#12 OELP Tasks
Task 1:Local's Satisfaction( Cost of living)
I gathered the opinions of my buddy . My buddy is satisfied with the cot of living in Shanghai . He comes from Wuxi , a city nearby Shanghai and he says that Shanghai's food and groceries are about 29%-32% more expensive than WuXi's .However ,food is provided by the school and the cost of transportation is affordable for him ,hence he is satisfied with the cost of living in Shanghai. He lives in the hostel and he states that the hostel fee is cheap.
As he rarely spends money on items or products for himself , he is happy with the cost of living of Shanghai.
Task 2:Thoughts and Observations on Behavior in Class and Style of Teaching
Firstly, I will talk about the behavior in class. During their English lesson, the students do not engage in pockets of conversation and are all listening attentively to the teacher . In Singapore, I couldn't help but notice that my peers do not respect the teacher by talking when he/she is talking. Moreover, they are not afraid to voice out their thoughts/opinions even though they cannot speak proper and eloquent English. Most of the students will raise their hands to clarify their doubts and a few of them even volunteered to make an impromptu speech about "My Best Holiday" . I admire their courage to volunteer themselves as this is effectively helping them train their presentation skills as well as helping their peers to learn together. In Shanghai , most of the students listen attentively in class,most of them raise their hands to clarify their doubts or to share experiences while in Singapore, many of the students listen in class and only some raise their hands to clarify doubts and close to none have the courage to walk in front of the class to do an impromptu speech voluntarily.
Secondly, I will talk about the Style of teaching in the Nanyang Model High School. During all lessons besides PE lesson , the teachers used presentation slides to teach their students . In Music Appreciation lesson , the teacher relied too much on the powerpoint slides by packing too much content into every slides with little pictures to spice up his presentation. As a result , I'm not surprised to see the Shanghai and Singaporean students taking naps during the Music Appreciation Lesson. In Singapore,the music teacher hands students instruments to use while conducting the lesson at the same time , giving students a hands-on experience.
During English Lesson , the teacher allowed students to discuss with one another and then picked volunteers to share what the students have discussed. In Shanghai, this discussion method works. In Singapore, it is less effective . I am personally not a fan of discussing with peers. Many students are like me because we do not have the courage of speaking aloud to the class about our opinions as we are afraid of being laughed at. However, in Shanghai, students do not laugh at each others mistakes but instead learn together from the mistakes.
Task 3: The Life of A Chinese Student in Shanghai
A Shanghai student studies Chinese,Chemistry, Physics,Biology ,Math, English,History and Geography, just like a River Valley High School student in Singapore. However, all the subjects are taught in their mother tongue, Chinese Language ,except for English lessons. As a result, they are not as proficient in English as RV students . Their standard of English is low as many of the students and even teachers there spoke with grammar errors and pronunciation errors. However ,they are always determined to learn from their mistakes to improve themselves.
They are in school for 9 hours 15 minutes each day , 47 hours a week. Singaporean students are in school for 7-10 hours each day ,depending whether their is CCA , 41 hours a week. In addition , my buddy spends 2 hours after school for self revision each day after he finishes his assignments. My buddy sleeps for 6-7 hours before going to school from hostel and start his morning self-revision . I observe that most students do not have notebooks to jot down their notes but instead just listen attentively to the teacher and remember the information and also the homework assigned. My buddy does not need notes as he had already understood what the teacher is going to teach and sees school as a form of extra revision.
In addition, they have little project works for them to work as a team . River Valley High schools and other secondary school alike , have several team projects each year as it serves as preparation for the project work component in A Levels . Perhaps it is because there is no component for their Gaokao , therefore they don't have many projects to work on.
Task 4:Postcard to home
I wrote a postcard ,stamped it and sent it but it failed to deliver back to Singapore. This was what i wrote:
Dear Mum and Dad,
Hi Mum and Dad! This is already Day 7 of my OELP Shanghai trip. I will be back in a few hours time when you are reading this . The places of interest I visited are great and I will take some stunning pictures of Shanghai tomorrow when I visit the skyscrapers . The place I am now is called TianZiFang , I have been to many places and you will get to see them once I'm Back
Cheers,
Alan
Task 5: Poem of Oriental Pearl Tower
这座塔又美又高大，
它有两百五十九楼，
有四百六十八米高，
它是中国第二最高，
也就是东方明珠塔。
#11 OELP CID Shanghai Trip ( Daily Reflections )
Alan Lim 2B(32)
Day 1:
On this day , I followed my usual morning routine and reached the airport by 7 am. This OELP trip was meant to be an educational trip so being the competitive me, I have done sufficient research on the places of interest in Shanghai , as well as various themes to discuss with my CID group ,e.g. economy ,education ,heritage,science and technology of China.Since Shanghai is China's financial hub,I place more emphasis on the aspect of economy in Shanghai.
I was not particularly enthusiastic about going to Shanghai as I have been there before a few years ago for leisure. However, this was an educational trip so I diverted my attention towards the post-trip tasks .
The Bund
After we touched down in Shanghai and checked in to our hotel rooms ,we got straight to work . Our first task was to investigate the cost of living of an average Shanghainese . The trip to supermarket was actually to investigate the prices of the goods and products in Shanghai but not the cost of living of an average Shanghainese . I kept that in mind.
Hotel Room
There was only one significant place I visited on the first day, the Carrefour supermarket in China. Carrefour is a French multinational retailer ,hence I expected the prices to be similar as in countries like Malaysia.
Heading towards Carrefour
Carrefour failed in Singapore because its prices were higher than its rivals such as Giant.There were many reasons but that is a story for another time. The products in China are cheaper than Singapore ,1.42 yuan and 3.06 yuan respectively ,which surprised me and got me thinking .China's food and products are cheaper because there is more land allocated for agricultural purposes ,as well as lower taxes and lower distribution and production costs. Also ,China has the largest population on Earth so the demand is much higher for cheaper food products otherwise people will not be able to afford it and this leads to the GDP per capita in China was USD 6092 ,much lower than GDP per capita in Singapore which is USD 55,000 according to the world bank.This explains why the cost of products are cheaper in China,and even Shanghai which is a globally renowned city in China . Cheaper prices does not equate to good quality of products .China's food products' quality is bad ,the majority of the food bought and consumed is generally democratized by processing ,genetically modifications ,and artificial coloring .
After the supermarket trip , we went for dinner at 小天鹅, a Chinese restaurant and it was a rather unpleasant experience . The quality of food was poor. It was greasy and unpalatable . I tried to figure out the reason for the poor quality of the food and felt that bad food was probably the result of cheap goods and products in Shanghai ,based on research as well as my investigation at the supermarket earlier.
The traffic and the hygiene level of the city aren't worse from the food we were served . There were badly damaged sidewalks and poorly maintained traffic infrastructure .Many motorist seemed to disobey traffic rules and laws and do not brake even though pedestrians are crossing the zebra crossing. There is also presence of bad hygiene in Shanghai . Cigarette buds could be spotted on the ground everywhere .
Smoking in Shanghai really
is nearly inescapable .Despite the presence of many "Do not Smoke" signs,
smokers still continue to smoke at restaurants, which are restricted areas .In Singapore,
offenders are punishable by fine. China
is the world's largest consumer of cigarettes, with an estimated 350 million
smokers who light up an average of nearly five times a day. Despite many
Chinese suffering from respiratory illnesses due to smoking, the tobacco
industry still remains strong.
Man smoking despite Do not smoke sign
After
the dinner, we went back to the hotel and settled for a short night debrief
before heading to sleep, in preparation for the next day.
Day 2:
It was
Day 2.My roommate and I woke up at 0530 and unsurprisingly, we realized that the
Sun was already up. We had buffet breakfast at the hotel which turned out to be
unpleasant as the food was greasy and the grapefruit juice was not fresh.
The first place of interest we went to was the Bund, a famous
waterfront which is regarded as a symbol of Shanghai for centuries. The Bund
has been called a 'museum of international architecture' and indeed it was and
still is. But it was also much more. Here were located the banks, hotels,
exclusive clubs, press organizations and headquarters of international concerns.
Buildings behind the Bund
The Bund gave us an overview of the towers which
I would visit on the last day such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai
World Financial Tower. 
The Bund
(Bad Photography Skills)
After close to an hour, our tour guide led us to
the Nanjing Road on foot . I wasn’t particularly fond of walking 10 minutes on
rowdy streets with poorly managed traffic and damaged sidewalks. We had to dash
and rushed across streets ,constantly putting our lives in danger on the
unfriendly roads with poor traffic infrastructure .
Finally we arrived at the Nanjing Road. Nanjing Road is the
main shopping street of Shanghai, China, and is one of the world's busiest
shopping streets. It is named after the city of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu
province neighboring Shanghai.
At Nanjing Road
Nanjing Road
The tour guide have the class an introduction to
the place and prepped us on some safety measures. While he was talking , I
couldn’t help but realize an old beggar in filthy attire making his way through
the crowd begging for money from some of my classmates. This reminded me of a CID
lesson a few months ago on poverty. In Singapore , it is highly unlikely to see
a vagrant beggar , homeless on the streets ,yet in Shanghai which is also a
city , I could notice many beggars.
At the Nanjing Road, we were given 2 hours to shop,
but I kept myself on track and went to the shops in the shopping malls to do my
investigation. Fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King sold
meals that were cheaper than Singapore, SGD 6.09 and SGD 7.01 respectively. I
went to Burger King to investigate the quality of the junk food served. Indeed,
the junk food was junk. The chicken was clearly processed, dry and the bread
was moist and vegetables was in a mess. Clearly, the quality of the food was as
disastrous as the meals served at restaurants. This matched my claim in Day 1
where cheaper food doesn't mean similar quality of food. International coffee
chain Starbucks and multinational Clothing store H&M featured clothes and
apparels at higher prices in comparison to Singapore. A mid-range NIKE running
shoes cost 20.52% more expensive in Shanghai than Singapore while a summer
dress from Zara/H&M cost about 19.97 % more expensive than Singapore.
Why are branded consumer goods more expensive
in Shanghai than Singapore?
After asking the tour guide, I understood that VAT is
very high on luxury goods and foreign electronics.
Add to that a very convoluted, inefficient
transportation system (despite first class infrastructure) which causes shipping fees and taxes to be
higher. Plus, brands position their products differently in China - especially
Western brands, which are perceived as being higher quality by Chinese
consumers.
Next, we went to the Confucius temple or the Wen
Miao. It is the only ancient architectural complex dedicated to Confucius in
central Shanghai .
Confucius Temple
The temple has three courtyards. The first
courtyard is mainly made up of Jiexiao Hall, Minglun Hall and Panchi Pond, all
of which are well-preserved. Over Panchi, there is a bridge, whose archways
were built with stone dragon and lion heads. Walking though the carved stone
arch - Lingxing Gate it will be the second courtyard, where there are Kuiwen
Tower for storing books bestowed by emperors, and Zunjing Tower for storing
scriptures. Both of the two buildings were built with multiple-eave roofs. The
third courtyard, the central of the Confucius temple, consists of the Dacheng
Gate, Dacheng Hall, and bell and drum towers.
Confucius temple was built according to Chinese
religious beliefs, presence of a rock mountain, water elements, plants and
trees, and a borrowed scenery. The rock mountain symbolizes virtue and
stability but more importantly, it symbolized belief of philosophy laid by
Confucius .This explains why the massive rock mountain was resting in the center
of the garden, which I find aesthetically pleasing although my friends found it
confusing .
Aesthetically pleasing Scholar's Rock
Next it was ChengHuangMiao or known as the City God Temple of
Shanghai. It was built in Yongle Reign of Ming
Dynasty (1368 - 1644).The
Chenghuangmiao was a shopping district developed on a historical site near the
Bund, making it a tourist attraction.
Crowded Street in ChengHuangMiao
At Chenghuangmiao , I bought some of the
local products for my family as well as to continue my investigation in the differences
in the prices of products. Meanwhile , I witnessed some of my friends falling
for the scams of local stallowners there . A few of them were satisfied with
their purchase of caps and were feeling smug because they managed to bargain.
However , the next day ,they realized that they could buy the same item for a
significant cheaper price. So much for patience. With the commercial development,
and the surrounding trade region expanding, the numbers of shopping centers and
snack streets are increasing rapidly.
After
that , everyone gathered in their groups ,satisfied with their purchase and we went for dinner which did not lived up
to expectations . That concludes Day 2 .
Day 3:
The first stop was the science and technology museum
of Shanghai.
Science Museum
I visited the Earth's Crust Exploration Hall which
revealed the secrets of the earth and Shanghai's physical geography. The Light
of Wisdom Hall demonstrated chemistry, biology and maths with a large number of
interactive items.
The science museum offered a unique experience
under modern scientific discipline in the theme of nature. From the science museum,
I learnt that Shanghai scientists finally managed to grow a human ear on a mouse.
This was simply replicating the experiment that the Americans made in Boston
many years ago. The Science museum in Shanghai is bigger than the science center
of Singapore, but this museum is rather empty while the science center was
packed with scientific adventure and once can even attend classes there .Obviously,
China’s science museum did not lived up to my expectations as it featured themselves
replicating the successes of scientific breakthroughs that other countries have
already achieved. Then there is the Animal's World and Coals and Oils
exhibition which were simply too boring for a teenager. Clearly, the science
museum was meant for a family outing or primary school children. The 4D
Antibiotics and Bacteria film was designed for kids with many scientific
inaccuracies. Disappointing.
Animal World
However, let’s not be too harsh on
the museums .Content wise, it is an okay place but it does not compete with
other Science Museums. The problem is the layout of the different exhibits
creates chaos. For example the Animal World traps you in a path without an easy
exit and it is only possible to exit by walking the entire journey with many
detours available.
Next I went to the ZhuJiaJiao
ancient town. ZhuJiaJiao is
an ancient water town well-known throughout the country, with a history of more
than 1700 years. The most significant part of this visit were the
bridges.
ZhuJiaJiao
FangSheng Bridge
It is said that to visit Zhujiajaio without
seeing the bridges means that you have not really been to Zhujiajiao at all!
Bridges here are distinctive and old, built during Ming and Qing Dynasties. The
old town is thoroughly connected by 36 delicate spans in different shapes and
styles, from wooden to stone to marble.
Fangsheng Bridge (Setting-fish-free Bridge) is the
longest, largest and tallest stone bridge, with five openings both in Shanghai
region. This bridge was built in 1571. On the bridge stands a stone tablet
named Dragon Gate Stone, which is engraved with 8 coiling dragons encircling a
shining pearl. On top of the bridge are 4 lifelike stone lions.
An artist's Art exhibition
There were many exhibitions but as person that does not
appreciate art ,I focused more on the purpose of this gallery . A lot of artists thrive in a place
where they can communicate and brainstorm with other artists and meet their
audience. This can also be a place where they can display their works to
interested tourists and sell their work to customers to support themselves.
