We reached Shanghai Pudong International Airport in the afternoon. On the first day, we visited only the Bund and the Huangpu River after having our dinner. We even got to take a cruise along the Huangpu River to have a better view of the scenery. The area around the river was very well developed, featuring hotels, shopping malls and cruises to boost tourism and help the country to grow financially. The numerous banks we saw like DBS and ICBC also represent China's flourishing economy. The Huangpu River was used in the past as a trading port for goods from other places. Although we did not get to see much on the first day, I enjoyed my experience at the Bund with my CID group mates and looked forward to the upcoming days.
Day 2:
On the second day, we had to wake up early to travel to Yangzhou as the bus ride took 4 hours. We visited Geyuan Garden, Chinese Paper Cutting Museum and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. After that, we visited the local supermarket after having our dinner.
Our first destination was the Geyuan Garden. It started raining as we went in and we showed our class spirit by sharing umbrellas with our classmates who did not bring umbrellas. The place was very large and attractive. Before the trip, my group researched on it and we found that it used to be a merchant's residence in the past. It showed the traditional culture of China with bamboos and pavilions, as well as rock gardens. The sheer size of the residence proved that merchants in the past earned a lot of money. By selling so much things, they contributed greatly to the economic growth of China and were important in creating China's success as a nation now. It's pavilion can be linked to our school. The benches built around the small garden in our school are facing outwards like the pavilion, although we thought that they should face the garden. Heritage sites like the Geyuan Garden have taught us the history of China and should be preserved so that we would not forget about our ancestors.
Next, we visited the Chinese Paper Cutting Museum. Due to miscommunication, there was another tour group there and we decided to visit the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal first. We took a boat ride down the river for around half an hour. It allowed us to slowly take in the scenery around us. It showed us how relaxed the life there is as there were people fishing, playing games and even practising taichi. The people there do not rush around like in Shanghai. There was lots of greenery and trees by the two sides of the canal which helps the place to have clean air. After the boat ride, we went back to the Paper Cutting Museum to experience paper cutting.
Yangzhou is famous for the people's skills with blades. Scissors are just one of them. The others are nail clippers and chopping knives. At first, I thought it would be very easy, but after the instructors explained how to cut the paper, I found that it requires a lot of skill as the paper has many small parts that are required to be cut out. Nowadays, it is easy to cut paper with machines, but I think that we need to keep some of these traditional methods to sustain traditional values and understand the hard work of our ancestors. It is important in keeping China's traditions.
Finally, we headed to the local supermarket after dinner, excited to buy food to eat in our hotel rooms. The supermarket was much larger than supermarkets in Singapore, and it sold a wide variety of items, from food to household items to electrical appliances. However, we had to find things in the supermarket that were different from the things in Singapore, and compare the prices as well, as instructed by our form teacher. We found that almost everything in China was cheaper than Singapore and we think that this is because China is much bigger and can produce its own goods unlike Singapore, which has to import goods, leading to increased prices. We were pleasantly surprised on finding a picture of the Singapore flag in the marked on a shelf, and we saw hello panda, a Singaporean brand. It proved Singapore's ability to penetrate into China's market and represents Singapore's flourishing economy. The chewing gum sold there cannot be found in Singapore, due to the ban of chewing gum in Singapore. China also produces its own wine, which is not as famous as wine from other countries, and cannot be found in Singapore too. Milo cannot be found in China, due to China producing its own chocolate drinks. The government does not want the presence of milo to affect its own market. After comparing Yangzhou with Shanghai, we feel that Shanghai is more developed. Shanghai has many tall buildings to save space as it has a greater population than Yangzhou. As Shanghai is more easily accessible from different parts of the world, we saw more westerners and tourists in Shanghai. The toilets in Shanghai are also more clean as Shanghai is one of China's most visited cities and foreigners will judge the country based on these hygiene standards.
We have learnt more about China's economy and how different its cities are. By working together and moving around as a group, we have bonded and learnt how to analyse information.
