Settled in Singapore

Hello all! My name is Ekua Quagraine and I hope you've enjoyed getting a glimpse into all of our amazing adventures in Singapore so far! I fell in love with Singapore, so I'm really excited to share all we experience in Week 2! Singapore has been a whirlwind of activities, business lessons, and learning opportunities in and outside of the classroom. Students have made so much progress personally and professionally which is so exciting to witness. Their sense of individualism, bravery, flexibility, adventure, and curiosity is growing more and more each day.

Students have taken more initiative to plan their own activities in their free time with their friends and have gotten very creative! Many have gone in groups to go-karting, rock climbing, and have even connected with locals to join in team sports! They are really taking their experiences into their own hands and making the most of the time they have here. We are so proud of the individual growth we're seeing in each of them. 

We have been privileged enough to go on a number of group activities and tours already this week! We went to the Singapore Night Safari and were able to see many nocturnal species such as lions, elephants, rhinos, and so many more! Students were hesitant but have been doing an amazing job of facing their fears and getting out of their comfort zones. 

The very next day, we were back in class and got to visit Presence Pictures, a multi-campus technical training organization in Singapore! The children attending this youth center start as young as 3 1/2 years old and learn to develop their own games and software. CIEE students learned about relevant ways to incorporate technologies such as augmented and virtual reality into their business ideas. They enjoyed trying out the games created and were also able to learn about other instances of technological implementations in retail, entertainment, healthcare, and others utilizing numerous case studies. 

On Tuesday, we braved the heat and went on a beautiful, guided walk through the Singapore Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO Heritage Site. Although hot and sunny, we all enjoyed learning about the many species of orchids and other flora displayed in the park. We continue to explore more of Singapore each day and are excited for all that is to come in the next few days!