Presents…
S O T K BAC
L O CHO 3 ISSUE
Tan Yang En President of the 8th VinE Committee, Studying Economics at LSE
Introducing… Lynn Wong
Lynn is now doing a degree in Hospitality Management at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland. She has much to share about chocolates, snow-‐ capped mountains and did we mention that Swiss scenery… How’s the lifestyle in Switzerland? Good news for people who likes to escape from the city bustling and lifestyle! You would fall in love with the fresh oxygen greeting you every day! Switzerland is a gorgeous place with breath-‐taking views that is beyond words to describe. You see green fields, sunflower blooming in summer and the clear chime sound of the bells on the cows and sheep. Every inter-‐city train ride, you will always be mesmerised by the scenery and be lost in your thoughts. Do take note that shops close at 5pm or latest at 7pm! If you would like to get groceries, get it before Sunday, as all shops are closed on Sunday. Otherwise, you would have to make a trip down to the airport supermarket to get your groceries. So Sunday usually is a relaxing day to spend time with your friends or go for a nature walk.
How’s the weather in Switzerland? You will definitely experience all four seasons when you are in Switzerland. Summer: It is pretty much similar like Singapore, it feels a little warmer as most places do not have any installation of fans or air-‐conditioners but bearable due to the lack of humidity. Spring and Autumn: It rains most of the time during this period so you will need waterproof shoes at times like this and have a small portable umbrella with you all the time. The weather does get colder at night and some days without sunlight and strong winds. Winter jackets that you get in Singapore would keep you warm still. Winter: People would jump for joy as you see snow falling for the first time. Within a day of heavy snow, it can accumulate to 15cm in height. You definitely need a good pair of waterproof boots to move around in the pile of snow or cleared path to prevent you from slipping. Take note that even though snow may have cleared from the walking path, but the ground is frozen, so you still have a chance to slip without a proper sole! It is highly recommended to have a pair of boots that equipped with wool lining inside to keep your feet warm! Layer your clothing if your winter jacket doesn’t keep you warm enough!
Are you struggling with the language there? The Swiss population is a great mystery to discover itself. The general population would have a mixed blood of Swiss + French, Swiss + German, Swiss + Italian. Then, there is a further break down of combination where they would let you know they are Swiss-‐French and French. Don’t be surprised! They just meant that one of their parents is a Swiss but belongs to the French region of Switzerland and the other is French from France. There isn’t any Swiss language; English does get you around but you may still face some difficulty. The languages spoken vary from each canton (think like US categorised into various states). But the four official languages are German, French, Italian and Romansch. For Singaporeans who take German, do take note that there is a huge difference between German and Swiss-‐German. Swiss German is widely spoken and differs from each German-‐ speaking canton; it has the similar idea to our dialects (like Cantonese, Hokkien and etc). So don’t be surprised if you are unable to understand their conversations! But not to worry, they were taught German which they called it the High German for mainly writing purpose and formal conversation. In summary, most of the Swiss you meet would be able to speak at least 3 languages
The view features the UNESCO vineyards near Lausanne viewing the Lake Geneva. [Source: Lynn Wong]
What are some of the things to do there? In Switzerland, you have the option of enjoying the nature at your own pace. You could do extreme sports like paragliding, skiing or just hiking. But do note that the transport prices isn’t cheap, so plan your routes well and do check the train operator www.sbb.ch/en for the tourist passes, promotions and train schedule! You can get in and out of Switzerland through the train connections to France, Germany and Italy. Plan your route well to save cost!
