2016 GCP BUSAN 부산

We woke up at around the same time today. My hotel room felt like it was a sauna because we have accidentally changed the settings of our heater to 40 degrees Celcius We packed up and went for breakfast before we headed off to visit the Superintendent, Mr Kim Seokjoon, at the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education.
We were warmly greeted by many officials working there. After a short break at their cafeteria, we met the director and the Superintendent. I feel very honoured to be meeting them because it is a very opportunity to be meeting such high ranking officials. The Superintendent started off the session by giving a speech which mainly mentioned about how amazed he was at our school's learning environment and how it functions, along with his well wishes for us to enjoy our trip here in Busan. Mrs Chew then gave her speech by highlighting the importance of schools learning from one another in order to better improve the ways of educating students. Busan and SST have been in partnership for 3 years and I really hope that this partnership continues because I agree with Mrs Chew that we need to continue to learn from one another and further grow together in order to educate the young people who will be leaders of our future. It was a rather short exchange. After taking a group photo, we bid goodbye to the Superintendent and we headed to the Samsung Renault Motor Factory.
At the Samsung Renault Motor Factory Gallery, we were greeted by our guide. She hence went on to explain about the engine types, typical sedan car design outline and also a very vintage car called Voiturette. At the sedan car model, we can see a lot of supporting structures to help absorb impact in the event of a car crash. These metal bars are situated around primary areas of the car and are shock-absorbent. The reason why these structures are needed is because a large portion of the car's body is made out of aluminium which is a very weak metal. However, the main reason why aluminium is used in the body of the car is because it is lightweight which explains why there shouldn't be too many supporting structures as well as it will use up more energy and become less energy-efficient. Because of the effects of global warming, many companies that I have seen so far in Busan (such as POSCO) are becoming more environmentally friendly. With such efforts by major companies like Samsung Renault Motors Factory, we would hence be able to greatly reduce the effects of global warming and pollution. Our guide also explained about the timing belt which is usually made out of metal instead of rubber because rubber will lose its tension very easily and it will stretch. The brakes of the car uses a hydraulic press system. Each wheel has an independent brake system. We also saw a very vintage car called Voiturette which was created by Louis Renault. It's maximum speed however, is only 22km/h and weighs 200kg. Interestingly, its headlights are actually candles. Without oxygen, the flame would not be able to ignite. Hence they had lids to allow oxygen to flow in. To move the car, we would have to pull the handle to generate electricity. However, it is exposed to the weather and there is no shelter against unfavourable weather like heavy rain and strong winds. The brake system in this car is different from the modern car shown previously. Its brake system is a lever system. When the lever is activated, the rear pad is gripped to the axel to generate friction and provide resistance for the car to come to a stop. We also learnt about the different types of engines. The cylinders in the engine cause internal combustion as ignition happens, rapid expansion of the fuel and air pushes the piston up which connects to the driving shaft. For example, V6 means that there are 6 cylinders which are shaped in a 'V' and is a very common engine configuration. We also went to their factory where they assemble the car. It was a huge factory and they mainly used robots and machines to help them in assembling the parts of the car. This proves how important technology is in this modern world. The factory also has a field of solar panels installed so that they can use renewable energy to release energy for the different shops to do their job (enough for 8000 households!).

After visiting the Samsung Renault Motor Factory, we went back to school for lunch at the cafeteria when it is finally fully vegetarian!!! I enjoyed my meal a lot.

Afterwards, we went for the different classes. First, we went for robot class at the robot lab to do a sound sensor project using Arduino. Through this, I actually applied what I have learnt back in my ICT class in SST about coding and Arduino to complete this project. I worked well with Raviraj and it felt like studying in SST all over again and doing projects with my peers. We collaborated well and enjoyed ourselves very much, also with the guidance of our buddy. BSHS also has 1 ICT lesson of about 50 minutes also per week, which is similar to that of the lower secondary curriculum in SST.

