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Prof Hu Jiangyong - A Message to Environmental Science and Engineering Students

Prof KK Phoon - Message to Class of 1314Essay~(Brave)

Chairperson Address

ESE Appreciation Day

CEE Civil Environmental Engineering Day

ESESC Sports Day

ESESC Annual Chinese New Year Celebration

ESE Freshman Orientation Camp

Welfare Pack Giveaway!

Graduation Night

International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS)

Project OceaNUS Pre-Trip Write-Up

Project OceaNUS 14 Sharing Session

NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) India

SEP HenryKoh - Technion Institute of Technology, Israel

SEP HuiShan - Waterloo University, Canada

SEP KahChin - University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (UIUC)

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Assoc Prof Jiangyong Hu EV Program Director

nvironmental issues affect everyone
to varying degrees. Environmental
concerns can range from water and
air pollution, global warming, climate
change, energy conservation, wildlife
conservation land degradation etc. For
example, many parts of world are suffering
from drought and thus alternative water resources are becoming
a pressing issue. Greenhouse gases and global warning are
receiving more and more attention due to overreliance of the
world on crude oil. Therefore, it is now important that we look to
other forms of renewable energy to prevent more damages to the
environment and alternative water resources to meet demands
from urbanization. Some of the key issues pertinent to Singapore
in recent years concern air pollution, water management and
waste-to-energy.
In recent years, Singapore has been adversely affected by
severe smoke haze arising from regional forest fires and open
burning by the agricultural industry. Besides these contributors,
vehicular exhausts, power stations and refineries also add on to
air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate
matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and
carbon monoxide. The impact of these pollutants, particularly
those originating from regional activities, are dependent on the
season, wind direction and amount of precipitation while others
originate from human activities at a national level. Though nothing
can be done to modify the forces of nature to avert the impact
of haze and emissions in Singapore, much can be done on an
individual and engineering level by adopting alternative means of
transportation, fuel, and coming up with creative means to limit
vehicular and industrial emissions.

coupled with detention tanks which not only detain and

retain runoff but also remove pollutants from runoff to
provide storage for non-potable reuse such as irrigation,
general washing etc.
Last but not least, energy is a constant concern worldwide.
Alternative energy sources can come from renewable energy
such as wind, solar, biomass biogas, geothermal hydropower,
offshore wind, wave and tidal energy. In Singapore,
incineration plants are also known as waste-to-energy (WTE)
plants where heat from the combustion process is used to
generate superheated steam in boilers, and steam is used to
drive turbogenerators to generate electricity. Various studies
and approaches have been undertaken by agencies and
research institutes to increase energy efficiency, and the use
of alternative energy in terms of solar energy, biomass and
biofuels. Wind and clean coal technologies are also currently
shortlisted but require massive effort to overcome existing
challenges with regards its application in Singapore. Despite
Singapores attempt to switch to more renewable energy,
more can be done in search of emerging technologies and to
increase efficiency of existing technologies.
As environmental engineers of the future, I would like to
urge you to take up the responsibility of paving the way to
tackle the abovementioned environmental challenges and
to provide a sustainable and liveable environment in and
beyond Singapore. n

With climate change driven by global warming, incidences of high

precipitation and flooding are evident worldwide. This impact is
intensified by rapid urbanization and development where much
of the natural catchment surfaces are replaced by impervious
built-up areas. Despite the deluge of water from intense rainfall
and flooding in many parts of the world, not all runoff are
available for usage and water shortage/rising water demand
is still a critical issue arising from population growth. These
observed phenomena are pertinent to Singapore and other Asian
megacities where high-rise developments are erected to
cope with rising population growth. Therefore, instead of
the conventional approach whereby stormwater runoff
is channeled rapidly into nearby storm drains, current
control measures to flooding include the implementation
of sustainable systems to detain runoff. These include
rain gardens, bioretention swales, constructed wetlands

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Go placidly amid the noise and haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.
-- Desiderata,

Max Ehrmann (1927)

Max Ehrmann was born in Terre Haute, Indiana on September

16, 1872. He practiced law for two years and then worked
for a number of years as credit manager and attorney for his
brothers manufacturing business. He began to write full time
at the age of 40.
Max Ehrmann died September 9, 1945 at the age of 72. He
published many books, essays, and poems during his career
as a writer. It was said that when he began writing, he devoted
every day of his life to work. I would guess that he found his
calling when he was 40 and decided that making a living was
no longer enough.
No one knew who Max Ehrmann was during his lifetime.
He became famous after his death for Desiderata which
he wrote in 1927 at the age of 54. But honestly, with
no disrespect, I do not think many people know him or
Desiderata. His post mortem fame is pretty much restricted
to the literary community and perhaps a few passionate
people here and there who are lovers of literature and history.
Despite his rather voluminous literary outpouring, he is not
as famous as that Korean guy who pranced around like a
horse on youtube. I must admit I am rather saddened by this.
I meant no disrespect to entertainers. I know they work just as
hard and devote as much passion to their art as anyone else.
Brick-and-mortar bookstores are closing one by one across
the planet. Well, if you really must know how I feel, I feel like
George in Clarkes The Nine Billion Names of God:
Look, whispered Chuck, and George lifted his eyes to
heaven. (There is always a last time for everything.)
Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out.
This classic science fiction story haunted me across the
years since I first read it in my teens. I think my heart was first
broken by the notion of stars being snuffed out, inexorably,
one at a time. I wish it was some puppy love that broke my
heart, but it wasnt.
Of course the notion of eternity is ridiculous. So are notions
like Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, and tooth fairy. Physicists
will tell you gravely that even our universe will expire in due
course.
I guess growing up always entails losing that feeling of being
enchanted by silly stuff and dimming of that sparkle that
appears so effortlessly in every childs eyes.

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I grew up when I started pondering what is left after eternity is

over.
Indeed, nothing lasts forever.
Adagio means slow.
There are many hidden gems such as Desiderata that you may
across browsing books in some quiet corner of a bookstore.
While we rush headlong into our collective future with frantic
haste, losing one bookstore or one star in a crowded heaven
is like losing an adagio movement, it may mean nothing to
that untrained ear for music.
But, it could mean everything.

You are a child of the universe,

no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
-- Desiderata, Max Ehrmann (1927)
Max Ehrmanns life is rather ordinary. He attended various
schools and tried out various jobs before finally settling down
to be a poet and writer at a rather mature stage of his life.
He may have married someone and dutifully supported a
family or he may have chosen otherwise. In all likelihood,
Max Ehrmanns life was no greater and no lesser than the
multitude of lives that come and go across the centuries. I
love reading Desiderata, particularly when I am tired of
this or that. I have not read his biography. I figured
anyone who can write
Desiderata must
be a decent human
being. I do not need
to know more.
Perhaps he was a bit
luckier than most to
find his true calling
at the age of 40 and
to have the means
to pursue his calling
to the end of his
natural life. Clearly,
he did not write

because he wanted to be famous. He wrote because he has

something to say. I am quite sure he does not mind being
that lone voice in the wilderness or leaving nothing behind
for posterity.
A sand mandala is an intricate piece of Tibetan art
painstakingly created from coloured sand. It is destroyed
the moment it is completed in a ritual that involves sweeping
the grains into flowing water. I have seen this enacted
once at the Herbert
F. Johnson Museum
of Art. One basic
tenet in Buddhism
is impermanence. I
suppose the sand
mandala is a gentle
reminder of this age
old wisdom that
everybody seems
to know but nobody
seems to practice.
In a life that is as
ordinary as ours, Max
Ehrmann did one
single extraordinary
thing. He found
something to live for.
For those who are still