What about travelling? Is it easy to travel from Switzerland? Which are your favourite places thus far? Any tips? Because you are in Europe, you need to travel around especially during your holidays. However, do avoid peak seasons such as summer period (July and August) if you dislike having a crowd in your pictures. Nevertheless, if you plan to travel in summer, plan ahead to save cost! Depending on your country location, you can use skyscanner for a comparison in air tickets or stick to a budget airline like easyjet. Also, train tickets could be purchased early too through reservation, so keep your eye on it! But the train tickets, you need be careful that train timetables are updated twice in a year. They have a winter schedule (Commence from 2nd Sunday of Dec onwards) and summer schedule (2nd Sunday of June onwards). So you may not be able to purchase tickets before it, but they release the sales in mid Oct for winter schedule and mid Apr. Usually I would use AirBnb, budget hotels or single room hostel depending on the location, prices and the group of friends I am heading out with. As I am rather picky on the cleanliness, I would need a clean bathroom and a comfortable bed so I wouldn’t mind paying a little more for the extra comfort. Barcelona :D shopping city! You can find most of the Spanish brands: Zara, Pull & Bear, Bershaka and Massimo Dutti. However, do visit during the sales period, otherwise it is rather pricey. Nevertheless, it is still cheaper than the flagship stores in Singapore! Croatia around its coast such as Dubronvik and Split are scenic places to explore. It is
World War I m emorial in London [Source: Terence Lim]
How difficult, or how easy, has it been to make friends in Switzerland? As my school is a hospitality school, it is essential to network with various nationalities. The Asian population in the school is small (15% of the student population). Many did face difficulty in making friends with fellow Europeans, but along the course where projects are heavily involved and people are generally hospitable, you would make friends easily. There is a small group of Singaporeans present in my school but each cohort, there are around 1-‐3 of us, so we are a really tight group together. You will be surprised to see many people who did live in Singapore as expats! We do have a bi-‐annual dinner as we welcome a new cohort and some small dinner sessions in the school restaurant or someone’s apartment. Within your own cohort, you may be closer with other non-‐Singaporeans in your own class so sometimes you do have a mix group of friends as friends introduces one another. Thus,
Type of Expense
Prices
Accommodation
Private Accommodation Campus Accommodation
Dine out
McDonalds’ set meal Western Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Rice (1kg) Meat (200g) Olive Oil (1L) Vegetables Milk (1L) Groceries Shopping Mobile Plan (with school) – Swisscom 100mins outgoing, free SMS, 500MB Mobile Plan – Swisscom 30mins outgoing, free SMS, 500MB Prepaid Card Pay as you use.
750CHF to 1’400CHF per month 1’000CHF to 1’200CHF per month 13CHF and above 16CHF and above per dish 18CHF and above per dish 2.15CHF 5.90CHF and above 10CHF 1CHF to 5CHF 1.30CHF 20 – 50CHF per trip 26CHF
Groceries
Mobile
Transport
Monthly Expense
Half Price Card – entitles all transport tickets to be up to 50% discount City Transport Card (Zone Card) free access to transport within the city zones you have subscribed. (useful if not staying on campus) Food (weekends only assume campus food included in tuition fees), transport, mobile plan.
44CHF Free 13 SMS per day. 2CHF per day for 5MB internet 9CHF per month for 100MB internet 175CHF for a year 3 zones 650CHF per year Depends on the cities transport and zones. 300CHF to 500CHF
Estimated cost of living kindly tabled by Lynn. [Do note that its is based on how much she spends during her term in Lausanne and may change year-‐on-‐year, or at a different region in Switzerland.]
How is renting a place like? The rental is high in Lausanne as it could be considered a city filled with at least 2 major universities. Thus, don’t be surprised if rent per month is 1000CHF. Also, most require a Swiss guarantor for documentation in renting. If you are renting together with a Swiss friend, he or she may take care of the necessities and help you handle the necessary documentations. It is necessary to view your apartment or house before deciding to rent the place. You need to check the accessibility of the house if you do not own a car. Usually on the university portals or the local marketplace website (in the city administrative language), there are numerous posting to filter out. The general trend would to take over the seniors’ apartments as some contracts included the clause that they have to successfully find someone to take over the place before their departure.
How easy or difficult is it to gain an internship abroad? Usually, the city/ country you study would allow you to attain student working visa easier than someone who is applying but nevertheless there are exceptions. It depends on your school policies whether they would help you obtain an overseas internship and apply for a working visa. To my knowledge, usually schools would post up opportunities and give guidance in regards to some procedures of the working visas. To sum up, looking for an overseas internship depends on you. For hospitality, there are various opportunities beside the continents mentioned above due to the nature of work. For instance, Middle East such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi; South Africa resorts; exotic islands such as Bora Bora, Mauritius and Maldives. Thus, it really depends on the type of internship you are looking for.
