8DAYS.SG: You came to Singapore at 13. Why did your parents decide to send you here?
TIFFANY HO: My parents didn’t plan to send me to Singapore at such a young age. They wanted to send me to somewhere like the UK after my A-levels.
My father met up with his friend and that friend’s son, who at that time, was already planning to come to Singapore. They talked for 30 minutes, just 30 minutes! And he decided to send me here. He listened to his friend’s recommendation of Singapore and made that decision really quick.
I’m still good friends with the son, and he came to support me at the finals.
What was the toughest thing you had to do when you moved here alone?
To not let my parents worry about me. That was hard. Whenever I got sick, if it wasn’t too serious, I wouldn’t tell them. I also needed to make sure I was eating well, and check in with them whenever I was going to be home late.
You had to be very independent at a young age. Did you get into any trouble without your parents knowing?
I definitely had a lot of freedom, and when I was in secondary school, I would sometimes tell them I was back home when I was actually still out or hanging out at my friend’s place. They would reply “Okay, sleep early” and I would be like “Yay!”. Other than that, I didn’t really get into any trouble.
You live in Sembawang now, but you used to attend secondary school in the east. Why not rent some place nearer to school?
I was from Ping Yi Secondary which later merged with Bedok Green Secondary School, and I used to live in that area. I moved to Sembawang four months ago, and I’m renting a room. I have three roommates, a dog, and a cat at my new place (grins).
I wanted to move away from Bedok because I was bored living in that area, and I wanted to check out another neighbourhood. That’s also one of the reasons I chose to go to Nanyang Poly. But now… I’m starting to think that the east side is really the best side ‘cos there’s nothing much in Sembawang also!
How was your Mandarin when you first came to Singapore?
My Mandarin was pretty bad. You know how Hong Kong people will speak Mandarin with a strong accent, right? It’s harder to understand.
In Singapore, my roommates are mostly from China and I talk to them every day. I still have the [Hong Kong] accent but I think I’ve gotten slightly better.
We understand you just fine!
Thank you. I think I’ve managed to learn quite a bit from them so it’s time to practice my English now.
My parents wanted me to attend junior college, but I failed my English O’ level exam. I didn’t really want to go to JC as well. I wanted to try business or early childhood education, but because I didn’t pass English, the next best option was IT.
I’ve come to realise that IT is also quite fun. I learned the coding languages, but I only studied for four months then deferred a semester for Star Search, and I forgot everything. Fair enough, right? (Laughs)
You mentioned that your dad is a taxi driver and your mum is a luxury goods wholesaler. What does that mean actually?
She has a way to find luxury goods at a cheaper price, and she sells it online to buyers.
What do you miss most about home?
I miss my dog! My dog is already very old. He’s 11 years old. We got him when I was eight or nine, and I last saw him a few months ago when I went back to visit.
I also miss the food, specifically curry fish balls. I love curry fish balls, the kind from the roadside stalls. I don’t really go to Hong Kong style restaurants here. I don’t think they have the same kind of curry fish balls, and I really miss it.
Did you know of local celebrities before joining Star Search?
No I didn’t. Before joining the competition, I didn’t even know there’s mewatch. I didn’t have a TV in my hostel. I only have access to social media, YouTube, and Netflix, so I don’t watch local dramas.
You’ve never watched local dramas, so what was the reason for joining Star Search? Is it your dream to be an actress?
Before joining Star Search, I didn’t know what kind of job I wanted. I’m still a student so I haven’t thought so far ahead. But I’ve always wanted to let a lot of people know about me, so that has worked out! (Laughs)
Are you planning to stay in Singapore long-term now that you have a Mediacorp contract?
Of course. As time goes by and I make more close friends, I don’t think I will leave Singapore. Hong Kong is not far from Singapore. It’s only like a three, four-hour flight, so it’s convenient for me to visit my parents. There are quite a lot of reasons for me to stay here.
Will your parents be okay with you choosing to stay here permanently?
I don’t know. But if I really want to stay, they also cannot say anything right? (Chuckles) I don’t know if I will stay here forever ‘cos I never know what will happen in the future, but that’s the plan for now.