Discover their home away from home in Singapore

Ground-up community event My Community Festival is back for its 3rd edition from Aug 5 to 21 this year. Organised by non-profit organisation My Community with support from the Singapore Tourism Board, this year's festival is themed My Home Sweet Home, exploring the various facets of our home in Singapore through not just our houses but also our workplaces, places of worship, and communal spaces.

For instance, My Little Singapore is a series of tours where you'll discover how expatriate communities have recreated pockets of their home countries to form unofficial enclaves like Little Belgium, Little Philippines and Little Taiwan here in Singapore. Why not check out these tours and learn more about the various featured communities?

1. My Little Russia with Elena Constante 🇷🇺

Indulge in authentic Russian flavours and activities with host Elena Constante as you explore her favourite haunts in Singapore's very own Little Russia.

Highlights

• Pick up Russian ingredients at a Russian supermarket
• Savour authentic Russian dumplings
• Visit the Russian Orthodox Church in Singapore

About the host

Despite growing up in the Soviet Union for over 20 years, Elena is a true blue Singaporean who loves chicken rice, chilli crab and even durians.

Tour details

• Food is non-halal and not suitable for vegetarians. Food contains lard, eggs and gluten.
• Ticket price: $40 (excluding Eventbrite service fee)
• Tour timing: 2 to 5.30pm
• Tour dates: August  6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 20, 21, 2022
• Meeting Point: City Hall MRT Station Exit A (150 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 179100) – Street Level

Book tickets here

2. My Little Belgium with Martine Janssens 🇧🇪

Discover the culture of Belgium (home of iconic comic "The Adventures of Tintin") as you swig Belgian beer and snack on fries with host Martine "Tina" Janssens.

Highlights

• Visit iconic Belgian brands and names found in Singapore
• Enjoy a hearty meal at a Belgian restaurant

About the host

Martine was born and raised in the University town Louvain, home of the famous beer Stella Artois.

Tour details

• Food is non-halal and not suitable for vegetarians. Food contains lard, eggs and gluten.
• Ticket price: $40 (excluding Eventbrite service fee)
• Tour timing: 2 to 5.30pm
• Tour dates: Aug 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 20, 21, 2022
• Meeting Point: City Hall MRT Station Exit A (150 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 179100) – Street Level

Book tickets here

3. My Little Japan with Megumi Nakazawa 🇯🇵

Unlike other programmes in this series, you won't be visiting a country-related restaurant or supermarket during this tour. Instead, you'll travel back in time with host Megumi Nakazawa as she shares her journey of negotiating her Japanese identity and its baggage in Singapore.

Highlights

• See our country in a new light as you visit places in Singapore that hold a special meaning to Megumi
• Engage in difficult but honest and necessary conversations as Megumi shares her experiences with reconciling her Japanese heritage and its historical baggage with carving out a life for herself in Singapore

About the host

Although she's from Japan, Megumi has been living here since 2004 and has soaked up so much of Singapore that she even speaks fluent Singlish.

Tour details

• Ticket price: $30 (excluding Eventbrite service fee)
• Tour timing: 2 to 5.30pm
• Tour dates: Aug 13, 14, 20, 21, 2022
• Meeting Point: Ground-floor entrance of Ngee Ann City (391 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238872)

Book tickets here

4. Taiwan with Alice Wang 🇹🇼

Trawl Singapore's nooks and crannies with host Alice Wang and discover the best places for a taste of authentic Taiwanese street food.

Highlights

• Discover Alice's favourite eateries in Singapore for delicious and authentic Taiwanese food
• Feast on mouth-watering snacks, from crispy crepes to refreshing papaya milk

About the host

Alice is a blogger who enjoys sharing the fun parts of Singapore with our foreign friends.

