Public Convos

About Public Convos

Public Conversations was a podcast experiment, capturing the intersection of a time, a place, and the people that move through it. A project by Benjamin Yap (benjaminyap.me) currently beaming out of a community-led possibility room residing in Pearl Hills Terrace in Singapore, run by the team at Stranger Conversations (linktr.ee/strangerconvos). Podcast cover by Rania (IG: @artsbyrania), intro music by Eli Sands.

Publisher

Benjamin Yap

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Jun 2025

Latest episode

23 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Nov 2025

   011. Volunteering, with Bang

   1 October, 2025. If you think of soup kitchens and beach cleanups when you think of volunteering, Bang is here to change your impression of what volunteering can be. Bang shares his varied volunteering experiences, encourages us to begin our own volunteering efforts, and shares why he thinks larger organisations can better manage and reward volunteers for their time. Note: We’re experimenting with a different recording setup with this one so we apologise for there being more noise than usual! Shian Bang, also known as Bang, is a photojournalist with the local press. Outside of work, he dedicates his time to contributing to community-building efforts in Singapore. Follow him on IG @bangsphoto (https://www.instagram.com/bangsphoto). Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). This episode also inspired him to build and create filmbulletin.sg (http://filmbulletin.sg) He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:09 Intro to Bang 02:38 Relationship to the space (and food) 07:30 Volunteering 17:04 Making the most of volunteers 20:07 What makes Bang volunteer 22:38 Bang's volunteering experiences 29:32 Bread and butter issues 33:36 Non-profits and economics 38:20 KPIs for charitable events 42:04 Visibility for smaller minorities 46:14 Different ways of volunteering 50:23 Continuity 57:50 Competition 01:01:55 Iron ricebowl question

2. 

   4 Oct 2025

   010. A spirit of exploration, with Maisie

   10 September, 2025. Maisie and Ben have a meandering conversation around embracing the unknown through the “spirit of exploration.” We cover our changing relationship with creative endeavours, Maisie’s focus on social impact, building extroversion, risk-taking, free will, and the power of connection among a laundry list of other tantalizing tangents. Maisie has a deep interest in connection, community, and the intersection between social impact and creativity. She has a deep appreciation for language, and believes that the journey of self-discovery is essential to healing, emboldening, and growing us in equal measure. When she's not enjoying caffeine in various formats, you'll find her diving into creative pursuits. Explore more of her work at https://substack.com/@inlivingfire (https://substack.com/@inlivingfire) Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 03:27 Relationship to the space 07:42 Spirit of exploration 09:14 What am I doing? 13:49 Building extroversion 15:22 Spontaneity 17:43 Social impact 21:51 Reframing creativity 37:42 Leaving conventionality behind 41:26 Contradictions 43:36 Does exploring stop? 51:18 Learning to let go 54:07 Risk 57:21 Difficult conversations / Inconvenience and friction 1:04:50 Ben’s current relationship to this podcast 01:12:40 Iron ricebowl question

3. 

   14 Sept 2025

   009. Poetry, with Julian

   20 August, 2025. Julian shares his process of finding inspiration for and writing poetry with the podcast. We chat about how he discovered his own poetic instincts by accident (with the help of a guitar), discuss the (false?) dichotomy between the technical and the artistic, and listen to a few of Julian’s poems. Julian is a poet & ecological storyteller. He seeks to tell compelling stories that would help people live more harmoniously with the rest of the natural world. He is a regular volunteer at Ground-Up Initiative & his work has been featured by Urban Birds Initiative Singapore, Living Soil Asia and Coastal Natives. He really likes trees. Follow Julian’s poetry IG @juli.po.etry (https://www.instagram.com/juli.po.etry/) Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 POEM: Today I Am Doing Nothing 03:04 Relationship to the space 06:53 Julian’s start in poetry 13:57 Nature 18:15 Favourite poets 19:59 Formal humanities education 26:54 The Projector closure sidebar 28:03 Artistic/Technical 45:36 Writing process 51:21 POEM: A Dancer and a Debonair 52:48 Ease 55:16 Iron ricebowl question 57:24 POEM: A Poem is a Silk Song

4. 

