Mainland on weekdays, Pulau Ubin on weekends: Poly student helps run grandparents' 100-year-old provision shop

In a city filled with towering buildings, bustling streets and the constant hum of activity, a slower way of life still exists just a short boat ride from mainland Singapore.

On Pulau Ubin, where visitors can trade traffic jams for cycling trails and concrete landscapes for lush greenery, 18-year-old Isaac spends his weekends and school holidays with his grandparents, helping out at their provision shop that has been standing for more than a century.

The Republic Polytechnic student, who lives with his parents on the mainland during the weekdays, shared a glimpse into his life on the island in an episode of Mediacorp's Gen Z Crash Course, posted on YouTube.

Pulau Ubin offers Isaac a quiet retreat from city life, though living there also comes with its share of challenges.

Helping out at a century-old provision shop

The provision shop sells snacks, drinks, coconuts and ice cream to tourists, and it also serves as a mini-mart for island residents, stocking everyday necessities such as rice, canned food and soap.

His grandmother's coffee is another draw for customers.

Having grown up around the island's community, Isaac said residents had watched him grow up and treat him like family.

On weekends, more visitors come to the island, so he helps his grandparents at the shop.

"I help out (by) watching the store, collecting payments, and making sure the monkeys don't come in and steal anything," Isaac said.

Life without a conventional shower

Life on Pulau Ubin does not come with conveniences that many mainland residents take for granted.

Isaac explained that his family's water supply comes from a well, with the connected pipes sometimes resulting in weak water pressure when multiple taps are used.

Without a showerhead, his family boils water before pouring it into a large container. They then use a pail to scoop up the water and pour it over themselves to bathe.

The heat is another challenge, with Isaac keeping two fans in his room to stay cool.

He also relies on his own mobile data to complete schoolwork and browse social media, as there is no Wi-Fi at home.

Despite these limitations, he enjoys the island's surroundings and the contrast with life on the mainland.

"On the mainland, it's all concrete and everything. But in Pulau Ubin, you just walk five minutes and you get all these nice views," he said.

A quiet escape surrounded by nature

Away from the shop, Isaac enjoys photography and videography, using Pulau Ubin's scenery as inspiration.

In the episode, he takes viewers to Butterfly Hill, where there are plants to attract butterflies, and Chek Jawa, where visitors can enjoy the sea breeze and coastal views.

For Isaac, these places are part of what makes the island special.

He said Pulau Ubin has become more vibrant over the years, with conservation efforts and improvements bringing more visitors and wildlife to the area.

"It's like my love for the island that keeps me coming back here. Like it's my passion," he said.

Although he sometimes feels lonely and keeps in touch with friends through online games, Isaac said the island remains a place he loves returning to.

Hopes of keeping the family business alive

Despite the challenges, he said he would like to take over the provision shop one day if given the opportunity.

He hopes to retain its kampung-style character, although he would rebuild parts of the ageing property to address maintenance needs.

"I will keep the kampung style, but I'll definitely rebuild the house a bit because it's a bit too old already," he said.

He also hopes more people will visit Pulau Ubin, recalling how ferry passengers previously had to wait for hours during busy periods.

Nowadays, he sometimes has to wait for enough passengers to gather before a boat departs.

For those who have yet to visit the island, Isaac's message is simple: "Just come. Don't think about it. Just come, lah ."

asyiqin.nadzri@asiaone.com

在高楼林立、街道熙熙攘攘、生活节奏永不停歇的城市里，从新加坡本岛乘船只需很短的时间，就能体验到一种节奏较慢的生活方式。

在乌敏岛，游客可以摆脱交通拥堵，骑上自行车，欣赏混凝土景观，拥抱郁郁葱葱的绿地。18 岁的艾萨克利用周末和学校假期与祖父母一起度过，在他们经营了一个多世纪的杂货店帮忙。

这位新加坡共和理工学院的学生平日里和父母住在大陆，他在YouTube上发布的Mediacorp Gen Z Crash Course节目中，分享了他在岛上的生活片段。

乌敏岛为艾萨克提供了一个远离城市生活的宁静避世之所，但住在那里也面临着不少挑战。

在一家百年老店帮忙

这家杂货店向游客出售零食、饮料、椰子和冰淇淋，同时也为岛上居民提供便利，出售大米、罐头食品和肥皂等日常必需品。

他祖母的咖啡也是吸引顾客的一大亮点。

艾萨克说，他在岛上的社区长大，居民们看着他长大，待他就像家人一样。

周末，岛上游客增多，所以他会在店里帮祖父母的忙。

“我的工作是看管店铺、收取货款，并确保猴子不会进来偷东西，”艾萨克说。

没有传统淋浴的生活

乌敏岛的生活不像大陆居民那样拥有许多习以为常的便利设施。

艾萨克解释说，他家的供水来自一口井，连接水井的管道有时会在多个水龙头同时使用时导致水压不足。

由于家里没有淋浴喷头，他们一家人会先把水烧开，然后倒入一个大容器里。接着，他们用桶舀起热水，浇在身上洗澡。

炎热的天气也是一大挑战，艾萨克在房间里放了两台风扇来降温。

由于家里没有 Wi-Fi，他只能依靠自己的手机流量来完成作业和浏览社交媒体。

尽管存在这些限制，他仍然很享受岛上的环境以及与大陆生活截然不同的氛围。

“在大陆上，到处都是钢筋水泥。但在乌敏岛，你只需步行五分钟就能欣赏到所有这些美丽的景色，”他说。

被大自然环绕的静谧避世之所

除了店铺的工作之外，Isaac 还喜欢摄影和摄像，他以乌敏岛的风景为灵感。

在这一集中，他带领观众前往蝴蝶山，那里种植着吸引蝴蝶的植物；他还带观众前往仄爪哇，游客可以在那里享受海风和海岸风光。

对艾萨克来说，这些地方正是这座岛屿独特之处的一部分。

他表示，近年来，随着保护工作和环境改善，乌敏岛变得更加充满活力，吸引了更多游客和野生动物来到该地区。

“我对这座岛屿的热爱让我一次又一次地回到这里。这就像是我的激情所在，”他说。

虽然他有时会感到孤独，并通过网络游戏与朋友保持联系，但艾萨克说，这座岛屿仍然是他喜欢回去的地方。

希望家族企业能够延续下去

尽管面临诸多挑战，他表示如果有机会，他希望有一天能够接管这家杂货店。

他希望保留其甘榜式的特色，但会重建部分老旧建筑以满足维护需求。

“我会保留甘榜风格，但我肯定会对房子进行一些翻新，因为它已经有点太旧了，”他说。

他还希望更多的人能够前往乌敏岛，并回忆起以前在高峰期，渡轮乘客不得不等待数小时的情况。

如今，他有时需要等待足够的乘客到齐后，船只才会出发。

对于那些尚未到访过该岛的人，艾萨克的讯息很简单：“来吧。别想太多。来吧，啦。”

asyiqin.nadzri@asiaone.com