Matheu Kieswetter & Glenda Han

Matheu Kieswetter, South African and his wife Glenda Han, Singaporean

Glenda Han, Singaporean Chinese, entrepreneur and Workers' Party member
Matheu Kieswetter, South African musician

How it all started…

A chance meeting at an airport in Europe while waiting in line at the transit area was all it took to seal the love deal for Glenda and her husband Matheu.

Glenda: “We were both travelling with our own groups early last year, and while waiting to transit, Matheu’s group started talking to us…and we exchanged emails after that.”

Matheu: “I was attracted to her energy and smile, and I get a really good feeling speaking to her. So as soon as she got on the flight, I emailed her. The fact that she’s leaving and we might never meet again…I was left with that kind of feeling so I really wanted to speak to her again.”

The couple kept in touch through emails and FaceTime but it wasn’t long before Matheu, who was based in Scotland then, invited Glenda over for a visit…and thus began their long-distance love story.

It wasn’t love at first sight, they insisted to xinmsn, but clearly the couple wasted no time in the dating game. A year and a half later, they tied the knot here in August this year.


On marrying a foreigner…

When Glenda started dating Matheu, she kept the relationship so hush-hush that many people including her fellow WP members and the public were kept in the dark until her wedding day.

“They were very surprised (Laughs). I’m quite a private person when it comes to relationships so everyone thought I was going to leave [the party].”

“A lot of people raised their concerns when they found out that my husband was based in the UK,” Glenda shared. “But as long as I’m still involved [in the party], I don’t see why anything has to change or that anyone has to worry.”

Matheu: She told me quite early on that she was with Workers’ Party. It didn’t matter to me what she did or what her background was. Most importantly, it’s about the family accepting an individual not the nationality, race or background.


What, do you think, is the biggest misconception about you, as a political figure, being married to Matheu?

Glenda: With me representing Workers’ Party, where we’re trying to curb the increasing amount of anti-foreigner sentiments in Singapore… in that aspect, yes I think some people might be blurring the lines between their political views and personal sentiments towards our marriage.

Matheu: I think it is human nature that people are making incorrect assumptions like she’s anti-marrying local or Chinese but that’s not the case. Relationship is between two people and if the relationship is founded on love and shared values then none of these external factors matter.

On cultural adjustment…

Matheu: Coming from South Africa, race or nationality was never an issue for me because we’re such a diverse nation. I’m a very flexible and adaptable person. I love Chinese cuisines and I respect my wife’s heritage, the customs and the beliefs. I’ve also picked up simple Chinese words like xie xie (Thank you) and wo ai ni (I love you).

Glenda: He even did the traditional gate-crashing and tea ceremony during our wedding, and he says xie xie to every hawker that he patronises. So, that’s really nice.

Matheu, who’s trained in conducting symphony orchestras and choirs, is currently based in Singapore and the couple is living with Glenda’s parents. He’s clearly enjoying his new life and has happily “integrated into the household”.

Matheu: I felt very welcomed when I was first introduced to her family. The other day I was walking with my father-in-law and one of his friends asked, “Is that the one from the newspaper?” and he said, “Yes, he’s my son-in-law.”

Matheu, who’s been a vegetarian for almost a decade for health and ethical reasons, also traded his green eating habits after meeting Glenda. Admittedly, she initially found his dietary habit “a little tough having to be selective on where we go and what we could eat.”

He explained, “I was feeling the strain for Glenda when we were going from menu to menu, searching for the best vegetarian options. I first started with a little of fish and slowly with a bit more options… until I got to Singapore and thought, I’d be silly if I were to stay a vegetarian because I want to try all the dishes here!”

Source: news.xin.msn.com/en/mixed-race-couples-the-colour-of-love?page=6#image=6