reflection

How has your impression of South Korea changed in the last few days?
My impession of korea have change better in the last few days,. nitially, i did'nt know what the koreans are thinking and how they react. But after i went through all the pre trips assignments , going to differce places in korea and mostly seeing the people in POSCO high school , i found out that they are more able to express their feeling and they auctually did it almost everyday! For example, we went to the Daegu theme park where there is a bomb explosion in their subway and the people express their family members who are the victims by writing their true feeling on the subway outer part itself. I think this is the part where Singaporeans should learn to express their feeling ( in the right way ^^ ) and not always bottle up their feelings.
Overall, i have learnt more of the Korea traditional and also the mordern culture , as i have always thought the Korean dramas is the only thing korea have. Also, Korea is also very concern in the area where their country being green. From the surrounding seen, i can see that the govertment put alot of effort in promoting a green country by putting up recyle bin than rubbish bins , putting up postals to remind the citizens.
In your opinion, what are some similarities and difference between Singapore and South Korea?Similarities
Difference
List and explain three of your most memorable experience- We went to the english village and the street is very beautiful. It shows that the govertment took a lot of effort in promoting english. There is a hostel where those Korean teenage that want to learn english but live far away from the village can live i nthere and attend the lessons there. They also have real life experience in their village wherby the people ther set up fake stations, thus the students can practice communicating by english. Example, they set up a airport style ( check in & check out counter) and thus they need communicate by english.
- We went to the Daegu theme park where they let us take real life experience of the difference natural disaster and teaches us on how to react . Example, the earthquake where they teach us how and when we hide under the table.
- In the POSCO high school, i make friends with the korean students. And all of them are very friendly. Their principal also give the comparison of Singapore and Korea economy where it give me a deep impression.
List and explain three things you have learnt aboutyourself and your life as a student-Always put others before self. Be considerate. As we should be selfish by doing things that only fufil our own desire and neglect the others, This may harm the whole hgroup.
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- Being able to live in a multi racial , religion country. Able to appreciate other religion and live peacefully and harmony in Singapore. I am very blessed also i am very proud to be a Singaporean.

Crystal (3e1)--group 5South Korea have bigger land space than Singapore.
Koreans are more able to express their thought and feeling than Singaporeans.Both Singapore and South Korea is very concern about the fact that being green is important. And both countries are trying their very best to promote this idea of being green.
Both Singapore and South Korea are facing aging population problem. Have to learn to appreciate things instead of taking everything for granted. Such as being able to study. Being able to live in a safe and green city.

Reflection on S.Korea Experiential Learning .

- How has my impression of S.Korea changed in the last few days ?

My impression of S.Korea actually changed for the better after the trip. Before the trip , I was absolutely clueless about Korea. Initially , I thought that Korea was actually a not-so-good country. However , before we flew off to Korea , we had a few pre-trip assignment that more or less taught me about Korea's culture, language, manners etc. Through this , I've actually found out and learnt more about Korea. But , my impression of S.Korea still remained neutral.


Over the last few days , during the trip , I've learnt more about Korea and their way of life. I've experienced many different things and gained much knowledge. I was also impressed with Korea's clean and green environment. This actually impressed my greatly that changed my impression of Korea. Not only that, the Koreans are also very nice, well-mannered and friendly.


Thus, my impression of S.Korea actually changed for the better ;D


- In your opinion , what are 2 similarities and differences between Singapore and S.Korea ?


Lets talk about similarities first .


The first similarity that I've found between Singapore and S.Korea is that the environment in both country actually pretty clean. We can see that in both country , there are actually not much litter found on the ground. The air that we breathe is also quite clean.
The second similarity is that both Singapore and S.Korea are currently facing ageing population. Ageing population are increasing in the both countries and the government are trying their best to come up with solutions to solve this problem.


Next is the differences.


The first difference I find is the Singapore have very little and limited land space , which actually hinders Singapore's development , whereas S.Korea have a huge land space. Not only that , they have a lot of mountains.
The second difference is that , I've noticed that some of S.Korea's road does not have road/street lamps. However in Singapore , we'll see bright lights shining above us wherever we go.


- List and explain 3 of my most memorable experiences.


The first is POSCO High School.This is because it is the first time that I've interacted with a Korean friend so much . Not only that , we've talked a lot and have exchanged several ideas and questions with each other. I've also learnt many things from her , for example , appreciating Singapore's education system , because it is much tougher and stressful in Korea schools.
The second one is the Digital Pavilion that I've visited. The reason is because I've seen many latest technology that I've never seen , heard or used before. It is a new, interesting and and eye-opening experience for me. The newest technology that I've tried out over that honestly awed me , making it one of my most memorable experiences.
The third one is the Seoul Tower. The main reason is actually because I could see the whole of S.Korea up in the tower , which impressed me. The beautiful scenery made it memorable for me ;D


- List and explain 3 things I've learnt about myself and my life as a student.


Things that I've learnt about myself -


Firstly, I've learnt that I can actually be independent as I've to take care of myself during the trip without my parents. Also , taking the initiative to do certain things by myself.
Secondly , I've learnt to be more responsible because I've to take charge of myself. Not only that , I've to be responsible and think of others , and put them before me.
Thirdly , I've learnt that I can actually be environmental friendly if I just make the right choice and do what I should do.


My life as a student -


Firstly, I should appreciate the education system we received in Singapore . I should appreciate it because the workload and stress given to us is way lesser than in Korea , where students have to study all the way till 11.30 , or around that time . Their stress is huge , and rest time is little .
Secondly , I should learn and improve my English , as English is an important subject and language. The Korea government invested money to build and English village for the sake of the Koreans to improve their English and speak English well.


I'm very lucky to be chosen for this trip , and to be able to experience many things that I've never experience before.


Audrina .

My impression of Korea did not change much during the trip. It was a country with a unique culture and appetizing food. Although the food between Singapore and Korea have much difference, it also tastes as nice as those in Singapore. It is also a clean country with litter free and lastly, the Koreans are more cultured than I thought as they put away their own plates and bowl after finishing their food.

