Asia Magazine #25 by CITO

asiamagazine #25 | SPRING 2015 | BY CHALMERS STUDENTS IN ASIA

Chalmers International Taiwan Office

asiamagazine WHAT IS THE CHALMERS INTERNATIONAL TAIWAN OFFICE? Chalmers International Taiwan Office, CITO, was opened in March 2003 and is the result of a bilateral exchange agreement between National Chiao Tung University, NCTU, and Chalmers University of Technology. CITO is strategically located at NCTU, near the Hsinchu Science Park. PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION - Increase awareness at Chalmers about the development in East Asia, with focus on Taiwan. - Support mobility of students and staff between NCTU and Chalmers. - Enhance Chalmers’ visibility in Taiwan and the neighbouring region. - Act as a hub at NCTU for Chalmers students in East Asia. - Further develop cooperation with Swedish companies in Taiwan and Asia. A part of CITO’s mission is to enhance opportunities for Chalmers students in Asia. To do this we search for internships, master theses or other cooperation. If you are looking for assistance to grab the opportunities in Asia, do not hesitate to contact us today! THE CHALMERS ASIA MAGAZINE The purpose of this publication is to increase the awareness of Asia among the students and the staff of Chalmers. The articles are written by Chalmers’ exchange students within the World Wide Programme in Asia. EDITOR IN CHIEF | ALEXANDER REDENKOVIC alexander.radenkovic@chalmers.se ART DIRECTOR | VICTOR PETERSSON victor.petersson@chalmers.se ADRESS CITO National Chiao Tung University, 1001 Daxue Rd., Hsinchu 300, Taiwan, R.O.C. WEB www.asia.chalmers.se PHONE +886 (0) 979 18 44 30 +46 (0)31 772 10 00 OTHER CHALMERS STUDENTS IN ASIA CONTRIBUTING TO ASIA MAGAZINE 2014/2015 CHINA: Karl Bohlin | bokarl@student.chalmers.se

Mattias Engström | mattias.a.engstrom@gmail.com

Astrid Parinder | astridparinder@hotmail.com

Emelie Joelsson | emeliejoelsson88@hotmail.com HONG KONG: Mikaela Bengtsson | mikben@student.chalmers.se

Dag Fahlin Strömberg | fdag@student.chalmers.se

Maja Fahlen | maja.fahlen@live.se JAPAN: Robert Edström | robert.edstrom@gmail.com

Martin Wånge | martin.wange@bredband.net

Eva-Lotta Holby | evalottaholby@hotmail.com

Jakob Christer Thordson | jacob.thordson@gmail.com SOUTH KOREA:

Pontus Dahlberg | dpontus@student.chalmers.se

SINGAPORE: Sarah Blake Elmvall | sarelm@student.chalmers.se Sara Frisk | frsara@student.chalmers.se

Matilde Bengtsson | tilde_bengtsson@hotmail.com

Simon Wessberg | simonwessberg@gmail.com

Justin Saler-Ramberg| justin.saler.r@gmail.com

Johan Gustafsson | johan.gusten@gmail.com

Sebastian Djerf | djerfs@student.chalmers.se

Lennart Lundberg | lennart.lundberg91@gmail.com

Jeanna Fahlin Strömberg | fahlin@student.chalmers.se

Mattias Kristiansson | matkri@student.chalmers.se Victor Sellman | vicsel@student.chalmers.se

Rickard Wendeberg | ricwend@student.chalmers.se

Henrik Wallenius | henwall@student.chalmers.se

Daniel Weidenmark | danweid@student.chalmers.se

Front cover: Granddad and Son Looking Into the Future | photo by Kasper Westman Back cover:View from Mount Kinabalu | photo by Tommy Engqvist Content page photo: Two Pandas | photo by Maximilian Ludvigsson

asiaLetter

The Silver Issue

t has been 205 days since my first arrival in Taiwan. I have

Students from Chalmers positioned all around Asia have made

laughed, cried and scowled over the differences between

this issue what it is by their observations of life in these dis-

what is here and what I’ve grown used to back in Sweden. After

tant lands. A huge thank you goes out to all of them for putting

a cold winter, the heat is once again rapidly building, soon to

up with my meticulous comments and changes to their writing.

reach the humid and thick warmth often associated with the

This issue would not be possible without them, and you will find

country. The clothes gradually decrease as the cold drinks and

they all have done a great job.

ice creams increase. My Chinese is improving with great speed, if not as fast as the weather, and I have truly begun to embrace

CITO has been an amazing experience. We would all like to

the unfamiliarities the country provides – I’m not a stranger

thank Chalmers for this opportunity, and for our time in Asia.

anymore.

It’s a bittersweet farewell to the magazine for me and Victor, and as our final product we proudly leave you with this, the silver

To say that this experience has changed us working at the office

issue.

would be to put it lightly. There’s been company visits, events, surprise homework, and Chinese all year around. It’s definitely been hard, but has without a doubt been fun. I believe all of us have learned something, and will walk away as wiser individuals. There’s nothing that exposes your strengths and weaknesses more than putting yourself in a new situation with new challenges and new people.You cannot learn what you already know, so I encourage all of you to get out there, put yourselves in new situations, and make yourselves sweat! This is Asia Magazine, and the issue you’re currently holding happens to be the 25th, the silver issue. CITO has been around since 2003 and the magazine has been with us from the start. Asia Magazine is distributed twice every year and it’s made by students on exchange via the WorldWide exchange program.

CITO, Chalmers International Taiwan Office CITO is operating out of National Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu. The office is a product of strong friendship between Chalmers and NCTU, and acts as the central hub of Chalmers’ exchange programs in Asia. CITO aims to update information about the development in South East Asia, encourage Chalmers’ students to apply for exchange, and increase the awareness of Chalmers in this rapidly growing part of the world.

Alexander Radenkovic | Editor-in-chief

asiaStaff Kasper Westman Head of Office

Linn Hantoft Deputy Head of Office

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Applied Physics.

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management.

Email: kasper.westman@chalmers.se

Email: linn.hantoft@chalmers.se

Alexander Radenkovic Editor-in-Chief

Victor Petersson Art Director

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Biotechnology. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering.

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering.

Email: alexander.radenkovic@chalmers.se

Email: victor.petersson@chalmers.se

Maximilian Ludvigsson Academic Exchange and Alumni Contacts

Ludvig Barrehag Academic Exchange and Alumni Contacts

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Engineering Mathematics.

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation.

Email: maxlud@chalmers.se

Email: ludvig.barrehag@chalmers.se

Johan Rydberg Academic Exchange and Alumni Contacts

Johnny Ngu IT Responsible

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management. Email: johan.rydberg@chalmers.se

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Mathematics. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Engineering Mathematics. Email: johnny.ngu@chalmers.se

Tommy Engqvist Corporate Relations

Love Carlson Corporate Relations

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation.

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Biotechnology. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering.

Email: tommy.engqvist@chalmers.se

Email: love.carlson@chalmers.se

You can read more about the Chalmers International Taiwan Office on page 44

#japow

World-class powder skiing in Japan one of the 47 prefectures of Japan, is the H okkaido, country’s most northern island. Hokkaido is famous in Japan for its beautiful nature and landscapes, and in these beautiful surroundings you can find some of the best skiing on the planet. It’s the most snow-safe resort in the world, and attracts ski-enthusiasts from all over it. Here, the mountains are not that tall, but well-known for a heavy snowfall every year. Niseko resort, on the western part of Hokkaido, has an average snowfall of between 1215 m per year. The resort consists of four different skiing areas Annupuri, Hirafu, Niseko, Hanazono and Moiwa. From here, you can easily access a great number of different resorts in less than a 2 hour drive, accessible by car or bus.

“

...and in these beautiful surroundings you can find some of the best skiing on the planet.

“

The trip to this snow-paradise from Tokyo is just as easy done as said. Board the two-hour plane from Tokyo to Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, and then transfer to the three-hour bus that will take you to Niseko. In contrast to many of the busy ski resorts in the European Alps, the crowd in Niseko is far from overwhelming. In this rural part of Japan you find a combination of amazing skiing opportunities together with the kindness of Japanese people. Show respect and be polite and you will be treated with top-class hospitality. If you are lucky enough, the locals may show you the best runs and the most amazing Japanese food in the area.

Safely installed in your accommodation, it’s time to consider the wide range of options for skiing in this area. Here, everything is about the snow conditions – and the quality of your skiing is totally up to you. If you prefer to hit the groomed slopes Niseko United, the merger of Annupri, Niseko Village, Hirafu and Hanazono is a suitable option, with a total of 38 lifts and 887 hectares of skiable terrain. If you are to arrive after a heavy snowfall the powder skiing options are close to endless. First day, and possibly also the second, fresh powder is accessible from the lifts with an enjoyable terrain of both forest and open areas. Just head out from the top lifts through the gates and ski down. From these gates, you will always end up at the bottom of the lift ready for a new run. After doing this for 2 days, maybe you are ready to challenge yourself to find some of the more remote areas with fresh tracks for powder skiing. Among powder enthusiast there is nothing like a fresh track, addictive to most of the Niseko areas’ visitors. Team up with a guide or some friends, grab your skins and head out touring on the surrounding mountains, or why not ascend the imposing volcano Mount Yotei.

“

Among powder enthusiast there is nothing like a fresh track, addictive to most of the Niseko areas’ visitors.

Besides the skiing, Hokkaido is a real gem for Japanese food and cultural heritage. Outside of Japan, the country is widely known for its superb quality of fish, whilst in Japan, fish from Hokkaido is considered the best of the best. In the cold waters surrounding the island, fish and sea vegetation prosper. Among the specialties are kani(crab), uni(sea urchin), ikura(salmon roe) and hotate(scallops). If you’re in Hokkaido, ramen is a must-try; this noodle soup dish with origins from China is a well-known specialty of Hokkaido. What is said to distinguish Hokkaido-ramen from the rest of Japan is the liberal take on its ingredients – if it tastes good, it’s going in there.The base of the ramen can be miso, salt or soy each of them delicious in their own way. It is with a great experience I leave this snow paradise and travel back to Tokyo to continue my studies. I will there start planning for the next step in my exploration of Japan.

Jacob Thordson

Text and Photo

Studying at Tokyo Institute of Technology. Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation.

jacob.thordson@gmail.com

“

TO LIVE IN CONSTANT FOG efore I came to China in September last year, I had read all about the pollution and how it just keeps getting worse. I had heard stories about the weather, how it was constantly foggy and that you never see the sun; that there are days when you don’t want to go outside because your eyes start to tear and you can’t see more than 200 meters in front of you. For me, this was something that was very hard to imagine, but when I arrived at Pudong airport in Shanghai in September, I think I understood quite well. My body was now in Shanghai but my mind was still in Sweden, so in the one-hour-long taxi drive from the airport, there was a lot going on in my head. Outside my window I could see this whole new mega city passing by, covered in what looked like a greyish yellow fog – what I soon realized was the pollution. Everything was just a different shade of grey and I thought maybe it was a stupid idea of me to come to this city. How was I going to survive in this, never able to see the sun? Luckily I was wrong. The pollution is definitely one of Chinas largest problems today even if the environmental goals keep getting stricter. Beijing has for many years been known for being one of

the most dangerous cities to live in when it comes to the pollution. The number of people dying because of the pollution and its problems is frighteningly high compared to other places in the world, but still, not much is changing.

