As a USP scholar in this increasingly interconnected global society, there is a pertinent need to understand and bridge the gaps between different societies and cultures. The USP mission includes the need to encourage proactive global citizenship, an important trait to thrive in the world today. The TOPS trip to Vietnam provides exposure to the different cultures and ways of life in both the rural and urban areas, allowing us to have a greater understanding of a vastly different culture with strikingly different value systems. This provides an experience where we can immerse ourselves in the local culture through homestay and school visits. This will undoubtedly allow us to rid ourselves of any stereotypes. I hope to become a person who is more open-minded and accepting through TOPS, one who experiences and ponders before making judgments.

College is the last stage of formal education before entering the workforce, and besides an in-depth understanding of different cultures, this trip will enhance my understanding of research as a discipline. Going beyond this particular research topic of gender inequality, this trip will allow me to gain new insights about research skills, both through lessons and the experience of working on a paper. Beyond the academic realm, I believe that having knowledge about the research process will undoubtedly help to produce work with deeper analysis. Besides that, I will be able to experience doing research as a team, and overcoming any challenges or obstacles we may face in our teamwork. Moreover, having such a specific, targeted research project is an opportunity that I may not come across again in NBS.

Gender equality is something I strongly believe in, and for me, this research will definitely prove to provide a different perspective regarding any stereotypes or stigmas we may hold about gender, since we often take gender equality as a given in Singapore. With our research, we would also be able to better appreciate the progress Singapore has made as a nation in terms of equal opportunities for all. Prior research has shown how communities accept inequality as culture and tradition, and adhere to these unspoken rules. This would thus allow me to reflect and determine if I have adopted any of these stereotypes or stigmas in my life. I also hope to be able to further enhance and develop my skills for street interviews and communicating with the locals, a skill that will enable us to understand local culture better than any literature can. Being able to build rapport with the locals can allow us to get first hand knowledge about their domestic lives, and uncover any gaps in literature that may omit such precious details of their lives. Through TOPS, I would also like to gain a deeper appreciation of Vietnamese culture and way of life, like how the picture above shows the flag made up of various people and parts, going beyond mere tourist attractions. I hope to be able to look back with a newfound appreciation of life after this trip.

Photo credits: https://files.foreignaffairs.com/styles/large-crop-landscape/s3/taxonomy-images/region-vietnam.jpg?itok=tgbRyEpe