   7 Sept 2025

   008. Self-compassion, with Su Ting

   July 14, 2025. Su Ting joins the podcast with the topic of self-compassion. We run through different definitions of other self-perception traits, like self-worth, self-esteem, etc, and talk about how we’ve found ways to find compassion for ourselves, others, and through creative pursuits. Su Ting also shares a nice collection of important P and C words… listen to find out what they are. Su Ting hopes to make it part of her life's work to guide others in restoring their sense of authenticity, autonomy and self-acceptance. She's thankful to be on the path toward becoming a registered psychotherapist, and seeks to express her imaginative, curious and fun-loving spirit in the process. Find her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wongsuting). Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) Links: If you’re looking for mental health resources in Singapore: a good place to start: http://mindline.sg (http://mindline.sg) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:30 Relationship to the space 04:48 Exploring one's creative side 08:24 Definitions of self compassion 16:28 Why this topic 20:10 Building self compassion 27:12 Extending self compassion to others 32:37 Realizing something needs to change 36:00 Process over outcome 43:56 Experimentation 46:28 Community and other good C-words 56:24 Creative pursuits 59:49 Talk to your friends 01:02:48 Iron ricebowl question

5. 

   24 Aug 2025

   007. Shirakawa Tea, with Aya

   July 4, 2025. Aya recently moved to Singapore from Japan and is bringing the sencha of Shirakawa-cho along for the journey. We learn about her transition to life in Singapore, why she’s trying to share her love for the green tea of Shirakawa-cho (different from the more famous Shirakawa-go!), and learn her connection to this city amidst Japan’s rural revitalization efforts. Aya is a recent expat from Japan in Singapore. She loves exercising and cultural exploration. In her past 3 years in rural Gifu, she has met beautiful people, discovered the green tea called Shirakawa-cha, and is currently on a mission to bring awareness of this tea to people of Singapore. Follow Aya on IG @usualexplorer. Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:53 Relationship to the space 07:17 Aya’s transition to Singapore 10:43 Aya’s Sencha project 18:47 Shirakawa tea 28:14 Why share Shirakawa tea 36:15 Being welcomed to new places 44:01 Sencha is not matcha 48:05 How tea regions differ 50:53 Where her project is right now 58:40 Iron ricebowl question

6. 

   18 Aug 2025

   007. How to start, with Chris

   June 25, 2025. Chris joins Ben for a conversation about starting new things—from launching his new YouTube channel, to encouraging curiosity and creativity in his young daughter. We explore the different ways we approach new experiences, what holds us back, and how Chris navigates novelty in his career as a musician. We also go on a nerdy tangent about video games and board games with regard to mastery and fun. Chris (he/him) is a stay-at-home dad, musician, educator, and YouTube creator. After years of teaching and performing music, he’s now exploring storytelling in new forms—most recently through travel vlogging and documentary-style conversations filmed while walking. Find him on YouTube at Chris Walks and Talks (https://youtube.com/@chriswalksandtalks?si=B9CR3_qGPsTu-ucH). Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:26 Relationship to the space 08:14 How to start stuff 11:51 Starting music 15:13 Perseverance and regret 19:08 Procrastination 21:26 Getting the reps in 30:39 Engagement and retention 34:22 Who’s your content for? 36:46 Social media 39:03 New vs old 42:40 A child’s beginner’s mind 48:42 Need for fun 57:39 Iron ricebowl question

7. 