pondering what to do with all those

glorious years lying ahead of you, do consider my ridiculous
notion that your life belongs to you and you may wish to
make it count in some minor way for yourself.
I am not wise enough to say this. I am as much a student
as all of you. Many wiser people said this, but perhaps none
said it more poignantly than Dag Hammarskjold:
Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding
something to live for, great enough to die for.
I believe in living modestly. You know, it is enough to be
a decent human being. It will be insanely lucky to find
something to live for. Maybe, just maybe, when I perchance
find all myself alone under a cloudless sky bursting with
the most magnificent stars, I may pray silently for that
something to die for.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken

dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
-- Desiderata, Max Ehrmann (1927)

the ceremony. I will also take time off to meet up with some
students to offer my congratulation and blessing. The
majority happily shared with me their forthcoming
graduation trips or a hundred and one dreams they can
pursue now that they are done with NUS! Some told me
about their ambitions. Some shared their trepidation
about a future that is less than certain. Some sought my
view on job offers.
I said my crystal ball is as cloudy as yours.
I said I only need you to do two things for me. No, I do not
need you to do great things to make your alma mater proud.
We are already very proud of you for just being who you are.
One, this little department of ours is your family. You are
always welcome to come back even if you have no reason
to do so.
Two, I need you to try your darnest to be happy. I dont have
the power to dismiss those storm clouds that will surely
gather over your heads
now and then.
You will be drenched.
Again.
And again.
If you are tired of
feeling miserable and
wet all the time, you
can take a breather
under my sturdy
umbrella. You can
stay and catch a
rainbow with me
after the rain stops.
Or you can go and
do whatever you
need to do with my
blessing and support.
In these interesting times, I need our class of 2014 to
promise me one more thing.
I need you to be brave. n
Love,

Prof Phoon

National University of Singapore

13 July 2014
Track: Brave by Sara Bareilles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4

Commencement comes and goes every year. I will take time

off to practice reading the names right a day or two before
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2013/2014

s we approach the start of a new

AY, it marks the end of the tenure of
Environmental Science and Engineering
Students Club (ESESC) 6th Management
Committee. It had been an enriching and pleasant
journey for us to be able to serve the ESE community. On behalf
of the 6th MC, I would like to thank you for the continuous
support given to us. Without your support, ESESC will not be
able to sustain and bring all those events to action.
The annual publication of ESESC, the SEED magazine, allows
us to capture various memories along the way. A few years
down the road, this publication will serve as a reminder of your
university life as an ESE student.
ESESC was formed on the grounds of serving the ESE community
and forging bonds between ESE students. The committee had
worked hard to achieve this common goal, organising various
events, ranging from team bonding events (CNY celebration,
sports day etc) to enrichment activities (Industrial visits, ICCS
etc). Not to forget our OCIP project, Project OceaNUS, which
is running for the second year. The 13/14 AY also sees the
introduction of a new event, ESE Outfit of the Week (OOTD),
encouraging ESE students to dress up according to specific
themes. This new initiative aims to forge an identity within the
ESE community and bring more vibrancy towards our University
life. All these events aim to add more colours to the mundane
University life as well as a platform for ESE students to meet.
Looking back, it has truly been a memorable and humbling
experience for me. Seeing how each and one of the ESESC
members grow as a leader on their own, it was definitely a
rewarding journey. No doubt, the past 12 months had been
bristled with challenges, however, it was through this that each
and one of us grow as a person, as a leader. Hereby, I would
like to express my sincere gratitude towards my committee for
giving their very best to the ESE community.
Time really flies by quickly. I stronger urge each and one of
you to treasure your student life and make the most out of it.
Spend time indulging in doing things you like. Do not be afraid
of of challenges, step out of your comfort zone and who knows,

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2013/201 4

you might surprise yourself on what you can achieve. Most

importantly, do not be afraid of making mistakes, instead learn
to reflect and learn from them.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the CEE department
for their unconditional support towards ESESC, notably head of
department, Prof Phoon. ESESCs faculty advisor, Prof Ng How
Yong, as well as our department staff, Peggy and Sarimah.
ESESC will be moving onto our 7th year, and I will handling
over the reins to Guoliang, Sherin and Adam. Do continue to
support them and the new committee. Once again, thank you
so much for the support for the past one year and have a great
year ahead! n
Regards,

Clement Quek
Chairperson

6th Management Committee

Environmental Science and Engineering Students Club

Feeling gratitude and

not expressing it is like
wrapping a present and
not giving it.
Indeed, it is often that we take things
for granted and we forget to express
our appreciation for the things and
people around us. All the activities
organised by ESESC wouldnt have
been possible without the dedication
of the team working behind it. The
appreciation day was organised by the
Welfare Committee to express our
heartfelt thanks for the effort that the ESESC
members have put in. It was also great
chance for the team to come together at the
end of laughter and sincerity.
This is an important gesture to recognize the
contributions of each and every ESESC
members, and to build up the morale of the
team. These little
encouragements go
a long way in spurring
the team on to continue
to serve the student body
with passion and
earnestness.
This is also a reminder for
everyone to take a moment
to express your gratitude
for all that you have
around you! n

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201 3/2014

 he Civil and Environmental Engineering

Day was held on the 21st of February 2014. From

3pm to 6pm on that day, a sea of CEE students

and staff flooded the walkways outside LT6
and sounds of chatter and laughter can be
heard throughout Engineering.
CEE day was a joint event organized by Environmental
Science and Engineering Student Club (ESESC) and Civil
Engineering Club (CE Club) in hopes to foster bonding
between the CEE departments staff and students.

competition. Teams of four were tasked to create clean

drinkable water using household items such as bleach,
salt, straws, aluminum foil, candles and recycled water
bottles. Teams used methods like distillation and filtration
to complete the task at hand. We were Phoon Kok Kwang
and Prof. Ng How Yong who came down as the judges
for the competition. The teams were judged based on
how much water their collected and the design of their
system. At the end, teams were so confident of their end
product that they drank the water they purified! The top
team received goodie bags and capital land vouchers, the
others however, did not go home empty handed as they

This year, we celebrated CEE day in style with a

carnival-like event. Students and staff participated
in booth games in exchange for lucky draw
coupons. The more they played, the more chances
of entering the lucky draw! Games that resembled
those seen on a popular variety show was played,
such as the traditional Korean game Takkji, rolling
a coin in between the tooth of forks and throwing
hoops around bottles. Members of the CE and ESE
club handed out cans of coke, packages popcorn
and sweet colorful cotton candy as students and
staff tackle the simple yet challenging games in
hopes of winning the top prizes. It was certainly a
sight to behold.
The highlight of the day was the water purification
too received goodie bags. Everyone went home
happy that day.
When the popcorn ran out by end of the day
and prizes were finally presented to the lucky
draw winners. The winners received NUS Coop
vouchers, Starbucks Vouchers, a Polaroid
camera, PS vita and for the lucky two top prize
winners, they were given Samsung tablets!
In the end, everyone went off with full stomachs
and smiles on their faces. Overall, the event
was a success as the turnout rate was good and
we had many staff and students from different
cohorts interacting with each other. Both staff
and students from the CEE family had fun and
bonded with each other during the event. n