What were your considerations for your internship? 1. Able to o btain a working visa. When your school or company does not aid you in obtaining a visa, it requires a lot of effort and energy in following up the procedures. 2. Interest in the job scope. Read through and understand thoroughly the job descriptions that have been reflected on it. Apply it only if you are interested in learning it and not for the fact that it is the only position of your favourite company. 3. Living costs. If financial is a big issue for you, don’t apply for an unpaid internship even it looks lucrative to your resume.
4. Internship period. Be realistic with the internship period as the shorter the internship period, it How was your internship experience like?
The first internship I have attained was Intercontinental Geneva, Switzerland. It was not an issue for the application as I was holding a student visa; you would be entitled to work in Switzerland. Thus, the local companies would perform the application procedure with the federal government. Nevertheless, the school reputation would also give you an edge in your application in obtaining an internship because there are multiple of hospitality schools around the region too. As Switzerland internship is one of the highest paid, there was no additional cost paid as the salary of an intern would be sufficient for all my daily expenses and rent. I had to conform to the school requirements for the internship where we had to perform an operational internship which would allow us to understand the flow of the operations. In addition, the internship was to improve my knowledge in French language and experiencing under a European workforce. The second internship was a short 10 weeks of summer internship in Ritz-‐Carlton Singapore. Singapore itself presents tons of opportunities if you hold the Singapore passport, so it m akes a good b ack up plan. Also, there are a lot of well-‐known companies setting up regional headquarters or office within in Singapore because of the rising economic growth in South East Asia region. However, for students who are studying overseas, the internship period in Singapore would usually follow the major universities in Singapore semester. Due to the connections from the school alumni and luck, I was fortunate to perform an internship in the Human Resources. It does give a different perspective due to the nature of the job but nevertheless it was still under the hospitality sector. As it was in Singapore, housing was not an issue. But the intern expenses would b e sufficient and serves as a monthly allowance you usually received from your parents. As hospitality is a huge sector, it would be necessary to specialise in an area. Thus, the HR internship had given me an idea in regards whether this specialisation route had proven to what I have expected from it and will I still be interested in future.
Introducing…
Nicole Ong
Nicole is now reading Law at the University of Southampton. When she’s not busy as Secretary of VinE or with school, she spends her time with some Pokemon and cheesecake. How do you find your current place? I’m still staying in my University Hall of Residence this year since m y university guarantees international students a place in Halls for 2 years of their degree. If you are comfortable with it, do you mind sharing with us how much are you paying for your current place, and where?
I currently pay £124 per week for my en suite room (room with own toilet). This is inclusive of all water and electricity bills, as well as internet fees, insurance, and a year-‐long bus pass for use in my city. If I were to stay in private-‐rented, the cost can vary from £90 to £150 per week, depending on location and the type of the room/house. What problems did you face in the process of looking for your current house? What were your considerations when you were looking for this place? I am currently on the lookout for a house for my 3rd year of study, and my main consideration is convenience to facilities such as the supermarkets. Staying in private-‐ rented also means that you have to be responsible for your own utility bills, but for convenience sake, my friend and I are looking at a private hall which covers all these bills in the rent so that we don’t have to worry about paying those on time. What about housemates? Any problems that you have faced with your housemates thus far? (Please share if you are comfortable with it) I feel that you should really take the time to get to know the people around you first before deciding whether you want to stay with them or not. You might get along very well with someone at first, but find out later that they have some living habits which you really dislike. For example, I personally like (and need) time alone to myself at night, but I have a friend who just loves company and won’t leave me alone if she knows that she can easily reach me. Evidently, while I value my friend, I wouldn’t necessarily want to live with her if our lifestyles clash! One advantage about my 2 year hall guarantee is that it allowed me more time to familiarize myself with my potential housemate, and helped us confirm that we have the same priorities with regard to lifestyle choices.
Introducing…
Gillian Loh Gillian is reading Law at the University of Bristol. She’s also part of our 8th VinE Committee as our beloved treasurer! Which gives her plenty of reasons to come to London for her beloved bubble tea… How do you find your current place? I am quite happy with it. It is a two minute walk from the law school building, so location-‐ wise its quite convenient. Its also situated along one of the busiest streets in Bristol, with cafes and shops a stone’s throw away so it is well-‐lit and bustling even at night. If you are comfortable with it, do you mind sharing with us how much are you paying for your current place, and where?
