Humans of Orchan | From the ‘Remote” Desk of the ‘Halfie’

From the ‘Remote” Desk of the ‘Halfie’

Hey there!

I’m Kate, and I joined Orchan as a remote intern in July 2020. I am currently studying for my Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication (Public Relations and Event Management) at Taylor’s University, Malaysia. I am a student from Vientiane, Laos. I came to Malaysia for better education opportunities.

My objective at Orchan is to learn more about Public Relations and gain more experience under professionals in the field. By the end of the internship, I hope to have gained more insight and experience working with other PR practitioners and clients.

I chose to study Public Relations and Event Management because I desire to create memorable experiences for others and to elevate the quality of events in my home country, to help companies and individuals improve their image, and I also hope to get involved in more events and with PR to elevate my knowledge and expertise. I have always found it fascinating that design or words simply can alter someone's image, impression, or perception of a something or someone.

I love to watch movies and animations! I can watch more than 5 movies in a row without getting bored and can finish a season or two of a series in a day. I also love to read manga (comics or graphic novels originating from Japan) and webtoons (a type of digital comic that originated in South Korea).

Being a ‘halfie’ (a person of mixed-race ancestry); British and Laotian; growing up in a country like Laos and being at in International school, I’ve always had my abilities and achievements dismissed because my father is from Britain. I would be called ‘foreigner’ even though I was born in Laos. When I would get good grades or do well, others would say that my abilities come from having an English father and that I have an advantage. It would discourage me sometimes when I hear that, because I worked hard for my achievements. It’s true I have an advantage, but there are other halfies whom have the same advantage but don’t have the same abilities as I do. Those experiences have made me more ambitious and determined. In Malaysia, I don’t stand out or get judged as much as I do in my country, since Malaysia’s population is more diverse. I felt more comfortable, I was able to improve my personal development and confidence. I will continue to pursue my personal development goals in my own country now that I’ve had the opportunity to change my mindset.