Hello, I am Adrian, an Electrical and Electronic Engineering undergraduate student. I have just completed the summer programme organised by the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Below are my reviews.
Climate
Singapore has a tropical climate, high temperatures, abundant rainfall and high humidity. Remember to bring the following items: umbrella, sunscreen, fan and hat. If you arenāt interested in getting mosquito bites, it is worth bringing a mosquito repellent spray.
Languages
Singapore is a multicultural country having four distinct official languages, namely English, Chinese (Mandarin), Malay and Tamil. Many locals speak Singlish, a mixture of the four languages (mainly English) with some slight influences from other languages such as Hokkien, Cantonese, etc. Learning a few Singlish words and phrases before your visit will be useful.
Cuisines
Singapore has many hawker centres (food courts) where you can find the national dishes like Kaya toast,Ā Soup Tulang, chilli crab, Satay, Laksa,Ā Bak Kut Teh and Hainanese chicken rice, etc.
Kaya, also known as Kaya jam or coconut jam, is made of coconut milk, egg and sugar. Sometimes, pandan leaves are added to give a green colour and special flavouring. My friend from TĆ¼rkiye loved it so much, he bought a few jars as souvenirs. Remember to store them in a fridge once the seal has been opened.
You can also go to mamak stalls where you can find Roti Canai, Nasi Lemak, Mee Goreng Mamak and Teh Tarik. If you love taking photos, you should order Roti Tisu (Roti Tissue/ Tisu Prata), a thin and crispy Roti as thin as a piece of tissue.
Beverages
Singapore has their own coffee culture, the link below is an infographic of the different types of Kopi (coffee) you can order from a Kopitiam (coffee shop).
https://www.sg101.gov.sg/resources/infographics/kopitiam-kopi
Just a reminder to alcohol consumers, according to the Singaporeās regulations, “only bars with the appropriate licenses are allowed to sell alcoholic beveragesĀ till midnight. Retail sale hours for take-away liquor will end at 10:30pm. The consumption of liquor in public places is not allowed from 10:30pm to 7:00am every day.”
Nanyang Technological University
The campus features an abundance of greenery and wildlife, while also undergoing extensive construction work as the university builds a new underground MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) station. The accommodation halls and canteens are sufficiently meeting all the physiological needs. You will need to bring a Wi-Fi router for your room.
Transportations
There are free looping shuttle buses in the campus. There are also paid buses routes connecting the university and the nearest MRT stations. You can track the buses using an app called “‘NTU Omnibus”.
Lectures
I took two courses, BU5101 Accounting: A User Perspective and MS0003 Introduction to Data Science & Artificial Intelligence. The university encourages students to learn actively through class participation and group collaborations. The lecturers are very professional and passionate in their subject areas. All teaching materials are distributed through Blackboard.
It was an unforgettable experience.
