Individual Report (15%)

Individual Report
The pre-trip learning objectives which I have set for myself to learn and discover, during this period in Wuhan, there lots of the factors which have helped me achieved my objectives.

Firstly during this trip, there were lots of activity and outing which bring us to too many different places. The places will be the Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Company on how they going to produce the fibre for the cable and the metal steel factory on how they produce steel. It is normally out of bound to unauthorized people. As we are considering the school excursion and so we have a chance to explore inside the company. It’s a really rare opportunity for us and is also the first time we be invited into the factory. These are places where we learnt some knowledge of the production of the cable and steel. During the duration of Wuhan, I really experience lots of their different cultural and history, their living lifestyle and condition in Wuhan. Our lecturers also help us to gain lot of knowledge which is unable to learn from the textbook. Their personal experiences were being added to our learning process too. During the first week of Wuhan, the first obstacle that I had face will be the food that was being served. The food that they served was nice and hot but the amount of oil, salt was a lot more than what I had expected. As we are in Singapore, our government always says that we must ask for less oil and salt but ask for more vegetables. In Wuhan, we also try to practice the way what we do. Few days later they will ask us whether we want to have less oil and salt for our foods. That was really a great start in Wuhan. The first obstacle was then being overcome. In order to be healthy at all times, we always drinks lot of water. Another obstacle is that we got to learn how to wash our own clothes. The first few days, I tried not to wash any clothes but when more days came, I started to wash my clothes. As I realize that if I not going to wash any clothes, I will be buying more and more clothing and this will spent me a bomb. Till then, I finally learnt on a very useful skill on how to wash clothes so when the time I go back I can really wash the clothes.

Secondly what I have learnt in this trip, as being mentioned that I had went to the Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Company. Learning the process of how they made the fibres. There are a total of three stages. First is to clean the glass rod to remove the impurities in it. Second, is to melt the glass rod to form a diameter not more than 5mm of glass wire and got to be coated twice of a special chemical. Lastly, is to inspect the quality of the glass wire and to respond to those special request customer who have purchase the glass wire Some want it short and some want it to be long or even coated with colors. There also times we been visiting some scenic places like the provisional museum, Yellow Crane Tower, Wudang Shan. From these scenic places, I learnt a lot of great history of Hubei and Wuhan. Knowing that the Romance of the 3 kingdom were being take place in Hubei. They are previously divided into three parts which is known as Wei, Chu and Wu. Till now, there are still places to represent and to pass on the history and culture of Hubei. I also attended some lecture which is conducted by the China lecturer. The interesting topics conducted by them are the Business Etiquette and Strategies, Chinese Traditional Thoughts and their way of conducting Wedding and some knowledge of Feng Shui. After having this lecture, I can somehow understand what their thinking, the way they doing things. Knowledge about feng shui was basically from the five elements which are Fire-Passion and High energy, Earth-Nourishment and Stability, Metal-Clarity and Preciseness, Water- Ease, Freshness and Abundance and Wood- Health and Vitality. One of the objectives of coming to Wuhan is to do some shopping. While I was shopping in Wuhan, I realized that the international brand is expensive than the local. No matter, how I reduced the price, they would not let me get the price I asked for. They have their own local brands too. Like the 361 degrees and Peak which are much cheaper than the international. There also have lots of roadside stalls at night. Most of the stalls are selling foods. Their foods here are also much cheaper and delicious. They also have their own brands of fast-food restaurant like Discos and Q-Pie Burger. They even sell puppies at the roadside. Those puppies are so cute which can be adopt. They also have dishes which uses the dog as ingredients which I think is really cruel. Comparing it with Singapore, it was totally different. Singapore, we are not allowed to litter or even to split in the public and not to smoke in various places like the toilet, playground or shopping centre. Over in China, people would just split on the floor, litter anywhere they go. They would just smoke anywhere they go even if there a sign “No Smoking”. Their children also will just do their small or big business in the public without any considerate act to be concern.

Thirdly when I reviewed the questions that I had framed, I have found a suitable answer in China. I now then understand the culture and history of China and the lifestyle, the standard of living of the people. After attending a lecture by Mr. Yin who taught us on the Business Etiquette and Strategies, I now then understand how they make their business and how they communicate. When we went to YiChang to visit the Three Gorges Dam, I get to know about their technology and the magnificent structure of the dam. It can produce mass electricity current to provide electric to every household in the province. It can also help to manipulate the water level. The weather in Wuhan sometimes was high in the afternoon and low at the night. The daylight in China end earlier than Singapore. At 7pm it is completely dark. Comparing their IT mall and Sim Lim Square, their IT mall is much bigger than ours. Regardless where we go, everywhere they sell electronic stuff. During the trip, I then understand how bad the pollution they made. It can be understandable why China is being ranked the first which release the most carbon monoxide. We also went to Wudang Shan to visit their beautiful scenery and also understand their China martial arts. Though I am not interested in the martial arts, it can be sure that they are really famous in it. The training at there was quite tough as they got to be very firm and sure of their next move. Throughout the whole trip, I understand a lot of things and use it in future. I can also practice these skills as it will benefit me in the future to be able to deal with client easily.

Lastly, I have learned to have trust in other people, willing to take initiative and also my interpersonal skills. Much more is able to interact with students studying in China. Knowing their education system is totally different between ours. I also truly understand the cross cultural issues between the different of Singapore and China. China has lot of areas that need to improve like the living condition unlike Singapore. Singapore also has some areas that can also be learn which was like how they preserve their long history of culture and how they uses their natural resources to produce electricity current.