SEANA ADACHI EXPAT STORY

Expat stories!

Tell us a little about yourself, 

Where do you live now, and how long have you been there?

I’m currently living in Singapore and have been here since 2013, nearly eight years now.

What do you love about where you live now?

There are several things that I love about this country. First, I love the year-round lush green of Singapore. There are trees in every pocket of this city/country and lots of giants in my Holland Village neighbourhood. Second, I love the diversity of this place. No one bats an eye at someone who looks different from themselves. I also love the order of things. A lot of work goes into things running smoothly here.   

Have you lived anywhere else?

I’ve lived in Japan, Thailand, India and the US, besides Singapore.

How it all began

Where are you from originally?

I’m originally from California, USA.

What was your reason for moving abroad in the first place?

I was born to a wander lustre family and inducted into the gypsy lifestyle when we moved to India when I was eight. That set the tone for the rest of my life, and I’ve had the vagabond spirit since.  

2020

Has 2020 Changed you? If so, how? 

It has made me immobile along with everyone else. For the first time, I am living within the confines of a country’s border and realising how fluid everything was before this pandemic and how much I miss the luxury of changing my scenery now and then. 

Has 2020 changed the way you work? 

I have to give presentations. I lead tastings and once worked at big scale events in my work. Everything is scaled down now, making for more meaningful communication with those that I do meet through work. I have also had to accept that there is no choice but to rely heavily on meeting technology and working through screens and keyboards. 

The Now 

How has being an expat changed you?

I’m hard-pressed to remember what life was like before I became an expat. However, through my experience as an expat over the course of my life, I’ve learned to be fine with being the minority and often the outsider. I get joy out of observation and have learned that it’s not always necessary to belong to a group. Of course, it can be challenging, but cross-cultural communication offers a great deal of stimulation and opportunity for self-reflection.  

What are you working on now? 

I’m working with a wonderful family-owned Imports company called Epicurean Nomads. We specialise in bringing in and supplying Singapore with handcrafted Sake, beer and other fine spirits from Japan.  

My passion for Sake and other traditional products developed by long lineages of craftspeople in Japan has been a big drive in my life for the past two decades. I am currently conducting bi-monthly workshops on Sake and curating a variety of pairing dinners around town.  

You can find our projects on our website and our Facebook page 

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I hope this post has given you the information you need. If you or someone you know would like to tell their story, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at [email protected]

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Other interesting expat stories –

Michelle Fisher – Expat story

Linnie Mackenzie – Expat story

Ingrid Tatham – expat story

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