the day we're taking off.. farewell..
the night before we take off {group photo}
thurs we're on the roller coaster..
Summary:
It’s been a good 6 weeks where relationships between local and fellow students are forged. Being apart from Singapore for 6 weeks, we’ve also been adapted with the lifestyle in Wuhan. This final week in China is a little sad for me as I’ll be leaving a place that I’ve been adapted for a period and I like the carefree lifestyle over there.
However, life goes on and I’ve to go back to Singapore in the end of this week. This week has been fruitful for me as I experienced various farewell meals with the locals. On one of the invitations on Wednesday, with some of the others, we went to our module classmate’s house to have dinner. It was quite an eye opening experience for us as the interior design of the apartment looks so elegant, even though the exterior looks very run-down. Upon asking the father of our classmate’s, I get to know that they bought this apartment for 700,000RMB with a 70 year holdings. In their apartment, I noticed that they don’t walk around barefooted. Instead, upon reaching inside their apartment, we’re given a temporary plastic shoe wrap to wear. Dinner was good and amazing. I felt welcomed as there are about 10 plus dishes wiped by our classmate’s mother, on the spot. In addition, we didn’t know that the rice is served after the dishes and we almost couldn’t finish our rice. It was a good dinner when our classmate’s father asked about Singapore’s situation (politics and others) as he’s very concerned about his daughter studying in Singapore.
Another dinner invitation on Friday was quite a disappointing one as it wasn’t well planned. Because of the change of date, a few of the shop keepers couldn’t make it due to the unforeseen circumstances. But instead on cancelling the dinner, we’re informed with sincere apologies of one of the shopkeepers and we went ahead for the dinner, even though it is raining. Though it may not seem to be what it is planned, but it was a good interaction as I then learnt about the various internet service providers in Wuhan – China telecom, “Tie” tong and “Wang” tong. Prior to that dinner, I’ve learnt about the sincerity of the Chinese where they really apologized very sincerely even though it’s a small matter.
Lastly, there was a situation on Thursday, caught up with one of the locals when we’re supposed to go home via van transportation from afar back to our school. But it doesn’t turned out to be good. At first, we planned with the driver to meet us at the shopping entrance to fetch up back. Upon reaching, we’re unable to see him even Bingrong communicated with him through the phone, exchanging location details. After searching for 30mins, Bingrong flared up and we flagged a taxi and went back home. While on the way home in a taxi, the driver called us numeral times, asking for petrol fees. We refused to give him but he kept bugging us for it over the phone call. At last upon reaching and while we’re having our dinner, he called again and bugged us continuously. We gave up and Bingrong gave him half of the petrol fees and send him away. I felt that this incident is something that it shouldn’t have happened if we’ve better communication skills and knowledge of the nearby areas. This is something that as a group we’ve learnt I believed.
In summary of these 6 weeks, I believed that I’ve learnt a lot, given in situations varies from small to big. Overall, I felt that we’ve learnt to be independent even though some things aren’t go as planned; embracing the positive side of the situations; always yearn to learn in any ways. Through all these, I think that this OIP ha truly given a student, like me, a big and rewarding opportunity to excel and exercise one’s leadership quality in leading own life independently. Being responsible for one’s own items and taking care of each other. Taking notice of the changes that is around them. Showing initiative by filling in the gaps noticed. Lastly but not least, learning to step out of one’s comfort zone to experience the unknowns in achieving greater heights than before.
