Asia Magazine #33

MONGOLIA

SHANGHAI

TOKYO

SEOUL

A quick guide to Mongolia

China's QR code obsession

Japan, the most steady society I've ever seen

The miracle of South Korea

BY CHALMERS STUDENTS IN ASIA

ISSUE 33 AUTUMN 2019

WELCOME! In your hand you are holding the latest issue of Asia Magazine, a joint effort carried out by Chalmers students in Asia. The magazine is meant to be informative and entertaining regarding current topics of Asia as well as a source of inspiration for students curious about exchange studies. With this dynamic region in focus, it features articles on cultural, political, economical and social subjects. The magazine is coordinated and compiled by students at the Chalmers International Taiwan Office.

The programme is called The Asia Programme and is located at the WHAT? National CITO WHO? CITO

Chiao Tung University (NCTU). The university is among the foremost technical Chalmers International Taiwan universities in Taiwan and is especially profiled towards electrical engineering

Office, CITO, was opened in March and information technology. However, in collaboration with the neighbouring 2003 and is the result of a bilateral National Tsing Hua University, the exchange programme covers all engineer-

exchange agreement between ing programmes at Chalmers. Courses held in both English and Mandarin ChiArvid Hanson National Chiao Tung University, nese can be chosen.

HEAD OF OFFICE

NCTU, and Chalmers University of

Management and Economics of Innovation arvid.hanson@chalmers.se

Contents of The Asia Programme

Technology. CITO is strategically

located at NCTU, near the • Intensive course in Mandarin, 4 weeks in July to August at NCTU Hsinchu Science Park. in Hsinchu, Taiwan • Full academic year of engineering or architectural studies at NCTU • Maintenance of the Chalmers International Taiwan Office at NCTU

Erik• Eurenius Max East Vahlström Company visits throughout Asia DEAPUTY HEAD OF OFFICE

Quality and Operations Management Students of Chalmers erik.eurenius@chalmers.se

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Systems, Control and Mechatronics operate the Chalmers max.vahlstrom@chalmers.se

CITO WHY?

International Taiwan Office The main purposes of CITO are: (CITO). The operations of CITO include arranging events of representation for • representing To increase awareness about Taiwanese students at NCTU as well as visiting companies and the development of East Asia, Chalmers throughout East Asia. with focus on Taiwan, at Chalmers

Karin Malmgren

Fredrik Hallgren

CORPORATE RELATIONS

ART DIRECTOR

Supply Chain Management karin.malmgren@chalmers.se

Economics of Innovation

• To support mobility of students and staff between NCTU and Chalmers

Management and HOW TO APPLY FOR WORLD WIDE

• To enhance the visibility of fredrik.hallgren@chalmers.se You apply for nomination to NCTU and all of the other universities inChalmers Asia through in Taiwan and in

the MoveOn-portal before the 2:nd of December 2019. Attach athe motivational neighbouring region cover letter in Swedish with your application. If you are student of Architecture • To act as a hub at NCTU for

or Architecture and Technology you also need to submit an additional portfolio.

Chalmers students in East Asia Choose two universities but do not forget to find courses that match you master • To further develop Chalmers’ programme and check these with the coordinator of your master programme. cooperation with Swedish Anna Wiktorsson companies in Taiwan and Asia

Johan Johansson

ACADEMIC EXCHANGE Main Requirements for World Wide

COMMUNICATION MANAGER/ ALUMNI CONTACTS

Quality and Operations • YouManagement have reached johan.johansson@chalmers.se

Management and

Economics of Innovation your third year of studies at an engineering or anna.viktorsson@chalmers.se architecture programme.

• You have the minimum grade point average of 3.7 credits.

• You have finished at least 60 hp by the first of December.

CITO CONTACT!

Looking for internship, master's thesis The selection of students to be nominated for the universities within the World or other co-operations in Asia? Or Wide programme is based on the grade point average and study pace of the do you just want to say hello? Don't applying students. The motivational cover letter is used to distinguish between hesitate to contact us! students with the same average grade. In February you are informed whether or not you have been nominated for a university. If you are notwww.asia.chalmers.se nominated you still have a chance to study abroad by applying to the second National selectionChiao for theTung University 1001 Daxue Road, Hsinchu 300, universities that still have vacancies to fill.

