Some Ngee Ann Poly students go overseas for their internships, while others venture abroad for study trips. But whatever their purpose, what they all get to experience is a whole new culture – be it 'flying' a Boeing 737 plane or eating lunch next to a field of cows! 
 

HAZEL TAN MASS COMMUNICATION     WHAT: Hazel spent six months in Los Angeles as a marketing intern for independent film production house Myriad Pictures. She did everything from preparing press kits to attending film screenings. No, she didn’t rub shoulders with any celebs, but she did get to experience a little bit of what it’s like to work in Hollywood.  THE LOCAL FLAVOUR: Hazel found out that there’s no way anyone can stand next to the Hollywood sign and take pictures ­ — it’s too far away! And the weather in California is never that hot. It’s sunnier than in Singapore, so you can get the "sun-kissed skin" that Katy Perry sings of in California Girls, but popsicles there probably don’t melt as fast as they do here!  HAZEL SAYS: I learnt that in order for exciting things to happen, I had to be proactive ­— that's why I came up with the idea of revamping the company's website. At one of the staff meetings, the big boss addressed me by name four times, which was a big change from calling me "the marketing intern". That transition made me realise that as long as you put in enough hard work, people will notice you and that's how you start building your network!

IAN TAN AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY     WHAT: Aerospace Technology student Ian Tan and 14 schoolmates spent two weeks in Brisbane on a study trip focusing exclusively on aerospace. Every day, they were at Aviation Australia for practical sessions. They also visited the Boeing Training & Flight Services Centre, where they were taken on a tour by an ex-Qantas Chief Pilot and even got the chance to fly a Boeing 737 in an aircraft simulator!  THE LOCAL FLAVOUR: It isn’t often that magnificent fireworks are set off during one’s study trip. But Ian and his friends were privileged to witness that spectacle when their trip coincided with the annual Brisbane Festival. Talk about bringing home some dazzling memories!   IAN SAYS: At Aviation Australia, many of us got hands-on practice on two huge airliners, the Fokker 50 and Boeing 727, for the first time. We turned up the engines of the Boeing 727 to their starting speeds, topped up the planes’ hydraulic fluids and climbed into the tail section of the Fokker 50. All the aerospace concepts I learnt really came alive during this once-in-a-lifetime trip!

BIANCA THAM BUSINESS STUDIES     WHAT: Bianca and 19 other Ngee Ann students visited the Hmong village in Thailand to help construct a water tank to filter stream water and make it drinkable for the villagers. They also built outdoor shacks to house toilets for the village children, and gave them simple lessons in English.   THE LOCAL FLAVOUR: Bianca, clad in village costume customised just for her, celebrated Songkran, the Thai New Year, in traditional style — by getting drenched thanks to water guns. She also attended a local house-warming party, where the hospitable villagers specially slaughtered a cow for the occasion, and treated their guests to a grand feast!   BIANCA SAYS: There’s so much that we take for granted in Singapore, like our education system, clean environment and comfortable beds, whereas the Hmong villagers were so appreciative of our humble efforts to help them. For example, I brought a bottle of bubbles from Singapore for the village kids to play with. It was finished up in a day, and the smiles on the kids’ faces were priceless!

RACHEL CHONG PSYCHOLOGY STUDIES     WHAT: Thirty Ngee Ann Francophiles who were studying the French language under an Interdisciplinary Studies programme got to spend two weeks in France polishing up their linguistic skills and absorbing the culture.   THE LOCAL FLAVOUR: The students attended French language classes in Vichy city, stayed with local families and visited historical landmarks like the Notre Dame cathedral and the beautiful Palais Royal palace. Of course, which trip to France would be complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower? They got to see the legendary entertainment venue Moulin Rouge and the iconic Louvre Museum too!  RACHEL SAYS: This trip pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to speak French. Despite struggling with grammar and pronunciation initially, it was rewarding because it opened my eyes to a whole new culture. Learning to speak the French language in France — you can’t get more authentic than that! Now, I miss my conversations with the French locals. And yes, Paris really is as beautiful as everyone says it is!

JULIA EILEEN BOSE ACCOUNTANCY     WHAT: Julia was an intern at Schwan-STABILO Schwanhäußer GmbH & Co. KG in Heroldsberg, Bavaria. You know the company that manufactures the popular Stabilo Boss highlighters? Yup, that’s them. They also make cosmetics for Chanel, MAC and Estée Lauder.  THE LOCAL FLAVOUR: If you think getting to class on time is hard in Singapore, it’s even tougher in Germany! If Julia missed one train, she would have to wait an hour for the next one to arrive. The upside of working in Germany? Being able to step out of the office and have lunch amidst greenery. It was a bit surreal to be eating just a few feet away from a herd of cattle, but it was definitely relaxing!   JULIA SAYS: My work in the company’s international consolidation package was published for all the subsidiaries to see. It’s basically a package that’s sent to all overseas subsidiaries, informing them of how the accounting procedures are carried out by the company. It meant a lot to me because as an intern, I wasn’t expecting to do something so important.

GABRIEL LOW MOBILE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS     WHAT: Gabriel and 21 other Ngee Ann students visited California for three weeks on an environmental awareness trip as part of Ngee Ann’s talent development scheme The Christieara Programme.  THE LOCAL FLAVOUR: The students participated in the “Save the Bay” project, which is a restoration effort of the San Francisco Bay, home to a diverse variety of animal life. It was a fun but tiring experience for Gabriel and his friends who helped to clear the banks of thick weeds that could choke other plants. The students also visited Monterey Bay Aquarium, where they saw the negative effects of urbanisation on wildlife biodiversity, such as sea otters that were forced into smaller habitats because of industrial pollution.   GABRIEL SAYS: I really enjoyed the two-hour hike up to a waterfall in Yosemite National Park. At the top, we were greeted with a clear blue sky, crisp fresh air, and sprays of mist from the waterfall on our faces. The many squirrels scuttling around couldn’t wait to get their paws on our food! Seeing the different species of plants and wildlife at the park made me appreciate nature even more, and truly understand the need to protect its biodiversity before it’s too late.

LOH JUN TECK PHARMACY SCIENCE     WHAT: Due to sandstorms in nearby Beijing, homes in Duolun in Inner Mongolia were covered in sand, rendering them unlivable. So 25 School of Life Sciences & Chemical Technology students planted a whopping 1,076 trees over two weeks to help reverse the harmful effects of desertification and bring some green back into the picturesque village.  THE LOCAL FLAVOUR: Although they worked till 8pm each day, it wasn't all hard labour, as Jun Teck and his friends found time to visit strawberry and nectarine farms — an unusual and delicious experience for them — and even challenge some Duolun youths to a game of basketball!  JUN TECK SAYS: Planting trees gave me an idea of how tough it really is to be a farmer. Our target was to plant 1,000 trees, but we managed to plant 76 more trees, which gave us a huge sense of achievement and made the trip much more fulfilling. Now, I have a greater awareness of environmental issues, and a healthy respect for the farmers, as I've personally witnessed how hard they work to grow their own food.