I’m staying along Park Street and am paying around £410 per month excluding electricity, internet charges and water. What problems did you face in the process of looking for your current house? The whole process was quite rushed because we were advised to settle the accommodation (aka put the deposit down) before winter break so looking back it was quite overwhelming to have to house-‐hunt barely two months into the first year of school. What were your considerations when you were looking for this place? Rent, distance from school, environment-‐whether residential area or commercial shophouses.
Introducing…
Deborah Chan Deborah is reading Law at the University of Bristol. She’s in her second year and also an active dancer with the Dance Society at Bristol.
How do you find your current place? I really like it, I'm sharing a 4-‐room flat with my good friends here in Bristol, with 2 toilets making it very convenient for us. Everything is newly furbished so things are pretty comfortable too.
What problems did you face in the process of looking for your current house? 4-‐room flats in the vicinity of the University buildings (Queens Road, Whiteladies, Clifton) are a rarity in Bristol, hence we were limited in our options. We didn't want to live down Park Street as well or too near the main roads to avoid disturbances at night either. What were your considerations when you were looking for this place? Location, number of bedrooms, security, rent, common space. What about housemates? Any problems that you have faced with your housemates thus far? Nope
Collin Cheong Collin is studying Law at the University of Bristol. He’s in his final year and was also the Vice-‐President of the University Bristol Law Club.
How did you find your current house? I found my current apartment through a housing agency. In terms of looking for a reputable and reliable housing agency, I spoke with seniors to find out which agents they've used and which they would recommend. Alternatively, I trust the university you're studying at will have a list of accredited housing agents that they would provide adequate recommendation/advice. If you are comfortable with it, do you mind sharing with us how much are you paying for your current place, and where?
Rental rates in Bristol are definitely cheaper than in London. I live in a fully furnished two bedroom apartment with a living room and a kitchen. The rent I pay is approximately £415 per month excluding utilities and internet bills. What problems did you face in the process of looking for your current house? I started looking for my housing quite late and was thus quite limited in the choices of apartment for rent. On hindsight, I would say start looking for your accommodation early to prevent all the good ones from being taken up. Of course, then there is the issue of who you're going to room with for the following year, which is important because you have to like the person enough to see each other everyday. Fortunately, my flatmate and I get on extremely well! I think its quite essential for one to find flatmates who you are comfortable with discussing any issues with, share similar budgets and have similar interest groups. What were your considerations when you were looking for this place? When looking for an accommodation, I think the following is a checklist of factors I considered as absolutes: -‐ Was the house in close proximity to the University? -‐ Was the house located in a safe neighbourhood? -‐ Was the house fully furnished? -‐ Did the house have equal room sizes? Were the rooms adequately large enough? -‐ Was the house close to amenities such as the supermarket, gym, etc.? Essentially, it really is up to you to prioritise what factors you think are important in your rented accommodation. Remember that when looking for you rented accommodation, you are the customer. Do not be afraid of asking questions and most importantly view the property. I did, however, considered a property that was not built yet, and in that scenario, do ask for a floor plan of the property just to get an idea of what the property would be like when built.
