On Friday evening, I had the pleasure of meeting up with SiSi from SSEAYP. It’s fascinating to reflect on how much time has passed since we first met; he was 22 then and is now 28.

Meeting with people and hearing their unique stories is something I truly cherish. It always provides me with new perspectives, even if I sometimes wonder if they see things from mine. Perhaps I need to share more about my own experiences.

Talking to people from different countries who live vastly different lives is always eye-opening. Through these interactions, I feel like I’m seeing the world through their eyes, which is incredibly enriching.

SiSi shared some compelling stories with me. The first surprising detail was that he didn’t come to Singapore directly from Myanmar. He mentioned that after arriving in Singapore, he visited Peninsula Plaza to enjoy Burmese food, which sparked our conversation. SiSi hasn’t been home in three years due to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. He left for Thailand to pursue a Master’s in Material Science, having previously earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering. It’s astounding to think he had to flee his country because of war.

Meanwhile, here in Singapore, we live relatively peaceful lives, often taking this stability for granted. SiSi told me about his friends in Myanmar who have been imprisoned for participating in protests. This made me realize how fragile our situations can be. It’s easy to fall into the mindset of “it won’t happen to us” because we’re in Singapore and not Myanmar. But such thinking is a mental barrier that distances us from their reality.

I strive to break free from that mentality. Despite our differences in age and physical distance, SiSi and I share a common journey. It could very well have been me in his place. This realization doesn’t scare me; instead, it motivates me to make the most of the opportunities I have. People like SiSi and his friends are fighting for the kind of life I enjoy now. In an alternate universe, I could be the one wishing for what I currently have. Therefore, I must seize every opportunity available to me.

Many of my SSEAYP friends are deeply involved in academics, always pursuing the next Master’s degree or PhD. SiSi is no different, now working towards his second Master’s. They work for non-profits, secure government funding, apply for scholarships, and seek sponsorships to travel the world.

It’s intriguing to see how people from different countries and circumstances find their own paths to achieve similar goals.