Reflection of My Study Abroad Experience and Tips for Coming Home

Hey all!!

So I'm officially back in Hawai'i and couldn't be happier. after being gone for about 8 months, it feels good to be back in the swing of things ;)

Freeman Scholarship
First and foremost, I again have to thank the Freeman family for their generous scholarship. Without the Freeman scholarship, I definitely would not have been able to accomplish this study abroad journey. I encourage anyone reading this who is eligible for the scholarship to apply for it because it absolutely does wonders for you.

My Reflections
Going on study abroad really opens your eyes to the different cultures that there are in the world. Even though Singapore is a very developed country, and is similar to the States in many ways, the different cultures that exist there are interesting to observe. I really enjoyed seeing how different cultures celebrated holidays like the Indians with their festival of lights called "Deepavali" and the many other holidays that took place while I was there.

Overall, Singapore was a wonderful experience. I met plenty of new people, some of which have actually become some of my close friends which I will keep in touch with for many years to come.

I'll have to admit, before I went, and in the beginning of the exchange, I was really nervous because it was my first time out of the country and I haven't done much traveling. So I wasn't sure if this is something that I would be good at, or enjoy. But very soon after my arrival in Singapore, I realized that this is exactly what I was looking for in a new life experience and I want to travel as much as I can later on in the future, post graduation.

Tips for Coming Home
Okay, so I know most people are thinking "how hard is it to come home?" True, it's not that complicated, but there's little things that make the journey back a lot easier. First off, pack DAYS in advance.. start doing laundry asap because if you wait until last minute there will be a hostel full of students just like you who are trying to do laundry and it just gets messy..trust me. Second, try to pack as efficient as when you arrived there. I ended up having to use an extra piece of luggage because I didn't pack the same way as when i packed to go to Singapore.. plus I bought some stuff there and in Cambodia and didn't leave any extra space in my luggage for that when I was still in the States. Lastly, get ready for a huge case of jet lag when you get back. I came back on monday morning, and just now (thursday morning) am I on a semi regular sleep schedule where I'm not sleeping for 9 or 10 hours +. Also, you're immune system might need some help while you're traveling back, so load up on vitamin C and electrolytes so you don't get sick after you get back, like I did :/

Well, think that's it for this blog series!! thanks for reading guys, and again if anyone has any questions feel free to email me at isaac3@hawaii.edu

~Isaac

Time to Start Heading Home

Hey all!

So it's official, the semester at NUS is officially OVER! Today was the last day of examination and its been a tough week of exams but everyone is done. I leave for Hawaii on Monday (today is Saturday).

The check out process is a little different here than what we are used to. Unlike our dorms in Hawaii where they check you out and do your room inspection on the same day, they separate it here. So your room inspection is a minimum of 3 days prior to your check out date. MAKE SURE YOU SCHEDULE IT WITH THE OFFICE!! Some of my friends here thought that they could just check out and do the room inspection at the same time and they ran into a few problems before leaving for their travels back home or to other parts of Asia.

Saying good bye is always the hardest part for a lot of people, myself included. While in Singpore, I've met so many people that I will never forget and who helped me out through some pretty tough times out here. A few of my closest friends here have decided that we are doing a 10 year reunion in Singapore and reminisce on our memories here and go to some of the same places that we visit on a normal basis when we need to "blow off some steam".

On that note, it's time for me to get back to packing! Thought I would finish out my last weekend in Singapore with a bang, so a few of my friends and I are going to a big concert in Singapore called Zoukout. It's featuring artist such as above and beyond, Calvin Harris, and more! So that's tonight, then I leave on Sunday to scratch another goal off of my checklist by going to marina bay sands hotel. Of course since this is the most popular and famous hotel in Singapore, it's going to take a few of us renting the room in order to make it a little more affordable :p but the small amount of space is worth the discomfort to have acces to the amazing roof top infinity pool!

Hope you all have been enjoying the blog so far. See you soon!