What were your considerations for your internship? I think first and foremost, you need to have an idea of what you are interested in or the career path that you intend on pursuing before thinking of applying for an internship placement. You need not be absolutely sure of what you intend to p ursue but at least have an idea. I study law and I am sure that I would like to pursue a career in commercial law. I k new also that at least in the next 5 to 10 years I would love to practice in a law firm that handles large transcontinental transactions and that essentially limited my internship applications to an elite pool of international law firms that were centrally located in London. But most importantly, I wanted to know if I was suited for working in London for a long period of time. I think for anyone considering a career abroad, the prudent course of action would be to secure an internship at the city and in the industry that you would be spending a good amount of time in. After deciding where you are interested in interning, it is important to make a list of application deadlines and to create a stunning CV/application. In this respect, the career services department at university is your b est friend. For example, the application processes and format of presenting your application here in England, as I have learnt from the career services department in university, is quite different from that in Singapore. For the legal industry, the respective university law societies would also have liaised with firms to organise interview workshops, case study workshops, firm presentation days etc. It is imperative to go for these workshops to not only pick up the skills being taught, but also to find out what these employers are looking for, what the culture/nature of the work is, and to network. Securing an internship in the UK is definitely competitive and these are just some means of getting a slight edge over the rest of the competitors. Remember, you are not competing against the locals for a placement but you are competing against an international pool of students. During the internship phase, I considered networking and gaining an overall feel of the working nature of the industry as key focuses. That is because, during that short space of time, it is q uite impossible to master all the technicalities of the job. It is important to work hard and do your best, b ut at the macroscopic level, I considered building excellent relationships and discovering whether you truly enjoy working in the industry and in the city you are interning at as significantly more important. This means making an effort to attend socials after office hours and getting to know your peers at work. Where have you applied for your internship? If you are comfortable with it, do you mind sharing with us what are the places that you have managed to attain? I applied to Linklaters, Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin, Norton Rose Fulbright, Freshfields, and Thirty Nine Essex Street Chambers. I managed to secure placements at King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin and Thirty Nine Essex Street Chambers.
What are the financial considerations for your internship? These work placements do provide you with a basic allowance. However, living in London can be expensive for a student and definitely some expenses will be out of your own pocket. In order to reduce the cost of interning in London, I am grateful for having friends in London to house me and to help me look for cheap student accommodations for rent. Because bulk of the internship placements are held during the summer, it is quite possible to rent from other students who have returned home for the summer break. This translates to an availability of accommodations that are available for rent at a rate that is much lower than market rates. Therefore, keep in close contact with you m ates from VJC! They could be key to helping you secure cheap accommodation! ;)
Why did you decide to take up this internship? How beneficial/ important do you think this is? I think I shared above why I wanted to take up internship placements. In terms of its importance, I think it is again important in terms of giving you a practical insight into the industry, the career that you are thinking of pursuing and into the city that you are thinking of working in. Internships are also beneficial as they would enable you to build confidence in the workplace and provide you with a competitive edge in the saturated job market for ultimately securing an employment contract. Even if at the end of the internship placement it does not translate into an actual job offer, I trust that the practical experience that you have gained would not only have strengthened your résumé and employability, b ut also would have provided you with the added confidence in giving a strong interview for your applications to other firms with the intimate industry knowledge you have previously acquired. However, considered a property that was not built yet, and in that scenario, do ask for a floor plan of the property just to get an idea of what the property would be like when built.
Introducing…
Terence Lim
Here’s a very special feature – Terence has attended possibly more VinE events than some who are studying in London, despite having graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in the USA. Why? He’s been here for exchange TWICE and did his Masters at Imperial College, London. Read on to find out what were his considerations for London, and why he loves London so much. Tell u s a l ittle bit abo ut yo urse lf (a nd w e’re c urio us w hy were y ou in L o nd on so of te n!)
I studied in Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and graduated with a BSc in Management Information Systems and a minor in Business Administration. During my 2nd and 3rd year in CMU, I went on an exchange programme to University College London (UCL) during the Autumn semesters in both years, where I was admitted to the Science & Technology studies and Computer Science departments respectively. After completing my undergraduate course in CMU, I attended Imperial College London (ICL), where I graduated with a masters in Computing Science. As a hobby, I enjoy travelling the world, meeting new people and of course having fun in life. London is a great place where you can easily travel at an affordable cost, meet awesome friends and have a work-‐life balance.