Day 3:
Today is the first day that we visit Shuren School. The school has two campuses and we went to the newer one. Their principal came to our hotel personally to fetch us to the school. It showed how much they cherished their friendship with our school, and she must have sacrificed a lot to come to our hotel as she must be very busy. There are many facilities there which help the students to learn. I observed that many of the students like to play basketball during their recess time. Their school is much bigger than ours, and is some distance away from the city centre. This is because the land there is cheaper as they have more land.
We were given a tour around the school before engaging in an exchange programme. Some of our classmates introduced our country to them, and they shared some of the works that they did. It showed that the students there had creativity and participated in different competitions. They were much more confident than us and I think that we can improve on it. We were also invited to sit in a room where we observed a Chinese lesson. It is similar to our Chinese lessons, but I feel that the students there are willing to share their answers whereas the students in our school rely on the teacher to give us the answers.
Our form teacher told us to practise situational awareness after we did many inappropriate things. A few of our classmates woke up late, which resulted in the delay of the activities. We learnt about the education system at in Yangzhou after visiting Shuren School.
Day 4:
We visited another branch of Shuren School today. Here, we had our oelp performance which we had prepared for very long. We attended classes and went to Xinhua Bookstore.
Their school was celebrating Dumpling Festival in advance and gave each of us salted eggs as a tradition. It showed how close our friendship with their school is and that they uphold Chinese traditions well. The students there were friendly and easy to talk to. We managed to learn more about them during the gift exchange programme although it was quite short as they had to rush for lessons. I felt satisfied with our oelp performances, even though it was not as good as the Chinese students, mainly because they had more people and had more time to prepare. After that, we attended calligraphy class.
We also visited the Xinhua Bookstore. It had six storeys and was much bigger than Singapore bookstores. We were given a task similar to the one we had to do in the supermarket. As Singapore is a multi racial society, it has Malay and Tamil books which Xinhua Bookstore did not have. It also did not have baskets to carry books, unlike bookstores in Singapore. However, there were also many things that it had and could not be found in Singapore. These include sports equipment, electrical appliances, vases and Korean and Japanese learning books in Chinese.
It was an exciting day as we learnt many new things about the school life there and their reading culture.
Day 5:
We went to the Slender West Lake, the former residence of Zhu Ziqing and Dongguan street.
Our first destination was the Slender West Lake. It had 24 bridges and many amazing views. Our group took many group photos there too. Many tourists would visit the place if they go to Yangzhou and its breathtaking scenery certainly fits its reputation.
After that, we went to the former Residence of Zhu Ziqing. It is a place of historical value and showed us how traditional houses used to look like. Although it was much smaller than I had expected, the interior of the house was still quite interesting. It featured pictures of him and his former works. It makes a good tourist attraction as it is a good place to introduce China's history to foreigners. Zhu Ziqing was a famous author and preserving his residence is a way of commemorating him and appreciating his contributions to China.
Next, we visited Dongguan street. It had many shops along its sides and was a great place for us to buy souvenirs. Walking together down the street was also a good way for our group to bond.
Day 6:
We went to Chenghuang Miao, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, Oriental Pearl Tower, Old French Concession and Tian Zi Fang.
First, we went to Chenghuang Miao. It had many buildings shaped like temples with many shops. We split into our CID groups to go around shopping again. We bought out first group identity here, a earphone plug. It was a crowded place, so we had to keep a close eye on one another. It is definitely a place I would recommend to my friends.
After that, we went to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. It had many exhibitions, from animals to science. There were even real spiders in the exhibition, around five tarantulas, each in their own container. We were also able to view spider specimens under magnifying glasses. It provided an unforgettable experience.
Next, we went to the Oriental Pearl Tower. It is one of the iconic landmarks of Shanghai as it is one of the tallest buildings. We were able to see all around us from the top of the tower, which even included a glass corridor for people to walk on. We could see the base of the tower directly below us through the glass floor.
Then, we went to the Old French Concession. It was highly influenced by western culture, with many western restaurants. It was a popular place for the westerners in Shanghai, and probably made them feel as if they were at home.
