Where are we going? (Joan)

I have never been to China before and I hope that I can learn more about China's heritage, economy and mostly education as it is something that I can relate to from this 7 days in Shanghai. I would also like to change some of my stereotypical assumptions on people in China. There are a few questions I have and two of them is regarding their education. I am wondering about their standard of English over there in Shanghai and why are they so motivated to study. During this trip, I really hope to see our class bond together and become closer to each other and maybe solve the gender segregation problem in our class. And most importantly, create more memories as a class and enjoy this trip as this is our last year as a class together.

Pre-Trip Task: Cost of Living in Singapore

Standard 4/5 Room HDB Flat in Punggol : Around $400000

Current cost of a brand new Toyota Vios : $120000 to $140000
Cheapest 10kg packet rice : $12
Cheapest one litre drinking mineral/distilled water : $0.50
Cheapest fresh whole chicken : $4.70
Do we provide plastic bags and how are they used?
Yes, plastic bags are provided whenever we buy something from any shop to allow us to carry our
items conveniently.
Who are the cashiers (age, nationality) and what kind of service do they provide?
The cashiers are normally aged 25-60 and are mostly Chinese, although there are some who are Malays and Indians. They provide good service by helping us pack our items properly into plastic bags.
Cheapest one litre of cooking oil : $3.20
School fee : $28
One litre of petrol : $2.19
One movie ticket on a weekend : $12-13
Average salary of a Singaporean : $2000-5000
Big Mac Meal : $8

To keep or not to keep( ziyuan )

I feel that the Christ the redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro should be preserved as the Rio de Janeiro is recognised by this statue. This is a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and should be kept not just as a tourist attraction, but also as a symbol of Rio de Janeiro. If the statue was destroyed, the Christians in the world would not be happy as this statue represents Christianity throughout the world.

Angkor wat, is a temple complex situated in Cambodia, and it is the largest religious monument in the world.
Angkor, in Cambodia's northern province of Siem Reap, is one of the mostimportant archaeological sites of Southeast Asia. It extends over approximately 400 square kilometres and consists of scores of temples, hydraulic structuRes as well as communication routes. For several centuries Angkor, was the centre of the Khmer Kingdom. With impressive monuments, several different ancient urban plans and large water reservoirs, the site is a unique concentration of features testifying to an exceptional civilization. The architecture and layout of the successive capitals bear witness to a high level of social order and ranking Khmer Empire. Angkor is therfore a major site exemplifying cultural, religious and symbolc values as well as containing high architectural, archaeological and artistic significance.
Therefore, it should be preserved.

To keep or not to keep(Joan)

The Changi prison is a site that should be preserved. In 2000, the prison was demolished. However, In view of its historical significance, the preservation of monuments board worked with the Singapore prison service and the urban redevelopment authority to allow the front gates of the old prison to be preserved and moved to the new prison. I think that whole of the prison should be preserved.

Changi Prison was designed to be a maximum security prison to house up to 600 criminals sentenced to long-term imprisonment in British Singapore. The remaining structures of the original prison – the entrance gate, wall and turrets – stand as an enduring symbol of the suffering of those who defended Singapore and the tumultuous years of the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945). This site also showed how far Singapore came from one subjugation to another and finally independence and that this journey was not an easy one.

The government should have preserved the whole site but at least the heritage, culture and history behind this prison are preserved and not lost.

To keep or not to keep(yiting)

The Giza pyramid complex consisting of the three pyramids of El Giza, Egypt is one of the most popular preserved sites that still exists till today. In fact, it is the oldest, as well as the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to remain largely intact.
I believe and agree that this site should be preserved for the following two main reasons.
Firstly, the construction of this site took an incredible amount of work, requiring tens of thousands of workers over decades, because of the lack of advanced technology then and the size of the pyramids. It was estimated that the pyramids were built around 2530BC, with the largest pyramid towering nearly 150metres high and covering 5.2hectares. This shows the perseverance and dedication of the ancient Egyptians who constructed these pyramids. So, to me, this site represents the product of resilience of these Egyptians, and thus, preserving this site shows and teaches us an example of great resilience, a value all of us ought to have and impart into our lives, allowing us to learn to never give up and to strive to always complete what we started.
Secondly, in general, history comes alive when people not only read about the past, but also when one is able to visit here historical sites, examine the artifacts, etc. Thus, preserving such sites preserves the physical structure as well as the heritage, culture, meanings and history behind these sites, allowing us to learn about the history of the particular country, the monument, their people, etc, and also ourselves as humans.
In conclusion, I believe in the preservation of historical sites and monuments not only because of their physical beauty, but mainly because of the stories behind the sites.