Latest news with #Amara
Khaleej Times
19 hours ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
When the ideal isn't real: What's cognitive dissonance and how to tackle it?
Amara* had always associated success with stability – the kind rooted in a familiar neighbourhood and a fulfilling career, all within the close-knit community she grew up in. As the daughter of Caribbean immigrants who built a modest, middle-class life in the US, she was raised to believe that education was the surest path to that success. So with her parents' support, she earned degrees from Stanford University and the University of Michigan, and seemed firmly on track to create the life she had long envisioned for herself. But now, seven years into her expat journey in Qatar, her reality looks very different. 'I really figured that by this age I would be living in a nice gated community in the US, balancing raising my kids with a fulfilling career at a multinational company, surrounded by the friends and family that I grew up with,' said Amara, 38. 'I never dreamed of living so far away from home, and being just a stay-at-home mum.' Her move to Doha in 2018 to be with her husband marked a detour that, over time, began to feel like a derailment. 'For my first job in Qatar, I opted to take what felt like a step backwards in order to move my marriage and my family forward. Looking back, I think that this step moved me further away from achieving my imagined reality than I could have thought,' she reflected. A mismatch Amara's experience is far from unique. According to Vinita Mane, a CDA-licensed therapist and faculty leader at Westford University College in Sharjah, 'Cognitive dissonance, in this context, occurs when there's a mismatch between the ideal life one envisioned and the reality of daily struggles, lack of employment or job insecurity, and multitasking between roles that may not align with one's skills or specialisation.' This inner tension can have far-reaching effects. 'It can cause emotional distress, strained relationships, and sometimes the development of maladaptive behaviours or coping mechanisms,' Mane explained. For Amara, the dissonance became most palpable after the birth of her second child. 'I knew that going back to work at the time wasn't going to be my reality. And from there I watched my unemployment gap widen and widen,' she said. 'Now, with three kids, I feel less and less confident that I will be able to seamlessly re-enter the workforce and do the things I once wanted to do professionally.' Distance from home and a lack of support system only magnified Amara's feelings of dissonance. 'I believe that having community that you can lean on for help and that you can be vulnerable with in times of challenge are so important,' she said. 'Now I am in a place that can feel very lonely. Folks come and go frequently so it can feel emotionally draining to invest in relationships only to see them end abruptly and unexpectedly.' Expatriates like Amara, whether in the Gulf or elsewhere, arrive with many expectations. They then face difficult choices: to assimilate, integrate, or separate from the dominant culture. 'One of humanity's greatest strengths is adaptability. We possess the ability to learn, evolve, and integrate into new environments. Those who embrace change with openness and curiosity are more likely to manage dissonance effectively,' Mane explained. 'One's emotional and psychological well-being – and even physical health – can be directly impacted by the inability to adapt, especially when individuals cling too tightly to their original expectations instead of adjusting to their current reality.' For a long time, Amara experienced what she described as a persistent, heavy emotional state marked by deep sadness. This stemmed from unmet expectations and the loss of the life she had once envisioned – one that included a career, financial autonomy, and a rooted sense of home. Seeking help Through therapy, she began to process that grief, giving herself permission to feel disappointment while working to reshape her goals within her current reality. Amara has learned that acknowledgment is key. 'I've worked hard not to brush away my feelings but to name them, to understand what is driving them and to affirm that not having been able to build that life that I wanted does not make me less valuable or less competent or less worthy of love and appreciation and admiration.' Therapy has encouraged her to re-frame success and find new meaning. 'I've been able to dig deep to identify my core values and how my prior goals aligned with them. Moving forward, I'm working on creating new goals based on those core values, but within my current context.' In addition to this type of work, Mane recommends cognitive restructuring: a therapeutic technique that challenges negative or irrational thought patterns and helps to develop a growth mindset. 'A psychologist can guide you through this journey, helping you better understand your emotions, build resilience, and develop healthier ways of thinking.' Today, Amara's expat experience is deeply intentional. 'Cultivating gratitude and grace are things that have taken me a long way in managing the discomfort that comes along with the dissonance. 'As I have begun to re-frame and redefine my goals, my expat experience has improved. I am able to see so much value in it and to have a lot of gratitude in it while still holding space for the fact that there are some aspects of it that I do not like.' She added, 'My goal is not to erase the dissonance but to claim it, and keep on re-envisioning my life day after day." Qatar
