Keeping active every day

SINGAPORE- Miss Ng Suan Eng is one busy retiree. The 67-year-old goes out for lunch every day, plays host to international students, volunteers at a dog welfare group and travels a few times a year.

Miss Ng, who is single and lives with a maid and two dogs since her mother died in 1996, said: "There's not a day that I'm at home, unless I'm sick. Every day I would find something to do. I just can't stay still."

The retired deputy director of students affairs at the National University of Singapore is a firm believer in keeping herself active. "I believe when you feel lonely and depressed, your body functions slowly shut down."

She is close to her five surviving siblings, whom she meets regularly. She also has different groups of friends, with whom she does a range of activities from dining to hiking.

Having picked up scuba diving when she was 42, she goes on diving trips at least once a year.

Every semester, she hosts two or three international students studying here, introducing them to the country and mentoring them.

"Sometimes I feel lonely when no one is free for lunch or to watch a movie," she said. "But I get out of it very quickly by finding something to do."

When she has nothing on, she spends her time surfing the Web or editing videos of her holidays, family and friends.

She is now writing "the story of her life", including her family's history and her parents' romance, for her loved ones to read.

The two stray mongrels she adopted, Chu Chu and Mei Mei, bring her much joy. "They love me unconditionally and make me feel wanted," she said.

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