SEP- Lancaster to NUS

It has been an experience we all will never forget

By: Maja Markovic (BBA, Lancaster University)
SEP at NUS July 01 - May 02
Courtesy of Lancaster University International Office

When we were on our way to Singapore, I was excited about seeing a different culture, way of life and also a new university. Having another three students from Lancaster by my side made the start easier. The Hostel I stayed at, Prince George's Park (PGP), a huge College of 3,000 students, made it easy to meet new students as all the international students are staying there. The two canteens, a tennis course and three basketball courses are just a few seconds away from the rooms. Bus shuttles go all around the campus - all for free - as it is mostly too far to walk or just a bit too hot.

Weather:

It is hot out there but we all got used to it. You are never cold, that's for sure! But during the day, you might sweat a bit more. However, the best thing is to go to the pool (at the sports and recreation centre) and do some cooling down but also reading there. It is fun.

Living:

The rooms are totally new at PGP and are, therefore, clean and modern. There are three different sorts of rooms: with an own bathroom and air-conditioning (type A), just with a wash basin and no air-conditioning (type B), without a wash basin and no air-conditioning (type C). Obviously, the type A rooms are the best and most comfortable but also the most expensive ones; so it all depends on the money you want to spend.

There are a variety of different food stalls in the canteens offering good tasting Asian food but there is also Western food available. The costs are very low (about 70p per meal) but the beverages are more expensive. It seems that almost everything is far cheaper than in England.

University:

The Business School encourages competition so that the courses are pretty tough and the standards are high. IT is a huge difference to the first year; definitely a lot more work. However, it doesn't matter if you are in Lancaster or Singapore, you will have more work anyway. The National University of Singapore (NUS) offers a lot more courses than you can find at Lancaster. Some courses are better than others but it also depends on the professors. The sectional teaching format is in my point of view very efficient. With around 20 class mates the material is covered in details during the three hour sections each week. But you always have to remember that Asians tend to be shy and to go with the flow. Once you break the barrier they can be very open and communicative.

Life around:

If you like to go somewhere in Singapore, just catch the MRT (the Singaporean underground). The nearest station is just a short bus ride away. Besides studying you can shop at Orchard, look around China Town or Little India, or take the MRT to Raffles to sit in some bars at Boat Quay (psssttt...there is also an African Bar just next to PGP). Going out in Singapore is excellent. Zouk, one of Asia's world-famous nightclubs is always a good place to be, with guest DJs from all over the world. But there are also other places which have their known ladies nights. You can definitely have a lot of fun and spend a lot of money there. On the other hand, you can spend it more wisely by traveling to Malaysia or further away to Sumatra, Vietnam or Thailand. To get top Johor Bahru (nearest city in Malaysia) takes only about 90 minutes and costs about Sin$4. A bus ticket to Thailand would cost around $70. It is worth it.

In retrospect, I have to say that it has been an experience we all will never forget. In the end, it really matters what you make out of it yourself. Sometimes we might have wished to be at home or see our old friends but then we experienced so many new things, met a lot of interesting people and enjoyed living a different life. It is something we would definitely recommend because we loved it."