Adapting to the new normal

Semi-retired from the IT industry, 56-year-old Mr Ang Eng Siong was motivated to learn more about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on how it can benefit himself and his loved ones, as well as being able to make use of TCM to help others in need.

 

Although Mr Ang has previously taken some NSA courses by YAH! Community College, it was a new learning experience when he decided to sign up for the NSA online course “中医药膳与食疗”. As the course took place on the second day of the circuit breaker period, it meant that Mr Ang had to learn about correlation between diet and TCM via an online platform, which was a first for him.

 

As Mr Ang used to be from the IT sector, he considered himself to be IT savvy and was open to learning via technology. He quickly realised that there were certain advantages in online learning, such that being able to repeat the video after each Facebook Live was over, giving him the opportunity to revise what he had learnt earlier.

 

Leveraging on technology to learn and stay active

 

Since the completion of the online NSA course, Mr Ang has also taken other online TCM courses recently. He surfs YouTube to view TCM-related videos, picking up new knowledge and skills.

 

As Mr Ang was not able to meet up with his friends during the circuit breaker period, it encouraged him to use WhatsApp more frequently to catch up with them. Besides that, he also learned how to use Zoom, a video conferencing tool, for his church meetings.

 

“Despite the situation, I am still able to adapt and adjust by looking for alternatives to continue to learn and stay active!” Mr Ang shared.

 

An opportunity to bond with family

 

For Mr Ang, another silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic was that he got to spend some quality time together with his family during the circuit breaker period. As his wife and children were all working from home, there were more opportunities for him to have a meal with his loved ones, which he is appreciative for. Other than that, he also spends more time bonding with his children by playing games together.

 

Now that Singapore has entered Phase 2 and libraries have reopened, Mr Ang managed to take a quick trip to the library to borrow some books. With the motivation to explore different aspects of TCM, Mr Ang has also recently signed up for a course on hand and foot reflexology. Mr Ang does not really feel bothered by the current limitations as he is still able to overcome the obstacles and lead a fulfilling life. It seems like nothing can deter Mr Ang from continuing his lifelong learning journey!

 

**Special thanks to Mr Ang Eng Siong who accepted our interview, we wish him all the very best in his lifelong learning journey.

 

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