erection2015
Alfrescian (InfP) + C
- Joined
- May 20, 2011
- Messages
- 13,972
- Points
- 113
*Xin Ping (not her real name) was born to a small humble family in the
industrial city of **Liaoyang** (**辽阳**) (picture left) in **Liaoning** **
province** of **China**. **
**Her parents were civil servants and they lived in a small cramped
apartment on the outskirts of the city.
Xin Ping might have followed the footsteps of her parents if not for one
fateful day – a friend persuaded her to accompany her to attend a seminar
conducted by MOE officials from **Singapore** in the provincial capital of *
*Shenyang** (**沈阳**).
“The **Singapore** officials were very nice and friendly.
They said they are coming to recruit college students to study in **
Singapore** universities and we were told we would be well taken care of.
I was very impressed by what I heard and I signed up my interest.”
After passing a pre-admission test and two rounds of interview, Xin Ping
was on the plane to **Singapore** after being awarded an undergraduate
scholarship to study Chemical Engineering at the **National** **University**of
**Singapore**.
To her surprise, a fellow classmate who topped her class was not given an
‘exit permit’ to leave **China** despite being given the same scholarship. *
*
**“I learnt later that he went on to study in **Qinghua** **University** (**
清**华大学**). **
**The (Chinese) government barred the top students and athletes from
leaving the country.”
Life was tough in the beginning for Xin Ping, exacerbated by the fact that
it was the first time she went abroad alone and separated from her parents.
She spoke little English as she started to learn the language only in
middle school.
She was put up with other scholars from the same batch with a foster family
in Sembawang before the school term began.
“The six month English preparatory course was very tough. We have to pass
an English proficiency test before we can study in NUS.”
Though Xin Ping was handicapped by her English proficiency, she did well
enough to breeze through her four years in NUS and graduated with First
Class Honors.
She did not have to pay for her tuition fees and was given a generous
living allowance.
Upon graduation, she found a well-paying job with a MNC in the
petrochemical industry.
“The Singapore government sent me an invitation to apply for PR three
months after I started work which I did for a matter of convenience and
also because I need to travel to and fro from China to visit my parents.
A year later, I was invited to become a **Singapore** citizen and after
much deliberation, I decided otherwise.”
While Xin Ping has spent nearly ten years of her life in **Singapore**, she
did not feel a sense of belonging here though she readily admits that
Singaporeans are one of the most ‘friendly’ people she ever met.
“**Singapore** is a great city. The people are nice, the streets are safe
and the government is efficient, but my roots are back in **China**.
That’s where my homeland is.” Upon completion of her bond, Xin Ping applied
to be transferred to **Beijing** to be closer to her family.
Two years later, she left to start her own company and is now a mother of
two.
“**China** is fast catching up with **Singapore**. Twenty years ago, there
isn’t even a Mac’s in **Liaoyang**.
Now we have Carrefour, Walmart…people are flocking to **China**. This is
where the money is.” Does she miss **Singapore**?
Yes, she said, especially the cuisine and her **Singapore** friends with
whom she still keeps in touch on Facebook where she learnt about the Sun Xu
saga and contacted us.
“I am not defending Sun Xu – he probably wrote those harsh words in a fit
of anger.
The truth is – most Chinese adapted well in **Singapore** and they are
grateful to **Singapore** for giving them the opportunity to succeed in
life.
I won’t be where I am today without **Singapore**. Being bilingual is a
great asset in doing business in **China** nowadays.”
When asked why she did not express her gratitude to **Singapore** by
taking up citizenship, she paused for a while before replying:
“Singapore is like a very rich man in hot pursuit of a girl, showering her
with expensive gifts everyday, but the girl’s heart is with somebody else
and while she may accept his gifts, she will not be together with him, just
like me, my heart is with China, my fatherland.
It’s a fact which cannot be changed. I will forever be thankful to **
Singapore**, but gratitude is not love.”
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Law Ms
Sim Ann revealed recently in Parliament that the **Singapore** government
spends some $36 million dollars on scholarships to over two thousand
foreign students each year,
or about S$174,000 per scholar.
