Wednesday, November 9, 2011 Y 4:41 AM
Selected reflections from cadets about the 3D2N overseas educational trip.
Celine Tan, 202
The trip was fun. We went to a Chinese Independent High School in the Batu Pahat area. The students had decorated the school very nicely. There were a lot of drawings and forms of expressions painted on the walls. Drawing is truly a form of art in that school. In Singapore, this might be viewed as vandalism. The school was built by the money donated by the people living in the area. It has a huge enrolment as they have classes from kindergarten to Secondary level. We visited a plantation. It was very cool as they would throw at least 100 patties to clean up the pollutions in the river. We also went to the KL tower. The KL Tower is a 421m high telecommunications and broadcasting tower. We went up to the observation deck where we managed to get a bird's eye view of the city. The view was spectacular. Lastly we went to the discovery centre (Petrosains) which is located in the Petronas Twin Towers. The exhibits at Petrosains tell the story of science and technology - with particular focus on the petroleum industry - in a fun and engaging manner. The boat ride in Malacca was also a highlight of the trip. As we cruised down the river at night, it was cool to see historical Malacca by the night. During this trip, I learnt to be independent. We had to do many things ourselves and we could not rely on our parents. I also learnt about time management, we must be at the place on time and must not be late.
Sarbudeen, 203
The Malacca-KL trip was very fun and memorable. The school visit in Batu Pahat was informative. The graffiti in their classrooms is actually art and it was very nice. The students were allowed to decorate their classrooms with paint. I think such graffiti drawings should be allowed in Singapore schools as well. After that visit, we visited the traditional farm. The farm tour was very interesting and educational. We saw sweet potatoes, herbs, tapioca and fruits being grown. We learnt a lot of things about how the farm was kept. Then we headed to Malacca and had dinner at a famous Portuguese restaurant. The Portuguese food was spicy. There was a person singing and playing a guitar. His voice was very nice. He sang some songs in Portuguese too. He made us sing with him as well. We were very happy at that moment. We check in hotel and slept. The next day, we visited the Menara Kuala Lumpur (KL Tower). The tower is one of Malaysia's most recognisable and popular landmark. At the observation deck, which is at the height of 276 meters above ground level, we had a full view of KL city. The view was breath-taking. Each of us was given an audio tour head set that gave us information and explained certain buildings to us. It was very educational.
Dawson Tan, 201
One of the most important values I learnt during the trip was teamwork. I have to be a team player and do my part by being punctual when the time has been set. When moving and playing in groups, I have to contribute actively to my team. The food was tasty and the accommodation was great. I feel proud to be a Singaporean. Comparatively, Singapore has a good and safe environment. The traffic congestion in KL was horrible. In the hotel room, I learnt to organize my own things and be independent. We had to take turns to bath and pack. At the Petrosains discovery centre, I also found out that Malaysia has many natural resources. Overall, the Malaysia trip was fun.
Sharmin, 205
The NPCC trip was fun and enjoyable. On the first day, we went to Hwa Cheng High School. It had simple and beautiful paintings on wall of their classrooms. The students in the class worked together to design and paint the graffiti in their classrooms. It made a big difference to their learning experiences in the classroom. We then, proceeded to a traditional farm. We saw and learnt about the different plants and trees. I had a chance to eat the insides of the cocoa fruit. It tasted like mangosteen! The night, ended with a river cruise along Malacca river. On the second day, we went to KL Tower and the Petrosains Center. After dinner, we enjoyed our bowling session before calling it a night. The next day, we took the KTM train back to Singapore. After a 6 hour train ride, we all got off at Tanjong Pagar Train Station. It was fun and enjoyable trip. I learnt to be punctual and responsible for myself and others during the trip.
Hykel, 204
I found the overseas trip quite enjoyable. The first destination which was the Chinese Secondary School was a big and nice looking place. The classrooms were beautifully decorated with paintings at the back wall of each class. Most of them almost looked real. Each class had a unique theme. I wish classroom painting would be allowed in Singapore schools. The visit to the traditional farms was very interesting but I was not used to the sand and dirt. I enjoyed and learnt a lot from the visit to the Petrosains Discovery Centre. It is a modern interactive gazebo that enlightens knowledge about science. It is filled with many activities. The bowling was fun although I did not get a good score. I enjoyed playing the game with my friends. If I could, I would most definitely visit Kuala Lumpur again.