School of the Arts(Singapore)
Personally
,I feel that Singapore is no place for an artist, even though there are schools
set up to teach art ,. Reality bites .It is difficult to support yourself and
family by selling your artworks .One still needs to have a proper job to have a
stable income unless one comes from a wealthy family that permits one to pursue
one's passion in art despite not being able to earn a living. This is why
engineering and the healthcare industry are more popular than the arts industry
in Singapore. Artists in China are different. It is a respected profession and
it is encouraged by the government.
Day 4:
The first destination for today was the Shanghai
Urban Planning Exhibition Hall which is located on the People’s Square. This
was one of the places I enjoyed myself most. As I approached the magnificent
exhibition hall, I couldn’t help but realise the top of the building. It is
designed in the shape of a white magnolia – the flower of Shanghai. The design
of the main building adds beauty to the surrounding environment ,it follows the
Chinese aesthetic ideal which emphasizes central symmetry and incorporates the tradition
with a modern flair.
Shanghai Urban Planning exhibition hall
Magnolia Flower
Themed with
"City, Human, Environment and Development", the city planning is a
hot topic throughout the world, which concerns city dwellers from any
country. The glimpse of present and future Shanghai can provide much food
for thought,
As usual , we were greeted by tight security
checks at the entrance of the exhibition
hall.
Queue outside Exhibition hall
Golden Shanghai's Monuments
Met by an
ostentatious gilded monument of Shanghai’s skyscrapers as you enter the lobby,
there should be no doubt that this museum is dedicated entirely to Shanghai’s
modernization and urban development. There was a female guide that walked us
through the exhibits ,explaining the past present and future of Shanghai. After
that , we were taken into a 360 degree virtual reality tour of Shanghai which
was a whirlwind. It allowed us to fly over the HuangPu river , The Bund
,through the sightseeing tunnel and to the former Shanghai Expo site.
Part of the 360 degree Virtual Reality Tour
The upper floor has
an enormous scale model of the city that takes up the entire upper floor which
has a scale of 1:500 of the actual size of Shanghai. It is fascinating to see
what has already been built and what is planned to be build , giving a very
good introduction to the city of Shanghai.
Scale 1: 500 Shanghai
There were other
floors to explore, how the exhibition hall see the airport developing, the port,
all kinds of transport, including the magnetic levitation (maglev), subway, and
light-rail trains that are going to change the face of the city, greening the
city, leisure activities, managing the waterways and much more.
Unlike the Science and Technology museum , the exhibits are
neater ,more detailed and more thorough .There are photos or colonial Shanghai
, exhibits which show the plans that helped develop Shanghai which demonstrated
how far this city have come in a short time.
However, I hoped we were given more time to explore the place as
there was only 15 min given to extract information from the place.
Next, we paid a visit to the Shanghai Art museum. Again there were security checks.
Shanghai Art Museum
Shanghai Museum is famous for its large collection of rare
cultural pieces. The
museum now houses over 120,000 pieces of cultural relics in twelve
categories, including Chinese bronzes, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy, and
artifacts.
I saw many displays of artifacts from various
dynasties of China, the calligraphy, poetry, pottery, currencies, and
paintings. There was a wide display of Chinese calligraphy and I saw the
evolution of the Chinese characters .The earliest form was the oracle bone
script, then came the Greater and Lesser Seals, and eventually to the
simplified Chinese characters that we now use in everyday lives .This is a
perfect example to show China's rich history and dominance in Chinese writing.
Also, there are poems and pottery ,which are
both significant to the history of China .The paintings ,poetry and pottery was
at its best during the Tang Dynasty or known as the golden age of China ,and
most of the exhibits were from the Tang Dynasty ,proving that they were the
most appreciated and often priceless.
The bronze ware of the Shang and Zhou dynasties contribute to our
understanding of ancient civilization. The over 400 pieces of exquisite bronze
wares cover the history of ancient Chinese bronze art.
Example of a ShiKuMen building
Then I visited the ShiKuMen/石库门. Our tour
guide told us that these residences can
date back to the 1870s, when the Taiping Rebellion against the domination of
the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) broke out. It is a fusion of Chinese and
Western structural styles which is unique to Shanghai. Shikumen
houses are two or three-story townhouses, with the front yard protected by a
high brick wall. The entrance to each alley is usually surmounted by a stylistic
stone arch. 
Communist China
Next I
went to the Museum of the
First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party which I learnt what roles the KMT and Dr
Sun Yat Sen played in the 1911 revolution and also the clash of the 2 parties
,the KMT and CCP ,which CCP eventually won the Civil War and drove KMT out of China.
XinTianDi
Next up ,was XinTianDi/新天地. I find Xin Tian Di unique because of its concept of construction. It
retains the antique walls, tiles and exterior of the Shikumen housing of old
Shanghai. On the other hand, its interior has a totally different world of
international gallery, bars and cafes, boutiques or theme restaurants. The more important part of XinTianDi
is that it is an affluent car-free shopping district of Shanghai, China.
Day 5:
Today and the subsequent days were the
days which I were sick and of course I did not enjoy them. The school looked
beautiful and it comprises of the old school block and the new school block.
The school we visited, Nanyang model high school , is one of the oldest modern
Chinese school founded in 1901in Qing Dynasty.
It was the first day of school immersion and we
were brought into a micro teaching lab .The tables and chairs were small and
there were many cameras. Perhaps because this is a micro teaching lab and they
installed cameras to monitor students' progress .
Also, the students that we were paired up with
were Secondary 4 students .This meant that the year 4 students in one of
Shanghai's top schools were actually the equivalent of our Singapore’s high
ability year 2 students .Also, there were no CCAs and there were classes about
music appreciation and art appreciation. This probably explain why Art is a
respected profession in China. They have a 10 minute-break between each 50 min
lesson to rest their eyes and they spend up to 10hours a day in school.
As I was given a tour around the school ,I
noticed that there was a daily performance score tabulated for each class in
each level based on components such as quality of homework and attentiveness in
class .This is probably used to maintain the high level of competitiveness both
among classmates and among classes .I believe that there is a reward for being
the best class among the cohort as this pushes each class to strive for it and
at the same time producing more elite students .
Badminton Court and Canteen.
During the ongoing tour around the school , I got
to know my buddy,陈先 more . Firstly, he was the second in the
cohort in terms of grades and he has a positive attitude towards studying. He
believes that in order to do well for a subject, he has to like the subject and
be responsible for his own learning. If one dislikes the subject, it is likely
that the person will not do as well. According to my buddy , Nanyang Model High
School was not the top school of Shanghai but it is one of the top schools in
Shanghai. Despite being the one of the top school of Shanghai, there were no
CCAs ,no talent development programs which many top schools in Singapore has.
Apparently, the school focuses more in
preparing students for their future examinations more than their development .
Then, I attended a music appreciation lesson. I
find the music appreciation lesson mundane as it was mere referral to the
powerpoint slides with videos at attempt to make lesson less boring. Obviously
, the attempts failed. I saw several students at the back rows resting their
heads on their hands and were trying to get some sleep. Also, I notice that
students will voluntarily answer questions posed by the teachers. In Singapore
, this is a rare sight , however in River Valley High School , class
participation has increased slightly after the introduction of a class
participation component to some subjects .
The
science lesson was about building towers out of paper which is actually a good
application of science into real life .By putting skills taught in class into
real life ,students will better know how science can benefit them and would
enjoy science ,while Singapore does have hands on activities to apply science
in experiments ,Singapore lack of application of science in real life. This
explains why Singapore does not produce good students, but good exam takers.
After school , I visited the former residence of LuXun , who is a a key figure in post-imperial China and founded
the influential Chinese League of Left-Wing Writers in Shanghai in 1930.
Day 6:
Group Photo before PE lesson
It was another half-day immersion in the
Nanyang Model High School. This time ,I attended their Physical Education and English
lesson with them. I did not participate in their PE lesson and I was ill, as
stated in my previous post . At least , I sat on the bench and admired the joy
on their faces. Hence, I will write from observations. Firstly, I observed
students running on the track ,mainly the junior level students as Y5-Y6
students of their school hardly come out to exercise as they are too focused in
preparation for their upcoming examination. This shows that the Chinese and the
Chinese students regard their studies as their top priority and would not spare
just an hour of their time for exercise .Although this is an unhealthy
obsession with grades but it is inevitable, because if one does not do well in
the college entry exams, they will have little chance in the competitive
Chinese society which has such a large population of elites.
Secondly, they got to play games during their PE
lessons as seen in other classes. The games were enjoyable and required
moderate amount of running which appealed to many students and had high
participation rate. In Singapore , PE lessons are mundane as they focus on
training instead of joy , probably because of high obesity rates in Singapore and
the fact that boys have compulsory national service at age 18.
English Lesson
Next, it was the English lesson .The syllabus
taught was similar to the Secondary 1 English syllabus ,Y4 students learning Y1
syllabus. But what separates the Shanghainese students and the Singaporean
students is that they participate actively in class ,and would raise their
hands up high when the teacher asks for a volunteer ,however in Singapore
,students would be afraid to answer questions and would rather wait for the
teachers to call out their names .I admire the courage that the Chinese
students displayed ,willing to try despite the fact that they do not know the
correct answer ,because they want to improve in their studies. As mentioned in
previous post , my school , River Valley High Schoolhas implemented a class participation
component to some of our subjects to encourage participation during lessons.
China Art Museum
Next,
I visited the China art museum and saw a wide range of paintings and sculptures
in the museum, many of them were absolutely stunning, the quality of the work
was better than the ones I saw at the M50 art gallery, the museum was a big,
red, colossal building with a roof that resembles Jenga blocks stacked on each
other. Building such a mammoth and attractive building meant that the
Chinese government encourages Art and supports local artists' works. The local
tour guide explained that it was an apparatus used to store rice and they used
red because it is considered the luckiest colour in China.
Day 7:
It was a full day immersion with our
buddies. Firstly , we went to an area beside the HuangPu river where my buddy
explained that the source of the river was DianShan Lake and the mouth of the
HuangPu river was the YangTze river, the largest river in Asia, third largest
in the world. We posed for photos and there was not much learning involved.
Afterwards, we went for lunch and then for more shopping at TianZiFang . I can
safely say this was the day I enjoyed the least. There was too much shopping
and no learning at all.
While shopping, we stopped at a postcard shop and written postcards back to our families in Singapore. Unfortunately , my postcard failed to deliver back to Singapore.
For dinner,we were spared from visiting the same restaurant to eat the horrible food and we were told to buy our own food which turned out to be a disaster. I got a bowl of fishball noodles, the taste of the soup resembled dishwater and the fishballs were raw.
Day 8:
Icon of Shanghai
On the last day,I visited the icon of Shanghai. Why does it deserve to be a Shanghai icon? The oriental pearl tower is the most recognizable landmark in Shanghal's central business district .It is 468 m high and the world's sixth and China's second tallest tv and radio tower ,what makes it suitable is its unique architectural design, having 11 gigantic spheres supported by 3 columns and many believe that its design incorporates the sounds of pearls falling onto a jade plate .At 294 m,there is a 360 degree paranormal view of the city of Shanghai,where I can see the Huang Pu river flowing from the DianShan lake to the Yangtze River .Like Sinagpore's national icon ,Shanghai's most iconic landmark is unique because of its beautiful design .
I think that what makes the Oriental Pearl Tower the icon of Shanghai is because of its stunning architecture. This tower is well-known as it represents the perfect masterpiece of architecture and when standing in the pearl of the tower , one can get a bird's eye view of Shanghai which gives this amazing feeling- flying . It represents Shanghai just like how the Merlion represents Singapore as it is an unique structure. The Oriental Pearl Tower represents the most beautiful structure of Shanghai . Based on information I extracted from the tour guide myself, both the Merlion and the Oriental Pearl Tower share a thing in common- they are build up from legends. The architects of the Pearl Tower incorporated Chinese legends into the construction of the building. From a distance, the tower represents pearls set between the dragon-like forms of the YangPu and NanPu bridges.
Afterwards, we went to the Shanghai history museum which was located beneath the pearl tower which showcased the development of Shanghai and surrounding areas from every aspect, by
means of more than 1,300 cultural artifacts, literature, and pictures. It
presents a holistic picture of the long history of Shanghai from remote
antiquity to the liberation of the city in 1949.
After the museum,we were taken to a restaurant which served the best food throughout the 8 long days .
Shanghai's World Financial Center
Next, we went to Shanghai World
Financial Center. It was a taller skyscraper than the oriental pearl tower standing at 474 m.It was designed to be a global financial hub, the building boasts functions of first class financial
centers and many others.Later , we went shopping at the Central Business District.
That concludes my stay at Shanghai for 8 days 9 nights. Thank you for reading my reflection.
#10 Cost of Living in Singapore 7/5/2015
According to a report written by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ,Singapore has been dubbed the most expensive city.
Ranks of the most expensive cities:
1:Singapore
2:Paris , France
3:Oslo , Norway
4:Zurich , Switzerland
5:Sydney , Australia
6:Tokyo , Japan
Topping the table is hard , maintaining the title is even harder. In this scenario,Singapore is the most expensive city in the world. Is this true or false?Is this good or bad?
The purpose of the EIU ranking is to give an indication
of the relative differences in the cost of living in global cities for
expatriates or business travellers and it is used to reflect the lifestyle of
the expatriates. Data used to rank includes international school fees, best seats at the theatre, fine
dining at top restaurants, luxury items, cars, brands and food and GDP.
However,
public housing and public transport are not included. The implications for
Singapore might cause the Singapore currency to be stronger due to the confidence other countries
have in Singapore's currency and thus invest in Singapore.
The cost of private transport,especially cars are ridiculously exorbitant because of the certificate of entitlement(COE) . This certificate actually costs more than a car. A Volkswagen Golf 1.4 in Singapore costs 138,400 SGD but costs only 28,000 SGD in the US.
Although EIU has proven that Singapore being the most expensive city ,I refuse to agree. Instead ,I think that either Paris should be dubbed the most expensive city of the world. Singapore is an efficient,safe ,clean country which boasts almost-excellent public transport islandwide . Unsurprisingly ,cost of living is high .However, the average income is also high.
The average household income in Singapore is about $6500 more than that in the US. Thus, a higher income allows Singaporeans to be able to purchase goods and afford services at a high price than other countries. Everything in Singapore is actually affordable besides the ridiculously expensive COE which i find it a little ludicrous. Although the government plans to discourage people from buying cars to ease traffic, the fact that the COE costs more than the actual car is outrageous.
#9 Merlion as a National Icon 24/4/2015
What is a national icon , or rather a national symbol? A national icon stands for an idea. There are a few national symbols that I could think of when this term was introduced during the lesson, the National Flag,the National Anthem ,the Pledge and the National Coat of Arms.National Flag reflects the ideals of our nation,the Pledge creates a sense of belonging in our multi-racial country,the Coat of Arms represents Singapore's independence,etc.
