This feature was first published in Journeys Summer 2020.
This article was written by communications writers Didi Hari Krishnan and Kinjal Shah.

After graduating from Singapore American School, our Eagles explore the globe—but some choose to return to the Little Red Dot, a place they eventually call home. What brings them back to the Lion City? We asked a few SAS alumni residing in Singapore to share a slice of their lives with us.

RICHARD JANY (CLASS OF 1980)
REAL ESTATE AGENT, RICHARD JANY REAL ESTATE PRIVATE LIMITED

Richard Jany (Class of 1980) transferred to SAS in January 1978 when his father was reassigned to Singapore. His admiration for Singapore grew exponentially after he saw the rapid growth of the country. He soon became a permanent resident after serving in the Singapore Fire Service as a senior officer.

While Jany waited for the birth of his daughter at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, a real estate company's recruitment advertisement on the hospital’s TV network caught his eye. He eventually completed a course in real estate and served a wide variety of clients from all walks of life— retirees, investors, doctors, lawyers, pilots, celebrities, business owners, CEOs, and ambassadors. Today, Jany is the principal licensee of his own real estate agency— Richard Jany Real Estate Private Limited. He works closely with his daughter, who also works in real estate with one of the largest property agencies in Singapore.

Jany took a trip down memory lane and shared some of the changes he has seen in Singapore over the years:
• He arrived in Singapore in 1978 at Paya Lebar Airport, which is now a military airbase.
• The only highway back then was the Nicoll Highway.
• The architecture of the HDBs has changed—case in point: Pinnacle@Duxton or Dawson.
• The MRT was non-existent and buses had no air-conditioners.
• Sentosa was only a resort island. There were no houses or condominiums.

When asked to describe what he loves about living in Singapore, Jany shared, “The emphasis on family values, a just legal system, government efficiency and transparency, the attitude to help at government offices, the lack of unnecessary bureaucracy, safety, cleanliness, security, and zero tolerance for drugs.” He calls Singapore home. This is where he spent most of his adult life, raised a family, and established his own business.

GREGORY WALDRON (CLASS OF 1988)
ASIA MANAGING EDITOR, FLIGHTGLOBAL

From one cosmopolitan city to another, Gregory Waldron (Class of 1988) returned to Singapore after his former employer, Dow Jones & Company, transferred him from New York City in 1997. He is currently the Asia Managing Editor of FlightGlobal, a leading aviation publishing group. His role is to oversee the company’s coverage of the region's aerospace and airline markets.

Waldron shared one of the major changes he has noticed since he was a student at SAS: “Singapore is far more crowded and cosmopolitan than in the 1980s. One detail that remains unchanged is the public buses—many of the old bus routes from the 1980s are exactly as they used to be.” As with most of our alumni, he is still in touch with his fellow Eagles. One of his good friends, Phil Wickham (Class of 1989) currently lives in Singapore and they are both in regular contact.

Waldron believes the island is an extremely livable country to be in, especially when raising a family. After living in Singapore for many years, he and his family identify Singapore as their home, and they hope to stay for a few more years.

BRYAN BAKER (CLASS OF 1994)
OIL AND GAS, MARINE AND OFFSHORE INDUSTRY
Moving lock, stock, and barrel to Singapore 15 years ago, Bryan Baker (Class of 1994) has spent almost half his life in this amazing Lion City. His first business trip to Asia took him to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Singapore—all in a span of one month! He was motivated to find a way to return to Singapore when his father’s former colleague offered him a job at 3M Singapore. The rest, as they say, is history!

“The first thing anyone would notice if they were to come back and visit, is how much the city has changed and grown,” says Baker. “Buildings and condos get knocked down and new ones go up in their place. As for what is the same, I’d say the food. Newton Circus is still around (although it looks different), and even Mr. Ho is still serving at the SAS cafeteria.” With a son who currently attends SAS, it’s not so difficult to satisfy cravings for a Mr. Ho dish!

Baker enjoys Singapore weather, the lifestyle, the regional travel, the food, and the community, and of course, catching up with fellow alumni!

