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He called New York his home for six years. But that part of Aaron Kho’s life came to an end when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States earlier this year.
The 27-year-old Singaporean was fired in March. He had been a quality manager at a fashion-related e-commerce company for more than two years.
“Earlier that month, we noticed no work coming in and things escalated quickly,” said Kho, who was one of three people fired at the company’s US office.
“It was a crazy fight as New York quickly became one of the epicenters of the pandemic. Many people were fleeing to their home countries. I decided that Singapore was the place I wanted to be because I felt it was safer.”
Mr. Kho did not think he would be able to find a new job at the time, as most companies would be looking to cut costs. Over a period of 11 days, he packed his life in three suitcases, terminated his rental contracts and flew back to Singapore.
“I would have wanted to stay in the United States for a few more months if the pandemic hadn’t happened,” he said.
Out of work and with the pandemic in full swing, Mr. Kho was initially filled with anxiety.
But in the weeks that followed, a “strange thrill” washed over him when he decided to rekindle his passions and pursue photography and film making full time in Singapore.
“This is what I always wanted to do. But when I graduated in 2017, I chose safety and decided to try to make money first,” said Kho, who has been living with his parents and younger brother since he returned. in March.
One of the first projects he worked on since he returned was documenting his recent experience. She made a 60-minute feature film, titled Parachute, which details her relocation amid the coronavirus outbreak and the days she spent in quarantine.
He has presented it to the Singapore International Film Festival, to be held later this year.
Kho said: “The pandemic has been a brake on everyone, but at the same time, it has also forced us to realign ourselves with what is important. I look forward to staying here for the foreseeable future and seeing where it takes me.”
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