   26 Jul 2025

   006. Neurodivergence, queerness, and gender identity, with Adi

   June 4, 2025. Adi comes onto the podcast to discuss the intersectionalities between marginalised communities. We talk about queerness and neurodivergence, more specifically asexuality and ADHD, and Adi’s personal journey navigating these identities. We talk about visibility and how it helps others, and what can be gained from dropping your masks, regardless of who you are. Adi has been navigating adult friendships and marginalised communities since they arrived a year ago. Stranger convos played a pivotal role in helping them find a space where they could express themselves and find others with similar experiences and interests. They're putting their energy in building networks of people who can support each other when traditional means of support fail us.  You can reach out to them at @floozywhoozylights on IG. Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) Links: Aces Going Places SG (https://linktr.ee/AcesGoingPlaces) Proud Spaces (http://proudspaces.sg) ADHD Assessment for Adults (https://add.org/adhd-test/) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:19 Relationship to the space 06:38 Friendship tiers 09:26 Community infrastructure 20:25 Intersectionality between marginalized communities 23:25 Adi’s identities 33:49 Gender identity 40:40 Safe spaces to express identities 43:57 D&D 45:52 The Rehearsal 49:54 Masking 51:42 Visibility 56:04 Giving 59:29 Iron ricebowl question

8. 

   19 Jul 2025

   005. Mental health and counseling, with Alicia

   May 28, 2025. Alicia shares with us her ongoing journey in her career transition from life coach to counselor, as well as the personal reasons underpinning this change. We try to ask good questions together, ponder if the government’s current mental health push is effective. Content warning: suicide statistics Alicia is no stranger to stepping off the traditional path in pursuit of a life that fits. Living with an invisible disability, she often finds herself questioning what a “Singapore life” truly means. Today, she’s a certified coach and trainee counsellor who supports individuals, especially those in transition, living with hidden conditions, or quietly asking who they are and why they’re here. Find her at www.ambrace.co (http://www.ambrace.co) or on IG @ladyatbishan. Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:20 Relationship to the space 04:52 Alicia’s background 07:00 Asking questions 11:31 Experience with counseling 14:50 Invisible disabilities 23:52 Desire to be normal 26:31 East vs West 30:15 Transition to counseling 34:33 Counseling vs coaching 39:20 Mental health in SG 55:20 Trading mental health for economic gain 58:55 Looking forwards and backwards 01:02:17 Iron ricebowl question

9. 

   12 Jul 2025

   004. Finding your inner child and experiencing the sublime, with Tony

   May 21, 2025. Tony came to Ben wanting to share some life lessons he’d like to leave his currently 4-year-old niece! We push and pull at the life advice Tony has come to, his ongoing journey that brought him to them, and Tony shares many quotes from different figures that have shaped his current worldview. Content warning: we mention the Ian Fang sexual assault case Tony is currently residing in the overcrowded cage that is Singapore City. He aims to stay human for the rest of his life. That's a big enough project for him. IG at @the_seasons_still_change Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) Links: Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46446/still-i-rise (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46446/still-i-rise) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:58 Relationship with the space 09:48 Reason behind the topic 13:54 Maintaining your inner child 22:21 Education and parenting 31:14 How Tony rediscovered his inner child 40:08 Experience of the sublime 43:25 Recovering from trauma 48:17 Wariness and maturity 54:57 Tension between wisdoms 01:01:45 Iron ricebowl question 01:03:09 Tony plays the piano for us

10. 

    5 Jul 2025

    003. Lessons from climbing & peak experiences, with Dawne

    May 15, 2025. This episode we begin with Dawne’s topic on climbing and then branch out wide to hear about her career journey, discuss how to open ourselves to new (peak) experiences, and learn to ask for help! (Please help the  podcast by following and rating!!) Dawne is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Human Studio. With a background in psychology and 15 years in international advertising, she’s seen first-hand how Strengths-based development can drive team success and personal growth. She now works with individuals and teams to help them understand how Strengths coaching can leverage the workplace to be a space for personal growth, allowing them to be better versions of themselves while delivering business growth. Follow her on Instagram at @humanstudiosg Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and relationship to the space 07:31 Life lessons from climbing 13:10 Establishing a new coaching practice 17:26 Asking for help 21:45 What is a strength 32:00 Dawn’s peak experience 39:08 Human interactions 47:40 Why Dawne started something new 51:37 Iron ricebowl question

11. 

