Pre-trip Reflections

During this week-long overseas learning trip, my group mates and I will be tackling issues surrounding healthcare in Chiang Mai. More specifically, we will be researching on tobacco usage amongst locals. Since we are venturing out of Singapore for our research, I feel that its important for us to be ready to acknowledge very different and foreign opinions. And to also be ready to question our own opinions when faced with these new concepts. Hopefully, this trip will help me become more open-minded – more ready and willing to embrace different ideas and sentiments.

This trip will be a great opportunity for me to gain experiential learning as well. I will be collecting the research data myself – via interviews with locals and medical professionals, and simple observations of the environment. This will definitely be a very refreshing and different experience, compared to simply obtaining data from a secondary source.

Also, this trip will really put my communication and interpersonal skills to the test. I will be interacting with Thai locals who all come from a very different background and culture. As such, it’ll be really important for me to be able to communicate my questions and intentions effectively, despite speaking a different language. Though it might be challenging, I am looking forward to making new friendships with the locals, particularly the university students attached to our group! My interpersonal skills will also be tested when I interact with my own group mates. I am hoping that we will be able to work well together and think critically to overcome any problems or challenges that we might encounter during this trip.

TOPS will also really enhance my university education at NTU. Academic research involves skills and knowledge that the professors have already introduced us to during our Saturday classes. However, actually diving into a research study is very different from what we might learn in a classroom. TOPS gives me the opportunity to learn firsthand how to conduct a research study and gives me insight on all the work that goes into it. This is an invaluable experience to have for all of us and will certainly help when we embark on other research projects in university. The fact that this research study takes place overseas is an added advantage as it will definitely teach us additional lessons (i.e.: how to overcome language and cultural barriers) that will be useful in the future.

Plus, TOPS gives me the chance to interact with all of the USP students from my batch. It will be a great opportunity to exchange ideas and work with people who all come from different faculties and backgrounds. Everyone will certainly be able to bring something new to the table when we work as a group to conduct our research study. I believe that with good communication, our differences will be able to help us excel, rather than hinder our work as a team. It will definitely help to broaden my perspectives and open my mind up to new ideas and problem-solving approaches. The rich diversity USP students create will definitely provide an intellectually-stimulating and unique environment for all of us.

At a personal level, I am hoping to bond more with my USP batch mates. Considering how we are such a small batch and that we will be seeing each other so often for the next few years, I am really hoping that TOPS will be able to bring us closer together. TOPS will push us to mix around with others outside our usual clique of friends, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know other USPians better! Also, because I’ve never been to Chiang Mai, I’m excited to explore this new place. I’m especially excited to try all the local street foods! Most of all, I’m really hoping that I’ll be able to step out of my comfort zone and truly immerse myself in Chiang Mai and embrace its culture during this trip. To a great trip ahead! 🙂