When my mum and I were in Laos in October 2017, we learnt from our guide that most Laotians would go home for lunch during their lunch break. According to him, people tend to work or study close to home which made it convenient to do so.

During our long 8-hour bus journey from Xieng Khoang to Luang Prabang, we stopped by a local Hmong village and walked through the village school premises. We happened to be there during their lunch break and saw the children streaming out of school for home. They would then head back to school after their lunch break.

Home-cooked food is the best! It’s usually prepared with love and it’s healthier and cheaper than food you buy at a food court or restaurant. In Australia I bring my own lunch to work as my aunt cooks extra food the night before. People here tend to bring their own lunch as it’s much cheaper to do so. It was different for me in Hong Kong where I would join colleagues for lunch partly also to socialise. But here in Sydney it’s the norm to lunch on your own.

In Singapore, too, I used to lunch out with colleagues. Mainly because it wasn’t too expensive to eat at a kopitiam (coffee shop) or food court.

Well, one of the things I miss most when away from Singapore is definitely my mum’s cooking. Nothing can ever take the place of food cooked by your own mother!