NE reflections- Group 3

What has this trip taught you about another culture?

The western culture is quite different from the culture we have in Singapore. We are quite conservative both in our dressing and the manner in which we behave. We are not outspoken, however the British are confident and they have the freedom of speech. Most people there are friendly, and they take pride in the work that they do. However, they do not seem to mix around much with people of other cultures.

What are some of the things that you can learn from the British people in order to improve Singapore?

Singaporeans should be more well-read about general knowledge, and make an effort to know about things outside the textbooks, for students. Singaporeans should take more pride in their work and not just do it reluctantly. We can learn to be more patriotic and love our country more just like how the British love their country a lot.

What are some of the things that the British can learn from Singapore?

Our transport system and our healthcare service are better in many ways. They should have more dustbins around so that people don't litter. The British can learn more about racial harmony from Singapore as it is uncommon to see people of different skin colours mixing there.

After going on this trip, are there any aspects of being in Singapore/ being a Singaporean that you have learnt to appreciate better?

I definitely appreciate being a Singaporean. There are many more ethnic groups here, so I’m able to get a taste of different cultures. However, in Britain there is only one majority therefore I feel that Singapore is a much more diverse country and I really appreciate that.

I have also learnt to appreciate the heat here, and the variety of food.

I have learnt to appreciate the security we have in Singapore. In UK, when we are out on the streets be it in the day or at night, we much more afraid that something unfortunate might happen and we have to be more vigilant about our belongings and the people around us. However, in Singapore, it is generally safe to walk on the streets at night, so that is one thing we really appreciate.

We also appreciate the accessibility of different places in Singapore as the time taken to travel from place to place is far shorter than that of moving around in the UK.

- Samyata, Rachel Loke, Ferozia, Felina, Eugenia

NE Reflections - Group 2

1. 1. What has this trip taught you about another culture?

It has taught us that people of different cultures have different practices and emphasize on different things in their teachings. For example, the English choose to preserve History of many forms and from many countries – whether it be the Egyptians, Ancient Greek or Ancient Japanese. They value the aesthetics whereas in Singapore, we place more emphasis on the Sciences and the development of our nation.

Also, unlike in Singapore where everyone minds their own business, the people over in England tend to be friendlier and more welcoming, and we think we as Singaporeans should try to be like that too. (:

2. 2. What are some of the things that you can learn from the British to improve Singapore?

Firstly, we can learn to speak better English and this will help us to score better for out English exams! :D *grin*

We can also learn how to be more approachable and friendly. The English are friendlier than Singaporeans and we find that they are more courteous as well. If we can learn how to be like them, emulate how they communicate with and serve others, we believe that we will be able to progress and further improve our Service Sectors and the overall impression that foreigners have of our citizens.

This way, Singapore can also be known for its excellent services and good food :D

3. 3. What are some of the things that the British can learn from Singapore.

We think that the British can learn from Singapore in terms of public transport. In London, the Tube train is not air-conditioned, and during the summer peak periods, the train would start smelling and people would feel uncomfortable. Thus, they should change all their trains to air-conditioned ones like in Singapore.

We also think that they should improve the overall safety and security of their country. When we were in Chinatown, a shopkeeper warned us that the area had pickpockets that preyed on foreigners/tourists, and we had to keep an eye out for our belongings all the time whereas in Singapore, it was safe to place out wallets and our pockets and the chances of getting it stolen was very low.

4. 4. After going on this trip, are there any aspects of being in Singapore or being a Singaporean that you have learned to appreciate better?

We have learned to better appreciate the convenience and safety that we have in Singapore. In London, not all the Tube stations are open during the weekends and hence, if a certain station is not in operation, we would then have to walk to the nearest station which is at least a 10 minute walk whereas in Singapore, all the stations are open 7 days a week.

We have also learned to appreciate they safety that we have in Singapore better as while we were in London, we always felt the constant fear of having our stuff stolen by a pickpocket. However, when we are in Singapore, we felt completely safe and had no insecurities regarding out personal belongings.

