Living my dream

Ever since I visited Germany and neighbouring countries for the very first time when I was 14, I've been deeply fascinated by European history, its architecture, music, arts and culture and the beautiful languages. 

I said to myself, one day, I shall be back.

I didn't have to wait long.

In pursuit of a better education, I researched on A-Level schools in England, sought advice from friends who were already studying there, sent my application and passed the entrance exams easily, thanks to a thorough foundation nurtured by the Chinese education system almost solely based on exams. Chinese education, not all bad, after all. May 2005, we went on a family trip to England with a week of unbelievably sunny days wherever we visited. Incredibly lucky to have such fantastic yet deceiving (!) weather for our first visit. Still, totally felt in love with Great Britain, the campuses I've lived in, all my solo travellings, experiencing the beautiful historic cities or alfresco style buzzing seaside towns and above all, the lovely people I've met during my six years of studies with unforgettable memories...

Time flies. May 2011, a call from a graduate headhunter changed my life. I was introduced to an international graduate trainee opportunity at a FTSE 100 company, enjoyed the entire process of getting to know the company through telephone interview, face-to-face interview followed by an interesting assessment centre where I clicked with the company and its people straight away.

Six years of memories squeezed into six large shipping boxes. Sealed. A new page of my life has began. I stayed in China for 3 weeks, travelled back to the UK for a week of graduate induction meeting my fellow graduates on the same programme, off we went the two of us recruited for China, to a place that's far, far away - Down Under. 11 months in Australia was filled with a very steep learning curve getting my head around the industry and the world of work, lots of sunshine (at least I'd like to remember it this way), Aussie accent (which I brought back with me :P) , friendly locals, endless beaches, fun parties, meeting new people (travellers and professionals alike through some fantastic social networking communities), wild life encounters, concerts, theatre night out, Christmas on a midsummer day (still a strange thought to me but hey!), wine tasting, city breaks, backpacking...Such a fabulous time!

Towards the end of my assignment, I travelled intensively as I always thought I had a chance to extend my assignment further to stay in Australia for another summer, but another opportunity had come up so I learned that I had to pack and go in less than a month. I love travelling so much and yet I felt like I was getting that "local laziness syndrome" already since staying in Australia, that I hadn't been travelling as much as I wanted to, thinking to myself, I will always have time, next month, next summer...I'm sure there will be a way to do this. No. Reality check: no, no, no. Of course the purpose of me moving to a mature market is to learn as much as I could from the very experienced. Business needs determines where we graduates will go and what we will be doing in our next assignments/rotations. There are unknowns, uncertainties and we are very flexible and open-minded about the arrangements but what welcome all of us, are unique, exciting, challenging opportunities to fast-track our career internationally like no other.  

Self-note: If I want to do something, I will do it. I do it now.

I didn't have time to take any days off in my final months in Sydney, so I carefully planned several weekend trips and realised there are so many things you can do within 48 hours. Just a bit more research effort goes a long way. 

Friday 3rd Aug after work, I rushed to the airport, got on the plane at 20:00, arrived 5 hours later in Perth, 3000km away from Sydney, at local time 23:00 due to 2 hours time difference. First proper couchsurfing experience for me - meaning, not knowing my hosts before I stay at their place! I am always a little bit scared about the idea of sleeping on someone else's couch, as you have never met each other yet! Even though I have hosted 20+ where I lived in Sydney. I'm an experienced host but was still cautious about surfing myself. I got to my host's flat in Merrylands, beautiful place, spacious flat shared by 3 boys, massive living room downstairs by the door, where my host Robin prepared me a very comfy airbed with warm blankets. It was great! We were chatting for 3 hours or more until I could hardly keep my eyes open after almost a half-day worth of travelling after a long week of work! 

2 hours sleep. Up and go again! I jumped on the first train in the morning to Perth city centre to join the 7:00 tour to the Pinnacles Desert. Solo traveller globetrotter Michelle sat next to our wonderful driver/tour guide, speaking to him and some fellow Welsh ladies during the entire tour, had great fun and happily exhausted after seeing this stunning, moon like view on earth!

The rest of my Perth weekend was completed by koala encounter, visiting the Indian Ocean Lobster factory, museums and art galleries, promenade with a Czech guy working in Perth towards the famous King's Park for a panorama view of the city, touring inside a submarine (it's tiny down there!), seaside walk, alfresco pub food and beer, exploring the neighbouring city of Fremantle at night, before catching the last flight on Sunday night departing at midnight, arrived in Sydney at 6:00 in the morning. Got home, showered and embraced another working week straight away. :) Super tired but super happy. What a weekend! 