Next, we went to the Smart Lab where we tried to operate drones. It was a rather fun (and dangerous) experience handling the drones as it kept flying everywhere without control. The teacher, Mr Son, told us that drones are becoming more common in our everyday lives and it is essential that we learn how to operate them because we are living in the 21st century now and many things will be related to technology in future (just like the robot class).

We then joined the regular class. I went to music class and enjoyed myself a lot there. I played the piano and the Busan students were listening to me play my piano pieces. I also learnt how to play the Korean traditional instrument, gayageum, with the help of a buddy. I learnt various tricks and methods to play the gayageum. Another buddy also taught me how to play the drums and I picked up the skill very quickly because I was already very familiar with music in general and it was easy for me to coordinate my leg and hand movement. The buddies then proceeded to perform for us various songs and instrumental pieces. It was very entertaining and funny at times. I appreciate them for their friendliness and patience in interacting with us and teaching us. This was a different learning experience as we don't have music lessons in SST. Although BSHS is very science-orientated, it also provides platforms to hone students' music or artistic abilities.

Afterwards, we went for Chemistry lesson at the Chemistry lab. We were determining the concentration of Vitamin C using the UV-Vis spectrophotometer. This was a real-world application as we applied our learning of vitamins and UV wavelengths. I also had to use the skills that I have learnt during Biotechnology practical sessions to use the instruments such as the Quartz cuvette and the pipette. However, our results were way off than the actual expected results. It was challenging as we did not know what went wrong. After several discussions with the lecturer, we figured out that we did the experiment wrongly as we went to dilute the vitamin instead, resulting in a very weird vitamin concentration value.

We then had dinner with the school officials and teachers at a very fancy BBQ restaurant. We ate a lot of korean food which we had never really tried before. I liked the hot noodles that they have specially ordered for the vegetarians. Our table was full of joy and laughter.

Returning back to school, we were greeted by our buddies at the robot lab again which is a place for us to interact with one another and understand each other better with the use of the computer. Surprisingly, the previous buddies that I've actually met came! Han Jiyun unnie was there too! We had a great time conversing with one another and I really hoped that there was more time to spend with each other as my time with her is very limited :( I will appreciate the remaining time spent with her and the other buddies that I know.

Like other days, today was fruitful and I have learnt and enjoyed myself a lot from today's programmes.





Connect learning
Extending learning
How did you challenge yourselves

We woke up at 5am SG time today after a good rest last night. We proceeded to school to attend the welcome ceremony and the programmes that Busan Science High School (BSHS) has so thoughtfully planned out for us. I feel rather touched by their warm welcome as there were banners placed around BSHS about our arrival here.

 I also met up with my previous buddy, Han Jiyun. We missed each other very much and we have been in contact since March when she came to visit our school. I will treasure my time with her as I know it will be very limited and I might not even see her again after I leave Busan :( I truly enjoy every moment I had spent with her and I hope that we will still remain in contact.

Shortly after, we went up to the auditorium to attend the Welcome Ceremony. We were greeted by many teachers and students in the hall as we proceeded to take our seats. The Principal, Mr Woo, gave his speech and subsequently invited us up onto the stage for BSHS's student representative, Mr Tan, and I to give an opening speech. I felt quite nervous at first before giving the speech because it would be my first time talking to the students of Busan Science High School. However, I have prepared multiple times for the speech and I finally had the confidence to smile and speak on stage. It was quite a memorable part of the ceremony for me.

After the ceremony, we returned to the seminar room to meet our new buddies. My buddy is Hayun unnie. I love her outgoing and bubbly attitude. She tries to interact with me and continue the conversation using English. We can relate to one another very well in many ways like sharing interests over Korean Drama and also KPOP. I am very grateful to have her as my buddy and I look forward to seeing her in the next couple of days and also in January when it is her time to visit us at SST.


We woke up at 5am SG time today after a good rest last night. We proceeded to school to attend the welcome ceremony and the programmes that Busan Science High School (BSHS) has so thoughtfully planned out for us. I feel rather touched by their warm welcome as there were banners placed around BSHS about our arrival here.

