Final Refelction

ES2007S IS THE BEST MODULE I HAVE TAKEN IN NUS SO FAR!!!! That statement simply says it all. 12 weeks past by too fast because I had a great group of classmates and we really gel-ed very well with each other. Frankly it was the only class that I really wanted to go for during the semester. The skills that I picked up during the module is definitely a practical which would come in handy when I take on the corporate world. It was the only class I felt that was engaging and I was willingly participated in. I liked this module so much that I recommended it to all my friends. Obviously this module wouldn't have been as great without our tutor. She was always willing to listen to what every student had to say and gave constructive criticism when necessary. Made new friends and really enjoyed this module. Thanks guys:)

Oral Presentation

The preparation up to the oral presentation with my group mates was really enriching and I really enjoyed the process. The topic for our presentation was in sync with the universities aim at going towards a greener campus. Through our groups research and preparation for the oral presentation I was able to learn the infrastructure of organisations in NUS and how different departments despite how similar they sound still have different specific goals that they want to achieve. I was initially very confused and slightly annoyed why there were so many different organisations that "seemed" to be pretty much focusing on similar objectives. However preparing for this organisation enabled me to understand the different purposes of different organisations. Moreover I also learned that on top of "Earth Day" we still have "World Environment Day".
Even though it sounds similar the two days actually have different objectives to achieve. Simply put this whole project has shown me that the world is not as green as we assume it to be. We still need to put in more effort to move towards a healthier mother nature.

Observing Intercultural Communications

In this blog post, I am going to describe an intercultural scenario that I have observed when I was in Taiwan last December. This incident happened at Taipei Railway Station on day 1. My family and I did not know how to get to Hualien because the railway transport system in Taiwan was much more complicated and confusing than what we have in Singapore. Basically, there are 3 different types of trains available at the Taipei Railway Station. They are the Taipei Metro (similar to Singapore's MRT), Taiwan Railway and Taiwan High Speed Rail (similar to Japan's 'bullet train'). Not knowing which is the correct one to take, we stood in the middle of the station lobby holding maps and brochures of the different trains to have a discussion.

In the midst of the discussion, a Taiwanese lady, in her mid-thirties, walked past and overheard our conversation. Without hesitation, she approached us and asked us if we need help. We explained our situation to her and she gave us an introduction on each of the 3 trains, including a rough gauge of the ticket prices and train timings. She even showed us the way to buy the train tickets. From her detailed introduction and enthusiasm while talking to us, we thought that she is a staff of the railway station. Much to our surprise, she is just a random passer-by! Throughout the whole trip, we met a lot of friendly and helpful Taiwanese who offered us help whenever we needed it. Some were even voluntary.

As a Singaporean, I was really shocked by the high level of friendliness and initiative that most Taiwanese have. In Taiwan, it is common for help to be offered even without request whereas in Singapore, it is common to be shunned by people or be shown a straight face when you ask them for help. Maybe it is linked to the 'kiasi' culture in Singapore or how we were being brought up to not talk to strangers? I hope I am not over-generalizing over here.

Application Letter Draft 1

Irtiza Quader
123 ABC Street
#111-222 Singapore 123456
(+65) 9123-4567
irtizaquader@gmail.com

17 February 2013

Ms Christine Tan
Human Resource Manager
JAYA HOLDINGS LTD
13 Tuas Crescent Singapore 638707

Dear Ms Tan

Application for Marine/Mechanical Engineer Internship

I am writing this letter to express my interest in joining Jaya Holdings Ltd as an intern in Marine Offshore Engineering department. 

I am currently an undergraduate student with the National University of Singapore (NUS). I am on my second year and I am studying Mechanical Engineering. I have been exposed to an extensive range of modules in my course which has equipped me with the knowledge in various aspects of engineering. Furthermore, modules which require me to do laboratory analysis has enabled me to improve my laboratory analysis techniques and also provided me with hands on experience of various engineering concepts and machines. 

My education has provided me with a comprehensive background in working in a stressful environment and has built my public relation skills. During my National Service I was posted to the Police Coast Guards(PCG) as a Sergeant where I was put in charge of corporals and constables to man a boat and protect the shores of Singapore. Moreover, I also went through a course in nautical studies as a trainee with PCG. I have been equipped with general marine law and basic troubleshooting on boat engines. This was a catalyst for me to express an interest in marine offshore engineering. I demonstrated meticulousness in my work and problem-solving on a daily basis. Through challenging leadership positions, I have developed a strong sense of responsibility, effective interpersonal skills and the ability to contribute to teamwork.

Having developed a keen interest in marine engineering, it is my aspiration to gain a foothold in this industry. Hence, I believe that Jaya Holdings Ltd will be able to give me a comprehensive understanding about this industry and also provide me with creative thinking, experience and good judgment. With my knowledge of basic marine engineering and marine law, I hope to be given this opportunity to obtain an internship with Jaya Holdings Ltd

My resume is enclosed for your evaluation. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your positive reply.

Yours Sincerely
Irtiza Quader

Interpersonal Conflict

Conflict between people is a fact of life – and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, a relationship with frequent conflict may be healthier than one with no observable conflict. Conflicts occur at all levels of interaction – at work, among friends, within families and between relationship partners. When conflict occurs, the relationship may be weakened or strengthened. Thus, conflict is a critical event in the course of a relationship. Conflict can cause resentment, hostility and perhaps the ending of the relationship. If it is handled well, however, conflict can be productive – leading to deeper understanding, mutual respect and closeness. Whether a relationship is healthy or unhealthy depends not so much on the number of conflicts between participants, but on how the conflicts are resolved.

Recently I had a misunderstanding with one of my committee members. I am the team manager of the Inter-Varsity Rugby Team. We recently planned a tour to Hong Kong to participate in a Tertiary tournament over there. Before leaving for Hong Kong we had to de-brief the team on the itinerary, what to bring and also the dress code for the various days. Before the meeting the EXCO met up and we agreed that we will be traveling in formal attire to better represent the school. However when this was announced in front of the team it received a lot of disapproval. One of the EXCO members ,in an attempt to resolve the situation, quickly blurted out that wearing formal is not necessary and that it would be fine to wear jeans and T-shirt instead. This really did make me angry at that point of time cause it made it seem that the EXCO was not communicating properly and showed poor leadership with in the rugby team. After the briefing was over we exchanged harsh words. He felt that catering to the team was more important. After calming down and talking things out the EXCO decided that since the information was already given, formal attire will not be necessary for travel. This decision was taken so that no further confusion would be caused. We also reflected on our actions and decided in future that before any sudden changes in decisions are made we would consult each other first.

How do you think I could have handled the situation in a better way?

Why effective communication skills are important for me

Effective communication is an integral part of my life. Being a tutor, a team manager and a coach, I have to always be aware of who I am talking to and how I am talking to the person. Moreover for the roles I have, I have to use a different approach for each one of them. Aside from the positions I hold I personally feel that people are social creatures. No matter how introverted a person maybe, he or she has to communicate with others. I feel that whenever any form of communications takes place, be it in the form of texting or even face to face conversations, effective communications have to be observed. From a educators perspective, effective communication is important to me because I need to always be able to relate to my students and be able to explain to them properly the various concepts involved. There is a need for me to draw incidences that they can relate to, to explain the concepts. From a co-captains perspective I need to be able to gel with the team players and bring the best out of them on and off the field. I need to be able to convince the players to listen and follow me and also to earn their trusts so that they know that they can count on me when it matters. Hence these are the reasons why effective communication skills are essential to me. Not learning and adapting to this method would make my job very difficult.