I am a 24-year-old Vietnam girl living in Geylang. I came here a few months ago, hoping to start a new life and make some money.

I was working in a massage parlour when a fat oily man came in. He looked like he was in his 40s and he was so creepy. He asked me to give him a massage and I reluctantly agreed. But, when I started giving him the massage, he suddenly jumped out of the bed and started biting me.

I was so shocked and scared that I just ran out of the room crying.

The man followed me and kept trying to grab me, but I managed to escape. I was so scared that I ran home and locked myself in my room. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone what had happened and I was too scared to go back to work.

I eventually decided to go to the police and report what happened. They took me to a hospital to get checked and the doctors told me that I had been bitten by a human and that it had left some marks on my body.

I now understand why it is so important to speak up if something like this happens to you. I was too scared to do anything at the time, but I’m glad that I eventually found the courage to report what happened.

I still feel scared and anxious when I think about what happened. I try to stay away from Geylang and I avoid going out at night. I’m also more aware of my surroundings and I always keep my phone with me in case I need to call for help.

I’ve always been a big fan of the movies. Growing up, I was mesmerized by the way the characters would casually stroll into a casino, place a few bets and walk away with a fortune. I was captivated by the idea of making money so easily and I wanted to try it out for myself.

So, when I turned 21, I decided to take a trip to the casino. I had a few hundred dollars saved up and I figured it would be enough to get me started. I was so eager to try my luck and I was certain that I would be able to make some money.

Boy, was I wrong.

I started off with a few small bets and I quickly began losing. I kept telling myself that I was doing the right thing and that I would eventually win, but the losses kept piling up. I was so sure that I could beat the odds and get my money back, but I was wrong.

I kept playing and eventually I ran out of money. I had nothing left and I had to borrow money from friends and family just to get by. I eventually had to sell off some of my possessions just to afford food.

It was at this point that I realized that the movies weren’t quite as realistic as I thought. In the movies, the characters always seem to win, but in reality, it’s a lot harder to do that. I had to accept that I was never going to be a professional gambler and I had to admit that I had been too naïve.

I decided that I would never step foot in a casino again. I had learned my lesson and I wanted to make sure that I never got myself into that kind of situation again. I had been so close to losing everything I had, and I didn’t want to take that risk again.

That was a few years ago and I haven’t been back to a casino since. I’ve heard stories of people who have won big, but I also know that the odds are never in their favor. I’ve seen first-hand just how easy it is to lose money and I’m not willing to take that risk again.

I may have been naive and foolish in thinking that I could win money like the characters in the movies, but I’m glad that I learned my lesson before it was too late. I’ve since become a wiser and more responsible gambler, and I’m much more aware of the risks that come with gambling.

Hurts to see everyone in happy relationships, while I sleep alone every night

I’m turning 32 next week, and just can’t shake this feeling of being utterly alone and unloved.

All my friends and peers around me are in happy, healthy relationships and while I do get often to hang out with them and have fun, coming back home alone every night gets increasingly hard.

Also pretending it doesn’t hurt when they talk about (of course I’m happy for them, but it’s also reminder of my situation).

I’ve never had a proper relationship despite my best efforts (and 3+ years on dating apps on top of that), just some situationships and affairs here and there.

I’ve never been chosen as a partner. I’m a little overweight, and sometimes I think thats the issue but I know that’s not true. There’s plenty of big girls, in happy, healthy relationships.

I just dont know what to do, tired of crying myself to sleep because I’m lonely.

Netizens’ comments

1. I actually notice far more people unhappy in their relationships than happy. Im always hearing of ‘so and so cheated on me’ or some other problem lol. & they may be happy at first but it always ends up not good. I see a lot of wives complaining about their husbands on here, and my stepsister married a guy from the states who ended up being a deadbeat dad. Yeah, relationships are great…
   When i get lonely i just think of all the upset people who thought they had it all for a few month and then the honeymoon fell apart. Be happy your not in one and just pity them lol. It wont last\ be perfect forever..
2. People in relationships do not always tell the whole story of how empty/unloving/cold their situation is, just like how people often keep abuse quiet. It js just pride to want people to see your best side.
   You dont know how alone and unfulfilled they may feel even in their relationships.
   Judging yourself or your life by comparing it against others is kind of a bad idea for this reason. You may find yourself in a few years paired up yet still equally unhappy, if you continue with the comparisons. Other people’s situations usually look better from the outside

I was never one to shy away from a good beer, but lately I’ve been drinking like a ‘ah gua’.

I’m sure my friends are starting to notice, and it’s embarrassing. You see, I’ve been told my whole life that drinking beer is a manly thing to do. I was told to drink beer like a man, to prove my masculinity.

So, I’ve been trying to live up to that standard, but I’m failing.

I started out drinking like I was supposed to: a few beers here and there and some shots on special occasions. I was good at holding my liquor and could easily hold my own in a game of beer pong. But lately, I’ve been finding myself reaching for a bottle of beer before my friends even have a chance to suggest it. I’m drinking more than I used to and it’s starting to become a problem.

