Two English with World Literature students were hosted by Nanyang Technological University this summer for a ten-day trip to Singapore which was funded by the Office for Students. Find out what they got up to in Singapore.
Whilst in Singapore we got the opportunity to spend two days at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) taking classes that centred around Singaporean and Asian literature. The classes addressed themes of Asian identity, cultural and social change, and history of conflict, a notable example being the partition of India and the literature produced in response.
The focus on Asian literature was incredibly interesting and relevant to our studies of World Literature at Liverpool, expanding our understanding of those particular regions and personally making me more interested in reading more South Asian literature in particular. We participated in the class ‘Contemporary Theatre in Singapore and Southeast Asia’, which involved the academic study of plays but also involved acting scenes as a way to actively respond and interpret the texts. This unfamiliar format definitely pushed us out of our comfort zones, but with the positive and friendly input of the other students we were able to participate meaningfully and get a lot out of the class.
The learning style at NTU involved a lot more discussion and participation than is normal at Liverpool, which made me realise how important it is to the development of well-rounded, nuanced viewpoints. The students were responsive to each others’ viewpoints and often debated ideas, which I felt was great since it encouraged everyone to be engaged and critically think. I have tried to implement this slightly more in Liverpool this semester by actively participating more and responding/agreeing/debating others in tutorials, which is a small change but has been very beneficial to my engagement and learning.
Our NTU experience was made even better by our lovely host students Sian and Maya showed us around, ate lunch with us and gave us advice on navigating the culture and places of Singapore. We felt very welcome at NTU and feel as though it has been a rewarding and incredibly valuable experience.
During our stay in Singapore, we managed to travel to various tourist areas and receive a beautiful understanding of the rich culture. Hopping between many different hawker centres for food and drink, we enjoyed our evenings in the bustling food halls and strolling down the lively streets at night.
Starting with Gardens By the Bay was an experience we'll be sure to cherish forever, the enchanting light and music display in the luscious Supertree Grove still rings in our minds. Though being a quite impressive, urban metropolis, Singapore also had wonderful cultural and nature spots dotted around; Chinatown with the neverending rows of Merlion merchandise and adorable keychains or Fort Canning park with the mesmerising plant forests. The Night Safari was also a confounding concept to us, as we walked through jungle-like paths seeing and feeding animals with no barriers between us!
Getting around was extremely easy and efficient using the MRT (underground subway) which had station stops everywhere and super regular trains. We also opted to take the buses a few times, such as to Orchard Road, a high street with glamorous malls and shops.
On our last day we visited the island Sentosa via MRT and absolutely loved it. The resort-centred island provided a waterpark, aquarium, theme park and the famous Universal Studios. With free shuttles around the island, we travelled to one of the many amazing beaches, Siloso beach, and relaxed on the soft sands, intensely grateful for being able to see such a beautiful place.
See some photos from the trip below: