Pre-trip Reflections

One week in Chiang Mai conducting fieldwork for a research project; this is definitely the first time I have ever embarked on a study trip of such a scale.

As an integral part of my university education, USP is not only an academic environment which provides a holistic curriculum that promotes intellectual stimulation and interdisciplinary learning of sciences, arts and humanities but it also offers such opportunities that I would otherwise not have. Travelling overseas and conducting research there is a rare and unique opportunity which allows for both academic development as well as personal growth.

Firstly, this course teaches methods of data collection and documentation for research such as secondary research skills (e.g. sourcing for information for literature review) as well as primary research through onsite data collection methods (e.g. surveys, interviews). This trip provides the opportunity to actualise and put into practise the knowledge of research methods that we have learnt in-class onsite in Chiang Mai. The overseas research experience is definitely a unique chance for experiential learning that is rare outside of the USP curriculum. This trip thus provides an important foundation for such interdisciplinary research knowledge and skills which can be applied to other research projects that I undertake in future during my college education.

Academics aside, pursuing a college education should not just be restricted solely to gaining the specialised knowledge and skills specific for future careers, but it is also about gaining exposure to situations and human interactions that we would encounter when we are working at our jobs in the real world. In future, we are no longer confined within a sheltered bubble environment that is school or home. An intercultural exchange in Chiang Mai will expand my horizons and worldview even more by learning and experiencing new and different people and their cultures and ways of life in person. There is a limit to what we can learn and know if we remained confined to our comfort zone of Singapore. Venturing into an unknown environment in a different country is a learning opportunity to see the vast world that exists beyond the familiar, sheltered bubble of my living environment back at home and reflect on the everyday conveniences of my own life that have gradually come to be taken for granted. The exposure of travelling encourages one’s personal growth and development to become a more appreciative and grateful person, rather than taking things for granted.

Additionally, being in the Tourism group, my group’s research adopts a broad perspective of tourism by observing and researching on the socio-economic impact of tourism on the key stakeholders. Our methodology involves researching on both the behaviour of tourists and the corresponding behaviour of locals towards tourists and the consequences of the tourism phenomenon.

Tourism is a global phenomenon which we are all a part of, either as tourists who travel overseas to explore other countries or as locals who play host to tourists who visit our home country. Every country has its own individual unique culture and context that we can appreciate and learn from. Hence I hope to really get to the ground through our interviews and focus group discussions and hear about the sentiments of the locals about the tourists in Chiang Mai to better understand the root of the problem as well as the perspectives of the tourists themselves. With their responses, I hope our group can propose recommendations for policies that can help alleviate or even resolve conflicts of interest between tourism and locals as a product of our research findings which can make a positive contribution to the community.

At a more personal level, I hope to gain greater insight to the problem through an objective analysis of the responses we gather and possibly even extend our findings and apply it to a critical analysis of my own behaviours as a tourist and perceptions of foreign tourists in Singapore. With this new insight, I hope I can open up to a more diverse array of perspectives and overcome the innate assumptions and bias I have about tourists and their behaviour in Singapore. Ultimately, I hope that I can have a fruitful learning experience in Chiang Mai; not just learning about research skills but also learning more about people and their behaviour and the cultures of this world.

Lastly, as this will be my first time travelling to Thailand, I hope to experience the unique Thai culture through the sights and sounds, especially the temples and natural landscapes that Chiang Mai is well known for. While this trip is primarily for our research, I hope it can be a fun and enjoyable experience for all of us as well.

Michelle Neoh