Sayonara, Shanghai

Hey guys,

The student leaders have been caught up with the trip preparations, and hence I haven't got the chance to blog. I'm so excited to go back home, but this few days  has been quite an experience.

All that field trip would go to waste if we fail to find any meaning in them, and I think learning something isn't too hard to find.

As I scroll through my pictures, I feel as though I've seen so much and honestly, I wouldn't be the same when I go back to Singapore. All the things I've been through in this trip made me think of a lot of things, and i am very sure I am not the only one who thinks this way.

We had some reflection today, and we all got so appreciative for our home. Everything i took for granted, only in their absence do you realise dependent on them. The water, the technology, there's just too many to list. Knowing this is one thing, remembering and acting on it is another.

Don't get me wrong, China is a great place, some of us shared how much it has changed for the better. But there's something about home I still prefer. China may not to be my liking, but hey I'm glad I was here to see all this.

I had fun, I had time to play and shop (maybe not enough, haha) and I got time to interact and look at China.  Seeing the world always shape our perspectives, and I think that is what it's doing for me right now. I have a lot on my mind, I honestly don't know what to say here. But, I just want to say that it has been a fruitful trip.

I guess the impetus of my thoughts today was the moving statement Haojie made about us being the next generation for our nation, and went on saying about how are we going to take up that helm. I actually thought about it during this trip, and i feel that many of us still have a long way to go, even for me.

A lot of us need to grow up, you know expand our horizon, learn to do more and stretch ourselves. We have to start doing some thing worth while, and invest time in things more worthy.

That is my burden as I spent the last few days in the trip. As we see all the great stuff happening to us, I just notice that there is some characteristics we share that holds us back, limiting us from our potential. I hope we find an answer to that one day, and I believe it is a team effort.

What I mean is I have truly see how Singapore became such a fantastic country, and what it is being compared to and truly appreciate it, and while i saw that i see my peers, Singaporeans of tomorrow view it and I feel we can do better. We have done well, but still can do even more.

I never thought Shanghai would do this for me, bu hey I'm glad through all that experience I took home some thing personal for me. Good night Shanghai, thanks for everything.

Jerome