switzerland - singapore

SWITZERLAND - SINGAPORE
Bi-lateral youth exchange programme 29th August – 08th September
SWISS YOUTH DELEGATION
Nadine Bosshard
Florian Büchel
Mathias Caprez
Thomas Charrière
Martial Keller
Petra Köppel
Janine Meier
Oliver Meli
Michaela Näscher
Mathuran Poopalapillai
Rebecca Schmid
Martin Stypinski
SWISS YOUTH DELEGATION ORGANISERS
Corina Arpagaus-Rohner
Albin Reichlin
Dear National Youth Achievement Award Council,
Dear Boncafé International Pte Ltd.,
Dear Swissnex Singapore,
Dear Embassy Singapore,
Dear Singaporean Helpers and Guides,
Dear Direction University of Applied Sciences East Switzerland,
Dear Dean International Relations University of St. Gallen
On behalf of this year's Swiss delegation we would like to thank the National Youth Achievement
Award Council again for so kindly hosting the group of exchange students in Singapore. We highly
value the close relationship that was built up during many years of collaboration and we are looking
forward to welcoming the Singaporean delegation in 2014 during their stay in Switzerland.
It goes without saying that our stay in Singapore was a unique and amazing experience. Not only did
we make so many new friends but we were also able to embrace Singapore's culture and view
Singapore from a Singaporean perspective.
Thank you very much.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Day 1 – Friday 30.08.13 ........................................................................................................................... 4
Day 2 – Saturday 31.08.13....................................................................................................................... 6
Day 3 – Sunday 01.09.13 ......................................................................................................................... 8
Day 4 – Monday 02.09.13...................................................................................................................... 10
Day 5 – Tuesday 03.09.13...................................................................................................................... 13
Day 6 – Wednesday 04.09.13 ................................................................................................................ 15
Day 7 – Thursday 05.09.13 .................................................................................................................... 17
Day 8 – Friday 06.09.13 ......................................................................................................................... 20
Day 9 – Saturday 07.09.13..................................................................................................................... 23
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PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
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Singapore Discovery Centre
Night Safari
Gardens by the Bay
Chinatown
Chinatown Heritage Centre
Visit to a Singaporean Home
Community Centre
Singapore Management University, Centre for English Communication
Singapore Polytechnic
ITE College West
Marina Barrage
Lorong Halus
Masjid Sultan
Malay Heritage Centre
Sentosa Island
Embassy of Switzerland
Swiss School Association
LGT Bank in Liechtenstein AG, Vaduz, Representative Office Singapore
Biopolis
Boncafe International Pte Ltd
Little India
Own Leisure
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Day 1 – Friday 30.08.13
Flight SQ 345
After a twelve hour flight we arrived safely in Singapore with one of Singapore Airline's A380. The
weather: 28 °C – wonderful! After collecting our baggage we were greeted by three members of the
National Youth Achievement Awards Council (NYAA Council) of Singapore.
One of Singapore Airlines A380’s at Zurich Airport
Our accommodation (Pasir Ris Holiday Flats) was located on the east side of Singapore right on the
beach. While some needed to sleep off the jetlag, others seized the opportunity to go jogging in the
Pasir Park just next to our accommodation.
Singapore Discovery Centre
The aim of the Singapore Discovery Centre is to inform Singaporean and tourists on the history,
mentality and culture of Singapore.
Did you know that Singapore comes from the Malay word Singapura (Singa = Lion, Pura = City)?
Actually, you can find lions on everything in Singapore: Money, Singapore's Crest, landmarks and
statues dotted around the city. We were introduced to several words in Singlish that is composed of a
mix of Chinese/Malay and English). For example: Kopi-o (black coffee), Kopi-c (coffee with evaporated
milk).
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Our first of many group pictures at the Discovery Centre
Singapore's history may be short but it is very interesting, the country has faced many challenges and
has many more to solve. An example is Singapore's water supply: Currently most of the country's water
supply comes from Malaysia but soon the country will be completely self-sufficient by utilising new
reservoirs. The main message we learnt from the tour: Singaporean's are very proud of their country
and heritage.
Night Safari
Eric and Jeanette, two further members of the NYAAC, joined us for the evening activity: Night Safari.