“

Beijing has for many years been known for being one of the most dangerous cities to live in when it comes to the pollution

“

The Air pollution index looks different in other countries in the world, but in China it is measured in the atmosphere as a concentration and is based on the level of six atmospheric pollutants, SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, CO and O3. Each city is measured and the number is constantly changing every hour depending on many factors, for example traffic and wind. Doubting whether it’s good or not, I’ve now got an app on my smart phone, telling me the status of the pollution in Shanghai every hour of the day. A moderate day in Shanghai is about 150 on the scale and the app then tells me it’s “unhealthy for sensitive groups”. A day like this you might still be able to see some blue

I know by fact that living in Shanghai is more dangerous than living in Sweden, and most of the days here are actually damaging my health. Except from that knowledge, I wouldn’t really say that the pollution affects me the way I

thought it would when I first came to Shanghai. Even if we constantly hear about it and though I check my app every day, I’m actually not very bothered about the pollution and it’s not something I think of very much. You get used to it just like you get used to every other new surroundings you meet in your life. Something that, in the beginning, is completely different from what you’re used to, becomes normal after a while. And since surprisingly few Chinese citizens are using masks as protection from the pollution I’m thinking: If they choose not to use them for their entire life in Shanghai, maybe one year for me in China might not be a disaster after all. At least that is what I try to tell myself. China is a huge county and the pollution is one of their major problems today. Shanghai is not even on the top of the list of worst affected cities in China, but the problem is still huge. What surprises me most is that China, as one of the fastest developing countries in the world, is not doing more to stop it. If they would decide to decrease the pollution with, for example, 50% from one year to another, I definitely think that this is the country to make it. So let’s hope they will make some big decision in the close future, so that some changes can be made, and so that the Chinese people can begin to see the sky again.

“

spots in the sky, which is something quite rare in the city. But coming from a city like Gothenburg in Sweden, where most of the days during the year are grey as well, it doesn’t make much of a difference for me. The only difference is the cause of the greyness. Just like home, a blue sky is something very rare in Shanghai and every time you see it, you get happily surprised. Days evaluated to around 150 on the scale are “good” days, but there are days when the number is above 300 and the app is telling me it’s “hazardous”. These days, you can actually feel a bit of a change in the air compared to other days, it can be a little heavier to breath and the visibility in front of you is not very good. Fortunately, I haven’t experienced days above 700 on the scale, which I heard was the case last year in Shanghai.

Shanghai is not even on the top of the list of worst affected cities in China.

Astrid Parinder

Text and Photo

Studying at Tongji university, Shanghai Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Architecture and Urban Design.

astridparinder@hotmail.com

Hong Kong

- the competitive studies A

t first glance I was surprised how similar the teach-

cussions; as well as a personal response system that enables all

ing and the structure of the courses at Hong Kong Uni-

students to answer the same multiple answer questions. The

versity of Science and Technology (HKUST) was to Chalmers

system is based on clickers, which is a type of remote, coupled

University of Technology (CTH). I was fascinated to find that

to your identity. Everything indicates a strong desire from the

there is a much stronger resemblance between universities in

professors to create an interactive learning environment.

completely different parts of the world than, for example, there are between studies at a Swedish high school and at a Swedish

The personal response system is also one way for the profes-

university. I discussed the matter with a local friend that has

sors to check attendance, which also contribute to one of the

been on exchange to Sweden. She agreed that the education

major differences between the universities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the way of grading.

were more similar than she had expected and the differences

At CTH it is basically possible for the students to just show up

were much less of a shock. However, after careful reflection she

for the final exam if they prefer to study on their own â&#x20AC;&#x201C; under

emphasized on the differences regarding interaction between

the assumption that the course isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t very laboratory-intensive.

the students and the professor during lectures. In general, Hong

If the courses do include reports or homework, it is usually

Kong students are definitely shyer and less eager to share their

only for educational purposes and does not contribute to your

thoughts. During my relatively short time here I have seen many

grade, whereas at HKUST students are never graded based only

different attempts from the professors to manage this issue in

on a single exam.There are often a number of tasks such as pro-

the best possible way. Their strategies differ depending on if

jects, assignments, homework, presentations and usually both a

there were ten or hundred students enrolled in their course.

midterm and a final exam. As a result there is less pressure on

The efforts have been seen in various forms such as allowing

the finals, but the students have less possibility to control their

students to participate in the lectures, both spontaneously and

workload. Also, at HKUST the students are graded on a curve -

well-prepared; by asking general questions and having group dis-

the performance of the students is compared with each other

instead of absolute grading towards meeting the course criteria. The general opinion at HKUST seem to be that it is worse getting a D, which is the lowest of the passing grades, than failing since then you won’t have the possibility to retake the exam and improve your performance. Meanwhile at CTH we never speak about grade point average (GPA) since most students are content with passing the courses and the general view is that grades are of relatively low importance later on when applying for a job. The living situation in Hong Kong today is very tough. It is re-

For the degree-seeking students, the education is planned so

quired to get a remunerative work in order for the students to

that they study many general subjects within the common core

be able to move out from their parent’s apartment. There is a

beyond their major subject. All courses seem to be semi-man-

much higher status here to study and as a result many young

datory so that the students can tailor their own education.They

people feel obligated to pursue an undergraduate degree. Mean-

are required to gain a certain amount of credits in various fields

while much fewer students pursue a master degree and the

and they can study as many as six courses in parallel. I guess

ones that do commonly continue their studies abroad.The hard

that it is the combination of these two factors that have made

competition makes student strive towards excellent grades to

the professors very understanding. Both regarding that the stu-

distinguish themselves from the crowd. Some students tend to

dents might not at all be into the field in which the course is

take courses they are supposed to take in the final year during

taught, and that it might be the only course they are taking in

the first part of their education. Many students are feeling more

this area. Therefore many professors put a great emphasis on

pressure than they are able to handle.The library is populated at

making connections to reality; either to a specific phenomenon

any hour of the day, which is made possible by having some are-

in Hong Kong, the industry or even to everyday life. I am fasci-

as open around the clock. I was first surprised to see that there

nated how engaged many professors are, continue encouraging

are people sleeping everywhere in the library – some reluctant-

the students to strive towards “Non scholae sed vitae discimus”

ly towards the table and some spreading out to their full length

– We do not learn for school, but for life.

over the sofas. I asked an international full time student about this phenomenon. He had a theory that the general opinion isn’t that it is the actual effective work put into an assignment that counts, but rather the hours spent in the library philosophizing about the task – that it was one way for the students to cope with the overwhelming stress.

Matilde Bengtsson

Text and Photo

Studying at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Bioengineering. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Materials Chemistry and Nanotechnology. tilde_bengtsson@hotmail.com

ARCHERY IN SINGAPORE AND SWEDEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMBITION AND ROUTINE

he answer to the first question every archer gets is “No

session is more focused on IKO. IKO, individual knock out, is the

we are not as fast as Legolas or as agile as Katniss Ever-

type of shooting that occurs at championships where you shoot

deen” – but we all share a passion for the sport. This is the larg-

face-to-face and knock out archers until you have a winner.

est similarity between archers in Singapore and archers in Sweden; all of whom I have met practice it with joy and dedication. You could say that in Singapore, even though archery is an I am a Swedish archer currently studying in Singapore. Archery

individual sport, the training is more like a team sport which

is my passion and when I found out about the possibilities to

is something that notably enhances the team spirit. My ex-

exercise it here I didn’t hesitate. For me, archery in Sweden is an

perience here is that the hours spent training are more and

individual sport. I train whenever it suits my schedule and, if they

each training session is better organised than in Sweden.

have time, I train with my friends and coach. This gives me end-

However, the results are not necessarily better. The overall

less possibilities to train and only my motivation sets the limits. I

level is probably a bit higher, but the absolute top is higher in

shoot for a club with a spread of archers from beginning young-

Sweden. I think this comes from the fact that archery in Sin-

sters to elders with inexhaustible experience. In Singapore, I

gapore is much younger and much smaller than in Sweden.

shoot for Nanyang Technological University Archery Club. All archers are university students and thus in the same age, some

Sweden

Singapore

with more experience and some with less. To shoot with so

Inhabitants

9,6 million

5,4 million

many archers in the same age was quite unfamiliar to me. It

# of clubs

150 clubs

30 clubs

made the training more fun and it became easier to motivate

# of archers in the

8000 archers

1250 archers

370 archers

180 archers

myself to train hard. At the NTU club we have three organised

association archers

training sessions per week. Two of the sessions are on week-

# of participants last

day evenings and contains warm up, shooting, bow-strength and

Championship

cool down. Bow-strength is supplementary training that we do with the bow to strengthen only the muscles used when shooting. The third session is Saturday training, where the morning session is similar to the weekday training and the afternoon 12

Some quick facts about Sweden and Singapore

Sweden has the advantage of having a large amount of practic-

the technique and strength but I feel that they miss the im-

ing archers as well as having had internationally successful and

portance of training your mind. This is something that Swed-

experienced archers. Singapore has the advantage of having all

ish archers have a bit more knowledge in. There are some

their archers in a limited geographical area which promotes the

seasoned coaches that have been coaching for many years

building of team spirit and sharing of knowledge. When inter-

– some of them have even done research within the subject.

viewing one of Singapore’s top archers, I understood that the vision of the Singaporean association is to have at least one

My conclusion is that Sweden has both a wider range and a

archer in the coming Olympics.When I ask how much they train

higher top, but that Singapore with their vision and committed

he explains that the national team in Singapore is supposed to

national team will develop and become an archery nation to

train by themselves 4 out of 5 weekdays and at least 16 hours at

look out for. Apart from this, I really want to encourage you to

the national range every weekend. In Sweden, there are similar

engage in sport teams while on exchange. It allows you to get

visions, but there is a lack of resource which makes it difficult

to know the local culture in a very informal and fun way. Don’t

to achieve. Sweden also struggles to get together all top archers

leave your sports at home – bring them and explore your pas-

due to the huge distances. Occasional training camps and a few

sion in a new environment.

nationwide competitions are the only occasions that top archers meet and can exchange experience and develop together. When competing in archery – a sport that requires a perfect technique as well as a strong mind – the amount of training is important. If you want to win the Olympics you have to train more and better than everyone else. To be able to win you have to train your mind to be a winner. You have to focus your training so that you boost your confidence as well as training that make you stronger. Singaporeans focus a lot on

Sebastian Djerf

Text and Photo

Studying at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation. djerfs@student.chalmers.se