In a similar fashion, I spent some fantastic weekends in Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra. (More travel stories, photos and city tips to come! Watch this space!) It's different when you're working full-time instead of travelling full-time. But honestly, weekend travels are great and you can, and definitely should make the most of them! :) Go Explore! 

So yeah. Back to Sept 10th, I arrived in Shanghai with mixed feelings upon leaving a country I loved so much. Since then, I've been travelling a bit within China, relocated to Hong Kong, "crash course" on my new role and responsibilities, horse racing (little gambler's first time unlucky^^), company boat trip... Attended a global team conference in the amazing Antalya, Turkey, did henna tattoos, tasted many Turkish delights (sweeeet *_*), experienced traditional Turkish bath in a 150-year old Hammam place, had photo walks/shoot and finally went rock and roll at Scorpions concert in Istanbul with a couchsurfing friend Serkan who happened to be in Warwick University at the same time as me but we never met each other! Small world indeed! 

Then Istanbul - Cannes (trade show) - Athens (induction) - Hamburg (induction) - Hong Kong at the end of November. I'm enjoying my life, learning so much more every single day from all the colleagues I work with, challenging myself to step outside my comfort zone, being incredibly independent, and getting stronger, smarter, as a person. Of course, I do get homesick from time to time and I owe my parents so, so much as without their support and unconditional love all these years, I wouldn't have such amazing life experiences around the world and to be able to grow into the person I am today. There are always sacrifices and trade-offs. Right now, I am exactly where I wanted to be and I know that I will become even better. Keep going. Living my dream. 

Till next time. Good night Europe. 

An optimistic challenge

So you want to do something you really want to do.

Something you really want to do.

Not what someone else says you should do with your life.

"You must study hard, go to a top university, graduate with First Class, get a good job at a Fortune 500 firm and this and that." No, I don’t.

Don’t let anyone hold you up from doing what you want to do from the bottom of your heart. 

Of course respect the inevitable constraints that are out of your control and any cultural and family values, beliefs but do seek advice and work on alternative options.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

There must be a way for you to fulfill your dreams.

Set a deadline for your dream, make it a goal and so that you can achieve it. If you don’t do that, a dream will always be a dream.

If you really want to do something, do it.

If you really want to do something, you will be able to make it happen no matter what.

Do it soon if you can’t do it right now.

Do not wait.

"But I can always do that later."

Maybe not.

"Those things are always gonna be there, I will visit next year."

Maybe not.

We don't know what can happen next year, next month, next week, tomorrow, not even the next minute.

Life is complicated, fragile, challenging, unfair, unpredictable. We just don't know.

The only way to find out what's ahead of us is to live on.

Live your dreams the best way you can.

Live your life to its very full.

Waste no time in activities with low or no returns.

Keep in touch with family, friends and contacts. Go out and socialise. Talk to people.

Exercise. Jogging, running, stretching, fast walking, dancing, going to the gym. Whatever. Something is better than nothing. Keep yourself active.

Try new things. Learn about other cultures. Pick up a new language. Get trained.

Enjoy arts. Read a book. Watch a movie. Write a letter. Sing a song.

Read the news. Know what’s happening out there.

Go travel. Go see the world with your very own eyes. Go explore while you can.

Travel by yourself. Spend more time with yourself. Discover more about the real you.

If you don’t have someone to travel with, go by yourself. Why not? You will meet amazing people from all walks of life along the way. Life will surprise you.

Keep aside time and space for yourself.

Get crystal clear about what you want to do with your life from deep inside your soul.

Question yourself.

What keeps you awake at night?

What motivates you to move on?

What makes you happy?

What cheers you up?

What brings a smile on your face?

What do you enjoy doing?

Do you want to make a difference? In what way?

How do you make a positive impact to your world?

What do you have to accomplish by the end of your life?

What is the purpose of your life?

What is your life mission?

So what do you really want to do?

Starry, starry night

Life in Sydney keeps getting better despite winter breeze and the occasional rainfall. Autumn/winter weather here is more like mild spring/summer weather back in the UK. Oddly enough, there has been a lot of rain since I came in November. We had the “worst summer ever in 40 years” with almost a month of rain non-stop, spoiling my travel plans around the country. 

