Jordan Pugh, Raffles Institute, Singapore

After a 28 hour flight, I finally stepped off the plane and into Singapore. We quickly found our way to the school representative,  and arrived at Raffles Institute at 1 am.

                The next day, I toured the campus, learning much about the rich history of the Institute and its founder. We were informed of the daily activities around campus and shown all of the major complexes. I was astonished to see just how massive Raffles was compared to MBA. The next day was our first day of classes, where we would shadow our buddies throughout their schedule.

                When the classes began, I realized how similar in structure they were to MBA’s, with the one major difference being a rotating schedule. After classes, my Buddy showed me to the Canteen where many different stalls each offered a different style of food. My first choice was the highly recommended chicken rice, which was great as advertised. After lunch there were a few more classes, and then  a required after school activity such as rugby or debate. After these activities, we would return to our dorm. After a few days, we were brought to a nearby mall, Junction 8, which was surprisingly large and fascinating. Little did I know that this was just the tip of the iceberg.

                Our 2^nd week at Singapore was more focused on exploring the cultural aspects of Singapore, and as such we were given access to the subway system and allowed to explore. I quickly realized how small Junction 8 was compared to the massive complexes located on the seemingly endless Orchard Road. Among some of the most interesting things we saw were sets of golden golf clubs, apparently meant to be purchased as diplomatic gifts. We saw many other parts of the city, including the very busy China Town, where we saw numerous vendors selling varieties of intriguing souvenirs. We also visited Arab street and Little India. All of these experiences were amazing and will remain with me for years to come.

                There were several other experiences that fit in  a different category, but were still very important to the exchange. One such event was our visit to the Army  Museum, where we learned of the rich history of Singapore’s armed forces. We also visited the Singapore Flyer, an amazing experience where I got a true bird’s eye view of the world below me.

                I would like to thank the Warner program as well as Mr. Gioia for allowing me this life changing exchange. I was immersed in an exciting culture and was welcomed by the students and faculty of Raffles. This was truly an amazing point of my life and I just want to thank everyone responsible for allowing it to be possible.