Reflections in Singapore!

Appreciate all the reflections written during Friday's wrap-up session, and all your comments are so valuable as well! Thanks!

Here're some selected reflections:

Pu En:

"I think that the [IP2] Australia trip has made me know myself better, especially in terms of which educational path I would want to pursue in future, & I have also learnt to relate to others better by being more proactive when it comes to making new friends. Also, I learnt not to perceive people by what I have heard from others as they might not be the way others say they are. In addition, I think that the best way to know oneself better is through overseas trips or backpacking trips. It allows one to experience things that do not usually happen during our daily lives ."

Lemuel:

"I feel very special to be a Singaporean after the trip. I suddently feel proud that evern though our weather's kinda hot for so many months, we are very much an oasis in this region (in terms of our cultural diversity, acceptance, security, urban & natural landscape, educational system, etc.). Maybe the aborigines' struggle for human rights caused me to appreciate & love my culture more. I am more conscious of being a Singaporean and, weirdly, so proud as I walked along the streets of Australia .

"Through this trip, I learnt what it means to accept people from different backgrounds and different personalities. In a sense, I've become more tolerant. Now, I have to become more accepting. I also realised that being real to someone about your feelings, emotions & thoughts usually leads to a better friendship ."

Poline:

"Through this trip as a whole, I realised my identity is not shaped by the people I'm with or what I wear or what I do. The real identity is within myself, knowing what I want to do or achieve. Like on the long bus trips, just looking at the foreign scenery, it set me thinking about what I want to do in the future. Maybe it is when we're set in an unfamiliar context, then we'll really reflect.

"When relating to others, it is good to set aside all the pre-conceptions you have about that person and really start to get to know her/him. One thing I've really gained is a bunch of new friends whom I've had fun with in cold Aussie! Also, I've learnt it's BAD to choose who to talk to or be with because no matter who, you'll be able to discover something really special about the person! "

Anonymous student:

"I learnt that identity is not only about culture, practices and beliefs, it's accepting who you are and appreciating your differences & holding fast to your beliefs. Through the dialogue with the aboriginal woman, I've learnt that to have a strong sense of identity, we must believe in ourselves and respect our culture & ourselves. "

Anonymous student:
"Just like multi-cultured Australia, we live in multi-cultured Singapore. Many different cultures, practices and races. In many ways Singapore is similar to Australia, both a melting pot of cultures. Treating and respecting others, especially those who have different cultural practices, should be done seriously. There should not be discrimination. I know who I am, and am unique even in a multi-cultured society. Just like how the Aboriginals and white people live together, each is unique in their customs and practices. Despite the differences, everyone lives together in harmony (except for certain cases =)) they survive and thrive, and that's the beauty of it all."

Xin Yue:
"I think I've improved my personality and communication skills, Before the trip I was not very open to my Singaporean peers coz I was not very confident. But during this trip, I stayed with my group and in forced me to communicate with others, for example, the last MysteriAus and the project. It was a very happy experience. And during the learning of Australian culture, I found I was becoming interested in social science, this may be helpful with my subject choice in J1."

Anonymous student:
"I have realised that keeping your culture is very important. Even if being yellow-skinned can cause looks of disapproval from Western countries, who I am, deep in my roots, is most important. The aboriginal woman was the one who helped me realise the importance about culture. I also have learnt that being sensitive to other people is crucial, we must be careful not to hurt other people, even if it is unintentional."

Jay:
"I have learnt in greater depth about different identities and also managed to experience it at first hand. This experience has widened my knowledge base. In the beginning, I wondered if I will be able to be understood by the Australians due to the differnet accent. But I was proved wrong and I managed to interact with the people there very efficiently. One thing I noticed very evident in them is the ability to make extended conversations with people. I feel this is something we should learn. By having longer conversations with different people, we will learn more."

Ben:
"I have come to understand that it takes me alot of time to get familiar with new people, which I wasn't aware of before the trip because I always sticked in my comfort zone. But through the trip, I was forced to interact with new people, and learn to open myself up to others. Only then did I begin to interact closely with the people on the trip whom I didn't know.
It helped me realise I was active a night, because of my alertness during and after the reflections each evening. I learnt that my role among my group of friends was "the joker"."

