OH MY GOODNESS THIS MONTH WAS CRAZYYYYYYY
Okay, maybe that was a quick over-exaggeration, but the travel bug definitely had bitten me this month and not gonna lie, I'm a little tired but I would not be opposed to doing it more. First off, classes (because yes, I was actually doing school). I pretty much got into the routine of things pretty quickly and met some new friends. Man, everyone at NUS is super smart and super friendly, and honestly, I got pretty lucky with my classes. I'm super engaged in all of them and all the professors are super passionate along with the students. I also hung out with my new friends exploring more of Singapore in the beginning of the month :) But OTHER THAN THAT, LET'S GET INTO SOPHIA'S LEAPFROG IN SOUTH EAST ASIA ADVENTURE! So the reason why a lot of exchange students choose NUS is not only for the top tier academics, but also for the fact that it's in the center of many Southeast Asian countries. NUS also has a week long "break" (meant to be study week if needed but since all of my classes are project based I got them done early and was free) that many exchangers use as an excuse to travel. Before that, I went to Phuket, Thailand with the other lovely Freeman Scholar, Raymond Tanaka. We went to places such as Old Town, Big Buddha, and other places I cannot mention in a University Blog Post but if you Google Phuket, Thailand you can discover that on your own LOL. As a note: If you're a woman, many temples require you to cover your shoulders and legs, so no tank-tops or shorts allowed. Some places provide shawls and skirts to cover up your legs for purchase, but if you plan on visiting temples, make sure to be more conservative in your clothing! Fast forward to NUS' recess week (Saturday, September 23rd-Sunday, October 1st), I went alone to Bukit Lawang, Indonesia > Bangkok, Thailand > Siem Reap, Cambodia > and Saigon, Vietnam. I spent about 1.5 days in each country doing various activities. I went on a jungle trek, went on a Buddhist Temple Run, went on an Old Temple Run, ate on streets with the locals, and went on MANY BOATS. I'm not going to go into too much detail of what I did in each country (please feel free to DM me on @ soapy.zepol on Instagram for more stories or email me at [email protected]!), but I will list a few apps that helped me plan this adventure: - Hostelworld: A hostel is basically cheap ($5-$30), short-term shared lodging meant for travelers! There are private rooms available in some hostels, but generally the concept is that you're assigned a bed and a locker in a room with multiple people. This is HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON YOUR COMFORTABILITY, but in my experience, it was a WONDERFUL opportunity to meet new people in either your assigned room or activities that the hostel may hold for a cheap cost! Very important note: make sure to do your research on the "vibe" of the hostel and look at the reviews in multiple sources other than Hostelworld to verify the state of facilities. Certain places like Mad Monkey are more on the party-end, so if you're not into that, look somewhere else. - Klook: Great for booking tours and activities! You will generally get cheaper prices here, but always compare with other rates. Your hostel may provide the same tour for cheaper. - Trip Advisor: Also great for booking tours and activities! I've noticed it's a little more expensive on this end, but again, compare your prices. - WhatsApp: Outside of Singapore, WhatsApp is the messaging app used in most SEA countries. It's normal after booking a tour on external websites/apps for the agency or tour conductor to ask for your WhatsApp, and any questions or inquiries after the confirmation email can be communicated there. It's going to be an obvious statement here: BE SAFE! Especially if you're a woman solo traveling, please take the necessary pre-cautions like leaving your most important stuff in your room and learning to say no if you ever feel uncomfortable or ignore people & continue walking. Unfortunately, due to smaller economic conditions, there are many locals that will offer to sell you something, especially in places populated with tourists. I, as a people pleaser especially (lol), will find it hard to say no. But you must! Remember that you are a college student on a budget too. With that said, find that balance of keeping safe and going out of your comfort zone. I found that many people are super nice and want to learn more about the world, solo travelers and locals alike. I made most of my new connections and new Instagram mutuals through tours, but even asking a random person "Hey, can you take my picture?" can go a long way into making lifelong memories. Also, do some crazy things! Touch a snake, eat some bugs (I ate a lot of bugs during this trip but frogs are the best tasting in my opinion), eat on the street! Always do these things with a group of people around you of course, but I encourage you to live life and do things that may be a little unconventional. People say that solo traveling will teach you a lot. Now did it change me in a week? Not really, I'm still the same old me. But I did learn that even as a 5'0 flat 19-years-of-age Filipino gal, I can take care of myself, and the world is huge outside of our island of Hawaii.
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AuthorJust me! In Singapore. I like adventures! Btw, click on IMPORTANT INFORMATION under Categories for things like class structure, necessary apps, and anything pre-departure related. Blog per Month!
March 2024
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