"Don't think that going abroad will make things easier—it's still just work! There's no such thing as things suddenly becoming easier." Watching my senior boldly pursue work in Singapore and considering whether I might have the same opportunity, I expected the usual inspirational advice to "just go and see." Instead, she gave me a brutally honest picture of what working abroad really looks like.
The last time I visited Singapore, the cityscape and atmosphere felt great to me. I saw it as a place where I could "practice" English while still being able to fall back on Chinese if communication failed. I thought to myself: if I could live in Korea for half a year without knowing a word of Korean, surely I could adapt just as well in an English-speaking country. This made me consider Singapore as a possibility and motivated me to message my senior.
My English speaking and listening skills are honestly not that strong—my reading and writing are decent, but when I open my mouth, I'm at a junior high school level. "So why not try a language school first?" When my senior said that, I actually started to reflect. The idea of just throwing myself into an English-speaking country to start working suddenly seemed too naive. "I think you shouldn't just look at everyone going abroad and follow suit. Think about what's best for you. I really, truly suggest you think of Singapore as an English-speaking country." My senior explained that to find a decent job, you need to treat English like your mother tongue, because "you won't speak Chinese even in the interview"—and you don't adapt to it after you arrive, because no one at work will wait for you.
This advice was incredibly practical and genuinely well-meaning. Of course, it's possible I was just being too naive. We should first ask ourselves: "Why do we want to go abroad?" For me, I hope to step out of my comfort zone, overcome my laziness, and really improve my English. Just like "Elsa" mentioned in her book—in Singapore, she worked hard to break through her "friend circle" and expanded her horizons and collaboration opportunities by meeting friends from different backgrounds.
I really admire that, because my personality tends to be afraid of meeting new people. That's precisely why I wanted to change my environment to practice. But honestly, when it comes to breaking out of your friend circle, you don't need to go abroad—you can do it in Taiwan too. For example, you could attend community meetups like the tech industry women's networking groups, or more established organizations like the Lions Club or Rotary Club. Members come from different backgrounds, and joining means you're looking to broaden your horizons.
Moreover, with my poor English skills, if I went to Singapore I could only do low-level work. Isn't this kind of job highly replaceable, long hours, low pay—just like it would be in Taiwan? And when you can't take it anymore and rashly quit, you lose your "work status," your visa becomes a tourist visa, and you can only stay in Singapore for a month. In that short month, you can only wonder whether to give up or hurry and find another job to get by—your mental health will suffer. Is this really what everyone wants when they go abroad?
For myself, I work in media, and if I went abroad, I'd probably still work in the same field. But there's not much media in Singapore, and my senior was frank: it's not ideal for news work. She told me to "think about your own strengths—that matters more than anything." "I think people here aren't necessarily more capable. Taiwanese people are actually more diverse, creative, and hardworking. So find your strengths and leverage them. Don't just go where everyone else goes." Because we're willing to leave home and work abroad, we're really doing it to add value to ourselves and improve our lives in every way. Don't be blinded by temporary external conditions and end up undervaluing your own strengths, only to find yourself lost without suitable work.
Because you can find random work anytime, but work that actually adds value requires you to be ready first. Without creating your own differentiation, how can you stand out?
That day, I was really grateful to my senior for sharing all of this with me. Years ago when I was about to do an exchange in Korea, I was inspired by her becoming the first student from our department to study abroad there. I asked her for advice back then too. Precisely because my senior shared so genuinely, I've been able to think carefully before each decision, with proper direction and space. I wish her the best as she pursues her career in Singapore, and hope it goes smoothly with real rewards :)