Anonymous student:
"I expected to see a "different Australia" from what I saw with my family a few years back, and I did! I discovered a lot more about Native Australian Aborigines especially, it feels good when I know the veil of commercialised image of aborigines has been lifted, and I have also become more aware of the rich diversities of cultures in the world. I find the most important thing I took back, the lesson of humility. I used to think everything would be different, now I know that it is not so simple. Reality has hit me hard. My internal struggle throughout the trip took me a long time to sort out and reconcile with. Now I know, I am weak when I think I am strong, I am weak when my strength does not lie within but without, and that only God will make all things new."

Yu Hang:
"In the ways, I tried to know the culture of Australia, I feel that the art, the environment, the people, and the preferrance of people do matter. The identity is a multi-disciplinary concept that contains all these things. It helps me to enhance my awareness of my identity also has something to do with where I come from, what I prefer, what I have experienced, and these finally come together to arise the question who am I? In order to let others know who am I better, firstly I need to be aware about who am I in the first place. The trip had helped me to be much clearer about my identity. In the process that I come nearer to Australia, I also come nearer to myself."

Owyong Pu En (06V11):
“I think that the [IP2] Australia trip has made me know myself better, especially in terms of which educational path I would want to pursue in future, & I have also learnt to relate to others better by being more proactive when it comes to making new friends. Also, I learnt not to perceive people by what I have heard from others as they might not be the way others say they are. In addition, I think that the best way to know oneself better is through overseas trips or backpacking trips. It allows one to experience things that do not usually happen during our daily lives.”

Lemuel Teo (06V12):
“I feel very special to be a Singaporean after the trip. I suddently feel proud that evern though our weather’s kinda hot for so many months, we are very much an oasis in this region (in terms of our cultural diversity, acceptance, security, urban & natural landscape, educational system, etc.). Maybe the aborigines’ struggle for human rights caused me to appreciate & love my culture more. I am more conscious of being a Singaporean and, weirdly, so proud as I walked along the streets of Australia.
“Through this trip, I learnt what it means to accept people from different backgrounds and different personalities. In a sense, I’ve become more tolerant. Now, I have to become more accepting. I also realised that being real to someone about your feelings, emotions & thoughts usually leads to a better friendship.”

Lim Ching Jie Poline (06V12):
“Through this trip as a whole, I realised my identity is not shaped by the people I’m with or what I wear or what I do. The real identity is within myself, knowing what I want to do or achieve. Like on the long bus trips, just looking at the foreign scenery, it set me thinking about what I want to do in the future. Maybe it is when we’re set in an unfamiliar context, then we’ll really reflect.
“When relating to others, it is good to set aside all the pre-conceptions you have about that person and really start to get to know her/him. One thing I’ve really gained is a bunch of new friends whom I’ve had fun with in cold Aussie! Also, I’ve learnt it’s BAD to choose who to talk to or be with because no matter who, you’ll be able to discover something really special about the person!”

Anonymous student who didn’t give his/her name (!!!):
“I learnt that identity is not only about culture, practices and beliefs, it’s accepting who you are and appreciating your differences & holding fast to your beliefs. Through the dialogue with the aboriginal woman, I’ve learnt that to have a strong sense of identity, we must believe in ourselves and respect our culture & ourselves.”

What Hsien Liang's group says...

30 Jun

Today was the day where we visited the universities of New South Wales and Macquarie. All of us took back many lessons worth learning, such as the importance of being serious in our work and the number of options open for us in our everyday lives. All of us also discovered where our strengths lie, and what future studies to pursue in the years to come. Throughout the day, we met a lot of people and we are warmed by their welcoming and greetings. We were inspired by the learning environment of the universities and were very excited with the wide variety of subjects available for study overseas. The talks by students and professors of the 2 universities were enriching, as they displayed their own institution's strengths in their own rights and their significance in Australia. My group and I were thankful for these talks as they helped prepare us for the future.

31 Jun

Today we the visited one of the largest fish markets in the world,the Sydney Fish Market, only second to Japan. However, having the second largest fish market in the world, the irony is that Australians do not fancy seafood as much as other meat they take.

Being at the SFM was really an eye opener for all of us, we were introduced to the many different kinds of fish sold as well as the unique system that the Australians' adopt when selling our marine friends. How many of us actually have to bid for our seafood?

After that we made a trip to the Blue Mountains, it certainly was an enriching and all the more breath-taking experience. We tracked through the temperate rainforest at the same time admiring the awesome scenery.

