YuZhen's OELP reflection

Our class took the high speed rail from shanghai to Hefei. It was a first for me since I have never taken the high speed rail. Some points of improvement for the high speed rail in China is the fact that it is very cramp and that the train crew can learn to converse in English so that there will be better communication between the foreigners and them. Doing so will help to improve the standard of the high speed rail service in China and even make China more reputable in the world. In addition, I personally feel that the speed can still be increased as many classmates were tired out from the long journey. However, there are many good points to say about it too. Firstly, the train crew cares a lot about safety as seen from the repetition of safety instructions to the commuters. Secondly, the train crew cares a lot about the passengers’ welfare as well. This can be concluded as there will be reminders to keep a close watch on their valuables due to the high possibility of them getting stolen, free collection of water from springs just by showing the ticket and the installation of foldable tables for passengers to write, use their electronic devices, etc. All these are especially for the comfort of the passengers. Therefore, it is highly commendable. Lastly, there is tight security in the stations. There will be checking of passport and luggage to ensure the safety of all passengers. Therefore, it is highly commendable as well. I feel that the experience of taking the high speed rail is good. However, I feel that our learning will be better if we can learn more about the high speed rail. This is not only to satisfy our curiosity but to ensure that we know what is going on around us.

In Iflytek, i was exposed to several of their products. One of them was the smartboard which makes learning more interactive and fun. It also makes it convenient for teachers to teach. I learn that china cares a lot about education as they try to boost effectiveness in learning by using advanced technology. Even though most of the Singaporean schools do not make use of the smartboard, more and more schools in Singapore are already starting to use ipads, iphones, mac, laptops, etc to make learning more fun and interesting. Therefore, I feel that as compared to china, Singapore is not losing in terms of the quality of the lessons. Furthermore, I was exposed to a multitasking product situated in cars. This product aims to make driving safe as you select for music, road directions, etc. In the terms of the products

During this trip, I learn many new things about china that I cannot find in the internet. For instance, some things I didn’t know till I went there to experience was the high school fee for students and the culture there. In China, I began to compare the history, economy, heritage and government of china to those of Singapore. I realise that there are many points where both countries can learn from each other to improve. For example, Singapore can try to use Chinese textbooks of better quality just like what china is doing. I believe that by doing so, Singaporean students’ standard of chinese language will be higher. In the case of China, they can try to subsidise the school fee so that parents will not struggle to earn enough money for the fee. Going to places with chinese heritage in China also help me to understand the history of China better. For example, before going to Li Hong Zhang’s Former Residence, I never knew that the officials were so corrupted that they would take away the money meant for military weapons for their own use and that the major reason why China failed to protect themselves then was because of corruption. In addition, I feel that the school’s decision to let us climb Huangshan was right. By climbing the 800km route, I not only learn the true meaning of perseverance but also learn to be brave when making decisions. Only by challenging ourselves will we be able to gain something. This trip to China has helped me to gain more independence and to stop relying on my parents. It has also made the class more bonded during these times. We learn, travel, eat and have fun together. Therefore, this OELP trip is very meaningful