It is a special programme developed by the Zoo of Singapore to introduce people to nocturnal animals
in their natural environment.
Show at the Night Safari
The Night Safari started off with a show of trained animals. Afterwards we boarded a tram to travel
through the zoo's own jungle, enabling us to get up really close to the animals (0.5-3 m) you would
otherwise not be able to see due to the dark.
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Day 2 – Saturday 31.08.13
After sleeping off our jetlag, we were ready for the second day of our Singaporean adventure. We
started with a delicious breakfast at Starbucks – so our stomachs would not be overwhelmed by the
local cuisine on the first day. We then headed together with Jeanette and Nicholas to the famous
Gardens by the Bay. – Jeanette took part in the exchange last year and came to Switzerland.
Gardens by the Bay
Singapore is known as the garden city of Asia, one of the most impressive gardens is the "Gardens by
the Bay". This garden consists of several different exhibits, of which we visited two: the OCBC Skyway
and the Lost World Dome. In spite of the hot weather we took some group pictures outside and then
climbed up onto the OCBC Skyway – a modern combination of architecture, art and of course
gardening. From the bridge we had a fantastic view onto the city and the marina.
View from the OCBC Skyway onto the city and the marina
After our descent to ground level we visited the lost world dome – Insider tip: If you fly Singapore
Airlines you get a rebate on the entry fee! The dome consists of a miniature mountain and a spiral
walkway up to the top, where they even produce artificial clouds! They have planted flowers and plants
from all over Asia, the orchids were especially impressive. With all its colours and its beauty the garden
was a paradise.
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Chinatown
After strolling through the gardens, we continued our day in Chinatown, where we had our first
authentic Chinese cuisine, eating with the locals. We weren't all too sure what all the ingredients of
the meal were but it tasted delicious!
For our afternoon activity Jason and Eric from the NYAAC joined us. After we regained our strength
from the morning excursion, we visited a Chinese Buddhist temple. It was beautifully decorated with
red walls and hundreds of Buddha statues. We even had the chance to observe a Buddhist ceremony,
accompanied with kind explanations by Jeanette, whose parents are Buddhist.
In front of the Chinese Buddhist temple
At the Chinatown Heritage Centre we were introduced to the history of the first wave of Chinese
immigrants and their treacherous journey from poverty stricken China to Singapore. We then
discovered Chinatown by ourselves – there are thousands of shops! It was a good chance for us to buy
souvenirs for our families and friends at home.
The Mall Somerset 313
Our guides decided it was time to introduce us the Singapore's vast public transport system. It was
very crowded and busy but thanks to our guides we easily found the way to our next destination: the
Somerset Mall 313 with its seven floors and numerous shops.
It was time to do what most Singaporeans love to do: shop until you drop. Well, the girls that is! On
the top floor was the food court: various food stands offering all kinds of food, from traditional Chinese
soups up to western Pizza. We needed to fill our stomachs to prepare for a social event close to the
river, where we enjoyed Singapore's most famous drink: Singapore Sling.
After travelling back to our flats we ended the evening with a get together next to the beach.
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Day 3 – Sunday 01.09.13
Visiting a Singaporean home
After an adventurous car ride through the area we entered a typical Singaporean house to learn more
about the living situation, culture and lifestyle of the locals. We were welcomed with open arms, warm
smiles as well as freshly prepared pastries, snacks and fruits. As it was the home of a Chinese family
we were able to meet the grandmother (who is also the boss of the house), parents and cousins of our
host Clement who all live under one roof. As the house was built ca. 1960, the size of the house and
surrounding grounds are very spacious compared to modern houses as space is now considered an
absolute luxury. We were overwhelmed by the hospitality, kindness and openness that we
encountered. We were given a tour of their rooms, pets and garden of the family. We felt that we had
received a one in a lifetime opportunity to see into the home and life of a Singaporean family!
Delicious homemade cuisine
To Clement's family we again say: 谢谢你招待我们 – thank you for your hospitality!
With Clement’s family at their home
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Community Centre
The afternoon was spent at the local community centre, a place that offers a variety of activities to the
citizens. We were shown around the facilities of the centre and had a sneak-peak at a live karaoke
session. There are many other classes than can be taken for a small fee such as language courses,
sports or dance lessons. On top of the interesting and informative tour by the motivated staff we all
received a t-shirt as a souvenir.