 I also met up with my previous buddy, Han Jiyun. We missed each other very much and we have been in contact since March when she came to visit our school. I will treasure my time with her as I know it will be very limited and I might not even see her again after I leave Busan :( I truly enjoy every moment I had spent with her and I hope that we will still remain in contact.

Shortly after, we went up to the auditorium to attend the Welcome Ceremony. We were greeted by many teachers and students in the hall as we proceeded to take our seats. The Principal, Mr Woo, gave his speech and subsequently invited us up onto the stage for BSHS's student representative, Mr Tan, and I to give an opening speech. I felt quite nervous at first before giving the speech because it would be my first time talking to the students of Busan Science High School. However, I have prepared multiple times for the speech and I finally had the confidence to smile and speak on stage. It was quite a memorable part of the ceremony for me.

After the ceremony, we returned to the seminar room to meet our new buddies. My buddy is Hayun unnie. I love her outgoing and bubbly attitude. She tries to interact with me and continue the conversation using English. We can relate to one another very well in many ways like sharing interests over Korean Drama and also KPOP. I am very grateful to have her as my buddy and I look forward to seeing her in the next couple of days and also in January when it is her time to visit us at SST.

We then went to the Physics lab to conduct two experiments - to create electromagnetic waves generator and detector. The lesson was engaging and fruitful as I have learnt the principle behind why the light bulb in the detector lights up when any electromagnetic waves are generated. This allowed me to understand the electromagnetic waves deeper and possibly apply them in my learning at SST as well when we are doing research projects.

In the Biology lab lesson, we learnt about Gel Electrophoresis and DNA extraction. The experiments that we do are very similar to that of my Biotechnology lesson in SST. We use the same equipments and procedures to do the experiment. Our buddies were also very helpful in guiding us throughout the whole procedure. It was almost like a revision for my lab practical sessions in my Biotechnology class.

Afterwards, we went to the invention lab. The teacher started off the class by performing a 'magic trick'. This magic trick was science-based. He thus explained to us that magicians make use of science to create these "magic" tricks. We created a wireless power transmitter device with the help of our buddies who explained the principle behind the entire process of the "trick". Building it was tough at first because even my buddy did not know what his lecturer was talking about, but with the aid of visual diagrams and demonstrations by the lecturer himself, we sort of got the hang of it. We had to really think of ways to solve many problems because we either cut off the entire wire instead of the coating or we forgot to remove the coating of the wire or we did not understand the instructions, etc. I also learnt about perseverance because I was close to giving up because of the time constraint. Inside my mind I was chanting "Let's just give up. We will never create the product in time anyway". But we soon understood how things worked and we got it completed in under 20 minutes.

Then, we went for lunch at the school's cafeteria. I heard that there is a nutritionist in the cafeteria who plans out the food to provide the students with enough nutrition for the day. The food was delicious and I liked the rice cake and egg in the soup the most.

After that, we were separated into different groups to experience the different activities in the many clubs that BSHS offer (such as Hip Hop, English Magazine, Music, etc.) I was in the reading club. Surprisingly, they do not only read books but they also create the yearly magazines for the school by doing interviews, short write-ups or poems. The teacher and the students there were very friendly and welcoming. We even contributed 2 questions for their upcoming interview with their principal after going through a series of discussion. After that, we went to the Nanta club and also the outdoor deck to watch performances specially put together for us. My previous buddy, Han Jiyun unnie was also performing. As the performances went on, Hayun unnie explained to me the significance of each instrument and the lyrics that they were "rapping". I gained a better inside of the music they performed.

We left the school and went to Choongryeolsa to try on the Korean traditional clothing called Hanbok. We learnt about the the history of Hanbok and also the proper etiquette when wearing this piece of exquisitely designed clothing. We also played a few traditional games and tasted the "mochi". I enjoyed myself a lot and I would find this the main highlight of the day as I had learnt a lot about Korean culture. One example was the dilution of culture that has been ongoing in Korea. This is similar to Singapore because Singapore also faces this problem of cultural dilution due to the high influx of immigrants into our country. We should find different methods to continue to educate others on the culture that Singaporeans from different races had in the past.