Finally, we went to Tian Zi Fang. It was another shopping place with many cheap goods. We went around in our groups again and got to bond despite the shortage of time.
Day 7:
It is the last day of our oelp learning journey. We visited the Qibao Ancient Town and Shanghai Museum. Although we were supposed to visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Centre, we could not go in due to miscommunications as it was closed on Mondays.
The Qibao Ancient Town was very different from the city centre. We got to buy things again here, and bought a second group identity, a hair clip with a small hat. The town sold many costumes and things that could not be found in other parts of Shanghai. Through going around as a group, we learnt to keep a close eye on one another and be more situationally aware.
After that, we also went to the Shanghai Museum. There were many exhibits about China's past, like coins, furniture, paintings and jade from the ancient times. It taught us more about China's history and culture. However, it did not feature China's past events like the opium wars and revolutionaries that we learnt during our history lessons. It is probably due to China wanting to hide its shameful past and focus on its more successful side.The trip was very useful as it taught me many new things about China, even though we did not get to see the Shanghai Urban Planning Centre.
Fashion in China
Shanghai has many shopping malls like plaza 66 and citic square with a variety of brands and accessories. These immense malls contain stores by leading brands such as Prada, Dior, Hermés, Versace and Sergio Rossi, designed to meet China’s growing passion for luxury as China's economy grows fast. Other famous brands include Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Ermenegildo Zegna. Many Chinese area becoming richer and richer, and will not hesitate to splurge their money on these luxury goods. Yangzhou is less developed and it isn't so easy to find these luxury goods.
Mr Lee has transformed Singapore into a first world country from a third world country with his hard work and determination. People believed that Singapore wouldn't make it after separating from Malaysia, but he proved them wrong.
Singapore is now prosperous, which some people label 'a golden age'. Millionaires are willing to invest in Singapore, and the places of interest sprouting around the country is a proof of this. Singapore has reached it's maximum growth and development, and something has to be done to prevent Singapore from suffering losses.
This is like the 'golden age' during the tang dynasty, where the people had everything they needed and had good living conditions. They were happy with their lives and the place attracted more people immigrate to China to ensure its prosperity.
China ranks second in the world in terms of gross domestic product.
China's population is 1.4 billion.
The people will have lower salary and there will be more unemployed workers.
China joined WTO in 2001
The size of China's is 3854082sq mi. There will be lower rent and more space for buildings.
Coal, natural gas and steel are some of the natural resources that China has.
China's corporate tax is 25%.
Chinese exports are relatively cheaper and the Chinese Yuan is undervalued. Even American products are imported from China.
USA is China's biggest trading partner.
China has a rapid economic growth in recent years. Their international trade is open to everyone. As China has a large population, it is cheaper to produce goods in China as compared to other countries. This attracts foreign investors who will contribute further to China's economic growth. As the Chinese Yuan is undervalued too, foreign investors can make more profit with foreign currency in China.
China's blooming economy also provides more jobs for its people.
In China, the one child policy is used to control the reproduction rate. there are a few reasons for this. It can increase the food supply, result in more resources for children development lead to better health care for families and overall better living standards.It also reduces the unemployment rate, which is a serious problem in China now. Many university students find it difficult to secure a job when they graduate.
However, I feel that it brings many negative consequences. It will cause problems in poor families as they would have to depend only on one child when the grow old. This gives the child stress. Having the one child policy will also mean that there are more boys as the Chinese favor boys and might even abort their child if the child is a girl. and the crime rates will increase. Less children might also slow down the economic growth of China.
During the December holidays, my family did not travel to other countries. Although I stayed in Singapore, I still had a fun and enjoyable holiday. It was a good time for me to relax from my usual busy school life.
I went to Sentosa Adventure water cove Park with my father. There were many exciting attractions including slides and snorkelling, and we had a whale's of a time there. It has made the two of us closer.
I spent a lot of time on NPCC too. I went for my first promotions with my squad mates. We had prepared for it for a long time and encouraged one another for it. We are much more united now as compared to last year. We had squad outings and ate outside together sometimes too. Joining a uniform group as a cca has made me learn a lot and be a more confident person.