What does the merlion symbolizes? The merlion is a mythical creature that possesses a lion head and body that resembles a fish.As I previously mentioned,the merlion ,a national icon stands for an idea. The merlion represents Singapore ,how it used to be a fishing village that depended on maritime trade .Temasek ,was what Singapore was known prior to the arrival of the British. Merlion represents Singapore as a national symbol but it itself is actually a myth,a legend,which I am against the idea of having a myth to represent Singapore because it is simply unrealistic.What I find ironic is that the Merlion's only speciality is also it's disadvantage as a national icon.The lion head originated from the tale of how Sang Nila Utama supposedly encountered a lion .A nice story behind the origins of this majestic statue but also impractical. Artists might appreciate how the sculptors managed to create merlion .Some tourists might see the merlion as a mythical creature and appreciate it , others like me see it as a legend that is unrealistic and feel that it is a bad pick for a national icon.Of course ,these are strictly just my opinions .
I think that the National Coat of Arms can better represent Singapore.The heraldic symbol reflects Singapore's status as a self-governing and independent state. The central emblem
of the coat of arms is a red shield with five white stars placed above a white
crescent, similar to the crescent and stars used on the Singapore
flag and such other
national symbols Red
symbolises "universal brotherhood and equality of man" and white
"everlasting purity and virtue". The crescent
represents a new moon, which reflects "a rising young nation ", while
the five-pointed stars "stand for the nation's ideals of democracy, peace,
progress, justice and equality".
The supporters of the shield are a lion and a tiger: the tiger
symbolises the nation's historical connections to Malaysia (which Singapore was a state of from
1963 to 1965) while the lion represents Singapore itself. Below the
supporters is a blue ribbon on which the national motto, Majulah
Singapura, is written in yellow. Majulah Singapura is also the title of the national
anthem; it means "Onward Singapore" in Malay,
the national language of Singapore.
Other merlions
"The Merlion
statue at Merlion Park was part of an exhibit by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi
unveiled at the Singapore Biennale 2011. Named the Merlion Hotel, a
temporary 100-square-metre, five-star luxury hotel suite was built around the statue.
The suite was open for public tours in the day and available as a guest suite
for paying guests by night. It proved to be the most popular exhibit showcased
during the Biennale, drawing close to 700,000 outdoor visitors."
sources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_938_2004-12-27.html?v=1&utm_expid=85360850-6.qNOOYF40RhKK6gXsQEaAJA.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.sg%2F
#8 Remembering Lee Kuan Yew 28/3/2015
After today's lesson about the golden age of China or Tang Dynasty ,I had to reflect about several things.
Firstly ,What have I learnt about Mr Lee Kuan Yew or more importantly his contributions to Singapore.Mr Lee Kuan Yew, was the prime minister of Singapore from 1959-1990,making him to longest serving prime minister in history ,during his long term ,Singapore became the most prosperous nation in Southeast Asia. Mr lee transformed Singapore into a near first world country in a third world region.
One of his notable contribution was how he built Singapore ,from slums to flats.In early 1960,Singapore was packed with slums and squatters and homelessness was unsurprising high .As an advocate of public housing,he set up the housing and development board and began his plan of building the nation.Mr Lee strongly supported public home ownership so as to give every Singaporean a stake in the country,something to fight for .His creation ,modern Singapore, a multiracial and multicultural metropolis ,is an economic powerhouse of one of the world's highest per capita income,excellent education system, healthcare and safety.
In comparison with the Tang Dynasty ,Singapore now can be seen as it's own version of the Golden Age. Tang Dynasty was considered the golden age of China as there were major improvements in art,science,literature ,technology and economy. During the CID lesson , my group and I were to research on how Tang Dynasty was the golden age of the Chinese civilization .
Many inventions were made into the fields of medicine,engineering and the sciences .The world's first clockwork escapement mechanism was built ,the invention of porcelain,discoveries in treating boilers were made ,identified how one is suffering from diabetes and my personal favorite,the invention of gunpowder. Tang Dynasty poetry covered 3 major aspects ,philosophy ,nature and special occasions.The encouragement of poetry in Tang Dynasty ensured the survival of it and be appreciated by future generations.
China at this stage experienced economic growth and law and order maintained as corruption was not a concern.
Singapore now, could be the golden age in the history of Singapore .Singapore has experienced tremendous economic growth in the past 50 years under the leader ship of our first prime minster ,Mr Lee Kuan Yew , a great man that history will remember him for his contributions as explained above.In 50 years,Singapore's government had devised many policies that have benefited people and bolstered economic development which is remarkable as it was a third world country 50 year ago,now a metropolis.
#7 Reflection of CID Individual Presentation 13/3/15
On this day,I tried to deliver a good speech but I failed. I was given 2 minutes to explain how education represents Singapore .
This is a picture of aa lecturer conducting a mass economics lecture.To me this represents the education system of Singapore.But ,how is this special? Education in Singapore is top of the class .It is the top priority of the government with many teachers and held high in regard.Education equips the students with necessary skills for their future such as economics,technology and sciences
According to the latest OECD report on education performance around the world, it seems like that effort is paying off. Based
on rankings achieved in mathematics, science and reading literature, Singapore
comes second in the overall results, just behind Shanghai. Some 12.3% of
students in Singapore attain the highest levels of proficiency in all three
assessment subjects.
Having only a few
natural resources, Singapore invested heavily in education .Education prepares
the next generation of Singaporeans for the future. This is a future that
brings tremendous opportunity, especially in Asia, but it will also bring many
changes that we cannot foresee today. The task of Singapore's schools and
tertiary institutions is to give the young the chance and a platform to develop
the skills, character and values that will enable them to continue to do well
and to take Singapore forward in this future.
How well planned
and structured is Singapore's education.
After 33 incredible presentations I realized that many are weak in projecting their voice or basically poor intonation.However,for me ,I encounter a different problem which is of paramount importance.It was relevance. Because my picture wasn't really relevant to my presentation ,I wasn't able to ace it.I made zero references to the picture I shown which was a grave mistake.I have learnt that clarity and relevance are important to my presentation , which I did not master or applied good enough.I could have chosen a better picture to represent the point I illustrated ,perhaps a picture of MOE 's vision would help me better to address ho education represents Singapore .
#6 Reflection of Daily Expenditure 16/2/2015
I am from an average income family and thus I do not lead an expensive or luxurious lifestyle.
On average,our group daily expenditure is 7 Singapore Dollars. Personally ,I feel that 7 dollars to raise a teenager/ adolescent in Singapore is quite expensive as it would mean about $2800 to raise me in a year. However, when i compare my daily expenditure/ cost of living with my peers ,my daily expenditure is considerably lower.Some of them calculated 10 dollars,11 dollars and even a whopping 20 dollars . In Singapore ,our parents pay for utilities bills, phone bills, food ,transport,credit card bills and car insurance and school fees. For the sake of this activity,my group takes in only money we spend on transport and food . For me I spend my money mostly on food in school, sometimes I visit fast food restaurants and thus,spend more money. I have three proper meals in a day and frequently after school I would spend money on chicken burgers. I spend about $1.50 on public transport
As soon as I start spending my own money, I start tracking my spending so that I can create and follow my personal budget. Tracking my spending, while sometimes tedious, is the best way to find out exactly where my money is going. I always prioritise my needs and wants . My needs ,of course ,the proper meals in a day,and my wants ,e.g. chicken burgers after school curriculum hours (as mentioned)
As my daily expenditure is reasonably high (In my opinion),I am looking forward to my trip to Shanghai where I will explore the supermarket and find out if I will lead a more expensive lifestyle there,thus having a higher budget.I hope I would not overspend.
#5 Economy of China 11/2/2015
China's economy is the second largest economy by nominal GDP and it is now the fastest growing economy of the word which some call it the second industrial revolution .It is only a matter of time before China beats America as the largest economy ,although some aficionados would not agree.
Why does China's economy keep growing?
Reasons:
1) The Chinese currency is undervalued.
The Chinese try to keep their currency low when the British are working to keep their Sterling pound up .Why? By undervaluing the Chinese currency, it its boosting China's economic growth,especially in China's exporting industries. China has already been the largest exporter of goods in 2009.
The fact that America keeps her currency strong gives China an advantage because it makes China's imports more attractive.Thus , China's economy is growing tremendously and America is blaming China for it.
2)Chinese Labour Force
China is famous for its One Child Policy where each family is only allowed to have on child although this policy has been relaxed in 2013 due to a shrinking labour force.Nevertheless, the Chinese labour force is still large. In China, about 1 billion are of working age and three quarters of them are economically-active. Even with a lower fertility rate due to the one child policy, China is still powered by a potentially large labour force which can allow the Chinese economy to continue to grow rapidly.
The tremendous growth of China's economy and its great economic achievements has brought prosperity to the Chinese.But with that great reform has come new problems that are now emerging . Normally, GDP is used to measure a country's growth and the quality of products are significant.Despite strict measures ,low grade items can be found everywhere.
One example is the 2008 China's Milk Scandal.The contamination of milk with melamine left at least 3 babies dead and disgusted hundreds of thousands more, tarnishing China's reputationThis has raised several tough questions about China and the ethics of the Chinese business practices.
Implications for Singapore
Although China's past tremendous has benefited Singapore greatly ,it has been of a slowdown lately, a drop in GDP , weakest in 23 years. How will this implicate Singapore? China's slowing economy can actually impact Singapore more than China itself. Singapore has exports to China which numbers are triple than that in 2000. Since China is a very important trading partner to Singapore ,especially in the manufacturing industry ,Singapore (one of the most powerful economy in Asia) could be impacted the most with a decrease in GDP.
#4 Poverty in Singapore 25/2/2015
Poverty, there are two types of poverty, relative poverty and
absolute poverty.
I think that these destitute people in our society live in
relative poverty .They are then trapped in a cycle , with little
hope of having a better life. The children are unable to do better in studies
than their parents due to limited access to knowledge and support .A teenager would have to drop their course of studies to work and help
with the family gross income. Failure to meet the requirements of the average
standards of living is relative poverty. I think that the Singapore government
should implement an official poverty line like countries such as Hong Kong to help
people leave the vicious poverty cycle however the government’s response
suggested that those below the poverty line will not receive all forms of
assistance. Even without having an official poverty line, Singapore appears to have several
measures of those in need. One is public assistance. A single adult receives
$450, while a household of two adults and two children can receive $1,480,according to
Absolute Poverty .The picture of the vulture stalking a child shows that many people live in absolute poverty. Absolute poverty is different from the relative poverty in Singapore. Relative poverty is the condition which people lack the money to keep up with the average standards of living in that society. However, absolute poverty is when one is unable to meet the necessary standards of living and this will cause deleterious effects on one’s health . My life is considerably sheltered as compared to the people in the poverty class and this has made me aware of my concept of money and how to use it wisely .
Personally,I do not come from a well-off family or am I a person who lives relative poverty thus, I do not have any considerably major financial problems .Manageable would be a right word to describe my situation.I strongly believe that it is not one's fault if he is born poor,but it is his fault if he dies poor as there is no success without struggle .My parents are cautious of their expenditure and they have cultivated a saving habit in me since I was young .Some do not save because they are uncertain how much to save with what they think of it as a meagre income ,some actually save for a rainy day,although the "rainy" days came frequently .I actually save with a clear goal in my head ,with a logical purpose and a plan to execute it ,however I shall not reveal the supposedly goal I have.I am a planner .I enjoy planning out things and carry it out according to it and that is what I do with my money.With this habit and perception of money,I do not overspend my daily allowance ans make sure I save to my long-term "goal"
#3 Singapore's Ageing Population
Definition: Ageing population happens because of declining birth rate.
As there is already a significant decrease in fertility rate,there will be an ageing population in the near future.In fact,It is already happening. An ageing population means a high dependency ratio which means more people of working age ,15-64 years old (economically active) would have to support the old dependent(65+) and the young dependent,this means more burden to the future generation of economically active people. The previous picture depicts a scene of a baby having to support his parents and grandparents in the foreseeable future . The child is burdened with more people to support financially than his parents (previous generation) .This is caused by a lower fertility rate each year which leads to a smaller work force and talent pool to boost Singapore's economy.
Let's explore WHY Singapore faces an ageing population
1) Couples who enter late marriages tend to have lesser children because they have lesser child-bearing years. With lesser children,means lesser fertility rate ,which leads to less economically active people in the future to support the elderly and the young and causes ageing population.
2)There is also an increasing trend of people in developed countries who prefer to have smaller families . This is attributed to the expensive lifestyles that people lead in developed countries like Tokyo . Also ,raising a child in developed countries is expensive and thus, many people prefer to have lesser children ,contributing to a declining birth rate.
Let's explore some consequences of an ageing population.
1) Increased government expenditure in healthcare and pensions. Also , people of the old dependent pay less taxes because they are not working . the combination of high spending commitments and lower tax revenues is a concern for many governments in developed countries . To combat this , those of working age would have to pay more taxes to found public amenities and projects.
2)An ageing population can cause a change in sector within the economy, an increased number of old dependent will create an increase in demand for goods and services related to them such as retirement homes.
What has the government done to combat the ageing population?
1)Encourage marriage and childbearing can increase birth rates. For example, The Singapore government gives incentives in the form of tax rebates to couples who have more children.
2)The needs of an ageing population , which is a consequence of a dwindling population growth must be met. These include building facilities for the elderly and encouraging their family to care for them
3)To reduce the burden of the economically active people ,the retirement age can be raise to extend working life.
Picture of a Generational Crisis.
#2 Broken Telephone Activity
This blog post will be directly related to the next 3rd post. This activity puts my communications skills and observations skills to the test. We are given 1 minute each to observe the picture except one group member who is supposed to draw out on paper according to what she hears from us .The picture is actually about Singapore's ageing population where the grandparents are on top of an inverted pyramid,at the second level are the parents,struggling to support their own parents,and at the bottom (inverted apex of pyramid) is a baby who is supposed to support his parents and grandparents when he reaches working age ,and increasing burden after each generation. The person responsible for drawing tried her best to draw but it was a futile attempt due to poor description and communication skills. I felt that I could not articulate well enough as I did not not notice finer details such as the bags and the clothings. Most importantly,this activity has shown that we lack effective communication and good observation techniques.There is certainly room for improvement in expressing our thoughts .
#1 My Vacation 20/1/2015
During a long vacation, one can get away from schoolwork and
studies feel free and relaxed and spend time on various kinds of recreation .
Most of the students while away spent their time either by roaming around or by
indulging in such idle pursuits . Some fall into bad company and take to
harmful and obnoxious habits. I personally feel that holidays should be
well-spent.
