Liao Qiang Ming, Nick

Business Development Manager

Industry:

Business, SGP International Management Academy

Country:

Guangdong, China

Been in Singapore for three years
Currently on an employment pass

Convinced by his father to do his Masters here in 2006, 24-year-old Liao Qiang Ming, Nick has found plenty of reasons to stay on after graduating. He enjoys his friends, his sports, and his work, which includes persuading students in China that coming to Singapore is the right move for them.

A day in my life

1. 9.00 am

   I stay a five-minute walk from work, so waking up at nine still allows me a leisurely breakfast before leaving the house. How’s that for convenience!

2. 9.30 am

   I go through the day’s plan with my colleagues, then it’s down to work. This morning I’m sourcing for accommodation for some students. It’s not too hard, given the number of options available here. I also appreciate the ease of transactions in Singapore, whether it’s applying for student passes through the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority or seeing through a new business plan with our partner agencies.

3. 10.00 am

   Off to see a client, a popular local food chain that has signed up for our Executive Development Programme. I like how my work allows me to meet and interact with Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans alike, all over the island.

4. 11.30 am

   I head back to the office. We take the short walk to Tiong Bahru Plaza for lunch – my favourite here is the bak kut teh. That peppery pork rib soup sure hits the spot! I’m somewhat of an anomaly for a Southern Chinese – I love spicy food! That makes being in Singapore a plus as I get to eat all the curries I want.

5. 1.00 pm

   Back at the office, I make myself a cup of Chinese tea, and make my way to the reading room. My iPod’s playing Robbie Williams. Nice to have a moment to myself, before the afternoon session.

6. 2.00 pm

   The new batch of students is ready for their English tutorial. I’ll be helping them pick up the basics of the language for the next three months. Their skills may be a bit shaky now, but Singapore is a very forgiving place for learning the language – they know they can still get by in this multi-cultural society.

7. 3.30 pm

   We take a tea break. The students and I kid around a lot. They really like to talk! I’ve been invited to join them in a game of basketball soon.

8. 5.00 pm

   The second session of the tutorial is over. The Question-and-Answer portion that follows lasts for another half an hour. They ask funny questions, like “What’s Singlish?” Alamak!

9. 5.45 pm

   I prepare for the next day’s work before grabbing my bag. First, a quick call home to Shenzhen, China to say “Hi” to my parents and let them know I’m off work. It’s a daily tradition I haven’t broken in three years! (It’s a good thing telecommunications here is so affordable.) Mum sounds fed up. “Okay, okay, I’m cooking!” she says impatiently. I know she’s secretly pleased that I called, though.

10. 6.30 pm

    I hop into my colleague’s car and we zoom all the way east to Tampines. Just enough time to pick up a bun for dinner along the way. Food isn’t a priority – football is the order of the evening. I’ll save my appetite for the weekend match back at this recreation club where we play, when we’ll end with a Japanese buffet at the in-house restaurant, Sakura.
    
    One of my favourite things about Singapore is the opportunity to make friends from the world over. My soccer mates are Singaporean, Cambodian, Indian, Malaysian, Thai... some of us are working and some are students, but we’re all passionate about football and we play great as a team. There’s nothing like sport to bring people together.

11. 10.00 pm

    After a good game it’s always fun to catch up over supper nearby. Everyone has jokes and stories to share. We also share the food - oyster omelette, mmmm...

12. 11.30 pm

    Home again. I sneak in quietly in case my accountant room-mate is already asleep. Not all of us are fortunate enough to sleep in till 9 a.m.!