S2 E4 SINGAPORE, INDONESIA - Mei Si and Yuvander - introverted students, falling ill studying abroad, 'fake it till you make it'

Student Life Unplugged

What happens if you become seriously ill while studying abroad?

In this week’s podcast we speak to Yuvander, from Indonesia but while studying in the UK was rushed to hospital with a major brain injury. We talk about the support he got from his university and how friends can step in to help in the interim. We also speak to Mei-Si, who is from Singapore and study locally. She has no desire to work abroad and is happy in her own community.

Both are training in the health sector, Yuvander in Oncology and Mei Si in Occupational Therapy. Both talk about being an introvert, yet the fields the chose to go into require a lot of human contact. We discuss the reasons why they chose this path and how they will adapt.

As always, we delve into the culture and of both countries. We find out why Singapore is famous for its food and why Indonesia is so bustling with people. We talk about the differences and similarities between their two countries, how Singapore is becoming more health conscious and why communities are not as close as they once were.

We talk about the difficulty of learning on the job while still expected to know everything. Mei Si is concerned about leaving University and working in a field where confidence is key for patients to trust you. Yuvander is still deciding if he will go down the clinician route or work in research. He has more of a relaxed approach to learning on the job and believes it’s just the path all students must take.

Student Life Unplugged is hosted by Leong Hiew, a former University Lecturer with a passion for education. Student Life Unplugged is part of Leong's mission to promote the joy of learning among young people through his organisation 'Lifespan Education'. He is working towards building a positive world, to nurture communities of engaged learners for the sake of his own children and for young people everywhere.

For more information about Leong and his project go to https://https://lifespan.education/contact/
If you would like to take part in the podcast, go to https://lifespan.education/podcast/

This podcast is produced by Elisa Kennedy