I spent time with my family cousins when we visited the
majestic Malacca.We went to the A Famosa ,the Portuguese fortress located in Malacca
also the oldest surviving European architecture in Southeast Asia,the Baba
Nyonya museum where they showcased the local history of Chinese-Malayscalled
Baba-Nyonya or Pernarakan in Malacca and the Christ Church.
For a reason,I actually engaged in gardening activities while I was in Malaysia.
Gardening is actually a good activity as it is a combination of 3 important physical activities-stamina,strength and flexibility . For others ,gardening may be for cultural interest,aesthetic considerations and practical thoughts but for me ,it is gardening for food.
There are various benefits of gardening.I find that gardening helps reduce stress,improves my coordination and balance.Studies have shown that garderners eat a variety of vegetables and have a higher intake of vegetables than non gardeners.My only major accomplishments were planting shoots and harvesting some fruits .It was an enjoyable thing anyway.
At home, I spent my
time doing academic work and preparation. I caught up with television shows and
movie franchises. I devoted some time into community work .I learnt some
languages and was able to speak simple but fluent Spanish .Recently ,I embarked
on a journey with a great book "Brave New World”. Throughout the book, the
author,Huxley critiques
the dangers of a superpower state ,modern governmental institutions whose power
has slowly crept into the lives of ordinary people,these powers are
strengthened with drugs .In terms of science and technology advancements,it is
both enthralling and terrifying .The people are programmed to be happy however
there are some who are dissatisfied .Thus,they use soma as an escape from any
forms of unhappiness,the people are also enslaved by their needs to take the
drugs.As my journey continues , I realize how the confinement in the Brave New
World's society inevitably kills freedom and creativity .
Other than the novel ,I also read scientific journals ,
biographies and a few research papers.This sort of light reading kept my mind
healthily occupied. I can say with reasonable pride that I spent my vacation
quite profitably.
#1 Self-Introduction 11/1/2015
Greetings fellow readers,
I am Alan ,I was born and raised in Singapore and have a younger brother . I am an 8th grader, currently studying in River Valley High School. My aim is to have good academic records for the remaining 5 years to earn myself a place in medicine course in university. To allow my portfolio to stand out from the rest,I hope to participate in competitions and be a scholarship recipient.Of course ,these are just dreams. Reality bites.
My CCA is the Infocomm Multimedia Club .Previously ,I was in the Basketball CCA ,however , due to repeated injuries, I changed my CCA to Infocomm Club because of medical reason. In Infocomm Club ,there are two divisions, the Robotics and Multimedia divisions.I belong in the Multimedia division. During CCA session , we are to create ideas, film them ,edit them and send them to competitions. I was featured as an American psycho killer in one of the projects.
I would describe my CCA as mundane as we would repeat the cycle of" Generate Ideas, Film,Edit " every week. It was a weekly affair . Well ,our CCA also allocates time for club bonding session,which were physical exercises accompanied by invasion games afterwards.
Now ,my hobbies.I enjoy video editing , reading and learning Sciences, and once in a blue moon,light gaming.Reading up on Sciences is something I enjoy most, electromagnetism and psychology are the fields I am particularly interested in . Unsurprisingly , my favourite scientist is Michael Faraday. Favourite female scientist would be Marie Curie.
Studying ,I am not as big fan of it but neither do I hate it .In terms of academic performance ,I would say I am classified under the "below-average " category .
My stronger subjects would be Math and Science and my weaker subjects would be Chinese and History .
My parents brought be up as an honest person and have high expectations of me so I have promises to hold. I hope that concludes my Self-Introduction.
Thank You.
#12 OELP Tasks
Task 1:Local's Satisfaction( Cost of living)
I gathered the opinions of my buddy . My buddy is satisfied with the cot of living in Shanghai . He comes from Wuxi , a city nearby Shanghai and he says that Shanghai's food and groceries are about 29%-32% more expensive than WuXi's .However ,food is provided by the school and the cost of transportation is affordable for him ,hence he is satisfied with the cost of living in Shanghai. He lives in the hostel and he states that the hostel fee is cheap.
As he rarely spends money on items or products for himself , he is happy with the cost of living of Shanghai.
Task 2:Thoughts and Observations on Behavior in Class and Style of Teaching
Firstly, I will talk about the behavior in class. During their English lesson, the students do not engage in pockets of conversation and are all listening attentively to the teacher . In Singapore, I couldn't help but notice that my peers do not respect the teacher by talking when he/she is talking. Moreover, they are not afraid to voice out their thoughts/opinions even though they cannot speak proper and eloquent English. Most of the students will raise their hands to clarify their doubts and a few of them even volunteered to make an impromptu speech about "My Best Holiday" . I admire their courage to volunteer themselves as this is effectively helping them train their presentation skills as well as helping their peers to learn together. In Shanghai , most of the students listen attentively in class,most of them raise their hands to clarify their doubts or to share experiences while in Singapore, many of the students listen in class and only some raise their hands to clarify doubts and close to none have the courage to walk in front of the class to do an impromptu speech voluntarily.
Secondly, I will talk about the Style of teaching in the Nanyang Model High School. During all lessons besides PE lesson , the teachers used presentation slides to teach their students . In Music Appreciation lesson , the teacher relied too much on the powerpoint slides by packing too much content into every slides with little pictures to spice up his presentation. As a result , I'm not surprised to see the Shanghai and Singaporean students taking naps during the Music Appreciation Lesson. In Singapore,the music teacher hands students instruments to use while conducting the lesson at the same time , giving students a hands-on experience.
During English Lesson , the teacher allowed students to discuss with one another and then picked volunteers to share what the students have discussed. In Shanghai, this discussion method works. In Singapore, it is less effective . I am personally not a fan of discussing with peers. Many students are like me because we do not have the courage of speaking aloud to the class about our opinions as we are afraid of being laughed at. However, in Shanghai, students do not laugh at each others mistakes but instead learn together from the mistakes.
Task 3: The Life of A Chinese Student in Shanghai
A Shanghai student studies Chinese,Chemistry, Physics,Biology ,Math, English,History and Geography, just like a River Valley High School student in Singapore. However, all the subjects are taught in their mother tongue, Chinese Language ,except for English lessons. As a result, they are not as proficient in English as RV students . Their standard of English is low as many of the students and even teachers there spoke with grammar errors and pronunciation errors. However ,they are always determined to learn from their mistakes to improve themselves.
They are in school for 9 hours 15 minutes each day , 47 hours a week. Singaporean students are in school for 7-10 hours each day ,depending whether their is CCA , 41 hours a week. In addition , my buddy spends 2 hours after school for self revision each day after he finishes his assignments. My buddy sleeps for 6-7 hours before going to school from hostel and start his morning self-revision . I observe that most students do not have notebooks to jot down their notes but instead just listen attentively to the teacher and remember the information and also the homework assigned. My buddy does not need notes as he had already understood what the teacher is going to teach and sees school as a form of extra revision.
In addition, they have little project works for them to work as a team . River Valley High schools and other secondary school alike , have several team projects each year as it serves as preparation for the project work component in A Levels . Perhaps it is because there is no component for their Gaokao , therefore they don't have many projects to work on.
Task 4:Postcard to home
I wrote a postcard ,stamped it and sent it but it failed to deliver back to Singapore. This was what i wrote:
Dear Mum and Dad,
Hi Mum and Dad! This is already Day 7 of my OELP Shanghai trip. I will be back in a few hours time when you are reading this . The places of interest I visited are great and I will take some stunning pictures of Shanghai tomorrow when I visit the skyscrapers . The place I am now is called TianZiFang , I have been to many places and you will get to see them once I'm Back
Cheers,
Alan
Task 5: Poem of Oriental Pearl Tower
这座塔又美又高大，
它有两百五十九楼，
有四百六十八米高，
它是中国第二最高，
也就是东方明珠塔。
#11 OELP CID Shanghai Trip ( Daily Reflections )
Alan Lim 2B(32)
Day 1:
On this day , I followed my usual morning routine and reached the airport by 7 am. This OELP trip was meant to be an educational trip so being the competitive me, I have done sufficient research on the places of interest in Shanghai , as well as various themes to discuss with my CID group ,e.g. economy ,education ,heritage,science and technology of China.Since Shanghai is China's financial hub,I place more emphasis on the aspect of economy in Shanghai.
I was not particularly enthusiastic about going to Shanghai as I have been there before a few years ago for leisure. However, this was an educational trip so I diverted my attention towards the post-trip tasks .
Hotel Room
There was only one significant place I visited on the first day, the Carrefour supermarket in China. Carrefour is a French multinational retailer ,hence I expected the prices to be similar as in countries like Malaysia.
Carrefour failed in Singapore because its prices were higher than its rivals such as Giant.There were many reasons but that is a story for another time. The products in China are cheaper than Singapore ,1.42 yuan and 3.06 yuan respectively ,which surprised me and got me thinking .China's food and products are cheaper because there is more land allocated for agricultural purposes ,as well as lower taxes and lower distribution and production costs. Also ,China has the largest population on Earth so the demand is much higher for cheaper food products otherwise people will not be able to afford it and this leads to the GDP per capita in China was USD 6092 ,much lower than GDP per capita in Singapore which is USD 55,000 according to the world bank.This explains why the cost of products are cheaper in China,and even Shanghai which is a globally renowned city in China . Cheaper prices does not equate to good quality of products .China's food products' quality is bad ,the majority of the food bought and consumed is generally democratized by processing ,genetically modifications ,and artificial coloring .
After the supermarket trip , we went for dinner at 小天鹅, a Chinese restaurant and it was a rather unpleasant experience . The quality of food was poor. It was greasy and unpalatable . I tried to figure out the reason for the poor quality of the food and felt that bad food was probably the result of cheap goods and products in Shanghai ,based on research as well as my investigation at the supermarket earlier.
The traffic and the hygiene level of the city aren't worse from the food we were served . There were badly damaged sidewalks and poorly maintained traffic infrastructure .Many motorist seemed to disobey traffic rules and laws and do not brake even though pedestrians are crossing the zebra crossing. There is also presence of bad hygiene in Shanghai . Cigarette buds could be spotted on the ground everywhere .
Day 2:
It was Day 2.My roommate and I woke up at 0530 and unsurprisingly, we realized that the Sun was already up. We had buffet breakfast at the hotel which turned out to be unpleasant as the food was greasy and the grapefruit juice was not fresh.
After close to an hour, our tour guide led us to the Nanjing Road on foot . I wasn’t particularly fond of walking 10 minutes on rowdy streets with poorly managed traffic and damaged sidewalks. We had to dash and rushed across streets ,constantly putting our lives in danger on the unfriendly roads with poor traffic infrastructure .
The tour guide have the class an introduction to the place and prepped us on some safety measures. While he was talking , I couldn’t help but realize an old beggar in filthy attire making his way through the crowd begging for money from some of my classmates. This reminded me of a CID lesson a few months ago on poverty. In Singapore , it is highly unlikely to see a vagrant beggar , homeless on the streets ,yet in Shanghai which is also a city , I could notice many beggars.
After
that , everyone gathered in their groups ,satisfied with their purchase and we went for dinner which did not lived up
to expectations . That concludes Day 2 .
Day 3:
The first stop was the science and technology museum of Shanghai.
I visited the Earth's Crust Exploration Hall which revealed the secrets of the earth and Shanghai's physical geography. The Light of Wisdom Hall demonstrated chemistry, biology and maths with a large number of interactive items.
Next I went to the ZhuJiaJiao ancient town. ZhuJiaJiao is an ancient water town well-known throughout the country, with a history of more than 1700 years. The most significant part of this visit were the bridges.
It is said that to visit Zhujiajaio without seeing the bridges means that you have not really been to Zhujiajiao at all! Bridges here are distinctive and old, built during Ming and Qing Dynasties. The old town is thoroughly connected by 36 delicate spans in different shapes and styles, from wooden to stone to marble.
Fangsheng Bridge (Setting-fish-free Bridge) is the longest, largest and tallest stone bridge, with five openings both in Shanghai region. This bridge was built in 1571. On the bridge stands a stone tablet named Dragon Gate Stone, which is engraved with 8 coiling dragons encircling a shining pearl. On top of the bridge are 4 lifelike stone lions.
Next, we paid a visit to the Shanghai Art museum. Again there were security checks.
Then I visited the ShiKuMen/石库门. Our tour guide told us that these residences can date back to the 1870s, when the Taiping Rebellion against the domination of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) broke out. It is a fusion of Chinese and Western structural styles which is unique to Shanghai. Shikumen houses are two or three-story townhouses, with the front yard protected by a high brick wall. The entrance to each alley is usually surmounted by a stylistic stone arch.
Day 5:
Today and the subsequent days were the days which I were sick and of course I did not enjoy them. The school looked beautiful and it comprises of the old school block and the new school block. The school we visited, Nanyang model high school , is one of the oldest modern Chinese school founded in 1901in Qing Dynasty.
The
science lesson was about building towers out of paper which is actually a good
application of science into real life .By putting skills taught in class into
real life ,students will better know how science can benefit them and would
enjoy science ,while Singapore does have hands on activities to apply science
in experiments ,Singapore lack of application of science in real life. This
explains why Singapore does not produce good students, but good exam takers.
After school , I visited the former residence of LuXun , who is a a key figure in post-imperial China and founded the influential Chinese League of Left-Wing Writers in Shanghai in 1930.
Day 6:
Next,
I visited the China art museum and saw a wide range of paintings and sculptures
in the museum, many of them were absolutely stunning, the quality of the work
was better than the ones I saw at the M50 art gallery, the museum was a big,
red, colossal building with a roof that resembles Jenga blocks stacked on each
other. Building such a mammoth and attractive building meant that the
Chinese government encourages Art and supports local artists' works. The local
tour guide explained that it was an apparatus used to store rice and they used
red because it is considered the luckiest colour in China.
On the last day,I visited the icon of Shanghai. Why does it deserve to be a Shanghai icon? The oriental pearl tower is the most recognizable landmark in Shanghal's central business district .It is 468 m high and the world's sixth and China's second tallest tv and radio tower ,what makes it suitable is its unique architectural design, having 11 gigantic spheres supported by 3 columns and many believe that its design incorporates the sounds of pearls falling onto a jade plate .At 294 m,there is a 360 degree paranormal view of the city of Shanghai,where I can see the Huang Pu river flowing from the DianShan lake to the Yangtze River .Like Sinagpore's national icon ,Shanghai's most iconic landmark is unique because of its beautiful design .
I think that what makes the Oriental Pearl Tower the icon of Shanghai is because of its stunning architecture. This tower is well-known as it represents the perfect masterpiece of architecture and when standing in the pearl of the tower , one can get a bird's eye view of Shanghai which gives this amazing feeling- flying . It represents Shanghai just like how the Merlion represents Singapore as it is an unique structure. The Oriental Pearl Tower represents the most beautiful structure of Shanghai . Based on information I extracted from the tour guide myself, both the Merlion and the Oriental Pearl Tower share a thing in common- they are build up from legends. The architects of the Pearl Tower incorporated Chinese legends into the construction of the building. From a distance, the tower represents pearls set between the dragon-like forms of the YangPu and NanPu bridges.
