Katelyn

Pre-Trip Reflections @Changi Airport: 

1.   How do you feel about the upcoming trip?

    I feel excited for this trip

2.   3 Things that I am looking forward to
    I look forward to the learning experiences here.
    I look forward to the science displays in Tech Dome.
    I look forward to making new friends through the interactions with them on this trip.

3.   3 things I hope to learn from Penang

    I hope to learn more about science through the exhibits in Tech Dome.

    I hope to learn more about the culture and way of life here.

    I hope to learn more about the astronomical society in Penang.

4.   3 things I hope to learn from my friends

    I hope to learn how to adapt to new situations quickly.

    I hope to learn better leadership.

    I hope to learn to be more proactive.

5.   3 things I hope to learn about myself

    I hope to learn about my interests in sciences.

    I hope to learn my weaknesses and improve.

    I hope to learn how independent I can be without my parents helping me.

6.   3 challenges I give myself

    I shall challenge myself by being daring to try out the exhibits at Tech Dome later on.

    I shall challenge myself to try out the local food

    I shall try to be independent and to help others at the same time

7.   What are my expectations of Penang?

    I expect to be more knowledgeable about various things through this trip, and of course the culture of Penang.

Day 1 Reflections

The most important event that happened to me today was the visit to Mr Lim Choon Kiat's Observatory as it was the home of what once was the largest telescope in Penang, at a whopping 14 inches. We were lucky enough to use this telescope to view the Andromeda Galaxy as the weather was just clear enough to allow us to see it.

I keep thinking about how there are so many stars and galaxies out there. What we see is just a small part of it all, a small part of the Milky Way Galaxy. Even then, there are even more galaxies out there, for us to explore.

I learn best when I can be able to understand why and how the new concepts relate to and affect our daily lives.

I believe that if the weather was better, we could have been able to see even more stars and constellations out there. If we had more time, we would also have been able to see more constellations on the star chart.

I like to consider others points of view because I would be able to have a deeper understanding of the things around me, gaining better insight on them as I would then see these things in a new light.

In the future I would like to be able to do something like this again, maybe not in Penang but in Sabah (Lahad Datu) as that is where my paternal grandmother resides at. I noticed that the night sky there is also very much dotted with multitudes of stars and all, so to be able to look at them closer through the use of a telescope would definitely be a great experience.

When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because I was not really interested in astronomy at first. However, after the observatory visit, I was more intrigued as I got to see and use a telescope to view the night sky and Andromeda Galaxy. As Mr Chong said, "Seeing is believing."

Day 2 Reflections

Thinking back over the day what I valued most was the free fall experience. I could not hold on tight on the first try so I let go early, but I was allowed to go for another shot at it again.

I keep thinking about the free fall experience. I had never done anything like this at all and I am very grateful for this opportunity to have done so. The adrenaline rush mixed with fear, and relief seconds after is a feeling I'll never forget.

I know I need to change the way I perceive new things, ideas, and the so-called "scary things" as I was indeed quite apprehensive to do the free fall.

I have reconsidered the way I look at new things as I know I should be more open and daring to try out new things. Safety had already been greatly considered, so I knew I was in safe hands and should not worry. Yet during the fall, I was still quite nervous, with all the "what ifs" running through my mind.

When I heard what the others in my group thought I was surprised because I had expected them to see me in a different light after this experience of the free fall. However, they were all very supportive and encouraging. Even some that I did not know that well were encouraging me.

I hope I can learn to be more courageous when trying new things that may or may not seem scary.

When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because I did not expect science to be that exciting when put in our real life and physically experienced.

Day 3 Reflections

The most important event that happened for me today was the experiencing of the Human Gyroscope at Tech Dome. I had never done something like this before. It was very exciting for me, and scary at the same time.

Something I would like to find out more about is how to actually use the leg strength instead of arn strength when doing the wall climb. The auto-belayer is also another thing that I am intrigued about.

I really admire the way others are daring to go and try out the exhibits like the free fall and Human Gyroscope, some even doing them twice.

I have reconsidered how I can face new "challenges" as we only have one shot at doing this, so it was a once in a lifetime experience of sorts.

When I heard what the others in my group thought I was surprised because when I was in the Human Gyroscope, I had a substantial amount of pressure on my head, especially when I was upside down. Some felt the same, but some others said that the pressure was not a lot.

In the future I would like to be able to fully understand the concepts behind the Human Gyroscope and the free fall. I believe that I would not be that scared when I understand what exactly is going on. 

When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because I have now understood the concepts behind the Human Gyroscope briefly. Of course I would like to understand it in greater detail.

Day 4 Reflections

The most important event that happened for me today was the little walk around Chew Jetty, George Town. I got to know more about how the Chinese from China came to Malaysia and established their own settlements in the island.

One of the things that surprised me was the fact that people here are very multilingual in both languages and dialects. People were conversing in English, Chinese, Malay, Cantonese and Hokkien even though they may not have learnt the language as a main language.

Something I have found out about myself is that I am able to communicate in Cantonese as I found myself conversing with a few shop owners at the jetty when I was looking around for things to buy back.

I believe that a multilingual and multicultural society is the best. This way, people can feel safer and feel more included and not ostracised just because they may be of a different race or speak a different language. Everyone lives in harmony.

I would never have thought about the problem in that way as I just settle for the solutions that solve the problem that we face. However, these solutions may only solve the problem at the surface level.

I have to think more deeply about the different cultures in Penang, how they came about, and what we can do to preserve these precious values that are a monument of time.

When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because I didn’t expect many people in Penang to speak Cantonese. I always had the thought that majority speak Hokkien and Hakka.