In March, some areas were affected by floods followed by drought. One day you see the water level of Parramatta River above the bottom steps of the stairs towards Lennox Bridge, Parramatta. The other day you will find yourself staring at a thin layer of water remaining in the river, with the dry riverbank clearly visible – very dramatic changes over a couple of days and not to mention the temperature differences throughout the day. However, I am not going to let the weather spoil my stay in Australia and I WILL make the most of my time in Sydney, I said to myself.

After my first interstate trip to Brisbane, Queensland, I found my traveler-spirit back in my blood. I am curious about everything. I am eager to learn about different forms of arts and the vast cultural diversity this country offers. I am TAKING OFF!

First day back to Sydney, Monday 4^th June, back to work as normal. Had an emotional morning saying goodbye to my German friends Andrea and Patrick, an adorable couple, at the end of their short stay with me in the flat and in fact the end of their 7-month adventure in Australia. Over the past six months, I have been hosting travelers from Germany, France, Austria, Russia and Indonesia, having the opportunity to meet great people who I would never have the chance to meet and share experiences with. Indeed, it is the people I meet who enrich my life here in Sydney and expand my knowledge.

Andrea and Patrick my adventurous German buddies!

Monday evening, I took the train to the city, had Japanese Tofu Bento by myself (as it was my vegetarian diet day) in a lovely restaurant near Town Hall and walked to Sydney Observatory for a night visit with telescope viewing session at partial lunar eclipse and educational talks. Beautiful moon, round and bright, mysterious and inviting, seems so near looking from the top of the Observatory Hill yet so far away.

After the educational talk, I had the most magnificent views of the near side of the Moon in front of me – perfectly round and white, sharp and bright, tracing shadows and light. Lighter and darker shades, formed by debris and craters from meteor and planets, crawl across the surface of the planet, sketching strange shapes from one end to the other. The light areas are in fact the Lunar Highlands. The dark areas are called “Maria” which means sea, but technically speaking there is no solid evidence of water existence on the Moon yet. The “sea” is filled with solidified lava from earlier lunar volcanism. 

(http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/moon/moon_surface.html)

iPhone photo taken with the telescope using special device

A couple of minutes later, I found myself at the very top of the observatory, in the domes, watching the breathtaking views of Saturn and Mars through the “historic 1874 large refracting lens telescope, the oldest working telescope in Australia (in the south dome), or our computer-controlled reflecting (mirrored) telescope (in the north dome).” (http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/whatson/telescope-sessions/) A snapshot of the (rather complicated) computer screen is shown below.

During the night telescope session, visitors have access to all the exhibition objects and a 3D theatre programme all of which tell us more about where we originally come from (stardust apparently!), how tiny we human beings are compared to the endless universe, different kinds of telescopes, history of witnessing the transition of the Venus (which was literally twice in a lifetime opportunity for us) and indigenous star discoveries… Incredible night visit experience and I would definitely recommend it to anyone like me who once had the dream of being an astronaut, despite where we are and what we do for a living today, always have the passion and curiosity about the unknowns beyond Earth. I guess that’s partially the reason why I enjoy flying with planes, especially when I can be at a seemingly parallel level with sunset or the starry, starry sky, watching the night go by and embracing the first glimpse of light from sunrise.

Finally got home at midnight after changing train twice along the way, still managed to stay awake and cook lunch for next day to bring to work… But it’s worth the effort. Night night Sydney. Sweet dreams.

Career FAQ-1 Should I work as a contractor?

Q: I have just finished my postgraduate studies in the UK after working in Asia for five years. I hold a PSW (Post-Study Work) Visa valid for two years until Feb 2014. Should I work as a contractor for a couple of months now? Is it worth it? What are the benefits?


A: I have had many conversations with graduates in the UK or expats new to Australia on this. Our consensus is that, when you have no evidence of work experience in a new country, it is always better to start with SOMETHING rather than absolutely nothing and having to keep jobhunting, waiting for news, incurring living cost with no income support, especially if you are hoping to stay in the big cities like London. If you have been actively looking and applying for jobs for 2, 3 months now, but still haven't found the perfect match, maybe it is time to consider contract work for a couple of months. 