The similarity between Singapore and Korea is that both countries are facing with aging population. Their governments have tried all means to cope with the aging. As seen from the Daegu Senior Convention Centre, there are many equipment specially designed for the elderly which strongly aid their needs. As a result, the elderly are able to depend on themselves even when they are alone and easier for them to accomplish their daily activities better. Moreover, both Singapore and Korea were once under the Japanese Occupation. Thus, the Korean government constructed the Daegu Safety Theme Park so that the citizens could be better prepared in times of crisis like this. This is also quite similar to Singapore as we also had many preparations like the MRT video to prevent any terrorist attack. In contrast, there is also a big difference between Korea and Singapore in term of their food. Korean foods are much simpler and plain, their side dishes are also much colder whereas Singapore foods are much more delectable. The Korean also uses one hand to eat whereas we use both our hand at one time. Moreover, the Korean government also spent plenty of money in building the English Village to improve on the people English. I think that Singapore can also learn from it by investing more money on education, making it more interesting for the children to study.

The most fun and enjoyable part is the Daegu safety theme park where we got to experience different kind of situation like earthquake and fire in a subway etc. From there, I got to learn how to extinguish a fire and how to react under those circumstances. Secondly is the POSCO high school where we have a chance to interact with the Korean students. It is very fun and exciting as it was my first time to talk with a Korean friend. We shared about the difference between their school and ours. All I can say that is the school is really beautiful and huge ! Lastly is the shopping period. It is the time where I can buy all my stuff and goodies with my friends.

Through this trip, I had learnt to appreciate what I had now as a student. Judging by how the way Korean students study, I am very glad I do not have to study every day which the Korean do. Apart from that, I also leant that English is a very important subject even in Korea. Their government are willing to spent lots of money just to build the English village for them. From that, we can see how important English is in this society.

-TRACY(:

Reflection on My South Korea Experiential Learning

First of all , my impression of the Korean had changed . They are really friendly and easy-going . Although during the first day my friend and I had a reall unpleasan inccident wih a Korea lady ,but majority of them re really nice . Before coming to South Korea , all I admire about Korea is Kpop.  However after spending  7 days in Korea , I began to love Korea by its culture and the beauty of Korea really lies on their whole country , and only Kpop stars .

One similarity about Singapore and South Korea is both countries are facing aging population and both countries are trying their best to provide a better living environment for t senior citizens . This can be clearly seen from the example of the Daegu Senior Experience Centre.   At there , it shows lots of latest inventions of products that are specially design for the senior citizens . We even get to try out the “ aging gears “ and feels how it is like when we are 80years old ): Singapore uses almost the same way ti educate the students about conserving the community but ours is doing CIP in old folks home . This shows that both countries are aware of the importance of teaching the younger generations the needs of serving the community and also treating their own grandparents in a better way .

Another similarity about Singapore and South Korea is both countries are very fast developed . We suffered the pains under Japanese Occupations , however after gaining  freedom we work hard to achieve what we both are having now . South Korea rank 15^th in world economy whereas Singapore is 7^th .

One difference about Singapore and South Korea is our culture and history . South Korea has a long history unlike Singapore which is just a very young country . Therefore we get to experience a different culture and went to their historial places that I would never had a chance to experience it in Singapore .

Another difference is the way we are “ green “ . We can see recycling bins in both countries , however are Singapore really a Green City ? No, we are not . Singapore has recycling bins , but is not everywhere . Most of the places are still using normal rubbish bins. Whereas in Korea , we even have to separate the materials that can to recycle into different bins in MacDonald . It is our very first time doing this and truely speaking I am quite ashame of myself as i do not really know how to which item can be recycled . My Korea friend , Kim Hae Sol , even told me that there are different rubbish bin at her home for materials that can be recycled . South Korea are really educated in the ways of saving the Earth and they already doing all the environment friendly actions as part of their lives . However Singapore does not. We are just a Garden City , but definately not a Green City like South Korea.

There are many places that  I really enjoy myself at . These are my top three favourites : Andong Hahoe Folk Village , Daegu Safety Theme Park and POSCO High School.

Andong Hahoe Folk Village truely a place for us to experience the true folk culture of Korea. We get to see different agriculture and their traditional dances that was once used for their celebration havest. The best part is when we get to see a REAL clift . It is really amazing . No words can describe how happy I feel at that moment as the last time I saw a clift was only in my Geography textbook ):

Daegu Safety Theme Park taught us the safety of subway , earthquake and mountain climbing . It is so cool as we get to experience how it will be like if there is a real fire in subway and there is even fake smoke and sudden black out ! In Singapore there is no such theme parks that taught us how to get out of the subway safety when that’s a fire . It is a very educational trip and we really enjoy myself till I do not even feel bored even though we spent almost the whole morning in there !

Last but not least , POSCO High School is definately a place that I will never forget . The school is really huge ! The students there are so well behaved and friendly . I get to interact with my new found friend Hae Sol and we shared a lot about our schools and country . I get to know that the girls in POSCO are not allow to grow long hair and they have to study whole day , from 8.10am to 11.30pm ! They have almost 20subjects to cope with , which include 5/6 Mathematics and 4 Sciences. Why should Singapore students still complain being stress?  I really have a fun time with Hae Sol and we bond really fast . Before I leave she gave a tight hug and even cried ): I really miss her a lot now and I will never forget her.

After these 7 days , I came to realise that I love to procastinate and I SHOULD change it . According to Hae Sol , one day they will need to complete 4different subjects of homeworks it will all needed to be hand in on the next day . I remembered asking her “ Wouldn’t you feel stress ? “ . She just smiled and replied me “ This is life.” I am really impressed by her answered and I begin to ask myself “ Why I could not be like her ? Get things done as soon as possible no matter when is the deadline! “  . I also learn that being punctual is very important . That is once my friends and I were all late for breakfast as a result we have no time eating any breakfast but just a piece of bread. This is really a lesson learn for me , showing how someone actions can lead to serious consequences . Our teachers are very disappointed at us as we are supposedly the better students . Being punctual will definately give a good impression and we should not neglected its important . Last but not least , I learnt to put others before self , focusing on the “ you” and not “ I “ . This is a cultural practice in Korea and we should learn it . That explain why the Koran are all so selfless . (:

I will like to specially thanks Mr Leong and my parents for giving a chance to go for thsi Experiential Learning Trip to South Korea . I really enjoy myself very much. I will also like to thanks all the teachers and friends that had taken of me during these 7days . Without you all , this trip would be a complete trip :D I love you Mr Edwin Wong , Ms Joani Lim , Mrs Wendy Lee , Ms Goh Lee Choo and Mdm Enuice Koh plus my GREAT FRIENDS :DD

SOPHIE ^^ 3E1

REFLECTION on my South Korea trip

How have my impression changed?

