On April 11, the Cultural and Social Club together with the Beer, Wine and Liquor Appreciation Club celebrated Easter, the resurrection of Christ, which is the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church.
On this occasion, the MBA batch of 2016 was invited to join an amazing race: a very competitive, but colourful egg hunt as per the tradition of celebrating Easter.
All participants did not wait long to run for the eggs, looking everywhere on campus to find the precious trophies. While some were extremely fast filling up their egg baskets, others could only find a few. But once the winner of the egg hunt was determined, all eggs were of course shared equally among all participating teams in order to start the egg coloring.
Back inside the event venue, everyone got very creative and came up with various egg designs from rainbow colour or striped egg, to drawing smileys and spider webs on simple unicolour eggs.
During this fun activity, traditional Easter snacks and drinks were provided, leaving the group with a stomach full of chocolate Easter bunnies, chocolate eggs and Haribo fruit gums.
It was a truly enjoyable event with lots of fun and a great opportunity to share some traditional Easter customs!
On Sunday, March 20th, the beer, wine and liquor appreciation club and the cultural club co-hosted an event to celebrate all things Irish!
The day started off with a get-together at the Nanyang MBA campus, where beer was dyed green, in keeping with the festive spirit. All those who attended either wore green, or as close to green as they could find.
Soon after the green beverages were finished, and all hands were covered in color too, a bus delivered the even participants to a spot just outside of the Fullerton Hotel in downtown Singapore. Taking a left from the hotel, and crossing the Cavenagh Bridge, the dressed-up crowd saw, and heard from far, bag pipe players wearing what appeared to be Scottish kilts. But lacking an Irish participant, the MBAs were not familiar with Irish culture, and were happy to explore a new culture while decorating themselves with the free give aways: balloons, shamrocks, hats, rattles, – all in green.
Equipped with all kinds of Irish paraphernalia, the student group was on time to watch Singapore´s very own St Patrick´s Day parade – but the parade was not! Waiting for thirty long minutes in SG´s hot and humid weather, the exhausted MBAs ended up finding shade under a tree, determined to not leave before the fun started. Of course, as soon as one of the group members decided to go and get water for the thirsty bunch, the parade started! Having missed the start of the parade, the newly found St. Patrick fans hurried to follow the musicians in the parade back across the Cavenagh Bridge, dancing to the many playing bag pipes, and an assortment of drums.
After a short fun march through downtown Singapore, it was decided to move on to the open air festival at the Battery Rd, stopping at a burger place. There, the hungry folks were not only gifted some festive green hats from the wait staff, but also treated to “Seven Nation Army,” among many songs, including a few Cranberries hits, by the band playing on one of the many stages. Only after the band stopped playing, it was time to return to NTU campus. What a fun St. Patrick’s Day event!
by Rondel Apelo, Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA student
日本語 (Nihongo, Japanese) has always been an alluring language, so much so that I’ve never heard anyone say that they didn’t want to at least try to learn Japanese. So when the opportunity came about that we can learn some basic Japanese, I was more than delighted to pick up the chance! Little did I know that aside from the learning the fundamentals of Japanese, I would be learning more about its culture and gaining friends along the way.
As part of the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA cohort, I enrolled into the Japanese Language course. From all walks of life – India, Philippines, China, and of course from Singapore, a diverse bunch of students went into class, two times per week from November ‘15 to February ‘16.
練習しましょう (Renshū shimashou, Let us practice) was always the starting phrase! And ちいさい テスト (Chiisai Tesuto, Small test) was always something to watch out for. As anyone can imagine, it was very dynamic, sometimes very confusing, but definitely 100% fun and worth the time!
From Hiragana to Katakana, from おはようございます (Ohayou) to こんにちは (Konnichiwa), we learned the very basics of Japanese Language from our Sense Akiko Ito (伊藤). Challenging as it was, our instructor made it a point to always ensure that we would be able to follow the lectures and even provided us with some additional learnings while even outside of class. The dynamics of the class also played a key role in the overall learning.
Occasionally, the class even had “local” visitors, our Japaneseclassmates, extending a hand to help us learn the “How to’s” and “what not’s” in Japanese. Though I still have a long way to go (and I would still probably get lost in translation when I do start my last trimester in 早稲田 Waseda Tokyo), I felt it was truly a wonderful experience. More than just the basics of Japanese, I got a deeper appreciation of the culture and a desire to know more about the Language. Something that I believe I will last even outside the four walls of the classroom.
