My final 3 months of dental school were in Tasmania with John and Renya, and I will always look back on that time with incredible fondness. We travelled so much, hiked lots, met new friends from James Cook University, learnt so much every day in clinic from a variety of tutors. I would say we really maximised our time in Devonport. I finally got to experience what it was like living in a rural town, although it was not totally accurate because having John and Renya there meant that I always had friends around. Aside from them, I spent most of my time cooking, reading and buying groceries at Coles, the town’s actual gathering point.
We returned to Adelaide in the second week of December and had our declaration ceremony, sending us off into the world as dentists. Graduation ball was one of the most fun nights I’ve ever had, dancing and laughing with almost an entire room of familiar faces. I made a montage and lip sync video for our batch, and after it had ended, somebody shouted into the dimmed hall, “WE LOVE YOU JOAAASH!” and I’ll always remember that moment :’)
I spent the following 5 days attempting to pack up my whole life in Australia into 4 boxes. I also sold my car to a friend’s friend for a great price, and I thank God for that sale coming through so quickly. Goodbye Lola the Corolla, sorry for all the scrapes and scratches.
As I packed and prepared to return, there was still so much apprehension about my decision. Now, I would be returning for good. What would it look like to reconnect with friends? Church will be so different. I’ll be living with my parents again after 5 years of total independence. These thoughts had been lingering all year but they grew stronger as each day towards the end drew nearer. By the end of the packing up (which was its own NIGHTMARE by the way), I knew I just had to bite the bullet and fly home quickly.
Time’s arrow marches forward, and the grief over the end of my time in Adelaide felt like the loss of a loved one. I couldn’t put my finger on what I missed most. Whether it was friends, church, familiarity, my lifestyle, it all came together and now it was over, so in that sense I missed all of it.
My first week back was a silent one at home, waking up at 5am because my body still wanted to be in my apartment back on East Terrace. I was almost on the same 3-nap cycle as Caleb, my 7 month-old nephew, whom I had the pleasure of being at home with for December.
The reverse culture shock was palpable. Church felt different, and I was like being a familiar stranger – recognising the faces but sensing that many things have changed although not really knowing what. I also remembered walking into a typical grocery store and thinking, “wow, I’m in an asian mart, what a selection here!”
Something that really helped me tide through the transition was travelling away to Johor Bahru with my extended family after Christmas. Spending 5 days and 4 nights together eating good food and sharing laughs really reminded me of what I’ve missed for so many years, and I was thankful I could be back to enjoy the company again.
As for my job, I had heard back from one private company I had sent my resume out to. I was also having chats with seniors who were in the public sector about their experiences. When I interviewed at one particular public position, it seemed perfect. At that point, I was leaning strongly towards public because of all the horror stories of unethical bosses and issues with supervisors that I had heard about in the private sector. Hence, going down to see those private clinics myself was illuminating. I’m sure there is no perfect practice, but I liked the warm working atmosphere of that clinic and also the way the owner treated his patients. I could definitely see myself working and learning there.
So I spent my January and early February tossing back and forth between public and private, 2 positions which I have found to have great mentors and learning opportunities. One with lots of government benefits and a supportive team, and the other providing a strong start for a career in private dentistry which is what I would like in the long run. I’m celebrating Chinese New Year having already made up my mind, but it was clear that both options would require me to work harder than I’ve ever had to. There’s no going back to the “there’s always tomorrow” laidback lifestyle of Australia. I’m prepared to sweat in Singapore, and boy is it hot here.
Do you even dentist? 