Monmouth College students visit Singapore 

By: Dustin Looney
Features Editor

An enthusiastic group of 16 Monmouth College students traveled to Singapore and Malaysia over the holiday break.

Led my Monmouth College psychology professors Kristin Larson and Corrine Lim-Kessler, the students absorbed the vastly different culture for 10 days, from Jan. 3 to Jan. 13.

The group consisted of nine psychology majors and seven business majors, and each student received two credits toward their respective major.

The students learned much knowledge from the journey and they were given assignments to complete while overseas, in addition to a paper they had to write upon arrival.

The group of business students learned about international business, and the psychology students learned about cross-cultural psychology, according to Larson.

The true knowledge gained by the students, however, could not be taught with a textbook, as they were exposed to a variety of attractions while in the Far East. Among the destinations toured by the group were the world’s tallest towers, the Petronas Twin Towers, the Carlsberg Sky Tower, China-Town, Singapore Airlines, the corporate headquarters of Mesiniagi and Unilever and Singapore Management University.

The group also spent one day on a beach with palm trees and white sand on Santosa Island.

On the beach, the Monmouth students started a volleyball game, which evolved into an epic diversion consisting of people from America, Korea, Hungry, Australia and India. Larson called the game “the volleyball game for world peace.”

Although the students were thousands of miles from Monmouth College, a strong Monmouth camaraderie was still alive, as Asia is the home to almost 30 Monmouth College alumni.

The group of students was fortunate enough to be shown around by two of the alumni, one of whom is a university professor, while the other is a successful business person in Malaysia.

Although the culture was extremely different than what the students were used to, all students adjusted well and were willing to try new things, according to Larson.
She also noted how safe the entire journey was, as Singapore is very strict when it comes to crime. Violators to the country’s policies could be hanged for an offense as minor as possession of marijuana.

The students who attended this trip were able to experience first-hand a different culture, and this experience had a profound effect on many of them.

“I feel like the experience I had with the people helped to expand my understanding of people in general,” senior Hilary Binks of Glen Ellyn said. “They do everything for the greater good, which is very different from here in America. It just made me realize a little bit more about what it is that’s important to me.”

The expedition was so successful that Larson is already planning a trip over next year’s holiday break. This program will travel to China, and it is open for all Monmouth College students to apply. More information can be obtained by contacting Larson.