When people find out that I'm studying abroad for an entire year, they always joke about how I get a "year-long vacation". However, I don't think that's the best description for it...I've learned so much in the past four months. I also don't think any text book or travel channel could teach me the valuable lessons I've learned while in Singapore. Three ways that studying abroad has helped me is through adaptability, self-sufficiency and self-reliance.
It was rather difficult towards the middle of my study abroad experience to adapt to the different culture here. While Singapore is considered a somewhat "Westernized" country, there are many traditions and values that are different than the US. While studying abroad, I learned that it was important to understand the lifestyles of those around you, as opposed to trying to keep the same exact lifestyle you had back home in the states. Some things that we may consider nuances back home (such as the lack of lines at bus stops) are the norm here. I had to learn to adjust and adapt to the local culture here rather quickly. Even the study culture is different here; some students are rather competitive so it can be a bit of a culture shock to see these few students that are not willing to help their peers.
While at NUS, I realized things ran differently than they do at GW. There isn't a central registrar's office you can go to in order to take care of your classes. They require that you go to each department to get signed into classes that you would like (if there is space). In order to obtain all the clases I needed for graduation at GW, I had to visit the offices numerous times so that I could sign in to some courses. For full-time non-exchange students, NUS requires them to participate in a bid system, where they are allocated a certain number of points and are told to disperse the points accordingly to obtain the courses they need. If the students bid under the cut off necessary for the class, then they will not be able to take that particular course. I also had to realize to take care of all my financial matters, health matters, and travel matters on my own.
I had to learn to trust myself and my decisions while in Singapore, especially while traveling. I had to ensure my own safety by careful planning. I think I learned how to be self-reliant while at GW, but studying abroad brought about a different type of confidence in me. I also learned that it doesn't hurt to ask questions if you have any doubts about anything; even though the process of registering for classes at NUS was rather confusing, I was able to get direct answers from different departments on how to handle my problems. Additionally, I got to ask other exchange students about their travel experiences in different countries and got several tips that probably made my trips a whole lot more enjoyable and easier!
Overall, I don't think I can put in words how much I've grown as an individual while being abroad. I sincerely have enjoyed my time here and can't wait to see what next semester has in store for me!