Vika's Journey from Cultural Uncertainty to Entrepreneurial Confidence
In the vibrant neighbourhood of Joo Chiat, Singapore, Vika H. Oliveira has discovered her sanctuary. It's a place where baristas know her order by heart at her favourite café, Humble, and where the harmonious blend of traditional architecture and modern amenities creates a sense of novelty and comfort. This pocket of Singapore, with its low-rise houses, serene parks, and cultural fusion, reflects what Vika has been seeking throughout her journey abroad: a perfect balance between exploration and belonging.
But this sense of home didn't come easily. "Living abroad is like rebuilding yourself from scratch," Vika reflects. "Everything you may know about yourself suddenly feels ineffective. You need to learn new skills and face new parts of yourself to adjust and feel more at peace with your surroundings."
Originally from Bulgaria, this entrepreneur and mother's path to Singapore began with a simple yet profound desire, to explore the world and reinvent herself after a personal transition. What started as an adventure has evolved into a meaningful journey of self-discovery, resilience, and community-building that demonstrates how women develop cultural wisdom through authentic experience while creating bridges between worlds.
The Courage to Cross Cultural Boundaries
The pivotal moment for Vika began years before she actually moved, emerging from a difficult personal transition that ignited a completely new vision for her life. "I felt a desire to explore the world in a new way and craved the freedom of travelling and being whoever I wanted to be elsewhere," she shares.
This wasn’t just wanderlust; it was a conscious choice to embrace uncertainty as a route to growth. When she met her now-husband, who shared similar values around exploration and global living, the choice became clear. Together, they chose to embrace what many would find intimidating: building a life in an entirely unfamiliar cultural setting.
Her Bulgarian background shaped this brave choice in unexpected ways. "As a Bulgarian, I tend to believe that we need to constantly prove our worth." Instead of viewing this as a limitation, Vika turned it into motivation for creating her own opportunities across different cultures.
Her courage wasn’t just in the decision to move but also in her willingness to peel back layers to discover her true self. This delicate balance between transformation and authenticity would underpin her entire international journey.
Navigating Isolation with Intentional Connection
Arriving in Singapore during COVID-19 meant Vika's first months were marked by profound isolation rather than the cultural immersion she had envisioned. "I came to Singapore at a very specific time, which was exactly when COVID hit. So the beginning of this journey of mine was very lonely, and there was no such thing as a community."
Even after restrictions were lifted, she realised that meaningful connection required a completely different approach than she had anticipated. The breakthrough came not through traditional expatriate networks, but through purposeful professional development. When she joined a coaching training programme, everything changed.
"The first feeling of real community was when we joined for our coaching training. I thought that we are all kind of in the same group of mindsets of people who want to grow and become better," she explains. This realisation changed her view of how communities develop across different cultures, not just through shared nationality or circumstances, but through common values and aspirations.
She learned to move beyond surface-level connections quickly. "I usually see from a first conversation if I can go deeper with someone beyond basic initial topics." The key was not only to be open to meeting people but also to follow through on genuine connections and be willing to invest in relationships that aligned with her values.
This shift from pursuing any community to forming purposeful connections became a key element of her cultural adaptation wisdom.
Discovering Strength Through Cultural Challenge
What might seem like professional development and personal growth to outsiders was, for Vika, a deep process of cultural navigation and identity reconstruction. Pursuing an MBA while handling a demanding job and developing coaching skills wasn’t just about advancing her career; it was also her strategy for establishing credibility and forming connections in a new cultural environment.
"One of the things I did in terms of new skills when I came to Singapore was embark on an MBA journey," she shares. This investment in herself served several purposes: establishing local professional networks, proving competence in Singapore's achievement-focused culture, and providing structure during a period of personal uncertainty.
Becoming a mother while establishing herself professionally in a new country added another layer of complexity. She learnt to advocate for her family’s needs while respecting local customs, a delicate cultural navigation that required both confidence and sensitivity. "When I go to a restaurant, people here tend to go, 'you need to go to that particular table in the corner,' especially when they see me with a stroller." Instead of accepting this, she honed her skills to express her preferences openly and respectfully.
Her comprehensive wellness practices, from journaling across various domains to ice bath therapy, became tools for managing the extra mental load of living across cultures. "After becoming a mother for the second time, I wanted to get out of the house on certain occasions just for myself. I found the ice bath effect on me really helped me regulate my nervous system.”
Each challenge became an opportunity to enhance cultural intelligence while staying true to her core values and needs.
Building Bridges Through Authentic Sharing
Perhaps the most significant change in Vika's journey has been her shift from seeking acceptance to creating what is missing. Her entrepreneurial vision goes well beyond business. It's about building the kind of supportive community she wished had existed during her own transition.
"I would love to see a physical spot where people can go and feel extremely welcomed and feel that everyone that goes there shares the same values of respect, uplifting and of supporting each other," she envisions. This isn't just a business idea, it's the most practical form of cultural bridge-building.
Her deepest insight came from recognising universal human needs amidst widespread cultural differences. "Something fascinating I discovered, especially after moving to a completely different culture from my culture of origin, is that we are all the same at our core. Humans want health, love, companionship, peace, and safety. No matter where you are in the world, whether in a rural village in Bulgaria or in Indonesia, Canada, or Singapore, people share common desires, challenges, dreams, and a sense of belonging."
This realisation transformed her from someone seeking her place in Singapore's existing communities to someone actively creating spaces where others could find belonging. She learned to blend cultural traditions rather than choosing between them, discovering that "the best Christmas we've ever had was actually in Singapore when we were building it on our own."
Her entrepreneurial work with Vibely, a Transformational Coaching and Life Design Hub, represents the culmination of her cultural learning, using her lived experience of adaptation to assist others in designing lives that honour both growth and authenticity.
The Wisdom of Cultural Reconstruction
Through her journey of reconstructing herself across different cultures, Vika has created a philosophy that combines ambition with patience, growth with self-compassion. The advice she wishes she had received focuses on accepting the non-linear nature of cultural adaptation.
"I wish someone had told me that everything takes time and that I should not rush or push myself. Finding your favourite coffee spot takes time. Being in an area that you like and want to explore takes time. Finding new friends and close connections takes time. Feeling at home takes time. But more than time, it also takes effort and presence."
This wisdom goes beyond simple patience, it's about actively engaging in the process of becoming. Her morning practice of "future self" writing, where she writes from the perspective of someone who has already overcome her current challenges, shows how she has learned to hold both present uncertainty and future potential.
Her message to other women navigating cultural transitions is both practical and profound: trust your own timeline while remaining actively engaged in creating the life you want. "I am eager to create my own community," she shares, embodying the shift from seeking belonging to building it.
The girl who left Bulgaria in search of freedom to be "whoever I wanted to be elsewhere" has realised that her most genuine self does not come from abandoning her roots, but from weaving them into something entirely new, honouring both her origins and her evolving identity across cultures.
Vika H. Oliveira is a Bulgarian entrepreneur and founder of Vibely, based in Singapore. She balances building her life design coaching practice with motherhood and comprehensive wellness practices, creating the type of supportive community she once sought for herself.
Follow and connect with Vika on LinkedIn and Instagram.
For practical insights on building community, establishing wellness routines, and navigating professional development in Singapore, read Vika's Cultural Navigation Guide.
The Woven Spotlight Series features women who have created meaningful lives abroad, sharing their unique perspectives on cultural adaptation, professional reinvention, and personal growth across borders.