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2013/201 4

he Environmental Science & Engineering

Students Club (ESESC) organized a sports
day for all ESE students on the 10th of October
2013. It is highly anticipated as it is the first event
of the year. Dark clouds loomed above the sky
as the students gathered in the late afternoon at
Sports and Recreation Centre, filled with excitement
and enthusiasm. The weather did not dampen the
spirits of the students and the competition kicked
off to a great start. Students began warming up and
getting ready for their games.
Teams were allocated either to begin with captain ball
games or basketball games. Teams got into position
and balls were tossed into the air as the whistle blew. The basketball
matches began with high intensity and players were focused on the
-games. Atmosphere was just as intense on the multi-purpose court
as captain ball games were being conducted. Students sprinted for
loose balls and made runs to exploit spaces behind their opponents.
Matches concluded as the time went down to the last second. A
match was given extra time as the scores were tied. Winners of the
round emerged and went on to the finals while the others were off to fight for
their third placing.
The final games started off with a blast as teams fought for their spots. After a
round of intense games, the winners for basketball and captain ball emerged.
Teams were swapped to play The final games started off with a blast as teams
fought for their spots. After a round of intense games, the winners for basketball
and captain ball emerged. Teams were swapped to play the other sport and
second round of games commenced. Rain clouds gathered and drizzles began
to descend. Unfortunately, the lightning alarm went off and heavy down pour
came upon. Games had to be ceased to everyones dismay.
The event capped off with prize presentation in
which the winning groups were rewarded with
huge hampers of goodies and food. The teams
showed their generosity by sharing their winnings
with everyone around. It was a fruitful
experience and it was the new
found friendships that were the
ultimate prize. A rewarding experience
where the family of Environmental Science
& Engineering got together; taking their
time off and had fun and joy amidst their
busy schedule. n

S EED

201 3/2014


he annual Chinese New Year Celebration
organized by the Environmental Science and

Engineering Students Club (ESESC) was held on the
20th of January 2014. Games were prepared and prizes wrapped
to be won by enthusiastic participants. ESE students dressed in
red gathered outside the rendezvous LT3 foyer- forming a sea
of red. After they settled into their groups, the games begin.
First, the groups were provided with a bag of gua zi (melon seeds).
They were tasked to crack 88 perfect gua zi in the shortest time
without the help of any tools. This means that they have to open
the melon seeds using their teeth to retrieve what is inside. This
proved challenging for some because the gua zi would break into
pieces if too much force was used to crack the shell open. Team
members worked together to get as many perfect gua zi as they
can and scrambled to count the number of seeds so that they can
be crowned the winner of the round.
Next up, a coke drinking competition.
Four members from each
group were challenged
to represent their group to
drink a can of coke relay style.
Each member is to empty their

coke can in the shortest time,

but only after the member preceding them has finished dinking
his or hers. After the competition, the foyer was filled with
burping students.
In the pomelo peeling game, groups were asked to peel a
pomelo as fast as they can. But, there was a second part to the
game. Groups had to eat the pomelos that they peeled in the
shortest time possible in order to win the game.
The rounds of games concluded with a round of Chubby
Bunny, where two volunteers from each group attempt to stuff
as many kueh baulus into their mouths as possible. The phrase
Chubby Bunny has to be recited once after the contestants
stuff a kueh baulu into their mouth to make that piece counted.
It was entertaining for the audience to watch the competing
students trying to squeeze as many kueh baulus into their
mouths because the contestants cheeks started to bloat with
food, resembling a Chubby Bunny.
Last but not least, the celebration ended with a prize presentation
to the winning team and the participating teams. The customary
Lou Hei followed soon after. Phrases of goodwill, prosperity
and longevity exchanged between ESE students as chopsticks
flipped the ingredients on the plate. As the sea of red dispersed,
there is no doubt that the memories and friendships forged that
day will continue on. n

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ESE FOC 2014

was held between 18th and 20th

June 2014 and the theme was
Tribalsome! For those who missed
this years camp, fret not! Join
us as part of ESE FOC Camp
Committee 2015!
You might ask, what are the roles and
responsibilities of the Camp Committee?
Camp planning started in early December
2013 where we formed the various cells,
overseeing various aspects
of the camp such as
Programmes, Logistics,
Publicity and most
importantly, Orientation Group Leaders (OGLs). The
theme chosen this year was influenced largely by the
latest fashion trend involving Aztec prints. Tribalsome
was thus born and planning began in earnest for the
camp.
Members from different committees have to work closely
together in the process of planning. A good example
will be the Logistics Cell and Programmes Cell having
to coordinate with one another on the equipment and
items needed for the games. It was vital that there was
proper communication between both cells to ensure that
the activities would be able to run smoothly. Admirable
teamwork compensated for the lack of manpower during

the preparatory stage and everything

went without a hitch during the
execution phase.
In line with this years camp theme,
all the orientation group names were
named by the individual OGLs to echo real
tribal names. They had real fun when brain
storming for cheers and items as identity to
represent their individual orientation group.
With new crazy ideas for the orientation groups,
the freshmen enjoyed
themselves
greatly
and many made close
friends.
The highlights of the camp were the Finale Night and
Secret Pal segment. All the freshmen went through
blind folded sessions as they get to know freshmen
of the opposite gender from other orientation groups.
As the camp came to an end, many talented freshmen
showcase their talents and skills to their fellow friends
during Finale night.
Without the relentless effort of the committee and
enthusiasm of the freshmen, ESE camp 2014 would
not have been such a great success. Everyone played
an important role in it. With just three days two nights in
school, our ESE family grew larger. n
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11

As the end of the semester crept

along, you can almost hear the
dragging of footsteps of students
along the corridor and the whole place
loomed with the burden of final examinations
and deadlines to meet. Fret not; the ESE
welfare pack is coming to the rescue! Towards
the end of every semester, the ESESC team
pools up our own resources to pack goodies
bags for the ESE students to fuel them for
the last stretch of their academia curriculum.
Semester I was full of snacks and drink
sachets to fuel the student with energy to
flip through that last set of lecture notes.
Semester IIs pack was filled with stationeries;
physical encouragement to work through the
final set of tutorial. 150 welfare packs were
given out for each semester and were all fully
redeemed.
We are glad to have Du Yi Bookstores
support for this event with them sponsoring
the stationeries in the welfare pack. We would
also like to thank Igard and Botak Jones for
sponsoring vouchers, as well as JobsCentral
BrightMinds for providing us with the
notebooks. Without their generosity, the
welfare pack wouldnt be as plentiful as it is.