We then went back to the school cafeteria for dinner when i finally could enjoy vegetarian soup 😂

After dinner, we went to FAB LAB which resembles the ADMT studio like SST. I saw that they had 3 3D printers and many working tables for the students. The projects that they embark on are slightly more science-orientated compared to that of SST's ADMT programmes which seems to be more design-orientated from what I have experienced. We had a mini competition to create the best structure that could delay the marbles from sliding down the quickest. I believe that this was more physics-orientated as we needed to apply the concepts that we have learnt in clas cuh as moments and forces.

Overall, i had a very memorable and fruitful experience today and I look forward to visiting the Samsung Renault Motors Factory and also meeting my two buddies again!

After our touchdown at Busan airport, we made our way to the very first item on our itinerary list - Visit to POSCO.

Along the way I picked up certain interesting facts from our tour guide, Mr Bryan. Busan is the second largest city in Korea, with Seoul being the first. There will be a very breathtaking scenery at night at the Gwangandaegyo or Diamond Bridge. South Korea has a population of 50 million, while that of North Korea is 20 million. Korea's goods are usually cheaper compared to other countries because it is the site of production of many goods like rice etc. However, like some other countries, Korea faces a population problem which results from the teachings of Confucianism. People would abort the baby if it's female while they are doing the gender test during one's pregnancy. Hence there are 10% less females than males here. Korea's economy has also been deteriorating, hence they try to use science and technology as much as possible (to innovate, create, or improve existing products etc.). Hence, Korea puts great focus on science in education systems so as to produce scientists or any science-related occupations.

After our touchdown at Busan airport, we made our way to the very first item on our itinerary list - Visit to POSCO.

Along the way I picked up certain interesting facts from our tour guide, Mr Bryan. Busan is the second largest city in Korea, with Seoul being the first. There will be a very breathtaking scenery at night at the Gwangandaegyo or Diamond Bridge. South Korea has a population of 50 million, while that of North Korea is 20 million. Korea's goods are usually cheaper compared to other countries because it is the site of production of many goods like rice etc. However, like some other countries, Korea faces a population problem which results from the teachings of Confucianism. People would abort the baby if it's female while they are doing the gender test during one's pregnancy. Hence there are 10% less females than males here. Korea's economy has also been deteriorating, hence they try to use science and technology as much as possible (to innovate, create, or improve existing products etc.). Hence, Korea puts great focus on science in education systems so as to produce scientists or any science-related occupations.

I feel privileged and excited to go for this Global Citizenship Programme. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to gain new knowledge.
The 3 things that I hope to learn from this trip would be how Busan (or Korea) use infuse science and technology into their industries to further improve their standing in the world, Korea's culture (via the visit of the UNESCO sites as well as through interaction with our Korean buddies), and also understand how the transport system in Busan (or Korea) works to cater a huge volume of commuters. I am looking forward to visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, meeting my Korean buddies, and also the visits to the POSCO museum and factory as well as the APEC house.
I hope to learn from my friends in terms of being independent while we are overseas, away from our family (to be responsible for our own belongings and well-being). Also, I hope to learn certain aspects of them that may be useful in my own learning in Busan.
Through this trip, I also wish that I am able to better understand myself in terms of my study and working habits and also broaden my perspective on Busan in terms of its economy, education system, and also its transport system. This way, I can better understand what challenges Busan face and the solutions they provide. We will hence be able to apply this knowledge to Singapore's growing challenges as well.
The challenges that I give myself would be for me to learn as much as I can while I am in Busan, try to apply this knowledge to Singapore's context, and also to be independent while I am on my own.
I believe that Korea (Busan, specifically) would be a place that would give me a bird's eye view of the current standing that Korea is at in terms of its economy, education system, transport system, etc. It would broaden my perspective on Korea in many aspects. I know that Korea will have a very beautiful scenery and would be a fun place to explore, but in the midst of all that, it will be a place rich in culture and knowledge.