It started to become a problem when I realized I was drinking for the wrong reasons. I was no longer drinking to have fun or to be social; I was drinking to prove something to myself. I was drinking to prove that I was manly and to live up to the standards that had been set for me. I was drinking to prove that I was a “real man”.

The problem is, I’m not a real man. I’m not a manly man. I’m a ah gua. I can’t handle my liquor like a man and I can’t drink like a man.

I’m just not cut out for it. As much as I want to be, I’m not. I’m not the type of man who can handle his beer. I’m the type of man who drinks beer like a puss.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m not a manly man and that’s ok. I don’t need to drink beer to prove my manliness. I can still be a man without drinking beer. I’m still a man even if I don’t drink like one.

I still enjoy a good beer from time to time, but I no longer need to drink beer to prove my manliness. I drink beer because I enjoy it, not because I need to prove something to myself or anyone else. I’m still a man, even if I don’t drink like one.

I have a friend who has a history of being a ‘carrot’ to girls from dius, mostly Vietnamese girls.

Every time our clique goes to a diu for some partying, he will be instantly hooked towards the girl that flirts with him a little or gives him a bit of physical contact.

Recently, he has been hooked to a new girl from this particular joint that we went to at Macpherson Mall.

He would wait for her to finish work so that he can bring her to eat supper and send her home.

The girl tells him that she is interested in him and calls him darling and baby and occasionally lets him hold her hand.

It is their way of flirting with customers to make them think of them so that the customers will return but while the average guy who frequent dius frequently would take it with a pinch of salt, my friend will go crazy over these kind of gestures.

He would take it as the girl has a genuine interest in him and would go all lengths to please her, just to continue receiving this sort of gestures from her.

He recently told me that he has bought her an iPhone while they were out and she was so happy so she let him hold her hand for the whole day.

And that was about it. Not even a hug, just letting him hold hands and he was so elated.

However on another occasion when they went out and he did not buy her what she wanted, she would be ‘angry’ and not speak to him and will not let him hold her.

Afraid to disappoint his ‘princess’, he would then give in to her and buy her what she wanted.

So far, he has bought her an iPhone 14, a Chanel bag, a Gucci wallet and even lingerie from Victoria Secret and all he gets in return is just her letting him hold her hand for the duration they are out together.

Our clique has tried to talk him out of being a ‘carrot’ but he still insists that it is true love and thinks that one day she will allow him to hug her and maybe even more.

We just hope that he can realise that he’s been used sooner but well it is a willing relationship so as long as he is happy i guess.

I have a friend who used to be a fangirl of Kpop.

She is overly obsessed over it, she has a lot of Kpop merchandise, is always updated of all the Kpop news and every conversation with her will somehow or rather lead to Kpop.

She has always dreamt of having a Kpop oppa boyfriend and even went to sign up for Korean language classes to learn how to converse in Korean and always dresses and acts like one.

In short, she lives and breathes Kpop and the Korean culture.

Went to Seoul and got disappointed

On one of the holidays, she planned a solo trip to Seoul and was really excited about it.

It was her first time to Korea and she had high expectations of Seoul, thinking that everything there would be a photocopy of Korean dramas and that the Kpop culture there would be strong and everyone there would be good looking.

However, upon touring the streets, she started to go on and on in our Whatsapp group that she was disappointed because Seoul was not like what she expected.

People there in reality were not as good looking as the Korean dramas and the Kpop stars.

The supposed Oppas there were not as gentleman and nice like in the shows and in fact most of them are rude and ungentlemanly.

She said that she was going into a cafe and this Korean guy did not even bother to hold the door for her whereas in Singapore, people would normally just hold the door for the next person entering.

It was then where she woke up from her Korean ‘fantasy’.

Till date, she still keeps track of Kpop culture and all but at least she has a clearer picture of the situation and not living in her dream anymore.

My heart sinks as I think about the past few months. I can’t help but feel scared that my boyfriend might cheat on me, just like he did to his ex before me to be together with me.

I have been with him for almost a year now, and it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions. We have our good times and our bad, but I’m always worried that he might cheat.

I know that he cheated on his ex with me and I’m afraid that he would cheat on me to be together with someone else.

I’ve put a lot of effort into our relationship, and I feel like I deserve to keep him with me by my side.

I often find myself questioning our relationship and if it’s really worth it. I want to be able to trust him and know that he’s being faithful, but my fear of being cheated on always creeps up in the back of my mind.

I’m always scared that he’s going to do it again and that I’ll end up being the one who gets hurt.

I’ve tried to talk to him about my fears, but it always ends in a fight. He tells me that I’m being too paranoid and that I should trust him.

But I can’t help but feel like I’m not enough for him and that he’ll eventually find someone else who he deems better or more important.

I don’t want to keep living in fear, but it’s hard to shake off the thought that he might cheat on me. I’ve tried to focus on the good things about our relationship, but it’s hard to push away the negative feelings.

I wish there was a way to make sure he won’t cheat on me, but I know that’s not possible.

All I can do is hope and pray that he will stay faithful and that my fears are unfounded. I want to be able to trust him and to have a healthy, happy relationship.

But it’s hard when I’m constantly worrying about him cheating on me, just like he did to his ex to get together with me.