Business Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Stocks to watch: Keppel Infrastructure Trust, Raffles Medical, Amara, Koh Brothers Eco Engineering, SIA
[SINGAPORE] The following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Wednesday (Jun 11): Keppel Infrastructure Trust (KIT) : Its manager is divesting a 24.6 per cent stake in Australian bus service business Ventura Motors for A$130 million (S$109 million). As part of the trust's value creation strategy, the sale will bolster its financial strength and agility while enhancing its ability to capture further opportunities through strategic capital recycling, said Kevin Neo, chief executive of the manager, on Tuesday. Units of KIT closed flat at S$0.395 on Tuesday, before the announcement. Raffles Medical Group : The group has inked a strategic cooperation agreement with First Affiliated Hospital, a hospital in Chongqing, China, to deepen medical partnerships between the two. Under the partnership, a new healthcare collaboration ecosystem will be set up, where the two parties will participate in reciprocal visits and exchanges for personnel and explore new models of cooperation such as on artificial intelligence applications. A new medical consortium will facilitate the flow of medical resources and top expert teams from both hospitals will convene for academic exchanges and consultations, the group said on Tuesday. Shares of Raffles Medical closed at S$0.975 on Tuesday, down 1 per cent or S$0.01, before the announcement. Amara : The hotel and property group will be delisted from the Singapore Exchange as the privatisation offer for it closed with valid acceptances representing 97.74 per cent of total shares. As at the offer's close at 5.30 pm on Tuesday, the total number of shares owned, controlled or agreed to be acquired by the offeror DRC Investments, together with valid acceptances of the offer, was 562 million shares. DRC, a consortium led by property developer Hwa Hong, will compulsorily acquire all remaining shares of Amara it does not own at the price of S$0.895 apiece and make the group its wholly owned subsidiary. Shares of Amara were suspended on Tuesday. Koh Brothers Eco Engineering ; Singapore Airlines : A joint venture between Japanese firm Penta-Ocean Construction and a subsidiary of the construction and engineering company bagged a S$999 million contract for the construction of intra-terminal tunnels at Changi Airport's upcoming Terminal 5 (T5). The intra-terminal tunnels will serve as underground connections within T5, support the transfer of passengers and baggage across the terminal's concourses while facilitating the routing of common utilities, said Changi Airport Group on Tuesday. When T5 opens in the mid-2030s, it will consolidate the operations of Singapore Airlines and Scoot, which are now spread across three terminals. Shares of Koh Brothers Eco Engineering ended on Tuesday 5.7 per cent or S$0.003 lower at S$0.05, before the announcement; SIA shares closed on Tuesday 0.6 per cent or S$0.04 higher at S$7.10 before the announcement.
Business Times
10-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Consortium's privatisation offer for Amara closes with 97.74% valid acceptances
[SINGAPORE] The privatisation offer for hotel and property group Amara finally succeeded on Tuesday (Jun 10), with valid acceptances representing 97.74 per cent of the total shares. As at the close of the offer at 5.30 pm on Tuesday, the total number of shares owned, controlled or agreed to be acquired by DRC Investments, together with valid acceptances of the offer, amounted to 562 million shares. DRC, a consortium led by property developer Hwa Hong, will exercise its right to compulsorily acquire all remaining shares at the offer price of S$0.895 a share. Amara will subsequently be delisted from the Singapore Exchange. DRC said it has no intention to preserve the group's listing status and will instead make it a wholly owned subsidiary. DRC is a special-purpose vehicle that is 35 per cent held by a fund sponsored by formerly Singapore-listed Hwa Hong and Malaysia-based Newfields. Another 35 per cent shareholder is a wholly owned subsidiary of local developer Wing Tai. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up Albert Teo, Amara's chairman and chief executive officer, and his daughter, chief operating officer Dawn Teo, hold the remaining 30 per cent of DRC. The S$0.895 offer price represents a 27 per cent premium over Amara's closing price of S$0.705 on Apr 23, ahead of the trading halt called by the company the following day. It is also a 33 per cent premium over Amara's net asset value per share as at end-December 2024. In a previous bourse filing, DRC cited low trading liquidity and challenging macroeconomic conditions for Amara's privatisation. This includes a rise in protectionist policies and shifting trade agreements, which could disrupt supply chains and increase costs for businesses. These may result in higher operations costs, squeezing profit margins and affecting long-term growth prospects, it said. 'The offer represents a unique cash exit opportunity for shareholders to liquidate and realise their entire investment at a premium, an option which may not otherwise be readily available due to the low trading liquidity of the shares,' it added. The latest privatisation offer was the second time Amara was the target of a privatisation deal. In 2023, the group received a voluntary cash offer at S$0.60 a share from Amethyst Assets, a consortium linked to Albert Teo, other members of his family and private equity investor Dymon Asia. But the attempt fell short of the 90 per cent threshold for acceptances, at 88.39 per cent in shareholding interest.
