Quynh and friends sharing a treat in Singapore

Quynh’s Experience in Singapore

 

Quynh studied in Singapore on the Singapore, Singapore: National University of Singapore, Dept EDSGN (Summer) Program in Summer 2016.

 

If you could give only one reason, why would you suggest other students study abroad?
If you have an opportunity, I would definitely recommend studying abroad because it broadens your scope! What I mean is that you get to learn valuable skills as to how to work in a group with people from all over the world. I got to learn how to work in a team with people from Utah and Singapore which added to my cultural awareness, such as being respectful of the values of others.

 
If you could go abroad again, what would you do differently?
quynh and friends taking a selfie at a restaurant I would probably try to get to know more about the local people. Because I was so busy with schoolwork and doing “touristy” things, I wasn’t able to interact with a lot of the local people aside from the Singaporean student in my group. It’s always nice to learn about the customs and values of people from different countries because you end up appreciating the things that you have in life. For example, you have to pay for napkins in Singapore, so when I came back to the states, I was so happy to have free napkins! Plus, I would totally do more research about the country before I visit, i.e. if you ever go to Singapore, bring napkins!

 

What specific factors influenced your decision to go abroad?

I wanted to study abroad because I wanted to broaden my scope and escape the cultural bubble that I am in all the time. I always take the little things in life for granted and going to Singapore helped me realize how lucky I am to have the opportunities that I am given. Studying abroad also gave me the opportunity to learn how to respect other cultures and people’s values.

 

What concerns/fears did you have about studying abroad, and how did you overcome them?
The most important concern that I, and my mom, had was my safety. You never know if you will run into safety issues when traveling. Being able to travel in a group and learning that Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world was really comforting. I frequently talked to people who had been to Singapore and made sure I had taken the necessary precautions. This helped me avoid any issues.

 

What was it about your program specifically that fit your personal goals over other programs?
I wanted to explore the design aspect of engineering while also trying to broaden my horizon, so this program is perfect because it allowed me to do both. I got to spend almost 3 weeks working with a team to create a product that would help our client be more efficient while building long-lasting relationships with my Singaporean friends.

 

How have you used the skills you learned abroad now that you are back; either in job searching, or in other activities?
Ever since coming back, I apply the design process to almost every engineering project I am involved in! I learned that the client is always right and even though you are an engineer and have a specific way of designing a product, if the client isn’t willing to buy it, then what’s the point? Now, I listen to my clients more so than trying to create something that meets my specifications.

 

What experiences did you have while studying abroad that you feel you could not have had if you had stayed at Penn State?
If I stayed at Penn State, then I wouldn’t have learned how to communicate with other people who have different values and backgrounds. Sometimes, I would pull in American pop culture references, but the Singaporean student would not understand the joke or context. I had to learn their culture so I could communicate better with them. If I stayed at Penn State, then I would have not learned how to effectively communicate with other people from different cultures.

 

What advice would you give to outbound study abroad students to help them make the most out of their study abroad experiences?
quynh and friends eating at a tableBe open-minded and take advantage of every opportunity at your disposal! This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and if you are scared to try something new, then you will never know if you actually like it. I honestly didn’t think I would like some of the Singaporean food, but if I never tried it, then I wouldn’t know!

 

Share an experience where you interacted with someone in your host culture in a way that taught you something.
Singapore is very nit-picky about cleanliness and one of the things I learned is to never drink or eat in the subway system or you will be fined. In America, it’s so common to do this, so going to a culture where the common is now uncommon took some time to adjust to. From this experience, I learned how to pay attention and read signs when travelling to different countries because if you don’t, it could cost you!

 

 

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