Considering Studying Abroad at NUS?

My study abroad advisor back at the University of Michigan requested that I talk about what it's like to be an exchange-student at the National University of Singapore in order to help future students better understand what NUS is like compared to UMich. Before deciding on NUS as the place I'd like to study abroad, I remember spending countless hours poring over study abroad blogs from other NUS exchange students. Hopefully, this blog post will serve as a useful source of information not only for UMich students, but also for any students considering NUS for study abroad.

Classes

While you may have some trouble getting the exact classes you want, there are many interesting classes to choose from and the professors are generally very intelligent. Professors come from all around the world; mine come from the United States, Finland, and Korea. Every professor has their own unique accent that may take some time to get accustomed to, but this of course is part of the study abroad experience and ultimately you will become a better listener.

The workload is more or less the same as UMich, except you don't physically turn in as much work as you would at UMich. So, this means that your grade will overwhelmingly be determined by your final exam or just a couple of papers, which you will need to study more for than if they were given less weightage. Since you won't constantly be assessed on your work, you will need to be extra motivated to stay on top of your work. This, however, is usually how it is outside of the United States, especially in Europe. 

Grades

NUS is a very competitive school and ranks among the best in Asia. People here take their studies very, very seriously. Grades are distributed on a strict bell curve and, to my knowledge, all departments must adhere to this curve. You will notice that NUS -- and Singapore in general -- is meritocratic to a fault. Because employers in Singapore prioritize CAP (Singapore's term for GPA) very highly, people here have a strong incentive to study hard.

Unless you are assigned to work in a group project, people really have no interest studying together. 

You can't really blame the students here for this though, since the system is designed in a way where you do better if your peers do worse. It is, without exaggeration, a total zero-sum game. This is not at all conducive to a positive learning environment, nor is it conducive to learning how to work within teams, communicating ideas, and developing other skills important for the real world. Sadly, NUS students are very stressed about grades here (as they rightly should be). This does not apply so much to the exchange students, though, because many take their classes pass/fail and while the curve makes it difficult to do well in a class, it makes it several times harder to actually fail.

However, grades alone shouldn't deter you from studying abroad at NUS. Remember, if you're a UMich student you can always elect to take your classes pass/fail so long as you decide within the first 3 weeks of classes! I personally didn't because doing so would mean that the credits I earned wouldn't be able to count toward my major requirements; however, if you just need general credits, then maybe consider taking classes pass/fail. 

Social Life

Despite the academic life being quite rigorous, there still are plenty of opportunities to have a strong social life at NUS as an exchange student. As long as you are living in the part of campus known as U-Town, you will always see students outside playing frisbee, being involved in student organizations, and just hanging out. The NUS iCare team, which is a group of NUS students that helps to organize events for exchange students, helps with making friends early on in the semester. They are also very happy to share insights on Singaporean culture and give tours around Singapore. The greatest asset when it comes to social life at NUS though, at least for the exchange students, is with the opportunities for easy travel to other countries in Southeast Asia during breaks and long weekends. Check out the rest of my blog to see where I've travelled so far!

Mark's "Pro-Tips"

• Make an effort to interact with Singaporeans while in Singapore (seems obvious, no?). Don't just make friends with other exchange students. Good opportunities to make friends with Singaporeans include: putting in your due work for group projects, joining student organizations (called "interest groups" at NUS), and introducing yourself to the locals where you live. 
• Use NUSMods.com to browse classes instead of the official NUS course directory. It draws all its information from the official NUS directory but also has a much cleaner and user-friendly interface.
• Try to do some planning for where you would like to travel and what you would like to in Singapore before arriving. That way, you will have more time to focus on your classes while you're here. 
• Join the "Singapore 101 Programme" offered by NUS. This will allow you to learn about Singaporean culture and meet other exchange students in the program early on.

Have more questions?

Email me at mrhaidar@umich.edu. I am happy to help!

What is an "Asian"?

Now 8 weeks into the semester, I have had the opportunity to travel to Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur and Melaka), the Philippines (Manila and Boracay), and Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, Krabi, and Chiang Mai). While I still have more travel plans for the semester and had intended to talk about all of the overarching takeaways at the end of the semester, I feel as though it would be useful to share one of my bigger observations now.

Southeast Asia: A Place of Incredible Diversity

It is really remarkable how much cultural diversity there is in such a relatively small region like Southeast Asia. Not only is there substantial diversity between these countries (e.g. Malaysia vs. Philippines), but there is also significant diversity within these countries (e.g. Northern Thailand vs. Southern Thailand). 