A Fortuitous Price J

ust one more time, I think I got it now! Adrian puts another 200 yen in the machine and places his hand persistently on the handle. Once again the machine springs to life and the mechanical claw follows the command from Adrians hand. A big fluffy toy lies face down in a pile of pink balls. The claw hovers over it, getting into position. It’s because of me that we’re all standing here.We were on our way home, ten exhausted students, when I for some reason decided to put money into this toy vending machine. For just a second I had managed to grab hold of the toy in question, just long enough to get everyone excited, and then it slipped. Suddenly they all wanted to have a go. We were in a joyous mood, cheering each other on, just like we had been doing a few hours ago when were gathered around Rui’s computer to submit our competition entry for UNESCO’s Culture Center in Bamiyan. A competition entry we’d been working intensively on for the last eight weeks. I’ve been a Tokyo resident for four months now and I’m gradually adjusting to the new environment. The city has

overwhelmed me with its massive and colourful experiences, which has taken me many nights with closed eyes to process. Standing to the left in escalators and napping on the subway have now become natural to me, and the instrument board associated with the toilet is no longer a potential funny-instagram-photo. A couple of weeks before I left for Japan to begin my masters in Architecture I received an email from a woman named Ayumi. Her broken English conveyed a genuinely warm welcome. The word ‘lab’ was mentioned throughout the message and it appeared we were going to be in the same one. It confused me since I’m plainly not a chemistry student. It’s probably a course, I thought, before I got back to preparing for the trip. On my third day in Tokyo I’m going to meet with Ayumi at the Midorigaoka station. She’s planned to show me the ‘lab’, and I’m thinking this lab course must be very demanding for it to begin before the official school starts. I’m fifteen minutes late and breaking a sweat running through

the maze-like subway system. It’s late September and the summer heat is receding, but the air is still significantly humid and thick. Ayumi greets me with a kind smile and shying eyes. She appears to be a timid girl with a strong sense of persistency, calm and polite, like so many other Japanese people I’ve met. As we walk towards the school she tells me that the building complex is designed by our lab professor, Okuyama Shinichi. She leads me into one of the buildings, up some stairs and through a corridor. Here’s our lab! she says with a smile and opens a door. It is a large room with sizeable windows, books and magazines stacked from the floor to the ceiling, and elaborate models of houses on top of every shelf. Smiling people suddenly rise up from behind the shelves and approach us.We shake hands and they introduce themselves with names I’ve never heard before.They all seem to inhabit this polite calmness and I get a little nervous. Their genuine curiosity makes me realize that I’m being introduced to more than a course; it’s a fellowship of students I will be a part of for the coming year.

everywhere in the Japanese society, the kind that makes you stay up working in the lab for 24 hours or more. And when the work is completed there is always a night of partying ahead, even though you can’t remember the last time you slept. This is the case for us when we’re standing around the toy vending machine at six in the morning.

All students at Tokyo Tech belong to a professor’s lab. Bachelor-, master-, and PhD-students work within these labs, both individually and as a team, and a strong sense of bond develops in the process. Former students come by to show their support and uphold the relationship with the lab and the professor. In comparison to my Swedish school experience this is the major difference – the personal investment and the level of collaboration between people of different degrees. For exchange students the participation in the lab varies. It depends on how much one makes herself available and what projects or tasks are provided.

Adrian pushes the button. The claw descends on the big fluffy toy, and we’re all crossing our fingers. This time it will work! The claw embraces the toy and digs into the pink ball pool. A clunk of metal, and the movement reverses. The toy ascends. We cheer eagerly, and then, another clunk. Our jubilation turns silent. The toy slips out of the grip once more.

I’ve noticed how the language barrier divides the exchange students and the japanese students, and leisure time seems like a luxury they can’t afford. That’s why the UNESCO competition came as a pleasant surprise to me; it was a chance to get closer to the people in my lab. And over the last eight weeks I’ve come to know a certain Japanese contemplative ability. A quiet moment before a well-considered and constructive opinion arrives, free of the European ambivalence I’m so used to. I’ve experienced the impeccable work ethics and perseverance one finds

We give up and as we get ready to leave I notice something pink in the corner of my eye. There’s a ball in the hatch. We were so focused on the big prize that we completely missed that the claw also miraculously captured one of the balls.We go laughing and chatting out on to the streets again, me with the pink ball in my bag – a fortuitous prize.

Eva-Lotta Holby

Text and Photo

Studying at Tokyo Institute of Technology. Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and Technology. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Architecture and Urban Design.

evalottaholby@hotmail.com

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES H

ong Kong is well known as a hub for world-wide busi-

ence Park area a first-hand pick from one of Asia’s top uni-

ness. It has been this since early trade routes by sea be-

versities. The park is not yet finished though, with Phase 3

tween east and west were established, and it still is a significant

still under construction and planed completion during 2016.

player in the global market. However, if you consider an Asian hub of technology and science, Hong Kong might not be the

Hosting a panoramic view of the Tolo Harbor and Plover Cove

first place that comes to mind. This is why, in 2001, the Hong

reservoir, Pak Shek Kok has a waterfront promenade of 3 km

Kong government set up a statute called Hong Kong Science

with beautiful views. This makes for a perfect walk or exer-

and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) with the afore-

cise route, both for people working here and for the student

mentioned task of steering Hong Kong towards becoming a sci-

who needs an off-campus time-out by renting a bike and just

ence hub of Asia. This is where Pak Shek Kok comes into the

cruise. With phase 1 and 2, the Science Park has on its 54 acres

picture. Located on the border between the two larger areas of

premises an impressive 225,000 m2 office and R&D space in

Tai Po and Shatin in the New Territories, it is host for the largest

26 buildings. With phase 3 in the process of being ready it will

part of the HKSTP project – the Hong Kong Science Park.

add up to a total of 330,000 m2 of laboratories, offices and other R&D facilities. The area also has amenities such as a gran-

The opening of Phase 1, the first of three phases, took place

diose auditorium (Charles K. Kao auditorium will get picture),

as early as 2002. Located quite far from the city’s vibrant cen-

a business centre, an exhibition hall, food courts, restaurants

tre, Pak Shek Kok is actually closer to the Chinese Border

and a supermarket. The fact that there are high-rise residen-

then to the Hong Kong Island. However, its location is more

tial buildings popping up next to the park and that there are

important in that it is situated right next to the Chinese

plans of making a train station just for this area, makes the

University of Hong Kong, the 134 acre big University Cam-

Science Park its own little community. But when you say lit-

pus in the New Territories of Hong Kong. This gives the Sci-

tle you should be reminded that by the end of 2013, the park hosted a working population of around 9800 people.

The park is set to focus on key technologies that are believed to be the forte of Hong Kong. These include biotechnology, electronics, information and telecommunications, green technology, and precision engineering. With these, companies are recruited and are set to propel Hong Kong towards becoming a hub of technology. With some 440 local and overseas companies in the Park, it is an interesting environment to explore. Here you can find companies working with specific technologies in for example specific parts for machinery, biotech algae, application developers and environmental consultancy. The HKSTP is certain of the philosophy that companies in the same technology cluster can all benefit from working in the same environment and close together. The idea is for companies to share expertise and let ideas “cross-fertilize” and grow. This is a theory that is common in many countries.There is for example a very big Science Park in Hsinchu, Taiwan, where many Chalmers students are situated, and not to forget that Chalmers University of technology actually have two science parks of their own.

“

The HKSTP is certain of the philosophy that companies in the same technology cluster can all benefit from working in the same environment and close together

“

There are, on the other hand, some who questions the de-

velopment of the Hong Kong Science Park. Some raise questions of the rapid expansion of the park; is it actually functioning and is there a demand for its scale? This is a valid concern considering that China sometimes execute a “Build it and they will come”-mentality. People are also concerned of the fact that, since HK is a hub for global finance, the goals of environment and building for the good of Hong Kong gets sidestepped, and capitalist interests instead will play a major role in the science – as it does in the rest of Hong Kong. Even with these issues it can be said that the future for technology in the Science Park looks bright. With the province Guangdong just on the other side of the border and Hong Kong to-

Martin Wånge

Text and Photo

gether being one of the fastest developing areas in the world

Studying at Chinese University of Hong Kong.

it seems that there are great things to come. This is still a de-

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Biotechnology. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Biotechnology MPBIO.

veloping plan and area in Hong Kong but as an aspiring student currently studying at the Chinese University it is definitely an interesting place. Check it out if you are passing by.

martin.wange@bredband.net

Hayao Miyazaki and the Movies that Changed the World

ne of the greatest movies of all time In 2002, my father and I went to the cinema to see an

animated series Lupin III, together with Isao Takahata. Takahata,

animated movie. The animated movie was not Disney or some

who Miyazaki had met at Toei, was a person who he would work

other American mass-produced kids movie. It was from Japan,

close together with during his career and who still directs at

but it was not Pokémon, the series thousands of ten-year-old

Studio Ghibli, even after Miyazaki’s own retirement 2013.

Swedish boys set their Saturday morning alarm for. The movie was Spirited Away, and earlier that year had been the first anime

Another eight years later, in 1979, Miyazaki got the opportunity

movie to win an Academy Award.

to direct his first full length film, Castle of Cagliostro, featuring the characters from Lupin III. The film was not a huge success

When we walked out of the cinema, both my father and I were

immediately, but later reached its place as a classic in the Jap-

amazed. This was something new, something different; it was

anese animation history. One person who noticed Miyazaki’s

very exotic. The setting was childish, but still addressed people

potential was Toshio Suzuki, who worked as an editor for the

of all ages. Its message was strong enough to capture the heart

entertainment magazine Animage. Suzuki was captured and dur-

of both children and adults. Hayao Miyazaki, the movie’s direc-

ing an interview for the magazine he offered to help Miyazaki

tor, and Studio Ghibli, the animation studio, were both already

reach his true potential. Suzuki tried to pitch Miyazaki’s ideas to

big names in Japan.The following ten years he kept making more

his company, but it was seen at this time as an unnecessary risk

amazing movies, and while none got as big as Spirited Away, they

to animate a movie without a popular cartoon to back it up.

moved the hearts of both Japanese and western people.

However, Suzuki did not give up on Miyazaki. He convinced the young director to, instead of making the movie instantly, start

The man who made it all possible

his idea as a comic strip and Suzuki would use his position at

After graduating with a degree in politics and economics, Hayao

Animage to publish it.

Miyazaki took a job at the animation studio Toei Animation. The job as an animator is not glorious but Miyazaki pushed through

The comic strip, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, who dealt with

and eight years later he got an opportunity to co-direct the

the problems of pollution, was a huge success and sold over 10

million copies in Japan alone. Miyazaki created an unique world

had to reduce the movie from over three hours to only two

which captured the hearts of both young and old readers. This

by removing parts of the story, and trying not to waste a single

had not been possible without Suzuki, whose plan had succeed-

second of screentime.

ed. Not only was making a movie now possible – it was hugely requested by the fans.

