I have always considered group assignments to be a difficult task. There is different personalities, different opinions and different ways of getting the job done. Some groups face less struggles than others but either way, each group must overcome hurdles to in order to function.
Category Archives: Discoveries
Dont cry because its over, smile because it happened
“Don’t CRY because its over, SMILE because it happened!” (Unknown, n.d.)
I know what your thinking… doesn’t he normally start off with a Dr Seuss quote? Some of you may even be thinking ‘that is a Dr Seuss 
quote…’ but heres the thing, it’s not. In fact he never wrote this at all. It has simply been associated with him due to the fact it sounds like something he would write, an assumption. My old man used to tell me that you should never ‘assume’ anything. His reasoning for this was that ‘it makes an ass out of you and me‘ and in my experience these words have held true.
Assuming that you know how other people think, what they want, how they will react. That your plan is flawless or even the assumption that because you know all of these things.. nothing could go wrong. Your being an ass, and you are wrong, but we all do it.
Continue reading Dont cry because its over, smile because it happened
Same, same but different…
I often say these words to someone when comparing two things, although, I rarely ever explain myself. It might be a mixture of laziness and an assumption I make that the other person may not understand where I am coming from. I will today, however, explain myself. I believe fellow educators and other interested individuals could in some way gain something from my recent experiences in Singapore.
Two ears, one mouth
“God gave us two ears & one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak.”
This is a quote I have heard and describes my time in Singapore travelling over the past two weeks. The world I have grown up in is different to what I have experienced here I Singapore. My upbringing, background and values impact on outlooks in life. Gaining an understanding of this different culture is imperative to the relationships I have built with Singaporeans whilst here.
Bike Ride Day #2
What does 1/2 day bike riding look like in less than 1 minute? You just witnessed it.
This video is a time-lapse of 1/2day bike riding we undertook under guide Nam Jim. The 2nd man in Singapore to gain a University level qualification degree in Outdoor Education (through LaTrobe University, Bendigo) he is a wealth of knowledge and currently heads up the Raffles Leadership Institute in Singapore’s number 1 school. He is a passionate man with a background in Outward Bound Singapore and has major plans for the future of Outdoor Education in this country. Through his expertise and willingness to share we explored a majority of the East Coast of Singapore including history and environmental impact through use of a network of Connector Paths.
Travel with Fin, a man tall and thin.
Travel with Fin, a man tall and thin.
In a place full of buildings, he finds beauty within.
Surrounded by those who look different to him.
Fin begins to realise that they are his kin.
Fin’s travels started as he stepped off the plane
Ducking his head to avoid the pain.
His first thoughts were “wow this place just isn’t for me”
“Ducking and squeezing, too crowded you see”.
Commuting with Nature
The train takes off and I look around, the space is empty. Don’t get me wrong, the train is full, standing room only. People commuting but no one connecting. It feels as if the only common voice here is the automated announcements over the speakers. People on their phones, some headphones in, some eyes resting, some looking around. I feel the sounds our group makes are a welcome relief as the bubbling conversation & laughter fill up an otherwise silent carriage. We are connected with one another. I wonder about others.
Of two minds
Singapore prides itself on being the Garden City, and true to its reputation it has plenty of natural spaces scattered throughout the city. I can’t help but notice how different these natural places are to Australia though. In a way I am of two minds, one comparing how Singapore’s nature differs to that of Australia and one trying to understand how Singaporeans see and interact with these natural places. Through my experience over the last week and a half I have been able to see how both locals and tourists interact with spaces such as Bukit Timah, the Green Corridor, Gardens by the Bay, the Super Trees and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Same same but Different
I know you so well but yet I don’t. Your touch is familiar but distant in an exciting way as you invite me into adventure. I step down into the lush green grass and am awed. I know this so well, but it’s different. The feel is familiar, yet not the same. The pockets of grass and tufts it grows in is different to what I’m used to back home. It feels deeper under foot, the grass blades somehow longer & thicker in this humid environment. A spongy sea of grass beckons adventure.
It does but not really. This is so normal and natural. I flop down on the grass as I would at home; comforted by the familiarity to lay and relax, to take in my travels. The sights of a night sky, the sounds of passing traffic, the familiarities seem so similar. Yet it’s not until I open my eyes I notice the Singaporean skyline. I
find it’s often the little differences that make the big difference for me. Maybe it’s this linking connection of curiosity I have mentioned before, drawing connections from what is known into new incoming information. Maybe it’s this that I enjoy and draw more learning from as I connect more to similarities I know of back home.
Things like the grass underfoot, that feels so familiar yet strangely different, or the pedestrian lights here; do you know some of them have a countdown so you know how long you have to cross? I enjoy these pockets of subtleties seen in the everyday travel of life that remind me of my travels. I think they remind me on some level that we’re all human in this world, no matter where we are.
Continuing on from
All aboard – Destination Discovery!
Think local, act global.
When your university tutor’s explain to you that they have received a grant to take you to Singapore, saying no is not something that comes to mind. Neither is the fact that you will be able to be a part of something truly inspiring. I mean, I knew this trip was going to be amazing but I guess I just didn’t expect it to be quite this impactful.