When Jessica Whyman packed up her life to move overseas for a New Colombo Plan scholarship, her packing list looked a little different to most of her peers.
The University of the Sunshine Coast creative industries student was not flying solo – she was travelling to Malaysia and Japan with her husband and two small children in tow.
Jessica, who left a career in criminal law when she was 28 to pursue her passion for storytelling, has now been living in Kuala Lumpur since July. With a population just shy of two million, the city is a far cry from the family’s hometown of Caboolture in regional Queensland.
Jessica says the experience has not only developed her professional knowledge and networks by learning about culture, language and the power of stories in the Southeast Asian context, it has expanded her family’s worldview.
“My experience has been made up of hundreds of micro moments, which cannot be adequately captured in words,” she says.
“At first Malaysia felt overwhelming, especially with my children – I was not used to living in a big city.
“Now one of the things I love about the region is the beautiful chaos. The mix of the colours, sounds, traffic and people. It no longer feels overwhelming. Now it is electrifying and wonderful.
“As a mum I have seen my children thrive. My daughter is now extremely interested in language and religion and looks forward to Buddhist rituals and visiting mosques. These are experiences I could not have provided to them within Australia.”
Jessica moved to Southeast Asia with her husband and two young children.
Jessica and her family have enjoyed getting to know local families and spend their weekends sharing meals, holding game nights and participating in local activities.
During the week, Jessica has been interning with the marketing department of Mattel Southeast Asia, as part of an ongoing partnership between the international toy company and the NCP.
“During the Halloween weekend, I facilitated an event with fashion designer Melinda Looi and children from local orphanages,” she says.
“My job was to run story time and song time. Because of my love of stories, this was a particularly memorable occasion for me and one I will never forget."
Jessica reading to children at an event with fashion designer Melinda Looi at BookXcess. Credit: Mattel.
“I also worked closely on the 40th anniversary of the Hot Wheel plant in Penang. The plant manufactures most of the world’s Hot Wheels and is very important to the Malaysian economy. At the same time, we announced a partnership with Proton, the first Malaysian car manufacturer and a landmark for the country.”
Next month, Jessica will move to Japan to undertake the next part of program. She says she was very deliberate in her choice to spend time in both countries and it all links back to her love of stories.
“The creative industries are embedded in all facets of civilisation and make us who we are. Both Japan and Malaysia have rich cultures and a history of using story,” she says.
“Japan has a high level of literacy and is renowned for its cultural heritage, museums and art galleries. In contrast, Malaysia has a low level of literacy as a whole population and is not as well known for its arts and cultural scene despite boasting a rich and diverse history and culture.
“I wanted to live in both countries to explore these differences and reconcile what policies and features might have impacted these differences.”
When Jessica returns to Australia, she hopes to complete a Master of Museum Studies while undertaking an honours year focusing on how to use stories to explore problematic topics in young adult literature like human trafficking.
“I am interested in how stories underpin everything we are as humans and individuals,” she says.
“Stories transcend time, culture and differences to connect us at a core level. They help us understand the world and allow us to feel part of a community and less alone.”
Jessica and her family will spend the next 9 months in Kyoto, where she will study culture, language and literacy at Doshisha University.