1. Pre-Trip Projections Assignment | Fieldwork and Documentation

University Scholars Programme

In 2011, a desperate cry for freedom in Tunisia gripped the world. A fruit seller set himself on fire in protest against corruption in the police force and unjust treatment. Stories about the civil up raising flooded national and international media. The rest of the world was fixated on the Arab Spring. We were very…

Pre-Trip Relfection!

Carpe Diem. Or more simply put – You Only Live Once. I love traveling. Like a caged bird that yearns for the clear blue skies, traveling has been liberating and even therapeutic for me. Observing local culture, learning about the traditions and history that each place offers, and interacting with the locals – It continues…

Pre-Trip Reflections

The fieldwork and documentation project we are undertaking during this trip requires us to think critically about how political, socio-economical and cultural issues are linked, and how these influence life in Chiang Mai. These links are usually taken for granted when we observe changes in our own context. I expect that this trip will be…

Pre-Trip Reflections

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…we ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous, actually, who are you not to be…your playing small does not serve the world…we are born to make manifest the glory of god that…

Pre-Trip Reflections – Stephanie (Heritage)

I’m in awe of how things work, be it how society shapes us as individuals or how as individuals we shape society. I’m amazed by intercultural differences and similarities. This trip gives me the opportunity to experience Thai culture in a less commercialised way. It allows me to understand in interact with the locals and…

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…

Pre-Trip Reflections

At this day and age, having a university degree is not enough to differentiate yourself from the rest. Thus, beyond technical skills, I seek to develop myself holistically. I hope to be a well-rounded individual who is prepared to meet the demands of the ever-dynamic and ever-changing 21st century. Being part of the NTU USP…

Pre-Trip Reflections

“Initial thoughts” Like the others in my USP batch, I was more than happy to embark on this unique experience, live in a new country, meet new people and integrate into and appreciate the culture that Chiang Mai has to offer. Through TOPS in Chiang Mai, one would begin to learn to appreciate the little…

Pre-trip projections – Fay (Youth Culture)

Pre-trip projections Fay, Fuyang Shen To me, a USP scholar should not be one that only excel academically, but also be one who is willing to get out of his/her…

Pre-trip Projections

This Chiang Mai trip will be unlike most of the other overseas trips I’ve been to; it’s probably the one trip in which I would be able to develop a more genuine view of a country’s culture, instead of being the common tourist who visits the usual tourist attractions, and hence possibly only cultivates an…