My Exchange at Nanyang Technological University
Overall, my exchange experience was incredible, especially after arriving in Singapore and settling in. I was able to make friends fairly quickly, find my way around the university and get into the groove of academic life. I was also able to explore Singapore and Malaysia.
When I was certainly shocked by the heat and the difference in structure, especially with NTU being much larger than any University I have ever seen. It took me a while to get my route sorted out and learn how to use the shuttle buses and other forms of transport. However, once I had those down, I was able to navigate my way around the University and the city fairly easily.
As for my desire to meet new people and build relationships, I was able to achieve that faster and better than I thought I would. I was first able to meet people through the group chats that were created before coming to Singapore. I was then able to meet others through the orientation program. This is where I met most of the people who would become my closest friends. I made sure to take part in all of the activities that where planned and to speak to as many people as I could. Several of us then made plans to go sightseeing together and became inseparable from that point onwards. I also formed a very close relationship with my roommate, which was crucial to ensuring we both felt comfortable during our stay.
One of the most important parts of any exchange is travel and exploration. That is why I had done my research and prepared several things I wanted to see and do when I arrived in Singapore. Although the academic component is important, travelling is also a core priority of the exchange program. The first place I visited was the Gardens by the Bay. This was a typical tourist attraction in Singapore, and it was certainly at the top of my list. I was able to go with a large group of people from our orientation, which was useful as most of us had only been in the country for a week and were not confident about going out at night by ourselves. Another significant location was Haw Par Villa. Not only did I get to learn so much about Singaporean history but the group that I went with became my main and closest group of friends throughout my time at NTU. A major aspect of my exploration was the cultural element. I knew that Singapore was a melting pot of cultures. However, I did not know that I would get to experience things like the Lunar New Year, Ramadan and Holi as vividly as I did. This was possibly the most important part of my exchange travelling as it taught me the most about the ways in which other groups celebrate their culture outside their home country. As san Arab living in a Western country, this gave me a lot of perspective on how one can balance their culture with their environment.
The academic side of my exchange was also successful. Although I admit there was one course I wish I had not taken as it was not what I thought it was, I was able to take some courses for my communications major that were different and useful. The Socially Engaged Photography course I did was by far my favourite. I had done photography for many years, but this course taught me how to add more depth to my photos and how to tell a story about a social issue through a series of photos. I was able to do my final project with young refugees in Malaysia. I worked with an organisation in Kuala Lumpur named Youth Empowerment Support. I worked with their young people, and we discussed the idea of home and the different places in KL that made them feel at home. I then took photographs of those places and organised them into a small zine alongside the stories they told me.
Another memorable course I took was VR Journalism. This was not a combination I had ever thought about, but it proved to be very useful. I was able to see how virtual reality has been used in the field of Journalism. As an aspiring journalist, I found this important. We then lerart how to use 360 cameras to make our virtual reality documentaries. Although my final product could have been better, especially from a technical point of view, I was happy with the experience and all of the things that I had learned.
As amazing as all of this was, there were certainly aspects of my exchange experience that were difficult and stressful. Arriving and settling in may not have taken too long, but the process of getting there was long and strenuous. Applying to 360, getting courses approved, searching and applying for scholarships and spending hours on the phone with StudyLink. These are just brief examples of what had to be done in order for my exchange to come together. It was not easy, and it certainly was not enjoyable, but I made sure to keep myself excited by looking at all of the places I would go and see once this process hopefully sorted itself out. The most stress-inducing part would have to be the NTU academic system, which made it impossible for us to find out the courses we were approved for until after our arrival. As someone who did not wish to delay my graduation or do any extra semester, I was very keen on getting all of my required courses. I was lucky enough to get the courses I needed; however, not everyone was. We also did not know whether we would have exams, which meant that booking the return ticket would have to be a shot in the dark. Personally, I booked my return ticket much later than I had to as I did not have to take any exams, something I did not know until much later. The accommodation was also only confirmed a month before departure, which felt rushed and meant that when booking my tickets early for scholarship purposes, I had to pay extra for the Flexi package, which would allow me to cancel and get a refund if I had to. These are all things that made the process difficult and left me feeling a great deal of uncertainty. However, all of this seemed good in the past and meaningless once I arrived in Singapore, and the puzzle pieces managed to fall into place for me.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Virtual Reality Course, where I was able to learn how to use a 360 camera and create a virtual reality documentary
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
The main recommendation would be to experience the melting pot of cultures. Make sure you go to all of the cultural sites, including Arab Street, Little India and China Town. The most important thing would be to research the cultural events and celebrations that are taking place while you are there. For example, I was able to attend the Lunar New Year celebration, Ramadan Bazars and Rang de Holi.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
If you are applying for the Prime Minister’s scholarship, make sure you know that you cannot travel outside of your country. If you need to apply for it, I would suggest choosing a country that is large enough and has many different areas to explore.
Build a good relationship with your roommate; it makes all the difference!
Talk to everyone and say yes to as many experiences as you can.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
For weekly expenses, I budgeted 250-300 NZD a week, which was more or less correct as Singapore is expensive. This usually included any outside activities as well.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
I learnt a lot about myself. I learnt that in the right circumstances, I can enjoy socialization more than I thought I would. I learnt that I am very resourceful and highly independent. I also learnt that despite all of that, I can make many mistakes and often humiliate myself when I don’t know what I’m doing. This led me to learn how to better deal with failure and humiliation.