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For the longest time, Diave Aw Kok Jun had wanted to step out of his comfort zone and experience life beyond Singapore. So, when the opportunity to study in China arose, he eagerly seized it.
"I've always wanted to live abroad," the 23-year-old said.
While he loves Singapore, Diave was curious about what the rest of the world could offer. "I'm very grateful to be born and bred in Singapore, I can't imagine living anywhere else. But I felt that Singapore was too small a country for me," he shared. "Over the years, I'd grown complacent and I wanted a different experience and to live in a big nation for me to learn and explore. So I chose to move out."
Diave, a student at the National University of Singapore (NUS), was offered an opportunity to pursue two degrees in four years under the Future Leaders Programme. This meant spending his first two years at NUS and the subsequent two at Peking University in China.
"I think there's much to learn from China as it is a very big country, so I went ahead with the programme," he said.
He officially moved to China between July and August last year. Although the process was daunting, Diave had previously lived and worked remotely in Bali for three to four weeks during a school holiday. Bali, known as a top remote working destination, served as a "test bed" for his future remote-living plans. "People working and living there are very driven and ambitious. It's kind of the lifestyle that I am looking for," he noted.
Living alone in a foreign country, however, posed its own set of challenges. "I had to handle everything by myself when it comes to visa application, future planning, finding my own accommodation," he elaborated. While he has made a few friends, he admitted that finding close connections has been difficult, attributing this to Beijing's less cosmopolitan nature compared to Shanghai. "Most of the Chinese, I would say, tend to be a bit more guarded and they already are comfortable with their own group of friends," he observed.
Another major challenge for Diave has been the weather. Coming from Singapore's year-round summer, he wasn't accustomed to the severe conditions in Beijing. "For example, it was really hot yesterday, like 36 or 37 degrees Celsius. In a matter of time, it changed into a dust storm. And last night, there was a severe thunderstorm. The sky was yellow with lightning and it looked apocalyptic," he shared. He also experienced his first harsh winter, with temperatures dropping painfully low. Summers, on the other hand, can reach blistering highs of over 40 degrees Celsius.
Additionally, Diave has had to deal with air pollution, which often made him sick. Living alone meant he had to take care of himself without the support of family or close friends.
Despite these difficulties, Diave has taken it all in stride. "These are things you have to get adjusted to," he said.
As for his future, Diave hasn't decided whether he will move back to Singapore after his time in China. However, he envisions himself spending plenty of time living in both countries.
Source: AsiaOne