The movie became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history and is listed at the International Movie Database as the top ani-

Studio Ghibli

mated movie of all time. It showed us that Japanese people can

The animated Nausicaa can be seen as the second breakthrough

make more than silly cartoons, and took the Japanese animated

for Miyazaki and led to the company behind Animage, Tokuma

movies from the kids and geeks to the general public – and it

Shoten, deciding to fund the founding of a studio for Miyazaki

motivated a ten-year-old boy to study in Japan.

and his director friend Takahata. The Studio was named Studio Ghibli, where Ghibli was the name of an Italian aircraft used during World War II. Miyazaki is very interested which can be seen for example in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, but also in the first movie Ghibli released, Castle in the Sky, which revolved around two young kids using airplanes to reach a flying Eldorado. Miyazaki kept producing movies featuring new interesting and eye-catching worlds.The movies My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Porco Rosso were blockbusters in Japan but didn’t reach far outside the island. Even though these movies are seen

as classics and loved all over the world by now, it is the following movie which was going to be Miyazaki’s international breakthrough. But it wasn’t yet time for Spirited Away. The Road to Success Princess Mononoke was the first animated feature film to win Picture of the Year in the Japan Academy Awards. The film, like Nausicaa deals with the increased consumption of humans, set in a world strongly based on Japanese mythology. The movie also caught Disney’s interest who released it in the US. While it did not become as huge in Japan, it exposed people for Ghibli for the first time; this was enough for Disney to invest 10% of the production of Spirited Away in exchange for the American distribution rights. Spirited Away is about a 13-year old girl with the name Chihiro lost in a gigantic onsen, a Japanese traditional bathhouse. The

Spirited away

Justin Salér

guests are not human, but instead different spirits and gods. The

Studying at Tokyo Institute of Technology.

amazingly drawn animations shows different interpretations on

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Physics and Astronomy.

concepts like growing up and the first love. It manages to show a miraculous new world with a complex story in only two hours. In an interview with Animage, Miyazaki states himself that he

Text

justin.saler.r@gmail.com

H&M Kuala Lumpur Store interior of the Malaysian ﬂagship store at Lot 10, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

acts about H&M As many of you already know, H&M is one of the world’s largest fashion retailers with over 3400 stores in more than 55 markets worldwide. And the company is expanding a lot, especially into the Asian markets. In February 2015 they opened their first store in Taiwan – a happening Taiwanese people have been talking about for months since H&M released the news. I have therefore taken the opportunity to ask what it is like to be a Swedish engineer working at a Swedish company currently expanding in Asia. Opportunities at H&M Full Time: H&M is recruiting students with engineering backgrounds that have a business profile and some other specific competencies they are looking for. Trainee Programs: They offer trainee programs in Business, IT as well as an International Talent Program. You can find out more at career.hm.com.

Summer Internship: During six summer weeks they offer an internship at their main office in Stockholm, both for international and local students. Master Thesis: Since H&M put a lot of effort into their Trainee Programs and Summer Internship they do not have the opportunity to offer Master Thesis assignments. Thomas Gustafsson Thomas studied Industrial Engineering and Management at Linköping University. A fun fact about him is that he during his education also worked part time as speaker for Linköping Hockey Club during their games in the Swedish Hockey League. For his third year he chose to take six months off school in order to travel. During this time he got familiar with Asia and he knew that he wanted to return. During his last masters year he did an exchange semester in Hong

In your opinion, what would you say are the biggest challenges and differences in expanding into Asia compared to Sweden? I would say that the biggest difference is that there is huge potential in the Asian markets since there are a lot of people living here. For me personally, the biggest challenge with working in Asia is the language barriers.

“

...there is huge potential in the Asian markets.

What are the major differences in working in Asia compared to working in Sweden? I do not have a lot of experience of working in Sweden but from what I know there are pretty small differences. In general, Swedish companies have flatter organizational structures compared to Asia, but it is not something that I notice at H&M.

“

Kong where he, besides his studies, played floorball with a group of Swedes working in Hong Kong. By coincidence he there made contact with Swedish people at ASSA ABLOY. It all ended up with him writing his Master’s Thesis for ASSA ABLOY in Shanghai half a year later. He then applied for H&M’s International Talent Program (ITP), which he started one year ago. The ITP involves working for H&M for one year in two different areas of Sales, Expansion and Store Development at two different locations abroad. Thomas started in the Sales area at Guangzhou in China for four months and his second placement was in Hong Kong at Expansion.

What pros and cons do you think there are working in Asia? I get to challenge myself to experience new things and I do not get stuck in an everyday rhythm. Cons are that it is a little bit too hot in the summer and I do miss the Swedish clean air.

“

I get to challenge myself to experience new things and I do not get stuck in an everyday rhythm.

“

From your previous experiences, what do you have most use of in your work? My Master’s Thesis was very important in order to understand straight and short communication. For example, I wrote long emails where I tried to capture everything but that no one read. I then learned that people value emails that are short and concise. Also my exchange year has given me a lot of cultural understanding.

Linn Hantoft

Text

Studying at National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan. Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management. linn.hantoft@chalmers.se

asiaPhotos How is Asia best represented in a single picture? Below you can find the photos that we thought best answered this question! The two winning photos, in this issue submitted by Tommy Engqvist and Maximilian Ludvigsson, are featured as the back cover and content page picture, respectively. Both these photos, three runner ups and a collage of the best of the rest is presented here.

Back cover photo

Content page photo

Title:View from Mount Kinabalu Location: Borneo Photographer: Tommy Engqvist

Title: Two Pandas Location: China Photographer: Maximilian Ludvigsson

Runner Ups

Location: Japan Photographer: Simon Wessberg 22

Location: Japan Photographer: Eva-Lotta Holby

Location: Cambodia Photographer: Ludvig Barrehag

South Korea and Cultural Diversity B

efore even deciding that I wanted to study abroad in

From the information I gathered, the situation in Korea is quite

South Korea, I had heard some negative comments re-

complex and it cannot be fully covered in a single short article. I

garding racism in the country. It was said that Koreans can be

have tried my best to make a shortened version that covers the

very nationalistic and therefore sometimes dislike things that

basic issues. And remember that this is my own personal view

are not Korean. So when I, for my first time in South Korea,

on the matter. Human behaviour is not as simple as 1 + 1 = 2, so

stepped out of the airplane at Incheon International Airport I

there will always be different opinions and some of you might

was quite unsure what to expect.

not agree with me – which is perfectly fine.

I decided, unlike most other exchange students, to arrive quite

The people of South Korea seem to place a large emphasis on

a bit earlier than expected from the school. I did this to have

your physical appearance and your general looks. Just walking

some time exploring the city of Seoul and to experience the

down the streets of Seoul you will see plenty of plastic surgery

Korean culture, before taking on everything the school-life was

advertisements promising to turn you from “ugly” to “beautiful”.

going to offer. Since I was alone and had no Korean buddy to

The Korean beauty ideal is in my opinion quite narrow. Accord-

help me during this time, I got to experience first-hand how

ing to the ideal, you should have a pale complexion, a specific V-

Koreans view and treat western foreigners.

line face shape, a high and defined nose bridge, big eyes and a fit/ skinny body. The specific reason for this common beauty ideal

Even though I had no idea how to read or speak Korean and

is hard to pinpoint, but I personally think there are two reasons

was completely clueless on how to navigate the maze that Seoul

that play a big role. The first reason is the simple fact that his-

sometimes can be, I was treated very well. I was many times

torically in Korea, the rich and influential people, who did not

called “handsome” or “good-looking”, and some people even

need to work in the fields, naturally stayed pale by remaining in

wanted to take pictures with me. It was all a very surreal but

the shade. They were considered white and pure since they did

exciting experience, and for a while I completely forgot about

not have to get their hands dirty.The second reason is the rapid

the things people had told me about how some Koreans can be

westernization that happened in Korea after the Korean War. If

racist. Later when my little euphoria period settled down and I

we combine these two reasons I think we are onto something.

got to meet my fellow exchange students at school, I was able to more clearly see what was going on. Most of the white students I have talked to during my time in South Korea tell the same story. How people out of nowhere complimented them on their looks and were really friendly towards them. However, some of my non-white friends painted a slightly different story. They were not necessarily treated badly, but they did not always receive the same warm welcome. I asked myself why this was the case and did some research into the subject.

If you paid attention you might have noticed that the common

personal space. However, I usually have no issues with all this,

Korean beauty ideal is a pretty good fit for the typical white

and most of the time it is just fun seeing someone being so

westerner. I think this, together with the high emphasis on beau-

curious about me; but I understand that some people can feel

ty explains why a lot of white people in general get treated very

bothered and offended. Even though there are still some linger-

well by locals in Korea. However, this does not fully explain why

ing issues with racism and discrimination, if you ever get the

there have been reports that people with darker skin have been

chance to travel to Korea I would very much recommend it. All

treated poorly. Sure, they might not fit the beauty ideal but that

the people I have met here in Seoul so far have loved their time

is no reason to treat someone badly.

here, regardless of their origin and the colour of their skin.

I think the racism against darker people is often rooted in ignorance and in a lack of personal experience. People with darker skin are to this day still quite uncommon in Korea, and many Koreans have never seen, much less talked with, anyone sharing this trait. So the image Koreans have of people with dark skin is that of the western media and movie culture; unfortunately, this image is many times not a positive one. I spoke with one of my Korean friends and the image he had of black people were that of the ones he had seen in popular Hollywood movies; that is, loud, poor, violent, dangerous, and potentially armed. Thinking about it myself, I realized that many of the popular Hollywood movies often portray some demographics in a bad way â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not only black people, but also Middle-eastern and Hispanic. It is sad, but in some way understandable, that Koreans, who have no previous experience with people of colour, come to think less of them. It is not in any way fair to say that every Korean acts in the same manner. Like any other country, it is full of individuals with their own opinion and mindset. I think that many times their curiosity towards foreigners could be misinterpreted as something nega-

Johan Gustafsson

tive. Korea is a very homogenous country, and being a foreigner

Studying at Konkuk University, Seoul

will draw attention. I have experienced this many times myself; it can be everything from someone staring at you to someone walking up to you to touch you. I will not deny that having some

Text and Photo

Holds a Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Software Engineering. Currently pursuing a Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Interaction Design and Technologies.

stranger coming up and start to curiously touch me was a bit creepy the first time, especially as a typical Swede with my large

johan.gusten@gmail.com

TAIWANESE YOUTH CULTURE

education, bubble tea and the latest sneakers Y

outh culture – a term that lack a clear definition. It de-

Bubble Tea is probably the most popular drink here in Taiwan.

scribes in which ways teenagers conduct their lifes in

Something I spat out over my computer the first time I tried it.

disparity to the older generations. It can be everything from

They say you get addicted, but that is something I personally find

language, interests, styles, and behaviour; these are differences

hard to believe. Tea is probably very popular here in Taiwan due

that can be hard to identify. However, when moving to a new

to the great environment for growing it. During late nights teen-

culture some differences between the youth cultures becomes

agers often meet up and hang out at a tea bars. This rather than

clear and in some cases obvious.

getting tipsy on a weekday which European students sometimes seems to have as the only option.

