Personal Development
While I have of course gained invaluable professional skills, I believe that I gained the most when it comes to my personal development. I have seen a whole new world in Singapore, a country which completely changed my perspectives on life. I also learned to appreciate everything in life more, as living by myself gave me ample time to think and reflect on everything I have experienced throughout my entire life.
Academic Development
This experience has boosted my academic discipline while also giving me new skills and attributes. Some of the challenges included poor communication and organisation from my seniors, in which I overcame by taking initiative and pushing for work even when it seemed there was no work. The workload was seemingly less than my UQ studies, as I only worked in dedicate work times and often times had time to explore and enjoy my personal time exploring the beautiful city.
Professional Development
I see the skills/attributes such as confidence, problem solving and especially communication being the skills I have most developed contributing the most to my professional development and future employability.
Budget
While I don't have an exact amount, budgeting techniques included portioning my cash throughout my trip. I had 3000SGD which I budgeted about 500 a week (as I was there for 5 weeks). This was more than enough, and I ended up with more leftover than anticipated. Since I went through Next Step Connections, I paid about 6K for that service, which included a transport card, accommodation and more. Airfare was a little over 2000.
The funding received was highly beneficial towards my experience, as I was able to pay off my airfare as soon as the funding was received.
Accommodation
Accommodation was fully looked after by nextstep connections. My living arrangements were great, with my own personal apartment (a situation that was merely by chance as it was expected that I would have roommates). While the location was okay as it was next to the MRT, a more central accommodation would have been more ideal. Overall, the living arrangements were great and I had no large issues, as both next step connections and the landlord was available for any concerns. My advice would be to consider your location as location is very important - a good location saves a lot of time for everything, whether it be travelling to landmarks, shopping malls and of course work.
Highlight
The highlight was visiting all the landmarks, including the zoo, universal studios and all the other various things that Singapore had to offer.