12

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Though the content of the welfare pack was important, we feel

that the gesture of the students coming together to collect the
welfare pack in the midst of revision and tight schedule was of
more significance. The welfare pack giveaway is an initiative from
ESESC to give back to the student body in a tangible way, and
also, the intangible aspect of being the pillar of support for the ESE
students. The receptiveness of the student body in turn fuels the
ESESC team to continue giving our best to serve and inspire.
Thank you to all those who gave your support for this event and
stay tuned for the next welfare pack giveaway! n

o bring everyone together to celebrate the

Year 4s graduation in NUS, the ESESC 6th MC
Welfare Committee has organized the Graduation
Night. It was a night filled with unforgettable
moments lingering fondly in their minds to celebrate
their culmination of these 4 years journey.
The graduation night was held on 12 July 2014 at
Stewords Riverboat at Marina South Pier, which is an
iconic stationary floating venue. The graduates spent the
evening under the scenic view by the sea.
Occasional waves from the surrounding sea vessels sending
the riverboat rocking. Some guests even had to pop seasick
pills before the dinner to last them through the bumpy ride.
Dinner served was Tex-Mex cuisine, a regional American
cuisine that involves an amalgam of Texan and Mexican food,
simply means Americanized version of Mexican food.
Reception started at 6.30pm as everyone grabs their door
gift before they are seated. Door gifts include a Multi-card
holder, 77th street voucher, Santa Fe buffet discount voucher,
a Nautical-designed eraser and also a Linus plush toy kindly
sponsored by AlumiNUS.
Our emcee for the night, Madeline and Sherin gave an opening
speech. And a short photo montage was played, showing all
the fond memories and highlights of the ESE graduates four
years in NUS. Friends are those who doubled the joy and
halved the misery in university. The guests appreciate one
another for all the insight, motivation, inspiration, support,
comfort, assurance, laughter, presence and trials. Even they
are growing apart, they will always share the same alma mater.
Our Guest-of-Honor Prof Phoon Kok Kwang, Head of CEE
Department, Prof Hu Jiangyong, ESE Course Coordinator,
Prof Ng How Yong, ESESC Club Advisor, Ms Peggy Leong,

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13

Public/ External Relations and Mr David Raj,

Representative from Engineering Alumni of
Singapore (EAS) graciously attended our ESE
Graduation Night.
A band performance put up by ESE Year
1 and 2 juniors featuring a dynamic young
crew of talented performers with rich musical
backgrounds. The band features Vocalists
Celine Chong and Jarrell Teo, Keyboardist
Ng Jia Ren as well as Guitarist Soon Da Yan.
The performance definitely livened up the
atmosphere while the guests are enjoying
their first serving. On top of that, our Year 4s
Chen Hongjie and Timothy Tay spiced up the
night with their touching voice and musical
talent, especially for the
song: Frozen.
Keeping our energy levels
high throughout the
evening, there were games,
sing-a-long karaoke as
well as lucky draw lined
up for the guests and
graduates. Our Professors
and Graduates has an
interactive Beer Pong
game on that joyous night.
Once a ball lands in a cup,
the opponent team has to
drink the contents which
are better known as boost
juice in the cup. And the
team that successfully hits
all of the opponents cups
wins the game.
Lucky draw was fantastic. Lucky
winners come one after another onto
the stage to receive their prizes with
big bright smiles on their faces.
Last activity for the night was
cupcakes displaying cum group photo
taking. The graduates absolutely
love the nautical-themed cupcakes
and macaroons specially prepared
for them to celebrate this special
occasion. The cameras lined up
on the table, waiting to snap this
moment. n

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aking up early on a weekend morning

would normally pose a challenge for
most people. However, for this group
of enthusiastic participants of the
International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS), this
was not their biggest worry. On the morning of 21st
September 2013, close to 50 staff and students from
the National University of Singapore (NUS) participated
in this annual event held around Singapore.
The ICCS is an event coordinated by volunteers from
the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, NUS,
and is a subsidiary of the global event held over 70
countries and organised by the US non-profit agency,
The Ocean Conservancy. It aims to remove and, at
the same time, collect data of the litter found on the
shorelines, waterways and beaches of Singapore. The
Environmental Science and Engineering Students Club
has been given the opportunity to coordinate this event
for the staff and students of NUS, for the past few years.
While the cleanup areas in Singapore extend from beaches
at East Coast Park and Changi Beach to mangroves at
Mandai, NUS was allocated the challenging terrain of
the Lim Chu Kang East Mangrove area. After ensuring
all participants were aware of the safety issues and they
were in the appropriate attire, the participants were led
into the mangrove. As they went into the area, some of
the first-time participants were given a rude shock at
the extent of pollution in the mangrove area. A first-time

participant, Mr Yang Chen,

commented that he was not expecting so many
pollutants and wastes there. This, however, seemed
to provide the much needed impetus to overcome the
harsh terrain conditions of mud, sea and dense growth,
as the participants worked hard to remove rubbish
from the mangrove.
With some areas knee deep in water or mud, the
participants braved the terrain and tried their best to
remove the litter from the natural habitat. They were
divided into groups and within each group, one person
will act as a data recorder while the others will pick
up trash. Special emphasis was placed on removing
plastic or non-biodegradable items that may stay in
the ecosystems for a long time. Participants were also
careful not to disturb any wildlife found in the mangroves.
Amongst the litter collected, plastics (261 pieces) and
Styrofoam pieces (550 pieces) account for most of the
pollutants. Given their non-biodegradable nature, their
abundance poses a huge threat to the ecosystems
not only in the Lim Chu Kang Mangrove but other
shorelines around Singapore. Apart from the plastics
and Styrofoam pieces, other common items found at
the site are plastic bags (269 in total), plastic beverage
bottles (276) and food wrappers (105). Nonetheless,
perhaps the most visibly noticeable items were the two
water barrels that the team has also managed to remove
from the mangrove.
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As the tide rose and the mangrove

area was gradually covered with a layer
of water, the cleanup came to an end
after a tiring one and a half hours. Data
was then collated and everyone worked
hard to transport the rubbish to the disposal site nearby.
However, some groups were very reluctant to leave the
site as there was still quite some rubbish left to clear.
One such participant, Miss Aw Fung Chee, remarked:
We experienced first-hand, the volume of trash and the
type of waste that ends up along the coast. Indeed, the
one -day effort seemed like a drop in the ocean to help
with the problem. When the time comes for us to go, our
group of 4 was reluctant to leave the site as we felt there
are still lots of uncollected trash! Guess we were limited
by the tide level.
Indeed, as the event was concluded with some final
remarks by organisers and the announcement of the
cleanup statistics, some people remarked on the deep
impact the event has had on them. IN addition, Miss Aw
commented on the need for regular activities to collect
wastes in coastal areas. She added that one group
member expressed the clean-up need to be weekly
while another verbalised there should be some follow-

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up to this event. She and her team would also look

forward to more environmental events to participate as
(they) are keen to contribute in the care of our fragile
environment.
Hence, despite the event lasting only a few hours, the
cleanup has left a deep impression on many participants
as they realised the gravity of the pollution problem in
Singapore.
While the process of the cleanup was generally smooth,
it might never be considered a success as long as the
beaches and coastlines are still polluted with litter.
One may then ponder: Is the cleanup the only way we,
ordinary Singaporeans, can stop the littering of our
shorelines? With statistics that show only 20% of the
coastal trash originating from the ships and offshore
platforms, it seems that there is definitely something we,
as land-dwellers, can do. Let us start with the all-toofamiliar 3 Rs. n

Project OceaNUS
Pre-Trip WriteuP

Introduction

ESESC is proud to present its second overseas community

involvement program, Project OceaNUS 2014. This year
the project will lead a team of 22 students to Gilutungan
Island and Bogo City in Philippines to share and transfer
the knowledge of the participants with the community
overseas in hope to achieve a better understanding of
their culture through education and interaction with the
locals. The participants will be given the opportunity to
undergo a journey of self-discovery as they partake in this
six months long journey right from the preparation phase
to the end of the expedition. Participants had to undergo
an interview before selection as this trip will be both
physically and mentally challenging for some of them.
The team is made up of students from various faculties
including ESE students.