The third highlight of the day was the dialogue session with an aboriginal lady. Though she being integrated into the modern society, taught us much about the aboriginals lifestyles, their beliefs and the mutual relationship they have with the land. During reflection time we compared this relationship with that which the westerners have with the environment, we drew useful lessons from that. One could in fact take two stances towards a certain situation one, adapt to the situation or environment and or two, make it work for you.

1 June

On the 1st day of June, we moved off early this morning to an Aboriginal art gallery near the city area to learn more about Aboriginal culture. We were allowed to paint our own boomerangs as a souvenir back to Singapore. The colours of paint we were allowed to use were only black, white and yellow, the 'natural' colours to the Aborigines. This demonstrated the uniqueness of their artform as their pieces of art were equally professional as modern art, although they were more restricted in terms of materials used.

After that, we went to take a tour at the Sydney Opera House. It consisted of 6 performance theatres, each of them being constructed for a different purpose. Also, we learnt that the roof of the Sydney Opera House was in fact designed by a Danish architect, not an Australian. This proved that Australia is indeed a diverse place, and that people of different race and culture are more than welcome to settle in the country.

Following the opera house, there was the NSW art gallery where we encountered many beautiful artpieces. The guide there led us through the gallery and told us the many different forms of art and their probable meanings. Throughout the trip, one can notice that most of the artpieces are those which reflects their lifestyles or experiences, just like those that we learnt about in the Aboriginal art gallery, amplifying the idea that our identity shapes our art and likewise art affects our thoughts and identity, with an example being that of the decoration of the room affecting our views on the artpieces. Therefore, everyone is actually a social construct with things around us affecting our lifestyles. We then also have to learn to adapt to the environment, just like how the artists make use of the different materials and skills (eg. brushstrokes) to create the kind of effects they wish to get.

Aside from the art in the art gallery, one thing we learnt from the trip was the importantance of taking care and looking after one another, especially when we are out of our own comfort zone. VIP had always tried to control the class's environment so as to ensure that Rhoda is okay with it. However, now that we are out in the open, we cannot control the situation. For example, the art gallery had deionised air so as to protect the artpieces. At the same time, it made Rhoda uncomfortable. Thus, since we cannot control the environment, the only thing we can do is to ensure that our friend is okay and looked after so that no one would be left unattended. As they say, "Two is always better than one, for when one falls down, the other can help him up", hence we should always take care of one another, especially if we do go for studies overseas in the future.

We visited the Migrant Centre after lunch, where the speaker gave a presentation about the refugees and unemployed migrants in Australia whom were in need of our help. This talk backs up our previous notion of unity within a group of people as each of us depend on one another in a way. Hence, it is up to us to adopt a caring attitude towards whatever we do.

2 June

We got off to a great start to the day by visiting the Hunter Valley Zoo this morning, after a 170km journey along the roads of Australia in the bus. Everyone was practically tired from yesterday's events, and as a result, most of us ended up sleeping on the coach. However, this sleepy mentality took a 180 degree turn when we set foot into the zoo and saw animals such as the koalas and the kangaroos up-close. All of us found a sudden burst of energy, with excitement and laughter brewing almost every other minute. This goes to show that each of us has a certain area of great interest where we can exploit our potential to the maximum. Although all of us are different as individuals, we are united by the common interests that all of us may share. Throughout the trip, we saw many different animals and how they have many features to adapt to the environment, and also how the zookeepers ensure that the environment is suitable for the animals, emphasing on the interrelationship of the environment and animals, and how it is vital for people to learn to be flexible and adapt to survive.

With our hearts all satisfied with the cute and cuddly animals, we washed our hands and left for the cheese factory for part of our lunch, where we were introduced and allowed to try different cheese. Through the cheese tasting session, we realised that everyone has different tastes, likes and dislikes. Then, we realise that it is crucial that we cannot take our views to be universal and learning to compromise and find a balance would be a wise thing to do.

Trip log by Andrea's group

30 May

We gained valuable information on studying in sydney. We learnt that studying overseas is not easy as it requires you to be independent and self-disciplined; you have to cook your own meals, look after yourself, manage your own money etc. However, it may be a fun and enriching experience where you meet many different people from different cultures. The unsw iss, support group for international students , left a very good impression on us,with their 'motto' arrive,survive ,thrive. It assured us that there would be someone around to give us support. Overall, it really was an eye-opener and a great experience.

31 May

First destination. Sydney fish market! We went on a tour round the fish market. Like we all know, the only fish market which is bigger than this is the fish market in japan. Unlike japan, which auctions off its wares by voice, the sydney fish market uses an auction clock to carry out the auctions. We realized that the market made use of technology to help them achieve maximun efficiency in selling off their products.

