There is such a vast variety of places and things to do here in Singapore. One of my favorite unique places here is Gardens by the Bay, which is a large nature park that combines city views with natural wonders. Gardens by the Bay includes several outdoor gardens, two indoor conservatories, and the famous Supertrees. This past weekend, my aunt, uncle, cousins, and I spent the afternoon and evening enjoying the gardens at Christmastime. These photos show a brief snapshot into this cool place!
I’ve been in Singapore for several holidays, including Halloween, Deepavali, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Here is a summary of how these holidays are celebrated here:
Angkor…what? When I first heard of Angkor Wat, I was clueless about this incredible place. The Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The whole site measures 402 acres and is the largest religious monument in the world, consisting of many temples both large and small. It is a huge tourist destination, and in my opinion, a must-see in Asia. My friend and I spent two full days exploring the temples and taking tons of pictures and visited a few of the smaller temples on our final day in Cambodia. Below are a few of the highlights of our days of exploration.
Angkor Wat is the largest and most famous of the temples. The next largest complex is Angkor Thom, with huge faces carved into the stone. We got some cool nose-touching photos with the faces!
This was d
efinitely a trip rich in culture, history, and architecture! It was so interesting to see the intricate carvings and think about how much time went into creating such huge and intricate temples. I hope to see the temples again someday!
My Thanksgiving didn’t include turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes this year. Instead, it included temples, tuk-tuks, and fried noodles! My friend and fellow student teacher at Singapore American School decided to travel to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to spend our 4 day Thanksgiving break.
Before arriving in Singapore, I knew essentially nothing about Cambodia and hadn’t heard of the Angkor Wat temple complex. However, once I arrived in Singapore, I quickly learned that it is one of the major tourist destinations for those living in Singapore, as it is a quick and easy two-hour flight. We went to Siem Reap, the town including the Angkor Wat temple complex, which is a huge draw for tourists. We got around the city by riding in tuk-tuks, which are essentially motorbikes with a cart for up to 4 people to ride in. Our guesthouse was near Pub Street, the central hub of restaurants, bars, spas, and night markets. We spent a couple of our evenings trying all sorts of food, getting inexpensive foot massages and pedicures, and bargaining for good at the night markets.
If you are interested in hearing more about the temples, please read my post titled “Angkor Wat.”
Slideshow pictures:
Before my 21st birthday, I had never left the United States and my travels in the country were not extensive. Last May, I went to Vienna for the Vienna Summer School May term through Hope, and that was my very first airplane ride! When I came to Singapore and started talking to people here, I realized travel is the norm here. In the weeks and days leading up to a break (Fall break, Thanksgiving break, and Christmas break), people don’t ask each other what they are doing or even what they have planned for the break. Instead, the question is, “where are you going for break?”
The response typically goes something like this…
“Oh, we are going to Korea to visit so-and-so…”
“We’re going Thailand again…”
“We’re visiting a friend in Japan…”
“We’re spending a relaxing weekend in the Maldives…”
And the list goes on! Many of my students have been to so many more countries than I have been in my whole life. Granted, I am working at an American school with expatriate families (families who live outside their native country) and Singapore is a wealthy country as a whole, so I am sure it is not this way for all families. But with other countries being so close and flights being fairly inexpensive, travel is easy and expected.
Oh, how I wish I had more time here to explore all the surrounding countries! However, in just 10 weeks, I have been to a total of 4 countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Each of these countries gave me a new understanding about the world and about how different cultures work and the incredible diversity in the world. I suppose I will just have to come back to Asia at some point to do the rest!
Last weekend, I had this huge desire to go somewhere on my own, to travel by myself. I know my independence has grown during my time abroad, but especially since I am living with family, most of my time has been spent with other people and I rarely have had the chance to do anything on my own. This past weekend, I decided to take the bus from Singapore to Melaka, Malaysia to do some adventuring on my own. The bus ride was about 5 hours each way so it was a good weekend trip. I had heard that Melaka is the “Europe of Asia” which was a very fitting description. The city even has Dutch settler roots and I took a selfie in front of a windmill – it was almost like I was right back in Holland, Michigan!
The town is quite quaint, with a river running through the heart of the town. I went on a short river boat cruise where I was able to see all the cute cafes, interesting murals, and touristy shops along the river. I visited an art museum, went in Christ’s Church (built in the 1700’s), saw the colorful trishaws (decorated bicycles the blasted pop music), and spent some time taking pictures in the town square and drinking watermelon juice out of a whole watermelon! That evening, I ate dinner at a cafe along the river and went to the night market, where vendors sold everything from selfie sticks to coconut water balls. These pictures will give you a little glimpse into the town of Melaka and my short trip exploring the town.
