I can't believe I've been living in Singapore for the last three months and now I only have about a month left! I'm definitely looking forward to going home but at the same time the more I think about leaving, the more I realize how much I'll miss Singapore and all the new friends I've made. I'm going to do my best to maximize the time I have left here! Here are a few updates of what I've been up to! Deepavali On October 18th, we celebrated Deepavali! Meaning "The Festival of Lights", Deepavali is a Hindu and Indian cultural celebration. During this time I participated in another memochrome event and we went to Little India to take photos and learn more about the Indian culture and their origins in Singapore. On this excursion we went to the Indian Heritage Center, a Hindu temple and got to walk through the streets of Little India. I was lucky enough to get my photo and write-up posted on the UTown lobby wall again. There was also a Deepavali event at UTown. Erin and I attended and were able to try Indian food, hear Indian music and get hennas! NUS Judo Club I'm really thankful to have had the opportunity to join the NUS Judo Club because not only is it a great way to counteract all the delicious food I've been eating, but it more importantly introduced me to so many local Singaporeans! As exchange students, there are multiple events in the beginning of the year that allow us to meet other international students. Unfortunately, we don't have the same opportunity to meet local students, so I don't think many exchangers get to make local friends. One of my goals for studying abroad, was to learn more about the Singaporean culture. Through the friendships I made in Judo, I was able to expand what I knew about Singapore. I learned some Singlish and Chinese, received great recommendations on where to eat and most of all learned what Singaporeans think about Singapore. I'm definitely going to miss my new local friends!
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Sorry it's been a while! I've decided to put week 9 & 10 together because following recess week I've been mainly studying and working on projects. Last week I took two mid-terms, completed a case study report and am currently working on another report and two presentations. In my Week 3 blog I mentioned the classes that I was taking but didn't go into detail on the courses and the differences between studying here vs. back home. This blog will focus on the academic side of NUS, the school's study culture, and hopefully give you a good idea of what it's like to study at the #1 school in Asia.
This past week was recess week! Unlike UH, NUS has a fall break that this year occurred at the end of September. In the break most local students study for upcoming midterms while exchangers tend to travel. I recommend traveling if you have the opportunity to but of course if you have exams right after recess week you may have to really consider if you can afford to travel or not. Thankfully, my midterm exams were two weeks after recess week so I felt I could handle my academics even with a trip.
For recess week, me and four other girls (Erin, Alisha, Phoebe and Phillipa) traveled to Vietnam. Before going to Vietnam I want to say that I had an idea of what to expect but I really didn't. I researched what museums, attractions and restaurants I wanted to go to but not much on the people, society or lifestyle of the country. So Tip #1: Do as much research as you can. Even if you want to be "surprised" by the new country, it'll still be a surprise because you're in a totally new environment, you'll just be better educated and prepared about the place. Watch videos, read articles and learn about some of the rules in the country. Also, be sure to know the emergency numbers (police, ambulance, etc.) and have your accommodation's address and number written down. Tip #2 - Prepare! Yes, you don't want to pack too much but make sure you're prepared for the weather, possibly getting sick and even losing your passport. Here are some of my tips for the things I think you would need to prepare for.
Those are my two main tips that can apply to any trip you take, whether its a weekend, recess or even before studying abroad! Here are a few photos from my trip to Vietnam. |
About MeMy name is Jackie Agena and I am a junior at the at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I am full time student majoring in Management Information Systems and Finance. Categories
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