Nobody knows for sure what will happen in the future only when one follows their heart without fear of failure. I remember reading this quote somewhere: “You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough.” Therefore, we – the young generation want to take full advantage of any chances we have to explore everything around, take on any challenges along the way and keep moving forwards because we are still young and there are a lot of opportunities ahead to start over again.
This has happened to me and here is the story of my life. When I was little, I had a dream of opening my own bakery; while on the other side, my friends wanted to become a doctor, a pilot, or an engineer which made me feel a bit out of place. However, the dream was still nourished in my soul day by day.
After graduating from high school, like most of my friends, I decided to study international business because I thought it was easier to find a job and be well-paid. Yet it turned out the international business was not for me only after completing the first semester at the university. Consequently, I was determined to start over – to follow my childhood passion of owning a bakery.
I was filled with excitement when applying to the hospitality schools in the hope of being a successful woman in the future and doing what I truly dreamed of. Just one year studying in Vatel, I have changed a lot, both in life experience as well as my knowledge. For instance, I became more sociable and friendly to everyone around, having a comprehensive view of the hospitality industry, especially figuring out who I am and what I need to do to fulfill myself. This is really what I have imagined and a truly new chapter is upon me.
The decisive factor that led me to the decision of studying abroad was after completing my internship at Pullman Saigon center. That was the chance to open my mind, to apply what I had studied into the real environment, to gradually adjust myself to work in a team as well as upgrade my skills along with gaining professional experience. That internship was also a chance to make me less sensitive as well as more mature and outgoing. In the end, I summoned my courage to step out of my comfort zone, studying and living far away from home – in a beautiful country, Singapore.
I am entirely different from the first moment when I came to Singapore, I got more than what I expected – studying with an enthusiasm that points the way, reaches a milestone in my life, and towards an expanding horizon. When living here, the thing that impresses me most is that everyone is so friendly. This makes me feel like I am at home. We are like a family – studying and sharing everything together. The second thing that is so touching in this school is the teachers. They never fail to warmly greet students; which is somewhat different in my country.
Yuan Hsiang Chang (third from the left) with classmates and lecturers
Let’s move on to the education system here. The school curriculum and schedules are arranged in such a way that it helps foreign students like myself to form a habit of studying. Together with theories in the class, students are given a chance to practice right away with what they have just studied. This has aroused a lot of interest in being a tour guide and scheduling my time and creating any preferable locations for my tours. Apart from enhancing students’ cultural knowledge and history in Singapore, this is also a significant way to allow them to apply what they have understood to the real situations to experience whether it is right or wrong, then fix it. The lecturers here are exceptionally informative and outstanding guides as well as widely experienced. They are willing to answer all the questions wholeheartedly; share real experience and give helpful advice on what we are studying. Moreover, there are a wide variety of extracurricular activities for students to choose such as a field trip to Henderson bridge, which made students feel comfortable.
Yuan Hsiang Chang (left) engaging in learning activities at International Hotel and Tourism Management Advanced Diploma programme in Singapore
I will end here by asking you – Are you ready to meet the-best-version-of-yourself? Living Every Day with Passion & Purpose – The Rhythm of Life – Matthew Kelly. Yes, following passion sometimes is a tough route, but if you manage to get over it, you will feel how exciting that is. “When one door is closed, don’t you know, another is open.” – Bob Marley. It is fine to admit that I made a mistake at first, but it is not too late to make things right and I am living a life I am proud of.