    28 Jun 2025

    002. Self awareness and life-coaching, with Xing Jian

    May 14, 2025. Xing Jian joins Ben to share his journey becoming a life coach. We also discuss ways to raise personal awareness, become better friends to others, and toss some possible answers to the point of human existence (wouldn’t we all like to know?). Content warning: brief mention of suicide Xing Jian (he/him) is the principal coach at STRANGERINABAR and a Master Certified Coach (MCC) with over 17 years of experience in executive and life coaching. His work is grounded in a deep understanding of communication, self-expression, and human dynamics—skills he’s honed through careers in publishing, PR, marketing, and co-founding a boutique agency. Find out more at strangerinabar.com (https://www.strangerinabar.com/) Follow on IG: @tanxingjian Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at deepcutpod.com (http://deepcutpod.com), and writes about film at thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at benjaminyap.me (http://benjaminyap.me) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:28 Relationship to the space 05:35 Men’s mental health 08:26 Life-coaching journey 15:06 Coming out and personal development 17:49 Male friendships 20:56 Triggers for personal growth 24:39 Raising personal awareness 33:35 Point to human existence 36:32 Trauma and the future 42:03 Role of a life coach 51:05 How to be better friends 56:00 Iron ricebowl question

12. 

    21 Jun 2025

    001. Career, career-breaks, and identity, with Shu Huang

    April 16, 2025. On the first episode of Public Conversations, Ben chats with Shu about career breaks, generalisation versus specialisation, and finding one’s own identity outside of a career.  We also talk about the impetus behind the podcast, and what we’re trying to do here (in this room, and on Earth). Shu once taught at a university—until he took a career break. What began as a conventional pause to rest and recharge gradually turned into something deeper: a break not just from work, but from long-held ideas about career, identity, and self-worth. It became an unexpected unraveling of income from purpose, productivity from value. Follow him on Instagram @theshulution Ben talks about movies on his film podcast at https://deepcutpod.com (⁠https://deepcutpod.com⁠), and writes about film at https://thekinetoscope.com (http://thekinetoscope.com). He lived a past life working in film production. Find him online at https://benjaminyap.me (⁠https://benjaminyap.me⁠) Links: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/identity-transitions-accepting-that-you-are-not-just-what-you-do (https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/identity-transitions-accepting-that-you-are-not-just-what-you-do) https://www.ricemedia.co/ashish-kumar-was-singapore-top-psle-scorer-now-retiree/ (https://www.ricemedia.co/ashish-kumar-was-singapore-top-psle-scorer-now-retiree/) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPQdFWCHDPA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPQdFWCHDPA) https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/farming-volunteering-dancing-why-some-employees-are-micro-retiring-in-their-20s (https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/farming-volunteering-dancing-why-some-employees-are-micro-retiring-in-their-20s) The Space This episode was recorded in a Public Living Room, a crowd-funded community space in 195 Pearl Hills Terrace. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to help us keep recording, please support the Stranger Conversations crowdfund. This supports their mission to build a third place at the intersection of self-exploration and collective good. You can follow them on Instagram @strangerconvos or go to linktr.ee/strangerconvos (http://linktr.ee/strangerconvos) where you can find links to the crowdfund and find out more about what they do. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 2:13 - Shu’s relationship to the space 7:32 - Out of office 12:23 - Shu's career break 22:51 - Career and identity 26:59 - Specialisation vs generalisation 37:32- The value of learning about others 41:51 - Fear of failure 48:46 - Making his career break work 55:12 - Early retirement 58:24 - Who are you outside work? 1:04:04 - Iron ricebowl of questions

Contact Public Convos

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.