Back From Cambodia!- Time to Study :)

 

 Hey all!!

So I'm back from my Cambodia trip. It was AMAZING. Like i said before, I highly encourage anyone who is going to school in South East Asia to do as much traveling as you can. Not only is it super cheap, but it's always fun exploring other parts of the world with friends that you make here. Obviously, keep your studies in order though (so turn in any assisgnments that may be due early if you have to, bring books and study while you're traveling as well). 

While there, we were traveling non stop. On the first day, we arrived in Phnom Penh Airport and arrived at the same time as our President, Barack Obama! We were able to get a semi good picture of AF1.

day after day, we would wake up early to go do hikes, watch the sunset, see the ankor watt temples, and even the temple where the shot Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie

If you have the chance to go, I would highly suggest it!!

So now back to Singapore. Right now, its the exam period. Which is pretty much the last 2 weeks of the semester (right after reading week). Most business courses are tested during the 2nd week of the exam period from what I hear, so this first week is a good time to get a little more study time in if you need it. Just like our finals week, there are no regularly scheduled classes and only final exams are given. I was extremely lucky this semester and I only have 1 final exam which is on December 4. All of my other exams were given before reading week took place.

Heads up for good study places
- ERC (Education Resource Center) which i mentioned in a previous post...it's located in U-Town which is most likely where you will be living.
- Business Library- Perfect place to study if you want dead silence
- Study Lounges in your hall- So this is more of a "social" study place. A lot of my friends will meet in the lounge, talk, study, mess around on facebook (the typical college study routine) good place if you don't need to cram for an exam.


Getting Ready to Go home!
So when I first came to Singapore, I didn't think that 4 months would be enough time to enjoy the country. But then you realize once you are getting towards the end of the semester how much you actually miss being home...but at the same time, you don't even want to leave Singapore! It's a little bit of mixed emotions especially when your friends start flying back home, or going on trips and you are all going your separate ways.

I fly home on December 10, so about 13 days from now...it definitely feels weird to be coming home so soon, it's like the time just flew by. But I know this is definitely an experience I will never forget and I've made some amazing friends here who I will be talking to years from now.


Hope all of this helps!! Looking forward to maybe meeting some of you guys who read this when I get back to Hawaii.

ALOHA!!!

Off to Cambodia!!!

Hey all!!

So I finally get to travel! Taking a trip to Cambodia today. When you get to NUS they have a thing called "Reading Week" which is basically the time to study before the two week long examination period. But since us exchange student usually only have one or two exams during this time ( I only have one on December 4).. We take this opportunity to go abroad and not fall behind on class work! So myself and 2 other friends will be traveling to Cambodia, seeing some sights and taking in the culture!!

I'll be gone for about 1 week so I will update you all on what the fun stuff to do is there when I get back! If you are interested in flying there.. Tiger air is pretty cheap. Got my round trip ticket for around 150 US dollars..and I only booked it a week ago. The longer in advance you book, the cheaper the tickets!! They accept US currency so you get a small taste of home again by using our home currency...(feels good to have some Franklins, Washingtons, and Jacksons back in my wallet ;) ).

There will be tons of pictures when I get back! Stay tuned

One Month To Go!

Hey all!! So time has just been flying by since the last post that I made, sorry about that!! So I have about one month left here in this awesome country!! But here are some updates for you!

  Meeting with Dean Roley in Singapore!
 So I had the pleasure of meeting with our dean of Shidler, Dean Roley, here in Singapore! We were also joined by two alumni from Shilder as well. We ate in a part of Singapore called Orchard which is a pretty famous part of the country, great place to go eat for those of you who are considering coming here!

 The alumni who joined us were Hieu Nhan who now works for Nike, and Quang Huynh Buu who works for HSBC Bank and is the head of ASP International- Global Trade and Receivables Finance, Asia Pacific. The dinner was very fun hearing about other professionals and seeing what really goes on in the work force!