First, some important information about Chinese New Year in 2016:
According to Chinese Five Elements Horoscopes, this is the year of the red monkey, which contains 2 elements: Metal and Water.
Metal is associated with gold.
Water is associated with wisdom and danger.
This forecasts more financial events in the year of the Monkey, according to the wise predictions of Economics Professor Lee. And, if one wants to have good returns on financial investments, one will need to outsmart the Monkey.
Metal is also connected to the Wind. That implies the status of events will be changing very quickly. So think twice before making changes for your finances and career!
On the 31st of January, the MBA cohort of 2016 celebrated the year of the red monkey with a unique cultural experience for all foreign Nanyang MBA classmates.
The event was initiated by one of the Singaporean MBA students, Kevin Tay, who volunteered to share the festive mood and atmosphere of the lunar New Year. Along with the fellow Chinese and Singaporean students Isaac, Wenduo, Veronica, Steven, Darren and Sheng Jie, he put together an entertaining and educational event program – in just 10 short days!
In order to have an authentic experience of how Chinese New Year is celebrated in its own unique way in Singapore and China, the team planned were 3 highlights to the event:
The evening started with a wonderful presentation which explained the mythical origins of “Nian”, the Chinese word for “Year”, and how Chinese New year got its traditions.
A long time ago, a mythical monster has terrorized the peace of villages every year; however one day, a wise old man prepared fireworks and red decorations. When the mythical monster Nian came, the loud noises and bright decoration managed to scare the monster away. This was how the Chinese New Year came about and ever since, the people love to gather with loud noises and red, the colour that symbolizes luck.
Next, the event´s MC, Shen Jie, started the celebration with Yusheng (Chinese Salmon Salad). This is a tradition unique to Singapore and Malaysia. Everyone gathered around platters containing the mixture of grated carrots, radish, pomelo salmon slices, and garnishes it with sweet plum sauce, spices and crunchy ‘pok chui’ crackers. Each ingredient represented blessing, fortune and good luck.
an introduction to CNY traditions in Singapore
The MBA students then equipped themselves with chopsticks, and started tossing the salad as high as possible while shouting, “Prosper”, “MBA”, and all the wishes for the New Year. It was definitely a vibrant & joyous atmosphere, just like how Singaporean families & friends do it. Huat ah!
To kick off the last activity, the most exciting highlight of the night, Kevin instructed all participant on THE game to play for Chinese New Year – Mahjong 101.
From the basics to the complex, advanced rules, Kevin explained the art of tile building to bring all students up to speed for a series of gambling. It was quickly evident that the gambling module involved a high level of strategic planning, patience, keen observation skills and critical decision making – and certainly invigorated the competitive spirit of the MBAs.
students at the gambling tables
The topics covered in the quick Mahjong lecture included superstitions and quirky practices, such as wearing red undergarments to maximize luck. At the end of the evening, the top scorer in class was Ms. Aki Narita, sweeping a staggering 7 out of 8 games. Then, Anshul, Gauri and Aditiya also topped their respective tables.
All in all, the event organisers hope that everyone who attended not only learnt more about Chinese traditions, but really got to experience the full atmosphere, activities, food and liveliness of this festival.
Special thanks to everyone who attended, and the organizing committee for a job well done. Indeed, we strongly believe that in many years from now, the highly diverse MBA cohort of 2016 will still gather and practice the skills learnt from this cultural module, Mahjong 101.
The MBA programme at the Nanyang Business School is rigorous. Academics are just one of your many priorities here. Classes, case studies, team projects and homework are just one part of the whole experience because the B-school aims to create future leaders who’ll maintain a work-life balance successfully. During your time here, you’ll have ample options for housing, social activities and business competitions.
Here’s how you can step into the vibrant student life at NBS.
Residential Life:
On-campus housing is available only to full-time graduate students. Graduate Hall 1, Graduate Hall 2, Crescent Hall & Pioneer Hall offer rooms with a single bed, a wardrobe, a desk, an attached bathroom, fan, air-conditioning and an internet connection. Keep your eyes on the notice boards in case something opens up later. If you’re looking for accommodation off-campus, take a look at the Off-Campus Accommodation System (OCAS), which is open to students registered with NTU. The best route to take would be to book an on campus option, settle down and then look for a place off campus with less stress.
Student Executive Council and Club Co-chairs:
The Nanyang MBA Student Executive Council or Student ExCo takes on the responsibility of making every student’s time at NBS a lively one. The MBA students hold annual elections to elect its council members. Candidates are usually given a minute to make a speech that can let the others decide if they’re worth their votes. So that’s a position you may want to vie for as well. Student clubs on campus include those focused on particular industries, sports and cultures. Meet the current council members here.
