1)Why do you choose to go on this trip?
What decisions were made when you choose to go on this trip?
What do you hope to learn from this trip?
I chose to go on this trip as I want to learn about the differences between Singapore and China. One of the main differences that I want to learn about is the type of various cuisine and their diet thus I choose to go on this trip as I want to expose myself to a slightly different culture as compared to the culture in singapore. As the Chinese people in China is governed by a different government therefore their living standards would also be different from Singapore as compared to what China offers. I want to be exposed to this different culture so that I can know what I can learn from from the Chinese people. I chose to keep a open mind towards different people, different cultures and their foreign traditions. I held on to a keen learning attitude to be able to learn as much as I can from as many people as I can. I maintain a positive mindset towards the various challenges that I would meet with on the trip. So that I can maximize both my learning and enjoyment throughout this important learning journey to China. On this trip, I hope to interact with the locals to understand them and their lives, I would also like to try out new things like what the Chinese people do in their everyday lives so that I can have a sense of what it is like to live in China. I would also like to learn essential life skills and knowledge on how to interact with people of different backgrounds and age group to better manage my life in the future. I would also hope to learn how to adapt to a completely new environment so that I am competent to face future challenges that might arise throughout my life as a member of the society. I would like to learn about the similarities and differences between Singapore and China. For example China’s various customs and things like dining ettiquete, the difference in how the Chinese people have their meals and how they interact with guests at the dining table. I hope to also learn about Singaporeans in the eyes of the Chinese people, what do they think of us and how they think they are similar and different from us.
2)What is one situation you come across that you feel strongly about?
What is one person that you had seen that taught you more than what could be achieved in class.
What is one fact that you had learnt during this trip that impacted you the most?
I came across the situation of a beggar begging for money on Tun Xi Ancient Street and i felt really strongly about it. We were about to take a class picture when a beggar came out of nowhere and started begging for money. Our class faced a state of moral dilemma as we really wanted to help the beggar but our tour guide warned us about our safety before we alighted from the bus. He told us that if we helped one beggar more of the beggars will sense this as a rare opportunity to extort money from gulleble foreigners like us, if we did not give in to their demands they might turn violent making it very hard for the teachers and the tour guide to ensure our safety. We really wanted to give all the help we can provide to the beggar but on a second thought considering the safety if the teachers tourguides and our classmates we chose to went against our will and turn our back on the beggar. At that moment i was thinking, were we humane to turn our back on a desperate fellow human for the fear of our own personal safety? I guess prevention is better than cure, taking the risks involved into consideration is better than facing the consequences of our act of kindness. The tour guide Xiao Yu taught us more than what we could achieve in class. As a tour guide he was expected to be knowledgable and we should be able to rely on him. I felt that although he was a tour guide he was more like a teacher to us. He patiently imparted his knowledge of China bit by bit to us and cared about our welfare from daily meals all the way to finding a way to let us try the seasonal fruit Pipa. He did his best to teach us about the real China which includes how the people lived instead of just doing his job of introducing the places well. He supported the teachers in every way possible and facilitated our learning in the best way he could. I learnt about how one can does his job in the best way he can. The fact about how to treat our parents impacted me the most. We were at Xi Di Ancient Villages when we saw what seems like an ordinary chinese calligraphy painting of the word fillial piety. However after the introduction by the tour guide we learn that there are actually two opposite characters in the painting-a abusive monkey and a respectful man. I am quite amazed when I know about this fact as I did not know that deep meanings could be hidden within such a ordinary looking word. If we are respectful towards our parents we would be like the respectful man bowing to his parents, if we are disrespectful towards our parents we would be like the abusive monkey with no discipline and moral codes, thus abusing its parents whom the monkey should grateful to instead. I learnt that our parents really did a lot for us and we should really be grateful towards our parents. Their selfless and unconditional love for us, truely leaves us indebt to them.
3)How would this trip affect your future behaviours and attitudes?
What are some long term changes you hope will take place?
What did you learn in this trip that you can bring back to Singapore?
On this trip I benefited the most through the interaction with our Chinese counterparts-the passionate students of Shou Chun Secondary School. Their passion towards learning,enthusiasm during lessons and their perseverance admist the heavy homework load and long and tiring school hours. I would be more passionate in lessons in the future and be a active learner and constructive contributer to the society. I will try to learn and improve myself in everyway possible and seize opportunities that comes knocking on. I will have the right attitudes towards learning and be grateful for being able to learn I will be grateful towards the teachers who imparted their valuable knowledge to us who have no relation to them at all. I hope that people can benefit from this trip and be contributive towards the nation. The Chinese people had a very strong sense of national identity they were really proud to be citizens of the Republic of China and they really loved their country. Everything they do was geared towards benefiting their nation so that they can progress together as one nation. The Chinese people were really determined in whatever they do and they have the right attitude and mindset that contributed to their success in various aspects in life. I hope that Singaporeans would have the passion and love for this piece of land that our ancesstors set foot on and the land our forefathers lay their blood sweat and tears to build this nation miracously from barren land to towering skyscrappers and the modern metroplis. All that we have now does not come easy and I hope more Singaporeans can have a stronger sense of national identity and love the nation that provided us with shelter and the fortunate lives we are living now. I learn that in order to progress we should be geared towards one common goal and this goal should be what guides us through the up and downs of our journey as individuals. This could be seen in the example of the big red banners pasted on to the walls of places like factories and schools. This guides the workers and students and reminds them of their goals,objectives and mission as only when one is not diverted off the path from where we are progressing towards then we can progress together at the same pace. I hope to bring this determine attitude of theirs back to Singapore so that we all would a have a goal a principle to guide us through what ever we are doing in every phrase of our lives.
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