My internship abroad in Singaporemodern and traditional at the same time

I was very excited at first when I was finally told that this weekend I was leaving for a country far away from home. Nevertheless, I was naturally looking forward to gaining lots of new experiences and developing personally.

The start was a little bumpy with a sprint across the transfer airport (due to the delay of the first flight), a missing suitcase and a transfer to different accommodation. Of course, it was also a bit of a culture shock afterwards, but the great helpfulness and friendliness of the people (especially my colleagues) quickly put me back in a positive frame of mind. I was immediately introduced to all my colleagues and taken to the local food markets (Hawker Center) during the lunch break.

There are currently 25 people working in the Rutronik international office in Singapore, which is located in a large office complex in the north of the city. However, it is not only the lunch break that is held together here, it is also customary to meet in the canteen for breakfast before work. The very informal relationship between colleagues was particularly noticeable. At the same time, of course, as a guest this also means that it is a real challenge to be able to pay for something yourself or even invite someone over. I also had the chance to learn and get to know a lot of things. For example, I didn't know that chopsticks should always be placed on the edge of the bowl/plate (horizontally, so to speak) and not with the tips pointing into the food or bowl.

But what makes Singapore the perfect country to start out in Asia? Firstly, the language, of course. The following characters may pose a certain challenge for some: 早安 (zǎo ān = good morning). Accordingly, it is almost impossible to learn Hokkien (a dialect used in Singapore based on Mandarin) within 6 weeks (the duration of my stay). However, this is not a problem at all, as English is the language of transportation, commerce and administration here. The majority of the population speaks very good English and even menus and other signs are always in English. This naturally makes many things easier and at the same time offers the opportunity to further improve your language skills.

On the other hand, Singapore is very safe and clean, although this is also due to very strict legislation. For example, chewing gum is prohibited and any littering is severely punished. This also goes hand in hand with good hygiene standards and drinkable tap water. This makes it possible to try out a wide variety of dishes, even in the local Hawker Centers, without any worries, even if you have a sensitive stomach. In these hawker centers, you can get a large selection of delicious dishes for the equivalent of less than 5 euros. One or two of the stalls may even be awarded a Michelin star. As I had planned to try as much as possible, I dared to try things like durian fruit (very pungent smell), sugar cane juice, chicken feet and duck liver and heart.

The relatively small country, which is about the size of Hamburg, also has a lot to offer in terms of tourism. Even arriving at the airport is an experience. Here you will encounter the world's largest indoor waterfall. But there is also plenty on offer outside the airport with attractions such as the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Gardens by the Bay and Sentosa Island. In addition to the impressive skyline of the city center, the Chinatown and Little India districts offer an insight into the different cultures. Some temples can also be found in these districts. An extremely efficient and well-developed network of public transport is particularly helpful for exploring the city, allowing you to move around the whole city very easily and cheaply. But this is also necessary, as the government is consistently trying to limit the number of cars. For example, the right to buy and drive a car for 10 years must be purchased, which cost the equivalent of around 72,000 euros at the last auction. Singapore also has the third-highest population density in the world with around 6 million inhabitants, who of course have to be transported alongside numerous tourists. So even a 5-minute wait on the MRT (subway) can be considered a long wait.

To summarize, I can recommend a visit to Singapore to everyone. Singapore offers everything from affordable to superlative prices. At the same time, it is a great opportunity for personal development and to gain many new impressions. The very friendly and good English-speaking Singaporeans and colleagues or, if necessary, Google Maps are also a great help. In conclusion, I would like to thank everyone involved once again. On the one hand, of course, to my colleagues in Singapore and, on the other hand, especially to those who supported me in the background and made this stay possible in the first place.

PS: A little tip for those of you who sometimes spend longer in a building: It's worth packing a jacket and/or sweater, because the air conditioning can make it quite cold.