In the past, scholars have always gained respect in the Taiwanese culture; the importance of a good education has influenced

When the weekend arrives, the queues to the Karaoke bars

adults and younger.When growing up, the education is based on

are growing rapidly. KTV (Karaoke Television) is very popular in

exams and tests which determines if and where you can go to

Taiwan. Teenagers go together with friends and rent a room in-

the university. But with time, more people come to realise that

cluding a TV, a sofa, and two microphones as well as long playlists

studying necessarily is not always the most suitable option for

with Chinese and English songs.

everyone. There is no pressure. There is no “I must do good” – they simThere is no question whether Taiwanese students are dedicated

ply love to sing together. This is something that most of us in

to school and their education or not. They do not settle for a B,

Sweden consider to be an awkward situation. We find it embar-

nor are they satisfied with an A; they go for the A+. Late nights

rassing and will only think of the possibilities to make a fool of

at the university does not belong to the unusual. Group work

ourselves by hitting the wrong note, at the wrong time, in the

can easily go over time and when they are done, it is about time

wrong song.

you start working on your individual papers. Music, in general, affects the youth culture in Taiwan a lot. Asian So what happens when the school day is finally over? It sure

stars are very popular which gives the Taiwanese youth culture

should be time for bed, but instead its time to get you activated.

influences from China, Japan and other Asian countries. But the

Campus is full of possibilities: badminton, basketball, baseball,

influence from the US is not to forget. Artists like Maroon 5,

and soccer just to mention a few. If sport is not for you, join

Beyoncé, and Eminem contribute to the noticeable interests for

a club. Start with some baking, and maybe later go and live out

the US among the younger generations in Taiwan. For the Tai-

your secret DJ dreams. Thus, there is no time for rest.

wanese mind, the United States is synonymous with democracy,

openness, richness and freedom. The thought of the “American Dream” is a thing that gives the younger generations an openmind and a multicultural background growing up. With baseball and basketball as two of the most popular and played sports in Taiwan there is no doubt that the US has an influence on Taiwan. With music inspiration comes clothing inspiration. Taipei, a big pumping city, is a place for curious teenagers to explore city life and all that it has to offer. From the cuteness of Hello Kitty to high fashion. And not to forget, college inspired hoodies, sneakers, and basketball tank tops can be seen everywhere. I have never seen so many sports stores within such a small radius. The Taiwanese youth culture does contain many different styles. An open mind contributes to acceptance and there is no reason for anyone to be left out. As an effect by the open mind,Taiwanese people do come across as very friendly. It is a genuine kindness that is worth much for locals but also foreigners; they are curious and show an interest in other cultures. They can appear as shy, but can later be surprisingly straightforward and tell you exactly what they are thinking. Compared to other youth cultures I would consider the Taiwanese as open minded and free. With one semester left here in Taiwan I will work on my skills on relaxing, enjoy nights at KTV and practice some sports other than soccer. It is hard to summarize the Taiwanese youth culture, but if I were to give it a shot it would probably be something like this: education, bubble tea and the latest sneakers.

Victor Petersson

Text and Photo

Studying at National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan. Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering. victor.petersson@chalmers.se

Chinese Fitness Dancing I

n Shanghai and other Chinese cities, the mornings and

China also has a collectivistic culture, where people enjoy

evenings tend to be particularly busy. The streets, parks,

doing things together. However, Chinese homes are small,

housing compounds and other open spaces are filled with old

making it hard for larger groups to socialize there. This com-

women dancing in a unison way to loud music from small port-

bined with the fact that there are few community spaces in-

able music players. The music of choice is usually of a traditional

doors, increases the interest in outdoors activities in public

Chinese nature, but Chinese pop music is becoming more pop-

spaces. For example, apart from dancing you can see people

ular and tend to add additional flavour to the scene. Sometimes

playing cards, knitting, playing instruments and singing. Danc-

you can see many small dance troupes sharing a small space in

ing is the preferred activity though, taking up more and more

the street, where each groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music player roars out music try-

space. The popularity is also likely linked to it being a cultur-

ing to inundate the others. Unfortunately, the audience does not

al activity which is easy to enjoy, even for poor people. Not

always share this keen interest in loud music blasting from the

even the often seen, dense smog across Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cities appear

tiny amplifiers.

to be able to stop people from dancing. Dancing thus appear to be truly independent of the nature of the weather.

The type of dancing described above is a rather novel occurrence in Chinese cities, although it does resemble the old tra-

Most of these old women who dance, were very busy when they

dition of doing Tai-chi in parks and building compounds. The

were young.Living in a developing country meant there was always

dancing has grown rapidly in line with the transformation of

much work to be done, both in terms of taking care of the family

the Chinese market and the coinciding increased openness of

and housekeeping, as well as contributing to the family income.

the country. During the transformation of the Chinese econ-

Nowadays, with a higher standard of living and kids being grown

omy, urbanisation has also increased with more and more

up, life is easier. Compared to the past, they have plenty of spare

people moving from the countryside to the cities. Given the

time now. Group dancing is a wonderful way to utilize this well-

above, people now have more time to focus on their health

earned time for leisure, providing them with a platform to social-

and leisure, rather than relying on official activities and work.

ize with other women of similar backgrounds and experiences.

However, this has also decreased the opportunity to chat and gossip with neighbours and partake in other related activities

Apart from the social aspect described above, many women

that connect people. As such, dancing in the streets offers a

also do it as an exercise to keep fit, both physically and men-

new way for retired women to meet and make new friends.

tally. Considering Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large population and the low income of most families, it is often impossible for them to go to a fit-

ness centre on a regular basis. The women describe dancing as a combination of going to a gym and going to a cinema. It combines exercise with pleasure and it’s free of cost. Usually the women gather shortly before dusk or dawn, greeting each other before lining up and raising their arms in preparation for the first dance. Although the dancers tend to feel this brings a warm and friendly atmosphere to the city life, complaints have been raised. Due to the increasing number of groups at various places like sidewalks, squares and underpasses, the activity has been described as becoming a threat to peace and tranquillity. Given the volume of the music played and the bad quality of the speakers, this is hardly surprising. In extreme cases this has resulted in disturbed neighbours and bystanders water bombing the performers. So far, the police have shown restraint though, with a policy of avoiding upsetting the women. The police have also stated that there is no current law prohibiting people from dancing in public spaces; however, in the city of Xian a new law has been proposed as part of new city noise regulations, with a curb on performing dancing between 10 pm and 8 am. In the media, there has been a debate blaming bad urban planning for failing to create sufficient open space for public activi-

Emelie Joelsson

ties.This provides a lesson for urban planners, particularly when

Studying at Tongji University, Shanghai

considering China’s strong collectivistic culture with a strong preference for group activities. Chinese cities may thus need even more open spaces in the future, and this should hardly have

Text and Photo

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Architecture and Urban Design.

come as a surprise – not the least with the continued growth of group dancing in public spaces.

emeliejoelsson88@hotmail.com

Bartering Beer for Basketball I

t’s Thursday evening, and the sun has long since set. 黃羿豪 (Huang Yi-Hao) ties his shoes and walks onto the court. The shoes squeak against the polished wooden floor as he hurries to his team mates. The clock has just struck nine and the practice of the day starts – YiHao wouldn’t be the one to miss it. When you walk around National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) during the evenings, you can’t help but notice all the life surrounding the campus. You can find students practicing kendo, hitting each other over the head with bamboo swords; people dancing choreographed dance to an old tape recorder; cheerleaders doing flips and pyramids; and students involved in sports like basketball, baseball and volleyball. There is a bakery club, a pottery club, a DJ club, and much more. You can definitely find something for everyone, and practice sessions could sometimes continue long after what one might consider bedtime. As someone used to Swedish university life and whatever surrounds it, this attitude is quite refreshing. To put it frankly, the university culture in Sweden has a definite affiliation with alcohol, especially compared to Taiwan.There are clubs made solely for the purpose of partying or getting drunk. Regardless of the type of union most unions have elements related to alcohol ﹘ although this might be a reflection of the Swedish and Western society, rather than of the unions themselves.

Yi-Hao joined the school basketball team six years ago.The team is now in the second division of College basketball and is just about to enter the playoffs that decide whether they will be promoted to Division 1 or not. Yi-Hao explains that college basketball is taken very seriously; they practice four times a week with the team, some do training on their own and they video analyze their competition before matches.The central reason people go to NCTU is to study, but the level of college basketball makes it possible for some individuals to actually go professional. At NCTU, doing sports or activities are common ways for students to socialize and make new friends. In Sweden, more often than not, these things are coupled with partying or grabbing a beer at the neighbourhood pub. Yi-Hao explains that clubbing and partying is quite uncommon in Taiwan and that it is rare for students to consume alcohol before and even during college. A reason behind the different approaches to socializing might be due to, apart from cultural differences: living conditions and food prices. A clear majority of NCTU students live in dorms, where one room might be shared with as many as eight other people ﹘ you’re simply never alone. As a contrast, people in Sweden share at most a kitchen and a shower but have their own room, so it’s easy to separate yourself from others if you’d like. As a student in Sweden you’re also usually forced to cook your own food, since restaurant prices are

quite high. This means that more time is spent at home, and less around friends. At NCTU, the dorms aren’t equipped with a kitchen. However, the food on campus is affordable; when you eat, you eat with your friends around campus or down at the night market.You’re always socializing, no matter what you do.This lessens the requirement to meet people during the weekends. In Sweden, most social activities are crammed into the weekend, and daily life is less frequently shared with others. Since most Swedish students use their weekend to meet people, alcohol is often involved. The result is that a lot of people associate socializing with drinking and partying, and seldom start new friendships outside of these conditions. Although some students at NCTU frequently do party and go to clubs, they definitely are a minority; drinking just simply isn’t a large part of the student culture. Pearls of sweat still hang on Yi-Hao’s forehead. The practice is over but their coach has some videos he wants them to watch. After that it’s off to the laboratory to do some work before heading home. Most days he doesn’t go to bed before one o’clock, so the basketball definitely takes up a lot of time. He says, however, that if he didn’t have the basketball he probably would be doing something else, like going to the gym. When asked what he thinks about coveralls, his only answer is “It looks hot”.

Alexander Radenkovic

Text and Photo

Johnny Ngu

Text and Photo

Studying at National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan.

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Biotechnology. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering.

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Mathematics. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Engineering Mathematics.

alexander.radenkovic@chalmers.se

johnny.ngu@chalmers.se

Life As an Expat in Bangkok A

s the first strains of the Thai national anthem, Phleng

Moa took the leap to work in foreign lands when she was mere-

Chat, floats through the crisp morning air, Moa Svensson

ly 22 years old. After graduating from ABB Industry Gymnasium

sips a cup of freshly brewed Thai coffee and prepares for her day

and gaining some work experience, she decided to make a ca-

in the capital of the “Land of Smiles”. Moa has been living in

reer in the railway signalling industry, which offered her mul-

Bangkok for the last four years, joining a growing group of ex-

tiple opportunities to work in various countries. Being young

pats who are enticed by the challenges of working in an interna-

and having an open mind, Moa wanted to be exposed to new

tional environment, and often rewarded with multiple benefits

and unfamiliar situations, accepting jobs all over the world. She

offered by international companies. The basic necessities of life

is working with safety systems for trains, integrating and testing

are covered, usually by companies paying for insurance fees and

the systems provided by the supplier with the already imple-

accommodation costs – even sometimes providing an allowance

mented properties demanded by the customer. Apart from in

to employees.

Sweden, she has worked with railway safety systems in Taiwan,

the Philippines, Turkey, Korea, China, Malaysia, India, and even in Spain, providing customised system applications to railway operators. Initially, Moa was basically living out of a suitcase, flying from one country to the next on a regular basis. She remarks on the interesting experience of constantly flying across continents, providing a memorable example of having once stayed in Taiwan for three weeks, then waking up in Sweden the next day. Nowadays, Moa is based in Bangkok, occasionally holding short business meetings with clients in Asia and Australia. Moving abroad implies adopting new everyday habits and responsibilities. Moa notes that it is not easy to maintain your old network of friends as you create new connections and spend less and less time in your home country. At times, she feels a greater bond with her new friends even though they have only known one another for a short period of time. It is obvious that she embraces her current way of life. She comments that it is in Sweden than vice versa, having assimilated into Thai culture. However, it took her some time to get used to the different habits and customs of Thailand at first. Moa provides some advice for aspiring expats, noting that an obvious difference was locals’ hesitation at taking the lead for fear of seeming too aggressive or confrontational, be it in business meetings or in discussions. Being outspoken and confident had thus become an advantage, as she was able to stand out and create a good impression. Also, some Thais might approach foreigners with a shy curiosity; Moa noticed that by reaching out to others and introducing herself first, she was often able to form a connection which aided integration and helped in discussions with clients. While I was visiting Moa I had the opportunity to experience her and her husband’s favourite recreational activity, which is wakeboarding at Thai Wake Park. The sunny weather all year round ensures that visitors are always welcome, and the park is located a mere 40 minutes away from the chaotic centre of Bangkok. The park consists of an artificial lake and the riders are transported around on a cable system similar to the surface lifts used by skiers and snowboarders. It was certainly a strange experience looking at these lifts being used in such a hot and humid country where it is completely snowless! There were huge crowds the day I visited, and Moa tells me that the competition for the Wake Boarding World Champion qualifications had been held a few days ago. Some competitors – the best

Moa Svensson riders in the world – were still in the park, informally pitting their skills against one another. I must have looked ridiculous, stumbling and attempting to maintain my balance while professional riders were skilfully doing double back flips and multiple spins all around me.

