Tag Archives: Others

Experience: the architecture of understanding

During my first few days in Singapore, I struggled to see nature as I knew it. Let me take you on a short photo journey of my personal development and understanding of nature and Outdoor and Environmental Education (OEE) in Singapore and compare and contrast this with Australia.

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A view of the high ropes course at our accommodation

This is what I woke up to on day 1; beautiful! I was up and ready to explore. We went to Gardens By the Bay and visited the Cloud ForestFlower Dome and Super Trees. I was blown away by the architecture, beauty and information provided not only at these locations, but at many others throughout the trip. However it was only when we got to week two that I actually thought to myself: ”Wait a minute…what do these places do for OEE in Singapore?”  

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The blind leading the blind

Initially I did think of it as the blind leading the blind. Every person being totally new to Singapore and attempting to lead our peers steadily through an environment we’d never be able to visit before.

After having a little more time to reflect on my facilitation day as well as other groups’ facilitation day in Singapore, I’ve felt more positive about the experiences, and have been able to view them in a more constructive way. Yes, I can still see many ways in which our facilitation could’ve gone better, however after speaking with other groups it has reassured me a little; knowing they faced similar obstacles, perhaps to a lesser extent.

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Do what you love, love what you do!

As I’ve been nearing the end of my degree at university, I’ve been questioning myself, in terms of my readiness for the teaching profession. Am I happy with the level of knowledge that I have? Will my students really gain the experiences and passion for the outdoors that I have?

Outdoor Education in Singapore didn’t appear as those it could ignite this passion for the environment. To me, it seemed to revolve only around recreation, which I used to think meant students would only enjoy the activity, and not gain a deeper connection with the outdoors.

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You, Me, Us; We are all different

”Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other” – John F. Kennedy

Singapore; the experience

Twenty-one students, two leaders and six facilitation groups. There were 23 people, each of us different learners, thinkers and facilitators. Each group had to work together to facilitate one day in Singapore. What have I learnt from this experience?

Each of my peers has reflected on their facilitation day, and it makes me happy to know I was not the only one who struggled, had issues and was even unsuccessful at times.

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Bounded By Land, Bonded By Culture

Singapore! Wow – what a proud and resilient country. It doesn’t take long to see the multiculturalism everywhere you look. Singaporean, Malayan, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and the list goes on.  I was quickly swept up into a whirlwind of new knowledge and relationships, particularly over such a short period of time. Simply by walking through a Hawkers Centre or a local market you can see everyone working together in sync. The importance of relationships with others cannot be overstated. Yet, I found myself wondering how is this possible? How is a society so culturally differing function and communicate so effectively? Then it hit me. There seems to be a tacit willingness to make it work. The first barrier they faced was language and because of this there seems to be a universal adoption of english for the majority of people. It allows relationships with others to firstly exist and secondly flourish. I know if this wasn’t the case I would have encountered many more issues as I travelled.

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Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success!

Over my time here spent in Singapore, I can’t help but notice how much new knowledge, relationships and connections I have gained over such a short amount of time.

I have meet new people, visited different places, gained a wealth of knowledge about myself, others, nature and the culture of Singapore. But none of this could of happened without the support and guidance of others. How I see it is that when you gather a groups of people from around the world who both share such passion for the Outdoor Environment and the Outdoor Education outcomes, something magical happens. We begin to grow and flourish our ideas together to make something wonderful happen.

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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.

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Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better, it’s not.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” (Dr. Seuss, 1998)


This quote is one of my favourites. It reminds me that when I care about something, I need to act on it. Because if I do not, unless there is another person just like me, there will be no change.

Or at least thats what it meant to me before Singapore…

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A smile is the same in every language

I heard this saying a long time ago. But recently I saw it come into play during my time in Singapore.

I was standing on the train the other day and I glanced at an old lady sitting down. We both smiled. A couple of stops later, she stood up to leave and smiled and waved me goodbye. I’d never met this person but I returned the kind gesture.

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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.

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