During the holidays, I also went ice skating at Jcube with my classmates, Adon and Kieren. We had a great time together as we are best friends.It felt great to meet up during the holidays with my classmates and play together. I went bowling with Adon a few days later. It really strengthened our friendship.
Is the merlion the best icon to represent Singapore?
I do not think that the merlion is the best icon to represent Singapore. It is only one out of the many landmarks of Singapore.
The merlion pales in comparison to iconic structures like the marina bay sands or the Changi airport. The marina bay sands is the world's second most expensive building, while the Changi airport has been voted as the best airport worldwide for 6 times and consecutively in the past 3 years.
Singapore is also a multi-racial society, and harmonious living between many races is special to Singapore. The vanda miss joaquim orchid flower also represents Singaporeans' uniqueness and hybrid culture. Singapore also has a wide variety of food from the different races.
All these aspects make up Singapore, and I feel that all of these represent a part of Singapore and its diversity cannot be fully represented by a particular icon.
Remembering Mr Lee Kuan Yew
Mr Lee has transformed Singapore into a first world country from a third world country with his hard work and determination. People believed that Singapore wouldn't make it after separating from Malaysia, but he proved them wrong.
Singapore is now prosperous, which some people label 'a golden age'. Millionaires are willing to invest in Singapore, and the places of interest sprouting around the country is a proof of this. Singapore has reached it's maximum growth and development, and something has to be done to prevent Singapore from suffering losses.
This is like the 'golden age' during the tang dynasty, where the people had everything they needed and had good living conditions. They were happy with their lives and the place attracted more people immigrate to China to ensure its prosperity.
Reflection: China's economy
China ranks second in the world in terms of gross domestic product.
China's population is 1.4 billion.
The people will have lower salary and there will be more unemployed workers.
China joined WTO in 2001
The size of China's is 3854082sq mi. There will be lower rent and more space for buildings.
Coal, natural gas and steel are some of the natural resources that China has.
China's corporate tax is 25%.
Chinese exports are relatively cheaper and the Chinese Yuan is undervalued. Even American products are imported from China.
USA is China's biggest trading partner.
China has a rapid economic growth in recent years. Their international trade is open to everyone. As China has a large population, it is cheaper to produce goods in China as compared to other countries. This attracts foreign investors who will contribute further to China's economic growth. As the Chinese Yuan is undervalued too, foreign investors can make more profit with foreign currency in China.
China's blooming economy also provides more jobs for its people.
One child policy
However, I feel that it brings many negative consequences. It will cause problems in poor families as they would have to depend only on one child when the grow old. This gives the child stress. Having the one child policy will also mean that there are more boys as the Chinese favor boys and might even abort their child if the child is a girl. and the crime rates will increase. Less children might also slow down the economic growth of China.
Singapore’s population decline
At current birth rates and with no immigration, the number of Singapore Citizens aged 65 and above will triple to 900,000 by 2030. There will be a smaller base of working-age citizens as our citizen population and workforce will age and decline.
This poses a great problem for Singapore as a smaller workforce would mean that the working adults would face more stress to take care of the elderly and children. It leads to fewer capable citizens to lead and serve the country. The increased stress will cause an outflow of homegrown talent, as other places might have better salary and living conditions. Furthermore, there will be increased taxes to ensure that the country can continue to develop. The economy would shrink as a result of the smaller workforce, and Singapore would be less appealing to people.
In order to solve this problem, the government needs to encourage Singaporeans having more children and attract foreigners to comes and work in Singapore. However, a limit has to be set to ensure that Singaporeans do not have to face too much competition for jobs. The government also has to ensure the availability of jobs and lure more people to set up businesses in Singapore to ensure that there are enough jobs. Singapore has limited land, so taller buildings must be built to ensure that there is sufficient housing too.
