By SEJIN PAIK, KOREA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL & RUKMINI MAHORKAR, AMERICAN SCHOOL OF BOMBAY
You’ve done your MUN prep, you’ve booked your tickets, you’ve done your packing, you’ve picked out your cutest outfits, you’ve checked out your hotel room—but wait! There’s something you’ve forgotten: venturing into Singapore.
There is so much to see in this seemingly tiny country, contradictions and resolutions, the huge assortment of cultures blending together while each one still stands out, unique: the hard lines of the shopping centers and the fluid movements of the surrounding greenery; and the scents of laksa (a typically Singaporean noodle dish) and McDonald’s mingling in the air. There’s the shopping (does the name Orchard Road ring any bells?), the world’s largest Ferris wheel (the Singapore Flyer), the restaurants, the temples, and the museums. If you haven’t already taken a tour, listen to what other people have had to say about their experiences in Singapore.
Two delegates of Malaysia, Sina Haase and Kathrin Eichinger, from Switzerland, talked about their time swimming with dolphins on Sentosa: “It was amazing,” said Haase, especially in light of the contrast between Switzerland and Singapore. Just being able to swim at this time of year was a luxury for them.
Another interesting attraction is the Night Safari, a tour of the rainforest in which ICJ advocate Supriya Balachander, from India, saw several varieties of exotic animals: lions, tigers, tapirs, flamingoes, porcupines, anteaters, and more. She commented that as she entered, she asked herself “why I felt as if I had just entered Disneyland.” The answer may lie in the amount of gift shops in the area!
Press delegate Hannah Rees, from the Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Australia, added that it was “fantastic,” to hear the lions roar—although her fellow delegate Ice Nakwichian commented that it “sounded like they were choking.” Rees loved how natural it was: “…it was open, with no fences—the animals weren’t caged off like they are in Australian zoos.” Nakwichian’s favorite part was the sleep she caught up on—she “kind of dozed off” at some point.
Delegate of Myanmar Isabel Tannenbaum had a different perspective. As a local (she attends the Singapore United World College), she was able to recommend the best places for newcomers to visit: Holland Village, for the varied international and local food; Vivo City, for its excellent shopping and direct train to Sentosa Island; and, of course, Sentosa Island itself.
In all of this excitement over the shopping and leisure activities available in Singapore, don’t think that the multicultural aspects of Singapore have gone unappreciated. Delegate of Portugal Lauren Kang from South Korea developed a different viewpoint of the country while on a trip to Little India. In Kang’s words, “seeing [the Hindu temples] and the religious motivation of the people was an experience that can never be repeated.”
Her words can be applied to all of us visiting Singapore for the first time. See everything you can, as soon as you can—it may be an experience you will never relive, so take advantage of this opportunity!
You’ve done your MUN prep, you’ve booked your tickets, you’ve done your packing, you’ve picked out your cutest outfits, you’ve checked out your hotel room—but wait! There’s something you’ve forgotten: venturing into Singapore.
There is so much to see in this seemingly tiny country, contradictions and resolutions, the huge assortment of cultures blending together while each one still stands out, unique: the hard lines of the shopping centers and the fluid movements of the surrounding greenery; and the scents of laksa (a typically Singaporean noodle dish) and McDonald’s mingling in the air. There’s the shopping (does the name Orchard Road ring any bells?), the world’s largest Ferris wheel (the Singapore Flyer), the restaurants, the temples, and the museums. If you haven’t already taken a tour, listen to what other people have had to say about their experiences in Singapore.
Two delegates of Malaysia, Sina Haase and Kathrin Eichinger, from Switzerland, talked about their time swimming with dolphins on Sentosa: “It was amazing,” said Haase, especially in light of the contrast between Switzerland and Singapore. Just being able to swim at this time of year was a luxury for them.
Another interesting attraction is the Night Safari, a tour of the rainforest in which ICJ advocate Supriya Balachander, from India, saw several varieties of exotic animals: lions, tigers, tapirs, flamingoes, porcupines, anteaters, and more. She commented that as she entered, she asked herself “why I felt as if I had just entered Disneyland.” The answer may lie in the amount of gift shops in the area!
Press delegate Hannah Rees, from the Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Australia, added that it was “fantastic,” to hear the lions roar—although her fellow delegate Ice Nakwichian commented that it “sounded like they were choking.” Rees loved how natural it was: “…it was open, with no fences—the animals weren’t caged off like they are in Australian zoos.” Nakwichian’s favorite part was the sleep she caught up on—she “kind of dozed off” at some point.
Delegate of Myanmar Isabel Tannenbaum had a different perspective. As a local (she attends the Singapore United World College), she was able to recommend the best places for newcomers to visit: Holland Village, for the varied international and local food; Vivo City, for its excellent shopping and direct train to Sentosa Island; and, of course, Sentosa Island itself.
In all of this excitement over the shopping and leisure activities available in Singapore, don’t think that the multicultural aspects of Singapore have gone unappreciated. Delegate of Portugal Lauren Kang from South Korea developed a different viewpoint of the country while on a trip to Little India. In Kang’s words, “seeing [the Hindu temples] and the religious motivation of the people was an experience that can never be repeated.”
Her words can be applied to all of us visiting Singapore for the first time. See everything you can, as soon as you can—it may be an experience you will never relive, so take advantage of this opportunity!
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