At Home... Again!

Born and bred in Singapore but living in England for the past 13 years, a returning expat shares with us how she's settling back into her birth country, this time with husband, sons and a cat in tow!

Patricea Chow

Lydia Elder left our shores at the age of 19 to read English and Sociology at the University of Leeds. She returned this April when her husband was offered a job here.

An influencer and digital content creator for property, interiors and DIY, Lydia's Instagram feed (@lydias_layton_life) is updated daily with photos of how she has put together her rental home in Singapore and her newbuild home in Kent in the UK. Her sons Teddy (6) and Arlo (4) often make appearances too! We chatted with Lydia about her story.

Tell us about growing up in Singapore.

My parents have lived in Singapore for 35 years – they still live in my childhood home, a black-and-white bungalow in Alexandra!

My best memories were around school - I went to Tanglin Trust School from nursery until Sixth Form. My mum still teaches Secondary English there and both my boys now go there too! It was surreal seeing them put on their uniforms for the first time.

I also have good memories of running around with my brother in what we called “The Valley, which was a vast expanse of tropical parkland right outside my parent's house. We would build dams in the drains, hunt lizards and take the dogs for walks. It's amazing seeing my boys enjoy doing the exact same things today, with me watching over as the adult.

What did you miss most about Singapore when you were away?