Wha t we re y o ur co nside ration s fo r yo ur Ma ste rs an d ho w did y ou e ventua ll y mak e yo ur c hoic e? I applied for MSc in Computing Science in ICL, and 2 different programs in CMU, namely the MISM (Master of Information Systems Management) and Masters in eBusiness. Some people asked me why I did not apply to universities such as MIT, Stanford, or Oxbridge. To be honest, it was because when I decided to pursue my m asters in late January just before my graduation in May, I had already past their application deadlines. Nevertheless, the courses I applied to were also pretty great choices. Eventually, I got accepted to all 3 of them, and I had a difficult choice choosing between them initially. I had to weigh in different factors such as location (London for ICL vs Pittsburgh for CMU), and the opportunity costs I had to incur between my choices. For instance, if I had chosen to come to ICL and leave the US, I would have to give up the possibility of any opportunity of working in the US upon graduation, which was an important factor for me then. This is because in order to obtain an Optional Practical Training (OPT) status which allows me to work in the US immediately after graduation, I will need to graduate from a US university just before starting work. On the other hand, if I had stayed on in CMU, I would not have as m uch fun in a vibrant and exciting city such as London. Also, attending a new university would provide me with a more diverse experience. Eventually, I decided to come to London, mainly due to m any positive experiences I’ve had during my exchange programme in UCL.
Why L on do n – an d, aga in? Ho w diff erent is the experien c e he re fro m yo ur experien ce in the US ? Personally, I felt that I’d enjoy my student life in London better, as the city has just so much to offer, in terms of events, entertainment, things to see and do. For instance, there can be parades, musicals in the West End, and pop up events, and the best is that they are all located within central London. On top of this, if you enjoy travelling, London makes a great hub to travel budget, as there are many lost-‐cost carriers that connects London to all over Europe. Another important point is also the strong and large Singaporean community here, which makes me feel at home. Also, I really enjoy meeting up occasionally and hanging out with my friends from VS and VJC, and catching up on the good old days. This is also the reason why I attended many events, such as those organized b y VinE (Victorians in Europe) and other Singapore Societies. And it is important for me that the new friends I make here can continue to hang out with me when we eventually return to Singapore. On the contrary, if I were to stay on in CMU, many of m y friends tend to be non-‐Singaporean (due to the smaller community) and I don’t have the chance to meet them again after I leave CMU. Indeed, I’ve enjoyed every m oment of my time here in London, and I can vouch for the saying that goes by “When a m an is tired of London, he is tired of life”.
Introducing… Sef Chin
Sef is studying Statistics and Business Mathematics at LSE. Now in his final year, Sef shares on his experience last summer, and how he finds London after close to three years. Feel free to email him at sef.chin@gmail.com if you have any questions about his internship.
What did you do over summer? Over the summer holiday, I did an 8-‐week internship with the Pan-‐European Equities desk of Aberdeen Asset Management (AAM) in London. Can you tell us more about AAM? Located just beside the beautiful St Paul's Cathedral, AAM has built up a fine reputation in its active equity business. One of the highlights of my internship included attending meetings with Chairmen, CEOs and CFOs of some of the largest European companies including HSBC, BP, Savills, Rio Tinto and the likes. I was even encouraged to ask questions and "talk business" during the m eetings as a 23 year-‐old to some of the finest minds in their industries, all of them many more decades older and more experienced than I am. It was truly a humbling experience.
What did you do there? Apart from the daily stock researches and doing up of earning reports, I was also tasked to lead a weekly macroeconomic presentation to the entire team of 17 fund managers. This involved discussing key macroeconomic indicators and news stories which were released over the week and relating the data in terms of how it affects the portfolios that we hold. As my team was split up half in London and half in Edinburgh, the meetings and presentations were usually done via video conferencing. Being in a global firm like Aberdeen, I also had the chance to attend such meetings with other teams in Singapore and Sao Paulo to update one another with what was happening on the ground in these key emerging markets. What’s most memorable from this internship? I I will never forget the friendships that were forged during this short but memorable internship. There were interns from Scotland, Italy, UK, Australia and many others from disciplines as diverse as languages and classics to history and economics. I even met British friends there who spoke fluent Japanese and grew up in Singapore! Aberdeen also has an extremely flat hierarchical structure where even my head of desk sits right next to me. No one in the firm has an office except for the CEO and even he prefers to sit outside in the open office with us. It is no exaggeration to say that I could literally walk up to anyone's desk, be it a managing director or a junior associate, to ask questions or just have a chat. This is the wonder of studying and working in London where one could meet all kinds of people and do work that transcends the boundaries of our small country. I once thought I knew what cosmopolitan meant before I headed overseas, now I know I knew nothing at all back then.
