Prior to going on the trip, I thought the program was going to be structured similarly to a normal on-campus class. Primarily consisting of in-person lectures, article readings, and written assignments required to be completed throughout the trip. When we were given the itinerary, I soon realized that it would be the opposite of what I expected based on the multiple industry visits planned and fully booked mornings. Instead of being taught in a traditional classroom and having no freedom on choosing what to learn for the day, we were allowed to educate ourselves by being observant and using our critical thinking skills, thus creating our own takeaways. Some of those learning opportunities would arise from researching Singapore for our pre-departure presentation, observing something different about the culture on a daily basis, and actively participating while listening to the speakers during our industry visits. Speaking from a business standpoint and having barely started the trip, from this global experience I hope to gain a better understanding of how culture affects creating business relationships within or across different industries and countries. For my personal curiosity, from this global experience, I hope to learn more about Singaporean culture and what values I could incorporate into my own routine and mentality.
Days leading up to our departure date, I was excited to leave Texas because of its gloomy weather, and replace it with the sunny climate I imagined Singapore would welcome us with. Safe to say I was wrong, and so far the days have consisted of dark skies, rain, and heavy humidity. Despite its unfortunate weather, the city of Singapore has wowed me with its impressive modern architecture, delicious street food, and kind citizens. They have managed to have the technological and economic development of the United States, while also maintaining a strong sense of their traditional values throughout different aspects of their society.