-Focusing on Korea’s education system and how the Koreans aim for a higher qualification:

 Initially, before I went to Korea, I had a mentality whereby the Koreans would definitely emphasize more on their

first language more than their second which was English. However, after I have gone there, my mindset changed

as the Korean students have proven that they wanted to upgrade themselves to a higher level. They aim that by the year 2025, they must be able to

interact well in English. In addition to that, their standard of English must also be comparable to Singapore. Thus, they set up the English village.

Their main purpose was to educate the next generation to learn this particular language well so that the country as well as each individual can

benefit much from it. Seeing how ambitious Korea is, in terms of education, it really motivates and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone

and always stay humble and be keen to learn new things.

Similarities and differences between Singapore and Korea.

Talking about the 2 similarities between the two countries:

Both Korea and Singapore faced a threat in terms of ageing population. Thus, both countries are preparing for the worst situation in the future. What have Singapore done to prepare for ageing population in the days to come? Singapore governments have tried their best to encourage Singaporeans to give birth to more children. What measures have they implemented? The most practical way is to introduce incentives and benefits to Singaporeans whom are willing to give birth. Examples are extended maternity leave and a balance work-life. Such measures are taken by the Singapore government in preparing for ageing population. This is because Singapore is very clear about the impact and problems they definitely will face if they do not start preparing for it. Problems might be: the high demand in terms of healthcare and social services, smaller workforce and the reduction in competitiveness. On the other hand, Korea have done their part in ensuring that the older generation will be able to lead a better life even if they are old. This can be done by setting up a senior convention centre whereby high technology equipment were sold to help made the elderlies lead a better life. Though they still have to rely on machines to move around but at least they are still able to be independent as they do not need much help by their family members and thus will not be a burden to them. Thus both countries faced with the threat of an ageing population and both are finding different ways to solve the problem as fast as possible so that it will not affect their economy and future workforce.

In addition, both countries are also very competitive in terms of education. Why? Singapore aims to educate each and every student by giving them as many opportunities to learn by investing a huge sum of money to encourage the students to venture out to learn as much as they can for themselves as well as for the country. Besides that, they also encourage students by awarding them with scholarship awards, merit bursary and eagles’ award whenever they do well. Singaporeans also take national exams such as PSLE, O levels, A levels and even allow students to take A level straight away and go in to university. This truly allows Singaporeans to work hard and attain a higher qualification as we know very well that in the future, without a certificate, we will not be able to get good jobs neither can we even think of coping well in such a well developed country. Thus, it is very important for us to grab every opportunity and strive for the best. Besides that, Korea also strives very hard to do well in terms of educating their students. Taking the example of students in POSCO/ POCHEOL HIGH SCHOOL, every student aim extremely hard to get into the best university and hoping that they can study in the room whereby only the top students can enter. Not only that, the most amazing and shocking thing to hear was that the students there studied till 11pm everyday in school and even during weekends, they go back to school to study. They only rest during their summer holidays. How many Singaporeans do that? Seriously speaking, the Korean students have motivated me to not take any learning opportunity for granted as every chance given to me may not be given to others so I must learn to appreciate it.

However, there are still differences between the two countries.

Korean’s have learnt to put others before themselves. This can also be heard from their language. When they speak, the word “WE or YOU” always comes before the word “I” and this really impress me a lot. It also teaches me to always learn to put others needs before mine. However, nowadays, Singaporeans have become more selfish. The mentality whereby “ME” must always come FIRST followed by others is a very sad thing to hear but its happening. I feel that Singaporeans have a lot to learn from the Koreans.

Moreover, Singapore only experience hot and rainy weather conditions all year round but Korea experience the 4 seasons throughout the year.

3 most memorable experiences:

- Daegu Safety Theme Park

It teaches me how to react when emergency happen to strike. I feel that it is really meaningful and enjoyable. The things that I have learn can help to save my life and the lives of others when in need. It also helps creates a sense of urgency as it endangers the lives of people if safety precautions are not taken in time.

- POSCO steel manufacturing industry and High School

I learnt and have seen how steel was manufactured. Its really interesting as this is the first and the last time I get to see such things. Its really a rare opportunity. I also felt that it was fun getting a chance to meet and interact with the Korean students form POSCO HIGH SCHOOL. I really learn a lot from their way of living, way of studying as well as getting to know their culture more in depth.

-  Daegu senior convention centre.

Besides just knowing that Korea is preparing for ageing population, I have also seen what they have done to prepare for the worst situation.  Their high technology have really amazed me so deeply and left a deep impression on me that’s unforgettable. They really did so much so help the older generation to lead a better life, relying on themselves and not adding much burden on others.

3 things I have learnt about myself

- very fortunate to be a Singaporean

I am given so much opportunity and a safe environment with high security, knowing that Singaporeans are well protected.

-fortuanate to be given this chance to go on this experiential learning to korea.

- must always stay humble and be keen and open to learn new things so that I can consistently upgrade myself.

my life as a student.

-           Have to learn to appreciate things instead of taking it for granted. Such as: being able to study. Being able to live in a safe and green city.

-           Blessed to be able to study. Unlike poor children in Africa whereby living each day is also so hard for them.

-   Jolene Chua

Reflection :D

  My impression of Korea has changed after spending a week in Korea. When I was walking around the stores, I saw a lot of recycle bins there. This helps to sort out the different materials such as plastics, papers, etc. With this, it helps to save the earth by recycling items. I think the government has put in a lot of effort to make this possible.

  Both Singapore and Korea are facing ageing population, as such governments of Singapore and Korea are trying ways to solve the problem. Example, Senior Citizen Experience center was built in Korea to provide special needs for the elderly to improve their life. Government in Singapore made the nation to get involved in sports in order to have a healthy lifestyle. In terms of education, both Singapore and Korean governments have invested a lot of money to educate their students well in their country. Thus both Singaporeans and Koreans have to study very hard in order get into good schools.

  Korea experience the four different seasons like summer, spring, autumn and winter. However, Singapore only experience one season which is summer.

