SPOTLIGHT YOUTH EXCHANGE:
Results of focus group done with the international students from Shatec, Raffles College of Higher Education, Singapore Institute of Management and Auston.
15. Impression of Singapore Raffles College of Higher Learning In Singapore for more than a year
16. What do you think the local students can do to make your stay in SG more meaningful?
17. What do you think the local students can do to make your stay in SG more meaningful? SIM CHARACTER Different perspective- student express it should be a two way communication Be more open, friendly and speak slowly Be friend with a heart and not just a project Hope to have people to translate from English to Chinese to him (China student) Hope to interact and be in their small group instead of being isolated Hang out more and learn more about them Foreigners also tend to be their own group as well, is a both ways communication. POLITICS, ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL, TECHNOLOGY Hope to learn more about SG culture, to share different culture together, find out more about festivals Not interested in Shopping mall, keen in historical places, a club, interactive, opportunity ACTIVITIES Hope to have combined orientation with the SG and foreigners CCA activities, interactive Want to visit some exciting places and explore more of SG Events – games and events Camping and outdoors activities like picnic Try and experience more local food Do social work together – going through bad times together/ to serve the elderly together Build more programmes to interact and combine with Singaporean and foreigners
18. What do you think the local students can do to make your stay in SG more meaningful? Auston MEDIA Stop reporting only the crimes/ bad things that foreigners do… Singaporeans do the same too! Stop siding Singaporeans/ Stop stirring Singaporeans’ emotions/ hatred towards foreigners Media can play a part in saying good things about foreigners Thai girl who fell onto MRT and need to amputate legs, NOT because she was dizzy, but she was PUSHED onto the tracks. SMRT promised will support… instead of the S$50,000 fees SERVICE/ CHARACTER Be more gracious e.g. stop pushing on public transports Improve service because service not so good, examples: ICA = tell them to check the internet Public places like banks / hospitals / phone companies = SLOW! In Korea, slowness in such services will be sued! MORE TRAINING on kindness and attitudes Want to have Singaporeans friends Bring us around Singapore places of interest which are free POLITICS, ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL, TECHNOLOGY Show the foreign students avenues to make some income to offset the high living costs (no avenues now) The governments shouldn’t restrict (by law) all PI students from working Make salaries similar for foreign workers… it shouldn’t be different for the same work! More opportunities for foreigners e.g. job website, 80% looking only for Singaporeans Decrease discrimination: Why not hire PI students though both PI and local institutes are
19. What do you think the local students can do to make your stay in SG more meaningful? Shatec LANGUAGE Speak more English Don’t judge people by their skin colour – e.g. Don’t speak to me in Mandarin because I look like Chinese Speak in the language to make them feel welcomed AVAILBILITY Meet us! We are young people and we should hang out! Hardly meet any Singaporeans at all! BE OPEN Foreigners are more shy! So Singaporean are the host and should initiate the conversation first! Make us feel welcomed! EXAMPLE:Singaporeans didn’t answer him at all when they asked them to play basketball! LOOSEN UP!!
20. What do you think the local students can do to make your stay in SG more meaningful? Raffles College of Higher Learning LANGUAGE Explain Singlish to us, especially those from taxi drivers! AVAILBILITY Meet us! HANG OUT!! CULTURE Share with us traditions/ customs ACTIVITIES Bring us out to explore Singapore Invite us to their homes! Show us how a HDB flat look like?