Cover photo by Fredrik Hallgren

Taiwan R.O.C

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CHALMERS IN ASIA SPRING 2019

Studying at Chalmers does not limit you to Gothenburg, Sweden. Through many exchange programmes 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.

Dehli

Indian Institute of Technology

Singapore

Nanyang Technological University

National University of Singapore

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Beijing, China

Tsinghua University

Shanghai, China Tongji University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Seoul, South Korea

Seoul National University

Sendai, Japan Tohoku University

Tokyo, Japan

The University of Tokyo

Tokyo Institute of Technology

Hsinchu, Taiwan

National Chiao Tung University

Hong Kong, China

City University of Hong Kong

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

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CONTENTS 5 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 25 4

Editor’s Letter Arvid Hanson

Shanghai

Architecture with an ideological framework Jesper Evertsson

Sendai

Interview with Shinpei Imada Gustav Svensson

Tokyo

Swedish Talent in Japan Anton Lindegren

Singapore

Interview with Jonathan Scarlett Lukas Nyström

Mongolia

A quick guide to Mongolia Anna Wiktorsson

Hong Kong

Wealth gap in Hong Kong Louise Gertz

Singapore

Singapore's economical development Johannes Lindgren

Singapore

Linging in a Hall Magnus Fries

Tokyo

Japan, the Most Steady Society I've Ever Seen Simon Wu

Singapore

Singapore in 2 days Anna Nänzén

28 33 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50

ASIA PHOTOS

Beijing

China - Differences and misunderstandings Sören Lambrecht

Shanghai

China's QR code obsession Kevin Chen Trieu

Tokyo

Being part of a laboratory in Japan Andreas Tilo

Seoul

The Miracle of South Korea Hampus Larsson

Singapore

Supertrees of Gardens by the bay Elin Westroth

Singapore

Studying Mathematics at the national University of Singapore Jack Thein af Ekenstam

Hong Kong

Hash running - a drinking club with a running problem Johan Laberg Nilsson

Singapore

Changi Airport - the most beautiful airport on earth

Johan Ramne

Shanghai

My failed attempt to get scammed in Shanghai Johanna Larsson

S

Editor’s Letter

2019/08/12

As the world’s economic center of gravity shifts eastwards, it makes sense for any institution worth its name to take a keen interest in the region. Luckily for us, this historical trend has not been lost on the administration of Chalmers. A vivid example of this is the fact that Chalmers established Chalmers In Taiwan Office (CITO) in one of Taiwan’s finest universities, National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), as early as 2003. The idea behind the office was to facilitate exchange between the two schools, but also the two countries in large. National Chiao Tung University also has an equivalent office in the Chalmers campus, aptly named NCTU Europe.

Throughout the last academic year, I have been fortunate to be the Head of Office for CITO. Me and my fellow exchange mates have had some great adventures together, including surfing the beaches of Kenting in Southern Taiwan, barely avoiding getting ravaged by wild monkeys while ascending the 3886 meters high peak of Snow Mountain and countless of semi-embarrassing karaoke outings. We’ve also held a series of cultural events at our office where we’ve introduced the highlights of Swedish culture to the local students.

If you’re planning on going on exchange studies during your time at Chalmers, I have one piece of advice: Study the language beforehand! Knowing just the basics of the local language will undoubtedly help you make the most of your time abroad. I’ve exchanged life stories with countless of security guards, 7-11 staff, taxi drivers, shopkeepers and friendly strangers who I wouldn’t have been able to communicate with if it wasn’t for my previous Mandarin studies. Venturing out of the campus bubble to hang out with the locals will pay itself back manyfold in terms of cultural experience. And remember: It doesn’t really matter which language level you start out at, as most people will appreciate even a basic effort at learning their language. Besides, it’s always nice to be able to order a coffee without having to resort to pointing at menu items like a complete savage.

