Vadi smiled, always the steady one. He told me he’d already secured a job with a local engineering company. No surprise there he’d been hardworking and focused all along.
Then I turned to the Chinese boy. He said he planned to join his father’s company, to learn the ropes and eventually take over. Again, no surprise. There was clarity in his direction, a long-term plan already mapped out.
Finally, I asked the Malay boy.
"And you? What’s your plan?"
He smiled shyly.
"I want to work with MAS," he said.
"Oh, Malaysia Airlines? That’s great!" I replied, assuming the obvious. "As an aircraft engineer?"
He shook his head.
"No… as an air steward."
I paused, confused for a moment.
An engineering graduate… wanting to become an air steward? My mind scrambled to process it.
It wasn’t disappointment, exactly. It was just… unexpected.
Later, I thought about it more. Three boys, three friends, same degree, same opportunities, yet their choices couldn’t have been more different:
One had secured stability through a job.
One was building on family continuity.
And one chose a path outside the engineering world altogether.
Was it about passion?
Mindset?
Cultural background?
I’d lived in Malaysia long enough to notice patterns how different communities approached work, ambition, and success differently. Some focused on security, some on building legacies, and some on lifestyle and ease.
But maybe it wasn’t just about culture. Maybe it was about what each person truly values. For one, it was stability. For another, family. For the last, perhaps freedom and travel mattered more than equations and machines.
And that, I realized, is what makes these moments precious. Over one dinner table, I got a glimpse of how three young men saw their futures and how the same starting point can lead to wildly different destinations.
We often assume a degree defines a path, but it doesn’t.
Sometimes, ambition is technical, sometimes practical, and sometimes… it just wants to fly. ✈️