Oliver showing off his t-shirt
Following the recommendation of our Singaporean guides we had a laid-back evening drink at a quiet
bar in Chinatown before exploring another food-court and heading back to our flats to get a good rest
before another packed day.
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Day 4 – Monday 02.09.13
Today's theme was all about the Singaporean education system. We visited all the different types of
schools available to Singaporeans. The education system in Singapore is based on the English education
system. The day started off at a local food court for some authentic Chinese breakfast, whilst some
embraced the chance to try something different, others decided to opt for freshly backed rolls.
Singapore Management University
The Singapore Management University (SMU) consists of six schools (Accountancy, Business,
Economics, Information Systems, Law and Social Science) and its buildings are connected through
underground passageways. This underground area also provides services such as gyms, bookstore and
IT helpdesk. We were all very impressed by the variety of extracurricular clubs from which students
are able to participate in – there are over 150 student activity clubs to choose from. We were guided
through the university's own library, which is open 24-7 during the exam period! We were told that
students even pitch-up tents and take turns to get some rest during their 24 h learning sessions. After
the tour our guide remarked, that the SMU was "quite small" for Singapore standards with only 5'000
students. As so many Singaporeans wish to enrol in a university we found it surprising that 15-20% are
of a foreign nationality. It was explained to us that in Singapore students go to extra tutoring only if
they are very good in school. Students who could actually benefit from extra help are turned down by
private institutions. Some institutions also require students to take an entrance exam to be accepted
in to their programme. Furthermore, mothers take leave from their work during exam time (or even
quit their job for one year) to support their children as much as possible. About 25 percent of
Singaporeans are able to attend university but due to more complaints the government is aiming to
increase this number to 30%. We were also surprised to find out that each student must serve at least
80 hours of community service each semester or risk being expelled.
Introduction to the Singaporean education system at the SMU
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Polytechnic
At the Singa-Poly (Singapore Polytechnic) we were given a presentation on what the benefits of the
polytechnic were and their aims/goals. Before we were given a tour of the campus facilities and the
practically based lectures we talked to some of the students attending the presentation on a one-toone basis. Many of the students we spoke to said they were looking to enrol in a foreign university as
the competition in Singapore is extreme as only the top 10% of graduates are accepted to universities.
The polytechnic could be compared to a gymnasium with the exception that the courses are far more
specific into a certain subject. E.g. Engineering – Avionics, Engineering – Robots, Engineering – Auto
mechanics.
Together with students of the Singa-Poly
Institute of Technical Education (ITE)
In the late afternoon, we visited ITE's West campus. In the presentation of Mr. Denise Tan, Director
School of Hospitality we were shown an overview of all the different paths a Singaporean could take
through the school system. Our group was impressed by the very modern infrastructure and ties to
industry partners enabling the students to develop their practical skills.
From a fully functional 22 bedroom hotel to two TV studios, a recording studio, an industrial production
line and several modern classroom kitchens. These were only examples of the infrastructure available
to the students.
The higher courses at the ITE can be compared to our apprentice system with a Berufsmatura. Many
Singaporeans unfortunately consider this type of education far inferior to more theoretically based
alternatives.
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Welcome Dinner
The tour of the ITE ended in the ITE College West French Restaurant, where the guest of honour Mr
Sam Tan Chin Song, Senior Parliamentary for Culture, Community and Youth and Foreign affairs and
Mayor, Central Singapore District greeted us with his delegation. We were also greeted by the
executive director of the NYAA Council – Mr James Soh Nga Kok, the ambassador to Switzerland Mr
Tee Tua Ba, the top management of ITE and Mrs Emilija Georgiev Regamey, Deputy Head of the Swiss
embassy.
The Swiss delegation with Mr James Soh Nga Kok, Mrs Emilija Georgiev Regamey, Mr Sam Tan Chin Song, Mr Tee
Tua Ba and Prof Leo Tan Wee Hin (from left to right)
We wish to thank everyone at the ITE who hosted the dinner and provided us with exceptional French
cuisine.