The articles in this magazine are written by Chalmers students who’ve been on their own exchange studies adventures around various parts of Asia. Hopefully the contents herein will inspire you to pursue your own exchange adventure. Even though my adventure has come to an end, the memories and the friends I’ve made will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Head of Office, Arvid Hanson

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Architecture with an ideological framework

In the spring of 2012 Rem Koolhaas and OMA completed one of China’s most eye-catching contemporary pieces of architecture, the CCTV-tower. It had taken eight years to complete the building and the project was not only controversial because of its staggering price tag, but also because of its obvious symbolism. With its striking design the building manifests a significant financial and political power. The tower is home to the stateowned China Central Television, China’s most powerful and influential TV channel which plays a key role in the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda machine. The building is however only one in a line of architectural wonders that China has brought to life in recent years. The Chinese government’s attitude towards iconic projects clearly indicates the importance of architecture for city and place branding, but what role do architectural prestige projects such as the CCTV tower play in the development of our cities?

The ”global city” is a concept that stretches back to the early 1980s. The emergence of global cities is contested, but many argue that this new 6

typology was a result of structural changes in the world economy. The concept reached China in the mid 1990s. The Chinese government wanted to create international metropolises to attract foreign investors and boost economic growth in the country. By the middle of the 1990s 43 Chinese cities had declared that they intended to create global cities with an international character. Some of the shortcomings the Chinese government located were a low level of economic productivity, an underdeveloped service industry, the high amount of manufacturing in the country’s economy and, most importantly, the lack of infrastructure and architecture that could change the world’s image of China’s post-socialistic cities.

The Chinese penchant for internationally renowned architects is flagrant in both commercial and public projects. The trend is most apparent in China’s capital, Beijing. In addition to the CCTV tower, Herzog & de Meuron’s Olympic stadium, Norman Foster’s airport terminal and Paul Andreau’s opera house are three clear examples of iconic building projects that have been complet-

ed in recent years. Many cities around China have followed Beijing’s marketing strategy and today international architecture competitions are common in most parts of the country. In many ways, China’s extensive building boom can be explained by economic rationality, but market logic alone can not justify the Chinese elite’s fixation on international architects. The state-funded mega projects, such as the Olympic stadium, require huge amounts of resources and can not be justified from an economic point of view. Therefore China’s search for star architects needs to be understood from a wider perspective that goes beyond pure market logic.

Since the dawn of architecture, buildings have been used to manifest power and authority. Religious buildings such as the church is a clear example of this. Last year a total of 144 skyscrapers over 200 meters were built around the world. With a total of 76 skyscrapers, China alone built more than 50 per cent of them – an impressive figure since number two on the list, USA, only finished ten. Many people associate skyscrapers with financial progress and ambitions, which attract companies and tourists. Today, about a third of all the skyscrapers in the world are located in China, a fact that indicates the ideals of urban planning in modern China.

The skyscraper is hierarchical by its nature – higher is always better. This thinking characterizes Chinese urban planning at large and has resulted in a cityscape that is more isolated than ever before. The positive effects of city branding are now

widely accepted but to uncritically consider modern architecture as a guarantee for economic success is naive. We need to question what qualities we want to promote. In China’s case it is obvious, but what arguments do we actually have in Europe for international icon projects and high-rise buildings? Ultimately it is all about how we shape societies that counteracts hierarchies and isolation and how we instead create conditions for solidarity and connectivity.

In many ways China is a country of contrasts, it is a country where ambitions and skyscrapers inhabit cities together with bicycle taxis, hutongs and rich cultural legacy. You have the big, the small, the new, the old, the ugly and the beautiful. China’s rapid urbanization is unique and lacks comparisons, but maybe that is also why it is so easy to get fooled. Is bigger always better and does an iconic building always have to be high? The high-rise hysteria can be found all over the world and the discussion is just a s relevant in Europe as in China.

In a famous quote, Jacques Herzog, one of the architects responsible for the Olympic stadium in Beijing points out that ”architecture is always bound to the site. You can take the table and move it around and try different places. Sometimes it just looks like crap and sometimes it is perfect”.

It is a statement that raises questions about phenomenology, heritage and democracy. Who owns the city and who is entitled to control over its silhouette? China is a country in rapid progress, but everything comes at a price. Old China is disappearing in favor of shopping malls, high-rise buildings and hotel complexes. The positive effects of architectural city branding are evident, but in an increasingly globalized world, the risk of a devaluated market is significant. The meaning of local expressions is therefore more central than ever before. If we do not take this into consideration, we run the risk of having a homogenous world of architectural mediocrity, and what fun would that be?