EUGENE WONG (CLASS OF 2009)
VIRTUAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, WEWORK SINGAPORE

Eleven years after graduating from SAS, Eugene Wong (Class of 2009) notices the changes in Singapore. The famous boat- shaped building, Marina Bay Sands, was still under construction when he was a student at SAS. Nowadays, getting taxis seems to be a breeze and there is an abundance of food options and new restaurants across the island, though he is glad to see that his old hangout spots are still around.

Wong returned to Singapore two years ago after working in New York for over four years. He currently works as the Virtual Design and Construction Manager for WeWork Singapore, and is mainly responsible for building information management of projects and locations, integrating design and construction technologies and processes in operations. His fellow Eagle, Maya Kale (Class of 2012), also works in the same company.

The ability to travel to nearby countries and the general safety of being in Singapore keeps Wong happy and content. He shared, “One key thing for me has been Singapore’s position as a major hub for Southeast Asia. There are lots of emerging opportunities in the technology and construction industry.”

The original plan for Wong was to stay in Singapore for two years. Although his family and siblings are all back in New York, he hopes to be here on the little red dot for the foreseeable future.

DONALD KLIP (CLASS OF 1988)
ENTREPRENEUR
After spending 25 years working in Hong Kong, the Klips decided to raise their family in Singapore in December 2014, just in time to enroll their children in SAS for
the January intake.

An entrepreneur by profession, Donald Klip (Class of 1988) runs a small company that focuses on offering US and international mortgages to foreign nationals and expats. There is no other place he can think of to raise his children and it wasn’t long before the Klips decided to make Singapore home.

Why Singapore? Safety, greenery, cleanliness, and a plethora of cultural opportunities for kids are high on Klip’s list. Both his children currently attend SAS. “My son plays for Real Madrid’s under 10 team and my six-year-old daughter dances for the top dance school in Singapore and performs in front of a 1,000 people each year,” says Klip.

The Klip family like to spend weekends at the National Gallery Museum, hike through the various trails, bike along the East Coast, or go throw a football around at the Botanic Gardens.

JENNIFER NOCKELS (CLASS OF 2007)
BRAND MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, AUTODESK

After a decade in New York City working as a marketer at several luxury beauty brands, Jennifer Nockels (Class of 2007) decided that it was time to venture into the thriving tech industry in Southeast Asia. She chose to return to familiar territory—Singapore— in March 2019.

Nockels currently works at Autodesk,a leading firm in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software. She is responsible for brand marketing and communications in ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand, where she creates integrated campaigns that build brand awareness through digital, PR, events, and content marketing. She comments, “I really enjoy my work because I get to conceptualize and implement creative ways of communicating the brand's story, except this time it’s for one of Silicon Valley’s most prestigious tech companies!”

During her free time, Nockels enjoys exploring the outdoors—hiking the trails of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, or strolling through the flora of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Naturally, she has moments of nostalgia where she reminisces about her time in the US, but she knows that coming back was the right decision. She eloquently shares what she appreciates most about the Lion City: “It truly has everything to offer—whether you’re looking for the best rooftop vistas, the greenest gardens, or the tastiest chilli crab in town. It’s a mix of old and new, a fusion of eastern and western cultures.

I feel fortunate to return with a sense of purpose and a world of experience. I hope that I can contribute both personally and professionally to the little red dot that I call home.”

BEN CHAROENWONG (CLASS OF 2009)
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN FINANCE, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
Ben Charoenwong (Class of 2009) and his wife Alika Savira (Class of 2009) returned to Singapore in 2017 after he finished his Ph.D. in Finance at the University of Chicago. After contemplating their next move, they eventually decided to move back to Singapore to be in closer proximity with both their parents (Singapore and Indonesia). After having lived most of their lives in Singapore, they know it is a good place to raise a family in the foreseeable future.

Charoenwong is an assistant professor of finance at the National University of Singapore, where he teaches international finance and financial data analytics. His research focuses on financial regulation, investments, and financial market access. He is also the head of research and the co-founder of Chicago Global, a Cayman Islands-domiciled quantitative investment fund. When asked about the changes he has seen in Singapore since he was a student at SAS, Charoenwong shared, “Singapore certainly has the same vibe as when we left! It is still vibrant and bursting with energy. A couple of things have changed visually, but overall this still feels like the Singapore we grew up in.”

