“
Every day felt
the same. I
hated it so
much
natural gift and it was what I should do.
But I just wasn’t happy with it. Every day
felt the same. I hated it so much.’
I found myself warming to Xiaofan
more and more. She was so brave, and so
young – for someone with travel anxiety
(me!), I couldn’t help but admire her.
But it wasn’t a big deal for her. She
retains a sense of girlish animation when
she tells me, ‘it was my first time going
abroad, and I was very excited!’
Arriving in Singapore, Xiaofan had
accommodation on campus waiting for her
during undergraduate study. It was a long,
four-year course, but she finished it in
three and a half years, spending half a year
in Canada on an exchange programme.
By the sound of it, not only was she a
commendable student (she gained first
class honours), but she had also caught the
travel bug.
‘I have always been very good at
studying,’ she says. ‘But honestly, I never
really cared about it. Deep down in my
heart, I always knew it wasn’t what I really
wanted from life.’
Her secret, at this point, was still not
entirely apparent to her, but an inkling of
doubt had crept in.
Ready to burst
After completing her degree, Xiaofan
got a job as a research engineer with
her university, and continued to study –
eventually studying for a PhD. But halfway
through, her doubts had become too
strong. She knew it was not the career
she wanted, and so she spoke with her
professor.
This was a difficult conversation to
have, but thankfully, her professor was
supportive, and they both agreed that
she should not continue with her degree.
Instead, she graduated with masters.
I was curious to know whether or not
Xiaofan had been painting for leisure at
this stage in her studies. Had she been
selling paintings, and was inundated by
their popularity? Had it been a constant
sideline hobby that she knew was more
important to her? I was surprised