Read a summary of this article on FAST.
FAST
ACCRA, Ghana: For many Singaporeans abroad, Chinese New Year is a time to get creative in keeping traditions alive.
It is easier in cities with large Singaporean communities, but less so in others.
Mr Scott Law and Ms Jean Ng are two Singaporeans making the best of the Spring Festival in the West African nation of Ghana.
They both live in Accra, the country’s capital on its southern coast, about 11,500km away from Singapore.
To make Chinese New Year feel and taste like home, they planned familiar dishes on their festive menu to welcome the Year of the Snake.
Mr Law serves Ms Joy home cooked Koloyok, or Cantonese sweet and sour pork, as they celebrate Chinese New Year in Ghana.
“Back home, (this) is called Koloyok,” said Mr Law, as he showed CNA how he stir-fried the Cantonese dish popularly found hawker stalls serving up economy rice in Singapore.
“It’s basically pork with some sweet and sour sauce drizzled on top. This is one of my favourite dishes.”
Mr Law said that while it is possible to replicate Singaporean recipes using ingredients found in Ghanaian supermarkets, the outcome of the dishes usually leaves him wanting.
“The quality of the food (here) is very different – the quality of the meat, also the quality of vegetables... so the taste obviously comes out different,” he said.
“Overall, (the ingredients) are easy to buy, but you can never match what you taste at home.”
Mr Law moved from Singapore to Accra a year ago to work as a hotel manager.
Meanwhile, Ms Ng has called Ghana home for about six years. She helps connect Singaporean businesses to new markets in West and Central Africa.
She said there are very few Singaporeans in Ghana, and can only think of about five off the top of her head.
This year, the two invited a South American friend from Guyana to celebrate Chinese New Year together.
Real estate manager Krystal Joy, who was in the city for work, joined the two Singaporeans in a home cooked meal.
After that, they took in the sights and sounds of celebrations live-streamed on television.
“It’s nice to experience other cultures. For me, it’s really important so I feel really honoured to be a part of this beautiful celebration,” she told CNA.
Mr Law, Ms Ng and Ms Joy watch a dragon dance on television as they celebrate Chinese New Year together in Accra.
Mr Law and Ms Ng said they miss family gatherings and traditions the most during the holiday marked by reunions.
“It was an activity for (my) family to basically, after our morning visiting with relatives, go down to a hotel and watch the lion dance display,” said Ms Ng, recalling a typical celebration with her loved ones back in Singapore.
Mr Law said: “We take it for granted when we are in the same country for too long. We take it for granted like, ‘Oh, this guy is going to (always) be there, I can always meet this person’.
“But when you are so far away, when you are on the other side of the world, it hits a bit harder than at home.”
The two said while that they miss their loved ones and familiar activities back home, they are grateful to celebrate Chinese New Year festivities with each other and Ms Joy.
They added there will also be lots of video calls with family and friends back home in the days ahead.
Source: CNA/dn(ja)
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Download here
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Join here
Continue reading...
FAST
ACCRA, Ghana: For many Singaporeans abroad, Chinese New Year is a time to get creative in keeping traditions alive.
It is easier in cities with large Singaporean communities, but less so in others.
Mr Scott Law and Ms Jean Ng are two Singaporeans making the best of the Spring Festival in the West African nation of Ghana.
They both live in Accra, the country’s capital on its southern coast, about 11,500km away from Singapore.
To make Chinese New Year feel and taste like home, they planned familiar dishes on their festive menu to welcome the Year of the Snake.
Mr Law serves Ms Joy home cooked Koloyok, or Cantonese sweet and sour pork, as they celebrate Chinese New Year in Ghana.
“Back home, (this) is called Koloyok,” said Mr Law, as he showed CNA how he stir-fried the Cantonese dish popularly found hawker stalls serving up economy rice in Singapore.
“It’s basically pork with some sweet and sour sauce drizzled on top. This is one of my favourite dishes.”
CREATING A TASTE OF HOME
Mr Law said that while it is possible to replicate Singaporean recipes using ingredients found in Ghanaian supermarkets, the outcome of the dishes usually leaves him wanting.
“The quality of the food (here) is very different – the quality of the meat, also the quality of vegetables... so the taste obviously comes out different,” he said.
“Overall, (the ingredients) are easy to buy, but you can never match what you taste at home.”
Mr Law moved from Singapore to Accra a year ago to work as a hotel manager.
Meanwhile, Ms Ng has called Ghana home for about six years. She helps connect Singaporean businesses to new markets in West and Central Africa.
She said there are very few Singaporeans in Ghana, and can only think of about five off the top of her head.
This year, the two invited a South American friend from Guyana to celebrate Chinese New Year together.
Real estate manager Krystal Joy, who was in the city for work, joined the two Singaporeans in a home cooked meal.
After that, they took in the sights and sounds of celebrations live-streamed on television.
“It’s nice to experience other cultures. For me, it’s really important so I feel really honoured to be a part of this beautiful celebration,” she told CNA.
Mr Law, Ms Ng and Ms Joy watch a dragon dance on television as they celebrate Chinese New Year together in Accra.
MISSING LOVED ONES
Mr Law and Ms Ng said they miss family gatherings and traditions the most during the holiday marked by reunions.
“It was an activity for (my) family to basically, after our morning visiting with relatives, go down to a hotel and watch the lion dance display,” said Ms Ng, recalling a typical celebration with her loved ones back in Singapore.
Mr Law said: “We take it for granted when we are in the same country for too long. We take it for granted like, ‘Oh, this guy is going to (always) be there, I can always meet this person’.
“But when you are so far away, when you are on the other side of the world, it hits a bit harder than at home.”
The two said while that they miss their loved ones and familiar activities back home, they are grateful to celebrate Chinese New Year festivities with each other and Ms Joy.
They added there will also be lots of video calls with family and friends back home in the days ahead.
Related:
Source: CNA/dn(ja)
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Download here
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Join here
Continue reading...