WORDS AND PHOTOS Jesper Evertsson Tongji University, Shanghai Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Architecture jeseve@student.chalmers.se

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Interview with Shinpei Imada

It is a cloudy but warm spring afternoon outside the window of Buddy’s Table, a campus café when I meet up with my tutor Shinpei Imada. He is a Japanese Master’s student in my COLABS(Cooperative Laboratory Study Program) research lab - Visual Cognition. With jazz and coffee table music we share a Swedish fika and talk about tutoring, student exchanges and the future of Japan.

Shinpei Imada, 24, grew up in Shibata City, Niigata prefecture, and later moved to Sendai for his university studies. Even though he still has one year left of his master’s, he, as many of his peers, is currently looking for a post-graduation job in Tokyo.

When he is not working on his thesis in Cognitive Psychology he enjoys programming and reading.

Before meeting with me, IKEA was all he knew about Sweden. While not eating his favourite food Katsu-don, a panko fried cutlet omelette on Japanese rice, he enjoys the cheesiness of a Margarita pizza.

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What are your thoughts on foreign exchange students, and what role do you think they have in current Japan?

Before tutoring I seldom talked with them, mostly due to my expectations of the language barrier.

However, I remember thinking they were lounder, taller and more outspoken than us Japanese students. I think their presence makes Japanese people more global and diverse in the way we think.

Just the other day when you[Gustav] made a questionnaire, you included the option ‘other’ when asking about gender - Japanese people often just uses ‘man’ and ‘woman’. It changed the way I think about gender groupings.

What is your personal view of student exchanges, would you be interested in participating in one?

If your country, like Japan, is culturally isolated, I think it is a good way to expand your mind and get new perspectives. More people should do it, especially in Japan where there are few good opportunities to get to know foreigners. I know that if I had the possibility and the capital, I would do it - maybe somewhere in Europe.

Why did you become a COLABS tutor and what role do you think tutors have in the program?

My teacher(our mutual advisor) recommended it as a good opportunity to improve my language skills, that and my general interest in learning about foreign cultures resulted in me jumping to the chance. Other than assisting the tutored in their studies I think us tutors should help them know more about Japan and Japanese school life.

What do you think the future of Japan will look like when it comes to foreign exchanges, student life and cultural exchanges?

Compared to the number of Japanese going on exchanges which will probably stay the same due to the lower birth rate, the amount of foreign students coming to Japan might go up as Japanese schools need to fill the gap resulting out of fewer Japanese students attending university. This will probably increase the percentage of foreign students in shared dormitories, which in turn increases the amount of intercommunication Japanese students have with new cultures. I’ve heard the quality and quantity of good academic papers from Japan have been decreasing in recent years. I hope foreign students will stimulate Japanese students and improve them.

How do you think Japan will change when it comes to globalization, language and culture barriers between Japan and the outer world?

More and more Japanese will become bilingual, picking up English due to an increased exposure.

Cultural barriers will decrease as people have to think differently when living in a more globalized world. Many cultures, not only the american one, will come to influence Japan - so the Japanese will have to adapt and find a balance with these new influences and the Japanese way of living and thinking; however, I worry that if globalization in Japan progresses too rapidly it may cause problems as Japanese people discard their own culture or language for new foreign ones.

Is there something that you like or dislike when it comes to the differences between Japan and the western world?

I definitely enjoy the more casual and practical way of dressing compared to the stiff suit culture we have in Japan. As I mentioned before I do not like the language barrier that much and foreign cars tend to be a bit too noisy for my taste.

Is there something you would like to say to the readers of this article, about student exchanges, life in Japan or anything else?

Many Japanese students will welcome you, should you ever come to Japan. And don’t forget to try Katsu-don!

WORDS AND PHOTOS Gustav Svensson Tohoku University, Sendai

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Interaction Design and Technologies gussvens@student.chalmers.se

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Swedish Talent in Japan The world is a diverse place, and anyone who has travelled outside of Sweden would agree that there are a lot of cultural differences across the globe. One great example of this comes from the comparison between the Swedish and the Japanese cultures. Although we can find areas where we are alike, such as in our love for queuing and our polite nature, Japanese and Swedish people do things very differently.

