Homecoming

Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Thocco, I’m 25 years old, I live in Melbourne, and I currently work as a nurse.

What made you decide to pursue nursing?
I enjoy working in the healthcare industry. Initially, I wanted to get into dentistry, but then eventually I ended up in nursing. I actually used to work in aged care before I moved into this industry.

Cool! Any memorable experiences you’ve had so far in your work?
Yeah, mostly working with elderly people. Unfortunately they end up passing away, but it’s nice to be able to connect with them while they’re still around.

It must be heartbreaking to have to say goodbye after bonding with them. On that note, can you tell us more about the healthcare industry in Australia?
I would say it’s pretty good. They do take care of their patients. They have a lot of nurses, and a lot of doctors that look after patients and everything, so I would say out of ten, it’s a good nine.

We’re sure it gets super hectic at work, so how do you wind down after a long day?
I go home, chill with my puppy, have dinner and that’s about it—maybe watch a movie (laughs). Sometimes I’ll go to the gym or go for walks.

Tell us more about your puppy! What breed is he?
He’s a poodle. I’ve had him since he was two months old, and now he’s a year and three months!

Cute! So what brings you to Singapore?
I’m actually on my way back home to Zambia. I decided to spend three days here before I go back.

Since you live in Melbourne, is there anything you miss about Zambia?
Yeah I do! I miss my family, that’s about it. I don’t really have friends there or anything (laughs).

What do you like to do when you go back?
We usually just catch up and have good food. I don’t know, there’s not really much to do I would say, apart from just catching up with family. My family also has a marketing business back home, so I always try to help out as much as I can when I’m there.

Last question: do you have any resolutions you made this year that you maybe haven’t checked off yet?
I wanted to travel—this trip is my first time travelling this year, but I still haven’t gotten the chance to go on a Europe trip. That was my goal this year since I’ve spent most of my time studying and working over the years, so this year I wanted to travel and explore the world.