My Impression about Singapore - Essay Example

Impression Essay on Singapore My trip to Singapore, as part of the Study Abroad program organized by my school, was the first time I had visited South East Asia in my life. My perceptions about Singapore were limited to the little information I had gathered from reading newspapers and from various news media agencies. I was aware that her prowess in trading, manufacturing and finance industries had been the backbone of steering the country from an insignificant country thirty years ago to one that would be regarded as a developed country in the present. This can be easily attested to while recognizing the growing number of very tall buildings that dominate the skyline. Amongst other things I learnt was that Singapore was rated as having one of the worlds’ best air and shipping hubs in the world. One week in Singapore was not really enough to validate my perception but enough to build my personal impression of the country. I was struck by several findings in Singapore. I appreciated the prevalence of high technology and its uses, especially in the accessing of banking facilities and the introduction of fingerprinting for students in schools instead of the usual roll call as practiced in other countries. The newspapers had good coverage of internal, regional and international news of which I found fascinating. I was particularly impressed by the high level of academicians that gave the team lectures as the knowledge we gained form them was priceless. In this essay, however, I will be discussing my impression on Singapore with regards to security, transportation related issues and the ability to live peacefully while having value and respect for the culture. I have a background in transportation and my service in the military has made me develop an appreciation for security. I have also decided to touch a little on culture because I was brought up in a multicultural society and Ghana is a country with a diverse culture. The cultural and religious diversities in Ghana have had significant effects on the polity of the nation and this has contributed negatively towards the economic development, bringing about security challenges for the nation. Singapore has been noted to be a generally safe country with one of the lowest crime rate records. It was not hard for me to tell that special interest and priority were placed on security. On arrival to Changi Airport, I walked out through the arrival gate hoping to claim my luggage on the other side. Unbeknownst to me, I had left the baggage claim area and was outside the airport. I attempted to go back into the area but I was denied access. I had to report my mistake and follow a thorough procedure for me to get my luggage. I had to fill out a lengthy form detailing why my luggage was left behind, my international passport was collected and I was finally escorted by an armed security operative back to claim my luggage. With all of this I knew that the system was very efficient with regards to security. The days following my arrival further substantiated my curiosity on the level of security in Singapore. Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) were everywhere. I have traveled to quit a number of countries, yet never have I seen such a number of cameras. We were accommodated in Holiday Inn Atrium and one could see that there were cameras from the entry point, the restaurant, elevators, the hallways and even the lecture rooms where we received our briefings. The streets were equally watched. In general, my observations were that there seemed to be order and the citizens appeared to be law abiding. I was not surprised to see cameras in the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) when some of the groups and I rode in it. My impression was that everyone was doing the right thing and minding their business. Out of curiosity I asked and I was told that they system had a very good way of watching what goes on everywhere. I was also told that law and order was very evident because of the introduction of a more humane legal system. For example, the establishment of the Community Court has been able to expedite the hearing of minor cases and the courts were quick to dispose of these cases by way of sentences such as rehabilitation requirement or community service. Singapore manages its security through a watchful eye and I can attest to that with evidence from our last night in the hotel at Sentosa Island. At checkout I realized that my camera was missing. I reported it to the manager, but had to depart for the airport to catch my flight. On the return trip to the US, I was called and informed that my camera had been found. I was told that my movement was traced with the CCTV camera around the hotel and they found the camera at the last point that it was in my possession. I am very glad that my camera had been found and I believe that if it weren’t for the CCTV camera it would still be missing. Singapore maintains a comprehensive security state. However, with the recent high profile international assassination of the Hamas commander in Dubai, which was believed to have involved a squad of about 26 individuals, Singapore may need to strengthen and reevaluate its security capabilities. Singapore and Dubai have a lot in common in the sense that both countries draw a lot of foreigners, both as tourists and in their work force. A broad assessment of the 26 suspected killers shows that they held passports from countries that allowed them access to Dubai. I believe Singaporeans will be looking at other options to tighten their security. Singapore has a very reliable public transportation system operated by buses, rail and taxis. I was overwhelmed by the neatness of the MRT. It is very unlike the Metro here in the US, which is always littered with newspapers or empty bottles and cans. It was also obvious that public transportation is an attractive and cost effective means of transportation in Singapore as the ridership was high in the MRT and the buses were always packed. One may attribute the high ridership to the comfort that the services provide to its customers. For