Personal Statement It was blessfull and happy to have chance on writing this personal statements for applying my postgraduate architecture studies abroad. I was born in a family of 6 siblings and my dad was worked as an ordinary small animal’s supplier and my mom was a housewife. Apparently I grow up in a very poor condition but I never give up any chances of continuing studies as I know education was the only change we can do for our family. I with my siblings was works when we are in very young age for paying our school fees and necessary needs. We thankful for the life challenges given by god and we know he is preparing us for greater achievements through life experiences and challenges. Some life experiences were hard to describe with a few words. Construction site, loading bays and others were once our workplace, playground and learning place. After completing my high school I was facing the reality of not enough money to further up my studies in medical College as the fees is impossible for me to work and pay up. I have try up a few application but not succeed. I am working up 2 years for finding solution to fund my studies. In 2009, I have made up mind when I met an architect’s professor during an education fair. He shares with me how Architecture may change the world. I have the same feelings of the peoples he describe in – poor and hopeless without good shelter. I’m having the 1st hand experience of it when I was just a kid who was living in almost collapsing wooden shelter. I have completely awake the facts that’s a doctor may only helps few peoples but the architects and developer who built hospital and university may help even more peoples and transform the nation equity to be more even and fair. Eventually, I have made up my mind. I resign my job. I pray to god always as he always has the best plan for us. I have promise god to be a successful licensed architect who are able to help those heartbroken peoples who needed for good shelter, education and health treatment. Architecture for humanities becomes a whole new inspiration of my life after a long search about meaning of life and education. I entering architecture diploma slightly late at the age of 20, under University Technology of Malaysia with a scholarship from the university. At college, I try my best to do research study in architecture even it is not necessary as I m too much fall in love with architecture. I do not suffer with the part time work while I m study and I m happy for given a chance to
study such a great humanity courses. For me architecture have change most of my life, it was not an ordinary courses, it was a guides for both humanity and success. My mind has completely changed with a whole new mission to help and change the world to be a better living world in a more practical ways. After completed my diploma I m having my internship in one of the Malaysia oldest architect’s firm named - BEP Architects Sdn Bhd which establish at the years of 1920. This was the best firm where I gain most of the experiences and taught. I was being a trainee at there about 5-6 months. I was responsible for helping in new cities master planning, low-rise and high-rise buildings design and others. The most amazing and excited task that I have completed in the working area was a thousand acres green cities development proposal with another colleagues. That was the only 1st time I learned about how to plan a city rather than just a buildings. I was grateful for given a chance by the firm to do a master’s level works while I was just a fresh graduate diploma architecture student. That was the 1st time I join the meeting together with those prestige developer of the nation to learn about “the real world.” In fact, being one of the prestige firm the work load over there was tremendously heavy but I enjoy the team work with all colleagues even though sometime it may spend up exceed than 24 hours for working inside the office. I have lots of great and generous senior here and one of the most inspiration words i learned here was: “It was not hard and it was the things you and I needed to know”. In short, working here has opened up my mind to be more philosophy based designer rather than just work based. After completed my intern, I continued my degree in architecture with the university scholarship at City University, Malaysia. Again, with the blessing of god, I passed my degree with a grade of 3.93 after struggling with my tight schedule to taken care of my dad who having 4th stage lung cancer for about a year plus in hospital and my part time work. That was the most emotionally and spiritually challenge of my life. I try up doing some architecture model business to cover up my school fees and others expenses. I’m grateful to have such a good father for guiding me and keep persuaded me to study for a bright future. Last October he was back to the heavenly home, after about a year with his uncompleted dream of becoming a developer. As he always said: “One-day if you are an architect
remember to build a medical university and a hospital for the peoples regardless of races and skin colour.� I have promised him and I always pray to god there will be one-day I will fulfil his last will to contribute what I able to the societies. If I never knew about architecture, I wouldn’t know more about love and I not even knew the purpose of my life. I believe with this application I would able to complete my part 2 architects license and my master degree in architecture in order for me to carry up the responsibilities of creating a betterment for environment, livings, healthcare and societies as most of the great architects did in the past – Le Corbusier, Mies Van Der Rohe and others... I believe life is about happiness and helping each other. Architecture is for humanities. Thank you. Yours faithfully, Lim Ai Han