Weekend Trips Around Asia

Guest Post By: Junior studying Business Administration at the Foster School of Business, Peter Zachariah. This Fall, Peter studied abroad with the Foster Exchange Program with the National University of Singapore.

Singapore is in a great location for travel. It is a bus ride to Malaysia, a short flight to Thailand, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian countries, and a manageable flight to Korea, Taiwan, and other Asian countries. Singapore’s location coupled with the fact that I had no classes on Friday and Monday meant that I was in for a semester packed with travel. I started off small: taking the bus from Singapore to Malaysia. The first destination my friends and I visited was Melaka, a historical city on the coast of Malaysia. There, we learned about Portuguese, Dutch, and British occupation and influence (I’m kind of a history nerd), and of course, ate amazing food! This was my first taste of Malaysia and I loved it! I went back twice more, once to Kalua Lumpur, the largest city, and once to Tioman Island, a remote island where I dove in crystal clear water and earned my open water diving license.

As the Semester continued, my destinations became ever larger. I visited Taipei– a city I instantly fell in love with! I enjoyed the historical feeling of the city, the richness of the culture, and the friendliness of the locals. I visited Bali, Indonesia, a popular vacation spot. The white sands, the food, and the surfing was amazing. I then visited Cambodia, where I got lost among Angkor Wat and a plethora of Hindu temples. Finally, to top it off, just before I went home to Seattle, I visited Bangkok. I was mesmerized with the extraordinary crowds and the fact that the city never seemed to sleep. Studying abroad in Singapore allowed me to travel to many different countries in a short period of time and I experienced a lot from each