In Gilutungan Island, the locals depend on their diesel

powered generator for their electricity which only runs
from 5 pm to 9 pm daily and by 6 pm, the sun has already
set leaving them in the dark having only 3 hours of light
every night. In the day time, there is no electricity at
all where their houses or school can be rather dark on
overcast days. The villagers will have to pay a daily cost
of 7 pesos ($0.20) for electricity at night or about SGD$6
monthly.
Newspaper Collection

Objectives

Project OceaNUS 14 will be partnering with the Rotary

Club of Mactan to work on two different locations,
Gilutungan Island and Bogo City.
In Gilutungan Island, the locals depend on their diesel
powered generator for their electricity which only runs
Team OceaNUS 2014

Engin Day booth sales

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Project OceaNUS aims to provide and install solar lights

on the island so that their monthly expenses can be
reduced and providing accessibility to light even during
the day especially in the school. Solar lights will not only
extend their daily hours but also it helps to reduce noise
pollution that is produced by the generators. This will also
ensure that students can study better and longer at night.
In Bogo City, there is an elementary school called Anonang
Norte which was badly affected by the recent Typhoon
Haiyan. The roofs on some of the classes are completely
gone as well as some of the walls. With the help from
Rotary Club of Mactan, the team will be assisting in the
repair works such removing debris from the school and
Bonding Camp

entire day as we were shortage of manpower. However,

this was a good preparation step for most of us for
the trip itself as it put our teamwork skills to the test.
Project OceaNUS also collaborated with ESESC for both
newspaper collection and Engin Day booth sales where
new friends were made.
The other part of the preparation phase included the
bonding camp, service learning workshop and pre-OCIP
trip. The bonding camp was held on the first week of
January where it served to unite the team and replicate
the situational condition of staying under the same roof
during the actual trip itself. There were some games that
challenged us to work together and there was also a small
session on goals setting for the overseas trip for everyone
to have an objective in this six month learning journey.

Service Learning Workshop

helping the locals with the rebuilding of the roofs. Project

OceaNUS 14 believes that the future of the country lies in
the hand of the younger ones and therefore it is essential
that we provide the students with a conducive study
environment where they can resume their lessons.

Preparation Phase

The preparation phase for the overseas trip involves

fundraising as well as undergoing a service learning
phase throughout this journey. The fundraising involved
a series of newspaper collections, carwash and booth
sales in which the funds will be raised to purchase the
solar lights and the construction materials.
The fundraising events was physically challenging
especially the carwash and newspaper collection as it
was labour-intensive, requiring some of them to work the

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The team had 2 pre-OCIP trips to the Orange Valley

Nursing Home and Djoy Childrens Centre in January
where it gave everyone the opportunity to understand
the real meaning of community service before going
overseas to help others. It also gave them the opportunity
to interact with the senior citizens and children in the
respective locations.
Recently, the team attended the service learning workshop
where it was conducted by Touch Community Service.
The team came together to discuss our objectives and
personal goals that we have set for ourselves. The term
service learning was stressed during this workshop so
that individuals understand their personal contributions
to the team and the society. This turned out to be a very
refreshing workshop for the participants as most of them
now understood better their role and purpose in an OCIP. n

Project
OceaNUS
14 Sharing
Session

About Project OceaNUS

Background of Project

Project OceaNUS14 is a Youth Expedition Project (YEP) to

Cebu, Philippines initiated by NUS Environmental Science
and Engineering Students Club. It endeavours to continue the
tradition of conducting annual OCIP trips to improve the living
condition of communities through environmentally sustainable
technology and education.

Poverty still exists in Philippines despite of its economic which

is gradually increasing. Factors that contribute to poverty
include education, poor healthcare system, lack of skills
training and natural disaster. With the recent Typhoon Haiyan
that claimed thousands of lives and destroyed their homes,
the people are left out in the open without basic amenities.
Lessons were halted as schools were destroyed which would
leave thousands of the children without education.

OceaNUS is believed by ancient Greeks and Romans to be

the celestial personification of the worlds ocean or oceans.
The Titan god also represents the earths fresh water. The
ocean is also a sign of strength, hope and truth and it contains
endless possibilities just like the sky which is one of our main
objective, to give hope to others. The word does have an
added benefit of containing NUS, which shows that we are the
good students of NUS, participating in this cause.
This project lead a team of 22 students to GilutunganIsland
and BogoCity in Philippines to share and transfer the
knowledge of the participants with the community overseas in
hope to achieve a better understanding of their culture through
education and interaction with the locals. The participants
were given the opportunity to undergo a journey of selfdiscovery as they partake in this six months long journey right
from the preparation phase to the end of the expedition.

GilutunganIsland has a total of 300 households comprising of

about 1500 people whose main source of livelihood is fishing.
They have no access to clean drinking water on the island
itself in which the water has to be purchased and brought over
from the island of Mactan. Their source of electricity comes
from diesel-powered generator that runs only from 5 pm to
9 pm every night reducing their productivity, as they have
to end their night early without proper lighting. The children
in GilutunganIsland spend close to an entire day in the only
elementary school where the play site is in a bad condition
and unsafe for the children to run around and with the recent
earthquake that occurred in last October, the school library
was off limits as it was structurally unsafe.
BogoCity is situated in the northern part of Cebu and
was in the path of Typhoon Haiyan when it struck last
November which destroyed mostly properties in BogoCity.
AnonangNorteElementary School is one such school which
was seriously affected by the Typhoon. The roofs were torn
apart which left the school with fewer classrooms to conduct
the lessons.
The importance of basic amenities and education was seen as
a necessity by the project as the team believes that the key to
the future lies within the children and this will be emphasized
during the expedition trip.

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Objectives
Project OceaNUSbelieves in improving the living conditions of
the overseas community through environmental sustainability
and giving hope to others. The other areas will include
technology transfer, education and healthcare.

Solar Lights
The main project will be focusing on the installation of solar
lights which will provide an alternative source of lighting for
the local community. With the solar lights, the locals are able
to stay awake longer at night, which can help to increase
productivity, strengthen family ties and study longer for the
school children. In a way, there is technology transfer for the
overseas community where they are able to understand that
solar lights are substitute for their lighting which are much
cleaner and safer.
The solar lights are able to replace the diesel generators which
can reduce the emission of pollutants which are harmful for
the younger children and also save the cost of transportation
for locals having to travel to and fro the main land to refill the
diesel. It will also lower the noise level which can help the
children study and sleep better at night. With this sustainable
project, it hopes to raise awareness about the importance of
having a clean environment.

Education/Healthcare
The project also emphasizes on the importance of an
education in every child who hopes to provide for their family
as they grow up. Through facilitating basic conversation
English lessons, the project will provide a platform for the
students to practice the language within the team as well as
among themselves. Lessons such as waste management and
hygiene practices will also be conducted to ensure that the
children are able to live in a clean and safe environment as the
future lies in their hands.

