Singaporean-born Ting Lim's distinctive comedy stylings are taking centre stage in her show 'A Rice Odyssey'.
Migrating from Singapore to Brisbane wasn't an easy task for Ting. It's a big move – not only geographically, but also culturally. Questions arose in the move: what is the price of freedom? How do you find your feet in a strange new world? What the hell are Singapore noodles?!
'A Rice Odyssey' at Perth's Fringe World Festival explores these questions and more via Ting's dark wit.
Here, she tells us five things she's learnt since the move down under.
One
Don’t trust ducks. I decided to share my lunch with a duck when I was at a park. I had never been around ducks. I didn’t know that once you feed a duck, a whole mob of them would fly towards you like a scene out of a horror movie. I went from casual park goer to duck whisperer in minutes. Needless to say, I now respect the ducks from afar.
Two
Bring your visa documentation. I was denied entry onto a plane once because I didn’t have my visa papers on me. I was told I couldn’t enter Australia without it. Which was weird, as I was trying to leave Australia! It is like gluing the door shut when your guest is trying to leave and yelling at them “don’t come back!”
Three
Never buy your doona from The Reject Shop. As a Singaporean, my first Australian winter was rough. I was a student. Money was tight. So I bought my first doona from The Reject Shop. The doona was as well-suited for its task as a toilet brush for cleaning teeth. When I checked the label to see what it was made from, it just said “don’t be cheap”.
Four
It is okay to feel alone. I got lonely fast in the first few months of being in Australia. I was slow to make friends, as I am an introvert. Being alone meant I had more time to reflect and it forced me to get comfortable in my own skin. Over time, I realised that it is okay to feel alone and everyone feels alone from time to time. It is going to take time for me to make friends and alcohol is going to make that a lot easier.
Five
Change takes time and effort. I thought life was going to get good immediately once I arrived in Australia. I was starting on a clean slate. No one knows me. No one knows I nearly burnt down the kitchen trying to fry an egg. I would be everyone’s friend. I would get the first job I applied for. I was wrong. Everything was a struggle. I realised that it came down to me. I had to change. I had to push myself when things got hard, forgive myself when I nearly burnt down the kitchen again and pick myself up to order some takeaway.
Ting Lim plays The Laugh Resort at The Shoe Bar & Cafe 7-9 February.
