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SIM Global Immersion Program
AMIENS | France

Raise Provoking Questions

“In getting to know these [the French] people better, they asked me what Singapore is about. Questions such as “what is Singapore’s culture?” really made me wonder what exactly does Singapore mean to me. It gets really unnerving when I really find myself hesitating at them… It might seem weird and even disappointing that I do not now possess a solution or an answer to the above... We may have our quirks that lead us to “envy” other cultures but what we need now as Singaporeans is to be aware and to be together in our mindset in accepting who we are.”

Loke Shen Yin Sean
SIM-UB, Year 3

SIM Global Citizenship Initiative
NAGARKOT | Nepal

Rethinking Realities

“Before the trip, I had the perception that being poor was a bad thing, but after interacting with the children from Tamang Village, I feel that being poor does not necessarily equate to being less contented with life. The rural life of the Tamang village was a culture shock because of the fact that I had come from an environment that valued convenience, quality and cleanliness. By putting myself in their shoes, I could see that to the Tamang children, nothing was more important than being able to receive an education. As such, despite the long walking distance to school, the less-than-perfect tables and chairs or the lack of cleanliness in the school environment, the Tamang children were just happy that they had a school to attend.”

Jasline Seetoh
SIM-RMIT, Year 3

Encounters of the Heart

“The encounter with Neena, a Nepalese girl whom the group met struck me most about Nepal. She is 12 years old and studies at a boarding school. She is extremely proficient in English for her age and she exudes confidence and charm when speaking to a group of foreigners. When Mr Neo Beng Tong (Chair, SIM Education Abroad), asked her if she would like to travel to Singapore to study, where full expenses are covered, her immediate reply was no. We eventually found out that it was not because she would miss her family were she to study overseas but because her mother would beat her if she did. From this exchange, it occurred to me if this is the mentality most children in Nepal have, sadly, even with the existing education they receive; they will still follow in their parents’ footsteps and earn a living within the environment they were brought up in, for instance farming.”

Lee Yuan Jin
SIM-RMIT, Year 3

SIM Global Corporate Learning Program
SHANGHAI SUZHOU WUXI NANJING | China

Fuelling The SIM Mission

“More importantly, this trip showed me a different side of SIM and allowed me to discover more about myself. I saw that SIM had individuals who were interested in their future, people who believed in exposure and willing to go the distance to seemingly un-fanciful places. It gave me more hope that SIM may be more globally recognised with the many visits to many countries being planned already. Letting people know that SIM students are earnest, sincere, matured and serious prompts them to take a second look at us. This changes their perception of the university and people may thus be more accepting towards SIM at large. To be part of the group fuelling this mission is an honour.”

Song Ka Mun
SIM-RMIT, Year 3

SIM Summer Abroad Program
Chinese University of Hong Kong

Metanoia – Change of Mind

“Interestingly, it was also through these excursions that I got to realize how different Singapore and Hong Kong really are despite its apparent “similarities”. I have often thought Singapore and Hong Kong to be similar because of the way people live their lives instead of understanding the culture and history of each country. As a student majoring in international business, in which cultural difference was constantly taught, it never occurred to me the assumptions I had just because of my own limited perception.”

Cheng Yu Hui
SIM-UB, Year 2

SIM Summer Abroad Program
London School of Economics and Political Science

Identity as a ‘Student’

“The summer exchange program at LSE has extended an invaluable dimension and meaning to the notion of my identity as a ‘student’. Academic success may often be a significant criterion of being considered as an accomplished student, but perhaps if more variant qualities that deviate away from the stereotypes can also be recognized as a capability, it could add to a more wholesome understanding of the possibilities of how one can perceive and develop his identity as an ‘accomplished’ student.”

Tan Si Min
SIM-UOL, Year 2

Once in a Lifetime Experience

“I learned from this experience that there were no silly questions, but the more questions you ask, the more you understand how something works or how something else could have had worked. Without SIM Summer Abroad, I might not have had the chance to experience life as a foreign student and making friends from across the globe.”

Tommy Lee
SIM-UB, Year 2

SIM Summer Abroad Program
Utrecht University

Asking Questions from the Heart

“Facing the responsibility to take charge of what I can derive during my short stint overseas, soaked in the atmosphere where ideas and opinions are freely-flowing within the class, it is quite apt to conclude that I asked questions not because I am required to, but for the very fact that I really want to.”

Tan Cheng Yang
SIM-UOL, Year 2

SIM Summer Abroad Program
University of California, Berkeley

Change in Perception towards Education

“Many Singaporean students refuse to ask questions or answer questions in class because they are afraid of being corrected or proved wrong. However, like my lecturer in Berkeley always liked to say, in order to learn, we must first learn to admit wrong. This is very inspiring for me as it changes my perception of education.”

Cai Wan Ling
SIM-UB, Year 2