It is not as though everyone in Malaysia is ethnically Malay, nor is it the case that everyone in Thailand is ethnically Thai. It is not the case that everyone in the Philippines is Catholic, nor is it the case that everyone in Thailand is Buddhist or that everyone in Malaysia is Muslim. Rather, the reality is that these countries (most notably Singapore and Malaysia) are very much integrated, multicultural societies. 

Of course, the differences in Southeast Asian culture extend far beyond just ethnicity and culture, but to give justice to all these differences would surely require more than one blog post, which brings me to my main point...

The Dangers of Pan-ethnic Identities 

Back in the US, it is pretty commonplace for people to classify others as "Asians." Now, I'm sure that no one does this out of malice, but it really is a gross overgeneralization that isn't all that telling of the cultural practices and values with which one identifies. Categorizing people from Asia into one single group is, in my opinion, no more helpful or informative as it would be to categorize people from Europe, Africa, or North America for that matter. By lumping all people whose countries are located within Asia into one single category known as "Asians," it implies that there are in fact very little differences between these groups when in reality the differences are immense.

Even within Thailand, for example, not everyone identifies as being "Thai." People from Northern Thailand will often instead identify as being "Lan Na" because, in their view, Lan Na culture is significantly different from Thai culture. In fact, people from Northern Thailand and Southern Thailand are so culturally different that despite their shared nationality as Thais, they would have a very difficult time communicating with one another because of different languages/dialects.

This need not apply only to Asians. Arabs, Africans, Europeans, Hispanics/Latinos, or any other socially constructed pan-ethnic identity unfairly lumps people into categories. This, however, is not to say that all pan-ethnic identities are equally misrepresented, which depends mostly on power dynamics and social positioning.

Some pan-ethnic identities are more known to be pan-ethnic identities than others, which therefore implies that some people know that there is more to a person that the pan-ethnic identity they are lumped into. Coming from the US and having had no exposure to Asia before this semester, I was socially positioned to not be as aware of the nuances within "Asian" culture. Conversely, for someone from, say, Thailand, he or she would likely be socially positioned to not be as aware of the nuances within "Hispanic/Latino" culture.

So... does this mean we shouldn't use pan-ethnicities?

The core problem with using pan-ethnicities is that it often leads to people forgetting about the diversity and variety that goes into these pan-ethnic groups. As long as we understand that there are vast underlying differences within these pan-ethnicies we use to categorize people, then I don't have much of a problem with people using them. But if we disingenuously use these pan-ethnicies without realizing their limitations, then I think it can be detrimental to real cultural understanding.

Philippines and Bangkok (Finally!)

Philippines 

In the Philippines, I went to Manila and Boracay. I am fascinated by Filipino culture, particularly for its heavy Spanish and American influences. It's the only country where you'll find an Empanada Nation, Tsia Tao, and McDonalds all next to each other. And, of all the Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines easily plays the most basketball, which necessarily means that it's my favorite country (but really). Also, the people were extremely polite. "Hello, sir; thank you, sir; have a good day, sir" was the norm. 

Manila

At least by appearance, Manila feels like a place under martial law. There are armed security guards with assault rifles, drug-sniffing dogs, and airport-like security measures at every tourist spot. That said, we all still had a great time in Manila.

There's really heavy traffic in Manila, but at least you get to drive around in these tank-like cars

Intramuros, the Philippines's colonial district. Very strong Spanish influence here.

Almost looks like a Quinceañera...

I met a very friendly group of Filipinos. They thought I looked like the guy from One Direction.  

Manila Bay, one of the best places to see the sunset 

Boracay

Because of its beautiful beaches, Boracay is a popular tourist destination. That said, there are still many locals that live in Boracay. Through Frisbee and Basketball, we were able to befriend many locals. They told us where to eat, let us use their paddle boards, and some even shared their life stories. All in all, there was a lot to love about Manila: the locals were extremely friendly, the food was great, and the beach was easily the best beach I've ever been to. 

On the way to Boracay

Exchange students + 3 Boracay locals

The Boracay sunset

I would play here everyday if I could

Bangkok

There is A LOT to do in Bangkok. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to do everything, but I did have enough time to cover all the major temples and other major attractions. Among these include Khao San Road, which is perhaps the most happening road you can find Southeast Asia, the Chatuchak Weekend Market, which is a very large and cheap marketplace serviced by both locals and tourists and is open only on weekends, and Victory Monument, which is a less-popular tourist spot but a good place to better understand local (urban) life! The food in Bangkok is unbelievable, debatably better than Singapore. I also got a Thai foot massage just before my flight back home, which was definitely a major highlight of my trip. I felt obligated to tip even though it's not culturally practiced because (1) my feet are much larger than their average client and (2) my feet were in desperate need of a massage.

The Grand Palace

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho 

Muay Thai

Wat Arun

Chinatown

Victory Monument

Phat See Ew

Street food, banana pancakes!