NYAA alumni
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Day 5 – Tuesday 03.09.13
Marina Barrage
On our fifth day we went to Starbucks for breakfast (best coffee ever!). After that, we drove to the
Marina Barrage (one of Singapore's 17 fresh-water reservoirs) to learn more about the water situation
in Singapore. There we first had a short presentation on the importance of water in Singapore.
Furthermore they explained what their organisation does to encourage people to save water and keep
the water ways (rivers and reservoirs) clean. Furthermore we learnt that Singapore has four national
taps. The first one: water collected from rain water into reservoirs - like the Marina Reservoir, which is
located at the Marina Barrage. The Marina Reservoir can meet 10% of Singapore's current water needs.
80% of Singapore's water comes from Malaysia through a pipeline in the North West, desalinated
water and NEWater. NEWater is the result of continuous investment in research and technology. They
use used water and "recycle" it so it can be reused again. Since 2003, NEWater has been used for wafer
fabrication processes, as well as cooling towers for air-conditioning in commercial buildings.
After the presentation we were guided through a gallery, which was especially opened for us. There
we learnt a lot how the reservoir works. Our tour ended at the roof of the Marina Barrage, there we
had a stunning view of the whole city. We seized this opportunity to take several group pictures
including this jump shot:
Jumping at the roof of the Marina Barrage
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Lorong Hatus Wetland
In the afternoon we went to the Lorong Hatus Wetland. This wetland was once a dumping ground and
by using plants to remove heavy metals and impurities – Singapore hopes to undo the damage down
by the dumping grounds.
Tour through Lorong Hatus Wetland
After we had a short rest and change of clothes we went for dinner. We tried a Singaporean delicacy:
Roti Prata which is based on flat bread with different toppings such as eggs, cheese, butter, chocolate,
banner, etc.
Meet-the-People Session
Our last appointment on the program for this evening was the Meet-the-People Session (MPS). This
session is held once a week where citizens can voice their problems. Problems can be from difficulties
with paying their bills to finding a new job. The Member of Parliament responsible for the area is always
available. At the MPS we met Mr Hawazi Daipi who is the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education
and Manpower. So we had the opportunity to discuss different political views with him. At the end of
the discussion we were offered Malaysian food (Dinner Nr. 2!).
Presentation on Meet-the-People-Session
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Day 6 – Wednesday 04.09.13
Malay Heritage Centre
During our bus ride to breakfast at the "Bugis Junction" mall we experienced first-hand how heavy rain
in Singapore can get: roads flooded in mere minutes. Everyone went for something different: one
person even tried the traditional runny egg breakfast (eggs cooked for 2.5 minutes in their shell, then
broken and eaten in a separate bowl).
We then set of for the Malay Heritage Centre. The Malay world is generally conceived as being
bounded by Southeast Asia. The earliest reference for "Melayu" is a kingdom in Jambi, Sumatra which
sent delegates to China in the seventh century. The origin of the Malaysians can be traced back to a
complex and multi-layered history. Besides the written history of kingdoms and genealogies of sultans
there are many stories, songs and poetries that have been passed down from one generation to
another. During the guided tour we learned that "Yusof bin Ishak" was the first President of the
Republic of Singapore in 1965 and was Malay. This goes to show how young Singapore's history is!
After the guided tour at the Malay Heritage Centre
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S.E.A. Aquarium on Sentosa Island
No visit to Singapore would be complete without having visiting the island resort Sentosa. It is located
south-west of Singapore and can be reached either by cable car or by the Sentosa Express Monorail.
(We took the latter one) The island includes among other attractions two five star hotels, the theme
park Universal studios, a Casino, golf courses, the Resort World Sentosa etc. whereby we had the
opportunity to visit the world's largest aquarium (more than 5.8 trillion litters of water!) and the largest
acrylic panel. It also showcases 24 Indo-Pacific bottlenose Dolphin, scalloped hammerhead sharks,
Japanese spider crab and relatively rare species such as the guitarfish and the chambered nautilus.
Michaela touching a starfish
Sentosa Island beach
Before heading to the 2 km long (man-made) beach on Sentosa we first went for lunch and went to
"Candylicious" to buy some Asian sweets. Nicolas, Eric and Yudie guided us to the beach – which was
actually just round the corner. Whilst some of us dared to go swimming next to one of Asia's biggest
harbours - the others enjoyed sitting and chatting on the white sand.