Tour details

• Tour conducted in Mandarin
• Ticket price: $40 (excluding Eventbrite service fee)
• Tour timing: 2 to 5pm
• Tour dates: Aug 6, 9, 13, 20, 2022
• Meeting Point: Clarke Quay Station Exit B (NE5) (10 Eu Tong Sen Street, Singapore 059815)

Book tickets here

5. My Little India with Vandana Sharma 🇮🇳

Think you know everything about Little India? Think again! Join host Vandana Sharma on a tour to visit the other Little India around Kim Seng and unearth its best-kept secrets.

Highlights

• Peek into the close-knitted Indian community around Kim Seng
• Listen to Vandana's stories about her experiences as a dependent of a work pass holder in Singapore

About the host

Vandana is active in volunteer work for various social organisations such as SINDA, IC2, RedCross, MiNDs and My Community.

Tour details

• Ticket price: $20 (excluding Eventbrite service fee)
• Tour timing: 2 to 4.30pm
• Tour dates: Aug 6, 9, 13, 20, 2022
• Meeting Point: Tiong Bahru MRT Exit B (300 Tiong Bahru Rd, Singapore 168731) – Street Level

Book tickets here

6. My Little Vietnam with Nguyen Le Huong 🇻🇳

Where do the 10,000 Vietnamese living in Singapore go when they crave authentic Vietnamese food? Find out from host Nguyen Le Huong (or San San) as you meet the hospitable Vietnamese community in Singapore.

Highlights

• Uncover hidden gems in the form of Vietnamese restaurants and supermarkets often overlooked by locals
• Slurp on a hearty bowl of authentic pho bo as you listen to San San's stories of living in Vietnam and integrating into Singaporean culture

About the host

San San loves to walk or cycle on our various park connectors and enjoy the fresh air of our Garden City.

Tour details

• Food is non-halal and not suitable for vegetarians. Food contains lard, eggs and gluten.
• Ticket price: $40 (excluding Eventbrite service fee)
• Tour timing: 2 to 5.30pm
• Tour dates: Aug 7, 9, 14, 21, 2022
• Meeting Point: Nicoll Highway MRT Station (CC5) (20 Republic Ave, Singapore 038970)

Book tickets here

7. My Little Philippines with Anthony Garcia (Ton) and Mark Lester 🇵🇭

Venture into Singapore's very own pinoy tambayan (A place where Filipinos hangout) and savour the most authentic Filipino food with hosts Anthony Garcia and Mark Lester from the Filipino Association.

Highlights

• Explore Filipino restaurants and savour the various delicious dishes the Philippines has to offer
• Listen to Ton and Mark's stories about their experiences of living in Singapore and how they've found a second home in our tropical paradise

About the host

Ton, who's lived in Singapore since 2009, is the community integration manager at the Filipino Association of Singapore.

Tour details

• Food is non-halal and not suitable for vegetarians. Food contains lard, eggs and gluten.
• Ticket price: $35 (excluding Eventbrite service fee)
• Tour timing: 2 to 4.30pm
• Tour dates: Aug 6, 13, 2022
• Meeting Point: Novena MRT Exit B (NS20) (250 Thomson Road Singapore 307642) – Next to 7-11

Book tickets here

8. My Little Indonesia with David Kuan Soelkarnaen 🇮🇩

Have you ever heard of the Little Indonesia enclave in River Valley? Host David Kuan Soelkarnaen will be bringing you there to introduce his favourite food spots and share the history of Singapore's Indonesian community.

Highlights

• Visit specialty supermarkets and restaurants, and even one of the Indonesian community's places of worship
• Uncover the history of the Indonesian community with David as he retells their stories and experiences of integrating into Singapore

About the host

David is a huge lover of the "Lo Hei" tradition during Chinese New Year.

Tour details

• Food is non-halal and not suitable for vegetarians. Food contains lard, eggs and gluten.
• Ticket price: $40 (excluding Eventbrite service fee)
• Tour timing: 2 to 5.30pm
• Tour dates: Aug 20, 21, 2022
• Meeting Point: Great World City (1 Kim Seng Promenade, Singapore 237994) – Zion Road Entrance

Book tickets here

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.