Melting Pot

In this episode, Payal speaks with Dawn Tam, who grew up in Singapore during the transformative decades from the 1960s onward. Through her recollections, Dawn offers a vivid glimpse into life in Loyang, once a seaside fishing village before land reclamation reshaped the landscape. She shares personal and historical memories from her birth in the Year of the Tiger to witnessing her community’s relocation after a fire. Dawn also reminisces about the vibrant entertainment hubs of her youth , Happy World, New World, and Great World , spaces that defined leisure and joy in old Singapore. Her stories beautifully capture the essence of a changing nation, where nostalgia, resilience, and memory intertwine across six decades of transformation.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB

In this conversation, Payal speaks with Ellil, who fondly revisits his childhood growing up in Singapore’s east, particularly around Kallang Airport Road. Through his stories, listeners are transported to a time before the National Stadium and bustling hawker centres, when neighborhoods thrived on friendship and community spirit. Ellil recalls the joy of simple, carefree days,playing football in open spaces, catching rainbow fish in monsoon drains, and sharing meals with neighbors in a close-knit, multiracial community. With humor and warmth, he paints a picture of a childhood filled with freedom, curiosity, and camaraderie. His memories offer a nostalgic glimpse into a bygone era of Singapore, where play, connection, and imagination defined everyday life.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB

In this touching episode, Payal speaks with Li Leng, a 68-year-old jumping instructor who shares vivid recollections of her childhood in Singapore. She takes us back to her early years in a small compound along Mount Road, where five wooden stilt houses stood close together, home to Malay and Chinese families who all spoke Cantonese. Li Leng fondly remembers the warmth of this tight-knit community and her short walks to Canossa Convent School with her sister. Later, when the government redeveloped the area, her family moved to Tanglin Halt. There, she recalls watching passing trains through the kitchen window and witnessing the neighborhood’s transformation over the decades. Through her memories, Li Leng beautifully captures the nostalgia of growing up in a changing Singapore  from kampong life to modern flats.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB

In this delightful episode, Payal speaks with Jake, who transports us to his childhood days living in a rented shophouse along McPherson Road. From his upstairs window, young Jake would spend evenings counting passing cars with his mother, turning simple moments into imaginative games. He recalls the vibrant sights outside, laundry spread like colorful tapestries across open fields and the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifting from a nearby coffeeshop. Jake also shares fond memories of the Pasar Malam (night market), a weekly highlight filled with lights, laughter, food stalls, and performances that brought the community together. Through his tender and humorous reflections, Jake paints a vivid picture of a time when everyday life in Singapore was simple, sensory, and full of quiet wonder.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB

In this nostalgic episode, Payal speaks with Fredrick, who takes us back to his childhood in a rural kampong more than sixty years ago. He recalls life in a muddy, undeveloped neighborhood, where daily routines included helping his mother rear pigs and chickens, fetching water from ponds, and playing freely in the rain. Fredrick paints a rich picture of open spaces filled with fruit trees, local opera stages, and nearby quarries, a world full of simplicity and adventure. He also reminisces about his early years living in a colonial black-and-white house, where his father worked as a cook, and where he first encountered music through a gramophone. Through his warm storytelling, Fredrick reflects on a childhood rooted in nature, play, and heartfelt memories of a bygone Singapore.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB

In this reflective episode, Payal speaks with Mr. Leong, who shares vivid memories of his childhood growing up in the shipyard quarters near present-day Keppel Bay. As the son of a shipyard worker, he recalls life in a close-knit community of families living in two-storey flats surrounded by open fields, fruit trees, and the hum of industry. Mr. Leong paints a rich picture of a multicultural neighborhood, where children of all races played freely and doors were never locked. He fondly remembers days spent exploring the shipyard, watching ships being welded and painted, and learning to swim at a nearby golden sand beach. These early experiences not only shaped his understanding of community and curiosity about the world but also inspired his path toward becoming a mechanical engineer, a journey rooted in the sights and sounds of his childhood by the sea.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB

In this heart warming episode, Payal sits down with Mr. Song, who shares his memories of growing up in a bustling shophouse above a dim sum stall at the junction of Victoria Street and Arab Street. The seventh of ten children, Mr. Song recalls the warmth and chaos of living in a small space filled with family, neighbors, and laughter. He talks about his childhood friendships with children from the nearby printing shop, his mischievous school days at St. Michael’s, and the joy of sneaking under the school fence to play football during holidays. Mr. Song also reflects on the life-changing advice of his teacher, Singapore’s first female Olympian who encouraged his switch to English-medium education. Through his nostalgic storytelling, Mr. Song paints a touching portrait of community, opportunity, and the people who shaped his journey.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB

In this episode, Payal speaks with Jeremy Tay, a community leader whose lifelong dedication to social work and public service has shaped many aspects of Singapore’s community development. Trained in social work, Jeremy shares his experiences serving in various roles from director at Outward Bound Singapore to Dean of the National Community Leadership Institute, and as the founding president of Morningstar Community Services, which supports families and strengthens relationships. Reflecting on his childhood in Hougang, Jeremy recalls growing up in a small provision shop house along Jalan Payoh Lai, surrounded by friendly neighbours and the nearby old folks’ home.His fond memories of playing endless games of hide-and-seek and cycling through village roads offer a touching glimpse into a simpler, more connected Singapore, one that continues to inspire his passion for community bonding today.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB

In this heartwarming episode, Payal sits down with Anthony Wong as he takes us on a nostalgic journey through his childhood at Jiak Kim Road, once known as Jiang Road or Tiong Bahru. Anthony vividly recalls growing up in a close-knit community, spending carefree days playing street games, flying kites, catching spiders, and inventing fun without gadgets. He paints a touching picture of life in a humble four-storey block where thirteen family members shared one bathroom, yet lived harmoniously under one roof. Through Anthony’s memories, we glimpse a simpler time filled with imagination, togetherness, and the unspoken warmth of community life that shaped his early years.[Lumina Vitae,Light of Life,Melting Pot Series, Podcast,The Bloom Fund,Stories of Singapore,Heritage ReimaginedCommunity Through Art,Singapore Stories]#LuminaVitae #MeltingPotSeries #TheBloomFund #SingaporeStories #CommunityArt #TheBloomFund #SingaporeHeritage #AIMeetsMemory #IntergenerationalStories #NHB