Programs Abroad:
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Semester Abroad (SA): National University of Singapore
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Global Research & Internship Program (GRIP): Smart Approved Watermark Intern in Sydney, Australia
Ask me about...
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Studying abroad as a first-generation, low-income student
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How to budget for traveling around Southeast Asia
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Singaporean social etiquettes
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Taking fieldwork-related courses
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Adapting to a multicultural society with occasional language barriers
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Being the only Penn student to study abroad at a university of choice for a semester
My Experience Abroad:
I chose to study abroad in Singapore because I was fascinated by the country's garden city views and urban sustainability. As an Earth Science major, I was eager to learn about Singapore's biodiverse landscape and to complete a research-related course that would prepare me for my senior thesis. Thus, enrolling in classes, such as a biodiversity course and ecology course, took me outside of the classroom and into beaches, parks, and ponds to study plants and organisms firsthand as I had hoped. Another course titled "Doing Research in Southeast Asia" even brought me to Thailand to pursue a research topic of my choice: animal welfare in conservation organizations.
Other Highlights:
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Traveling to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Taiwan
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Experiencing Chinese New Year in Singapore with new friends
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Meeting members of the Urak Lawoi community in Thailand and learning some Thai phrases
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Visiting the beautiful Phi Phi Islands
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Attending TedxNUS and other invitational speaker events
