So I have officially been home for a month and am finally getting back into the swing of things. As I look back on my time in Singapore, I realized that that was without a doubt the best part of my college experience thus far. I learned so many lessons during my journey, some that did not become apparent until I got back to the US. I also made so many wonderful friends and learned about not only the world, but myself as well.The best thing about being home is being able to see my friends and family. Video chatting, calls, and text messages are all great forms of communication but there is nothing like being with your loved ones face to face. I really learned to be grateful for my family, friends, and other support systems because without them this past semester would not have been as meaningful. Small things like driving everywhere, large varieties of "Western food", school spirit, organized sporting events, being a student employee, and people welcoming me home with open arms make being home absolutely amazing.
The thing I miss the most about Singapore is Singlish. Singlish is the combination of Singaporean languages and English. Thinking about Singlish makes me remember the wide variety of people that I met during my time in Singapore. It was not uncommon to spark up a conversation with a complete stranger while waiting in a queue to find out that they are from another exciting country! Meeting people from all over the world and being able to share stories and cultural exchanges is an absolutely priceless experience. I also miss the food from Singapore. I was exposed to so many different types of Asian foods. Some of my favorites include Kaya toast, Vietnamese pho, mee goreng,, Indian prata milk tea, and chicken rice, dim sum, and Malay Hot Pot. I also miss fresh fruit juice being available on demand. Being home, however, has made me take a hard look at the food that we eat and the portions in which we eat them and it keeps me motivated to eat smaller portions and more balanced meals. I picked up great skills and habits while studying abroad.
One skill I took away from studying abroad was patience. During the course of the semester there were a few frustrating experiences. Things like waiting in long queues, people not understanding my accent, being slightly homesick, or adjusting to a cultural norm that differs from home sometimes got frustrating. Those frustrations pale in comparison big picture; in life, there will be frustrations. There will be obstacles and what matters most is how I choose to tackle them and how I let them affect me. Communication is another skill that was enhanced during my experience. When I mention communication I mean it in so many ways. I learned to better express myself using nonverbal communication, as well as take nonverbal cues better. I improved my public speaking skills by having to give so many presentations during the semester as well as speaking engagements since I got back. I also learned the value of communicating with people that you meet even after you are no longer with them. My friends that I made during the semester in Singapore are invaluable and saying good bye to them was so hard. Instead, we said see you later and vowed to all stay in touch until we met again. It is kind of funny now, when we text or video chat because of the time differences. I'll be saying good morning and another friend will be headed to bed; its the little things like that are so valuable. Nurturing relationships is important but it has never been as important to me as it is now.
I would recommend for anyone to study abroad, even if they can not make it for an entire semester. What better way to learn about the world than to go see it with your own two eyes? My semester in Singapore was a life changing experience and I would not trade it for the world but it certainly is good to be home.
