End of EAPSI!

The EAPSI closing ceremonies were held on August 3rd, Friday. Everyone gave their final, very broad, talks, and we had a nice lunch at the staff clubhouse.

The night before a few of us held a "practice" run for the talks - though this was more out of interest of hearing other people's stuff. Our talks during the ceremony were held in parallel sessions - so I got to hear only 4 others. It was very interesting to learn what others were working on during their EAPSI fellowships.

We also had a "group" presentation, where we had a video montage of pictures from the whole trip of people visiting places together, doing things around Singapore, and doing things with their labs/PI's/collaborators.

View from my room at Graduate Hall

My lab also had a nice lunch with me during the group meeting, and I gave them my souvenirs that I brought from the US - some of which were maple syrup and Old Bay seasoning!


Overall my whole experience in Singapore during the EAPSI program has been amazing. I cannot hope to summarize it in words but I will try to write a few paragraphs for those interested in EAPSI itself, doing research in Asia, or Singapore in general.

Mr. Bean was my favorite treat place :)

Cameras everywhere!

 Singapore:

Singapore itself as a city/country is very modern. I'm sure you can read about it everywhere. It was not AS clean as I though it would be (especially in some of the hawker centers), but it was very clean compared to even the cleanest cities in the US. I definitely felt safe everywhere I went and there were cameras and "interesting" signs everywhere, but it didn't feel as "Big Brother-ey" as some people claimed. I think I only saw a police car once or twice and never heard a siren. People follow the law (or else get fined).  But this doesn't mean that people are going to treat you spectacularly everywhere you go, especially if they don't speak English very well. For having English as one of their official languages, not all Singaporeans, at least not the older ones, speak it well. "Singlish" is pretty common. Malls are EVERYWHERE (kind of made me understand why so many Asians I know are so into shopping - it really is a sport/pastime there).

Ice skating rink IN THE MALL

I wish I could say I visited everything in Singapore that I wanted to, but I definitely didn't - not enough time even for a city an hour+ across. The Gardens by the Bay were very captivating both times that I saw them, and I really liked Palau Ubin for it's more village-ey feel. Partying in Singapore is expensive (but fun), and so is eating FANCY food, but eating local yummies, and using public transportation was fine. It was usually pretty easy to find where I wanted to go and everything was accessible. The climate was hot and humid - I didn't have to use moisturizer or lotion ONCE ( I have to usually use it everyday in the US). A lot of people still walk around in clothes that look too hot for the climate - but I was told this was because if you are not wearing long pants there are some places, such as nicer restaurants, where you'd be denied access, if you are Singaporean. Also no one wears sunglasses! It does rain sometimes, and when it rains - it pours. Thankfully many walkways are covered and there are usually many ways to travel from place to place and not be exposed to the rain.

There's a lot more I could say, for sure, but overall my experience with Singapore was good. It was well developed and organized, clean, and had great shopping, attractions, and food! I would certainly recommend it as a hub for anyone traveling in Southeast Asia, and as a stop in itself. It's airport is AWESOME - It has a park, hotels, napping areas, all the shops you can dream of, free foot massage chairs, and spas - ( I got a massage at one on my last night there and then just slept there for a few hours till my early morning flight).

EAPSI:

EAPSI was the reason I got to go to Singapore, do research there, and travel the area. I am very thankful that I was picked to be a fellow, and if anyone who is a grad student is even a bit interested in doing research overseas, I suggest you take a look at it. The rewards are quite multifaceted. I do wish that it was longer - mainly because I would be able to get more research done ( I actually got quite travel-weary towards the end of the program). The people who were in charge of the program and organized all the events in Singapore were all great, and gave us a few good opportunities to meet up and hear from important research people in Singapore.

Last night at Singapore together!

Research:
Research in Singapore for me personally was successful. I got to do a good amount of what I planned on doing, despite a few setbacks that were out of my control. More time would have resulted in more conclusive results, but I think that I was running out of some materials anyways and will be able to take that I learned there with me back to the US. One main difference between research in Singapore and in the US is that in Singapore they take their safety a lot more seriously. Lab coats had to be worn at all times, and also closed toe shoes and long pants (that made going to work every day NOT that fun ). Some labs had cameras in them because they contained valuable equipment.

My labmates in Singapore were VERY welcoming and friendly. I had lunch with them most days, discussed a variety of scientific and non-scientific topics, and learned a lot about their lives in Singapore and where they came from. Most of them were not from Singapore and it was interesting to see how such diversity plays out in Singapore.  Anyhow - I will miss them a lot, but I think I'll see some of them at future conferences. My Singaporean advisor was great too, and plans on collaborating with my US advisor in the near future. Early in the summer we had a gathering/party at his house where his wife made delicious Korean food and we played Wii games. I was pretty alright at table tennis =D We also went out bowling as a lab, but there I was pretty bad .

Anyways, these are my "conclusions" from the Singapore portion of the trip. But.. dum dum dum... my trip around Southeast Asia was not finished!