Considering the many o ptions available for tertiary study, we decided to have a special feature of someone who’s based in Tokyo! Japan is definitely not within Europe but we decided to have this feature to highlight how the best opportunities may be the path less taken. Here on exchange at Oxford, and based at Waseda University,
Introducing…
Lee Shu Shien Fall 2012, against the west-‐ward currents of my friends who flocked to Europe for their undergraduate studies, I flew solo to Tokyo. And, I have never looked back ever since. Here’re 5 reasons why I think studying in Japan is my best decision ever, and why you too should consider the Land of Rising Sun as your higher education/exchange programme destination! 1. E xp eriencing the best of both worlds Living in Japan means subjecting yourself to a constant state of dichotomy in your surroundings. For a starter, this country best known for its superior technological prowess and robotic innovation is on the ground still heavily reliant on hard copies, fax machines and snail mails for communication and formal exchanges. The characterless, suited-‐up businessman zooming across business districts in Tokyo is contradicted by the graceful apprentice geisha (maiko) donned in traditional Japanese kimono practising tea ceremony in Kyoto. Japan is cosmopolitan but conservative, global but local, new but old. The country is as tremendously fascinating as it is incomprehensible. This peculiar trait however makes it especially gratifying to live in Japan. You learn something new and interesting – and oftentimes bizarre – about the country every day that contests your earlier presumptions about it. You get to experience the best of both worlds, and there’s nowhere else to understand the eccentricities than in the country itself.
2. Actually really, make international friends Everyone I know leaves home with a determination to forge international friendships with people from all over the world, but many a times, I witness my friends slipping back into a comfortable and secure social circle filled mainly with Singaporeans. In Japan, however, the Singapore student community while strong and close-‐knit tends to be rather small. The circumstance forces you to really practise your social skills and mingle with schoolmates from different parts of the globe, no excuses! It makes for a fantastic opportunity to truly immerse in a study abroad experience that is legitimately global. I for one have friends from Germany, Taiwan, Korea, China, America, Italy, Israel, Pakistan, Mexico, every ASEAN countries, and the list continues. The backgrounds and stories of these people never fail to impress and inspire me, and it’s always an immense pleasure to share our Singapore culture with them in return! 3. Japanese food is todie-for No matter how long you’ve been in Japan – or even if you’re a native – there is always an exotic local cuisine or a twist to a ramen that you have yet to try. The brave culinary experimenter will be spoilt with peculiar dishes like raw horse meat and puffer fish fugu, which literally is to-‐die-‐for. While these are acquired tastes, you can still revel in infinite safe and delicious food options in Japan. On top of the usual sushi, tempura, ramen, yakitori, soba and okonomiyaki, there is a whole array of unfamiliar but equally exquisite Japanese cuisines such as monjyayaki, tsukemen, abura soba and so on. From Michelin-‐starred restaurants in five-‐star hotels to hole in the wall establishments in dim alleyways, tasty food is everywhere and available at all price ranges. Word has it that even the food from the convenience store is awesome (I concur).
4. Eve ry travel experience is unique I lived in Shinjuku where my school is located in, but life is not always neon lights, jostling crowds, congested trains and towering skyscrapers. Within an hour out of the metropolitan city centre I have access to theme parks, beaches, and hot-‐springs for quick weekend relaxations. Further away, there are quaint towns to discover, temples to visit, new foods to try, islands to explore, forests and mountains to trek, sunflower and lavender fields to cam-‐whore in, and the list goes on and on and on. Plus, Japan’s seasonal landscape is stunning, which makes every trip a unique one. Cherry blossom and picnic in spring, festivals, yukata and firework displays in summer, hiking and maple leaves in autumn, snow festival, skiing and light illuminations in winter – there’s always something different to see and to do in different seasons, in places not far away from wherever you are in Japan. Oh yes, and the convenience of public transport in Japan and its punctuality – amaaazing. Also, Japan is really safe so it’s very suitable for solo trips! It is also a good way to get internships with organisations /companies overseas if you’d like to work overseas after your degree. That being said, I feel the main purpose of university is a transition to living independently, and learning to cope with stress (such as exams, planning