  After these few days in Korea, one of the most memorable experience I had was being able to interact with my Korean friend, Koh Joo Yeon. She is really friendly and willing to share with me their culture and her life in POSCO High School. She is someone whom I am comfortable to speak with thus; I enjoyed myself a lot when I was with her. Besides that, I think they have put up a great performance for us.   Another memorable experience would be the Daegu safety theme park; over there I have learnt some of the safety precautions when I faced with ‘earthquakes’ and ‘fire’. Through this, I have learnt that how I should react whenever I am faced with natural disaster. As such many lives can be saved. At Samsung D’light, I was really amazed by the advance in technology in Korea. As compared to Singapore, Korea technology is way better than Singapore.

  Through this Korea trip I have learnt to appreciate what I have right now. I should be grateful to have my love ones around me. Unlike some people in Korea who lost their loved ones in natural disasters. From now on, I will try to stop complaining the amount of work load given by our teachers and the long school hours. Look at the students in Korea; they have to study until 12pm almost every day and read up to 60 books a year! I should consider myself fortunate.

  All in all, I will always remember the times I had in South Korea and cherish the friendship formed. Thanks to everyone who have been to Korea, which had made this trip an enjoyable one! :D

TRICIA THAM :D

From the last few days in Korea, I have found out that Korean could not only speak their mother tongue language well, they could also speak English and Chinese well.  Pocheol high School is an example. When I went to this school for an exchange program, I realize that there were many students who could speak English well. They even had an English teacher who educates them.  My partner, Ian Ryu, told me that they had English lesson twice a week to improve their knowledge so that they would be able to communicate in other country. This is essential as English is a global language. I was impressed in how well my partner was able to speak English. Initially, I was afraid that I would speak too fast and but he managed to understand me. Another example would be an English village at Pagu. This was a place which welcomes the public. It offers unique in-country opportunities to interact with native speakers and engage in multicultural and hands-on activities that mimic real life foreign experiences geared to improving English fluency, as well as promoting cultural and global awareness for Koreans. Gyeonggi English Village’s mission is to improve the English fluency and global awareness of Koreans of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. It ensures that Korean knows English well. When I visited that place, I saw many young children who were able to communicate with their friends in English. I was astonished too. What was more astonished was when an adult spoke to me in Chinese. He was a Korean and yet he was able to speak Chinese All this proved me wrong because I always thought that Korean were only able to speak Korea language.

Two similarities between South Korea and Singapore are managing their education system and cleanliness. Both of them are very particular on their educational system and cleanliness. They put a lot of pressure on the youth so as to ensure that they do well in their education. In South Korea, students had 11 subjects on more to study. They even had to attend CCAs on weekends. Although Singapore has lesser subjects, there is quite a lot too. When I visit South Korea, I saw many schools visiting the different areas in Korea. They had many different learning trips. For cleanliness, both countries emphasise a lot on it. They have recycling bin and trees almost everywhere.  Singapore also implements policies and measures to keep the country clean.
However the difference between Korea and Singapore on how they respect others. In Korea, we are not allowed to lift up our bowls to eat and are not allowed to use both hands to hold our fork and spoon. We were also not allowed to blow out nose in public. It is considered rude. However, it is otherwise in Singapore. Another difference would be that Singapore is a multi ethic society while Korea only has one race. It would be hard for other country to accept this fact.

One of the most memorable trip I experienced the visit to POCHEOL HIGH SCHOOL. During this visit, I met a friend called Ian Ryu. I was impressed with his fluent English. We talked about the difference in weather and he was rather astonished of how warm Singapore was. We also shared with each other our school. He told me in high school, they had little chance to go out as they had a tight schedule to follow. Furthermore, they even had to attend school for CCAs during weekends! After hearing upon this, I really appreciate what I have in Singapore. I was really proud to share with him more about Singapore. However there was limited time. In a mere thirty minutes, we had to go elsewhere.  I was glad to be able to exchange emails with him and would love to keep in contact with him.
Another wonderful experience would be Daegu safety theme park.  I was astonished by their fabulous service and equipments that would give the elderly a better life. They even had a service to let us experience the pains and suffering of elderly. This had taught me to understand the elderly more and offer help whenever I can. I think we should have such a place in Singapore as Singapore is now suffering from aging population. There would be a lot of elderly in need of these services.
Yet another memorable trip would be the time where we visited the demilitarised Zone in Seoul. They shared with us their history and we had a view of North Korea.  I always only had the chance to see this view in the internet. Now I managed to see it real life. It was really an eye opener.

I am really lucky as a student to have the chance to explore other country with my friends and teachers. It was an amazing experience, I realise that I lied to explore a lot and love to see new things. Overall, I loved this trip.

toothpick made from starch!

Korea airport!

Korea recycling bin~!

Joey Yee(3e2)

Reflection


1. How has your impression of South Korea changed in the last few days?
South Korea is just like Singapore a well-developed country. With that thought in mind, i had always imagine South Korea as a country that has many skyscrapers and high rise building, a very urbanized country just like Singapore. However upon spending a few days in South Korea, i was proven wrong. Tall buildings are rare, instead, mountains and hills can be seen everywhere in South Korea.

2. In your opinion, provides 2 similarities and differences between Singapore and South Korea.
Both Singapore and South Korea have a very stressful education system. In Singapore as we all know, we have national exams like PSLE and 'O' levels etc. We also have test and exams regularly in addition to the supplementary lessons given. In South Korea, they are also tested regularly. Their curriculum hours starts at 8 am and ends at 11/ 12 pm depending on their grade. Moreover, their library have a very special system. The usage of the library depends on their results. Those with better results will get a better place in the library and vice versa.
Another similarity is that both Singapore and South Korea are facing ageing population, and both are preparing for it. For example,  South Korea set up the Senior Experience Centre. They not only produce items for the convenience of the aged, they also allow people to experience how it feels to be old and restricted in their movement. This will allow people to put themselves in the elderly shoes, encouraging them to be considerate and help the elderly.
One difference between Singapore and South Korea would be in terms of their language. Due to the fact that South Korea is a one race country, the people in South Korea mainly speak Korean. Which is very different from Singapore, a multi racial country where people have to speak English as a common language to communicate with other races.
Another difference between Singapore and South Korea is their building. Look around Singapore and all we can see is high rise building. However in South Korea we are not able to see that. As South Korea have sufficient land space, it is not necessary for them to build tall buildings.