Sydney Morning Herald
06-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Sydney Morning Herald
Melbourne's cafes have always been world-class. But in 2025 they've got even better
When Australians go overseas, it usually sparks a lightbulb moment: we take our morning routines seriously. While many other cities sleep, in Australia we're seizing the day with run clubs and coffee, or stopping at our favourite cafe for babycinos and a shared croissant en route to school and work. Weekend brunch tables are booked well ahead. People's devotion to their daily cafe visit borders on spiritual. There are more than 100 of these cornerstones of our social lives gathered in Good Food's Essential Melbourne Cafes and Bakeries 2025, presented by T2 and published today. The guide celebrates the people and places that shape our excellent cafe and bakery scenes and includes more than 100 venues reviewed anonymously across 10 categories, including icons, those best for food, tea, coffee and matcha, and where to get the city's best sweets, sandwiches and baked goods. These reviews live on the Good Food app, and can be discovered on the map. Skimming the list it's clear that, even if cafes are quintessential, they're far from standard-issue these days. Thick slabs of tamago (the firm Japanese omelette) are almost as likely as swirls of scrambled eggs. Rice and flatbread jostle for space with sourdough. Shades of purple, green and pink are seen in drinks and on pastries. 'Brunch and coffee have always been a significant part of Melbourne culture and the pride of every Melburnian,' says Tuan To, co-owner of Amara in Seddon, which he opened in April with a Vietnamese-skewed all-day menu. 'I thought why not bring [together] the two and create something new yet familiar.' Amara's signature dish might be a steel pan of runny-yolked eggs with pâté, sweet stir-fried beef and pickles. The crusty baguette on the side can turn it into a banh mi-esque experience.
The Age
06-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Age
Melbourne's cafes have always been world-class. But in 2025 they've got even better
When Australians go overseas, it usually sparks a lightbulb moment: we take our morning routines seriously. While many other cities sleep, in Australia we're seizing the day with run clubs and coffee, or stopping at our favourite cafe for babycinos and a shared croissant en route to school and work. Weekend brunch tables are booked well ahead. People's devotion to their daily cafe visit borders on spiritual. There are more than 100 of these cornerstones of our social lives gathered in Good Food's Essential Melbourne Cafes and Bakeries 2025, presented by T2 and published today. The guide celebrates the people and places that shape our excellent cafe and bakery scenes and includes more than 100 venues reviewed anonymously across 10 categories, including icons, those best for food, tea, coffee and matcha, and where to get the city's best sweets, sandwiches and baked goods. These reviews live on the Good Food app, and can be discovered on the map. Loading Skimming the list it's clear that, even if cafes are quintessential, they're far from standard-issue these days. Thick slabs of tamago (the firm Japanese omelette) are almost as likely as swirls of scrambled eggs. Rice and flatbread jostle for space with sourdough. Shades of purple, green and pink are seen in drinks and on pastries. 'Brunch and coffee have always been a significant part of Melbourne culture and the pride of every Melburnian,' says Tuan To, co-owner of Amara in Seddon, which he opened in April with a Vietnamese-skewed all-day menu. 'I thought why not bring [together] the two and create something new yet familiar.' Amara's signature dish might be a steel pan of runny-yolked eggs with pâté, sweet stir-fried beef and pickles. The crusty baguette on the side can turn it into a banh mi-esque experience.