“

It was certainly a strange experience looking at these lifts being used in such a hot and humid country where it is completely snowless!

“

more likely for her to miss her Thai friends when she is back

Looking at how at ease Moa was when interacting with the

locals, even speaking a little Thai at times, I asked her for more tips on how expats can reach out to the locals and immerse in their culture. She recommends participating in social activities organized by one’s company, such as family days and excursions, and also joining casual meet-up sessions between colleagues. She remarks that it was easy to incorporate interaction with locals in her daily life, and she does so by having lunch with her colleagues and playing sports together after work. Moa has even been invited to local weddings, which definitely was a fun experience. She believes that one of the most important things would be to learn the language, and she constantly practices it so that she feels like less of an outsider. As we board a taxi to her house, she asks for the taximeter to be switched on, and 33

Thai Wake Park fluently says “thank you” in Thai. The taxi driver grins in appre-

did not affect her as much. As a foreigner, Moa was not involved

ciation at her efforts; the use of basic Thai brings a smile to the

in the turmoil, and her daily life is today not affected by the cur-

local’s face as it says a lot about her willingness to learn about

rent situation. Though Moa was prepared to leave the country

the Thai culture and that she’s not just there to visit as a tourist.

at any time, there was no need to do so. The greatest change, she notes, was that she now tries to avoid talking about politics

In order to learn more about Thai traditions, Moa cheerfully

even with her closest Thai friends for fear of evoking bad feel-

jokes that the fastest way to do so would be to marry a local.

ings. However, she recalls the patient and calm attitude of the

Other than that, there are always local events to attend. She dis-

Thais during conflicts, and notes that this has made her feel less

plays an interest in historical monuments and festivals, and her

stressed and afraid.

friends always offer to show her around with a national pride. She urges expats to go with an open mind and an easygoing

At the end of my trip with Moa, I was reluctant to conclude the

attitude, and to try new experiences without fears of making

visit, as it was a truly eye-opening and enriching experience. It

a fool of themselves. She notes that there is a need to be cau-

was heartening to see how well Moa has assimilated into Thai

tious about sarcasm and irony, however, as the Thai might mis-

culture – home is indeed where the heart is. As companies con-

take your intentions and you might hurt their feelings. She ends

tinue going global to increase market shares, collaborations be-

by saying that it is common for people to ask the question of

tween different nationalities and cultures continue. There are

why Thais behave in certain way, but notes that this is a redun-

even greater opportunities to gain knowledge which can only be

dant question that shows a lack of tolerance and understanding.

gathered by living and working abroad; books cannot offer the

There is no easy answer to this question; she gives an analogy

same lessons. Such opportunities for engineers are vast through

that just as how Swedes do not know why they have certain

studying abroad in an exchange programme or by working via

stereotypical habits and behaviours, the Thais have their own

a trainee programme. Seize the chance to see the world in a

idiosyncrasies, and the difference should be respected.

different light; Moa and I assure you that you will not regret it.

Even though her life in Bangkok has been mostly smooth sailing, she remembers her personal experience during the chaotic

Henrik Wallenius

military coup in 2014. She kept herself safe by constantly keep-

Studying at National University of Singapore.

ing in touch with her husband, friends, colleagues, local and foreign media, and the Swedish embassy; she advises fellow expats to do the same in times of crisis. During the demonstrations

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Complex Adaptive Systems.

that led to the coup, there were protests and barriers set up outside her office, but the military checkpoints after the coup 34

Text and Photo

henwall@student.chalmers.se

RELIGIONS IN THE CHINESE SOCIETY M

ythology

The three teachings in China

The concept of China can be traced back to 221

In a similar way as Christianity have contributed to form the

BCE and the Qin Dynasty, when one ruler managed to con-

western culture and society, three other religions, Taoism, Bud-

quer several states and form an empire. But people have on

dhism and Confucianism, have played major roles in forming the

the plains around the fertile Yellow River settled since an-

Chinese culture and society. They are called the three teach-

cient times, and include one of the four first river civilizations.

ings and form the philosophical framework that still greatly affect the Chinese society, both directly in the form of wor-

The first traces of mythology in the Chinese region are believed

ship and indirectly in the form of social and cultural codes.

to go back as far as 10 000 years, or even further. This mythology contains nature gods as the first form of divine power that

Some interesting aspect of these religions is that they all

should be worshipped. One of the most important god among

started as philosophical systems to live by, but later over time

these nature gods is the snake god, which later evolved into the

evolved to systems of worship by their followers. The philoso-

dragon god which today is one of the best known symbols of

phies behind the three religions are founded by three differ-

China.

ent masters with very different philosophical approaches to the way of life. All these religions/philosophies emerged in a relatively short time span between 600 and 479 BCE but were introduced in China over a somewhat longer time period.

Taoism

be achieved through enlightenment and practicing compassion.

Taoism is based on the writings of Lao Tzu from the 6th century

Buddhism got to China between 50 BCE and 50 CE and is

BCE. The philosophy has its roots in early nature worship, and

today China’s largest organized religion with 300-350 mil-

emphasize the central role that nature play in maintaining har-

lion believers. Not only Buddha is worshipped in China,

mony in the universe. Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching where he

but also a female reincarnation of Buddha called Guan Yin.

proposed that the way to heaven can be found by living in harmony with nature. Knowledge about how this is done is gained

Confucianism

by understanding the basics of yin and yang in nature. Yin is the

Confucianism is based on the writings of Confucius during 551-

feminine side of nature and is dark, cool, passive and soft.Yang is

479 BCE and is a complex political, ethical, philosophical and

the masculine side and is bright, hot, active and solid. In a large

religious system. It has probably been the most important phi-

perspective, Yin represents the earth and Yang represents the

losophy in shaping the Chinese society, between 100 BCE and

heaven. Everything contains both yin and yang, and harmony in

the 20th century. Confucianism has had profound impact on the

the nature is achieved when there is balance between these sides.

Chinese government, education and personal behaviour. It has during long periods been the official state philosophy of China.

Another important aspect of Taoism is the acceptance of the

The main focus of Confucianism is to achieve social harmony

constant state of flux in the universe – that the only constant

through proper conduct and rules. Politically it aims to organize

in life is the constant change. By accepting this, one can flow in

the society in a feudal system with strict hierarchy. It also heavily

harmony with nature.

emphasises on education, as the hierarchy should be decided by merit and not by inheritance. Confucianism also tried to shift the smallest unit of the society from individual to family. As a religion, Confucianism does not have spiritual leaders or goals and should perhaps not even be called a religion. It is more a morale guide and a description of good government. Religious relations All of the three teachings have their own characteristics but they also have a lot in common.The most important similarity is that they all have a form of ancestor worship and belief in spirits that is deeply rooted in Chinese society. The ancestor worship can include nature gods, gods of human groups, heroes and figures from Chinese mythology, and various local gods.

Buddhism Buddhism is based on the teachings of the Indian prince Sid-

Over the centuries, the three teachings have borrowed and

dhartha Gautama, between 563 and 483 BCE. The teaching is

adopted from one another and created a unique blend of Chi-

focused on ending the human suffering that is caused by earthly

nese religions. The sign of Yin and Yang can be found in all the

desires, and living a life of compassion. Siddhartha Gautama gave

teachings, and all of them have a conception of the right way; this

up his rich, earthly life to seek wisdom. After years of searching

is a way you should follow in life to be pious.

and meditation, he left the earthly plane and became the “Enlightened One” – or Buddha as he is more commonly known as.

None of the three teachings says that you should only follow

Buddhism has its roots in Hinduism, and believes in reincarna-

one teaching and it is in fact quite common to follow more than

tion and karma. Karma is the result of your actions and decides

one of the teachings. Confucianism then focuses on political ide-

what you will be in the next life. The ultimate goal is to escape

as and social harmony,Taoism on health and harmony with body

the endless reincarnation and enter Nirvana, the eternal state

and nature, and Buddhism on psychology and health of the mind.

of peace where there are no desires. Getting to Nirvana can

The three teachings today

The long history of China and the Chinese culture have always

The three teachings are incorporated with the Chinese soci-

been affected by the different ideas and philosophies in the

ety today, so they are always present. During the reign of Mao

region. The relatively long isolation between western and Chi-

Zedong (1949-1976), all religious activities were prohibited, but

nese culture and the totally different religious and philosophical

since his death, many of the large religions have been allowed

starting points of these societies have created huge differences

again. A lot of rituals and superstitions still affect many. The an-

in the conception of life. Whether you are religious or not, all

cestor worship rituals include burning incense offerings, burning

societies have been formed by its religious heritage and it af-

“ghost money” to provide money to the ancestors, and some-

fects all our life. And to really understand and manage to live in

times offering food. All those rituals are the eldest son’s respon-

another culture, you need to have some understanding about

sibility, which makes it even more important to get a male heir

their religious heritage.

if you don’t want to be a hungry ghost. Confucianism is completely incorporated in the society. The hierarchy in the society is organized as such that a ruler is ruled from above: husband above wife, parents above children, and older above younger siblings.The importance of education gives a very strict and demanding primary school, where the education is focused on recitation, memorization, and repetition, and completely lack creativity and self-expression. The focus on the family unit in the society has the benefit that Chinese families often live with large part of their relatives in close proximity. This makes it possible for relatives to help each other between generations. The family focus together with the focus on ancestral worship means that it is very important to have a proper behaviour since it affects the whole extended family; this is a strong incentive to behave well. The family focus also creates an us-and-them feeling which lessens the feeling of social and civic responsibility. It also leads to many jobs being filled based on family rather than on merit – which goes against the original idea of Confucianism. The corruption and the mismanagement of funds are also quite widely spread because of the focus on “family first”. Many Chinese poets, artists and inventors can trace the basis of their achievements to the Taoist philosophy. Traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, Chinese fortune telling, and Feng Shui, has its roots in Taoism. The presence of Buddhism in Chinese society today is especially

Mattias Engström

Text and Photo

profound in the large amount of non-governmental charity or-

Studying at Tongji University, Shanghai.

ganizations, that currently are over 280 000.These organizations

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and Engineering. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Design for Sustainable Development.

are helping less fortunate people in and outside China.

mattias.a.engstrom@gmail.com

asiaInterview

Study in Sweden â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a way to the start of a career T

he first time I met Karen it was a warm and happy per-

groups. Also the teaching style is different, where the teacher

son standing in front of me with a great eagerness to

acts more like a guide to help students in the right direction.The

talk about Sweden. Karen was in Sweden for exchange studies

assignments are another big difference between the educations

during the spring of 2014, after she had graduated with a mas-

in Sweden and Taiwan. In Sweden it is common to discuss and

ter degree in Mechanical Engineering from National Chiao Tung

share your thinking about a topic as well as to promote ideas

University in Taiwan.

and present them in a good way rather than having questions with just one right answer, as is often the case in Taiwan.

