Yadira

Pre-Trip Reflections @Changi Airport: 

1.   How do you feel about the upcoming trip?

    I feel excited and nervous.

2.   3 Things that I am looking forward to
   
    1. Stargazing
    2. Tech Dome
    3. Experiencing Penang culture 

3.   3 things I hope to learn from Penang

    1. Interesting culture
    2. Understanding more about astronomy.
    3. New science topics

4.   3 things I hope to learn from my friends

    1. Teamwork
    2. Diligence
    3. Communication

5.   3 things I hope to learn about myself

    1. Independence
    2. Responsibility
    3. Adaptability

6.   3 challenges I give myself

    1. Reflect on everything I do
    2. Learn to learn
    3. Be more responsible, especially for my belongings

7.   What are my expectations of Penang?

    To learn something new.

Day 1 Reflections:

Thinking back over the day what I valued most was the stargazing activity at the Lim Choon Kiat's Observatory with the second largest telescope in Penang. One of the things that surprised me was that the observatory was not in a dome shape like we mostly see in the movies. Instead, it was just a small space with a roll on / roll off roof. I learn best when I get to do hands-on activities. Today, we used the telescope and managed to see the Andromeda Galaxy. I was genuinely amazed. I believe that this is a rare opportunity to learn about astronomy and I should make use of this opportunity to learn as much as I can. I like to consider others points of view because understanding many different points of view allows us to make more informed choices and it widens our perspective. In the future, I would like to pursue astronomy as an interest. When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because it changed my perspective on astronomy.

Day 2 Reflections:

The most important event that happened for me today was visiting the attractions at tech dome. I keep thinking about how it feels like to go against gravity and I experienced it. What I have learnt today reminds me about how minute our everyday problems are as compared to the universe. I believe this allows me to face my problems with a more open mind. I would never have thought about the problem in that way as we often forget our place it the world, the universe. We are just a tiny part of it. I hope I can learn to be more open minded and keep reminding myself that compared to the universe, I am not important. When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because I never knew how science could be applied so interestingly to real life applications.

Day 3 Reflections:

The most important event that happened for me today was rock climbing as it was my first time. One of the things that surprised me was that it was easier than expected. Something I have found out about myself is that I know I need to change the way I perceive things solely on first impressions. My point of view is that learning will take place only if you experience it first hand and not by first impressions. I would never have thought about the problem in that way without experiencing it. It even made me more interested in the science behind it! I hope I can learn to experience before judging. When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because each day, there are so many things to learn about.

Day 4 Reflections:

The most important event that happened for me today was to go to the Buddhist temple. One of the things that surprised me was that there was a Burmese Buddhist temple in Penang and the monks in the temple speak Burmese too. I know I need to change the way I behave in public as I often get too excited with friends around. I believe I’m a different country and the culture here is different, thus I should behave more. I like to consider others points of view because one opinion will never be right. In the future I would like to be more sensitive about what I say in front of people. When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because the way I think changes everyday and it amazes me.