Muhammad Irfan, 203
This trip has taught me more about the Malaysian lifestyle. I have learnt that people at the plantation have to work very hard to earn a living. They have to work every day to maintain the vegetables and plants. I have also learnt that the farmers are smart and invented something called 'mud patties'. This will enable them to clean a water body if it is polluted. I have also learnt more about the schooling system in Malaysia. The school that we visited was an independent Chinese school. The students there are mostly from wealthy families as the school fees is very expensive. Some students, who are not from a wealthy family, are given scholarships. The schooling system is almost similar to the Singapore system. The students have many enrichment classes, outdoor activities and CCA’s. I realise the diversity of the people and the food is almost the same between Singapore and Malaysia.
Phuan Yan Penh, 211
I learnt more about the history of Malaysia from the tour guide as well as the places we visited. On the first day of our trip, we visited a High School in Malacca. They introduced us about the history of their school and gave us a tour of their school compound to us. When we first went in the classroom, we were all fascinated by the drawing and painting on the wall. We were told that in Malaysia, students are allowed to paint, decorate and ‘vandalise’ their classroom walls. It is a form of artistic expression. On the second day of the trip, we went to Petrosains Centre where I learnt about the science and technology of the petroleum industry in a fun and interactive way. We even got to ride on an auto-machine that brought us to different places at one time.
Hia Meng Hong, 102
I enjoyed this trip as it is fun and educational. I learnt that Coco seeds can be eaten but it is very sour (when it is fresh). Latex will become glue-like substance after a while. Pineapples grow on top of the plant. There is specially made ‘mud-patties’ which are thrown into the dirty river, to clean it up. The patties are actually very stinky. Yeast is used for the fermentation process to make the patties. I also made new friends amongst the seniors. I am really looking forward to go for next year’s overseas trip with my peers!
Avinash, 102
This has been one of the best and most memorable school trips for me. During the 3 days in Malaysia, I enjoyed myself a lot and also learnt a whole lot of new things. The trip helped me to bond with Queensways fellow cadets. I also learnt to values such as responsibility, respect and discipline. The senior cadets were my role models during the overseas trip. I learnt more about NPCC and its expectations from them. From this trip, I have learnt to be more independent and to be responsible for myself. I am looking forward to attend more of such overseas trips.
Carel Chay, 104
This trip was fun and very exciting. I learnt many uses for various plants. Some are edible and some are not. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable.
This trip has also helped me learn more about Malaysia, its culture and history. When the trip started, I did not know anyone there, but by the end, I made new friends amongst my seniors and peers. The bowling game was a new experience for me. The boat ride along the river in Malacca was a good experience. The trip was very interesting and a great learning experience. I hope to go again next year.
Mohamed Shajith, 101
From the farm visit, we learnt about different plants and the patty which cleans the river. The patty is a good innovation. We learnt that the Menara Tower in KL was built on top of a hill named Jalan Bukit Nanas and that the Petronas Twin Towers (457.2 meters) is taller than the Menara Tower (421 meters). The things in Malaysia are cheaper than in Singapore. I learnt that without teamwork we will be disorganised so we learnt to team up together and work as a group at all times. We also learnt to be disciplined, responsible and to respect our surroundings during the trip which was very important.
Mohammad Faizal, 101
During this trip, I learned to respect other people’s beliefs and learned the way of life in Malaysian culture. I learned about the river cleaning using mud ball. The concoction in the mud ball is extremely effective in breaking down harmful bacteria in the dirty river. Farmers and locals use it to help clean up the rivers in the area. I experienced the power of teamwork during the bowling session. Each team must work together so that the team can succeed. I also learned to be disciplined. Discipline is the main thing in life, when is the time to play we can play but when is the time to be serious we must act so. The trip was educational as the tour guide also gave us a lot of information and history about Malaysia.
Kenneth Ling, 202
From the visit to the plantations, I learnt that plants have many uses and some taste different before they are cooked. Example, coco plant seed taste sweet but bitter after they are cooked. I also know how rubber is tapped. I tried my hand at tapping and was able to tap the rubber tree.
Isaac Teo, 204
The NPCC trip to KL was very enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit to the Science Centre and the bowling session. I would like more action for the year’s overseas trip. The hotel accommodation was clean and good. We had buffet breakfast and I was spoilt for choice. Lunch and dinner meals were equally fantastic. The food in Malaysia was delicious.