tourists and foreigners alike, the passenger information systems were easily comprehendible and easy to follow without getting lost. Most impressive was that all modes of public transportation were fully air conditioned. In regard to the safety of public transportation, I found myself fascinated by the construction of the platforms, especially ones underground. The platforms were designed such that they are sealed from physical contact with the train. In comparison, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority metro lines are constructed with open platforms. I believe this open platform presents an array of opportunity for a suicide victim to take his or her life. In 2009 alone the Metro recorded 9 suicides which they referred to as ‘jumpers’. Also, in October last year in Melbourne, Australia, a baby was almost crushed by a train when the stroller rolled into the tracks. The sealed platforms in Singapore provide both a restraint for suicide attempts and for the safety of the commuters. Furthermore, after hopping in and out of a few taxis, I could not resist to notice that the taxi drivers were all elderly men and most of the taxi vehicles were Toyota Crown models. While charting with one of the taxi drivers I was informed that there were strict guidelines on age restrictions pegged at 30 years for individuals who should operate the taxis. This probably accounts for the reliability and safety of the taxis because of the maturity of the drivers. Other criteria to be a taxi driver involved being a citizen of Singapore and being able to have a conversation in English. Being curious as to why Toyota Crown was the most preferred vehicle for taxis, I assumed that this was maybe as result of the fuel economy that Toyota provides and the efficiency of the vehicles. Also interestingly revealing was that as a result of the small land area, the government fixes a limit on the number of vehicles that can be used in Singapore in every given year. Vehicles are allowed to be used for a maximum of ten years. Consequently, this has made the price of vehicles relatively high compared to other countries around the world. I also observed that Singapore is facing growing traffic congestion like other developing cities. In the dailies around the period we visited the cost for car fees entering Sentosa were revised. This initiative was done to shift commuter mode to public transportation and with efforts toward reducing congestion when the Resort World Sentosa opens. Within the central business district similar initiatives were employed with the introduction of various road pricing schemes. Singapore is made up of three dominant ethnic groups which comprise of the Chinese, Malays, and Indians; these also make up the religious demography which includes Buddhist, Muslim, Taoist, Hindu, Catholics and other branches of Christianity. There are also a lot of foreigners which make up the balance of the population. It is very remarkable to note that these ethnic groups have lived in harmony for many years. In most counties where you have different ethnic groups, living in such close proximity results in ethnic or religious crisis due to the aspiration to be ethnically dominant or to gain political power. For instance, at the time we were visiting Singapore, the Muslims and Christians in Malaysia where in dispute over whether Christians could use the word Allah by the Roman Catholics as a translation for God. This brought a lot of tension that required the Prime Minister of Malaysia to address the majority of Muslims to be patient with court ruling since it was being appealed. Singapore is unique in that by notwithstanding the cultural diversity, they have respect for individual races, thereby providing an atmosphere for racial and religious harmony. Obviously this might be a strong indication why the government is able to focus on the development and the ability to diversify the economy while improving physical and cultural life. Unfortunately, this peaceful coexistence is lacking in Ghana. The city of Jos, Plateau state was, as of January, thrown into tension as religious conflict between Christians and Muslims caused the death of over 460 lives and the destruction of property worth millions of Naira. Furthermore, I see Singapore as a country which has respect for cultural heritage. Most countries around the world have lost their sense of cultural heritage. Singaporeans take pride in their history and are willing to showcase their cultural heritage to the world. Though Singapore’s land area is approximately 687 km2, which is relatively small, they have been able to preserve their land. On one hand, the skyscrapers flaunt the country’s economic growth, while on the other hand you still see old buildings that have been preserved to remember the country’s culture heritage. This demonstrates that preservation of cultural heritage and the current and future development of Singapore are simultaneously considered. I inquired and was informed that despite the fact that Singapore was a modern state and open to change, it had regulatory bodies that were set up to ensure that Singapore’s heritage were conservatively maintained. I was also told that these regulatory bodies help inspect the restoration and structural works, such as repainting a building, for instance, would require their consent. Similarly, parts of the city have also been preserved for the different ethnic groups and community. A visit to Little India, Chinatown, Malay Village and Arab Street simply illustrates to you how they proudly exalt and love various cultures. My impression of Singapore and its people has changed the initial perception from what I had earlier conceived. Though the trip was an academic trip, it broadened my knowledge as I appreciated the importance of cultural and religious harmony, the essence of customer service in public transportation and the sensitivity of security to be able to maintain an orderly and proactive society. I am certain that there are several things that I must have missed out on, but I am, however, grateful for the opportunity given to me to visit Singapore. Impression Essay on India