Australia Rox!!!

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.”