My month in Singapore was colorful, shining, and beautiful outside and inside. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I was able to spend a month in a country that I think I can call a “New Home.”
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When our internship group was riding a van from the airport to the residence accommodation in the city area, I was amazed to see the Marina Bay area where bold and stylish architecture was standing side to side. At night, the city light creates a gorgeous scenery. I loved walking by the bay area where you can see the city lights reflecting on the surface of the water. Watching the city lights made me appreciate human development as well as the hope for change in the future. Singapore seems to be changing constantly and excelling for the better. Although I do love historical sites, Singapore showed me the attitude of always striving for a better change and keeping passion and innovation.
Adjusting to the Singapore culture was surprisingly easy for me. I felt as if I suited to the country easier than wherever. I was asking myself and others why I feel that way, and I got my answer; Singapore is a mix of Asian and Western cultures, and I have both Japanese and American influences and perspectives in me. I would have never expected that I feel so comfortable in Singapore, but I did. I found my new home in Singapore, and I may have to come back to Singapore one day. I love Singapore.
While living in such a modernized and beautiful country, I also realized that it's always people that make the moment to remember. During my stay there, I met new people constantly. My fellow interns who are from U of O but had never met before, my co-workers, friends I made, and many people whom I shared some moments with. I truly enjoyed meeting new people and hearing their stories as well as challenging my international communication skills. I am thankful for the people who made my time there much more enjoyable, colorful, and valuable for my learning.
This realization brought me to think about what I want to do in the future as well as my academic interests. I found myself enjoying meeting new people as well as their cultures. When I was talking about it with one of my best friends whom I met during the month, she introduced me to cultural anthropology. To be honest, I didn't have a good idea of what anthropology was, but she explained it to me, I did research, and now I am interested in that field which allows me to explore human culture and humans. I am also interested in journalism since journalists require the process of interviewing some people or visiting sites and experiencing and observing things. Those are fields that I had never thought about but match my strength and interests, so I am planning to explore those fields more.
To conclude, my experience in Singapore was unexpectedly amazing: inspiring my future, finding a sense of belonging, and wonderful memories. Thank you again to all the people who supported me along the way.
If you are planning to visit Singapore, I would recommend:
- See the modernized, newly developed city
- Visit the National Museum of Singapore or learn the history of Singapore
- Get food from Hawker’s (food courts that are local, delicious, and it is very affordable price too)
- Enjoy the city lights at night.
- Be ready for the humidity
- Check what is banned (gum, jaywalking, etc.)
- And enjoy!!
Go Ducks!!
By Seira Kitagawa, GEO Ambassador
GlobalWorks International Internship in Singapore, Summer 2023