The King of Thailand. You can find his picture everywhere.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Tom Yum Kung

McDonalds... in Thailand

Studying Abroad: A Balancing Act

When I originally sat down to write this blog post, I had intended to finish up sharing my experience in the Philippines and Bangkok. That, however, will have to wait, as I was in the mood to write more generally about my study abroad experience and the major takeaways I've gained thus far. 

Studying abroad is what you make it of it. Generally speaking, there are three types of study abroad students. On one extreme, there is the student that tries to travel everywhere, with absolutely no regard for classes. On the other extreme, there is the student who is so focused on classes that they don't do so much as to even leave campus. Together, these two groups constitute about 25% of all exchange students here at NUS.

The remaining 75% -- the group I fall in -- is composed of students that are trying to do it all, but at the detriment of not doing any single thing right. While I am only taking 3 classes, I am busier now than I have ever been. In addition to taking some of the most challenging classes of my life, I also have several other tasks on my plate: managing this blog, keeping my friends and family back home in the loop, Skyping in every week for my fellowship with the Center for Positive Organizations and remotely working on my team project, applying to and interview for summer internships, and, most tasking of all, trying to make the most of the limited time I have on the other side of the world. 

I know for a fact a lot of exchange students feel the same way I do. It isn't really a bad thing either to fall into this middle category, but I think I'll have to make some cuts, probably in the area of travel, in order to lead a healthier life (I'm probably averaging 4-5 hours of sleep a night) and to devote more time to my classes.

I will say this, however. I think this is the first time in my life that I truly -- and I mean truly -- appreciated the scarcity of time. There is so much I want to do here. Everyday is a challenge to do something I have never done before. Everyday is a new opportunity; no day is to be left unseized. 

Back at home, it is almost as if I was living in idle, letting each day pass in mindless routine. Come May and I return back home, I hope to continue living with this newfound mindset. Life, I've realized, is too short to live in content idle. 

I challenge you all to live your lives in a similar manner -- that is, to live your life like an exchange student. Everyday have an "itinerary." Strive to do something new, as it is variety that makes life rich. Comfort is fine, but too much comfort -- too much contentedness -- is not conducive to living a full life, at least in my view. Those who know me well know that I am not usually the one to use clichés, but I really do think there is a lot of truth to these statements.

Vlog 2: The Philippines and Bangkok

Please forgive the late post! The last couple of weeks have been ridiculously busy with traveling to Thailand and the Philippines, interviewing for and applying to summer internships, participating in extracurricular activities, coordinating travel plans with my family, studying for classes, etc.

I decided to make a vlog rather than a traditional blog because I thought it would be faster; however, I was incredibly mistaken. It took quite a long time to put this vlog together (probably as long as it would have taken for a traditional blog post), and I feel as though it doesn't provide nearly the same level of information or depth that a traditional blog post would. So, for the future, rather than vlogging as a substitute for a blog post, vlogs will instead serve as a supplement to blog posts.

Feel free to watch Vlog #2 now, but expect a traditional blog post soon that will give a more comprehensive overview of my last couple weeks! I'll try to condense it as best as I can, but it'll be hard. Enjoy Vlog #2! Warning: it is just as disorganized (and perhaps embarrassing?) as the first!

Skip to 2:00 if you just want to see clips from the Philippines and Bangkok!

Classes Update and First Haircut

So, How are Classes Going?

As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I'm currently taking 3 classes this semester: Managing Nonprofit Organizations, Global Political Economy, and Comparative Study of Development. I really enjoy all three classes, as they add context and meaning to my study abroad experience as I travel around Southeast Asia. In Comparative Study of Development, we analyze what policies and politics lead to development and underdevelopment (i.e. economic, political, and social development). In Global Political Economy, I'm learning about the political implications of our contemporary global economy from a multi-disciplinary perspective. In Managing Nonprofit Organizations, I am learning how to bring ideas into actions and am gaining the technical, real-life skills to work in the social sector. This one is my favorite course -- we actually get the chance to create a nonprofit through the course! 

So far, there haven't been many assignments in my classes besides readings, but I expect the work to pick up considerably during the final weeks of the semester. As compared to the American education system, there definitely are less graded assignments during the semester; however, this does not necessarily mean that the classes here are any less challenging than back in the states.

I've had to adapt my study strategies to be a successful student here, as I have officially gone paperless! The printing system at NUS is so awful that I simply could not have continued to print all of my readings out. There are so many reasons to go paperless (e.g. save money and time on prints, environmental benefits, convenience of not having to carry around all your notes, etc.). If you are thinking about making the switch to paperless, then definitely check out the iOS app Notability! The interface is great, it syncs all your notes between all your iOS devices, and it's only $2.99! 