Show "Songs of the Sea"
Some hours after the tasty lunch we tried different Asian dishes for dinner including Malay, Indian, and
Thai food. Right after, Nicolas brought us to watch the musical show "Songs of the sea" performed
right on the beach. The 30 minutes show was packed with impressive laser animations, fireworks and
water fountains.
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Day 7 – Thursday 05.09.13
Embassy
After eating we went by bus to the Swiss Embassy, unfortunately just at this time there was a huge
traffic jam. As we finally reached the embassy we were warmly welcomed by the Deputy Head of
Mission from the Swiss Embassy in Singapore, Mrs Emilija Georgiev Regamey.
In front of the Swiss Embassy with Mrs Emilija Georgiev Regamey (right).
According to the embassy's statistics there are ca. 3500 Swiss citizens living in Singapore. Furthermore
there are more than 300 Swiss companies operating in Singapore. In order to serve them the Swiss
embassy provides support in relation with visas, passports and much more. They also serve as the
diplomatic representation for the citizens of Liechtenstein.
Mrs Regamey advised us of the possibility of completing a four-month internship in Singapore with the
Swiss Embassy. This allows the embassy to take 3 interns each year. To be able to start this internship,
the candidates have to be of Swiss citizenship, speak at least 2 of the 4 national languages (except for
Romansh) and an additional one of the 6 U.N.-languages. Anyone who is interested can apply directly
on the embassy's website.
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Swiss School
After the presentation we proceeded for a tour of the Swiss school. Many Swiss people living in
Singapore want their kids to have the benefits of a Swiss education According to their principle Mr.
Björn Engeli the school is basically follows the school plan from the canton of Zug. The only difference:
They are more English and they only start learning French from 5th grade.
In front of the Swiss School in Singapore
Swiss Club
The Swiss School is located on the property of the Swiss club. The Swiss club has about 1'500 members
and the membership costs up to S$ 30'000. The "country club" provides several opportunities to their
members as tennis courts, a football field, Pilates course, fondue nights and many events. There is
currently a long waiting list for membership, however Swiss citizens are automatically accepted.
LGT Bank
Afterwards we were driven to the LGT Bank (Singapore ltd.) in the financial district. There we were
greeted by Roman Spirig. He attended the Switzerland-Singapore Student Exchange programme in
2011. He has been working for the LGT Bank in Singapore for more than a year. Roman and Norman
Bürzle presented many interesting facts of the bank: For over 25 years, LGT has served its valued Asian
clients from the financial hubs of Hong Kong and Singapore striving to be a leading provider of
international private banking solutions to individuals and institutions who seek the best investment
and banking services. We were also given the opportunity to talk to Rolf Gerber, who is the non18
executive chairman of the LGT Bank and Chairman for Singapore International Chamber of Commerce
(SICC). Furthermore we received free tickets to visit the National Museum of Singapore, where we
visited the "Princely Treasures from the House of Liechtenstein" as well as the "Singapore History and
Living Galleries". The Liechtenstein exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore provides an insight
into the art-collection activities of the Princely house over the last five hundred years and focuses on
the high baroque. This undoubtedly represents the pinnacle of the family's unique inspirational impact
on the central European art scene as connoisseurs, commissioners and collectors of fine art.
Corina with Rolf Gerber and Roman
Swissnex
In the evening we drove to Swissnex Singapore. Swissnex is an initiative of the department for
education and research as well as a platform of the embassy of Switzerland in Singapore. We seized
this opportunity to meet several Swiss exchange-students and members of Swiss companies here in
Singapore. Today was especially interesting as we received in an insight in how Swiss expats live and
work in Singapore.
With Ms Dr. Suzanne Hraba-Renevey, Executive Director of Swissnex Singapore
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Day 8 – Friday 06.09.13
After a short night we headed to the nearby Elias Mall for our breakfast. Some of us opted for a KopiO or a Kopi-C. The next program point went on with Coffee.