3. List and explain three of your most memorable experiences.
First would be the Daegu safety park. In the theme park, i was able to learn what to do in the case of an emergency.What is interesting is that i was able to experience and practice the actions to be carried when an emergency happen. I will not be able to experience this in Singapore as Singapore is a natural disaster free country and does not have practices like this.
Secondly, the Senior Experience Centre. I was volunteered to become an old lady. Things were strapped on my joints and back, special spectacles were also given to me to experience blurred vision. I was brought around in the centre and did simple daily activities like siting on a couch, reaching for the lowest part of the shelf and getting into the bathtub etc. All these are very simple things that i could have done easily but with the restrictions on me, all these became impossible to do. This allow me to experience old age, and i will never wan to experience it again. However, it is indeed a very memorable experience and not everybody have a chance to become old when he/she is only 15 years old.
Lastly, the interaction with the students in POSCO high school. It is a very rare chance to visit the top school in South Korea and to even make friends with the student there. Meeting the students there and to walk within the school boundary is definitely a once in a lifetime chance.

4. List and explain three things you have learnt about yourself and your life as a student.
I have learnt that i should not be taking my school holidays for granted as students from the other places on the planet do not even have school holidays.
I am glad that i am in Singapore, exposed to different kind of people due to the different races and of course exposed to different variety of food, having a wide variety of food to choose from.
I am also grateful that i live in Singapore as it is natural disaster free!

shiya :D
3E1

Reflection on my South Korea experiential learning

How has your impression of South Korea changed in the last few days?
My impression of South Korea has not changed in the last few days.The Koreans are quite good in speaking English now. The government had also built an English Village in Korea, this is to encourage the locals to speak fluent English. The Koreans are really trying to learn English well. Hence, there are many Koreans learning English at a suitable learning environment like the English Village.
In your opinion, what are 2 similarities and 2 differences between Singapore and Korea?
I think that both countries have very good education system. In Korea, the students are to study till late night and they need to go to school early next morning. They even have a self learning time where students need to study on their own in the library. Just like students in Singapore, students in Korea have to take many examinations and it is quite competitive among the students. Thus, it is important for the students to improve and work hard in order to go on to promote themselves. In Singapore, although students do not have to study till late night but they are needed to complete piles of homework. Students also have a short period of time to have their silent reading.
Another similarity is that both countries have schools that are very strict with the students attire. In Korea, the female students are not allowed to have long hair . In Singapore, female students are needed to tie up their hair(long hair) and clip up their fringes. Just like the female students in Korea, female students in Singapore are not allowed to wear short skirts (at least up till knee length).
One of the differences between Singapore and Korea is that the Koreans are taught from young to learn to recycle. One example would be the rubbish bin at a fast food restaurant. The Koreans are needed to separate the materials. However, in Singapore, Singaporeans would just leave their trays on the table after eating , which i think that it is not something that the Singaporeans should to do.  Thus, I think that the Singaporeans should learn from the Koreans and learn to separate the materials so that it will be easier for recycling.
Another difference between Singapore and Korea is that the Korea government encourage the Koreans to understand the feelings of the elderlies. One example would be that the Senior experience center was built to allow the locals to understand the feelings of the elderlies so that they would experience how it feels like to be old and maybe create a new gadget for the elderlies in the future. However, Singapore does not have a Senior experience center. I think that the Singapore government could consider building one in Singapore to allow the locals to understand the feelings of the elderlies.
List and explain three of your most memorable experiences.
One of the most memorable experiences would be at the Daegu safety theme park. I have learn what to do when there is an earthquake or a fire. I find it a memorable experience because Singapore does not have a theme park like this. Which I think that the Singapore government should consider building one      so that the locals could know what to do when an earthquake or a fire had occurred. Although, Singapore have not experienced an earthquake before but there is still times where Singaporeans could experience a little shake when an earthquake had occurred in our neighboring country. Not only the children would be able to learn a new skill, their parents who accompanied them could also learn too. This could be a meaningful, helpful, fun and bonding session for families.
Another memorable experience would be at the Daegu senior experience center. My group was chosen to be the "old ladies" for that few hours. After experiencing how it feels like to be old, I was feeling quite sad because I know this would be how my grandparents are feeling.I have seen some of the gadgets before as my grandfather had used it last year. He had an illness thus he needs these gadgets to support him and make life easier. I think that Singapore should also have this because this could allow students t understand how their parents and grandparents are feeling. I think that it is important for students to understand because Singapore has an ageing population, there would be many senior citizens thus it is important for us to understand them. Maybe the future generation could invent a new gadget for the senior citizens after visiting the center.
Another memorable experience would be at the English Village. It is a place where the government had invested a lot of money in it. It is a place where people are needed to speak in fluent English. I think that it is a fun and enjoyable experience because we were able to walk around and explore while learning English. I think that Singapore could consider building a Village like this where locals could learn a new skill or language or subject while having fun. This would attract more people to join and encouraging them to learn.
List and explain three things you have learnt about yourself and your life as a student.
I think I am very lucky to be in Singapore where I do not have to study till late at night and go to school early next morning. I have also learnt that punctuality is very important thus I should learn to be on time and not to be late for any meetings or anything. As being punctual means that we consider the other person's feeling and giving them a good impression of me. I have also learnt that having a proper attire would be important as first impression counts. Thus, we are being thought in schools to have a neat and proper attire.

Evelyn .

