This time, we shine the spotlight on our newest member of the German team, Swee. You might already know her as the voice in our video-manuals, on our blog or our social media channels. We know her as a kind and fun-loving girl, who always brings a smile to your lips.
Originally from Singapore, Swee was previously working in the travel industry and collaborating with people all over the world. Her strong point is in providing and transferring complex information to highly skilled people. As she is new to this online marketing field, we shall find out her first impressions from it, as well as how she feels about life in Berlin.
Meet Swee!
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Hi Swee, what do you do as a marketing trainee at Ingenious Technologies?
As a trainee, I’m exposed to quite a lot of areas. This mostly involves content writing, such as content for the website, newsletters, blog posts, social media posts, etc. Some of these content are more informative and educational, while others more light-hearted updates about the company. It’s a really good mix.
As this is your first job in online marketing, how would you describe it so far?
Writing articles about online marketing has its challenges. First, the world of online marketing is extremely dynamic. Along with technological advances, so much is constantly changing, causing research data from just a few years ago to already become irrelevant. So, finding the most up-to-date one isn’t always easy. Also, there are lots of complex technicalities in this field, yet they need to somehow come across simply and interesting in writing.
All in all, it has been very exciting so far, and I thoroughly enjoy the constant learning process!
You moved from Singapore to Berlin not long ago. How would you compare the two cities and the cultures?
It’s funny, the comparison never stopped since I moved here in 2013. The very first time I came to Berlin was in 2009, and I then said to myself that I could imagine living here. It is a big city without the stress of a big city. There’s just so much to explore in Berlin. It’s also a lot more laidback here – people here really cherish their work-life balance, which is really refreshing!
Singapore is more like a typical big city with a big bustling business district. I often say that it is the lite version of Asia, because it is modern and quite westernized. Plus everybody speaks English. So, if somebody wants to visit Asia for the first time, arriving in Singapore first would help reduce the culture shock.
In comparison to Berlin, the area of Singapore is larger than the S-Bahn ring, smaller than the entire Berlin, but with about 2 million more people. So you can imagine that the population density is rather intense. But that’s ok once people get used to it, because Singaporeans on the streets are generally very friendly. On the other hand, Berliners tend to be more aggressive. I’ve encountered the following scenario: A driver honks at a cyclist, and the cyclist opens the driver’s car door to yell back at them. It’s not an everyday occurrence but I’ve seen it quite a few times now that it almost becomes funny.
Where are your favourite spots in Berlin and Singapore?
My favourite spot in Berlin is the Tiergarten park. Here, you really get to see the colours of nature changing through the seasons. It is absolutely gorgeous in autumn, when it’s completely covered with leaves. In winter, Tiergarten is where I build snowmen. When it is warm enough, it is also wonderful to have a picnic, barbeque or go rowing.
As for Singapore, my favourite spot is the Tiong Bahru district. This area is a residential area, so you can see everyday Singaporeans hanging out, playing chess, grocery shopping etc. At the same time, this area has an abundance of good food and quaint cafes tucked away in quiet corners, making it fun to explore.
What are your goals for the next years?
Professionally, I would like to further hone my writing skills, in order to put things across accurately and eloquently. Personally, I always aim to try out something new every year – this year’s activity is bouldering. We’ll see what next year brings!
Thanks, Swee!
