Pre-Trip Reflection

I am thankful that we get to embark on a trip to Chiang Mai together as one USP as it is indeed rare to find planned overseas trips at the university level. This trip would allow me to develop more holistically as an NTU USP scholar as I will get to have a firsthand experience of the rich Thai culture, interact with my peers as well as the locals. To me, being a scholar encompasses not only our academic abilities but also rather, being socially aware of current world issues as well and this is how this trip to Chiang Mai can help develop me as an NTU USP scholar. For example, my sub-group would be looking at the issue of female empowerment among Thai youths and it is things as such that we often take for granted in Singapore as we sometimes fail to realise how privileged we are to be living in a country with stable politics and economic growth.

Given the opportunity to conduct research in the various areas and having to produce media deliverables, it would definitely be an engaging learning experience. One of the unique aspects of this trip would definitely be the level of ownership we are given in terms of the research methods we would be using when conducting our research, the kind of media deliverable we want to produce and even the itinerary as well as a few other areas. The fact that the professors trusts us to make our own decisions makes it a more precious and valuable learning opportunity because it is not everyday where you get to make your own decisions when it comes to overseas school trips. These organizational skills would definitely come in useful in the future especially when it comes to project work and other research projects that we would possibly take on over the next few years in NTU. Conducting research on our very own on the ground instead of merely obtaining data from secondary sources is definitely a first for many of us and this would help us hone our critical thinking and reasoning skills as we process the research data obtained and form logical conclusions from them. Furthermore, with everyone being trained differently as we all come from various schools of disciplines and different backgrounds, I am excited to see how our different viewpoints would come together to form this nice unique blend that cannot quite be found outside USP.

This intercultural exchange would be an eye-opener for me especially when it comes to visiting places such as the monastery and temples. These are places that are vastly different and uncommon compared to the current way of life that we are used to. I have always found it really heartening to interact with people from different walks of life because they way we view life, the priorities we have and the simple fact of how we go about our daily lives may be different and it is often a humbling and earnest experience when conversing with them. These conversations can sometimes surprise us in the most unexpected way possible and they often help us realign our priorities, figure out the true meaning of life and treasure the opportunities we have, especially when it comes to education, allowing us to become better and more responsible students.

There would no doubt be a language barrier between the locals and us and this may pose as a challenge for us in obtaining data for our research project. Nonetheless, I believe we would be able to constantly think on our feet to overcome this barrier by paying attention to the other cues available such as hand gestures and facial expressions which would make it a great learning experience. This would be a simple example of how the trip can help us cultivate our problem-solving skills as we think of ways to go about this problem such as by engaging the help of the student translator and to do as much preparation as we can before going on this trip. It is through these interactions with the locals that will allow us to hone our personal and interpersonal skills as we learn how to communicate with them as best as we can by adapting to the situations. As I am from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, interactions with the Thai locals on this intercultural exchange would allow me to learn how to be a more effective communicator and would also provide me with the opportunity to observe how media plays out differently in their lives as compared to in Singapore. This trip would broaden my horizons by allowing me to learn more about the Thai culture and be exposed to the different traditional practices and customs that they have over there. This experience would definitely be more vivid and memorable as compared to simply learning about the Thai culture from the visuals and texts that we search on the Internet. Overseas trips often allow us to gather brand new experiences as each country has their own unique culture that is not quite like any other. With the rich culture present in Chiang Mai, this trip would help us learn to embrace the rich diversity of the human experience and to cultivate this ‘exploring’ spirit in us, allowing us to have a multi-disciplinary learning experience.

This would be my first time in Chiang Mai and I believe this trip would be like no other, in a positive way of course, due to the company and purpose of travel. It is known to be a city with a rich culture ranging from the elaborate temples to modern day shopping complexes and I am excited to be able to immerse myself in this experience. As we embrace and accept the different customs and traditional practices that they have over there, we will be able to learn to appreciate the beauty of the traditional culture that is still prevalent in Chiang Mai.

I believe this would be a trip of many firsts where we will find ourselves stepping out of our comfort zones and trying out many new things that may previously seem daunting to us. I am looking forward to embarking on adventures where we venture into previously foreign and unknown places to us during our own downtime, having random and unplanned conversations with locals on the streets and appreciating the beauty of a city that is not yet a concrete jungle. I have always found it comforting to walk on unfamiliar streets while blocking out the heavy traffic on congested roads and simply observing the way of life in the foreign country. I personally like to travel and am thankful for my parents for bringing me overseas over the years but school trips with friends just have this extra element of fun that is not usually found in family trips.

On a more personal note, I also hope to be able to connect better with the other USP scholars and to forge a stronger bond with them. We are after all a pretty small batch but I am still unfamiliar with a lot of them and thus, I would really like to take this opportunity to get to know my fellow batch mates better as they are all special individuals. Here’s a quote from Jawaharial Nehru, “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” I am looking forward to going on this trip with an open heart and mind as ultimately, it is by appreciating the simple beauty of even the smallest things around us will we get the most enriching and fulfilling learning experience. This trip would allow us to grow both as individuals as well as one USP community and I am thrilled for us to embark on this adventure and create wonderful memories together!