From her time in Sweden Karen has learned a lot of things that has opened her eyes and changed her way of thinking. When

Karen is currently working as a project coordinator at Scandina-

she arrived at the airport she had no idea about what to expect

vian Health Limited (SHL) Taiwan Office. She got this position in

from the spring ahead of her and the first thing she realized

November 2014 and it is her first full-time job after the studies.

was that it was really cold. It did get warmer, though, when she

SHL is a Swedish company manufacturing advanced drug deliv-

started to meet nice and friendly Swedish people. She describes

ery systems, with customized auto-injectors as their main prod-

Sweden as a safe, relaxed, peaceful, international and eco-friend-

uct.Their customers are primarily based in Europe, acting within

ly country that is very different from other countries.

the pharmaceutical industry. As a project coordinator Karen is working with leaders in the US and Sweden. She claims that her

Karen says that Sweden is a good country to study in for sev-

exchange year in Sweden was beneficial to her when applying

eral reasons. First of all it is a great way to improve your Eng-

for the job at SHL. First of all, she would not even have known

lish proficiency, since almost every Swede speaks English â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even

about the company she is currently working at unless she had

though it is not their mother tongue. Another reason to choose

been in Sweden, even though their Taiwan office is located next

Sweden is that the educational system is so different from that

to her old high school. She also believes that her experiences

in Taiwan. In Sweden the students are encouraged to discuss

from Sweden and Europe helped her when she applied for the

and find solutions to problems as well as to work together in

position.

The way Karen performs her work at SHL is the way she learned how to work when she was in Sweden.The work process starts with understanding the general concept at first, before digging in a bit deeper by searching for materials. She then moves on to

Name: Karen Wang Age: 26 Education: Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering Employer: Scandinavian Health Limited Position: Project coordinator

ask and discuss the topic with her colleagues and gather all ideas together before presenting and sharing her knowledge with others. Before she came to Sweden she preferred to work alone and did not like to ask for help. After having been in Sweden for a while, she understood the benefits of working in groups and brainstorming around assignments. This is something she brought back to Taiwan and is using in her daily work at SHL. She even says that it is kind of a requirement for her to be able to discuss topics with others and to ask questions to colleagues in the role as a project coordinator. Karen also believes that she through her exchange studies has learned to understand European culture and the common sense used in daily life there.This helps her in her work and has also broadened her vision and opened her mind to make her become more of a global citizen.

you are. In Taiwanese companies it is valued to work long hours, since that means you are working hard. This is, though, rather often just leading to inefficient work. The Swedish managers are also more focused on straight to the point communication and listens to their staff more than Taiwanese managers do, who rather prefer to be flattered. Further, the relationship between manager and staff is more collegial in SHL compared to the situation in Taiwanese companies. In SHL Karen also get more opportunities to work with international talents and to learn from cross-culture experiences than she would have got working for a Taiwanese company. Karen recommends others to go on exchange in Sweden for several reasons. First of all, Karenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time in Sweden changed her attitude towards life and the way she deals with things. Her exchange semester has influenced her a lot and she believes that it will more or less benefit her through her entire life. To do exchange studies is also a good way to improve your English and the educational system in Sweden is very good. Sweden is a safe country with a unique nature where people are polite, gentle and friendly. Since they also turn a bit crazy and funny after a few beers, she cannot see any reason not to choose Sweden for exchange!

She also tells me a bit about the differences between working for a Swedish company and a Taiwanese one. She says that the crucial point is the management system; in SHL Karen has a flexible schedule, so she can arrange her time freely. In most Taiwanese companies you have to clock in and out on certain times. Also the work efficiency is better at SHL, since it is not how many hours you work that counts but rather how effective

Tommy Engqvist Rickard Wendeberg

Text Text and Photo

Studying at National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan Holds a Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation. tommy.engqvist@chalmers.se

FROM FISHING VILLAGE TO INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE n 9th of August, Singapore will finally reach the moderate

Adrian started his story at the very beginning explaining how

age of 50 years, but the nation is far from having a midlife

his family, two generations ago, came to Singapore from China

crisis. Singapore has experienced a rapid economic develop-

to escape poverty. The Chinese immigration started after the

ment, nearly doubling its GDP during the first ten years of the

establishment of Singapore as a British trading outpost in 1819,

new millennia. What makes this truly remarkable is that Singa-

but did not really take off before the end of the 1st Opium War

pore has managed to emerge as a financial centre without any

in 1842. Adrian’s grandparents, however, did not arrive until the

significant natural resources or considerable land mass, but in-

1930s.The immigration continued and as of today, roughly three

stead utilizing its strategic position to leverage trade and pro-

out of four Singaporeans have Chinese heritage. The Chinese

vide services. It is clear that this small nation at the edge of the

culture is also promoted to future generations by a national

Malay Peninsula has surpassed many of its older and significantly

policy, saying that every child should learn one of three other

bigger neighbours in terms of economic development.

official languages besides English. These languages are Malay, which is the national language of Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei;

As we descended over Singapore one late evening in August

Mandarin, which is standard Chinese; and Tamil, which is one

we saw that the modern city was buzzing with life. Although

of India’s official languages. Adrian continued to explain that his

the time was well past midnight, the airport was full of people

father had been a humble fisherman in the mid 20th century and

hurrying to get to their respective gates. After we had collected

together with Adrian’s mother had raised Adrian and his older

our luggage we were directed into one of the awaiting taxis by

brother.When Adrian began working as a taxi driver, his brother

a man who, with the calm assertiveness of a general, guided the

had already worked in the busy Singapore harbour as a docker

eager crowd into the right direction. Once inside the taxi we

for a few years.

were greeted by our driver, Adrian, an around 40-year-old father who was born and raised in Singapore. After the initial pleasant-

As long as Singapore has been an independent nation, the har-

ries, with the inevitable discussion about whether Sweden’s four

bour has played a major role in the country’s economy. It is

seasons are better than Singapore’s two seasons (winter inside

probably fair to say that Singapore would not be the nation it

due to air conditioning and summer outside), we asked him how

is today, if it wasn’t for its harbour. With its outstanding stra-

he came to be a taxi driver.

tegic position, it was an excellent place for ships to use as an

intermediary on the way to or from China and the rest of East Asia. The busy harbour also stimulated trading for the people in Singapore. Today, the Port of Singapore is one of the three busiest cargo ports in the world. In 2012, it handled 32.63 million standard containers – a number which is increasing every year. Singapore has also advanced into a nation of true diversity, and traces of the massive exchange of foreign goods in the harbour and the influx of people from all over the world can be seen in any of the city’s food establishments. The vast variations of food at simple hawker centres as well as fine dining venues reflect the description of Singapore as a global hub. Singapore’s national treasure is Chicken rice, a dish that any taxi driver is sure to recommend you, and Adrian was no exception. What they fail to tell you is that the dish is plain and quite uninspiring. “Utterly terrible and disgusting”, Gordon Ramsay would say. “I wouldn’t

Volvo public transport bus passing by in the street. However,

serve this to my dogs.” Luckily there are plenty of delicious

there are very few Volvo taxis. Adrian drives a blue Toyota So-

alternatives.

nata, as many other of the roughly 28 000 taxi drivers in Singapore do. To get a perspective of this number, one should know

To maximize the benefit of its position as a trading hub in the

that Sweden, with double the population of Singapore, only have

mid 1980s, Singapore established trade friendly politics as an

about 16 000 registered cab drivers.

attempt to oblige the West. As part of this, Singapore started welcoming talent from around the world to augment the lo-

The reason Adrian drives a taxi, he concluded, is that it gives

cal skill pool. Subsequently, Singapore became not only a hub

him the opportunity to meet people from all backgrounds.

of trading, but also a hub of skilled manpower. Many financial

“A privilege, which is only possible in Singapore”, he said. The

institutions, especially banks, saw the opportunity to establish

reason taxi drivers get the opportunity to meet so many peo-

an Asian branch or re-locate their Asian-Pacific headquarters in

ple is the limited number of taxis in Singapore. Because of the

Singapore. Today, Singapore is one of the top five largest finan-

last decades of economic boom, the demand for cars has been

cial centres in the world and hosts a wide range of businesses,

dramatic. Strict regulations for purchasing a car have increased

particularly in the higher value-added activities. While driving by

the price in Singapore to the double of that in Sweden. Adrian

some of Singapore’s many skyscrapers, Adrian confirmed that it

claims, however, that the taxi business is only going to increase

is not only the port of Singapore that nowadays is world leading,

in the future. With more people moving to Singapore every day

but also the financial centre.

and with continued economic growth, he sees no stop. He added that when his children grow up, they will have more options

A Swedish company present in Singapore is Volvo. Once in a

than the previous generation, and so the economic prosperity

while, if you pay close attention to the traffic, you can notice a

will benefit everyone. In Adrian’s mind, there is only one way for Singapore, and that is forward.

Mattias Kristiansson

Text and Photo

Victor Sellman

Text and Photo

Studying at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Ecnonomics of Innovation.

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation.

matkri@student.chalmers.se

vicsel@student.chalmers.se

Hello Kitty your mind W

hich is the world’s most valuable cat? If you know some rare cat breeds you might say an Ashera or a Savannah,

which are respectable guesses considering both can be sold for over 250 000 SEK. However, I have a different view on this matter. I would say that the world’s most valuable cat can be purchased at most of Taiwan’s convenience stores for less than 30 SEK. This cat is very special in many ways and has a number of tricks up its sleeve. For instance, it is friendly towards those who are allergic to fur and it might even contain chocolate. But the most significant factor is that it is considered to be very cute. In fact, so cute that it has reached world fame, and has probably seen more places on earth than any other human being. I am, of course, talking about Hello Kitty, the cat that can be found and seen almost everywhere in East Asia. And when I say everywhere, I am not only talking about stores and malls. There are buildings, commercial airplanes, busses and cars with Hello Kitty

Photo by Johanna Rydberg

painted on them; web pages belonging to governmental authorities, such as police departments, that use Hello Kitty and other

The fact that a fictional cat can be as popular as Hello Kitty is

similar characters in their web design; and many individuals who

in East Asia is often perceived as very strange to Westerners.

dedicate their entire lives to Hello Kitty by almost solely dress-

This has, of course, to do with cultural differences, where young

ing up in Hello Kitty apparel.

women’s desire to look younger and cuter in East Asia stands in contrast to the trend that young women in Western countries want to look more mature. The trend to want to look cute and innocent originates from a modern Japanese subculture called kawaii, which means cute or lovable. The subculture incorporates not only cute and lovable appearance, but also how you act and talk by using special kinds of facial expressions, hand gestures, and a slightly pitched voice. If we look back into more traditional Japanese culture we find that physical characteristics such as having a greater ratio between head and body, having large eyes, and having a small mouth are desired, simply because humans percept these features as lovable and cute.This cultural desire applies to both women and men, but is expressed more amongst women.These are features

