There’s no place like home
They have travelled far and wide but for some Malaysians who have worked abroad, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
They say the grass is always greener on the other side but for some Malaysians who have worked abroad, there is no place like home.
Jonathan Ramachandran ( pic), 31, is one man who had so many things going for him.
Jonathan is an actuarist who worked with an oil and gas company in the United Kingdom, the United States, Dubai and Algeria for five years as a seismic data processing engineer.
“I may have earned quite a considerable amount of money for a desk job while working overseas, but I did not find satisfaction. I had to sacrifice my family, friends and things which I was once passionate about,” said the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia graduate.
Making a crucial career change five years ago, Jonathan chose to stay permanently in Malaysia to teach Mathematics and his other passion, music.
Now he helps young Malaysian students by coaching the National Mathematical Olympiad team and runs an education centre in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.
“Today, I am proud to say: ‘ I’m glad I came home!’. Returning to Malaysia has helped me grow in many ways.
“I look at life with a new perspective, having struck a balance in chasing my dreams,” said Jonathan, whose favourite musical instrument is the guitar.
Eden Wong, 41, also had the time of his life spending a dozen years in Arizona, the United States, as an information architect.
“One year at a Thanksgiving dinner with a friend’s family, I just had this epiphany – I had been missing out on family gatherings for so many years,” said Wong, who is now an IT designer in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Wong added that many of his family members and friends frowned upon his decision to return, but he has no regrets. He eventually met his wife while working in Penang and is even running a few businesses of his own.
“Running your own side business isn’t that easy in the US. Here, I get the flexibility of using my own property as an office,” said the father of three.
Another successful person who chose to return is 35-year-old Aina Zahari.
Aina was the only Malaysian female in her year to have been admitted to the undergraduate programme at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States.
She earned a degree in chemical engineering, secured a job with a specialty chemical company and worked there for seven years – all while pursuing her Masters in Business Administration.
After a dozen years abroad, Aina decided it was time to come home.
“I always knew I wanted to come back. My intention was to work for a few years to gain experience abroad and then return to serve the country.
Since her return five years ago, Aina has worked with two different companies. She is now with a boutique consultancy as a director, providing guidance and know-how to companies.
One advantage she sees work- ing in Malaysia is the flexibility in moving to another company. In the United States, she would be usually tied to a company through a working visa.
“There are opportunities within every country. You just have to pick a company that resonates with you,” advises Aina to those intend- ing to return.
Aina is now excited about other Malaysians who can reach greater heights. She is currently involved with her alumni association, the MIT club of Malaysia, interviewing undergraduate applicants and looking for the brilliant gems that can be sent to Massachusetts.