,
03:11which is my mother tongue.
03:13And I felt it very meaningful.
03:15It's the way connected to my roots
03:18and culture here.
03:19So I got the opportunity
03:21to teach in the local schools also,
03:23international schools also,
03:24even at the university level.
03:26It's very different experience.
03:28There the students come
03:29from the different races,
03:31even different countries,
03:32and they want to learn to speak Hindi.
03:35They have different purpose
03:36of learning Hindi.
03:37Some of them will be having
03:38their would-be partner,
03:39Indian partner.
03:40Or some of them,
03:41they are having their grandparents
03:43are Indian.
03:44They want to talk to them.
03:46We exchange different culture.
03:48They tell us
03:49and we tell them the story.
03:51So we all exchange the culture,
03:53festivals, rituals.
03:55It's a beautiful platform
03:56to learn all these things.
03:58Even we get to learn
03:59so many things from them.
04:00We do celebrate all the Indian festivals.
04:04We celebrate all Diwali,
04:06Hari Raya,
04:07Chinese New Year.
04:08With all the friends,
04:09even children friends,
04:10they all come to our home
04:11for the food, Indian food.
04:13Again, Diwali also different,
04:14different groups will come.
04:16My daughters,
04:17entire friends gang will come
04:19because they want,
04:20Auntie, we need,
04:21we want to eat your food.
04:23And especially my son,
04:25he's having many Chinese friends
04:27because he did NS and all.
04:30So they all come to our place.
04:32Neighbours,
04:33during the Christmas,
04:34definitely they will not forget
04:35to give us the cookies.
04:37Sometime with family and friends,
04:39we have the potluck parties.
04:41The beauty of the potluck is,
04:43we have different racist friends
04:44and all,
04:45they all bring their own food.
04:47And we really love it
04:48because we get bored
04:49of eating everyday our own food.
04:51Through the potluck,
04:52it's nice to know more
04:54about other cultures.
04:56And we really love
04:57to talk to each other.
04:58We have a very good topic
04:59of the conversation.
05:01That is the food.
05:07I'm just very excited
05:08to try the panikuri.
05:09Yeah, you wished for it.
05:10So I'll just show you
05:11how do we eat it.
05:12Just take one,
05:13just break it.
05:15This is the mint chutney.
05:17If you want spicy,
05:19just put mint coriander
05:21and mango.
05:23This is the sweet chutney
05:24with the tamarind,
05:25raisins.
05:26This is the potato
05:27and mixed vegetables,
05:29something.
05:30And here is the main ingredients.
05:32Special water,
05:34we just pour in it.
05:38And it should straight away
05:40go to your new house.
05:41The whole thing,
05:42no need to bite.
05:43No.
05:44Whole thing.
05:45It has to explode in your power.
05:46It's like,
05:47imagine your salam power
05:48and then you bite it off
05:49and the soup is dripping out.
05:50You don't want that experience.
05:52Enough?
05:53More.
05:54Put more, put more.
05:55Yeah.
05:56Cheers.
06:01So good.
06:03I'm really enjoying myself.
06:04We are having party.
06:09My favourite place in Singapore
06:10has to be East Coast Park.
06:12And you can see,
06:14we live right in front of East Coast Park.
06:16Every day morning,
06:17when we get up,
06:18we look at the sea only.
06:21Without any fail,
06:22every evening,
06:23me and my husband
06:24will go for a walk
06:26at ECP.
06:27It's kind of ritual to us.
06:29So,
06:30this is the East Coast Park.
06:32One of the best places in Singapore
06:34and my favourite place.
06:35Whenever I get time,
06:37whenever I'm tired,
06:38I want to relax.
06:39This is the most comfortable place,
06:42calming place.
06:43You can see fireworks for National Day Parade here
06:45or New Year.
06:46It's very beautiful view from here.
06:47You come over the weekend,
06:48you will find people are doing yoga here,
06:50Tai Chi,
06:51relaxation,
06:52meditation.
06:53At night time,
06:54you sit here,
06:55you see the stars in the sky.
06:56It is a very full view.
06:57It is a fully reclaimed land.
06:59In 1960s and 1970s,
07:01this was full of small coastal town,
07:03full of villagers and fishing people.
07:05Wow.
07:06So, in 1970s,
07:07they prepared this park
07:08for all Singaporeans
07:09to enjoy.
07:10It is one of the most beautiful parks
07:12all across Singapore.
07:13In Singapore.
07:14Being a Singaporean
07:15people are doing yoga here,
07:16Tai Chi,
07:17relaxation,
07:18meditation,
07:19and meditation.
07:20At night time,
07:21you sit here,
07:22you see the stars in the sky.
07:23A Singaporean means
07:24belonging to a vibrant,
07:25multicultural community
07:27where respect
07:28and harmony
07:29matters deeply.
07:30For me also,
07:31it means like
07:32feeling safe,
07:33supported,
07:34and part of
07:35fast-moving society
07:36that values
07:37education
07:38and kindness.
07:39It's about
07:40carrying both
07:41my roots
07:42and my new home
07:43in my heart
07:44and contributing
07:45positively
07:46to this nation.
07:47Where do you see yourself
07:48high in Kenya, Singapore?
07:50In Singapore only.
07:55Singapore.
09:00उने उड़ने की राह दी तुमने, हम मुसाफिर से कुछ पल के, जिन्दगी भर की चाह दी तुमने.
09:08तहे दिल से धन्यवाद सिंगपर, आपकी सदैव आभारे पूनम चुग.
09:30झाल झाल झाल झाल झाल
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