Healthy Well-being & Philanthropic Activities:
A healthy mind and body are vital to performing well in your MBA programme. If you don’t feel good inside, your work will be affected. But, with so much going on campus, you will find yourself exercising, meeting people and getting lots of fresh air too! In the past, events have included a prison run, kayaking on a nearby island and other outdoor sports that bring you closer to your classmates as well. And since life can’t be complete without doing your bit for the less privileged, the student council organises charitable activities like trips to children’s homes and hospitals.
MBA Olympics:
The MBA Olympics is a volunteer interscholastic sporting event that NBS participates in every year along with Singapore’s other B-schools. It is a friendly competition that aims to raise awareness for a specific cause and collects donations for charity by promotion corporate social responsibility in business. You’ll get to play badminton, basketball and other sports and make a difference in some people’s lives. Sounds interesting? Take a look here.
Business Case Competitions:
What you learn in the classroom needs to be applied outside of it. NBS’ MBA students are regular participants in international business case competitions where they compete against students from B-schools based in the United States, Canada, Germany and so on. These events are a great place to see how academic concepts work in the industry while you interact with fellow MBA candidates who can add to your global perspective of the way things are done in business. In 2015, Nanyang MBA also hosted several case competitions such as Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) and Amalgamation 2015.
So you can stay comfortable, safe and active. The Nanyang MBA office works in collaboration with the Student ExCo to ensure that every MBA student walks home with a degree and lots of valuable experiences that add up to make a journey full of learning.
„Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light. From now on, our troubles will be out of sight!“
On the last weekend of the year, the NTU MBA batch of 2016 came together for an early Christmas party. Midway through the second trimester and with the upcoming winter break approaching, everyone was excited to not only celebrate the birth of baby Jesus according to Christian tradition, but also a successful first half of the MBA.
The Social and Culture Club jointly with the Beer, Wine and Liqueur Appreciation Club had invited for an end-of-year Christmas party and put in a lot of effort to make the event as authentic as possible by setting up a Christmas tree, playing modern arrangements of traditional Christmas songs and ordering an abundance of mouth-watering food, including traditional festive dishes such as stuffed turkey and gingerbread cookies.
The long queue at the buffet speaks volumes about the exquisite taste of food on the buffet, which was washed down with hot mulled wine and chocolate mousse. „I have never had hot wine before. I don´t know why, because it is so delicious“, said one of the participants who celebrated their first ever Christmas party.
Having fed the crowd, Santa fulfilled its duty and distributed the presents that the many „Secret Santas“ had placed under the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The newly elected Santa Clause, Yuji-San(ta), did an excellent job in helping everyone finding their gifts, and his voice even over drowned out the rustling of wrapping papers as the presentees unwrapped their tokens. The many voices yelling „Merry Christmas“, asking „Who is my Secret Santa?“ and even more „Thank you´s“ were perfect evidence that giving gifts, as small as they may be, truly spreads happiness.
The wave of excitement over identifying everyone´s Secret Santa only came to an end when the organiser crew called for a final activity of the evening: a gingerbread house competition.
The crowd split up in three groups to build houses of gingerbread cookies, which were judged by its stability and the creativity of its decoration. During the next thirty minutes, the teams were busy mixing sugar paste and stacking cookies in the most efficient way. What a tricky task!
The winners clearly stood out of the masses: only one of the three house stood against all shaking test, and even resisted the crash tests carried out by competitors. „This was certainly more difficult than it looked“, the struggling teams claimed while removing remains of powdered sugar from their hands.
While the looks of the edible houses differed, all participants left an equally delicate mess of sugar paste, gummi bears and jellybeans. Still, nobody minded cleaning up the sugar-covered event venue, as Christmas really is all about sharing the joy and moving troubles out of sight. Might as well cover them in sugar.
The MBA batch of 2016 at their Christmas Party on December 12, 2015
On Tuesday, November 10, 2015, approximately 30 MBA students, professors, staff and international exchange students gathered on campus to celebrate Diwali, the biggest and brightest Hindi festival.
As Diwali is the festival of lights, students lit a sea of candles, put up chains of lights and made the venue shine and sparkle.