What drew Charoenwong to Singapore is the fact that it is one of the safest countries in the world and there is accessibility to high-quality education— both important aspects when considering raising a family here. He also takes advantage of the limitless travel opportunities, with Changi Airport being one of the major transit hubs in the world.

Charoenwong and his wife hope to stay in Singapore for the long term, with a dream of sending their kids to SAS in the future— to continue another legacy of Eagles.

FELICIA RUSTANDY (CLASS OF 2013)
MEDICAL STUDENT, DUKE-NUS MEDICAL SCHOOL

Felicia Rustandy (Class of 2013) found her way back to Singapore in 2017 to study medicine after graduating from the University of Chicago. She made the choice to be closer to her family who live in Indonesia. What struck her the most after her return to Singapore was the hot, humid weather. “The weather! It’s hotter than I remembered, but that could be because I have acclimatized to Chicago winters,” she says.

The Lion City has not changed much since Rustandy left in 2013. Aside from seemingly warmer weather, she noticed that the prices at the hawker centers have gone up, although the food quality remains the same. She also highlighted that there are more rules now than before, like not being able to buy alcohol past 10:30 p.m.

As a third-culture kid, Rustandy identifies Singapore as her home, especially after having lived most of her life here. She is currently a rising senior at Duke-NUS Medical School and plans to do her residency in Singapore.

DANIEL JOL (CLASS OF 1997)
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER, BATAVIA OIL
After graduating from university in 2002, Daniel Jol (Class of 1997) coincidentally was employed by a Dutch company to manage dredging vessels operating in Singapore and Malaysia. In 2017, he started his own oil and gas production company, which has a small interest in an Indonesian block that pipes gas to Singapore.

When asked about what has remained the same in Singapore, Jol didn’t fail to mention his favorite carrot cake stall, Heng’s at Newton Circus. He quips, “The best part: the couple who runs the stall still remembers me!”

Our Eagles tend to find their fellow Eagles wherever they go. To this day Jol remains in contact with some of his fellow classmates—Ryan Johnson, who lives in the same apartment building; Erik Bjastad, who was one of the first people he met back in middle school; Bryan Baker, who moved back to Singapore about the same time he did; and Lien Phuong Tran, whose daughter is in the same class as Jol’s daughter.

Currently, Singapore is home for Jol and his family. They are, however, exploring the option of moving to Europe while the kids are young. They may choose to return to Singapore when their kids are ready for middle or high school.

TARA STRUNK (CLASS OF 1989)
REGIONAL MARKETING MANAGER, AKZONOBEL

Third time's the charm, they say. Tara Strunk (Class of 1989) returned to Singapore in 2008 for a short stint before moving to Shanghai due to the recession in 2010. Six years later, she returned to the Lion City for a marketing role in the marine division of AkzoNobel. She is currently the Regional Marketing Manager at AkzoNobel, specializing in the decorative retail division and wood care, metal, and trims for consumers.

Singapore has always felt like home for Strunk. The nomadic lifestyle her family had may have contributed to her adapting to the local culture so easily. Since her most recent move back, she has built a network of local and international friends through her participation in local sporting, charity, and marketing groups.

“I am still in touch with many alumni from SAS. There are a few of us in Singapore and other alumni I keep in touch with via Facebook or LinkedIn. I’ve attended the SAS reunions in the US. Hopefully, we will have another reunion in Singapore,” says Strunk.

Strunk enjoys exploring the Garden City’s beautiful landscapes, including Jurong Lake Garden, Gardens by the Bay, and East Coast Park. When asked about her long-term plans, she goes by the motto “Take each day as an adventure,” with no plans as to where she’ll end up.

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Journeys, our print publication, shares current, in-depth stories written by and for members of our school community. It is mailed to current families, faculty, staff, and alumni in December and June. If you are interested in contributing an article to Journeys, email communications@sas.edu.sg. Read more articles here.