Second Home: Putting Down Roots In Singapore | Home Away From Home | Expats In Singapore

American John Mathis is a single father raising his daughter in Singapore, after his wife passed away. He is a linocut artist and gets inspiration from his daughter and the local food culture. British national Laura Greenwood found her place here when she joined a dragon boat team and made friends with team mates of different nationalities. Singapore is now a second home for both of them.
Watch more:
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About Home Away From Home: Many foreigners make Singapore home. This series looks at the lives of expatriates from different countries, as they share their experiences in Singapore.
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[@wynona9796]

So touched to see our hawker culture being so deeply appreciated. Very happy that John recognises the hard work and sacrifices of our hawker generation in his special, talented way!

[@capricornstar9803]

What a lovely father daughter duo. Wish them nothing but happiness and love from an Indian viewer ❤️🙏

[@anastasiasabrinazuraimi6279]

sometimes a family can be just a doting father, his daughter and their faithful dog. 😊

[@WWK186]

Human spirit and friendship warms the cockles of my heart.

[@sushisin377]

It is sad to see loved one passed away. John, a single dad, make a right choice to resign from the company to care for his daughter because she needs him during that time. He has to be strong for his daughter. I salute him for that.

[@lovetrustandpixiedust]

Must be hard to raise a child singlehandedly in a foreign country without family around to help. As an only child with a single parent, I understand the bond John and Isabelle must share. Wishing them all the best. ❤️

[@chirpnun]

honestly love the direction cna lifestyle takes with each episode. very well executed and non-typical of local productions i must say. well done, and thank you for your content. lovely. beautiful family as well.

[@browniepee6555]

Your daughter John, so sweet. That dog you have there that's I loved too. I loved animals. I had dogs that I rescued now.my house pets. Sorry to hear about your wife. Life must go on too. I lost mind also. My sister family are from Singapore. Thanks for sharing the video.

[@jamesbailey4374]

God bless him and his baby girl,oh yeah dog also.

[@sngjoolian]

What's a lovely father and daughter. Thanks so much of handcraft owner.An act of Kindness.

[@MrErikonly]

father & daughter both left-handers.

[@angieN2288]

Really enjoying this series. Thank you CNA.

[@cherie88cc92]

As a singaporean overseas I know what it feels like to be a minority, I’m happy to see them enjoying singaporean culture and teaching us to celebrate it since we often don’t realise the beauty of our culture until we are removed from it. Thank you

[@lovetrustandpixiedust]

Really enjoying this series that places the spotlight on the various communities living among us. I feel like there's so much stereotyping and xenophobia swirling around in the cesspools of social media sometimes that people tend to view others who are not exactly like them as a threat and not just fellow human beings who share the same desire to put down roots, build a home for their kids, or find like-minded friends to go on adventures with.

[@lotus108able]

Thanks John for capturing our local culture in print!

[@Ortouz]

love this series: am discovering Singapore in a different way!

[@foundx8426]

It is such a meaningful gift for the food creator!

[@kristen9118]

👍 must have a heart of balance in your country n singapore.cheer.tks for like singapore.

[@RAM-km8bx]

Hope more singaporeans can be welcoming of people from around the world who want to settle down in SG with their families and live their lives peacefully. There is a reason why people choose singapore as a safe haven Hope our people value our gahmen and don't take our safety security and stability for granted.

[@noproblematallmate]

Yes. Really shameful when fellow Singaporeans talk crap about immigrants coming to set up roots or work in SG when our anscestors were mostly immigrants here to look for a better life.

[@RAM-km8bx]

@@noproblematallmate yeah lor We welcome those who want a good life for their kids and a safe and secure place without guns and women not being scared to go out at night like other countries. When people come here they want to integrate with our people our culture and respect our rules and law based society. At the same time i also understand concerns that we are teeny tiny island and we can't have 10s of millions of people as our housing /transport infrastructure and healthcare can't cope with so many.

[@slaiyfershin]