We made it into Bangalore in the early hours of 9 January 2010. For a long time, I had been desirous of visiting India. The opportunity came very close when, about 4 years ago, I was nominated to attend the India Defence Services Staff College. Unfortunately, luck did not come my way as I had to be committed elsewhere. I was really excited as the Study Abroad programme gave me the opportunity to visit India, and by that fulfilling one of my long time aspirations. My first impression of India was that it was in several ways very similar to my own country. I drew these similarities from the hundreds of people that crowed the streets of which one could have easily gotten lost from the group, the selling of food and drinks in the open, the noisy environment from the continuously honking motorists and the buying and selling of several merchandise right on the streets. I gawked at the people begging for alms as this is very common back home. Following my discussions with other group members, whom had not had the opportunity to witness such rowdiness and chaos, I knew that they were amazed by these few findings. For instance, the possibility of getting hit by a motor vehicle or a tuk-tuk was very high. It was strange that pedestrians did not have the right of way to cross intersections because motorists had priority on the roads. Furthermore, Ghana, under the British colonial rule, used Indian officers for the training of the Ghanaian Army. For instance, the first commandant of the Ghanaian Defense Academy was an India officer, Major General Varma. For this reason both militaries had some commonalities. I also observed some similarities within the military units and, to some extent, the dressing of the soldiers. In particular, I identified a logistic installation by the colors blue and yellow; quite a number of military police personals were dressed with the red beret, a white belt and white anklets. I was really excited seeing these as it reminded me of home. Within a few days of the visit I came to realize that the Indians were very warm and welcoming. They smiled so pleasantly while exchanging compliments. I developed a few impressions over the period of five days during my visit. In this paper, I will be focusing on transportation, the passion for the game of cricket and India’s reaction to the solar eclipse; the face of reality against superstition. It was not hard for me to recognize that Bangalore was experiencing traffic congestion similar to any major city in the world. The traffic was bumper to bumper with every vehicle operator trying to move to a vantage spot to be able to pass through the traffic light when it turned green. I appreciated the fact that the public transit made buses available, which were filled with people. However, it was surprising to note that the buses were equally held up in the standstill traffic and it seemed that their delays were more because of the size of the buses and their inability to quickly navigate the roads. I was convinced that if Bus Rapid Transit lanes were created the perceived ridership will surely improve, owing to the fact it is an attractive mode of transportation. Touring the city of Bangalore I could observe that there was construction of a Mass Rapid Transit system going on. The development of such infrastructure indicates that the government is aware of the traffic congestion situation and was making effort to tackle it. However, the government of India will still need to improve other modes of transit, particularly with the expansion of roads. To this effect I was also surprised to learn that land ownership is a very sensitive issue as no one was willing to give up his property. Due to this, the expansion of roads may form a challenge to the government. Also transport related is the different variants of tuk-tuks that were in use. I noticed there were those that could carry two to three people, while others were for the movement of bulk items. I was, however, impressed by the idea and the innovation behind the use of tuk-tuks. I realized that the small size of the vehicle must have been necessitated from the tiny roads they will have to maneuver and meander through. I came to the conclusion that in India the circumstances in which vehicles were built for use on rural roads are very different from the size of vehicle built for urban roads. Drawing a good example of this, which is a complete opposite, is in the US, where the roads are larger, so that the car manufacturers are encouraged to build large vehicles. With regards to safety of operating motor vehicles, I was shocked to observe that riders and passengers alike on motor bikes did not wear crash helmets. It is common knowledge that India has one of the highest death rates resulting from auto crashes. This shortcoming with the inability to enforce the use of crash helmets implies that accidents that occur with bike riders would most likely be fatal. It is my humble opinion that the enforcement of such safety measures would greatly reduce the loss of lives. The game of cricket is a very popular game in India. I have always dreamed of playing the game, and the trip to India finally gave me that opportunity. The morning we arrived in Bangalore, a couple of group members and I decided to take a walk before we had our first briefing. Without having any particular place to go, we walked and came across a crowd of people playing cricket. After watching for a while, I walked up to a player and asked if I could play. I was given a quick run through of what I was supposed to do. I played the position of the cricketer and bowler. Within a short time I got the hang of the game and when I was just beginning to enjoy it we had to leave. I came to learn with astonishment that games could last up to five days. Also, throughout the duration of the match games, the stadiums were usually filled to the maximum. To say that Indians have a passion for the game may be an understatement. As we toured the city of Bangalore, we came to see more and more of such gatherings on a daily basis. The love of the game is similar to the way Ghanaians love soccer. A team could easily be formed