Afterwards, we went to the Shanghai history museum which was located beneath the pearl tower which showcased the development of Shanghai and surrounding areas from every aspect, by means of more than 1,300 cultural artifacts, literature, and pictures. It presents a holistic picture of the long history of Shanghai from remote antiquity to the liberation of the city in 1949.
After the museum,we were taken to a restaurant which served the best food throughout the 8 long days .
#10 Cost of Living in Singapore 7/5/2015
According to a report written by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ,Singapore has been dubbed the most expensive city.
Ranks of the most expensive cities:
1:Singapore
2:Paris , France
3:Oslo , Norway
4:Zurich , Switzerland
5:Sydney , Australia
6:Tokyo , Japan
Topping the table is hard , maintaining the title is even harder. In this scenario,Singapore is the most expensive city in the world. Is this true or false?Is this good or bad?
#9 Merlion as a National Icon 24/4/2015
What is a national icon , or rather a national symbol? A national icon stands for an idea. There are a few national symbols that I could think of when this term was introduced during the lesson, the National Flag,the National Anthem ,the Pledge and the National Coat of Arms.National Flag reflects the ideals of our nation,the Pledge creates a sense of belonging in our multi-racial country,the Coat of Arms represents Singapore's independence,etc.
What does the merlion symbolizes? The merlion is a mythical creature that possesses a lion head and body that resembles a fish.As I previously mentioned,the merlion ,a national icon stands for an idea. The merlion represents Singapore ,how it used to be a fishing village that depended on maritime trade .Temasek ,was what Singapore was known prior to the arrival of the British. Merlion represents Singapore as a national symbol but it itself is actually a myth,a legend,which I am against the idea of having a myth to represent Singapore because it is simply unrealistic.What I find ironic is that the Merlion's only speciality is also it's disadvantage as a national icon.The lion head originated from the tale of how Sang Nila Utama supposedly encountered a lion .A nice story behind the origins of this majestic statue but also impractical. Artists might appreciate how the sculptors managed to create merlion .Some tourists might see the merlion as a mythical creature and appreciate it , others like me see it as a legend that is unrealistic and feel that it is a bad pick for a national icon.Of course ,these are strictly just my opinions .
I think that the National Coat of Arms can better represent Singapore.The heraldic symbol reflects Singapore's status as a self-governing and independent state. The central emblem of the coat of arms is a red shield with five white stars placed above a white crescent, similar to the crescent and stars used on the Singapore flag and such other national symbols Red symbolises "universal brotherhood and equality of man" and white "everlasting purity and virtue". The crescent represents a new moon, which reflects "a rising young nation ", while the five-pointed stars "stand for the nation's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality".
Other merlions
#8 Remembering Lee Kuan Yew 28/3/2015
After today's lesson about the golden age of China or Tang Dynasty ,I had to reflect about several things.
Firstly ,What have I learnt about Mr Lee Kuan Yew or more importantly his contributions to Singapore.Mr Lee Kuan Yew, was the prime minister of Singapore from 1959-1990,making him to longest serving prime minister in history ,during his long term ,Singapore became the most prosperous nation in Southeast Asia. Mr lee transformed Singapore into a near first world country in a third world region.
One of his notable contribution was how he built Singapore ,from slums to flats.In early 1960,Singapore was packed with slums and squatters and homelessness was unsurprising high .As an advocate of public housing,he set up the housing and development board and began his plan of building the nation.Mr Lee strongly supported public home ownership so as to give every Singaporean a stake in the country,something to fight for .His creation ,modern Singapore, a multiracial and multicultural metropolis ,is an economic powerhouse of one of the world's highest per capita income,excellent education system, healthcare and safety.
In comparison with the Tang Dynasty ,Singapore now can be seen as it's own version of the Golden Age. Tang Dynasty was considered the golden age of China as there were major improvements in art,science,literature ,technology and economy. During the CID lesson , my group and I were to research on how Tang Dynasty was the golden age of the Chinese civilization .
Many inventions were made into the fields of medicine,engineering and the sciences .The world's first clockwork escapement mechanism was built ,the invention of porcelain,discoveries in treating boilers were made ,identified how one is suffering from diabetes and my personal favorite,the invention of gunpowder. Tang Dynasty poetry covered 3 major aspects ,philosophy ,nature and special occasions.The encouragement of poetry in Tang Dynasty ensured the survival of it and be appreciated by future generations.
China at this stage experienced economic growth and law and order maintained as corruption was not a concern.
Singapore now, could be the golden age in the history of Singapore .Singapore has experienced tremendous economic growth in the past 50 years under the leader ship of our first prime minster ,Mr Lee Kuan Yew , a great man that history will remember him for his contributions as explained above.In 50 years,Singapore's government had devised many policies that have benefited people and bolstered economic development which is remarkable as it was a third world country 50 year ago,now a metropolis.
#7 Reflection of CID Individual Presentation 13/3/15
On this day,I tried to deliver a good speech but I failed. I was given 2 minutes to explain how education represents Singapore .
How well planned and structured is Singapore's education.
After 33 incredible presentations I realized that many are weak in projecting their voice or basically poor intonation.However,for me ,I encounter a different problem which is of paramount importance.It was relevance. Because my picture wasn't really relevant to my presentation ,I wasn't able to ace it.I made zero references to the picture I shown which was a grave mistake.I have learnt that clarity and relevance are important to my presentation , which I did not master or applied good enough.I could have chosen a better picture to represent the point I illustrated ,perhaps a picture of MOE 's vision would help me better to address ho education represents Singapore .
#6 Reflection of Daily Expenditure 16/2/2015
I am from an average income family and thus I do not lead an expensive or luxurious lifestyle.
On average,our group daily expenditure is 7 Singapore Dollars. Personally ,I feel that 7 dollars to raise a teenager/ adolescent in Singapore is quite expensive as it would mean about $2800 to raise me in a year. However, when i compare my daily expenditure/ cost of living with my peers ,my daily expenditure is considerably lower.Some of them calculated 10 dollars,11 dollars and even a whopping 20 dollars . In Singapore ,our parents pay for utilities bills, phone bills, food ,transport,credit card bills and car insurance and school fees. For the sake of this activity,my group takes in only money we spend on transport and food . For me I spend my money mostly on food in school, sometimes I visit fast food restaurants and thus,spend more money. I have three proper meals in a day and frequently after school I would spend money on chicken burgers. I spend about $1.50 on public transport
As soon as I start spending my own money, I start tracking my spending so that I can create and follow my personal budget. Tracking my spending, while sometimes tedious, is the best way to find out exactly where my money is going. I always prioritise my needs and wants . My needs ,of course ,the proper meals in a day,and my wants ,e.g. chicken burgers after school curriculum hours (as mentioned)
As my daily expenditure is reasonably high (In my opinion),I am looking forward to my trip to Shanghai where I will explore the supermarket and find out if I will lead a more expensive lifestyle there,thus having a higher budget.I hope I would not overspend.
#5 Economy of China 11/2/2015
China's economy is the second largest economy by nominal GDP and it is now the fastest growing economy of the word which some call it the second industrial revolution .It is only a matter of time before China beats America as the largest economy ,although some aficionados would not agree.
Why does China's economy keep growing?
Reasons:
1) The Chinese currency is undervalued.
The Chinese try to keep their currency low when the British are working to keep their Sterling pound up .Why? By undervaluing the Chinese currency, it its boosting China's economic growth,especially in China's exporting industries. China has already been the largest exporter of goods in 2009.
The fact that America keeps her currency strong gives China an advantage because it makes China's imports more attractive.Thus , China's economy is growing tremendously and America is blaming China for it.
2)Chinese Labour Force
China is famous for its One Child Policy where each family is only allowed to have on child although this policy has been relaxed in 2013 due to a shrinking labour force.Nevertheless, the Chinese labour force is still large. In China, about 1 billion are of working age and three quarters of them are economically-active. Even with a lower fertility rate due to the one child policy, China is still powered by a potentially large labour force which can allow the Chinese economy to continue to grow rapidly.
The tremendous growth of China's economy and its great economic achievements has brought prosperity to the Chinese.But with that great reform has come new problems that are now emerging . Normally, GDP is used to measure a country's growth and the quality of products are significant.Despite strict measures ,low grade items can be found everywhere.
One example is the 2008 China's Milk Scandal.The contamination of milk with melamine left at least 3 babies dead and disgusted hundreds of thousands more, tarnishing China's reputationThis has raised several tough questions about China and the ethics of the Chinese business practices.
Implications for Singapore
Although China's past tremendous has benefited Singapore greatly ,it has been of a slowdown lately, a drop in GDP , weakest in 23 years. How will this implicate Singapore? China's slowing economy can actually impact Singapore more than China itself. Singapore has exports to China which numbers are triple than that in 2000. Since China is a very important trading partner to Singapore ,especially in the manufacturing industry ,Singapore (one of the most powerful economy in Asia) could be impacted the most with a decrease in GDP.
#4 Poverty in Singapore 25/2/2015
Task 1:Local's Satisfaction( Cost of living)
I gathered the opinions of my buddy . My buddy is satisfied with the cot of living in Shanghai . He comes from Wuxi , a city nearby Shanghai and he says that Shanghai's food and groceries are about 29%-32% more expensive than WuXi's .However ,food is provided by the school and the cost of transportation is affordable for him ,hence he is satisfied with the cost of living in Shanghai. He lives in the hostel and he states that the hostel fee is cheap.
As he rarely spends money on items or products for himself , he is happy with the cost of living of Shanghai.
Task 2:Thoughts and Observations on Behavior in Class and Style of Teaching
Firstly, I will talk about the behavior in class. During their English lesson, the students do not engage in pockets of conversation and are all listening attentively to the teacher . In Singapore, I couldn't help but notice that my peers do not respect the teacher by talking when he/she is talking. Moreover, they are not afraid to voice out their thoughts/opinions even though they cannot speak proper and eloquent English. Most of the students will raise their hands to clarify their doubts and a few of them even volunteered to make an impromptu speech about "My Best Holiday" . I admire their courage to volunteer themselves as this is effectively helping them train their presentation skills as well as helping their peers to learn together. In Shanghai , most of the students listen attentively in class,most of them raise their hands to clarify their doubts or to share experiences while in Singapore, many of the students listen in class and only some raise their hands to clarify doubts and close to none have the courage to walk in front of the class to do an impromptu speech voluntarily.
Secondly, I will talk about the Style of teaching in the Nanyang Model High School. During all lessons besides PE lesson , the teachers used presentation slides to teach their students . In Music Appreciation lesson , the teacher relied too much on the powerpoint slides by packing too much content into every slides with little pictures to spice up his presentation. As a result , I'm not surprised to see the Shanghai and Singaporean students taking naps during the Music Appreciation Lesson. In Singapore,the music teacher hands students instruments to use while conducting the lesson at the same time , giving students a hands-on experience.
During English Lesson , the teacher allowed students to discuss with one another and then picked volunteers to share what the students have discussed. In Shanghai, this discussion method works. In Singapore, it is less effective . I am personally not a fan of discussing with peers. Many students are like me because we do not have the courage of speaking aloud to the class about our opinions as we are afraid of being laughed at. However, in Shanghai, students do not laugh at each others mistakes but instead learn together from the mistakes.
Task 3: The Life of A Chinese Student in Shanghai
A Shanghai student studies Chinese,Chemistry, Physics,Biology ,Math, English,History and Geography, just like a River Valley High School student in Singapore. However, all the subjects are taught in their mother tongue, Chinese Language ,except for English lessons. As a result, they are not as proficient in English as RV students . Their standard of English is low as many of the students and even teachers there spoke with grammar errors and pronunciation errors. However ,they are always determined to learn from their mistakes to improve themselves.
They are in school for 9 hours 15 minutes each day , 47 hours a week. Singaporean students are in school for 7-10 hours each day ,depending whether their is CCA , 41 hours a week. In addition , my buddy spends 2 hours after school for self revision each day after he finishes his assignments. My buddy sleeps for 6-7 hours before going to school from hostel and start his morning self-revision . I observe that most students do not have notebooks to jot down their notes but instead just listen attentively to the teacher and remember the information and also the homework assigned. My buddy does not need notes as he had already understood what the teacher is going to teach and sees school as a form of extra revision.
In addition, they have little project works for them to work as a team . River Valley High schools and other secondary school alike , have several team projects each year as it serves as preparation for the project work component in A Levels . Perhaps it is because there is no component for their Gaokao , therefore they don't have many projects to work on.
Task 4:Postcard to home
I wrote a postcard ,stamped it and sent it but it failed to deliver back to Singapore. This was what i wrote:
Dear Mum and Dad,
Hi Mum and Dad! This is already Day 7 of my OELP Shanghai trip. I will be back in a few hours time when you are reading this . The places of interest I visited are great and I will take some stunning pictures of Shanghai tomorrow when I visit the skyscrapers . The place I am now is called TianZiFang , I have been to many places and you will get to see them once I'm Back
Cheers,
Alan
Task 5: Poem of Oriental Pearl Tower
这座塔又美又高大，
它有两百五十九楼，
有四百六十八米高，
它是中国第二最高，
也就是东方明珠塔。
#11 OELP CID Shanghai Trip ( Daily Reflections )
Alan Lim 2B(32)
Day 1:
On this day , I followed my usual morning routine and reached the airport by 7 am. This OELP trip was meant to be an educational trip so being the competitive me, I have done sufficient research on the places of interest in Shanghai , as well as various themes to discuss with my CID group ,e.g. economy ,education ,heritage,science and technology of China.Since Shanghai is China's financial hub,I place more emphasis on the aspect of economy in Shanghai.
I was not particularly enthusiastic about going to Shanghai as I have been there before a few years ago for leisure. However, this was an educational trip so I diverted my attention towards the post-trip tasks .
The Bund
After we touched down in Shanghai and checked in to our hotel rooms ,we got straight to work . Our first task was to investigate the cost of living of an average Shanghainese . The trip to supermarket was actually to investigate the prices of the goods and products in Shanghai but not the cost of living of an average Shanghainese . I kept that in mind.
Hotel Room
Heading towards Carrefour
Carrefour failed in Singapore because its prices were higher than its rivals such as Giant.There were many reasons but that is a story for another time. The products in China are cheaper than Singapore ,1.42 yuan and 3.06 yuan respectively ,which surprised me and got me thinking .China's food and products are cheaper because there is more land allocated for agricultural purposes ,as well as lower taxes and lower distribution and production costs. Also ,China has the largest population on Earth so the demand is much higher for cheaper food products otherwise people will not be able to afford it and this leads to the GDP per capita in China was USD 6092 ,much lower than GDP per capita in Singapore which is USD 55,000 according to the world bank.This explains why the cost of products are cheaper in China,and even Shanghai which is a globally renowned city in China . Cheaper prices does not equate to good quality of products .China's food products' quality is bad ,the majority of the food bought and consumed is generally democratized by processing ,genetically modifications ,and artificial coloring .
