Ms Sharfah Mohammed, from Macquarie University, was a New Colombo Plan 2014 Singapore scholar and addressed guests on behalf of NCP alumni. The following is an excerpt of her speech.

Trying to condense the incredible six-month long adventure I've had under the New Colombo Plan into a three-minute talk felt like I was trying to defy the impossible. Nonetheless here's an attempt to translate my scattered thoughts into a reflection on what made my time in Singapore a truly transformative experience.

I stepped foot in Singapore in January 2015 excited yet nervous about commencing my semester at the National University of Singapore (NUS). I knew I was in for a challenge when I decided to enrol in Law at the top-ranked university in Asia. And I won't lie – I was pushed to my academic limits at NUS. There were many all-nighters spent frantically trying to complete essays on international law issues I was still trying to grasp and there were times when I felt incapable of achieving what was required of me. In hindsight, however, this experience really pushed me to grow and I'd say that my semester at NUS was the most enriching and enjoyable academic experience I have had to date.

I studied about the United Nations and human rights, governance and development in Asia alongside some of the brightest and most-hard-working students in the world and under the guidance of incredibly knowledgeable professors. We had lively class discussions that allowed me to gain so much insight from the unique perspectives of both local Singaporean and international students. Studying at NUS taught me to think critically, strengthened my understanding of Asia from a legal perspective, sparked my interest in international law and reminded me to never stop learning.

Upon completing my study component, I commenced a legal internship with Telstra International equipped with two-and-a-half years' worth of theoretical knowledge (thanks to my law degree) but next to no practical legal experience. The legal team in Telstra took me under their wing, mentored me closely, presented me with a snapshot of what in-house lawyers do on a day-to-day basis and gave me the opportunity to develop my legal skills. I sat in on countless meetings shadowing Telstra's international legal counsel for South East Asia; I was guided through the process of reviewing contracts clause-by-clause; I was assigned legal research tasks that trained me to meet deadlines and even invited to give a presentation to Telstra's entire international and domestic legal team.

The lawyers imparted words of wisdom that they say would have saved them from a whole lot of stress and tears had someone told them when they were first starting out in the legal profession. I was drilled to pay attention to fine details and advised to consult Google and ask questions whenever in doubt. In four weeks I learnt much more than I anticipated; I was welcomed as a valued member of the team and given the guidance I needed to develop skills that simply cannot be taught in a lecture theatre.

In addition, living in Singapore allowed me to immerse myself in a rich culture, be exposed to unique values and form lasting friendships with many inspiring and kind-hearted people. I will never forget that day when I was lost and decided to ask a local for directions instead of searching directions on my phone. We ended up striking up a half hour conversation, exchanging numbers, and, soon after, she invited me to her home for dinner where I was shown the most generous hospitality and treated like family. I still keep in regular contact with her family and I'm even invited to her daughter's wedding. Thinking back, I sometimes laugh at how it all began. But I think this story really captures the beauty of the New Colombo Plan. Although I have travelled overseas many times before as a tourist, this was the first time I have lived, studied and interned overseas. I left a piece of my heart in Asia but thankfully I'll be returning in a few days to intern with BHP Billiton.

I'm so grateful to have been given this opportunity to develop academically, professionally and personally and broaden my understanding of the Indo-Pacific region. On behalf of the current New Colombo Plan scholars, I'd like to thank Minister Bishop, the New Colombo Plan Secretariat and host organisations for this opportunity.