Pre-Trip Projections

by Natalia Chioang

Stepping out of the classroom to explore, interact and experience would give a more grounded, first-hand experience of the world around us, instead of doing ‘finger exercise’ in front of the computer while surfing the internet. Many times, what we find on the internet may not be a complete and real reflection of what we want to know. Whatever existing literature that we find is dependent on what others before us have found and published. These findings are also shaped by their experiences and perhaps prejudices that they possessed during their experience. Thus, by being there to experience and discover things first hand would provide a unique experience for me.

This trip would also help to broaden my worldview, by stepping out of the sheltered experience I have had for the past 12 years in the Singapore education system. More often than not, we are spoonfed with information and what is necessary for our assignments and examinations. During this trip, as a group, we would be searching for the answers to our research question, conducting surveys and interviews to learn first-hand from locals. Having knowledge of what life is like in other countries would allow me to compare that to my own life, allowing me to be more grateful, humble and thankful for the life I currently have.

Although I have participated in school-organized intercultural exchanges in secondary school, the nature of the two trips are different. Though the overall aim and purpose of the trips may be similar, to immerse in different intercultural experiences, the way we go about experiencing the place would be different. My previous trip involved language classes and trips to various tourist attractions, cultural landmarks. In comparison, this trip would be largely self-directed and be an inquiry of sorts. Having some sort of assignment tagged onto this trip may seem like a burden, yet it provides some sort of a purpose, an organised way for us to categorize, direct and process our learning and discovery of the world around us. This would then help us to better our understanding of the world.

Throughout this trip, I hope to discover things which I am still uncomfortable doing, yet to give myself the chance to do them. For example, I dislike being in unplanned and unfamiliar situations. This could just even be making a phonecall to the telecommunications operator or to call a store to check if a product is in stock. In my group’s methodology, we would need to approach strangers (youths) to seek their participation in surveys and interviews.This would then be a challenge for me to take initiative in approaching these people in order for our group to be able to collect the data we require.

As an NTU USP scholar, I hope to become more open, daring and confident. Through these new experiences, I would be able to learn more about myself. To be able to try new things and figure out what I am good at and what I require improvement on would help to build my confidence and give me pride in my work and things that I achieve. In this way, these experiences would help further develop me as a person.

Since I have never been to Chiang Mai, I hope to have a taste of what their local life is like, to explore their usual hangouts such as night markets, places of interest, religious practices etc. As with all opportunities to travel, explore and experience, keeping an open heart is one of utmost importance for me to be able to fully immerse myself in another place, their culture, sights and sounds.

What could be better than exploring the world with my own two feet, eyes and senses?