What We Did
A total of 80 solar lights at GilutunganIsland were installed in
houses, a church, an elementary school and a daycarecentre.
Before the installation of the solar lights, the entire village was
in total darkness after 10 pm when the community generator
was switched off and this was experienced by the team during
our stay on the island. Movement was very restricted in the
village after 10 pm as most of the houses were covered in
darkness except for a few who could afford their own personal
generator. As it was almost pitch black in their houses, the
villagers could do nothing much except to sleep early.
With the installation of lights, there were some changes to
their night life. They stayed awake longer as the lights were
sufficient to light up the entire house and people were having
supper later after 10 pm. The kit which cost $40 each proved
to be a life changer to their lifestyle and this could also be
used for their children who wish to study a bit later in the
night. The solar lights were also integrated in the classroom
as it was poorly lit even during the day and there were
occasionally night classes conducted in the school which
would require proper lighting.
Subjects such as geography, mathematics and personal
hygiencewere taught to children from Grade 1 to Grade 6.
The classes were conducted at cohort level at their multipurpose hall or an open area. The lower and upper grade
had a different lesson plan but they had the same number of
subjects taught. It was this part of the project that many of the
participants were able to interact with the students and it was
small conversation sessions with them that the team felt had
the greatest impact on students. This is where the team found
out interesting and aspiring stories told by the students. The
team managed to introduce what Singapore is and this has
really inspired some of the students to work hard to be able
to support their family and travel to Singapore to experience
for themselves. There was also a poster design for the upper
grades on the harmful effects of smoking, drugs and alcohol.
By educating the students on this topic, the students will stay
away from all of this as it will lead to more social problems that
can be detrimental to the community.
Apart from teaching and installation of the solar lights, the
team managed to have some fun during the cultural exchange
night and carnival games day where the entire village were
welcomed to enjoy half a day of performance and food
tasting. n

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Our Team:

Grace Tao, Ko Zheng Teng, Leem Yi Ta, Loh Wei Hao,

He Yuhong (Civil) & Li Bin (Electrical)
ix of us took part in the NOC India program from
May to July 2014. NOC, which is part of NUS
Enterprise, aims to develop an entrepreneurial
spirit and transform mindset. This batch also
consists of 17 students from various faculties and
they worked in different startups. We spent our first
week in Bangalore to learn and understand entrepreneurship
and the culture in India. Then, we travelled 400km south to
Madurai, Tamil Nadu where our internship company, Aravind
Eye Care System, is located.

Background of our Company

Aravind eye care system has grown from a humble beginning
with 11 beds into a network of 10 hospitals with a bed strength
in excess of 4000 beds. It is the largest eye care service provider
in the world and now serves as a model, for India, and the rest
of the world. Our work place is located at Aurolab, which is part
of Aravind Eye Care System. We worked at Aurofarm, which is
an organic farm and within the compound of Aurolab. The fruits
bore from the trees in the farm are used to feed patients in the
hospital.
Our internship consists of 2 sub projects. Firstly, an aesthetic
pond in front of a memorial hall (to commemorate the founders
work) is currently not able to retain water. Our project aims to
find a cost effective and sustainable solution to retain water and
reduce seepage to a sustainable level during the hotter months.
After a series of experiments and trials, we concluded that liner
will be the best option among compaction and concrete. Our
conclusion is derived due to the situation and environment of
the context.
Secondly, a new drip irrigation has been installed at Aurofarm
recently. The objectives of getting us to be in charge of the
drip irrigation system were to effectively use the water from
the wastewater system, DEWATS, in short for Decentralised
Wastewater Treatment System. Previously, water had been
supplied to the trees in the farm through the clean well water.
They have decided to use filtered wastewater to irrigate the
crops to reduce clean water demand in the area. However, this
was not done efficiently as some trees get more water than the
others and there was no means to calculate if there is enough
water for each tree. We had to calculate the amount of water
needed by the farm each day and also to fine-tune the system
in such a way that it can be operated for a period of time in the
day to irrigate the field. This way, they could save manpower
and electricity in operating the system.
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Our Takeaways
Team-Player

When we first came here, I always believe that we would just

do the ideation part. The execution part would be done by
the workers. However, in order to save costs when doing the
experiments, our supervisors got us to do the excavation of
soil for the experimental area in the pond. Compaction of soil
was also done by us manually. While working with the workers,
I realised that it was important and good for us to work with
them. We could understand their work better and by working

only ready by the end of the 2nd week. This kind of experience
would be relevant when we are working in the society as we
should not expect things to happen the way that we expect
them to be. We should expect the unexpected and keep thinking
on our feet. We should pre-empt the possible outcomes so that
we would be better prepared if things are to go in a different way.

After work
Madurai, our place of stay, is an ancient city where the famous
Meenakshi Amman Temple is located. It is also the place where
Gandhi made the decision to wear the traditional dhoti. We
enjoyed the food very much here especially the prata and chai
(milk tea). Our boss, Dr. G. Natchiar, invited us to a couple of
events. We went to a traditional dance performance which was
an eye opening experience. She also invited us to her family
birthday party where we saw the strong ties and relations within

with them, we could motivate them to work harder. As a leader,

we should not only lead our team members but also to work with
them to understand them better.

Able to communicate

While doing the project, it was not just us and the system. We
had to talk with the drip irrigation company (who provided the
system) which guided us and also the workers who set up and
maintain the system. We had the opportunity to understand
how drip irrigation systems work through Mr. Senthil from Jains
Irrigation Systems. He gave us an overview of the drip irrigation
systems, pertaining to the one that we have in Aurofarm. He
also mentioned to us that we do not need to operate the drip
irrigation system during the rainy season. However, the DEWATS
system would still be running and hence we would need to think
of other places to channel the water to (e.g. the pond) so that we
do not waste the DEWATS system.
We also talked with the workers who maintained the system.
The system is constantly evolving; additional outlets are added
to the existing system to improve coverage of irrigation to the
farm. We also got to talk with the electrical engineers who
wired the pump and got to understand the power setup of
the pump. We learnt that the pump is being powered by wind
turbines which are prone to power failure and that was one
thing that we need to keep in mind when irrigating the fields.

Expecting the unexpected

While working here, a lot of things were said and done

differently. For example, the purchasing and the installation
of pump for the tank in the water management project were
supposed to be done by the start of the first week. However,
it was only done at the end of the week and the system was

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their community. During our last week, we visited a colony (a

housing area) and chanced upon a local who invited us to their
house. We had a fun time and caught the sunset from their
rooftop too.
We travelled out on weekends to visit nearby cities in South
India. (Kodaikanal, Pondicherry, Kanyakumari, Thekkady and
Kochi). The first place was Kodaikanal which is a hill station.
The weather was cooling and a great relieve from the heat of
Madurai. Pondicherry is a beautiful coastal place with a tinge
of French culture (former French colony enclave). We went to

catch the sunrise at Kanyakumari, southern tip of India,

at 5 in the morning and also saw the confluence of the
Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. The boat
cruise at Thekkady (Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary) was a little
disappointing as we only spotted a couple of animals from
far. Kochi is a nice place to visit as we cruised along the
famous backwater and enjoyed the sumptuous seafood.

Sharing
During the internship at Aravind Eye Hospital, I have learnt
and experienced a lot. This valuable experience would be
different if I was at a different place. Despite running into
problems during the course of work, I was glad that we managed to accomplish our
objectives. I have also learnt not to take things for granted and also to expect uncertainty
in everything we do. That way, I believe I am better prepared to work in the society in
the future.