Some of the benefits are:

1. Gain experience in the new culture, have a feel of what it is really like working in this country. Sort of reality check for yourself: is this what I expected? How do I feel working in this new culture? How am I adapting to the work environment? What are the barriers or difficulties if any? What support is needed to break those barriers down? Am I able to converse, socialise and integrate with colleagues and locals at ease? What do I find different about that culture? What can I do to improve myself in this situation?
2. Prove that you can do the job. Work experience in this country is crucial. Of course there are transferable skills you bring from your previous jobs overseas, however, employers tend to be more willing to hire you if they can see clear evidence and convincing demonstrations of your skill sets. Adding valuable experience to your CV/resume instead of leaving a gap between your last role and this one.
3. Get referees/references. Doing some initial contract work exposes you to some local managers who are able to work with you, evaluate and comment on your performance, which would add credibility to your work in that country.
4. Networking. More than 4/5 jobs are not advertised? You could explore job opportunities through speaking to people at social functions or professional networking events about any vacancies they may be aware of in their organisation. Or they simply know there is another job vacancy somewhere else. It may be make a list of your friends, classmates, university alumni, all contacts: is there anything you would like to update them with? Do you have any questions in a particular organisation or industry they work in? What do you want to know? Is there anything they can help? Generally people are nice and willing to help! :)

Contract work may not be your ideal match (in your case probably both a challenge to yourself as well as a transition phase) but you might be able to learn something different, something new in this completely new environment. So you that you could learn more about industry insights, rules of the game, but more importantly, use it as a platform to demonstrate that you can learn quickly the new systems, new ways of working. 

On top of that, you have a 2-year visa. Even if you use your visa to work as a contractor for 6-9 months, you will still have one year for a job that you really, really want, which you will find as you carry on jobhunting and exploring potential opportunities while you're working and developing yourself in this first role you have. You need to start somewhere.

Best of luck with your jobhunting! Work hard. Work smart.

1-year old Hairy Cow Honey :) met in the Highlands, Scotland (April 2012)

Revolution @ The Roxy

A very unique Saturday night for me, sitting on the stairs and eventually crappy chairs at a Muay Thai Kickboxing & MMA (which stands for mixed martial arts) tournament at the Roxy, Parramatta for a good five hours. An eye opener.

Photo source: http://www.fightmag.net/?p=15653/

I hear you asking...Michelle, why on earth would you go to a fight night? Well, my couchsurfing mate practises kickboxing at the Bulldog here in Parramatta and quite a few fighters from his gym made their way to this day, fighting for two National and a State title.  :O What an experience!

I thought it was just so brutal and violent in the beginning, after a while, I got to recognise some typical moves and be able to tell which was a nice technique and started to scream for the great knockouts. The whole venue was full of loud cheering from the fighters' supporters. Screaming of the their heroes' names. Getting really close to the ring seeing the fighters' muscles shaking with the beautiful moves or swift turns. Their perseverance, consistence throughout their rounds were so impressive. 

Me with Dutch champion Joep Beetrpoot from Bulldog Parramatta

Talking about mental toughness. K.O. You were on the floor, struggling, in pain, in front of everyone who has been cheering for you and expecting so much from your performance, you give all you can to try to stand up on your feet again, slowly and steady. That was amazing. Back to the beginning. You start again. Focus. Concentration. All guns glazing, back to the warrior you are. Just like any sports, your success or failure is totally determined by your performance at that precise moment. 

Round the world!

I would love to travel across the continents and see the wonders of the world with my own eyes,  learn about the different kinds of arts and culture and throw myself into a new environment to live and work... Then life is like a holiday itself. 

Places I would like to visit by the end of 2012: 


Singapore, France (again!), Malaysia, Ireland, Portugal, New Zealand...

<looking back now...ooops...change of plans! but even more exciting places I have visited since then...truly living my dream!>

We will hit Sydney no matter what the weather is like!

What do you normally do over weekends? Well...it depends on the weather. Which is so unbelievably unpredictable. A few days ago, my iPhone said that it's gonna be super sunny on Sunday. The next day, it decided that it's going to be cloudy with shower. Then it changed again. Again. And again. We're currently going through the worst summer in Sydney in 40 years! If we think that what we do over the weekend is weather-dependent, then we're never gonna make anything happen! So Sarah my lovely flatmate and I said to ourselves: we will definitely hit the city no matter what the weather is like! Deal!