Korea Reflection!!~~

Recycling bin at Andong Village

English village

Safety theme park

Safety theme park

English Village

An Yong Ha Se Yo! Hello everybody, it has been 2 days since I have came back from Korea, let me share what I have learnt from this meaningful trip :D
Before I step into Korea, I always thought that Koreans are very beautiful and handsome due to influence of their drama, however I realise they also look alike normal people, and not that "handsome" or "beautiful".
Also, I always thought that Korea is not that "technology" because they seem to be more traditional in culture especially as shown on television. I finally learn the meaning of "Don't ever judge a book by its cover", when I went to the Samsung D'light and also visit their telecommunication museum, it was so interesting and fun as we also get to try their games and also use their phone and computers there. Some of Korea famous brand that are well-known in Singapore are LG and Samsung. :)
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There are also some ways that Korea are similar to Singapore. Like Singapore, Korea is a clean and green city, no matter where I go, i can always see recycle bins been place around in public. Not only even in their school or Macdonald, you need to separate the food rubbish and place your plate, tray. I was really impressed by them as everyone abide by it, and to them recycling is almost part of their life. I also heard from the students that in their school from 9 to 9.30 am they have a time slot for them to recycle. Perhaps, Singapore can actually do this to make recycling have a part in Singaporean's life too. Not only that, in terms of population, Korea is facing an ageing population now. Maybe, it is due to the more busy lifestyle now, and hence lesser people actually care about it. However Korea have also set up a senior convention centre to encounter such problems. They use their technology to improve the elderlies life, making them to carry out their daily life easier.
On the other hand, there are also differences between the two countries in terms of education and their culture . In their school, life are really stressful. Unlike Singapore, where we have a whole full month of holiday/ vacation, they only have their holiday on "SUNDAY" however as some of them are first grader or preparing for their entrance exam, they totally have no holiday break at all, everyday it is just studying. Their school time really make me go "WOW" when I know it is from morning 9am to 10pm. It is really competitive in their schools as everyone is aiming to go to University whereas in Sinapore everyone is quite relax as we still get to go on vacation and learning journey. Next, in the culture of food, the Koreans don't lift up their bowl and also only use one hand to eat. They are also courteous as all the shop owners would greet us when they see customer going in, they will also say "Thanks, see you again" when we leave the shop whether did we bought anything from them. Singaporeans don't do that and also have different style of eating.

My three most memorable experiences was actually went to the Daegu Safety Theme Park, Senior Convention centre and also English Village.
Firstly at the English village, we managed to see a lot of interesting things, it is almost like Universal Studio, they played English songs there and also English can be seen everywhere. The aim of setting such a place is to educate the public on the importance of English and hence it is a necessity to learn it. This is a good measures as we was there I saw a lots of young children with their teacher. The workers there are all volunteers and there was lots of them. Next, the Daegu Safety Theme Park was an eye opener for me as I managed to experience how it feels like when encounter earthquake, fire and..etc. I have a fun experience there as we also managed to see a 3D movie at the end. It was also sad to see that many innocent lives of koreans was lost when a crazy man set fire to the subway. However, I am glad to say Korea has now improvised on their subway, and everyone can easily open the door and escape easily when accidents occured. At the senior convention centre, few of our friends actually managed to try how it feel like to become eighty years old ladies. It was hard for them to bend down even opening water tap was a huge challenge for them. Thus, from seeing how difficult it is for them to carry such simple task, I really can feel for the elderly. We also managed to try out their facilites and also massaging device. It is really comfy.

As myself and also as a student, I learnt that living in Singapore is really something I should be happy about. We have termly holidays also we don't study more than 12 hours a day like Korea. I am glad and happy that I live in Singapore and being a student I really appreaciated it as we managed to go on oversea trips. The Korea students rarely go on trip and also they can't choose what they eat. Whatever the cafeteria prepare for them they just eat it. From what I know, their one meal cost US$3. I also learnt to not be so gloomy, the students there are all really friendly and truly welcome our arrival. Despite their stressful life, they are still able to smile, so we should be glad and don't always complain on having tests and exams. :D

-Choo Xin Yee 3E1 Grp 1:P

Reflection on My South Korea Experiential learning !!

1)       How has your impression of South Korea changed in the last few days?My impressions of South Korea have change dramatically during the stay for the past few days. I thought that Singapore is much cleaner and greener than South Korea as Singapore is well known for their clean and green country. I came to this conclusion when I first try to throw my rubbish inside the MacDonald dustbin. The dustbin is actually a recycling bin and the recycle bin can also be found in the outdoor area. When I walk and shop at the outdoor area, it is hard to find litter on the floor even though sometime the recycle bin is far away. This mean that the Korea people are willing to be patient to find the recycle bin so they can keep their country clean.      

2)       In your opinion, what are some similarities between Singapore and South Korea?
Singapore and South Korea are similar as both countries are learning English as both countries know that English is important when they visit other country to communicate with them. An example for the South Korea is that the government have ford out money to build the English Village. The objective of the English Village is to provide the public with opportunities to put everyday English into practice and improve their language skills. As for Singapore, the student studying in Singapore has to learn English as their first language which is compulsory for everyone. Another similar for both countries is that both countries are well prepared against threat such as terrorism and disaster. In Singapore, when we are inside the MRT station, there will be a short clip on how to prevent terrorist attack and show how to evacuate when disaster occur.  As for the South Korea, they have built up a “Daegu Safety Theme Park”, whereas we can learn how to take safety measure when disaster occurs.

3)       List and explain three of your most memorable experiences.
One of my most memorable experiences is visiting POSCO high school. Even thought I have about 3hr of time to interact with my partner, Kim Hong Gil , I enjoy talking with him. The students are friendly and heart-warming. My partner and his other friend teach us to play a simple Korea game call the ‘007 Bang’. This game can gain a lot of friendship among each other, and thus I enjoy playing with them. Another of my most memorable experiences is visiting the Daegu Safety Theme Park. I find that the theme park is useful in teaching us in evacuating when threat occur. The tour guides that leads my group teach and explain to us clearly in evacuate the train when threat happen. I enjoy myself from the start to the end when I went in the Daegu Safety Theme Park. Lastly, visiting 2002 World Cup Stadium is also one of my most memorable experiences. As I love to play football and I am a huge fan of soccer, I feel honor to be able to step in the South Korea World Cup Stadium Museum to learn about the success of the South Korea soccer team.  Knowing the successful story of South Korea soccer, I hope that the Singapore soccer team will also be successful, and get to play for the Fifa World Cup in the future.

4)       List and explain three things you have learnt about yourself and your life as a student.
The first things I learn are that we have to respect every different culture ad rules regardless of different race. As a student, we should not fight for right or wrong but have to try to understand the difficulties of other pupils and try to resolve it together. Secondly, I learn that we should spent more time with our family as I learn the Korea student do not have the time to spent with their family as they have to study for almost 14hours per day and only could spent time with their family on Sunday. Lastly, I learn that we should appreciate the country that we have now, as we do not have to suffer threat or natural disaster in our country due to the help of our high security.

