'I'm just f***ing lost in life': Gen Z Singaporean explains why he is spending the holidays as a cow farmer in Iceland

Yeo Zong En, who goes by Pompomyeo on TikTok, admits he is going through a "quarter-life crisis".

In search of answers, the 21-year-old undergraduate embarked on a 20-day solo journey to Iceland.

But it's not the run-of-the-mill vacation one might come to expect.

Instead, Zong En will be working as a cow farmer during his time overseas.

Last Sunday (Dec 22), two days after he left Singapore, Zong En uploaded a TikTok clip explaining why going on a solo trip would be beneficial for him.

He mentioned having three questions that needed answering, which were: Can he forgive himself? What are his desires? Is there still hope for him?

Before going on any further, Zong En noted that he was aware that he sounded "grim" and "sad" for a 21-year-old.

"I'm just f***ing lost in life right now," he added.

@pompomyeo

relax, just subscribe and wait for the video to drop

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In response to AsiaOne's queries, Zong En, a first-year business student, said: "I think I feel lost because I am in my twenties and figuring out what I want to do for the rest of my life."

During his short stint in Iceland, which he signed up for through the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) programme, he'll be experiencing a different life to the one he had in Singapore.

WWOOF facilitates homestays on organic farms worldwide and participants who sign up will have the opportunity to try planting, harvesting and animal care, among other tasks.

But why Iceland?

"Iceland has always been a country I wanted to visit because of a show I watched, Vinland Saga. The [animated series] depicts finding peace and it was the main character's homeland," he shared.

Cow farming in Iceland

@pompomyeo

This is the countryside dream that every singaporean in despair have

♬ Fish In The Pool - Frozen Silence

In a separate TikTok clip posted on Dec 24, Zong En provided a sneak peek into his new life in Iceland.

His shift begins at seven in the morning and the 21-year-old has a very specific task at work.

"My job right now is to clean up bull s***, literally and figuratively," he quipped.

On top of cleaning up cow dung, his other tasks include feeding, cleaning and milking the animals.

In a subsequent Q&A video shared on Dec 26, Zong En explained that his current working hours range between five and seven hours a day.

To those considering following in his footsteps, he also offered a word of advice.

"Know what you are in for because it is a lot of hard labour. It is very tiring," he said.

But he expressed that he is still enjoying the experience overseas.

And no, he doesn't plan on leaving Singapore for good.

"I think leaving Singapore gave me a break from the fast-paced, overstimulating lifestyle here.

"It gave me time and space to think about the things that I could not have. I still really like Singapore so this will just be a vacation," he told AsiaOne.

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amierul@asiaone.com