Pre-Trip Reflections by Daryn Tan

Starting the year with an overseas trip with my USP batch mates is really something that I have been looking forward to. I believe that this trip will be an enjoyable and enriching one. Being placed in the tourism group, we will be researching about the socio-economic impact of the Chinese tourism boom on Chiangmai, specifically in areas like infrastructure, livelihood and education. I’m quite stoked about being able to do research while being a Chinese tourist myself at the same time.

The NTU USP mission and vision statements point us towards a multi-disciplinary education, urging the scholars to learn to embrace the rich diversity of our geopolitical environment, to be creative and reflective as we understand how the impact of social, cultural, economic and environmental factors shapes our ever-changing world. This trip will be an opportune platform for me to experience the rich diversity of the people from the Land of Smiles. In the context of the research task I would be carrying out on this trip, I would have to hone my critical thinking and analytical skills. Although both Singapore and Thailand rely on the tourism dollar to boost its economy, what each country is able to offer differs greatly. Hence, this trip to Chiangmai will give me opportunities to observe and learn to understand and appreciate the need to adapt in order to stay relevant in today’s context. Equally important is the need for us to be inclusive as a society and learn to embrace differences. Working closely with and relating to the locals during this trip will heighten my cultural awareness and sensitivities to others.

Majoring in Biological Sciences, what I have read in the modules to date has primarily been academic focused and experimental in nature. Research, if any, is limited to work conducted in the laboratories.  This intercultural exchange will be a refreshing change for me as it will allow me to engage in field-based research where I will have an opportunity to collect data from interviews, group discussions and observing the participants. I believe that my learning will be enriched through this experiential mode. The skills that I will learn will be useful and applicable in future, for example, when conducting market research on a new biological product.

In the planning / preparation stage of the exchange, I have had the opportunity to look into scheduling, crafting the workplan and interview questions, determining the media deliverables, etc. I believe that this enriching experience has given me an edge over my SBS peers who are not involved in this trip. Learning from the other students and the consulting professors from various schools have also helped me developed multiple perspectives in considering matters. This in itself is invaluable learning.

Through this team project, I hope to create new learning experiences for myself, especially since the exchange is taking place at the start of a new year.  Together with the students on this project, I hope to create memorable moments – through learning from one another, supporting one another and leveraging on each other’s strengths, and forging friendships. I believe that sharing common experiences in Chiangmai will bring us closer as a team. During my 4 years of university, our batch will be having various classes and activities together and hence I also hope to get to know my fellow batch mates better.

Another new learning experience that I hope to achieve during this exchange is to see the country through a new lens. I have visited Thailand at least five times in my lifetime as a tourist. Interaction with the locals (mostly people in the service industry) had always been at surface levels. During this visit to Thailand, I want to be able to take a closer look and step into the lives of the locals, to better understand their culture, beliefs, and challenges. The experiences, I believe, will teach me to be more appreciative of my own life.