Lastly, I want to thank Seng Kang Secondary School for giving me a chance to went for a oversea learning trips with my new friend that I have make during the trips

P.s : For some reason, i cant post picture on the blog.

Name: Brandon Chan

Class : 3n7

Reflection on My South Korea Experiential Learning

Initially, I thought that Singapore was a country with high standard of living and I did not think that South Korea will have a higher standard of living, education and technology than Singapore. The South Korean’s government has also done a very good job in maintaining the culture of the Koreans. I started to wonder whether Singapore has done enough to maintain our culture. The South Korean’s students are very competitive in terms of their education which I think we should also learn to strive for excellence in all that we do, if not we will start to lack behind. Even their English language, which is their second language, is better than our English.

Both Singapore and South Korea’s governments foresee that there are not many geniuses in both countries. Hence, in order to maintain the standard of living and to ensure the economies develop, both countries make sure they have a good education system. In addition, both countries are trying the save the Earth by educating the public the importance of recycling. Recycling bins can be seen everywhere in Singapore and South Korea. However, I think the South Koreans are more thoughtful than Singaporeans in many ways, they think for others first. For example, they throw their waste automatically after consuming them.  Unlike Singaporeans, most of us think of ourselves first and do everything for our own convenience. South Korea has not lost its culture, and it even maintains the old buildings as a tourist attraction. On the contrary, old buildings in their very original form and kampongs are hardly seen in Singapore nowadays.

One of the most memorable experiences for me is when we were at the Andong Hahoe Folk Village where we were given a chance to see how the previous generations of Korea lived, how the old buildings in Korea looked like and we were taught how they kept themselves warm during winter. Another memorable place is the visit to POSCO high school to interact with the Korean students there. The orchestra group took time to practise for a very long time to perform two songs to welcome us to their school. The students in Korea focus a lot on their studies as there are very few job opportunities in South Korea. Lastly, is the visit to the Digital Pavilion, where there are many kinds of IT devices for us to explore and play with. I was amazed with the technology they have there.

During this trip, I learnt to be independent, as our parents will not always be by our side to support us, to take care of us and help us to overcome obstacles in our life. Secondly, I learnt the importance of punctuality. It is very inconsiderate for us to make others wait for that one particular person, it will also affect other’s schedule. Lastly, I learnt that we must not take things for granted. We are very blessed to be in Singapore where we do not face any natural disasters, except for floods, and that we will not be fearful whether we will be able to survive the next day and the lost of loved ones due to natural disasters.

- Jewel 3e1

Reflection On My South Korea Experiencial Learning

In the last few days, my initial impression of Korea and now did not differ much. As i am a fan of kpop, i love to watch kpop dramas. I learned from the drama shows that the korean people are very respectful towards their elders and they treasure their traditions a lot. After a few days stay in Korea, I have also noticed that the locals here include traditional side dishes like Kimchi and seaweed in almost every meal they would take. The people are also very courteous. They would bow a little with a little smile on their face when they say Kamsa Hamida or Annyong Haesayo!


From my perspective, both Korea and Singapore faces challenges such as an ageing population and up till today, the government is still trying to tackle this issue. Also, both are relatively clean countries and rubbish bins could be found almost everywhere so that locals would not have to litter their waste. On the other hand, Korea and Singapore differs because lots of natural geographical features could be found in Korea, such as headland and bays, whereas in singapore, we can hardly identify any. Korea is known as a "green" country because they really go green by recycling and such but in the case of Singapore, we are known as a green country due to the fact that we have lots of "greens" planted in our country.


My most memorable experiences was going to POSCO high school and meeting my new friends there! The students there are very respectful and friendly. I especially enjoyed the interaction with my buddy, Hee Jin, where we exchanged ideas about our countries and i learned a lot about Korea culture thanks to her! Also, i enjoyed going to the Daegu Theme Park because i learned lots of safety measures to take during emergencies and when we faces natural disasters such as an earthquake. Also, i enjoyed the 4D video that was shown to us as it was pretty much exciting and fun! I also enjoyed going to the Hahoe Village where we get to write our wishes on white strips of paper and tying it onto the wishing tree there. It was said that your dream will come true if you tie the piece of paper with your written wish on it to the tree.


I have learn to be more appreciative of my own culture. I think we should learn from the Koreans as they treasure their traditions a lot. Also, being punctual is also something i have learnt. The koreans are very particular about punctuality and normally, they would reach earlier than the destinated time. Hence, this is also what we should learn from them. I also learn not to take things for granted. Take the education system in singapore for example. we are only required to study for about 5 to 6 hours a day. The students in POSCO high school study for twice the time of ours. Hence, we should be happy for what we have! (:


SHUFANG. :D

REFLECTION

  My impression of South Korea had changed over the last few days I spent in Korea. I had always thought that South Korea is a country with high technology and nothing else but after going to South Korea, I had learnt that they are not only good in technology, but in a lot of areas including sports. After the visit to the World Cup Stadium in Korea and see the number of trophies the Korea's soccer team had won, and the countries that are well-known in soccer that the Korea's soccer team had beaten, I realise I'm wrong to think that Korea is only good in technology. Moreover, since Korea is a highly developed country, I thought that almost all of the land was used for buildings.etc. However, there are many land use for trees, hills and mountains in Korea which surprised me. I had never thought that a country which is highly developed will have so many lands for all these.
    There are similarities between Singapore and South Korea. One example is that both countries have trees everywhere and are known as green city. Another example is that both Singapore and Korea are very humble and are willing to learn from others. For example Korea has improved their technology faster than expected as they are learning from Japan while Singapore improve their educational system by learning from various countries. However, Singapore and South Korea have differences too in terms of educational system and weather. Korea’s students start school at 8am but only end school at 11pm everyday whereas Singapore’s students start school at 8am but end school early at 1pm to 2 pm. Moreover, they have different school holiday because of the differences in seasons. Korea has four seasons, which is namely the summer, autumn, winter and spring while Singapore which is located near the equator only has one season and is hot! Therefore Korea is having school holiday during one or two of the seasons while Singapore is having school holiday during mid and end of the year.
   There are lot of memorable experiences in this trip to Korea. One of the most memorable experiences is the weather we encounter during the seven days in Korea. Though there is sun shining on us almost every day, we can rarely feel the heat and instead, it is damm cold, and I really miss the weather there. Another most memorable experience is the interaction we had with the POSCO High School students. They had shown me their determination to enter a university in their country during the conversation with them which I think I could learn from them.  The Daegu Safety Theme Park is also another place that gives me a memorable experience. The Safety Theme Park provides us with an opportunity to experience disaster such as earthquakes and teaches us what to do when we encounter them. Although Singapore will have very less of those disasters, I think it is good for us to know what to do when we encounter them as anything may happen to us one day.
   The trip to Korea had teaches me to be punctual, be prepared for the worst and to appreciate and be proud that I am Singaporean. I had learnt to be punctual as we are not allow to be late in this trip, if not everything will be delayed. In the Safety Theme Park, I had learnt that we should be prepared for everything so that we would know what to do when things such as disasters come. I had also learnt to appreciate that I’m Singaporean as we do not need to study for long hours and I am proud that though Singapore is just a small dot in the world map, countries like Korea are learning from us and had benchmark us as their aim in their English standard.

