Staff Interview with Nadine Wu

Tell us a little bit about your role at Capital Placement.

I am the Program Director in Singapore. My role involves meeting interns at the airport on arrival, taking them to their accommodation and helping them get used to their new home for the next three months, and supporting them during their stay in Singapore.

What gives you the most inspiration at work?

Having an entrepreneurial mindset comes with its set of challenges, but the freedom that comes with being my own boss helps me stay inspired. The freedom to meet new people and look for new ideas in different places is what helps me find my muse even with tight deadlines to meet.

What is your biggest career goal?

To build a thriving business with an organization culture that aims to give back. One of the main reasons I decided to start a business was to influence individuals in my orbit to do work they love but with the interest to give back—whether in terms of protecting the environment through recycling efforts, or reminding people to embrace diversity through our own internal policies.

What is one thing you would tell prospective students considering an internship abroad?

I would recommend that they do a little bit of research on the country’s culture to see if it suits them personally. It would be a good idea to understand not just the good, but also the bad aspects, if anything at all. It’s one way to manage expectations so as to minimize the initial culture shock, because each country is different.

If you’re considering an internship abroad and are someone that usually prefers a large support network, try to find a place where you might have friends as well. This will help to settle you in a little more, as friends that have already assimilated could give you some insider tips and help you relate to things from a perspective you can appreciate.

Can you describe a day in the life of a student in the Singapore program?

Interns that join the Singapore program quickly get used to the city’s penchant for hustling in all kinds of situations. Whether it’s getting to work on the weekday or shopping for groceries on the weekend. It’s a bump-and-go culture that’s prevalent among the various races that inhabit this island-city.

At work, interns are subject to the same demands as their fellow colleagues, which may seem a little hard to accept at first, but they often find this method eventually allows them to adapt quicker to new work situations that come their way.

After work, interns tend to enjoy a little retail therapy accorded by the city’s many bustling malls, or indulge in a variety of good food with fellow colleagues or new-found friends, before they head home to rest their weary heads. It’s pretty much work - shop - eat - sleep - repeat.

Which destinations have a special place in your heart?

I’ve traveled to quite a few places but Germany and Costa Rica hold a special place in my heart. I particularly love Germany because of the family friends that live there. But I have strong memories of Costa Rica because I had gone there in 2015 on a solo-trip to volunteer with a Turtle Conservation Program. Not being a native Spanish speaker made navigating the country relatively difficult at the start, but the challenge was great fun. I have since fallen in love with the language and I can now speak and understand some Spanish.

What kinds of changes do you foresee happening over the next few years in the Singapore programs?

For a start, since the Singapore program is relatively new, I hope to see more interns come to Singapore to see what the country can offer. With more interns joining the program in Singapore, they can form a more stable support network for one another, making the entire experience more enjoyable and memorable.

What are some unique things about Singapore which make the local programs stand out?

Singapore’s melting pot of cultures is what makes the country interesting. Being a country of immigrants, even long-staying residents find themselves in unexpected interactions with one another on a daily basis. This could be a local Chinese resident speaking to a local Indian resident in the Malay language, or even Tamil language; or a Chinese-looking person whose race is actually Indian.

In Singapore, the general rule of thumb is not to judge a book by its cover simply because we are a culture of people that have adapted to live harmoniously with one another regardless of race or religion.

What is one thing you would tell prospective students considering an internship in Singapore?

To come with an open mind—to come with the aim to discover things beyond the surface. At the end of the day, seeking an internship abroad is more than what one’s resume will look like at the end of three months. It’s about the social interactions and observations one has made the effort to participate in or conduct.