After the supermarket trip , we went for dinner at 小天鹅, a Chinese restaurant and it was a rather unpleasant experience . The quality of food was poor. It was greasy and unpalatable . I tried to figure out the reason for the poor quality of the food and felt that bad food was probably the result of cheap goods and products in Shanghai ,based on research as well as my investigation at the supermarket earlier.
The traffic and the hygiene level of the city aren't worse from the food we were served . There were badly damaged sidewalks and poorly maintained traffic infrastructure .Many motorist seemed to disobey traffic rules and laws and do not brake even though pedestrians are crossing the zebra crossing. There is also presence of bad hygiene in Shanghai . Cigarette buds could be spotted on the ground everywhere .
Smoking in Shanghai really
is nearly inescapable .Despite the presence of many "Do not Smoke" signs,
smokers still continue to smoke at restaurants, which are restricted areas .In Singapore,
offenders are punishable by fine. China
is the world's largest consumer of cigarettes, with an estimated 350 million
smokers who light up an average of nearly five times a day. Despite many
Chinese suffering from respiratory illnesses due to smoking, the tobacco
industry still remains strong.
Man smoking despite Do not smoke sign
After
the dinner, we went back to the hotel and settled for a short night debrief
before heading to sleep, in preparation for the next day.
Day 2:
It was Day 2.My roommate and I woke up at 0530 and unsurprisingly, we realized that the Sun was already up. We had buffet breakfast at the hotel which turned out to be unpleasant as the food was greasy and the grapefruit juice was not fresh.
The first place of interest we went to was the Bund, a famous
waterfront which is regarded as a symbol of Shanghai for centuries. The Bund
has been called a 'museum of international architecture' and indeed it was and
still is. But it was also much more. Here were located the banks, hotels,
exclusive clubs, press organizations and headquarters of international concerns.
Buildings behind the Bund
The Bund gave us an overview of the towers which I would visit on the last day such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Tower.
Buildings behind the Bund
The Bund gave us an overview of the towers which I would visit on the last day such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Tower.
At the Bund, there were many tourists besides
us . However , I realized that most of the tourists were from different parts
of China instead of different countries.
The Bund
(Bad Photography Skills)
After close to an hour, our tour guide led us to the Nanjing Road on foot . I wasn’t particularly fond of walking 10 minutes on rowdy streets with poorly managed traffic and damaged sidewalks. We had to dash and rushed across streets ,constantly putting our lives in danger on the unfriendly roads with poor traffic infrastructure .
Finally we arrived at the Nanjing Road. Nanjing Road is the
main shopping street of Shanghai, China, and is one of the world's busiest
shopping streets. It is named after the city of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu
province neighboring Shanghai.
At Nanjing Road
Nanjing Road
The tour guide have the class an introduction to the place and prepped us on some safety measures. While he was talking , I couldn’t help but realize an old beggar in filthy attire making his way through the crowd begging for money from some of my classmates. This reminded me of a CID lesson a few months ago on poverty. In Singapore , it is highly unlikely to see a vagrant beggar , homeless on the streets ,yet in Shanghai which is also a city , I could notice many beggars.
At the Nanjing Road, we were given 2 hours to shop,
but I kept myself on track and went to the shops in the shopping malls to do my
investigation. Fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King sold
meals that were cheaper than Singapore, SGD 6.09 and SGD 7.01 respectively. I
went to Burger King to investigate the quality of the junk food served. Indeed,
the junk food was junk. The chicken was clearly processed, dry and the bread
was moist and vegetables was in a mess. Clearly, the quality of the food was as
disastrous as the meals served at restaurants. This matched my claim in Day 1
where cheaper food doesn't mean similar quality of food. International coffee
chain Starbucks and multinational Clothing store H&M featured clothes and
apparels at higher prices in comparison to Singapore. A mid-range NIKE running
shoes cost 20.52% more expensive in Shanghai than Singapore while a summer
dress from Zara/H&M cost about 19.97 % more expensive than Singapore.
Why are branded consumer goods more expensive
in Shanghai than Singapore?
After asking the tour guide, I understood that VAT is
very high on luxury goods and foreign electronics.
Add to that a very convoluted, inefficient transportation system (despite first class infrastructure) which causes shipping fees and taxes to be higher. Plus, brands position their products differently in China - especially Western brands, which are perceived as being higher quality by Chinese consumers.
Next, we went to the Confucius temple or the Wen Miao. It is the only ancient architectural complex dedicated to Confucius in central Shanghai .
Add to that a very convoluted, inefficient transportation system (despite first class infrastructure) which causes shipping fees and taxes to be higher. Plus, brands position their products differently in China - especially Western brands, which are perceived as being higher quality by Chinese consumers.
Next, we went to the Confucius temple or the Wen Miao. It is the only ancient architectural complex dedicated to Confucius in central Shanghai .
Confucius Temple
The temple has three courtyards. The first
courtyard is mainly made up of Jiexiao Hall, Minglun Hall and Panchi Pond, all
of which are well-preserved. Over Panchi, there is a bridge, whose archways
were built with stone dragon and lion heads. Walking though the carved stone
arch - Lingxing Gate it will be the second courtyard, where there are Kuiwen
Tower for storing books bestowed by emperors, and Zunjing Tower for storing
scriptures. Both of the two buildings were built with multiple-eave roofs. The
third courtyard, the central of the Confucius temple, consists of the Dacheng
Gate, Dacheng Hall, and bell and drum towers.
Confucius temple was built according to Chinese
religious beliefs, presence of a rock mountain, water elements, plants and
trees, and a borrowed scenery. The rock mountain symbolizes virtue and
stability but more importantly, it symbolized belief of philosophy laid by
Confucius .This explains why the massive rock mountain was resting in the center
of the garden, which I find aesthetically pleasing although my friends found it
confusing .
Aesthetically pleasing Scholar's Rock
Next it was ChengHuangMiao or known as the City God Temple of
Shanghai. It was built in Yongle Reign of Ming
Dynasty (1368 - 1644).The
Chenghuangmiao was a shopping district developed on a historical site near the
Bund, making it a tourist attraction.
At Chenghuangmiao , I bought some of the local products for my family as well as to continue my investigation in the differences in the prices of products. Meanwhile , I witnessed some of my friends falling for the scams of local stallowners there . A few of them were satisfied with their purchase of caps and were feeling smug because they managed to bargain. However , the next day ,they realized that they could buy the same item for a significant cheaper price. So much for patience. With the commercial development, and the surrounding trade region expanding, the numbers of shopping centers and snack streets are increasing rapidly.
Crowded Street in ChengHuangMiao
At Chenghuangmiao , I bought some of the local products for my family as well as to continue my investigation in the differences in the prices of products. Meanwhile , I witnessed some of my friends falling for the scams of local stallowners there . A few of them were satisfied with their purchase of caps and were feeling smug because they managed to bargain. However , the next day ,they realized that they could buy the same item for a significant cheaper price. So much for patience. With the commercial development, and the surrounding trade region expanding, the numbers of shopping centers and snack streets are increasing rapidly.
Day 3:
The first stop was the science and technology museum of Shanghai.
Science Museum
I visited the Earth's Crust Exploration Hall which revealed the secrets of the earth and Shanghai's physical geography. The Light of Wisdom Hall demonstrated chemistry, biology and maths with a large number of interactive items.
The science museum offered a unique experience
under modern scientific discipline in the theme of nature. From the science museum,
I learnt that Shanghai scientists finally managed to grow a human ear on a mouse.
This was simply replicating the experiment that the Americans made in Boston
many years ago. The Science museum in Shanghai is bigger than the science center
of Singapore, but this museum is rather empty while the science center was
packed with scientific adventure and once can even attend classes there .Obviously,
China’s science museum did not lived up to my expectations as it featured themselves
replicating the successes of scientific breakthroughs that other countries have
already achieved. Then there is the Animal's World and Coals and Oils
exhibition which were simply too boring for a teenager. Clearly, the science
museum was meant for a family outing or primary school children. The 4D
Antibiotics and Bacteria film was designed for kids with many scientific
inaccuracies. Disappointing.
Animal World
However, let’s not be too harsh on
the museums .Content wise, it is an okay place but it does not compete with
other Science Museums. The problem is the layout of the different exhibits
creates chaos. For example the Animal World traps you in a path without an easy
exit and it is only possible to exit by walking the entire journey with many
detours available.
Next I went to the ZhuJiaJiao ancient town. ZhuJiaJiao is an ancient water town well-known throughout the country, with a history of more than 1700 years. The most significant part of this visit were the bridges.
ZhuJiaJiao
FangSheng Bridge
It is said that to visit Zhujiajaio without seeing the bridges means that you have not really been to Zhujiajiao at all! Bridges here are distinctive and old, built during Ming and Qing Dynasties. The old town is thoroughly connected by 36 delicate spans in different shapes and styles, from wooden to stone to marble.
Fangsheng Bridge (Setting-fish-free Bridge) is the longest, largest and tallest stone bridge, with five openings both in Shanghai region. This bridge was built in 1571. On the bridge stands a stone tablet named Dragon Gate Stone, which is engraved with 8 coiling dragons encircling a shining pearl. On top of the bridge are 4 lifelike stone lions.
Lastly , I went to the M50 art gallery .At the gallery,
it was a display of Chinese artists' works . Ding Yi, Zhou
Tiehai, and Xu Zhen are several of the well-known artists
who have set up shop there.
An artist's Art exhibition
There were many exhibitions but as person that does not
appreciate art ,I focused more on the purpose of this gallery . A lot of artists thrive in a place
where they can communicate and brainstorm with other artists and meet their
audience. This can also be a place where they can display their works to
interested tourists and sell their work to customers to support themselves.
For this
reason, keeping shop in art-trendy Shanghai and in the M50 art hub is a priority for many modern Chinese artists. They get the
benefit of displaying their work to international tourists for international
exposure. It is said that most of the 400 or so visitors who come in daily are
foreign tourists.
The art gallery was probably set up to show
that the Chinese government supports the idea of being an artist , but in
Singapore , the government and the society does not support the idea as
strongly . Surely, there are schools set up to promote and teach us such as the
School of the Arts and funds set aside to encourage art but I feel that one
should take Art as a hobby not as a full-time job.
School of the Arts(Singapore)
Personally
,I feel that Singapore is no place for an artist, even though there are schools
set up to teach art ,. Reality bites .It is difficult to support yourself and
family by selling your artworks .One still needs to have a proper job to have a
stable income unless one comes from a wealthy family that permits one to pursue
one's passion in art despite not being able to earn a living. This is why
engineering and the healthcare industry are more popular than the arts industry
in Singapore. Artists in China are different. It is a respected profession and
it is encouraged by the government.
Day 4:
The first destination for today was the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall which is located on the People’s Square. This was one of the places I enjoyed myself most. As I approached the magnificent exhibition hall, I couldn’t help but realise the top of the building. It is designed in the shape of a white magnolia – the flower of Shanghai. The design of the main building adds beauty to the surrounding environment ,it follows the Chinese aesthetic ideal which emphasizes central symmetry and incorporates the tradition with a modern flair.
The first destination for today was the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall which is located on the People’s Square. This was one of the places I enjoyed myself most. As I approached the magnificent exhibition hall, I couldn’t help but realise the top of the building. It is designed in the shape of a white magnolia – the flower of Shanghai. The design of the main building adds beauty to the surrounding environment ,it follows the Chinese aesthetic ideal which emphasizes central symmetry and incorporates the tradition with a modern flair.
Shanghai Urban Planning exhibition hall
Magnolia Flower
Themed with
"City, Human, Environment and Development", the city planning is a
hot topic throughout the world, which concerns city dwellers from any
country. The glimpse of present and future Shanghai can provide much food
for thought,
As usual , we were greeted by tight security
checks at the entrance of the exhibition
hall.
Met by an
ostentatious gilded monument of Shanghai’s skyscrapers as you enter the lobby,
there should be no doubt that this museum is dedicated entirely to Shanghai’s
modernization and urban development. There was a female guide that walked us
through the exhibits ,explaining the past present and future of Shanghai. After
that , we were taken into a 360 degree virtual reality tour of Shanghai which
was a whirlwind. It allowed us to fly over the HuangPu river , The Bund
,through the sightseeing tunnel and to the former Shanghai Expo site.
Queue outside Exhibition hall
Golden Shanghai's Monuments
Part of the 360 degree Virtual Reality Tour
The upper floor has
an enormous scale model of the city that takes up the entire upper floor which
has a scale of 1:500 of the actual size of Shanghai. It is fascinating to see
what has already been built and what is planned to be build , giving a very
good introduction to the city of Shanghai.
Scale 1: 500 Shanghai
There were other
floors to explore, how the exhibition hall see the airport developing, the port,
all kinds of transport, including the magnetic levitation (maglev), subway, and
light-rail trains that are going to change the face of the city, greening the
city, leisure activities, managing the waterways and much more.
Unlike the Science and Technology museum , the exhibits are
neater ,more detailed and more thorough .There are photos or colonial Shanghai
, exhibits which show the plans that helped develop Shanghai which demonstrated
how far this city have come in a short time.
However, I hoped we were given more time to explore the place as
there was only 15 min given to extract information from the place.
Next, we paid a visit to the Shanghai Art museum. Again there were security checks.
Shanghai Art Museum
Shanghai Museum is famous for its large collection of rare
cultural pieces. The
museum now houses over 120,000 pieces of cultural relics in twelve
categories, including Chinese bronzes, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy, and
artifacts.
I saw many displays of artifacts from various
dynasties of China, the calligraphy, poetry, pottery, currencies, and
paintings. There was a wide display of Chinese calligraphy and I saw the
evolution of the Chinese characters .The earliest form was the oracle bone
script, then came the Greater and Lesser Seals, and eventually to the
simplified Chinese characters that we now use in everyday lives .This is a
perfect example to show China's rich history and dominance in Chinese writing.
Also, there are poems and pottery ,which are both significant to the history of China .The paintings ,poetry and pottery was at its best during the Tang Dynasty or known as the golden age of China ,and most of the exhibits were from the Tang Dynasty ,proving that they were the most appreciated and often priceless.
Also, there are poems and pottery ,which are both significant to the history of China .The paintings ,poetry and pottery was at its best during the Tang Dynasty or known as the golden age of China ,and most of the exhibits were from the Tang Dynasty ,proving that they were the most appreciated and often priceless.
The bronze ware of the Shang and Zhou dynasties contribute to our
understanding of ancient civilization. The over 400 pieces of exquisite bronze
wares cover the history of ancient Chinese bronze art.
