Looking in from the other side

Looking in from the other side
By Veerappan Swaminathan


The 4th Sino-Singapore Exchange was a jam-packed program that saw about 30 student delegates from NUS, NTU & SMU visit 4 cities and universities in China; namely, Kunming, Guangzhou, Xiamen & Hangzhou.

It may sound cliche to say that my time in China was an eye-opener, but no other word adequately sums up my experience as a non-Chinese looking in on another culture and lifestyle. Though I had initial reservations about language being a barrier to interaction, my concerns were soon laid to rest due to two factors: the helpful nature of my fellow delegates and the patient assistance of the Chinese students – which enabled me to get my point across and see their perspective at the same time.

The friendliness and the sincerity of the Chinese delegates is really refreshing and I've been touched by their many efforts to make our stay in China as pleasant as possible. From waiting in the hotel lobby for us for hours on end in the middle of their exams to looking out for me so that I don't get conned by the shop-keepers, they really went out their way to ensure we had a memorable time in their country.

I found the talks (or at least the translations) arranged for us highly fascinating, and each session never failed to leave an indelible impression on me. One particular session had us in stitches when the Chinese professor from Xiamen University spoke on the usage of the Hokkien dialect. I wouldn't say more except that many familiar colourful phrases were heard, but in the process we also learnt about the origins of these terms that are widely used in Singapore. Another session that I recall was with regard to memorization conducted at a high school in Kunming. Though I failed to grasp the content of the talk (it was on Chinese literary classics), what struck me was the stark difference in Singapore's approach to education and that of China's.

Apart from university visits, we also had the privilege of visiting a good mix of areas ranging from historical places of interest to industrial complexes – and almost always in the company of our Chinese counterparts. As a fan of history, I found the museum visits thoroughly enjoyable and I must say I was eternally grateful to find explanation boards in English! The visits to the industrial complexes usually saw us returning with goodies such as ice-cream, Chinese tea leaves, beer and many others.

To wrap it up, the 4th Sino-Singapore undergraduate exchange program was a remarkable experience for me. I would imagine that if I had gone to China on my own, it would most probably be unlikely that I would survive a day outside Shanghai's Pudong Airport with no knowledge of the language or place. I am thus very thankful to USP for giving me this opportunity to learn about the Chinese culture and way of life first-hand, for we have not only gained significant insights in the classroom, but also forged long-lasting friendships with our Chinese pals.