OELP reflection

The China OELP trip was very meaningful to me. I really feel that this trip had taught me many valuable lessons that I can take back. The places we visited had allowed me to understand more about how China works to strive to be a constantly progressing country. I think that I have also understood more about things in a international scale, about relationships between countries and how problems are handled by a country. From the trips to the museums, I have come to understand the progress of both Shanghai and Suzhou and how they plan to continue. From the  Shanghai urban planing exhibit, I came to understand how China had changed from a place with low lying buildings, limited transportation and technology to a place with tall skyscrapers and bullet trains all over Shanghai. Shanghai had become one of the most advanced city in the world, with technology surpassing that of Singapore. I feel amazed how much it has changed from the exhibits and for our guide there. I really think that Shanghai had done an amazing job at creating a great city from in just a few short years. I think that we, Singapore, should start learning how Shanghai did all that and start trying to improve just as they are. They have been planning to build 22 train lines by 2020 which will make it even greater. They are also fighting global warming by investing on cleaner and greener transport and even pollution treatment. In my opinion, Shanghai has really grown a lot and will grow even more. They have been smart by investing to mitigate global warming and still can further improve their city by building more train lines. I feel that Shanghai is a very appropriate role model for Singapore and to remind us to plan ahead and to plan smart. They have set not only realistic goals but also very beneficial goals. I have come to know how much Singapore is lacking in technology compared to Shanghai. While Singapore MRTs break down very often, Shanghai's trains rarely break down and are also faster. This makes me wonder how long will Singapore stay as an advanced country when cities like Shanghai have overtaken us. Foe example, Shanghai's port has overtaken Singapore's port as the busiest port in the world and they are continuing to grow. Many other countries are also constantly investing in their ports and if Singapore does not improve, we will continue to drop. I think Singapore must learn from Shanghai's attitude, to allows strive to achieve more and not stay stagnant. We must constantly aim higher, if not we will never grow. However, one thing I think Singapore seems greener than Shanghai. I find Singapore's air cleaner and the streets greener. I think Shanghai is more of a concrete forest, with many buildings and fewer trees. 
I also learned the differences and similarities between China and Singapore. The schools are very different to me. It was quite a shock as I thought the schools would be quite similar. The greatest difference is that Singapore focuses on a holistic education while schools in China focuses on studies. I feel that both have both negative and positive effects. However, I still prefer Singapore's education system better. I think that Singapore's education system would allow one to be more prepared to go into the real world, to be a better person. Through the CCAs we can learn more values that cannot be found in textbooks. China on the other hand are 'forcing' them to study, making them, in a way, smarter. However, I think that without the values, they will just be smart, but with no character, no other skills. Singapore aims to achieve a good character in every person, to teach them life skills and values. I think that China should try to instil more values in their lessons and don't focus only on their intellectual ability but the social aspect too. However, the students over in China show a very distinct aspect that many Singaporeans lack. I find that they are very disciplined. When they can talk, they chat and laugh but when they have to be quiet in a lesson, hardly anyone speaks. The place seems very quiet. I also see that the students are very competitive, just like China is. They always strive to be the top and work very hard just to be the best. I feel that Singaporeans need to be more disciplined, to control themselves and at the same time, not lose the more enthusiastic behaviour that we have.
I have also learned more about Shanghai and Suzhou's culture better. I realised that the two provinces have very different background. Suzhou has a richer Chinese culture while Shanghai's culture is made of numerous cultures from all around the Earth. From visiting Suzhou, I have understood more about the thinking and ways of traditional Chinese form the past. In Shanghai, I have learned how Shanghai is affected by western influences. From The humble administrators garden in Suzhou, I have seen how Chinese superstition influenced their structures like how they made curved pavements as they thought ghosts could not turn. In life, I think we can learn from their creativity. When we face a problem, we have to think of a way to overcome it like how Chinese people in the past dealt with their problem. In Shanghai, it is very different. The port of Shanghai was open to the world in the Wusong war and thus was influenced by western cultures. Shanghai has many European structures which can be found in the old Shanghai bund. From the exposure, I think Shanghai had better technology as they implemented the beneficial aspects of western cultures and mixed it with Chinese cultures to improve their society like in Shikumen where they built houses like western townhouses to save space and added Chinese design to house refugees. I have seen how different backgrounds has differently impacted the two places. The exposure Shanghai gained had allowed it to advance more while Suzhou have a richer Chinese culture to enjoy. Both cultures has its positive and negative impacts but I still think Shanghai's culture is more beneficial. I have learned that, just like Shanghai, we need exposure and experiences, if not we will never understand what something is really like. Just like how I did not truly understand how Shanghai has progressed until I go to the city myself to experience the life there and see the place for myself. 
I think exposure is very important and I think that is what Singapore schools need and are striving to do, to give students the experience, to expose them to new things. However, at the same time, we cannot forget our culture, our roots just like how Suzhou preserves its culture whether artefacts or a street. We need our culture to make us unique, to take pride in ourselves, to help us learn from what our culture is like.

Nathan