The semester is finally drawing to a close, and I don’t know what’s worse: having to leave Scotland or having to take exams.
The truth is, my exam week isn’t necessarily harder than my finals week at Hope. It’s just different. First off, Aberdeen’s exam schedule starts with a review week. During this week, students attend “review lectures” where their professors go over material for exams. There aren’t nearly as many classes during this week, so we’re able to get a head start on studying and writing. Then, finals last for two weeks instead of one. Luckily, I’ll have everything completed in just the first week, so I don’t have to stick around for the second. However, the thought of studying, writing, and packing during this week is beginning to stress me out.
I was excited to find out early on in the semester that I’d have two papers and one exam. As an English major, I’d much rather write an essay than study for a test, so I was able to crank out my two papers pretty quickly. Also, I received an A4 (which is basically an A on the American grading scale) on my first essay for my Shakespeare class. Therefore, I wasn’t worried writing my final papers for Shakespeare and Linguistics.
All that’s left, then, is my Religion exam. I’m a tad nervous, but the professor has given us a lot of preparation, including terms to describe and essays to prepare. Also, the exam is going to be online, so I can literally take it in bed. Not a bad finals week if you ask me.
So that’s it! That’s the end of my academic career abroad. I’ve finally adapted to the British education system, so I don’t know how I’m going to feel once I get back to Hope. The biggest difference I’ve seen between Aberdeen and Hope isn’t necessarily the amount of work due but the schedule of work due. For example, a class at Aberdeen evaluates students with maybe two papers and a final exam. Lectures are also recorded and put online, so students aren’t required to come to class either (Don’t fall into this trap!). Hope, on the other hand, has quizzes, reflection papers, and projects due almost every single time you go to a class. I think this set-up keeps you more accountable and responsible; therefore, I think I’d probably say I like the American academic system better.
However, I’ve learned a lot about myself through taking classes abroad. Receiving a high grade on my Shakepeare paper just solidified my belief that I’m in the right major. My prof even said it was one of the best papers in the class, and to hear that when studying in a new environment and using a totally new writing format means a lot. I think the independence given to students in the British academic system also taught me how to be more responsible. Believe me, there were times when I skipped classes just because I could. However, I quickly learned that doing this wouldn’t benefit me in any way. I had to make myself attend lectures because I only get to study abroad once, right?
Please tell me I’m not right.
But honestly, I do think most of the things I learned this semester come from outside a lecture hall. Sure, I absolutely fell in love with Shakespeare because of my English class, but nothing compares to learning from hailing my first cab in London’s theatre district, climbing cliffs in Cruden Bay, and exploring the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.
If only I were being tested on that stuff on my final exam. I’d totally nail it.
Chestnuts roastin’ on an open fire… reindeer riding on Segways?
Yeah, that’s what I saw at Aberdeen’s Christmas Parade. Don’t believe me? Well, just take a look at the video below. I captured the whole thing on my phone and wanted to upload it so that I could spread some holiday cheer, but first, here’s a little context.
Every year Aberdeen has a huge winter festival celebrating the holiday season, and it begins with the city’s Christmas Parade. Tons of Aberdonians line Union Street in anticipation of watching the city’s Christmas lights officially switch on and begin the festivities. This lighting occurs during a spectacular parade complete with bagpipes, big butterfly wings, and, yes, men dressed as reindeer riding Segways. I attended the parade with fellow Hope student Kate, and we had an absolute blast. Take a look at the parade below!
(Also, sorry that the video qualities lower than my last two vlogs. I shot this on my phone, and it was dark out.)
During my last weekend in Scotland, my four study abroad besties and I made another trip to Edinburgh. This time, however, the city was decked out in holiday decorations, complete with Christmas markets, light shows, ice skating, and tons and tons of rides. I vlogged the whole thing, too! Check it out!
Hi, guys! During the Halloweekend, some friends of mine and I were able to travel to my favorite city in the world: London! You might remember from one of my earlier posts that I already traveled to this city before moving into Aberdeen. I absolutely loved it then, so when my new friends expressed interest in visiting, I jumped at the chance to go again. This time around I was able to ride the London Eye, revisit Shakespeare’s Globe (my favorite spot in the city), see Les Mis on the West End, explore the Sherlock Holmes and Charles Dickins Museums, and also visit Platform 9 3/4 in Kings Cross. I swear, I will never grow tired of adventuring in London. If you get the chance to visit, do it. Here’s a video documenting my time there the second time around. Enjoy!
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