The percentage of foreign scholars who leaves **Singapore** for good yearly
like Xin Ping is not known.*
****
industrial city of **Liaoyang** (**辽阳**) (picture left) in **Liaoning** **
province** of **China**. **
**Her parents were civil servants and they lived in a small cramped
apartment on the outskirts of the city.
Xin Ping might have followed the footsteps of her parents if not for one
fateful day – a friend persuaded her to accompany her to attend a seminar
conducted by MOE officials from **Singapore** in the provincial capital of *
*Shenyang** (**沈阳**).
“The **Singapore** officials were very nice and friendly.
They said they are coming to recruit college students to study in **
Singapore** universities and we were told we would be well taken care of.
I was very impressed by what I heard and I signed up my interest.”
After passing a pre-admission test and two rounds of interview, Xin Ping
was on the plane to **Singapore** after being awarded an undergraduate
scholarship to study Chemical Engineering at the **National** **University**of
**Singapore**.
To her surprise, a fellow classmate who topped her class was not given an
‘exit permit’ to leave **China** despite being given the same scholarship. *
*
**“I learnt later that he went on to study in **Qinghua** **University** (**
清**华大学**). **
**The (Chinese) government barred the top students and athletes from
leaving the country.”
Life was tough in the beginning for Xin Ping, exacerbated by the fact that
it was the first time she went abroad alone and separated from her parents.
She spoke little English as she started to learn the language only in
middle school.
She was put up with other scholars from the same batch with a foster family
in Sembawang before the school term began.
“The six month English preparatory course was very tough. We have to pass
an English proficiency test before we can study in NUS.”
Though Xin Ping was handicapped by her English proficiency, she did well
enough to breeze through her four years in NUS and graduated with First
Class Honors.
She did not have to pay for her tuition fees and was given a generous
living allowance.
Upon graduation, she found a well-paying job with a MNC in the
petrochemical industry.
“The Singapore government sent me an invitation to apply for PR three
months after I started work which I did for a matter of convenience and
also because I need to travel to and fro from China to visit my parents.
A year later, I was invited to become a **Singapore** citizen and after
much deliberation, I decided otherwise.”
While Xin Ping has spent nearly ten years of her life in **Singapore**, she
did not feel a sense of belonging here though she readily admits that
Singaporeans are one of the most ‘friendly’ people she ever met.
“**Singapore** is a great city. The people are nice, the streets are safe
and the government is efficient, but my roots are back in **China**.
That’s where my homeland is.” Upon completion of her bond, Xin Ping applied
to be transferred to **Beijing** to be closer to her family.
Two years later, she left to start her own company and is now a mother of
two.
“**China** is fast catching up with **Singapore**. Twenty years ago, there
isn’t even a Mac’s in **Liaoyang**.
Now we have Carrefour, Walmart…people are flocking to **China**. This is
where the money is.” Does she miss **Singapore**?
Yes, she said, especially the cuisine and her **Singapore** friends with
whom she still keeps in touch on Facebook where she learnt about the Sun Xu
saga and contacted us.
“I am not defending Sun Xu – he probably wrote those harsh words in a fit
of anger.
The truth is – most Chinese adapted well in **Singapore** and they are
grateful to **Singapore** for giving them the opportunity to succeed in
life.
I won’t be where I am today without **Singapore**. Being bilingual is a
great asset in doing business in **China** nowadays.”
When asked why she did not express her gratitude to **Singapore** by
taking up citizenship, she paused for a while before replying:
“Singapore is like a very rich man in hot pursuit of a girl, showering her
with expensive gifts everyday, but the girl’s heart is with somebody else
and while she may accept his gifts, she will not be together with him, just
like me, my heart is with China, my fatherland.
It’s a fact which cannot be changed. I will forever be thankful to **
Singapore**, but gratitude is not love.”
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Law Ms
Sim Ann revealed recently in Parliament that the **Singapore** government
spends some $36 million dollars on scholarships to over two thousand
foreign students each year,
or about S$174,000 per scholar.
The percentage of foreign scholars who leaves **Singapore** for good yearly
like Xin Ping is not known.*
****
:o