Haircut with Auntie Audrey

Last week I got my first haircut in Southeast Asia! Unsurprisingly, there aren't many (if any) Arab barbers in Singapore. That said, my Singaporean barber, Auntie Audrey (that's what she insists I call her), did quite a good job on my Arab hair.

She kindly made clear to me that my hair was much thicker than her average customer and that I was getting my money's worth. We also talked about my "beautiful Christian name," which, of course, is Mark. I hadn't really thought about the fact that my name comes from Christian roots until then. Anyway, I'm looking forward to more haircuts and interesting conversations with Auntie Audrey.

In other news, I just got back from the Philippines! The Philippines is a really cool country with its own unique culture. Expect another post by Friday detailing my experience there!

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, which is Malaysia's capital, was only a quick one-hour flight from Singapore (it actually took a longer time to travel from the airport to our hotel). KL is pretty similar to Singapore, or really any big city for that manner, so it was a pretty familiar (although fun) experience. 

Friday

Arriving on Friday evening, we visited the city's main attractions and enjoyed the vibrant nightlife.

Departing Singapore

Petronas Towers

Photocred to Jeong-Hwan 

The crew

Saturday

We visited Batu Caves, Central Market, Merdeka Square, and Bukit Bingtang. All were fun, but Batu Caves was the main highlight of the trip for me!

Batu Caves

This statue is HUGE (compare to the 272 steps on its right)

So many monkeys at Batu Caves

Many, many steps to get inside the caves

Inside the caves


Delicious Char Kuey Teow, a Malaysian dish

Historic Merdeka Square

Bukit Bintang, more or less the Times Square of Malaysia

On Sunday, I went to the hotel gym and pool in the morning, and then we all headed to the bus station to go to Melaka, which is said to be Malaysia's cultural capital.

Meleka

Melaka was a much more low-key and enriching experience for me as compared to KL. Melaka presented the opportunity for me to experience the "real Malaysia". Life here was much quieter, peaceful, and family-oriented than in KL. 

Sunday

We went on a brief cruise on the Melaka River, explored major sites from Melaka's colonial past, and visited Jonker Street at night.

The Melaka River Cruise

I feel like this kid was having a revelation

Beautiful artwork on the buildings alongside the Meleka river

Historic fort built by Portuguese colonialists  

More touristic colonialism 

Selfie at perhaps Melaka's most famous symbol

Inside the church

Jonker Walk, perhaps the coolest street I've walked through (also great street food)

Karaoke!

Quite the crowd to watch Karaoke

Monday

We relaxed in the hotel, revisited all the sites from the day before, and visited Kampung Morten, which is a quaint Malay village on the Melaka river.

Cross the bridge and you'll find yourself in Kampung Morten

Inside Kampung Morten

I'm not sure who this guy is, but his picture is EVERYWHERE in Meleka

It almost feels like I'm in Texas...

Reflections and Realizations

This is the point of the blog where I'll attempt to go beyond the surface level and try to make meaning of my experiences abroad. For some readers, this may be the point that I lose you. But for other readers -- that is, those that are interested in my experience abroad beyond a superficial level -- this may be the part of my blog that interests you most. Whether you fall in the former or the latter, no judgement is passed and I respect you equally nonetheless.

Reality Check + American Privilege

The moment has finally come where I am beginning to realize how long I will be away from the states. Having arrived to Singapore on January 6th, I have now been in Southeast Asia for 3 weeks, which is approaching the point where you stop viewing your time abroad as a vacation but rather as a new place you live in. While I am enjoying every lasting minute here and by no means would like to return prematurely, I would be lying if I said I am not missing American culture.

In my view, at least for me, you don't really understand or appreciate the value of your home country's culture until you're separated from it for a significant period of time. Having lived in the United States my whole life and having traveled very little internationally prior to studying abroad, I've never really been immersed in a culture different than mine for an extended period of time.

With that said, as an American, I have the privilege to see and experience shades of my culture no matter where I travel. Whether it's a McDonalds or Subway, or a Hollywood movie playing at the theatre, or simply having English written on signs everywhere I go, globalization has spread Western cultural institutions not only all throughout Singapore, but even in many places in Malaysia. Unfortunately, due to power dynamics, the reverse does not apply for these groups, and that, to me, is the essence of American privilege.

For example, assuming you are from the states, do you know of a place where you can eat Malaysian food, or watch a Malay movie, or see Malay written in a public setting? (If you know of a place where I can eat Malaysian food, please let me know -- it's delicious!) All I wish to express is that it is a tremendous privilege to be an American -- not only for the obvious economic, political, and social privileges, but also for the less appreciated privileges such as the one I just described above.