🌍 Here’s my story of how I became an international professional.
My life motto: Carpe Diem
“Carpe diem. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.”
The quote comes from the film Dead Poets Society, spoken by the character John Keating (played by the late Robin Williams), a teacher inspiring his students to pursue their passion and do something great. I watched the film when I was just 12 years old, ready to enter high school, and in those years of schooling and later on at university. I found myself drawn to exploration, self-discovery, and defying expectations. That spirit remains a driving force in my life and career today.
It represents more than just motivation. Carpe Diem speaks to my desire to be bold and use my talents, to be brave and make a difference, and to believe that whatever I do serves a greater purpose beyond my own needs.
My identity: A Chinese Singaporean
I was born and raised in Singapore, a multicultural city-state and former British colony, where English is the main language of education and public life. In multicultural Singapore, Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian and other ethnic communities live side-by-side, and so I was part of a social fabric of cultural and linguistic diversity from an early age,
As a Chinese Singaporean, I grew up speaking English at home, school, and with friends, while also learning Chinese and Mandarin as a second language under Singapore’s bilingual policy. Our official mother tongue was assigned based on ethnicity and was a second language by default. Singapore’s bilingual policy has evolved over the years with a current focus on reviving interest and proficiency in our ethnic languages. However, among my generation, we were impressed upon the social and economic importance of mastering English, a gateway to the Western world and prosperity.
The particular ideology, policy and pragmatism of my upbringing have no doubt contributed to my strong grounding in both Western and Asian cultures. This has enabled me to navigate global spaces with confidence and cross-cultural fluency. My language and cultural identity shapes how I see the world and informs my work as an international professional and career coach committed to cross-cultural understanding. I understand what it’s like to look ‘Asian,’ sound ‘Western,’ and yet not fully belong in either category.
What does it mean to be international?
My sense of being ‘international’ began during a university course on the history of the English language. I was introduced to World Englishes and the debate on who ‘owns’ English. I was struck by how much judgment people receive based on their accent, race, or skin colour, even in multicultural contexts, and the sharp division and discrimination between native and non-native English speakers.
In all my youthful defiance, I told myself: No country or accent shall determine how I use English. I shall be an international speaker of English!
This deep desire to challenge the barriers and divisions imposed by so-called pure, prestigious or better versions of English later shaped my Master of TESOL and PhD study. The debate on who owns English was re-ignited through my essay on Re-imagining the Non-Native Speaker. In my PhD research on international learners, one of my research agenda items was to dispel the deficit framing of non-native English speakers.
In corporate settings, I realised how many brilliant professionals around the world feel undermined not by lack of skill, but by cultural codes, accent bias, and the hidden hierarchies of language.
A 2013 British Council report states that English “now belongs to the world and increasingly to non-native speakers – who today far outnumber native speakers.” Indeed, the English language continues to evolve and it continues to serve as a global lingua franca, and yet old habits die hard. Our accent (and skin colour) continue to draw judgment from native and non-native English speakers alike. Just read the news about the racist backlash against Air New Zealand’s new CEO Nikhil Ravishankar.
It feels like contemporary notions of ‘inclusivity’ that celebrate and embrace differences are individual beliefs at best, and very slippery and airy concepts at worst. And I wonder if ‘international’ is a similar contemporary notion – Is it something that is celebrated and embraced? Or will it reveal its true colours when it is put to the test? And how much is one person’s experience of being international positively or negatively affected by the languages they speak, the accent of their spoken English, their passport, and the shade of their skin they were born with?
How to thrive as an international professional
The complex realities of being international are discomforting, but I’m not here to dwell in the discomfort. Instead, I aim to raise awareness and spark conversation through writing. I’ve previously written about my experiences and tensions in looking, feeling and being different:
✍️ Living and thriving with labels: A journey towards cultural intelligence
The moral of my stories? Carpe diem. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.
I hope discomfort gives your data. They can show us what still needs dismantling—and where we have power to influence change. So perhaps it’s time to stop scrolling or eye rolling and start thinking, feeling and doing things differently.
My coaching approach: Supporting international careers
As a career coach for international professionals, I’m here to help you, however you define yourself as ‘international’, to do these things:
🔍 Discover Your Strengths
Clarify who you are and how you want to contribute to the world.
❤️ Act With Purpose
Move beyond random applications and focus on how you add value.
🎯 Build Career Confidence
Master tools and strategies to manage manage your career on your own terms—for life!
An invitation to international professionals
If you’re navigating a career change, adapting to a new cultural environment, or exploring your identity as an international professional, this space is for you.
🌍 Learn more about my career journey here.
🔗 Subscribe on LinkedIn, or on Substack, follow along, let’s make our lives extraordinary—wherever in the world we are.