I am welcome to individuals but am totally not ok with mass migration. SG is and has been spreading their legs and bending over for many years to get screwed as a country and screwing the population (apart from the privileged gov making said policies) as well when new 'citizens' can get most of the essential benefits of citizens without serving a lick of NS themselves (kids do not count as the parents themselves are not sacrificing anything and many don't even have any kids and/or will run off before their age of maturity). Foreigners (China most guilty) are also increasingly depriving places in our education system at all levels (pri all the way to uni) and jobs too. Many do so with certs from countries with no international standardised testing (like O Levels) to meaningfully convert their test scores to the SG equivalent. So just imagine how many were given free passes done by arbitrary subjective judgement for places in SG top schools just by having good scores in their other countries (many with much lower academic standards). Let's also not forget those given jobs using completely fictitious qualifications even for government jobs *cough* academia *cough*. There's also the FT and FW strawman argument given by gov about people not wanting to do low-paying 'foreign worker' jobs when the real issue are the higher-paying 'foreign talent' PMET jobs that Singaporeans do want. With all that pounding in SG's rear, I would rather be a PR in Singapore, free to leave and collect my CPF in full after reaping its benefits, than to stay as a constricted citizen watching 'new citizens' or as-good-as-citizens-without-most-drawbacks PRs come and go freely after finishing up the deed. It's not inherently foreigners' fault for my ire. It's completely the government's fault for dropping SG's trousers and intentionally bending over to get taken advantage of, over and over again.

[@noproblematallmate]

@@slaiyfershin You do know citizens can also leave SG for another country like a PR while collecting CPF in full right? PR and citizens have different benefits as well including the fees they pay in areas like Medical and Education. You don't suppose SG gov mandate all new immigrants to complete 2-year NS before they are granted PR status right? That would be unrealistic. To serve NS is a privilege. I served in 1st CDO battalion for 2 years and it was the best 2 years of my life. Never regretted going through the trainings with my buddies and cherishing every moment in reservist. I believe PRs coming in SG serve as a way for SG gov to 'earn' massive amounts of money when they bring their fortunes and expertises in. SG population is only 0.08% of the world... imagine how much talent and human resource is everywhere else. Furthermore, having many foreigners in SG plays a huge part in our nation's defence. The more connected and diverse our population, e.g. having many China-Chinese people and investments in Singapore would play a huge part when the time comes to determine whether we are their enemy/neutral/friend in a conflict. I really would again like the stress that SG citizens can also decide to leave SG, take all their CPF and live in a place with their ideal government policies. Singaporeans and most people face the same hostility from other nation's local when they decide to immigrate over as well. Its a full circle of hatred. Let's be graceful and not throw our own faces shall we?

[@manithangavalu7885]

You've commented this same comment for the french community living in singapore.

[@IsSheRG710]

Is there a link to John's prints? Would be lovely to help support John!

[@kieraluke2229]

From 20:28, found this link www.tatsumakerworks.com/

[@IsSheRG710]

@@kieraluke2229 thanks 🙏

[@sunchildtine]

lovely story.

[@DaniB0626]

@0:28 is that Ghib Ojisan, or are my eyes deceiving me?

[@badboi888]

yup is him, you missed the episode on ghib ojisan? CNA even show his in law faces lol.

[@CheKaiAng]

GUYS IM ISABELLE FRIENDS WE WERE IN THE SAME SCHOOL OMG

[@malibumondsg74]

Where is Paul Simon??

[@LeejieLextar]

Such a sad story... I hope I don't have to go through something like that.

[@willman3893]

grow your roots here........

[@kehidupankanada]

❤😙

[@lolllol2968]

I like otah

[@tilelate9718]

66% of upper management in Singapore are foreigners, with locals often stuck in the middle management. If education is meant to prepare us for the workforce and Singapore indeed has "world class education" as it is often touted as, why is this the case? Even in Temasek Holdings, it's subsidiaries and other government controlled/ invested corporations you see an overwhelming number of upper management positions given out to foreigners. So either: 1. Our education isn't as good as the government wants us to believe. Or 2. The government is sending a message to Singaporeans that they think foreigners are better. "All schools are good schools" yet the politician's children go to specific brand name schools. And our university education is world class? Yet politicians themselves study abroad, Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Harvard etc...

[@edenassos]

Because who wants to talk to someone who can only speak in singlish? Foreigners sure don't. Many Singaporeans can write in English well but the moment they open their mouths, the illusion is broken. When you're doing diplomatic or business dealings, communication is key, and Singaporeans are hard to understand because of that nasty accent. Also, what's wrong with hiring foreigners? They bring a fresh perspective on how to do things. There are only benefits to this. Take this example: Someone who has only ever dug up dirt with their bare hands, the foreigner shows up and says that where he comes from, people dig up dirt with a thing called shovels. There, that's how societies progress, by obtaining knowledge that someone may take for granted in other parts of the world.