Photo by Johanna Rydberg

that can be found among babies, and the fact that we perceive

these features as appealing is deeply rooted in our instincts to

There is no doubt that Hello Kitty is vastly popular in East Asia.

ensure our children are taken care of in the best of ways. Fur-

If you are ever going to visit this place, you can be absolutely

thermore, the cuter modern culture is one of few things that

sure to encounter it. The question is just this: Are you ready to

brought the Japanese people joy during the financial crisis that

visit the cutest part of the world and fill your mind with cute-

struck the country hard during the 90s. Therefore, this is today

ness? Are you ready to Hello Kitty your mind?

also something that reminds them of how they got out of the crisis and back to normal life; in other words, this modern culture is associated with so much more than just cuteness. As the crisis took place when many of today’s young women were born, they have basically grown up with Hello Kitty and many other cute elements of the modern culture. At the same time, the traditional culture has in some cases been associated with what led to the financial crisis, since some aspects of the traditional culture was thought to be to the country’s disadvantage during that period. The traditional culture is also considered to mainly be masculine, which as a result has created a demand for feminine elements; this has further driven the development to where it is today.The modern cuteness, which can be perceived as extreme in comparison with the traditional, can therefore be seen as a counterrevolution towards the tradition-

Photo by Bengt Rydberg

al culture’s harder aesthetics and more disciplined way of living. These aspects helped give way for this new segment in Japanese culture – and so the kawaii culture started growing more rapidly

Hello Kitty was created by Japanese Sanrio Co., Ltd. and

than before. Since far back in time, Japanese culture has been

appeared for the first time in 1974. Sanrio’s business in-

very popular in many countries around the world, especially

cludes design, production and licensing of products in the

in countries in East and South East Asia, such as Taiwan, South

kawaii segment. Hello Kitty is today the company’s most

Korea, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and the

well-known and profitable character. During 2014, the kitten

Philippines. This popularity has then spread the modern culture

was worth approximately 28 billion SEK and it is still grow-

and all its aspects throughout the world.

ing. However, for the last few years, Sanrio has watched the growth decline. Over the years, the company has created

So, how come Hello Kitty was the one character to become this

many other characters in an attempt to recreate the suc-

popular? First of all, Hello Kitty includes many of the features

cess and widen the company’s target group. However, none

that are associated with the modern cuteness – but there is a

has ever reached the same level of demand and popularity

lot more to it than that. The designers have worked very hard

as Hello Kitty.

over the years to create an appearance that will express the same feelings as its beholder. They have achieved this by designing Hello Kitty as if it does not show any emotions at all. Hello Kitty’s face is almost like a blank sheet, which makes you, the beholder, project your current feeling on it – and so Hello Kitty always shares your feelings.This does not only make it suit a vast amount of individuals, but also highly contributes to the world spread, since this makes Hello Kitty able to cross cultural barriers more easily.

Johan Rydberg

Text and Photo

JAPAN Old and New at the Same Time - a Country of Opposites

apan. What thoughts enter your mind when hearing the

However, once you begin to scratch the surface slightly, you

name of this country? Perhaps, your thoughts wander to

will soon find curious contradictions. Although it being a highly

a highly futuristic, digitized and automated society, where robots

modern society, credit cards are almost impossible to use as

roam the streets, cars hover above ground, and unseemly large

payment, fax is commonly used in companies, and the amount

amounts of sushi are eaten on a daily basis. Or, perhaps, your

of paper being printed in your daily activities is unfathomable.

mind chooses to imagine the country with more mysticism and

Japanese seem to have an immense fondness for bureaucracy. In

ancient tales, picturing katana-wielding samurai battling ninjas

their defence, after the initial first weeks of poring over what

armed with knives and throwing stars, at the base of the breath-

seemed like never ending piles of paperwork, everyday life flows

takingly beautiful Mt Fuji. Ok, I admit it; these two examples

ahead without sign of trouble. And the paperwork is (almost)

might have been over the top â&#x20AC;&#x201C; extremes even. And it is pre-

entirely gone.

cisely on the set of such extreme opposites co-existing and complementing each other that the Japanese culture is based.

Organization and order is a topic I would like to linger on for at

After having spent only a few months in this amazing country, I

least a few sentences. Japan is, to some extent, the epitome of

have come to learn that you must always expect the unexpect-

order: painted lines on the train station show where you should

ed.

stand depending on if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re boarding the next train or the one after that, garbage bins are hard to find while roaming the

When taking your first nervous steps on Japanese soil, especially

streets, yet there is barely any trash to be seen, and the recycling

if those steps are in the whirlpool of people that is the Shibuya

stations are some of the most meticulously organised I have

crossing, your first impression will undoubtedly be that of a

experienced. However, city planning is greatly disorganised, with

highly advanced and modern society. Neon signs flashing and

no clear grid system and mostly small, winding streets and most

visibly screaming incomprehensible discount offers, business-

streets do not have street names, potentially causing confusion

men with briefcases rushing about fully dressed in suits (all the

for visitors. Still, I must say this definitely gives Tokyo a much

time), and the latest technological gadgets up for display on the

more charming appeal than I would have originally thought.

large monitors overhead. Yes, it is certainly a modern country that you have arrived in.

In addition, they are very careful to remind you to mind your step while stepping out of a train. However, the notions of safety

and order seem to have been entirely lost when it comes to certain other aspects of life. Take biking for instance. There are no specific biking roads in Japan, but instead, bikers mingle with pedestrians on the already tightly crammed sidewalks. The bike helmet is an innovation that has yet to cross the vast expanse of the Siberian wilderness and reach the Land of the Rising Sun, and finally, a large amount of parents have chosen to place their children in an interesting yet thought provoking child seat on the handle bar of the bike. In the event of a crash, I do not even want to speculate how far the child would be catapulted. Nonetheless, the extremes of first frantically reminding you of minding your step when leaving the train, and then disregarding what is to some people common biking sense, is what makes this country each day more fascinating. While on the subject of safety, one might also mention that Tokyo was recently named the world’s safest city; there is in essence no petty theft or robberies. They do, however, have a fully-fledged mafia. Just try not to mess with them and you should be just fine. Most importantly, however, it is very apparent that, despite a

the small yet effective innovations, like heated toilet seats, or

façade that is very modern looking, the underlying Japanese

restaurants where food is ordered on a computer screen and

culture has been able to retain much of its ancient ways. As

delivered on a conveyor belt. Ultimately, however, it is not these

a prime example of this, is that of the respect and politeness.

inventions that make up the greatest aspect of this culture, but

Upon entering any random store, you will get cheerful cheers of

instead the warmth and friendliness that the Japanese people

“Irrashaimase” (“Warmly welcome”), followed by a few friendly

exhibit.

bows. Buying anything results in a few “Thank you so incredibly much” and more bows. Dropping a 10 yen coin (equivalent of

“So how about the robots?” you ask. All right, all right, they can

0,70 SEK) on the ground, the person finding it will run after you

actually be found – you just have to know where to look. There

a few hundred meters to give it back (own experience). And if

is in fact a robot restaurant where food is served by a mix of

you drop your phone on the subway, it will be available for pick

actual robots and people dressed up as robots. However, it is

up at the local lost-and-found office at your earliest conveni-

likely that the restaurant next door will be in completely tra-

ence (friend’s experience). Finally, upon seeing that people, at

ditional style, waiters dressed in kimonos, customers seated on

4:47 AM in a nightclub, have lined up in a neat queue to buy beer,

the floor and noodles eaten with traditional loud slurping nois-

I surrendered to the fact that I will never fully understand the

es. These extremes are precisely what make every day in Tokyo

intricacies of this culture.

an adventure. So, when you decide to go to Japan, remember to always expect the unexpected.

In conclusion, the longer time you spend here, the more you realize how impossible it is to put a label on the incredibly complex and exciting society that is Japan. So what do I really mean

Simon Wessberg

Text and Photo

by saying that Japan is old and new at the same time? I aim to say

Studying at University of Tokyo.

that it is a culture in which extremes flourish and complement

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of innovation.

each other – the organized and the disorganized, the ancient and the modern. The ingenuity of Japanese innovation and futurism lies not in grand automated robotized societies, but in

simonwessberg@gmail.com

asiaApply Chalmers International Taiwan Ofﬁce - Part of the Chalmers’ World Wide Programme

he economies in East Asia have showed a remarkable development during the end of the 20th century. Japan has

become accompanied by China among the world’s economic giants. The region is interesting, dynamic and challenging. Among

Chalmers International Taiwan Ofﬁce staff 2014/2015.

those with technical education, an increasing portion will have contacts in the whole region from Singapore to Japan within their professions. With this in mind, Chalmers has developed a special exchange programme based in Taiwan, giving students an opportunity to study in and gain experiences from these economies. The exchange programme is called “The Asia Programme” and is located at the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), which is among the foremost technical Universities in Taiwan. NCTU is specially profiled within electronics and information technology; however, in cooperation with the neighbouring National Tsing Hua University, the exchange covers all engineering programmes at Chalmers. Courses held in both English and Mandarin can be chosen.

How to apply for WorldWide

ou apply on the MoveOn-portal (http://chalmers.moveonnet.eu/moveonline/outgoing/welcome.php) before

the 1st of December. Attach a motivational cover letter in Swedish along with a photo of yourself. If you are a student of architecture or architecture and technology you need to submit an additional portfolio as well. Choose two universities but do not forget to find courses that match your master programme and double check this with the coordinator of you master programme.

Main Requirements for World Wide Have reached your third year of studies at an

Parallel to the studies at NCTU the students maintain the Chal-

engineering or architecture programme

mers International Taiwan Office, CITO. The work at CITO in-

Have the minimum average grade of 3.7 credits

cludes arranging representation events for Taiwanese students

Have finished at least 120 hp by the 1st of December

at NCTU as well as visiting companies and representing Chalmers throughout East Asia.

Contents of the Asia Programme Intensive course in Mandarin, 4 weeks in July August at NCTU in Hsinchu, Taiwan

The selection of which student that will be nominated for which university is based on the grades and study pace of the students – the motivational cover letter is used to distinguish between students with the same average grade. In February you are informed whether or not you have been nominated for a univer-

Full academic year of engineering or architectural

sity or not. If you are not nominated, for any of the universities

studies at NCTU

you applied for, you still have a chance to study abroad by ap-

Maintenance of the Chalmers International Taiwan

plying in the second selection for the universities that still have

Office at NCTU

vacancies to fill.

Company visits throughout East Asia For more information, visist www.chalmers.se.

CHALMERS IN ASIA Studying at Chalmers does not limit you to Gothenburg, Sweden. Through many exchange programs Chalmers students are given the opportunity to study at a range of Asian universities. Likewise, students from many different countries are invited to study at Chalmers in Sweden. Sendai, Japan Tohoku University Beijing, China Tsinghua University

Tokyo, Japan The University of Tokyo Tokyo Institute of Technology

Shanghai, China Tongji University Shanghai Jiaotong University Seoul, South Korea Konkuk University Seoul National University

Hsinchu, Taiwan National Chiao Tung University

Hong Kong, China City University of Hong Kong Chinese University of Hong Kong The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Singapore Nanyang Technological University The National University of Singapore

Chalmers University of Technology

SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden Phone: +46 (0)31 772 10 00 www.chalmers.se