Boncafé
We went to Boncafé, the only coffee roaster in Asia, which is located in the West of Singapore. We
were warmly welcomed by the Managing Director Christian Huber and Roast Master Eric Huber. Mr
Huber told as some facts about the history of Boncafé. An expatriate friend of the commodities trader
Werner Ernst Huber wished to enjoy a proper high quality cup of coffee. Unfortunately he was not able
to do so since the predominating coffee was a ready made mixture even consisting of salt. Werner
Huber decided to help his friend and the expats community in Singapore and established a coffee
roaster. That was back in 1962. Boncafé has grown a lot since then but is still considered as a midsize
enterprise. Its market spans over most South East Asian countries and other countries like the United
Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka.
Mr Huber showing us a coffee tree outside
Eric Huber then introduced us to the characteristics of the different sorts of coffee and showed us how
to roast coffee. All of us felt Mr Huber’s passion and understood that coffee roasting is a real science.
We learned much about the whole process and the many things a roaster has to pay attention to like
temperature and smell. Then we had the pleasure to meet Henry who showed us how to make a proper
cup of coffee. Again we could feel that the people at Boncafé not only work with their head and hands
but also with their heart. We experienced that the roasted coffee is only one half of the game. During
the preparation of a cup of coffee there are again many things to be mastered well like the foaming of
the milk to name one.
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Henri then proved us that he is not only a Barrista but also an artist. He drew flowers and hearts on
the foam and told us the magic behind. We were offered many cups of coffee and some snacks before
we left Boncafé.
Henri helping Mathias decorating a Cappuccino
Little India
Our bus headed to the city again. We dropped off at the beginning of Serangoon Road and there he
was, the King of Bollywood Shah Ruck Khan smiling from a poster. And with the smell of spices in the
air everybody knew instantly where we were now: in Little India. We had lunch at Komala Vilas, a
reasonably priced vegetarian restaurant with mainly South Indian dishes on the menu. Surprisingly we
didn't experience a fireworks of spices but a mild cuisine. After lunch we roamed around in Little India
and did some (souvenir) shopping accompanied by the peppy tunes of Kollywood and Bollywood.
Before heading back to the Pasir Ris flats we catched a glance of Mustafa Centre a 24/7 shopping centre
with a very wide range of products.
Farewell BBQ
Back at our accommodation we quickly changed for the farewell BBQ with our hosts from the NYAA
and former participants of this exchange program. Mrs. Aileen Yap who organised the program for the
nine days also joined our company for the barbeque. For dessert there was chocolate cake and
different moon cakes. And we even had the chance to taste one of Singapore’s most infamous fruit:
Durian. Our encounter with this mysterious fruit proved to us very well, why it is forbidden to eat this
exotic fruit at public places – as the fruit has a very strong and recognizable smell.
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After dinner we presented our hosts and the former participants goody-bags from Switzerland with
tons of Swiss chocolate!
Jeanette presenting her Ovomaltine Chocolate bar with Nadine
Every member from the Swiss delegation received a certificate handed over by Mrs Aileen Yap in the
name of the NYAA.
Many of us added each other on social networks and promised to keep in touch.
There was a subtle melancholy in the air and within minutes the heavens opened over Singapore and
turned the park into a lake.
With Mrs Aileen Yap and NYAA alumni
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Day 9 – Saturday 07.09.13
Our last day arrived faster than we thought. This week gave us so many insights in the Singaporean
culture and the great people living in its community.
We got up in the morning and had to prepare our luggage ready for the trip back to Switzerland. After
meeting up in the morning, we headed towards the city centre to enjoy a delicious breakfast. We soon
split up into little groups and headed to different places, since this day was free for our own leisure.
Many of us headed straight to the station 'Esplanade' to see the Merlion (lion fountain), since
Singapore is only a true 'Singapore'-Visit if you have visited the Merlion, the town's landmark. Others
went up the Marina Bay Sand's observation deck and enjoyed a breath-taking view over the whole city.
After an adventurous day on our own we headed back to 'Bugis', where we had our dinner. Having hot
pot, we were excited by all the ingredients we could order to add to our pot. Luckily our Singaporean
guides helped us make the right choices.
Last dinner: steamy hot pot
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Whereas a part of our group already went to the accommodation, the others headed back into the city
to grasp a look at Singapore's skyline at night.
Marina Bay Sands at night
An hour before midnight we arrived at the airport ready to check in and to say goodbye to all those
inspiring people who had guided us through that impressive week.
The memories of this city, the people and the culture will stay with us for long and we are sure that we
all got inspired by the life on the other side of the globe.
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