According to events:

China Exchange Programme '07-'08
(Singapore Trip)
(23 Jan '08 - 27 Jan '08)

Day 1: The buddies joined us for lessons according to our time-table till 2pm. We set off to the Singapore Zoo at about 3pm --it was supposed to be 2.30pm sharp and we were rushing our lunch for goodness-knows-what.

It was quite ok during curriculum, but the afternoon tour was bad. Nobody had nice pictures, relaxing time, learning experience. The silliest arrangement was for us to take the tram! Though it was my first time taking the tram in the zoo, I didn't like it at all. You wouldn't get a chance to have a good shot, you wouldn't be able to get close enough to the exhibits and read about the animals or just observe them. However, we were able to catch 1 animal show, so that kinduf round things up quite nicely. I felt as though that afternoon was a total waste of time. I was glad that I was able to explain the various parts of the banana tree to the Chinese nationals; they were really impressed at how beautiful the nature of the plant is!
We were back at school at 7+pm.

Day 2: Curriculum till 2pm. We were on our way to the Singapore Discovery Centre by 2.35pm. The tour should had been interesting and educational, but the guide made it so brief! Though I did not get to play with those hands-on games on my Learning Journey trip last time, before the Singapore Discovery Centre was re-opened, the tour was thorough enough and everyone was really satisfied with the trip. After the rough tour, at the snacks stall, you could see a crowd of talkative people purchasing junk food, preparing to go into the theatre with the tallest screen in Singapore. The movie screened was something which had got to do with millitary aircraft, which was in American English. Most of the Chinese nationals were bored to slumberland! Michelle's buddy actually slept during the show. My buddy was only interested in her candy-floss, she even fed me more than 5 times when I was enjoying the movie. Then she started shaking her right leg. I was sitting on her right. Just imagine, whatever you're seeing was actually moving up and down vigorously... I couldn't stop her, she's my guest and I'm her host. Day 2's tour was completely a waste of time!
We arrived back in school at 6+ pm.

Day 3: Curriculum as usual till 12.40pm. I had to work out some Youth Congress stuff, so I left my buddy with Isabel and Hazel. We left for Sentosa at 2.30pm. Besides the uninteresting and time-wasting activities, The Merlion, Siloso Beach and the "Songs of the Sea" extravaganza were the only memorable attractions. What time-wasting activities you might question. Well, the tour guide gave us 45 minutes free-time to walk around, but most of the attractions required an additional admission fee -.-''' So apparently, we just walked around and took pictures to kill time. I must really help promote the "Songs of the Sea" seaside show because the effects using light, water and fire were marvelous, but the storyline is really bad.
Since we had to catch the night show and it was Friday, we alighted at Katong Hostel at 10+ pm.

Day 4: I was busy with Youth Congress rehersal in the early morning. That day coincided with my cousin's wedding, so I didn't join the buddies for morning tour. I managed to catch up with them when they were about to leave Little India for the Sultan's Palace at Arab Street area. Then we went to Chinatown, where most of our buddies just didn't care about the existance of their hosts and just wander off into the sea of people leaving us at the back, struggling to reach for them, which was why we gave up on taking responsibility over them and browse along the streets on our own.
In the evening, it's all up to me to arrange. I know it's quite tough for my buddy to try to stay alert especially after a day's walk from place to place, non-stop. She wanted to buy some cosmetics, so I brought her to John Little at Orchard together with my mum and brother. We were actually on our way to Seah Street to have our dinner at an authentic Hainanese restaurant. So after dinner, we headed to the Merlion Park as promised to her, the Fountain of Wealth, then my dad drove us around the Civic District, passed the fomer and present Supreme Courts, the Parliament House, Clarke Quay (to check out the night buzz). On our way back, we passed by the "durian district" along Geylang, unfortunately, my buddy was so tired that she took a nap on the way back to my house.

Day 5: My dad and I brought her to the hawker centre to experience the "morning breakfast routine" of the typical Singaporeans. I bought tau huay jui (soya bean drink), chai tau kuay (fried carrot cake), chee chiong fan / zhu chang fen, nonya zhang (nonya glutinous-rice dumpling), the "green top with glutinous-rice bottom" nonya kuay, and some small portions of yam cake, shun kuay and loh mai gai. She's not a big eater, so my dad and I ate a lot. We even took a photo with the MP and Mayor for our constituency and district. I was glad that she was glad.
Then we headed to East Coast Park for awhile. We met up with Brenda and Hazel together with their buddies at Bugis. Let's not mention about the fire-ry fuming mad crazy "shopping spree". After rushing back to the hostel to pack their home-stay belongings back into their baggages, we had a fare-well dinner at Prinsep Street.
It was then, finally, tar-tar to the Chinese nationals!!!