Upon finishing the decoration ceremony, the attendees were briefly introduced to the backgrounds of the Diwali festival and learnt about the saga that once initiated the celebration of Diwali, which spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. At the beginning of the event, the Indian students of the class demonstrated the Lakshmi puja, one of the important rituals performed during the festival of Diwali. This ritual, performed to invite Goddess Lakshmi to one´s home, was carried out by praying at a beautifully laid out altar, as a silent beginning of an otherwise loud and exciting night.
As per the Hindi tradition, the event organisers had prepared for a Rangoli contest, where the event participants competed in creating the most beautiful pattern of flowers and coloured sand. “We had a lot of fun getting to know Hindu culture and I was excited to get my hands dirty and create the best looking Rangoli”, a MBA participant said. The winners of the creativity contest were announced by a jury of indian students who awarded the lucky contestants with chocolate bars and a thundering applause. Later, an entertaining round of Tambola and the opening of a buffet loaded with an abundance of sweets, snacks and drinks made the Diwali night an unforgettable experience for all.
A metropolitan city-state known for its towering skyscrapers and cosmopolitan culture, Singapore is an amazing place to live and explore. Ranked as Asia’s most liveable city and the world’s third best, it is one of the safest in the world. Being a global financial centre, with a consistently stable government, and a burgeoning technology hub, the city is a much sought after educational destination for international students.
If you are a student living in Singapore, or someone who is considering the idea of pursuing your studies there, then here are a few ways that you can soak in the Singaporean lifestyle and experience the city like a local.
Ride the MRT
You haven’t lived the true Singaporean life, if you haven’t been on a commute in the city’s popular subway, also known as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). Spanning 152.9 kilometres and connecting more than 113 stations, the Singapore MRT is the fastest, easiest and the safest way to get around the city. While there are always taxis to cater to your travel needs, a ride in the MRT is something that lets you feel the pulse of the city and experience the breath-taking views of Singapore’s major landmarks. MRT stations are also known for their remarkable architecture and art installations. The fact that ticketing is done via contactless stored value smartcards, known as the EZ-Link and NETS FlashPay cards, also makes commuting in MRT quite convenient for students, professionals and other regular commuters.
Work and Lounge in Cafes
Whether it’s hanging out with friends in the evening, grabbing your breakfast in the morning or completing your class assignments during the day, Singapore has a slew of cafes that not only offer lively ambience and mouth-watering snacks and beverages, but also provide free Wifi, making them a go-to place for students and professionals to work and relax. Afterglow on Keong Saik Road, Habitat Coffee on Upper Thomson Road, Group Therapy Cafe on Duxton Road, Club Street Social on Gemmill Lane, and Bridge Cafe on Seah Street – these are some of the Singaporean cafes offering free Wifi.
Dance Away the Blues
What makes Singapore such an attractive destination for students and young professionals? It’s got to be the city’s scintillating nightlife. Singapore’s bars, pubs and clubs let you unwind and party hard after a busy day at work. Clarke Quay, Orchard Road, Zouk Club, Chijmes, and Boat Quay – there are endless places to indulge your inner party animal in Singapore.
Go on a Shopping Spree
Think of Singapore and the word ‘shopping’ comes to your mind. From shopping malls to outlet stores, international brands to local products, Singapore has something for every kind of shopper, something for every purse size. Apart from the glitzy malls featuring a wide range of international brands on Orchard Road and Marina Bay Sands, there are also the Mustafa Centre, Bugis Junction and Far East Plaza where you can shop till you drop, without making a big dent in your wallet. Don’t skip the neighbourhood malls like Jurong Point, Bishan Junction 8 and West Mall.
Get Adventurous
Singaporeans love to participate in sports and adventure activities. As a sports enthusiast and thrill-seeker, you’ll have myriad places to get your adrenaline fix. Being an island destination, Singapore is well known for its wide range of water sports such sailing, snorkelling, kayaking and water-skiing. Reverse bungee jumping, indoor skydiving and Formula One racing are a few other unique outdoor experiences worth having in Singapore.
These are just a few of the things that you can do to explore Singapore’s vibrant culture. Share this post with your friends and help them make the most of their stay in the Lion City.
On Wednesday, October 28, 2015, the NTU-MBA Social & Cultural Club and Wine, Liquor, & Beer Appreciation Club hosted “Japan Night”, inviting the cohort, staff, and professors together for an evening of sushi, sake, and cross-cultural learning!
On Sunday, October 4th, the Nanyang MBA culture club gathered to host the first event of the MBA journey and met to experience the number 1 German festival: Oktoberfest. The traditional 16-days German volksfest is held annually in big tents on the biggest festival square in Munich, Bavaria, but is replicated all over the world.
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