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."