Lastly, we have learnt how to appreciate the food that we have in Singapore. Most of us were sick of eating Western food after 3 days and were craving Chinese food almost all the time! So it is safe to say that after this experience (although an eye-opener) will enable us to savour and appreciate the local food in Singapore :D

Wee Ming Group 4- Reflections

1) The most educational and memorable activity would be the rivers and coasts study. During the activity, i got a hands-on experience in measuring different aspects of the rivers and coasts such as velocity, sediment size, wetted perimeter and percolation rates. It was definitely learning in a fun and unforgettable way. (:
2)-I learnt about the various Geography topics such as rivers, coasts and natural vegetation.
-I gained a better understanding of the history of other countries from the visits to the various museums.
-I came to learn about the difference in the way of life of the people in England as compared to Singapore. I came to appreciate the safe and security we enjoy in Singapore.

Reflections- Carin, Group 4.

Q1) What was the most memorable and educational activity or highlight of this field trip.

The most memorable and educational activity was the stay at Flatford Mill. I've really learnt a lot from this stay at the mill. We've learnt so much about Rivers, Coasts and Forests, something that we can't learn from the textbook. It was a hands on experience and it was really educational. The teachers were also very fun and it was a very enriching experience. Also, the stay at Flatford was fun because of the stay at Willy Lott's House (:

Q2) 3 learning insights from this trip.
1. Learnt more about various topics of geog and the different techniques.
2. Learnt more about history through the visits to the various museums.
3. Learnt more about the culture of people in England, the food they eat, the way they live life, and the difference between the British and Singaporeans.

Carin, Group 4.

Highlights of the Trip

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Please complete the poll by end of T3 Wk 1 (Fri) and post your answer to the following 2 questions in the blog individually.

Q1) What was the most memorable and educational activity or highlight of this field trip

Q2) 3 learning insights from this trip.

Thank you.

Group 3 - Imperial War Museum and British War Museum

Our second day in London started off with a trip to the Imperial War Museum. We saw many things and since, most of us in the group do not take History, this visit really helped us gain a better understanding of both the first World War and second World War. Moreover, we got to see things from a different perspective. In Secondary 2, we only learnt about the war in Asia and Japan. Thus, through this experience, we managed to see the whole picture, for example, we now know who were involved in the war, and also know the rough timeline of events.

However, the thing that had the greatest impact on us would be the Holocaust Exhibition within the museum. The way the Jews, homosexuals etc were treated by the Germans, and definitely Adolf Hitler, was simply apalling. We were able to appreciate the Holocaust Exhibition as we have heard a bit about the story of Adolf Hitler and his torture and cruelty towards the Jews. All the hardships and sufferings of all those thought to be inferior to the Aryans was shocking and horrifying.

Next, we moved on to see another museum called Winston Churchill's Britain at War Museum. This museum was not as informative as compared to the other museums that we have visited so far. However, through pictures, movies, video clips, and real-war scenarios, we gained better insight on how it would be like to live through the air raids, blackouts, etc.

Later, we saw the Tower Bridge and snapped many photos of it. We walked on the London Bridge, and headed to the visit the Tate Modern Gallery. All in all, we enjoyed this last day in London. :)

- Samyata, Rachel Loke, Ferozia, Felina, Eugenia

Group 3 - Churchill Museum and British Museum

Today was the first day we are going sightseeing in London. We took the tube to Westminster Place, where msot of the famous landmarks are located. There, we were able to see the Big Ben, Parliament Houses and Westminster Abbey. Though the buildings were built a very long time ago, they had intricate designs and were magnificent. We also went to St. Margaret's Church, where Winston Churchill got married in.

Next, we took a long walk to the Buckingham Palace. Along the way, we could see a rehearsal going on for the Queen's birthday celebration. After that, we headed to the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. The war rooms were used as a command and control during World War II. At the museum, we were able to explore Winston Churchill's life as a stateman. The propaganda in the past portrayed Churchill as a short, fat man with a cigar. This was because he always listened to whatever France said. This museum was not very engaging, as we used an electronic device that introduces us to the exhibitions. This did not allow us to clarify our doubts and misunderstandings. Also, as we do not learn much about British history or Winston Churchill in school, we are unfamiliar to the context, hence, the appreciation level was not that high.