This poses a great problem for Singapore as a smaller workforce would mean that the working adults would face more stress to take care of the elderly and children. It leads to fewer capable citizens to lead and serve the country. The increased stress will cause an outflow of homegrown talent, as other places might have better salary and living conditions. Furthermore, there will be increased taxes to ensure that the country can continue to develop. The economy would shrink as a result of the smaller workforce, and Singapore would be less appealing to people.
In order to solve this problem, the government needs to encourage Singaporeans having more children and attract foreigners to comes and work in Singapore. However, a limit has to be set to ensure that Singaporeans do not have to face too much competition for jobs. The government also has to ensure the availability of jobs and lure more people to set up businesses in Singapore to ensure that there are enough jobs. Singapore has limited land, so taller buildings must be built to ensure that there is sufficient housing too.
Poverty in Singapore
Despite being the World’s fourth leading financial center, poverty is still one of the problems faced by Singapore’s government today. Poverty in its simplest form is the lack of the basics necessities required for quality of life. These basics begin with food, clothing, shelter, and clean drinking water. There are many causes of poverty, the main ones in Singapore being the high cost of living and high competition.
We often see homeless people sleeping on the benches below housing estates. This shows that there are indeed many poor people in Singapore who need our help, although we usually walk past them, pretending to not notice them. I feel that we should care more for them.
CID Reflections for 23/1/2015
I feel that I have learnt a lot this lesson. We were shown a picture with a vulture in the background and an undernourished child. At first, I thought that the picture only showed how people suffered from poverty. However, after researching more about the picture, I realised that the vulture was actually waiting for the child to die before eating her. The photographer was also criticised for not helping the girl. Knowing about this story makes me feel priviliged now as I do not have to worry about food. We should value everyone's life, even though it might not seem to affect us much. We are all human beings and deserve the same respect.
We were also shown two other pictures. One was about a homeless man sitting on the street and holding a cardboard that read: Help me, I'm homeless and broke. My belongings have been robbed. Another one showed a woman carrying a baby and walking around asking for money. I realised that one should not judge a book by its cover. Although more people will sympathise with the mother for having the baby, she is actually cheating people of their money.
I feel that it is important to help others in times of need, but we should be careful of scams and avoid
these people who have the ability to earn money but are just too lazy. When visiting other places, we
should always do enough research about that place so we will know about the conditions there and not encourage illegitimate ways of getting money. I have also heard about some people deliberately hurting little children in hope that they will gain sympathy from by-passers and these people will just use the money for their own use. I feel that this is very inhumane, as they do not have the right to hurt children in such a cruel way. What strikes me most is that some of these children are actually kidnapped and forced to beg for money. Therefore, when we see such children begging for money on the streets, we really need to be careful and know how their background is like before lending a helping hand.
December holidaysthese people who have the ability to earn money but are just too lazy. When visiting other places, we
should always do enough research about that place so we will know about the conditions there and not encourage illegitimate ways of getting money. I have also heard about some people deliberately hurting little children in hope that they will gain sympathy from by-passers and these people will just use the money for their own use. I feel that this is very inhumane, as they do not have the right to hurt children in such a cruel way. What strikes me most is that some of these children are actually kidnapped and forced to beg for money. Therefore, when we see such children begging for money on the streets, we really need to be careful and know how their background is like before lending a helping hand.
During the December holidays, my family did not travel to other countries. Although I stayed in Singapore, I still had a fun and enjoyable holiday. It was a good time for me to relax from my usual busy school life.
I went to Sentosa Adventure water cove Park with my father. There were many exciting attractions including slides and snorkelling, and we had a whale's of a time there. It has made the two of us closer.
I spent a lot of time on NPCC too. I went for my first promotions with my squad mates. We had prepared for it for a long time and encouraged one another for it. We are much more united now as compared to last year. We had squad outings and ate outside together sometimes too. Joining a uniform group as a cca has made me learn a lot and be a more confident person.
During the holidays, I also went ice skating at Jcube with my classmates, Adon and Kieren. We had a great time together as we are best friends.It felt great to meet up during the holidays with my classmates and play together. I went bowling with Adon a few days later. It really strengthened our friendship.
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