Loh Wei Hao

(Environmental Engineering, Yr 3)

This has definitely been a memorable

and unique experience. Limited
resources did not hinder progress but
force Man to improvise and adapt to
his environment and produce man of
excellent qualities. He would in turn
make a huge difference to his society
and leave a legacy for his people.

Leem Yi Ta

(Environmental Engineering, Yr 3)
It was a journey of rediscovering me.
This trip has amplified my strengths
and weaknesses and it has allowed
me to see myself in a whole new light.
The sight, sound and taste of India
have moulded me into a stronger
person and it is an experience I will
never forget.

Grace Tao

(Environmental Engineering, Yr 3)
India is a place full of adventures and
experiences. Many new observations
are made every day from the myriad
of activities going around. During
the internship at Aravind Eye Care
System, I learnt about working with
constraints, communication of ideas
& needs and contextualising problem
with local wisdom.

Ko Zheng Teng

(Environmental Engineering, Yr 3) n

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Technion Institute of Technology, Israel

oing for student exchange was a rather spontaneous

decision which I made at the eleventh hour. Being a

little worn out from the hectic student lifestyle in
NUS, I felt that I needed a hiatus from stress and a change in
environment. P.S. It isnt fun going to LT2 for lessons for 3 years.
Having been offered to study in the Technion in Israel, I jumped
at the opportunity and joined 3 other ESE friends, Damien and
Joshua and Yihua in our journey to the Holy Land. In all honesty,
I was apprehensive about going there initially, because the
Middle East is probably not the first choice for many when they
think of student exchange and safety in general, but I wanted to
step out of my comfort zone and experience a foreign culture in
a foreign land.

The world is a book and those who do not travel

read only one page St. Augustine
I truly appreciate the beauty and truth of these words during
my 5 months here. Staying and travelling in and around Israel
has really opened my eyes to a whole new world; always
exposing myself to fresh knowledge and constantly learning
new things about culture, history and religion. You do not
have to be a Christian, a Muslim or a Jew to appreciate the
richness in heritage, cultural diversity or the complicated
social fabric which makes this land so special. The locals
really amazed me in terms of their helpfulness and friendliness,
which in no small way helped me feel welcome upon my
arrival. Not to be fooled by their genial personalities though,
for many Israelis possess a steely look of toughness in their
eyes. Have I mentioned that the males serve 3 years and the

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females serve 2 years in army? The Israelis take their security

seriously you definitely do not want to trifle with them.
I was surprised to find that there are a few similarities between
Israel and Singapore. Both are relatively small countries with a
strong need for military service, with a lack of natural resources
such as drinkable water and consist of many different races
living together. However, it was distinctly different to me that the
Israelis tend to speak their mind and are more straightforward,
whereas Singaporeans tend to be more reserved. This is
reflected in the classroom as well, where even in my engineering
faculty, the students are not afraid to speak up or interrupt the
lecturer with questions. I would hardly think that you would see
that in NUS, not in engineering at least. The weather in Israel is
pretty awesome,
but it can be
unpredictable; it
can be blazing hot
one moment and
uncomfortably
cold the next.
The heat in
summer is as
bad as Singapore
or even worse
depending on
your location. But
the good thing

that is there is very little rain as compared to Singapore, there is

hardly any need to carry an umbrella.
The Technion campus itself is located in the pleasant and
peaceful city of Haifa, away from the hustle and bustle of busy
Tel Aviv. Initially, I needed some time to get used to the fact
that weekends in Israel are Friday and Saturday instead of the
orthodox Saturday and Sunday. Shabbat, which lasts from
Friday night to Saturday night, can be a hindrance because
shops are closed and there is no transport available. However, it
would not be much of a problem if youre travelling because car
rental is not expensive. Technion is one of the best engineering
schools in Israel with great facilities - fitness gym, swimming
pools, tennis and soccer courts etc., not to mention saunas and
jacuzzi. Yes, they have saunas and a jacuzzi. I was extremely
lucky to meet make friends with very nice people who made
my stay on campus fulfilling and enjoyable. After all, meeting
people is part of what makes exchange so fun, next to travelling
and eating that is.
So why would you want to come to Israel for exchange? For
starters, if you like start-ups and technology, look no further;

for Israel is known as the start-up nation for its start-up culture.
If you are a fan of nature and hiking, Israel has numerous
national parks and deserts to quench your yearning for the vast
expanses. If you are a religious person or have an affinity for
historical places, this is hands down the place to be. Do not fret
if you do not understand Hebrew and Arabic, for you can get
by with English just as I did. How would you like floating in the
Dead Sea while reading a book? Or exploring the Old City in
Jerusalem while enjoying a delicious shawarma in your hand?
If you ever do get tired of Israel, you could go to neighbouring
Jordan and check out Wadi Rum and Petra, for both places are
not to be missed. If you feel adventurous enough, you could
even head on to down into Palestine or Gaza (I kid about
Gaza
).
Instead of going to conventional European or Asian countries for
exchange, why not take a leap of faith and give Israel a chance
just as I did. I enjoyed my experience thoroughly and I strongly
recommend going to Technion for SEP to all my juniors. You
know why? Because the Holy Land definitely deserves a page
in your life story, just as it did in mine. n

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Waterloo University, Canada

eing away from home for four months in can be very

intimidating. It wasnt just the cultural and lifestyle

differences, it took my body awhile to adapt to the
extremely cold and dry climate of Canada. However, as I
reminisce about the experience, SEP was all worthwhile!

week taking the wrong bus, alighting at the wrong stop and
missing the bus. With daylight hours in winter quite short and
the streets not exactly exhibiting docile Singapore conditions,
the fear of lurking bad guys triggered lots of adrenaline through
our blood!

The SEP experience began from the pre-exchange period

when the financial issue finally surfaced, it was hard not to
get worried. Fortunately, since the application for SEP was
approximately a year ahead of actual travel, there was time to
gather money I did odd jobs which supplemented the support
from NASA bursary and my parents. Choosing exchange
universities and mapping modules got really messy and
frustrating. I decided to forgo the competitive and prestigious
universities for a less popular one and Waterloo easily secured
my vote as it offers many environmental engineering modules
that can be mapped back to NUS.

