Compare the pair. On one hand we have Singapore celebrating 50 years and on the other Australia 114 years, 7.692 million square kilometres Vs. 718.3 square kilometres, GDP of 68k per capita Vs. 55k per capita. Same, same but different?

Singapore is a place of great culture and patriotism. This love for their country enables them as a whole to move forward at a rate you would have not thought possible in any other country. The people drive the country; the dream for their country is definitive. Grow and prosper, develop the younger generation to have big ideas and be resilient to all outside pressures. Australia is similar in its multicultural nature however there are many differing views. We don’t have this overwhelming sense of patriotism for our country like the Singaporeans do.

In outdoor education we have many similarities. We both aim to develop teamwork and relationships. We both use similar mediums for learning. We both use the environment around us. We both love the outdoors. We both have problems with students questioning the methods we use to deliver our programs.

From the conversations we had with the Outward Bounders our facilitation styles are very similar including the ways we develop teamwork and resilience in participants. These similarities extend into the wider community of Singapore.

Singaporeans build resilience through a focus of adventure education (Ho, 2014). From my experience in Singapore I have developed the understanding that adventure education is an avenue, which education organisations use as a tool for building resilience in students and to develop leadership skills as outlined by Ho (2014). This use of adventure education is great at creating connections with a place (Martin and Ho, 2009). Within Australia I can see how a difference when creating a connection. This is done through more of an environmental approach to gain a connection before moving into or combining with adventure education to achieve the desired outcome. Gaining background information including history of a place gives the place more meaning and can help develop a better connection to this place.

Through this trip I have been able to gain great respect for the people of Singapore by learning about their culture in many ways. From visiting historical sites and museums to experiencing their culture first hand in the local hawker markets where I met many welcoming people who were more than willing to help in any way to serve my needs. This is not only evident in the local cultural centres but Singapore as a whole.

In the end it doesn’t matter what your age, colour or race, if you have a common language to speak you will be able to get along wi

They say math is the universal language of the world. Everyone understands it no matter the language. This is the same in outdoor education. Outdoor educators all speak the same language no matter our cultural barriers. In the end we are all trying to achieve the same goals.

References

Ho, S. (2014) The purposes outdoor education does, could and should serve in Singapore, Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 14(2), 153-171, DOI: 10.1080/14729679.2013.798587

Priest, S. (1999). The Semantics of Adventure Programming. In J. C. Miles & S. Priest (Eds.), Adventure Programming, (pp.111-114). State College, Pennsylvania: Venture Publishing.

Martin, P. & Ho, S. (2009). Seeking resilience and sustainability: outdoor education in Singapore. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 9(1), 79-92. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com.ezproxy.federation.edu.au/doi/pdf/10.1080/14729670802670167