The ancient ceramics collection is a special Shanghai Museum
treasure. Among the more than 500 pieces are artwork from various dynasties,
such as painted and gray pottery from the Neolithic age, primitive celadon from
the Shang, Zhou and Warring States, mature celadon from the East Han Dynasty,
the well known tri-colored glazed pottery from the Tang Dynasty, blue, white
and black glazed as well as painted porcelain from the Song, Jin and Liao, and
the brilliant works from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, the center of the industry during
the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
It is a display of China’s rich history of Art and Culture and how
it has evolved over dynasties and clearly Singapore which has only 700 years of
history cannot compare with China’s more than 5000 years of history.
Example of a ShiKuMen building
Then I visited the ShiKuMen/石库门. Our tour guide told us that these residences can date back to the 1870s, when the Taiping Rebellion against the domination of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) broke out. It is a fusion of Chinese and Western structural styles which is unique to Shanghai. Shikumen houses are two or three-story townhouses, with the front yard protected by a high brick wall. The entrance to each alley is usually surmounted by a stylistic stone arch.
Communist China
Next I
went to the Museum of the
First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party which I learnt what roles the KMT and Dr
Sun Yat Sen played in the 1911 revolution and also the clash of the 2 parties
,the KMT and CCP ,which CCP eventually won the Civil War and drove KMT out of China.
XinTianDi
Next up ,was XinTianDi/新天地. I find Xin Tian Di unique because of its concept of construction. It
retains the antique walls, tiles and exterior of the Shikumen housing of old
Shanghai. On the other hand, its interior has a totally different world of
international gallery, bars and cafes, boutiques or theme restaurants. The more important part of XinTianDi
is that it is an affluent car-free shopping district of Shanghai, China.
Day 5:
Today and the subsequent days were the days which I were sick and of course I did not enjoy them. The school looked beautiful and it comprises of the old school block and the new school block. The school we visited, Nanyang model high school , is one of the oldest modern Chinese school founded in 1901in Qing Dynasty.
It was the first day of school immersion and we
were brought into a micro teaching lab .The tables and chairs were small and
there were many cameras. Perhaps because this is a micro teaching lab and they
installed cameras to monitor students' progress .
Also, the students that we were paired up with
were Secondary 4 students .This meant that the year 4 students in one of
Shanghai's top schools were actually the equivalent of our Singapore’s high
ability year 2 students .Also, there were no CCAs and there were classes about
music appreciation and art appreciation. This probably explain why Art is a
respected profession in China. They have a 10 minute-break between each 50 min
lesson to rest their eyes and they spend up to 10hours a day in school.
As I was given a tour around the school ,I
noticed that there was a daily performance score tabulated for each class in
each level based on components such as quality of homework and attentiveness in
class .This is probably used to maintain the high level of competitiveness both
among classmates and among classes .I believe that there is a reward for being
the best class among the cohort as this pushes each class to strive for it and
at the same time producing more elite students .
Badminton Court and Canteen.
During the ongoing tour around the school , I got
to know my buddy,陈先 more . Firstly, he was the second in the
cohort in terms of grades and he has a positive attitude towards studying. He
believes that in order to do well for a subject, he has to like the subject and
be responsible for his own learning. If one dislikes the subject, it is likely
that the person will not do as well. According to my buddy , Nanyang Model High
School was not the top school of Shanghai but it is one of the top schools in
Shanghai. Despite being the one of the top school of Shanghai, there were no
CCAs ,no talent development programs which many top schools in Singapore has.
Apparently, the school focuses more in
preparing students for their future examinations more than their development .
Then, I attended a music appreciation lesson. I
find the music appreciation lesson mundane as it was mere referral to the
powerpoint slides with videos at attempt to make lesson less boring. Obviously
, the attempts failed. I saw several students at the back rows resting their
heads on their hands and were trying to get some sleep. Also, I notice that
students will voluntarily answer questions posed by the teachers. In Singapore
, this is a rare sight , however in River Valley High School , class
participation has increased slightly after the introduction of a class
participation component to some subjects .
After school , I visited the former residence of LuXun , who is a a key figure in post-imperial China and founded the influential Chinese League of Left-Wing Writers in Shanghai in 1930.
Day 6:
Group Photo before PE lesson
It was another half-day immersion in the
Nanyang Model High School. This time ,I attended their Physical Education and English
lesson with them. I did not participate in their PE lesson and I was ill, as
stated in my previous post . At least , I sat on the bench and admired the joy
on their faces. Hence, I will write from observations. Firstly, I observed
students running on the track ,mainly the junior level students as Y5-Y6
students of their school hardly come out to exercise as they are too focused in
preparation for their upcoming examination. This shows that the Chinese and the
Chinese students regard their studies as their top priority and would not spare
just an hour of their time for exercise .Although this is an unhealthy
obsession with grades but it is inevitable, because if one does not do well in
the college entry exams, they will have little chance in the competitive
Chinese society which has such a large population of elites.
Secondly, they got to play games during their PE lessons as seen in other classes. The games were enjoyable and required moderate amount of running which appealed to many students and had high participation rate. In Singapore , PE lessons are mundane as they focus on training instead of joy , probably because of high obesity rates in Singapore and the fact that boys have compulsory national service at age 18.
Secondly, they got to play games during their PE lessons as seen in other classes. The games were enjoyable and required moderate amount of running which appealed to many students and had high participation rate. In Singapore , PE lessons are mundane as they focus on training instead of joy , probably because of high obesity rates in Singapore and the fact that boys have compulsory national service at age 18.
English Lesson
Next, it was the English lesson .The syllabus
taught was similar to the Secondary 1 English syllabus ,Y4 students learning Y1
syllabus. But what separates the Shanghainese students and the Singaporean
students is that they participate actively in class ,and would raise their
hands up high when the teacher asks for a volunteer ,however in Singapore
,students would be afraid to answer questions and would rather wait for the
teachers to call out their names .I admire the courage that the Chinese
students displayed ,willing to try despite the fact that they do not know the
correct answer ,because they want to improve in their studies. As mentioned in
previous post , my school , River Valley High Schoolhas implemented a class participation
component to some of our subjects to encourage participation during lessons.
China Art Museum
Day 7:
It was a full day immersion with our
buddies. Firstly , we went to an area beside the HuangPu river where my buddy
explained that the source of the river was DianShan Lake and the mouth of the
HuangPu river was the YangTze river, the largest river in Asia, third largest
in the world. We posed for photos and there was not much learning involved.
Afterwards, we went for lunch and then for more shopping at TianZiFang . I can
safely say this was the day I enjoyed the least. There was too much shopping
and no learning at all.
While shopping, we stopped at a postcard shop and written postcards back to our families in Singapore. Unfortunately , my postcard failed to deliver back to Singapore.
For dinner,we were spared from visiting the same restaurant to eat the horrible food and we were told to buy our own food which turned out to be a disaster. I got a bowl of fishball noodles, the taste of the soup resembled dishwater and the fishballs were raw.
Day 8:
Icon of Shanghai
On the last day,I visited the icon of Shanghai. Why does it deserve to be a Shanghai icon? The oriental pearl tower is the most recognizable landmark in Shanghal's central business district .It is 468 m high and the world's sixth and China's second tallest tv and radio tower ,what makes it suitable is its unique architectural design, having 11 gigantic spheres supported by 3 columns and many believe that its design incorporates the sounds of pearls falling onto a jade plate .At 294 m,there is a 360 degree paranormal view of the city of Shanghai,where I can see the Huang Pu river flowing from the DianShan lake to the Yangtze River .Like Sinagpore's national icon ,Shanghai's most iconic landmark is unique because of its beautiful design .
I think that what makes the Oriental Pearl Tower the icon of Shanghai is because of its stunning architecture. This tower is well-known as it represents the perfect masterpiece of architecture and when standing in the pearl of the tower , one can get a bird's eye view of Shanghai which gives this amazing feeling- flying . It represents Shanghai just like how the Merlion represents Singapore as it is an unique structure. The Oriental Pearl Tower represents the most beautiful structure of Shanghai . Based on information I extracted from the tour guide myself, both the Merlion and the Oriental Pearl Tower share a thing in common- they are build up from legends. The architects of the Pearl Tower incorporated Chinese legends into the construction of the building. From a distance, the tower represents pearls set between the dragon-like forms of the YangPu and NanPu bridges.
Afterwards, we went to the Shanghai history museum which was located beneath the pearl tower which showcased the development of Shanghai and surrounding areas from every aspect, by means of more than 1,300 cultural artifacts, literature, and pictures. It presents a holistic picture of the long history of Shanghai from remote antiquity to the liberation of the city in 1949.
After the museum,we were taken to a restaurant which served the best food throughout the 8 long days .
Shanghai's World Financial Center
Next, we went to Shanghai World
Financial Center. It was a taller skyscraper than the oriental pearl tower standing at 474 m.It was designed to be a global financial hub, the building boasts functions of first class financial
centers and many others.Later , we went shopping at the Central Business District.
That concludes my stay at Shanghai for 8 days 9 nights. Thank you for reading my reflection.
#10 Cost of Living in Singapore 7/5/2015
According to a report written by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ,Singapore has been dubbed the most expensive city.
Ranks of the most expensive cities:
1:Singapore
2:Paris , France
3:Oslo , Norway
4:Zurich , Switzerland
5:Sydney , Australia
6:Tokyo , Japan
Topping the table is hard , maintaining the title is even harder. In this scenario,Singapore is the most expensive city in the world. Is this true or false?Is this good or bad?
The purpose of the EIU ranking is to give an indication
of the relative differences in the cost of living in global cities for
expatriates or business travellers and it is used to reflect the lifestyle of
the expatriates. Data used to rank includes international school fees, best seats at the theatre, fine
dining at top restaurants, luxury items, cars, brands and food and GDP.
However,
public housing and public transport are not included. The implications for
Singapore might cause the Singapore currency to be stronger due to the confidence other countries
have in Singapore's currency and thus invest in Singapore.
The cost of private transport,especially cars are ridiculously exorbitant because of the certificate of entitlement(COE) . This certificate actually costs more than a car. A Volkswagen Golf 1.4 in Singapore costs 138,400 SGD but costs only 28,000 SGD in the US.
Although EIU has proven that Singapore being the most expensive city ,I refuse to agree. Instead ,I think that either Paris should be dubbed the most expensive city of the world. Singapore is an efficient,safe ,clean country which boasts almost-excellent public transport islandwide . Unsurprisingly ,cost of living is high .However, the average income is also high.
The average household income in Singapore is about $6500 more than that in the US. Thus, a higher income allows Singaporeans to be able to purchase goods and afford services at a high price than other countries. Everything in Singapore is actually affordable besides the ridiculously expensive COE which i find it a little ludicrous. Although the government plans to discourage people from buying cars to ease traffic, the fact that the COE costs more than the actual car is outrageous.
#9 Merlion as a National Icon 24/4/2015
What is a national icon , or rather a national symbol? A national icon stands for an idea. There are a few national symbols that I could think of when this term was introduced during the lesson, the National Flag,the National Anthem ,the Pledge and the National Coat of Arms.National Flag reflects the ideals of our nation,the Pledge creates a sense of belonging in our multi-racial country,the Coat of Arms represents Singapore's independence,etc.
What does the merlion symbolizes? The merlion is a mythical creature that possesses a lion head and body that resembles a fish.As I previously mentioned,the merlion ,a national icon stands for an idea. The merlion represents Singapore ,how it used to be a fishing village that depended on maritime trade .Temasek ,was what Singapore was known prior to the arrival of the British. Merlion represents Singapore as a national symbol but it itself is actually a myth,a legend,which I am against the idea of having a myth to represent Singapore because it is simply unrealistic.What I find ironic is that the Merlion's only speciality is also it's disadvantage as a national icon.The lion head originated from the tale of how Sang Nila Utama supposedly encountered a lion .A nice story behind the origins of this majestic statue but also impractical. Artists might appreciate how the sculptors managed to create merlion .Some tourists might see the merlion as a mythical creature and appreciate it , others like me see it as a legend that is unrealistic and feel that it is a bad pick for a national icon.Of course ,these are strictly just my opinions .
I think that the National Coat of Arms can better represent Singapore.The heraldic symbol reflects Singapore's status as a self-governing and independent state. The central emblem of the coat of arms is a red shield with five white stars placed above a white crescent, similar to the crescent and stars used on the Singapore flag and such other national symbols Red symbolises "universal brotherhood and equality of man" and white "everlasting purity and virtue". The crescent represents a new moon, which reflects "a rising young nation ", while the five-pointed stars "stand for the nation's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality".
The supporters of the shield are a lion and a tiger: the tiger
symbolises the nation's historical connections to Malaysia (which Singapore was a state of from
1963 to 1965) while the lion represents Singapore itself. Below the
supporters is a blue ribbon on which the national motto, Majulah
Singapura, is written in yellow. Majulah Singapura is also the title of the national
anthem; it means "Onward Singapore" in Malay,
the national language of Singapore.
Of course there are also good points about the Merlion.We have chosen it as a national icon. The merlion has inspired local poets such as Lee Tzu Pheng and Edwin Thumboo that dedicate their poems to the mighty and majestic merlion.
Other merlions
"The Merlion
statue at Merlion Park was part of an exhibit by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi
unveiled at the Singapore Biennale 2011. Named the Merlion Hotel, a
temporary 100-square-metre, five-star luxury hotel suite was built around the statue.
The suite was open for public tours in the day and available as a guest suite
for paying guests by night. It proved to be the most popular exhibit showcased
during the Biennale, drawing close to 700,000 outdoor visitors."
sources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_938_2004-12-27.html?v=1&utm_expid=85360850-6.qNOOYF40RhKK6gXsQEaAJA.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.sg%2F
#8 Remembering Lee Kuan Yew 28/3/2015
After today's lesson about the golden age of China or Tang Dynasty ,I had to reflect about several things.
Firstly ,What have I learnt about Mr Lee Kuan Yew or more importantly his contributions to Singapore.Mr Lee Kuan Yew, was the prime minister of Singapore from 1959-1990,making him to longest serving prime minister in history ,during his long term ,Singapore became the most prosperous nation in Southeast Asia. Mr lee transformed Singapore into a near first world country in a third world region.
One of his notable contribution was how he built Singapore ,from slums to flats.In early 1960,Singapore was packed with slums and squatters and homelessness was unsurprising high .As an advocate of public housing,he set up the housing and development board and began his plan of building the nation.Mr Lee strongly supported public home ownership so as to give every Singaporean a stake in the country,something to fight for .His creation ,modern Singapore, a multiracial and multicultural metropolis ,is an economic powerhouse of one of the world's highest per capita income,excellent education system, healthcare and safety.
