Pre-trip Projections

Having been to Thailand only once with my friends to enjoy the beautiful beaches and tropical activities such as snorkeling in Phuket, my knowledge of Thailand was very limited.  While I had tasted the Thai culture, literally, and in terms of interactions with the people in my daily excursions, I never truly understood and appreciated it. More specifically, I knew zip about Chiang Mai and had little impression of what life was like in this northern side of Thailand. With the upcoming trip with my peers and professors from USP, I am presented with an entirely new experience and an incredible opportunity as a USP scholar to broaden my global perspectives as well as to develop important skills.

Before embarking on this trip, much preparation and research had been made by me and my group to ready ourselves to tackle our topic, Youth Culture and Social Media. By gathering information of our destination, I learned more about the colourful city as well as worked together to plan for our trip to explore and immerse ourselves in Chiang Mai’s youth culture. Moreover, equipped with new skills and various methods of documentation and data collection, we were able to map out our objectives and research questions we wish to answer over the course of our trip. With an inquisitive attitude and an open mind, we will be able to discover more about our new environment.

However, while we have created our work plan to the best of our abilities, the real test lies in the situations we find ourselves in when we begin our study trip process. With a number of possible challenges that may occur, such as communication over the language barrier and perhaps varying ideologies, it is in these moments when we truly discover what we have learned and build our character. As a part of NTU USP, this interdisciplinary program coupled with TOPS will help enrich my studies as well as expand my horizons. By putting our newfound skills and methodologies in action during our exchanges with the CMU students and locals, this trip will help develop me as an NTU USP scholar by creating meaningful memories with greater insight of a different culture, in addition to honing my communication, critical thinking and creative skills. With this unique opportunity in hand, I hope to step out of my comfort zone and just as USP is diverse, gain diverse skills to better understand another culture.

Furthermore, this intercultural exchange will also enhance my college education. Being privileged as a USP scholar, this holistic curriculum will provide me with the chance to apply the skills and aptitudes to other areas of my study. By embracing a new environment and learning about its culture, I am able to incorporate the skills that I have picked up from this course, the attitude in facing unknown challenges as well as the solutions we create to all aspects of my college education. By bringing to life what we have absorbed from lessons and experiences, our college education increases in value, shaping our own identities along the way.

On a personal level, not only will this trip help me grow intellectually but it also sets goals to achieve with my peers and myself. With this great opportunity to spend a week together and operate as one USP community, I hope to foster and strengthen bonds with my peers, building friendships, partnerships and creating unforgettable memories. As one who is initially shy, I look forward to bonding with my fellow USPians, running together with common goals and sharing the same memories. Venturing on this unique journey, I also hope to put myself in another’s shoes, having the responsibility to be mindful of my actions as well as to observe the behavior of others in their daily lifestyle, broadening my perspectives globally. Moreover, I hope to step outside of my comfort zone and to completely immerse myself in this new scene, taking all that I can in and be able to work around obstacles we may encounter. With the chance to travel and study youth culture and social media, an aspect of Chiang Mai that is relatable yet distinct than that of Singapore, I hope that this trip will bring about greater insights, personal growth, forged friendships, and an overall unique learning experience to start off the new year. As once said by Ibn Buttata, “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller”, this is indeed what I hope to take away from TOPS.