GRIP, Research Abroad Exploring the City

Engineering Research in Singapore - National University of Singapore

Before coming to Penn, Singapore was at the top of my list of places to visit. In high school, I watched travel vlogs about the world-class Changqi airport and saw photos of the beautiful city from my friend who visited in 2019. The little I knew about the country was enough to amaze me, and I was eager to travel there. So, when I found out about the opportunity to conduct engineering research in Singapore in the fall of my freshman year, I knew I had to take it.

Thus far, my expectations have been blown away. Upon landing in Singapore, I was amazed by the architecture of the Changqi airport. The airport had a forest inside with a beautiful rain vortex as well as a four-story slide and a giant bouncing net suspended in the air. Everything about the airport felt so modern and clean, and I began to get a sense of what Singapore's culture is like.

After arriving at my dorm at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and recovering from jetlag, I went on a city-wide tour with the other students in my program. We ate lunch together in a "Hawker Centre" - an outdoor food market with dozens of food carts that sell cheap tasty food from a multitude of cultures. There were so many options available, and I decided to try the classic Hainanese chicken rice as well as the Malaysian dish Laksa. The food has definitely been one of the best parts of the trip so far. Since Singapore is a multi-ethnic society, the food culture is very diverse with authentic dishes from multiple countries. Every time I eat, I try to get at least two dishes from different cultures. It fills me up and is surprisingly cheap. I typically spend only 10 SGD (~7.3 USD) every meal, and that usually includes two dishes and a drink.

On the tour, we visited the Gardens by the Bay, a massive nature park with two cooled conservatories and solar-powered “supertrees” that light up the park at night. Many may recognize this place as the location of the wedding reception in Crazy Rich Asians and, trust me, it looks as good as it does in the movie. Since it’s just the first week of the research program, I have had a lot of free time to explore the city. My friends and I have visited Chinatown, Little India, and, our personal favorite, Sentosa beach. 

Overall, it’s been an incredible experience immersing myself in Singapore’s culture. I’ve spoken both Chinese and English almost every day to foreigners, and have learned how to adapt my ear to the Singaporean English accent. The beautiful architecture and cleanliness of the country impress me every day, especially since Singapore is essentially a densely populated city. Throughout the rest of my trip, I look forward to touring more of the country with my friends and learning more about the unique culture here.