Class Work

 Alright, so I know I said earlier that the class work isn't that hard....but I semi take that back haha. The deal is this, the course work isn't necessarily "harder" here- but the students really go over and beyond for school here. A lot of the exams, presentations, and papers are due during the last month of the semester- so the mix between the intensity of studying plus having all of the work due really adds up at this point. Granted, we are on exchange, and most of us are on pass fail grading, but if you don't study...you might be in jeopardy of failing. My recommendation for you guys is to take about 3 or maybe 4 classes tops so that you can have time to travel and enjoy South East Asia. One thing that I wish I did was take one less class so that I would have some more free time for traveling around Asia! 

So that's all I have for now! But I'll be updating my blog pretty much once a week from now on since I only have a few weeks left. 

Feel free to email with any questions guys!!!

Isaac3@hawaii.edu 

Mid Semester Update!!!

Hey guys!

So, sorry for the delayed posting, things have officially slowed down now so I can take a second to write down everything that has been going on. SO here we go, this ones going to be pretty long so I'm going to have a bunch of sub headings for you to skip around and read if you want. This ones going to cover

• Classes I'm Taking
• An Opportunity for Singapore Internship
• Recess week in Singapore 
• Singapore Night Life 

Classes I'm Taking 
**Before I even start writing about this section, my advice for all business students.. fill out your application as EARLY as possible.. your application is basically what the school uses to assign you the modules you take here.. don't be like me and only end up with 1 business class and have to fight for the rest!**

So as most of you know, I'm a Business Major at UH Manoa, focusing in IB and ENT. The business classes here are pretty similar to classes in HI in the sense that you either have a big lecture class, or a smaller class that involves more class participation. Most of the lecture classes are 2 hours long, once a week, with an additional 1 hour "tutorial" class once a week as well.

For anyone interested in classes that are approved to transfer back to Shidler, here's what I was able to do.

1. BSP 2001- Macro/International Economics =  BUS 313 Economic and Financial Env of Global Business 
2. BSP 3513- Family Business = MGT 450 Family Business (ENT Elective) 
3. SE 3880- Topics in South East Asian Studies = IB Elective 
4. Chinese 1 (just took it because I could and to learn the language)

Overall, the work load isn't too bad. with 4 classes, I'm spending about 15 hours or so on homework. They only require that you take 3 classes though.. so if you want a little more free time, just take 3 modules (12 US credits) 

Internship Possibility!!

Spoiler alert, unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the internship.. BUT the story was still awesome which I will go ahead and tell you anyway. 

So in the Family Business course that I am taking, we had a guest speaker come and talk to our class. He is the CEO of Marco Polo Shipping here in Singapore. Which is actually a rather large company. He was speaking to us about the difficulties of owning and operating a large family business, how he got involved with his, etc.. Since I not only want to get involved in the shipping business, but I also wish to start my own firm one day and keep it going in my family, I figured this is the perfect man to talk to. 

After sending a few emails, I was able to get a few minutes of his time the following week after the next presentation he did at my school. I asked several questions about the company, the industry, etc. He was actually very helpful and gave me some tips I plan on using when I do start my own company. But at the end of our conversation I asked if there were any internships available at the company. His words to me were, "I'm the CEO, so I could always say yes. But I have to respect my HR department and leave it up to them. Here is my card, send me your contact information, and anything you would like me to send to HR and I will forward them your information." Needless to say, I was on cloud 9 after that. I immediately went home and send my resume, and started researching what visa/documents a foreign student needs to have an internship in Singapore. About a week later, I got an email form his HR department saying that all the spots were filled, and i could do one in the beginning of next year, but unfortunately...I'll be back in the states by then. 

Even though this didn't work out, the confidence that I gained by talking with someone who is a millionaire and runs a very successful company was huge. 

By the way, if you do want to do an internship in Singapore, you have to apply with the MOW ( Ministry of Workers) and get a visa that costs about 150 Sing dollars.. 

Recess Week

Best. Idea. Ever. 

