From Provence to Singapore: Perrine's Teaser of the Life She Wants

Episode #0027

When Perrine boarded that plane to Singapore, she wasn’t just chasing credits for her business school degree—she was stepping into a world that would flip her life script.

What started in the lavender-lined countryside of Provence, where creativity flowed as freely as olive oil, soon turned into a cosmopolitan adventure across continents. Perrine’s upbringing was idyllic—Provençal charm, a multicultural family (French, German, Corsican, Italian), and parents who never clipped her wings. But, like many of us, she felt the itch early: to see more, do more, be more.

That One Teacher

We’ve all had that one teacher, right? The one who either lights the spark or tries to snuff it out. In Perrine’s case, it was the latter. When a science teacher asked whether anyone in her family had been a scientist—and used her “no” as a reason to dismiss her dreams—it could’ve been the end of her curiosity. But instead, she pivoted. From science to fashion. From high school fashion shows to mood boards taped up in her bedroom. And eventually, from designing clothes to designing brands.

Fashion, Meet Numbers

Perrine’s transition from fashion to marketing wasn’t just practical—it was poetic. Her brain needed both the flair of creativity and the clarity of numbers. Business school in Lyon gave her that sweet spot, and soon enough, she was learning to balance aesthetics with analytics. But even then, something was still missing.

Cue Singapore.

Overconfidence and the Tropics

The opportunity came through a partnership between her university and Singapore Management University. And despite not speaking fluent English—something she laughingly admits now—she didn’t blink. She packed up, called her mom (who reacted with uncanny calm), and flew halfway across the world.

What she found there was more than coursework. It was hot, humid, and strict in all the ways Marseille wasn’t. But it was also thrillingly safe. In fact, the culture shock hit hard the moment she watched strangers leave phones and credit cards unattended in public food courts to reserve their seats. She thought, “This is another planet.”

A Smoothie, a Dream, and Joe & The Juice

There’s a moment that sticks with her: sipping an overpriced smoothie at Joe & The Juice near her apartment, solo, broke, and blissfully content. That’s when it clicked—this is the life I want. The independence, the coffee shop mornings, the dream job in marketing, the sun on her face. It was more than a semester abroad. It was a blueprint.

Learning the Language of the Future

SMU turned out to be a game-changer. Professors from Harvard, real-world marketers from major fashion brands, courses in tech, startups, and futuristic tools—it was like time-traveling into her own career. She even helped build a fashion-based influencer app years before it became the norm. The mix of innovation and international perspective sharpened her vision.

Dragon Fruit and Home Truths

Of course, she missed France. The cheese. The saucisson. The sound of her mother tongue. But she also found a second home in Singapore, living with a French expat family who'd spent decades abroad. Their stories reassured her: you can be rooted and roam. You can take your culture with you and still grow new layers.

Leaving Is Always the Hardest Part

When her year in Singapore ended, she wasn’t sure if going back to France was the right move. “I knew what I was giving up, but not what I was going toward,” she said. But fate had other plans. A chance meeting at a student fair led to a job offer—not in Paris, but in Montreal, with a top cosmetics brand.

Just like that, another page turned.

"Singapore was the teaser of the life I want."
That one line? It says it all. This wasn’t just a study abroad story—it was the start of something much bigger. A first taste of independence, global identity, and professional clarity.

And the best part? We’re only halfway through Perrine’s story.

Stay tuned for part two—Canada, Germany, and everything that came next.

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