And guess what - we're two lucky girls today =) beautiful sunshine in the morning until 4ish when we were about to head back. We were running a lot today - very last minute - successfully catching the free shuttle bus from Church Street North to the Railway Station, then jumping on the train to the city just before the door shut and eventually getting on the ferry from Luna Park to Circular Quay. :D It's all good. Happy days!

Highlight of the day started when we missed the stop at Central Station and got to Milson's Point which is on the other side of the Coathanger. As we walked out of the station, we realised that we were at Kirribilli Market with heaps of arts, crafts, design and fashion stalls. Homemade honey, bakery, sweets, second hand/vintage pieces at bargain prices, original designs by talented local artists, cards, photography prints, paintings, baby clothes, candles, jewellery & accessories, delicious food stalls, live jazz performance, plants... The lego stall with key rings and small accessories presented by Here Come The Nerds was adorable!! Bringing back memories when I was a little girl building my dream house with the colourful little pieces. The market was full of irresistible home-enriching inspirations.

I love you

Last week was difficult. Thinking that nothing is working out for me right now. Missing someone special. Missing friends back in the UK and the rest of Europe. Coming back from hometown in Changshu & Tongxiang made me homesick even more. The longer I stay back in China, the more dependent I become with my closest family members and realise how much I want to be with them more.

Things are happening. Normal things. Things that happen to everyone at different times in their lives. People come and people go. New life is preparing his or her journey greeting the big big world. Loved ones are getting old, older until they cannot live by themselves anymore. There has to be someone taking care of them at all times. Every minute. They get frustrated easily. They forget. They lose motivations. They are fragile. Lonely. They may not even be able to recognise the loved ones, their own children. They cannot see very well. Their faces change. Wrinkles crawl all over their faces like tree branches or river streams, on the faces that were once upon a time so young and beautiful. They pretend they are happy. They tell us that they're fine, they're doing okay even if they're not. They just don't know. Or perhaps they don't want us to worry too much. Or perhaps we don't understand. Yes we would not be able to understand, until the day. The day is going to come. That day when everything ends. The very day our journey of life on earth completes.


Well that is a scary thought. Sad too. But that's what happens to millions of people on earth every single day. It's something we all have to face and go through. I love her. I wish I could spend more time with her. Simply sitting next to her, warming her hands, putting a blanket over her body when she falls asleep on the sofa. Sometimes she asks: who are you? So I say to her: I'm your granddaughter, don't worry, everything is okay. Then she's calm. Sometimes she goes hysterical and throws things onto the floor or pushes people away from her. Or even pinching people's hands and arms, trying to pull her jumper apart or clapping and dancing like a child, muttering. It was what I experienced this time when I went back for Chinese New Year that I realised how challenging it can be to prepare oneself for this. When I sat next to her I just knew how miserable it is to be in her situation. Her right eye got infected and always looks red, dry and blurry. She doesn't read or write very much. With her eyesight, she cannot see the TV programmes. Even if she could, she probably wouldn't be able to hear very well or understand anything that goes on in that box. 


She needs people more than ever. We are not there. I'm not there! I have a job here. Her daughters have to work. Her other granddaughter is having a wonderful baby who is coming to see us in the world in April. Who does she have? Him. 


To her, he is everything. He is her eyes and ears. He is her walking stick. He washes her, feeds her, walks with her, watches her sleep, holds her hands, stays with her whenever she needs anything. He's the man. He's the entire world. He was such a handsome young man, smart and fit, full of ambitions and aspirations to be in the best military academy in China. The late arrival of his admissions letter destroyed his dream and locked him in the small village for the rest of his life, doing accounting work for a water station. Ordinary life. She lost her mother in the war and made a living for herself and four younger brothers by working extremely hard to make money in a big city, Shanghai. She was so able and fearless, taking the huge responsibilities of putting a family together from an early age, too much suffering along the way. Is life fair to her sufferings? Not really. Is life fair to anyone? No, not really. Life gives us something and takes something away from us - something we treasure even more. She's had loving daughters and grandchildren and a man of her life, who has always loved her and taken care of her, going through rain, hail and storms. That's beautiful. That is her treasure. 


Thank you for being there when I was a little girl. I love you so much. I want you to be there when I'm next back in the village. I want you to hold cousin's baby in April. I want you to see me getting married whenever that happens. I want you to be good, healthy and spend more time with us. I pray for you with my heart. I love you.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Draft: tbd