So usually in the states, we don't realllyyy have a large break in the Fall other than an extra day or so for Thanksgiving. But here, in the Fall there's recess week. A lot of students use this time to travel to other countries in Asia since it's so cheap. It's Friday of my recess week, I'm spending it studying because i have a test that worth about 30% of my grade next week, so my recess week wasn't too "exciting" but its nice having a break from school and just sleeping, studying, and going out :-p. 

Night Life In Singapore

Awesome. Tons of clubs to go to. If you're of age (18 in Singapore) you can drink, but the prices for alcohol here are a little on the...expensive side. On average, 17-19 Sing for a beer. $25 for a mixed drink. But you can easily get free entry into these places because of the Exchange student pages that they have on facebook.. Singapore UNI and Hazel's guest list are a MUST if you plan on going out while you are out here, otherwise you're paying 20-30 bucks to get in to the clubs... you're welcome :) 

The MRT (subway/train) only runs until about 1130-12 depending on the line, so usually your best bet is to take the train to wherever you are going, then take a taxi back. 

Some of the cool places to go are: 

• 1 Altitude
• Avalon (one of the most popular dance clubs) 
• Avatar
• Any Club in Clarke Quay  ( Pronounced Clarke Key...don't as me why)

That's about all I have for now, feel free to email me with any Q's!! 

isaac3@hawaii.edu 

The Important Stuff

So pretty much, my posts have been about the fun things going on in Singapore so far, but it might be a good idea to give information about some of the important things like classes, transportation, etc. soooo here we go!

Transportation
Pretty simple, and cheap. Coming from Hawai'i this transit system is amazing. The main means of transportation for college students is called the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) its basically a computer automated subway system that travels all through Singapore. The trains come about once every 5-10 minutes and take you  almost wherever you want to go. When you initially buy the card you use to pay the fair, its $12, but you get $7 credit and can refill it whenever you want. Careful though, you can only refill with a minimum of $10 at a time... I didnt realize that once and had to borrow some money from a friend until i got to an ATM :-p. There are also your typical buses and taxi services that are easy to catch as well.

On campus, since it is so huge, they have complimentary shuttle buses that run every 10 minutes or so and go to different parts of the campus which is really convenient because it's so hot here!!

Class Registration
...one word. Crazy. So unlike our school when everyone adds classes based on your class standing, here everyone registers at the same time. For exchange students, the classes were picked for us from a list of about 10-12 classes that we would want to take. My advice is to pick as many classes as you can that will help you graduate, as early as you can. Also, each faculty (or subject) has a different registration time and method. So for example, I am currently in both the business faculty and the arts and sciences faculty. So when I wanted to add more business classes (because they only gave me one) I had to follow a completely separate system for trying to add classes then the arts and science method. If that isn't confusing enough, the local students have it even worse. On top of all of that they have a bidding system in order to register for classes..which doesn't sound like a bad idea, but definitely took me a while to understand, I'm just glad I don't have to deal with that!

Dorms/ Meal Plans
The dorm (or hostel as they call it out here) that I am staying in is actually brand new. It's similar in comparison to our freshman dorms at UH. I live in a whole separate complex just for the hostels called University Town which is right next to campus. It has about 7 residence halls and a bunch of places to eat, a campus bar, and an amazing studying facility with access to free usage of Macs and PCs.

The meal plan is mandatory for some halls, but not for the graduate housing (much like our apartments at UH). The food they serve is pretty good here. We share a dining hall with one other residence hall, and it serves a good variety of food. Asian cuisine is the most popular, followed by Muslim, and then their idea of Western food (which honestly....is pretty bad so no one ever eats it!)

Sports
NUS has a TON of sports to do. Everything from water polo, to rugby, karate, and even kayak polo (water polo with kayaks!!). There are plenty of clubs to join here for sports which i will check up on and give a more in depth update next week.

That's all the info I have for now... classes start tomorrow so I will have a better idea of the class work load then!