I can never and will never forget my lovely experience of studying abroad. At the tender age of 19, I weighed my options and decided going abroad will give me what I want in life. It wasn’t about getting a better quality of education- I came from Singapore where they offer top-class education.

I was keener on gaining independence and learning to earn my own living. I was afraid of many things when I touched down at Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne. I didn’t know anyone and I was worried about my safety. I wondered how I was going to manage in winter and I had no idea where I was going to live alone (considering I came from a close-knit family).

I’m proud of myself that I did everything by myself. I didn’t experience any language barriers, thus it made my life more comfortable. In anyways the people in Melbourne were very friendly and welcoming. I did miss home a lot. But I convinced myself to be focused at all times.

Things got more flexible in Melbourne and I even started working. I mixed around with everyone and I appreciated all the kind and friendly people I met. I also enjoyed reading articles of other foreign students like me who were there. I felt closer to home knowing that there were so many of them like me.

Likewise, I’m going to share with some stories of foreign students who have studied here or are still studying here.

My first encounter was with a young dashing boy named, Billy Li. He is 22 years old and hails from China. He is currently studying at NUS. Billy appreciates Singapore for its good social security, education system and standard of living. These three factors aided him in making his decision to study in Singapore. Billy has been in Singapore for eight years now and recounts the happiest day of his life to be the day he received his O’levels results. His results were beyond his expectations and he secured himself a place in good junior college. Billy had some fear before coming here. He was worried about the language barrier and wondered if he could fit in here.

However, he felt very welcomed here and slowly picked up English, making it easier for him to communicate. He feels however, that “Singlish costs too much” for him and feels a little upset when he fails at his attempts to speak the slang. Billy finds the accommodation in Singapore very convenient. He enjoys the accessibility through the MRT and buses and doesn’t budge in treating himself to a taxi ride occasionally. Billy loves Singaporeans. All them he says. He has been exposed to different cultures and religions and feels as if he is equipped with knowledge to the brim.

Billy’s parents are thinking to apply for Permanent Residency in Singapore. However, in fear of the National Service, Billy will be passing that choice and looking at other options. “Maybe Australia!” he ends.

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My next meeting was with Ahmad Salleh, 19. He is from our neighbouring country, Malaysia.

Ahmad impressed me with his warm nature. Ahmad has been in Singapore for the past three years and is currently studying at NTU. He explained how making a decision to study in Singapore was not that easy. “My parents did not want me to leave the country. They were very keen to send me to Monash University at Sunway. They felt an Australian degree would do me good.” Ahmad had two days to decide between the two prestigious universities.

His dilemma became easier to solve when the scholarship he applied for at NTU was granted. “I packed my bags so fast. My whole body was filled with excitement. I had been to Singapore before but not with an opportunity like this. Singapore had everything any student could ever need to feel comfortable.”

Ahmad had expectations of Singapore. He was looking forward to a fun and exciting classroom environment. He was eager to be taught by creative lecturers.

Ahmad is enjoying every moment at NTU. He has made plenty of friends and is looking forward to start working in Singapore.

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I met two girls from Cambridge School of Languages. Lee Eun Jung, 19 is from Korea and Kwo Tjun Soetanto, 31 from Indonesia. Both highlight on the safety of Singapore and how they feel safe and secured on this island. They are both here to learn English and Chinese. Eun Jung emphasises that time spent at school is fun and enriching because of the different cultures she is exposed to. Kwo Tjun loves the western food and hopes to learn to cook a dish or two for her family back home. Though they are ages apart, they enjoy each other company and hang out occasionally on weekends. When asked if they had any expectations from Singapore, Eun Jung replied cheekily, “ Aircon for my room!”