With familiarity though, I began exploring Canada beyond

school and home. Weekends became that can never be done
in Singapore. However, fun and danger always come hand-inhand. Once on a 8h night drive from Ottawa back to Waterloo,
my group of friends got caught by the traffic police for speeding
on the highway as well as unauthorized driving as my friend
who was driving the car was not the person who rented the
car (the person who rented the car was in another car miles
behind us and it was illegal to drive a car that was not rented by

I began my exchange experience with a week of getting

lost. Even though I stayed in an off-campus residence that
is just a 5-min walk from the engineering block of Waterloo
University (UWaterloo), my roomie (a NUS student from
ESP) and I had to wake up 1.5 hours before the first lecture
so that we would sufficient time to find the way to the lecture
venues. Getting to the different places to buy necessities
and groceries was tough too as the bus frequencies and
routes were all unfamiliar to the both of us. We spent that

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yourself). The police officer wanted to tow our car away, but
thankfully the police officer showed some sympathy by letting
us off with just a speeding ticket after pleading from us. If not,
we would have to wait for hours in extremely cold weather
(at least -20 degree Celsius) for the other car to catch up and
pick us up!
There are no surprises in the type of food available there.
Popular foods are pizza or other typical western fare. Just
as in Singapore, there is a wide variety of food from different
countries and cultures available, ranging from Indian curries,
Vietnamese food, Taiwanese bubble tea, Greek falafels and
many more. Chinese food was easily available there. However
these were either just the normal dishes found in restaurants,
or were extremely Canadians Chinese food cooked for
Western tastes. I can still clearly remember how the teriyaki
chicken bought by my friend from a Japanese food stall and
the bought by me from a Chinese food stall looked
and tasted EXACTLY THE SAME! This made me greatly
appreciate and miss Singapores diversity in food, from Char
Kway Teow to rojak to the chilli crab! Of course this is not to
say that the eating experience in Canada is poor. In Montreal,
the best smoked meat poutine (a common Canadian dish
made from french fries topped with a light brown gravy-like
sauce and cheese curds) and I miss my daily dose of latte
and donut from Tim Hortons (Canadian version of Starbucks)!

Meeting and getting to know new people is an integral part of

the exchange experience package. Initially, I was extremely shy
and quiet in classes because I had no one I knew taking the
same modules as me. There are many Asians in UWaterloo,
therefore the local students just continued to stick to their own
cliques, thinking that I was just another student, perhaps from
another department. However, once I spoke to some of them
and they realised that I was on exchange, they were much
friendlier and chatty.
In all, I have to say that this experience was great and precious.
I got the opportunity to travel, to experience the overseas
student life, and to make international friends. I learnt to be
independent and discovered more about my own capabilities.
Now I have no difficulty expressing myself and I feel more selfassured and confident in meeting new people and forming
my own opinions. Sometimes this is difficult to do within the
confines of Singapore with the familiar presence of family and
friends to count on constantly. I am also more appreciative
of Singapore: the multi-culture, the food and even the rules.
Absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder. n

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University of Illinois Champaign

-Urbana (UIUC)

y adventures began when I stepped through the

departure gates at Changi Airport Terminal 2, bidding

farewell to my family and many of my closest friends.
With many uncertainties abound, I stepped onto the plane that
will take me to the opposite side of the world. What will life be
like? What kinds of people will I meet? Will I be able to handle
the different environment? How are the modules like? These
questions race through my head.
Fast forward to four months later and once again I see myself
bid farewell, but now to new found friends from around the
world who have crossed my path. Spirited and inspired by
professors I have met and totally enriched by the experience
of living away from home, I have rediscovered myself amidst
travelling abroad.
During the spring of 2014, I embarked on a student exchange
program (SEP) at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana
(UIUC); it was truly a life changing experience. Now it is your
turn. Are you ready to make the best of it? Follow these tips and
I promise you an exceptional SEP unmatched by anything you
had ever done before.

party like them.

Throughout my
semester, I spent a
great deal of time
with people of other
cultures; make an
effort to mix with
non-Singaporeans.
I made good friends
with students from
various nationalities:
Americans,
Brazilians,Chileans,
Chinese, Ecuadorians,
French, Japanese, Taiwanese and Vietnamese; its amazing
how the campus can be a melting pot of many unique cultures.
Make an effort to attend different events to socialize; a sincere
smile and casual hello can be a good way to begin a warm
friendship. Go for picnics, balls, performances, sports events,
academic conferences and fraternity parties to meet all sorts
of interesting people! Ask them to share their stories and they
will invite you to share yours and then you can be a proud
Singaporean!

Tip 1:
Be open-minded: make an effort to meet people. Tip 2:
Look beyond your studies
Dont be too quick to judge, people live by diverse lifestyles and
rationalize things differently. Immerse yourself in their culture
in order to fully enjoy the richness of your SEP experience.
Eat like the locals, talk like them (pick up a little accent) and

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This might sound like an unneeded reminder, but you will be

surprised how some people can get lost in the race of things when
the semester starts kicking in, and assignments start piling up.

Obviously, I do not advocate totally neglecting your studious side;

just do not lose yourself in the rat race. Instead, do something
new, or start on something that you have always wanted to
do but have failed to capitalize on due to study commitments.
Throughout my time in U of I, I started learning Spanish as my
third language and even attended weekly conversational
sessions for practice. I also had time to work closely with a
group of extremely motivated people on a business from which
I have been enriched greatly. I suggest overloading on credit
hours during your SEP (request an overload permission at your
host university), to do some really interesting elective modules.
For those a little more adventurous, there are numerous fun
electives like dance, ice skating, art or even yoga. Besides,
the credits might even be mapped as dummy electives back at
NUS! Anyhow, even if it doesnt map, I promise it is still worth
all the fun!

Tip 3:
Rediscover yourself amidst challenges and selfreflections
The SEP is an excellent opportunity to learn more about
yourself. This tip also allows you to better cope with adversities
and even home-sickness. Being in a foreign land and needing
to adapt to totally new cultures really puts your mind and soul to
the test. Have you ever had an identity crisis and found it hard
to define who you really are? Have you ever doubted yourself

and found it hard to live away from all your close friends and
family?
This is your chance to crystallize your thoughts on who you
are and through that, develop a coherent narrative that makes
your personal story fodder for Dan Browns next best-selling
novel! Through my travels to places like Chicago, Indianapolis,
St Louis, Miami and Orlando as well as meeting people from
all around, I began to appreciate the vastness of the world
and also in how I cope with adversities. I spent the better half
of the semester during one of the worst winters Illinois had
experienced.
It was exceptionally tough and temperatures plunged to as
low as -25degC on bad days; on good days, the temperature
hovered at around -15degC.
It was also challenging when I shared most of my courses with
graduate level students. I also had to learn how to prepare
proper meals for myself which includes, doing groceries,
preparing the ingredients, cooking and finally cleaning up. It is
through adversities that we learn and as such, every challenge
can be seen as an opportunity to improve oneself. Take time
to reflect. The best thing about embarking on such a journey
is that you get to know yourself better through all the new
experiences. Through reading philosophical texts (due to one
of my courses) and motivational books, I have developed a
better understanding of myself both in terms of the core values

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Tip 4:
Plan your trips and go traveling!

to travel and see the world; dont be afraid of travelling alone as

that would be the most valuable experience you can get from
the SEP. Unleash the foodie in you and devour all the exotic food
you run across. Go to exciting places, live in budget-friendly
hostels and meet new people. It helps to budget using the local
currencies as converting everything to Singapore dollars is
not only an unreasonable conversion, but also a tedious and
sometimes depressing process. In short, when you travel: eat,
live, be happy.

Do some exploring and stop sitting on your bum over the

weekends. There is always time to do that assignment or
studying if you plan your time properly. Devote some time to
planning your trips. Read web reviews, travel magazines or
even talk to the locals for recommendations. Use the weekends

I sincerely hope that after reading this article, you will remember
these simple tips when it is your turn to embark on the SEP of
your life. Be sure to capitalize on your SEP opportunity; return
learnt and humbled, but most importantly, return ready for more
adventures that life may offer. n

better understanding of myself both in terms of the core values

I stand for, as well as what I want to achieve in life. Spend
some time thinking about yourself and who you are as you face
the challenges via embracing them as opportunities for selfimprovement.

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