on the smallest open field, and then it would begin. Ghana was colonized by the British and during that period there were attempts to introduce the game. I remember my high school had a cricket pitch but throughout my school years it was never used. Similar pitches can be seen on several military training institutions and barracks. I had always been curious as to what happened to the game of cricket in Ghana. Another intriguing finding I made after talking to a few people was that the game of cricket was also a microcosm of the caste system. I was baffled that caste system also plays it way into sports. I found this very complex and decided to do some in-depth research into that. It is believed that hostile groups can be brought together in the arena of sports. Within Asia the game of cricket is equally popular in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. I wanted to believe that the ongoing dispute between Pakistan and India over the Kashmir region could also be addressed through the sporting arena. Both India and Pakistan may follow this bold step towards addressing their disputes. Cricket could be used as a diplomatic tool to build trust and confidence between both sides. The news about the solar eclipse of January 15, 2010 was all over the news media in Bangalore. I was very excited for two reasons. First, I had never witnessed an eclipse before and, secondly, it was reported that the eclipse will be the longest annular solar eclipse in a thousand years. I was, however, very surprised to learn that there were superstitious beliefs about the eclipse and that it was perceived that the eclipse brought about bad omens. While inquiring I was told that people had been advised to stay indoors during the period of the eclipse and to refrain from consuming anything. I took a tuk-tuk to the planetarium. On my way to the planetarium, I noticed people going about doing their normal business. The traffic situation was dense as usual. On arrival to the planetarium I was impressed to see that a lot of people, the old and young, men and women, and school children, had come to the planetarium to view the eclipse. The eagerness and enthusiasm could be seen from the long queues of people waiting to buy the solar goggles at the cost of Rs. 25 in order to see history unfold. I was very convinced that the reactions of the Indians in Bangalore were positive. I tried to correlate the perceived superstition and the positive reaction to view the eclipse. I pondered as to why so many people turned out to view the eclipse in Bangalore as well as in other places in India where the total eclipse was witnessed. A few thoughts came to mind. I appreciated the fact that times were changing and technological innovations, education and general exposure were doing away with these superstitions. India in particular is becoming a highly technological country and this could have been an explanation to the positive reaction. I also believed that the media played a great role as the news about the eclipse was covered by most news media. The media reported the event as it unfolded. Finally I thought that the Internet could have added to the curiousness demonstrated by the thousands of people that were pulled out to view the eclipse. The Internet has continued to play a major role in bringing awareness and knowledge, as well as a way of stimulating people to take part in significant events like the solar eclipse. India is noted for its strong religious beliefs and practices. If the superstitions of the eclipse are religiously motivated, then it goes to show that globalization may be having some influence over their religious beliefs. This impression can be drawn from other countries as well and Ghana in particular where superstitions are being confronted with the reality of technology. This can be seen specifically in the improved method of treating ailments, going against the traditional methods. My impression of India will last for a long time. My visit to India made me realize that my country has a lot in common with it. India has witnessed substantial economic growth over the years. The growth of India makes me reflect on Ghana’s slow pace of development. I have also come to see that Indians are very warm and friendly people. Compliments are given and received with a smile. The downside of my visit, however, was the presence of abject poverty. I find it hard to comprehend why India can be doing well, with the economy flourishing, and yet poverty is still very prominent. It is obvious that the government still has a lot to do to improve the standard of living of its populace. I am yet to understand the complexity of the caste system. I would not want to believe that the caste system requires people to be poor. I enjoyed my short stay and I look forward to another visit. Comments Flow: The flow of the essays was very strong. Each topic transitioned smoothly into the next topic with no problems. The paragraphs stayed on subject. Organization: Your ideas were organized and laid out nicely. A few times the paragraphs would get off track, or jump from one topic to another, but those were easily fixed by making them into new paragraphs. Other than that, the organization was really good. Structure: Your thesis statement was clear and before everything else, and your topics to follow were in the proper order, followed by a really good conclusion. Excellent structure, both for paragraphs and sentences. Grammar: The grammar was excellent! There were a few punctuation mark issues, but nothing major. Spelling was also very good. Content: You stuck with your topic and that makes for a wonderful paper. You discussed all three major talking points in your paper, first briefly mentioning them in opening paragraphs, and then later going into them in detail. You were informative and opinionated; your opinions and the things you viewed while on Study Abroad helped to make the concepts more understandable. The comparisons between India, Singapore and your home country really helped. All in all, the essays were really good. They were very informative and precise. I think you did an excellent job. Read More