Surviving on vibes and hard work? What it's like working as a freelance artist overseas.

Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a head start in your personal finance, career and life with The Straits Times.

How does a Singaporean make her way onto London’s glittering West End?

Nathania Ong made her mark by playing well-loved characters like Eponine in Les Miserables and Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton, putting Singapore on the world theatre map.

But how did it happen and what does the life of a freelance artist overseas look like?

In this episode, ST business correspondent Sue-Ann Tan looks at the realities and joys of working in the arts.

Her guest is musical theatre actress Nathania Ong.

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:12 Being initially rejected from every drama school

6:39 Nathania’s West End debut

10:54 Deciding to be an actress

18:00 Realities of working in London

22:13 Advice to anyone aspiring to be an actor

26:23 What’s next for Nathania

Read Sue-Ann Tan's articles: https://str.sg/mvSa

Follow Sue-Ann Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/A86X

Host: Sue-Ann Tan (suetan@sph.com.sg)

Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim

Executive producers: Joanna Seow and Elizabeth Law

Follow Headstart On Record Podcast channel here:

Channel: https://str.sg/wB2m

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Get business/career tips in ST's Headstart newsletter: https://str.sg/headstart-nl

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

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Do note: All analyses, opinions, recommendations and other information in this podcast are for your general information only. You should not rely on them in making any decision. Please consult a fully qualified financial adviser or professional expert for independent advice and verification. To the fullest extent permitted by law, SPH Media shall not be liable for any loss arising from the use of or reliance on any analyses, opinions, recommendations and other information in this podcast. SPH Media accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever that may result or arise from the products, services or information of any third parties.

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The stakes are high. A region’s association with a popular dish is increasingly big business, as the Chinese eat out more.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.

Disputes over where popular dishes originated are common across Asia. The world-famous butter chicken is fought over by two restaurants - one that started out in Peshawar, now in Pakistan, and one in New Delhi, India. In Southeast Asia, neighbours Singapore and Malaysia have also tussled over chicken rice.

It is little wonder that China, given its geographic scale and the incredible richness of its regional cuisines, has its own internal food feuds.

Kaoyu, or grilled fish, is a regional speciality of Chongqing, made with freshwater fish from the Yangtze River and spices such as mala peppercorns and Chinese chillies.

The dish’s commercial success, both inside and outside of China, has raised questions about its true origin story, with two regions in Chongqing, Wanzhou and Wushan, laying claim to it.

In this episode, host Li Xueying asks Chongqing-based correspondent Aw Cheng Wei to share his journey in tracking down where kaoyu came from, and to get to the heart of why food is so important to the Chinese.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:23 How Chongqing’s cuisine reflects its local environment and culture

4:39 Popularity of the kaoyu dish across China

5:59 Beginning of the dispute over the dish’s origin

8:46 Government efforts to preserve authenticity through industry standards and culinary schools

10:31 The complexities of culinary origin disputes across China and beyond

13:40 China’s attitude towards food

15:42 Food’s power to connect and what it means for China

Read Aw Cheng Wei’s article here: https://str.sg/6y3x

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz

Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg)

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Would changes to Singapore’s education system fix our low fertility rate?

A new work group, comprising political office holders from various ministries, has been set up to encourage Singaporeans to marry and have children, with broader support from society.

In this podcast episode, I chat with Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau and stay-at-home mother Vivien Lim, who has three children.

We discuss the “education arms race” and whether the Primary School Leaving Examination really needs to be a such high-stakes exam for 12-year-olds.

With the big question looming - whether we can get the total fertility rate back up - Jasmin and Vivien talk about steering children on the best pathways, the pressures of juggling careers and motherhood, and finding joy in parenting.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:53 Will this new work group change anything?

5:45 Jasmin on the education arms race

9:04 Preschool: the “honeymoon’ years

14:33 Stressful education system or anxious parents?

17:53 “This is not something to look forward to.”

23:12 PSLE reflects on everyone from children to teachers

27:02 What’s the point of the PSLE if it doesn’t test real-world skills?

34:05 The PSLE parent: why some women leave their jobs

36:10 Jasmin would leave her role if her kids aren’t doing well

43:07 Are we raising kids for the future?

47:40 Will changing the education system encourage couples to have kids?

50:46 What’s stopping couples from having kids?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah and Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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