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What does it truly look like to raise a child where three languages and cultures converge? Cynthia, a Taiwanese-born Google engineering program manager living in Singapore with her Hungarian husband, offers a captivating glimpse into her multilingual, multicultural family life.

Wearing what she calls "multiple hats" throughout her day, Cynthia Wei navigates early morning global work meetings, acts as a "human snooze alarm" for her four-year-old daughter, and maintains family connections spanning three continents. Her household is a beautiful linguistic tapestry where Mandarin and Hungarian become "secret languages" between parent and child, occasionally leading to hilarious misunderstandings—like when her husband accidentally shouted "Happy New Year" in Mandarin instead of "Happy Birthday" to her 95-year-old grandmother.

Beyond the daily cultural juggling act, Cynthia's story takes a profound turn as she reveals her harrowing medical emergency just days after childbirth. A ruptured colon led to life-threatening infection, emergency surgery, and weeks in the hospital separated from her newborn. This experience fundamentally transformed her perspective: "Being alive is not a given," she reflects, explaining how this awareness helps her navigate parenthood's frustrations with deeper gratitude.

The family's commitment to lifelong learning stands out as they make it a point to learn something new together every year—from Cynthia learning to ski at 42 to studying Hungarian grammar. This approach models resilience for their daughter while creating meaningful family bonds. They've also built a rich support network in Singapore, particularly valuing the unexpected parent friendships formed during COVID lockdowns that began with socially distanced picnics.

Whether you're raising multilingual children, balancing a demanding career with parenthood, or simply interested in how families create meaning across cultural boundaries, Cynthia's story offers wisdom, humor, and a refreshing perspective on embracing life's beautiful complexity.

Host: Edit Kerekes, former diplomat, senior strategic advisor, mom of two.

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