[@tilelate9718]

@@edenassos Assuming Singaporeans are indeed digging "dirt with their bare hands", it then reflects as a failure of the education system. Like I've said, if the government wants to call Singaporean education world class, and the products of this education system are indeed so backward in practices and capability, how one call it world class? If the above is untrue, this could be an even more serious issue, with the government and people looking down on their own citizens. An example of this would be Cambridge's study on Pinkerton syndrome in Singapore, where they found Chinese Singaporeans discriminate against Chinese and Malays, and have a bias towards hiring Caucasians, regardless of academic background, experience etc. It's an interesting read, I'd recommend it. I do not believe the hiring of foreigners is inherently wrong. It is not the act of hiring foreigners which is alarming, but rather the proportion of foreigners taking upper management positions in Singaporean agencies, companies and state fund sponsored corporations in comparison to the rest of the developed world, especially when taking into account the supposed "world class education" Singaporeans have and foreign bias like Pinkerton syndrome.

[@edenassos]

@@tilelate9718 I don't disagree that Singapore needs a lot of work. Also, the citizens definitely need a lesson from the Japanese on how to be courteous and polite. Many of them act like they belong in third world countries. As someone who is in the startup business, there is plenty that can be done to solve a few of these problems. Also, as a Singaporean who grew up in multiple countries and also educated in them, I'd give the whole education system an Elon Musk refresh, if you will. People need to learn how to solve problems as soon as they can talk. Singaporeans aren't really strong in that department. They don't have the culture of experimentation (not talking about drugs).

[@Rookiez87x]

@@edenassos I find this to be the case as well. I understand that the pidgin has a place in society, but I find it vulgar in professional settings. Again, absolutely nothing wrong with it because it is a product of organic assimilation and it functions well for the most part.

[@SebuahID]

nice a nice a

[@Monhira6322]

Seldom see British or american eat durians

[@the.mystictraveller]

You should see my British friend. Ate more chillies that I can than. And he loveddurians too.

[@impopquiz]

True. Many are repelled by the smell already. 😆

[@Monhira6322]

@@the.mystictraveller this one also rare Hahaha... Fresh tiny chilli??

[@Monhira6322]

@@impopquiz yup... Hahaha

[@idk_wtf_is_going_on9614]

that mixed girl is gonna have the shock of her life when she realises that her father just had an asian fetish and when she faces racism in america, leading to identity crisis. also, what about her relatives in hk? she wont even be able to communicate w them if she doesnt know cantonese.

[@gerrylee1687]

She will be fine in usa. Just avoid the brown communities and she will be fine

[@hoppinghobbit9797]

mixed race girl assimilates better than mixed race guy

[@khoocheepeng]

Singapore is toooooo hot.

[@aniqissa2648]

Question : why are all the Singaporean’s in this series speaking Chinese when being interviewed .They should be speaking english since this is an english-language channel

[@ukbulldog2024]

The irony is how immigration in Singapore so difficult and yet these "white folks" can qualify the stringent requirements. It defeats me. In USA or UK you cannot get anu migration without a long list for green card. We have Black Lives Matter In UK, it is completely closed. We have the Witch of Westminster Ms Priti Patel who have effectively closed all doors. i So WHY do we want these foreigners to come to Singapore. There is excellent talent here. No need to Kow Tow eh!!!

[@tutonreliablo2421]

how abt a new documentary called foreigners overtaking singapore

[@hmhm95]

How about you don't be xenophobic and actually be a decent human being

[@stacytho7001]

Only loser think this way. Singaporeans are positive living happily

[@sayurik]

Please be reminded that we are a country of immigrants. Foreigners are always welcome as long as they are able to contribute to our society and is able to assimilate here

[@edenassos]

Why so mad, Paul?

[@Dom-kk4sl]

Why so mad

[@christinehill6685]

The didactic alphabet subjectively continue because suede formerly rely following a sore lisa. anxious, uneven fuel

[@nordinmahmood1163]

These Singaporeans seemed not to be able to speak English. Only Mandarin.

[@PHlophe]

Noordeen , they look chinese, so.

[@nordinmahmood1163]

@@PHlophe Yes. In schools we learn English as first language. So its shameful they dont learn that at all.

[@MrZzzjjj]

@@nordinmahmood1163 what's wrong with people speaking the language their ancestors did?

[@nordinmahmood1163]

@@MrZzzjjj Amongst themselves no problem. But CNA is global media. Correct?

[@MrZzzjjj]

@@nordinmahmood1163 apparently there are English subtitles to help you understand

[@pamelaangela7802]

The peaceful raft recently learn because shark conversely fail around a macho aunt. scrawny, troubled wrench

[@MrZzzjjj]

I do not understand the point of this kind of shows. it almost gives the vibe that the average joes from america or italy are so superior and even they settle in singapore, so we are so proud of having white people settling in our country. This is colonial mentality hangover. Please, have some more self esteem.

[@tutonreliablo2421]

nice propaganda

[@libiskit]

be positive and get out of yr shell man.