It's tough being a woman in Singapore today. In the spirit of International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8, Benita Aw Yeong talks to three very different Singaporean women.
Patsy Ong, 46
Founder of tourism consultancy firm
She is the founder of Adval Brand Group, a tourism consultancy firm which handles the sales and marketing of the Singapore Flyer.
She lives in a three-storey terrace home in Pasir Panjang with her Finnish husband and their 19-year-old son.
My typical day is...
Long. I get to bed at about 3 am or 4 am, and wake at about 8am. I try to sleep in during the weekends.
I check my e-mail even before I arrive in the office before a series of meetings.
I try to get home by 8pm from Mondays to Thursday to have dinner with my husband and son.
At about 9.30pm, my second round of work from home starts.
At what age did you feel most comfortable in your own skin?
During my late 30s and 40s. I can quite confidently say I no longer need to constantly seek acceptance from people. When you're constantly doing that you feel hurt most of the time.
I'm the youngest of five children, and naturally,you want their approval because you love them.
Now I can say I'm comfortable in what I wear, do and say.
What is one stereotype people have about women which irritates you?
That women use their sexuality to get where they are. They don't say it to your face - you hear about it from others. I deal with it by dressing appropriately.
What is one make-up item/beauty treatment you can't live without?
Lip balm. At any one time, I have five or six lying about - in my home or in my handbags.
Cooking is for women, do you agree? Can you cook?
I think both men and women should learn how to cook because it's a great way to de-stress.
I began learning to cook because I felt embarrassed when my husband offered to cook me a nice dinner when we were dating.
What is the one rule all women should live by?
Believe in what you're doing, and do your best.
Value the experience and doing your best more than monetary returns and appreciation from people.
The results will come.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
