After two weeks of adding and dropping courses, I was able to finalize my courses (at NUS, they are called modules). Since I am a non-graduating exchange student, there was only a select number of modules I could apply for. I was extremely lucky and ended up with 4 modules, which equates to 16 or so hours at NUS. However, I met people that only had 3, which is the bare minimum number of classes you need to maintain your students pass. It was mentioned at orientation at NUS that there is very good chance that you will not get ALL of your ideal schedule or classes if you have a "popular" major, namely business, economics or psychology, but you may end up with some of them. Additionally, you also have the option to submit an appeal form. As a senior, I have a few remaining GCRs left for my major, so I am focusing on courses that relate to specific cultures. My course list includes: Rice, Spices and Trees: Peasants of Southeast Asia, Gender and Society of South Asia, Introduction to Theatre and Drama, and Pre-modern Japan: History and Culture.
With the exception of Introduction to Theatre and Drama, my classes are on the smaller side. My largest class, Introduction to Theatre and Drama, has over a hundred students, but much smaller groups for the tutorials and the practical sessions. I think the smaller classes have been great, as I have been able to make friends with several local students through these classes. The classes themselves are also very different than GW classes; none of my classes involve the professor speaking for the full two hours. Instead, all of them encourage participation and discussion. I also do not have any textbooks (again, with the exception of Intro to Theatre), but rather collections of journal articles, pictures, and maps to supplement the lecture. There is a lot more reading that is required for classes than back home at GW. I felt like I could slide by class at GW if I didn't finish the reading for the week. At NUS, I definitely need to keep up with the readings so that I am able to participate in discussions for class credit. Nonetheless, I look forward to each and every class.
Being an exchange student is truly a unique experience in the classroom setting. My professors in my Gender and Society and Pre-Modern Japan courses ask questions about US perspectives and thoughts. For example, my Gender and Society of South Asia professor asked another student from the US and me what could be the reason for the rise in single parent households in the US. She was curious to see if we thought it was because of a rise in teen pregnancies or because of the notion that it is more socially acceptable/it is more feasible for a woman today to be self-sufficient. I think it is great to see what outsider perspectives of the US entail. I also ask questions about Southeast Asia, and have already learned valuable information that a textbook simply could not teach. I firmly believe that the knowledge I am gaining, not just from course material, but also through discussions and conversations with local students, will immensely help me with my future profession in medicine. As a future hopeful doctor, I will have the opportunity to speak with people of all kinds of backgrounds and different upbringings than what I am used to. Studying abroad is providing me with exposure to a completely different culture, which again, provides me with lessons and knowledge that no textbook or journal article could teach me.
On a non-academic note, I had the opportunity to participate in a local food competition called the Chili Challenge. In this challenge, you have to eat a curry that has the heat of approximately 600,000 Scoville Units, which is equivalent to the spice of roughly 6 times that of a Thai pepper. You are allowed to have naan bread or rice with your meal, but you can only have one order of either item...meaning, you had to save the bread/rice for when you actually needed it. My hands were shaking and my head started tingling from the level of spice in the food, but I successfully finished the challenge. For winning, I was able to join the ranks of other locals that have finished the challenge by adding a clothespin with my name on it to the wall of fame. I also am invited back for the restaurant's "Full Moon Party" in which I have to finish a level 7; if successful, my meal is free! This experience meant a lot to me because I am now on a Wall of Fame in Singapore!
Until next time,
Shivani