BY WEE YU HUI
Arriving at Birmingham Airport on 1st July 2018 noon, despite an exhausting 14-hour flight, we were all excited for the week ahead in United Kingdom. Even the small Tesco located in the airport was enough to pique our curiosity for a good 30 min as we waited for our coach to arrive to bring us to our accommodations in Warwick University.
Being a sunny Sunday afternoon, we quickly freshened up and hopped on the bus to the nearest town nearby. We were quick to see the difference between Singapore where most shops were closed by 6pm on a Sunday evening. Nevertheless, we had a great time exploring the little town before settling in a small pub for some Italian food. As the sun does not set till 9pm during the summer, we had a great night out on the first day before heading back to our hostel for a good rest to prepare for the next 5 days of immersion in Warwick.
On the first day, after a brief introduction and a tour around the university, we were treated to the traditional English tea with scones at Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare’s birthplace). Over the next 4 days, we learnt about computational biology and environmental sciences by Professor Liz Wellington and Professor Robin Allaby. We were able to perform simulations on bacteria behavior which is important in the formation of bacteria ripples and biofilms. We were also introduced to some of the ways in which experiments on soil bacterial was done, and we even got some hands-on experience in the lab.
We also visited the solid state NMR facility in Warwick where we were treated to a spectacular sight of the number of NMR machines within the facility. Putting what we had learnt in Chemistry to good use, we were barely able to keep up with what Dr John Hanna was saying. Despite that, he was very patient with us and even took us to visit Warwick castle on one of the evenings. As Dr John Hanna also teaches NMR in NTU MSE, we were also able to meet up on one of the days for dinner in Singapore!
Lastly, we also visited the Warwick Medical school where we were introduced to the topics on microtubules and the circadian rhythm. We also infected maggots (yes, live wriggly maggots) in the lab as a hands-on experience. It was most definitely a first for all of us!
Other than lab, there was lots to do in the UK as well. We watched a modern remix of Romeo and Juliet at Stratford-upon-Avon. It was a fresh take on the timeless romance that Shakespeare had written. And what would a UK trip be without a trip to some castles? We were able to visit Windsor Castle on a bright sunny day and were given a glimpse of the lives of royalty in the past. We couldn’t take pictures inside but the view from outside was stunning nevertheless!
And not forgetting about the food…
Hope you felt hungry while looking through those photos because my stomach sure is growling. It was a satisfying trip to UK as we learnt a lot and immersed ourselves in the culture for a whole week. From the quiet town of Warwick to the hustle and bustle of London, we were treated to a whole array of experiences that we will all cherish and never forget!