Trees...seas...birds...ferns...mountains...MOTHER NATURE Yup! Mother nature! Our next stop was the blue mountains. Here, we went on a LIGHT & EASY hike led by park rangers. We saw witches' leap, the three sisters, other mountain ranges and so on... We even took a railway which climbs up at an angle of around 50 degrees. Next we went to another town where we were given a brief introduction to aboriginal culture.

Throughout the whole blue mountains tour. We learnt about the biodiversity of australia and how they are taking measures to conserve their environment. They are even learning from the aboriginal people.

To conclude we had a most meaningful trip today where we came real close to mother nature.

1 June

Wow....just attended the aboriginal art workshop, very interactive and interesting. I learnt a lot about their culture but what struck me the most was the Musical instrument, the long pipe thing. It is amazing to see how a long pipe can actually produce so much sounds and tunes. It is simply rather ingenious of the aborigines, being able to convey so much stuff through different sounds.

We visited sydney opera house and had a behind the scene tour. GOSH! It was huge, having 6 theatres and the capacity to house 6000 people, it was simpley breathtaking!!! The art scene in australia is simply vibrant, seeing both the aboriginal and western arts flourishing. The arts is higgly encouraged in australia as we can see classes of students flocking to the NSW museum and we know literaturre is a must take subject for students. Somehow I feel that the arts flow in their blood.

LAST STOP!
Visited the migrant centre. Although it was rather tiring, I gain a valuable experience from it, learning how migrants aren’t given a helping hand in surviving in australia. I also learnt many stuff and troubles that the migrants faced.

IN ALL, it was a fun day, just a little tiring. NIL SINE LABORE:)

2 June

Alright, I guess that this blog will need some new fonts other than Arial and Times New Romans so I shall type in 13375l*34l<, just kidding.

We woke up cold and hungry in the wee hours in the morning and were welcomed with tasty, hot breakfast. Much better than what we've been eating so far. After which we set off on our long journey to Hunter Valley Zoo where we saw many native animals of Australia like the Dingos, Emus and Koalas. I was amazed at the different adaptations that each animal had that allowed it to survive in Australia's dry and arid environment. For example, the wombat has rear facing pouches that prevents the joey from being swamped with soil and scum when the mother is digging it's burrow with her front legs.

Soon we were off to Hunter Valley Cheese Co. to try some of their cheeses. One of the types of cheeses that i'll never forget is the blue cheese. Although it was the milder version, I think I won't be eating blue cheese for a long time... ...

To clear the "splendid" taste from my mouth we all went for a splendid barbie lunch which translates from 4(_)5513 5l*34l< into bbq! Woots! To my surprise, Australian barbie chicken tastes like char siew! Splendid!

To add onto the splendid experience, we went to a vineyard to learn how wine was made. They pick the grapes, separate the stalks and the skins, squish them and let them ferment in huge barrels made of 100 year old oak. \/\/0\/\/oneoneone!

After a long journey back to Sydney, we freshened up and left to have dinner and a show. We're going to watch two short plays entitled This is a Play and Never Swim Alone. This is a play where the actors are aware of themselves being in a play. Great fun with lots of laughs. The second play, Never Swim Alone, was on a more serious note. I felt that it was about competition within society, betrayal of friendship and everything it takes to be the first. A play that gets you thinking... ...

3 June
Woke up in a cold morning, had the same kind hotel breakfast, hurry got on the coach. And today is Ahmad's amazing birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

We arrived at Western Sydney Nursery and garden at about eight. From the official we get the information that the forest area in Sydney is decreasing in a great speed, thus a lot of environmental conservation work need to be done. In order to help Australia to save their forest, we spent our whole morning transplanting the grass into separated cups. And we did over one thousands cups, everyone must have done at least 80 over. WELL DONE EVERYBODY!
We got to the water in a winter Australia afternoon! So that we could got some points for our mysterious 3 task. And we interviewed a happy Australian family. The task is fun!!!

And we got on a SHIP in order to view the NICE SCENERY around the Sydney Opera House.

Finally at night, we all dressed up nicely and went to see the REAL OPERA in Sydney Opera House. And the show is REALLY REALLY AMAZING!!! It is the BEST show I have EVER seen in my life!!!
HOPE TOMORROW COULD BE MORE FUN!