events) and responsibilities (eating well and taking care of your finances), which can be done anywhere as long as you really want to! 5. Living expenses are not as costly as you think it is Think Tokyo is the most expensive city to reside in? Try living in the UK and think again. I got the shock of my life upon arriving in London/Oxford and realising that boy, LIFE IS EXPENSIVE IN HERE. I thought I had it bad enough in Tokyo, but recalling how I survived, I remember that there were always cheap alternatives: DAISO and other equivalent 100yen shops which prevalence is hard to ignore, generous lunch/student discounts, free upsizing of rice and noodles (so two people can share), “family restaurants” (which are franchise joints selling cheap Western food) and convenience stores. Prices of perishable foods and bentos in supermarkets also start to drop to as low as 50% after 9pm. Supermarkets also love to give discounts on random occasions such as when commemorating the arrival of a new 6. BONUS: Learning a new language, and being go od at it What really makes Japan enticing is also the chance to master a new language. Remember that time you said you wanted to learn a new language? This is it. Placing yourself in a country that speaks a foreign language is definitely the most effective and quickest way to learn. You’ll be surprised at how fast you pick up words and expressions just because you live in an environment where you’re exposed to the language all the time! It also helps you comprehend the embedded culture in Japanese society at a more meaningful and deeper level. Well of course, studying in Japan is not always a bed of roses. But overall, it has been an extremely rewarding journey that is unlike what I get in the UK, and I really enjoyed myself in Tokyo. Can’t wait to be back already! If you are interested in learning more about study opportunities in Japan, feel free to get in touch with the Singapore Students’ Association (Japan) – just Google “SSAJ”. You are also welcome to message me on Facebook anytime!
In our final section for our last issue, we would like to highlight some opportunities that Victorians have found abroad, and where the y have gone on after their undergraduate studies. Most of the se opportunities were unprecedented – opportunities that Victorians discovered upon coming abroad fo r their studies. Two Vic torian s h ave be en ad mitte d into the prestigio us Co lum bia/ Un iversity o f Lo nd o n JB/LLB Pro gramm e in 2 01 3. This is a spec ial pro gramm e tha t al lo ws its participa nts to a tta in a JD an d LLB w ithin 4 yea rs. Fo r mo re info rma tio n, ch eck o ut: http://web.law.columbia.edu/international-‐ programs/study-‐abroad-‐programs/foreign-‐dual-‐degree-‐programs/columbia-‐university-‐london-‐jd-‐llb-‐program
Gregory Kang Law at King’s College London (2011-‐2013); Columbia University (2013-‐2015)
Jerald Khoo Law at London School of Economics and Political Science (2012-‐2014); Columbia University (2014-‐2016)
Leonard Royce Young University College London (2011-‐2013); Leonard worked as a summer analyst at Global Financial Advisory, Rothschild during his most recent summer holidays in London for 3 months. Here’s what he had to say: During the summer vacation between my 2nd and 3rd year of university, I spent 10 weeks at a London based financial advisory firm. My job basically entailed helping my other colleagues at the firm advise corporate clients on various issues. I really enjoyed working there, and learnt a lot about the field I was interested in. What I particularly liked was the fact that my colleagues were extremely patient and supportive; there was a learning-‐ oriented culture. I had initially hesitated to study abroad because I wasn't on a government scholarship. But, studying here has not only broadened my horizons, it has also opened a lot more career opportunities for me to explore. I now know my options betters. I look forward to working in London, something I would never have thought possible had I not pursued a degree at UCL.
Desiree Sim Law at London School of Economics and Political Science (2011-‐2014); New York University (2014-‐2015) Desire is doing a LLM in International Law at NYU, having spent three years at LSE in London. For more information about her LLM, check out: http://www.law.nyu.edu/llmjsd/intern ationaltaxation
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Victorians in Europe
Upcoming Events: VinE Annual General Meeting and Elections: 22nd November 2014 Whitstable and Canterbury
VinE Freshers 2015
https://www.facebook.com/groups/V ictorians.in.Europe/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1 387590154825145/
Vine Freshers 2016
https://www.facebook.com/groups/6 54825631226549/
The 8th VinE Committee would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this newsletter and for all your support the past year J We have enjoyed ourselves thoroughly during our term and we hope that subsequent committees will keep the Victorian spirit burning bright abroad!