A SINGAPOREAN man who retired in Penang told a Japanese travel vlogger residing in Singapore, Ghib Ojisan, the reasons why he chose slow-paced luxury living instead of very expensive Singapore.
Ojisan met Charles, a fan of his, during his visit to Penang and portrayed the Singaporean in his most recent YouTube video.
In the video, it is said that Charles and his wife, Lena, retired up north more than 15 years ago.
Charles proceeded to list down some of the reasons why he made that decision. The story appeared on a Singapore news site, Mothership.
Charles and his wife, Lena, were searching for the perfect place to retire and decided on Malaysia.
They considered various countries such as China, Thailand, and Canada but ultimately chose Malaysia as it was near Singapore and more affordable.
Charles said that their assets in Singapore pay for their life in Penang, and they wouldn’t be able to have the same quality of life if they had stayed in Singapore.
While they enjoy their new lifestyle in Penang, Charles and Lena do miss certain things about Singapore. Charles misses the convenience of the MRT and how everything is centrally located, while Lena misses the greenery and cleanliness.
They both miss certain foods that can only be found in Singapore, like chicken rice and mee siam.
Lena found that she had to reinvent herself as there wasn’t much to do in Penang, but she took it as an opportunity to pick up hobbies she always wanted to try like sewing, embroidery, and painting.
By retiring in Penang, Charles and Lena have more time for each other and themselves to choose who they want in their lives.
Charles also touched on the fact that Singaporeans take their country for granted. He said that every time he returns to Singapore, he feels like he’s home and points out that Singaporeans take the efficiency of the organisation and the safety in Singapore for granted.
He said Singaporeans are so used to the low crime rate that they don’t notice the difference until they go to a different country. — Jan 29, 2023