In comparison with the Tang Dynasty ,Singapore now can be seen as it's own version of the Golden Age. Tang Dynasty was considered the golden age of China as there were major improvements in art,science,literature ,technology and economy. During the CID lesson , my group and I were to research on how Tang Dynasty was the golden age of the Chinese civilization .
Many inventions were made into the fields of medicine,engineering and the sciences .The world's first clockwork escapement mechanism was built ,the invention of porcelain,discoveries in treating boilers were made ,identified how one is suffering from diabetes and my personal favorite,the invention of gunpowder. Tang Dynasty poetry covered 3 major aspects ,philosophy ,nature and special occasions.The encouragement of poetry in Tang Dynasty ensured the survival of it and be appreciated by future generations.
China at this stage experienced economic growth and law and order maintained as corruption was not a concern.
Singapore now, could be the golden age in the history of Singapore .Singapore has experienced tremendous economic growth in the past 50 years under the leader ship of our first prime minster ,Mr Lee Kuan Yew , a great man that history will remember him for his contributions as explained above.In 50 years,Singapore's government had devised many policies that have benefited people and bolstered economic development which is remarkable as it was a third world country 50 year ago,now a metropolis.
#7 Reflection of CID Individual Presentation 13/3/15
On this day,I tried to deliver a good speech but I failed. I was given 2 minutes to explain how education represents Singapore .
This is a picture of aa lecturer conducting a mass economics lecture.To me this represents the education system of Singapore.But ,how is this special? Education in Singapore is top of the class .It is the top priority of the government with many teachers and held high in regard.Education equips the students with necessary skills for their future such as economics,technology and sciences
According to the latest OECD report on education performance around the world, it seems like that effort is paying off. Based
on rankings achieved in mathematics, science and reading literature, Singapore
comes second in the overall results, just behind Shanghai. Some 12.3% of
students in Singapore attain the highest levels of proficiency in all three
assessment subjects.
Education would be an important element in continuing a well educated work force for Singapore's prosperity.
Having only a few
natural resources, Singapore invested heavily in education .Education prepares
the next generation of Singaporeans for the future. This is a future that
brings tremendous opportunity, especially in Asia, but it will also bring many
changes that we cannot foresee today. The task of Singapore's schools and
tertiary institutions is to give the young the chance and a platform to develop
the skills, character and values that will enable them to continue to do well
and to take Singapore forward in this future.
Not only do the
students feel a notable pressure from their parents there's also a sharp focus
on the teachers. As Singapore's education system is the best and special,
teachers are very important to what the students achieve in education. To keep
them on track to the newest teaching techniques, they are entitled to 100 hours
of professional development every year. Through this development, these
teaching professionals bring quality, new and innovative practices to the
classroom to guide the students better in their growing years through education
and eventually contributing Singapore's well educated work force and prosperity.
And that shows how important education is in representing Singapore.
How well planned and structured is Singapore's education.
After 33 incredible presentations I realized that many are weak in projecting their voice or basically poor intonation.However,for me ,I encounter a different problem which is of paramount importance.It was relevance. Because my picture wasn't really relevant to my presentation ,I wasn't able to ace it.I made zero references to the picture I shown which was a grave mistake.I have learnt that clarity and relevance are important to my presentation , which I did not master or applied good enough.I could have chosen a better picture to represent the point I illustrated ,perhaps a picture of MOE 's vision would help me better to address ho education represents Singapore .
#6 Reflection of Daily Expenditure 16/2/2015
I am from an average income family and thus I do not lead an expensive or luxurious lifestyle.
On average,our group daily expenditure is 7 Singapore Dollars. Personally ,I feel that 7 dollars to raise a teenager/ adolescent in Singapore is quite expensive as it would mean about $2800 to raise me in a year. However, when i compare my daily expenditure/ cost of living with my peers ,my daily expenditure is considerably lower.Some of them calculated 10 dollars,11 dollars and even a whopping 20 dollars . In Singapore ,our parents pay for utilities bills, phone bills, food ,transport,credit card bills and car insurance and school fees. For the sake of this activity,my group takes in only money we spend on transport and food . For me I spend my money mostly on food in school, sometimes I visit fast food restaurants and thus,spend more money. I have three proper meals in a day and frequently after school I would spend money on chicken burgers. I spend about $1.50 on public transport
As soon as I start spending my own money, I start tracking my spending so that I can create and follow my personal budget. Tracking my spending, while sometimes tedious, is the best way to find out exactly where my money is going. I always prioritise my needs and wants . My needs ,of course ,the proper meals in a day,and my wants ,e.g. chicken burgers after school curriculum hours (as mentioned)
As my daily expenditure is reasonably high (In my opinion),I am looking forward to my trip to Shanghai where I will explore the supermarket and find out if I will lead a more expensive lifestyle there,thus having a higher budget.I hope I would not overspend.
#5 Economy of China 11/2/2015
China's economy is the second largest economy by nominal GDP and it is now the fastest growing economy of the word which some call it the second industrial revolution .It is only a matter of time before China beats America as the largest economy ,although some aficionados would not agree.
Why does China's economy keep growing?
Reasons:
1) The Chinese currency is undervalued.
The Chinese try to keep their currency low when the British are working to keep their Sterling pound up .Why? By undervaluing the Chinese currency, it its boosting China's economic growth,especially in China's exporting industries. China has already been the largest exporter of goods in 2009.
The fact that America keeps her currency strong gives China an advantage because it makes China's imports more attractive.Thus , China's economy is growing tremendously and America is blaming China for it.
2)Chinese Labour Force
China is famous for its One Child Policy where each family is only allowed to have on child although this policy has been relaxed in 2013 due to a shrinking labour force.Nevertheless, the Chinese labour force is still large. In China, about 1 billion are of working age and three quarters of them are economically-active. Even with a lower fertility rate due to the one child policy, China is still powered by a potentially large labour force which can allow the Chinese economy to continue to grow rapidly.
The tremendous growth of China's economy and its great economic achievements has brought prosperity to the Chinese.But with that great reform has come new problems that are now emerging . Normally, GDP is used to measure a country's growth and the quality of products are significant.Despite strict measures ,low grade items can be found everywhere.
One example is the 2008 China's Milk Scandal.The contamination of milk with melamine left at least 3 babies dead and disgusted hundreds of thousands more, tarnishing China's reputationThis has raised several tough questions about China and the ethics of the Chinese business practices.
Implications for Singapore
Although China's past tremendous has benefited Singapore greatly ,it has been of a slowdown lately, a drop in GDP , weakest in 23 years. How will this implicate Singapore? China's slowing economy can actually impact Singapore more than China itself. Singapore has exports to China which numbers are triple than that in 2000. Since China is a very important trading partner to Singapore ,especially in the manufacturing industry ,Singapore (one of the most powerful economy in Asia) could be impacted the most with a decrease in GDP.
#4 Poverty in Singapore 25/2/2015
Poverty, there are two types of poverty, relative poverty and
absolute poverty.
In Singapore, I feel that it is
unlikely to see vagrant beggars roaming the streets begging for money or
undernourished children scavenging for food as this is illegal .This is probably because
Singapore has a hidden poverty problem. Singapore is recently ranked as the
sixth most expensive cities in the world according to Economist Intelligence Unit,
its property market among top 10, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.Yet, in
the developing economy of Singapore, there is still a segment that gets left behind, the poor who are struggling to make ends meet .I think that these destitute people in our society live in relative poverty .They are then trapped in a cycle , with little hope of having a better life. The children are unable to do better in studies than their parents due to limited access to knowledge and support .A teenager would have to drop their course of studies to work and help with the family gross income. Failure to meet the requirements of the average standards of living is relative poverty. I think that the Singapore government should implement an official poverty line like countries such as Hong Kong to help people leave the vicious poverty cycle however the government’s response suggested that those below the poverty line will not receive all forms of assistance. Even without having an official poverty line, Singapore appears to have several measures of those in need. One is public assistance. A single adult receives $450, while a household of two adults and two children can receive $1,480,according to
Absolute Poverty .The picture of the vulture stalking a child shows that many people live in absolute poverty. Absolute poverty is different from the relative poverty in Singapore. Relative poverty is the condition which people lack the money to keep up with the average standards of living in that society. However, absolute poverty is when one is unable to meet the necessary standards of living and this will cause deleterious effects on one’s health . My life is considerably sheltered as compared to the people in the poverty class and this has made me aware of my concept of money and how to use it wisely .
Personally,I do not come from a well-off family or am I a person who lives relative poverty thus, I do not have any considerably major financial problems .Manageable would be a right word to describe my situation.I strongly believe that it is not one's fault if he is born poor,but it is his fault if he dies poor as there is no success without struggle .My parents are cautious of their expenditure and they have cultivated a saving habit in me since I was young .Some do not save because they are uncertain how much to save with what they think of it as a meagre income ,some actually save for a rainy day,although the "rainy" days came frequently .I actually save with a clear goal in my head ,with a logical purpose and a plan to execute it ,however I shall not reveal the supposedly goal I have.I am a planner .I enjoy planning out things and carry it out according to it and that is what I do with my money.With this habit and perception of money,I do not overspend my daily allowance ans make sure I save to my long-term "goal"
#3 Singapore's Ageing Population
Definition: Ageing population happens because of declining birth rate.
As there is already a significant decrease in fertility rate,there will be an ageing population in the near future.In fact,It is already happening. An ageing population means a high dependency ratio which means more people of working age ,15-64 years old (economically active) would have to support the old dependent(65+) and the young dependent,this means more burden to the future generation of economically active people. The previous picture depicts a scene of a baby having to support his parents and grandparents in the foreseeable future . The child is burdened with more people to support financially than his parents (previous generation) .This is caused by a lower fertility rate each year which leads to a smaller work force and talent pool to boost Singapore's economy.
Let's explore WHY Singapore faces an ageing population
1) Couples who enter late marriages tend to have lesser children because they have lesser child-bearing years. With lesser children,means lesser fertility rate ,which leads to less economically active people in the future to support the elderly and the young and causes ageing population.
2)There is also an increasing trend of people in developed countries who prefer to have smaller families . This is attributed to the expensive lifestyles that people lead in developed countries like Tokyo . Also ,raising a child in developed countries is expensive and thus, many people prefer to have lesser children ,contributing to a declining birth rate.
Let's explore some consequences of an ageing population.
1) Increased government expenditure in healthcare and pensions. Also , people of the old dependent pay less taxes because they are not working . the combination of high spending commitments and lower tax revenues is a concern for many governments in developed countries . To combat this , those of working age would have to pay more taxes to found public amenities and projects.
2)An ageing population can cause a change in sector within the economy, an increased number of old dependent will create an increase in demand for goods and services related to them such as retirement homes.
What has the government done to combat the ageing population?
1)Encourage marriage and childbearing can increase birth rates. For example, The Singapore government gives incentives in the form of tax rebates to couples who have more children.
2)The needs of an ageing population , which is a consequence of a dwindling population growth must be met. These include building facilities for the elderly and encouraging their family to care for them
3)To reduce the burden of the economically active people ,the retirement age can be raise to extend working life.
Picture of a Generational Crisis. #2 Broken Telephone Activity
This blog post will be directly related to the next 3rd post. This activity puts my communications skills and observations skills to the test. We are given 1 minute each to observe the picture except one group member who is supposed to draw out on paper according to what she hears from us .The picture is actually about Singapore's ageing population where the grandparents are on top of an inverted pyramid,at the second level are the parents,struggling to support their own parents,and at the bottom (inverted apex of pyramid) is a baby who is supposed to support his parents and grandparents when he reaches working age ,and increasing burden after each generation. The person responsible for drawing tried her best to draw but it was a futile attempt due to poor description and communication skills. I felt that I could not articulate well enough as I did not not notice finer details such as the bags and the clothings. Most importantly,this activity has shown that we lack effective communication and good observation techniques.There is certainly room for improvement in expressing our thoughts .
#1 My Vacation 20/1/2015
For a reason,I actually engaged in gardening activities while I was in Malaysia.
Gardening is actually a good activity as it is a combination of 3 important physical activities-stamina,strength and flexibility . For others ,gardening may be for cultural interest,aesthetic considerations and practical thoughts but for me ,it is gardening for food.
There are various benefits of gardening.I find that gardening helps reduce stress,improves my coordination and balance.Studies have shown that garderners eat a variety of vegetables and have a higher intake of vegetables than non gardeners.My only major accomplishments were planting shoots and harvesting some fruits .It was an enjoyable thing anyway.
At home, I spent my
time doing academic work and preparation. I caught up with television shows and
movie franchises. I devoted some time into community work .I learnt some
languages and was able to speak simple but fluent Spanish .Recently ,I embarked
on a journey with a great book "Brave New World”. Throughout the book, the
author,Huxley critiques
the dangers of a superpower state ,modern governmental institutions whose power
has slowly crept into the lives of ordinary people,these powers are
strengthened with drugs .In terms of science and technology advancements,it is
both enthralling and terrifying .The people are programmed to be happy however
there are some who are dissatisfied .Thus,they use soma as an escape from any
forms of unhappiness,the people are also enslaved by their needs to take the
drugs.As my journey continues , I realize how the confinement in the Brave New
World's society inevitably kills freedom and creativity .
#1 Self-Introduction 11/1/2015
Greetings fellow readers,
I am Alan ,I was born and raised in Singapore and have a younger brother . I am an 8th grader, currently studying in River Valley High School. My aim is to have good academic records for the remaining 5 years to earn myself a place in medicine course in university. To allow my portfolio to stand out from the rest,I hope to participate in competitions and be a scholarship recipient.Of course ,these are just dreams. Reality bites.
My CCA is the Infocomm Multimedia Club .Previously ,I was in the Basketball CCA ,however , due to repeated injuries, I changed my CCA to Infocomm Club because of medical reason. In Infocomm Club ,there are two divisions, the Robotics and Multimedia divisions.I belong in the Multimedia division. During CCA session , we are to create ideas, film them ,edit them and send them to competitions. I was featured as an American psycho killer in one of the projects.
I would describe my CCA as mundane as we would repeat the cycle of" Generate Ideas, Film,Edit " every week. It was a weekly affair . Well ,our CCA also allocates time for club bonding session,which were physical exercises accompanied by invasion games afterwards.
Now ,my hobbies.I enjoy video editing , reading and learning Sciences, and once in a blue moon,light gaming.Reading up on Sciences is something I enjoy most, electromagnetism and psychology are the fields I am particularly interested in . Unsurprisingly , my favourite scientist is Michael Faraday. Favourite female scientist would be Marie Curie.
Studying ,I am not as big fan of it but neither do I hate it .In terms of academic performance ,I would say I am classified under the "below-average " category .
My stronger subjects would be Math and Science and my weaker subjects would be Chinese and History .
My parents brought be up as an honest person and have high expectations of me so I have promises to hold. I hope that concludes my Self-Introduction.
Thank You.
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