After lunch, we walked through Convent Garden to head towards the huge British Museum. This museum displayed artefacts from all over the world. There are even mummies there! Such artefacts are important as it tells us how people lived in the past, their lifestyles, and their culture, thus showign us the country's history. It was quite interesting as we could see other country's way of life as well as their culture.

The museums in London are different from that of Singapore, the museums here are quite small and they usually only depict Singapore history. On the other hand, the British museum shows the history from various countries, for example, Greece, Rome and so on.

Today was an interesting day, however, very tiring as we were walking from destination to destination.

- Samyata, Rachel Loke, Ferozia, Felina, Eugenia

Group 4 - NE moments

1) WHAT HAS THE TRIP TAUGHT YOU ABOUT ANOTHER CULTURE?

I have learnt that different countries have different and unique cultures, in terms of food, religion and the way of life. The people in UK are also very polite and friendly! There were even several of them who smiled at us even though they didn't know us. For example, during one of the days when we were sightseeing, a group of people were all dressed up and our tour guide asked one of them if there was a wedding. The woman replied that they were going for baptism with a warm and friendly smile. This is rather different from singapore and I have learnt to accept other country's culture. In London, I saw people briskly heading towards to their offices in the morning. They look very energetic and lively. They are very eager to go for work. Unlikely, Singaporeans are quite lazy comparatively whey they are doing their jobs. They will be usually sleeping in the bus when they are on their way to their work. Hence, I feel that they should be more active and brisk like the British people. This will only come true when Singaporeans love their job. In Singapore, normally workers like cashiers and bus drivers are like “robots”. They would just carry out their job without any emotions or smiling at the customers and passengers. In London, it’s totally different. The cashiers in the supermarket welcome their customers with a big smile on their face and would say “hi”. When the customer leaves, they would wave to them. I think Singaporeans should also develop this friendly nature like the British people. This would enable Singapore to be place where the people are very bonded and united.


2)WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE BRITISH PEOPLE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE SINGAPORE?

The people here are very friendly and approachable. The service provided here are also very good and we felt very welcomed. Singaporeans should really learn from them. We should also be much more relax and calm. We can learn to be more sociable and friendly to the other citizens in Singapore and not just be so selfish at times. There were lots of pubs and clubs in London. Wherever we turn, we could see cathedrals. Basically, The Culture of London concerns the arts, music, museums, festivals and other entertainment. There are over 240 museums in London. Among them, the more important one is the British Museum. London has centres of worship for a multitude of faiths. There are many Christians, Roman Catholics, etc. There are also Freethinkers.

3)WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THE BRITISH CAN LEARN FROM SINGAPORE?

UK can be more streetsafe like Singapore. I feel that the British should smoke less. Even though there are people in Singapore smoking, but it is much less compared to the British. This happens the most in the city areas. At least 60% of the adults are smoking! Even though this might be part of their culture, it is bad for health. The people here can also consider to have a much more healthier breakfast and refrain from eating too much sausages and bacon. Mainly, I think that cleanliness is the first thing that British should learn from Singapore. It is very hard to find ribbish bins in London. Therefore, people over there just become laze and throw their rubbush on the ground, thus resulting in dirty roads and pavements.

4)AFTER GOING ON THIS TRIP WHAT ARE THE ASPECTS OF BEING IN SINGAPORE THAT YOU HAVE LEARNT TO APPRECIATE BETTER?

In Singapore, the streets are much safer, even at night. I feel more secure to wander about on my own in SIngapore than in London. There is also a wider range of food in Singapore due to our diverse culture. I am also glad to be able to live in a multi-racial society. It allows me to understand and learn more about other races. This can help to widen my knowledge on other cultures. Living in Singapore is also more convenient and things are cheaper in Singapore! I have thoroughly gained a sense of belonging after the 10 days UK trip. I really missed Singapore. I have always wanted to migrate to soe other Europe countries and leave from Singapore. Now, I regret for thinking like that. According to me, there is no other country that could be like Singapore. Npthing could replace its harmonious people, the green beauty and the lifestyle. I think that I am very privilleged to be a Singaporean. I could also appreciate the efforts in Singapore to instil in citizens a sense of nationalism.

-Carin Loh, Wong Wee Ming, Dayna Hui, Azlin, Florence Chua!