This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Clarence Koh, 30, a software engineer who lives in Singapore but works US hours. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
When I was studying computer science at a university in Singapore, I joined a one-year overseas work-and-study program meant to encourage entrepreneurship.
I was supposed to spend the year in Toronto, taking classes at a host university while interning at a startup. But because of the pandemic, I had to stay in Singapore and complete the program remotely.
On my first day as an intern, the startup announced it was being acquired by a US company. I stayed on through the…