Huimin.

Reflection on Korea Trip

How has your impression on South Korea change in the last few days?
Before I went to South Korea, I always believed that South Korea is a concrete jungle and have been completely urbanized with a disregard for greenery within the city.Boy, was a I wrong! Even though South Korea's cities are urban, there are still visible effort to create trees and plants in the city as seen with various planting of plants within the city. The city is adequately filled with greenery and is not totally concrete.This made me relate South Korea's cities to Singapore which manage to be urban while containing greenery. As a result, I now think of South Korea as more of a garden city like Singapore.  


In your opinion, give 2 similarities and 2 differences between Singapore and South Korea
Both South Korea and Singapore manage to create garden city which meant that both country were able to create urban areas that are filled with greenery.Efforts to grow plants within the city are visible in both countries


Both South Korea and Singapore have incredible high stress level for their students.This is evident in South Korea with students have full time studies till as late as 12 midnight and having tests every 3 weeks.This is also evident in Singapore with the frequent important exams such as PSLE,"O" Level in which the students are driven mercilessly to cram details into their head for the tests.However, in South Korea, I noticed that the students seem to be more proactive in their students rather then being forced by their parents which I feel is totally unlike the situation in Singapore where parents actively search for tuition services in an attempt to boost their child's results with a disregard for the child's opinion.


However,South Korea and Singapore are different as South Koreans;I noticed seems to be more environmentally conscious than Singaporeans.While like Singapore where recycle bins can be found nearly everywhere, In South Korea, I noticed that there are no advertisement on recycling or whatsoever yet the South Koreans recycle. It is amazing to note this aspect as I feel that South Koreans have truly incorporated recycling into their culture.Young or old, South Koreans recycle without a need for reminders from the government which I feel is commendable.


Also, In South Korea, while there are various signs that prohibit certain acts such as smoking, there are no punishment written on the signs unlike Singapore which have things such as "No Smoking. Fine $5000". The signs in South Korea are very effective as I have not seen anyone doing things that are prohibited by the signs while in South Korea. This goes a long way to show that to get people to obey the law, you do not need to place a punishment below every sign. I feel Singapore can learn from this aspect of South Korea.
List and explain three of your most memorable experience.
The Daegu Safety Theme Park. It contains simulation of fires and earthquakes which are very impressive as I have not seen anything like it in Singapore.The theme park also contains quite a disturbing amount of disaster history in South Korea such as gas leak explosion and fires.This also shows South Korea's honesty in presenting their mistakes and hoping that other will learn from them.


The Seoul Tower. It is high up on the mountain and we had to hike up the mountain but all the effort was worth it when you reach the top. It was absolutely beautiful. The scenery were entrancing and simply amazing.You could see the entire Korea from the tower, including the North Korea if you use the telescope.


Walking around South Korea. Just walking around to me is already a memorable experience. The cool and frosty air. The unrelenting yet pleasant wind.The cold weather is utterly pleasant; at least to me though other may disagree. All of these are experiences that you will never find in Singapore due to the fact that Singapore only have one season.
List and Explain three things you have learnt about yourself and your life as a student?
I learnt that I have plenty of liberty as a student in Singapore as the students in South Korea can't even choose what they want to eat in school.


I also learnt that students in Singapore have it easy due to the fact with have half-day school instead of full-day school like South Korea where students have to study for the entire day till the dead of the night before going home


I also learnt that I enjoy cold weather a lot. Seriously A LOT. The experience of having cool  natural wind blowing on your face is something that cannot be replaced. Artificial wind from the fan or the air conditioner just cannot match up to it.


By Lim Jun Yang
      3E1

Reflection

Before i went to south korea, i had not thought that south korea technology is so good. However, after visiting some of the places in south korea, it make me realize that their technology more advance than what i thought. for example, when we visited digital pavilion, all their things are very interesting and up to technology.

i think that both singapore and south korea is a green country. recycle bins can be found on the streets just like singapore. both singapore and south korea were also under japanese rule in the past and both country suffer from it.however, south korea experience four season while singapore does not. when we were in korea, it was only autumn but the weather is already very cold and we won't even sweat.in singapore, it was weather is hot throughout the whole year and will sweat almost everyday. in south korea, the time to travel from one place to another is much more longer than in singapore. the maximum time to travel from one place to another in singapore is about one to two hours at most. however in south korea, the time to travel from one place to another can be up to four hours.

one of the most memorable experience is at daegu safety theme park. It let me learn how to react when something like earthquake happen while having fun/ it also let me learn the importance of knowing how to react when this kind of things happen. Another memorable experience is the school with pocheol high school. it let me have a chance to make new friends and also know more about the life of the students in south korea. Also, visiting the digital pavilion is also the most memorable experience.All the things were very interesting and up to technology. for example, just by hand movement, we can make the sound of the harp.

during this trip, i learn that i am very fortunate to be a student in singapore then in south korea. the students in south korea have to study in school from morning till night while students in singapore only have to study from morning till afternoon. i also learn to be more punctual as if only one person is late, it will cause trouble to many of the people. i also learn that there are many things we can learn outdoor. for example, just by travelling from one place to another we can see the and learn the different river feature.

Ang Wei Yi 3e1