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During my stay here in Tokyo, I’ve looked at the Japanese corporate climate, mainly through events at the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and through discussions with various professors at Tokyo Institute of Technology where I study. What I’ve found are multiple opportunities where I believe Swedes can make a big contribution to the development of Japanese industries.

Our first example comes from the work that is currently done in Japan regarding gender diversity in tech. This was the topic of a speech given by the President of Ericsson’s Japanese Division, Toru Nozaki, where he pointed out the need to educate Japanese companies and their management about the importance of this diversity. This is of course not only because of the goal of equality between people, but also because there are clear economical gains that comes from diversity. My impression is that us coming from Sweden already have a good understanding of this, and that we therefore could help this development in Japan.

As another Ericsson employee told me, many companies in Japan, specifically in the Telecom industry, are very traditional in their organizational structure. This means, for example, a rigid top-down approach from the management. As a former Toyota Senior Manager told me, one result has been that Japanese companies have very high quality standards in their production. On the other hand, this waterfall way of working is, according to the Ericsson employee, also resulting in development cycles that are becoming way too long for the international development rate. The ability for Japan to stay in the forefront of technology and innovation may thus become threatened. As this second example shows, there’s a need for restructuring and innovation in the management of Japanese companies. Here too, I feel like the Swedes have something to bring to the table, since we traditionally have had a less hierarchical way of working.

Thirdly, I sense an opening for entrepreneurs.

My professor in Corporate Governance and Finance told me about two major challenges facing

Japanese entrepreneurs. The first one is that many companies in Japan still have an “employment for life” principle, which makes them feel very secure to new graduates. The contrast of this to the insecure nature of start-ups makes it very difficult for entrepreneurs to find employees. Japanese companies are structured in such a way that for an employee to reach high in the corporate rankings, she or he needs to work at that company for a very long time. This means, according to my professor, that experienced managers are heavily invested in their companies due to the time and energy spent in the company to reach their positions, and therefore they are reluctant to give them up, especially for a gig in a risky start-up. Thus, another problem is the difficulty of finding managers with industry experience. It seems like this could be an opportunity for entrepreneurial Swedes, with good education and/or industry experience to join or launch start-ups here in Japan, and capitalize on the current situation.

Lastly, Japan is experiencing a large deficit in working capital. Mr. Nozaki, the Ericsson President, made this clear by stating that the average number of jobs per applicant in Japan is close to 1,5, and in the IT sector up to 4 jobs per applicant.

This, pared with the demand for international (and english speaking) labour voiced by Mr. Nozaki, as well as Emilie Lu, President of Asus Japan, makes these times great for Swedes interesting in moving to Japan to take full advantage of their skills and simultaneously experience the truly remarkable country of Japan.

WORDS Anton Lindegren Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation antlinde@student.chalmers.se

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Interview with Jonathan Scarlett

Assistant professor at NUS

In many global rankings the National University of Singapore, NUS, has gained great attention - placing top ten on multiple occasions. This fact is partially due to its recognized undergraduate/graduate studies, but perhaps primarily for its high performing team of researchers. As a Master’s student enrolled at NUS, I had limited insights into the research pursued and how NUS contributes to the international academic community. In an attempt to demystify the matter, I turned to interview one of my most pronounced professors. Without further ado, allow me to introduce to you: Dr. Jonathan Scarlett.

Please tell me briefly about your educational and professional background?

I did a double degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Melbourne, with an emphasis on topics in communications and signal processing. This naturally led me to doing a PhD at the University of Cambridge in an area called information theory, which is about the mathematics of data communication and compression. After my PhD, I wanted to broaden my research interests further, so I did a post-doc in the LIONS group at EPFL, working on various aspects of statistical inference, learning, and optimization.

For the last year or more, I have been continuing 12

in these areas as a Assistant Professor in Computer Science and mathematics at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Why did you decide to do research? What is your key motivator?

Towards the end of my undergraduate degree, I was actually quite uncertain about what I wanted to do, but I had a feeling that I would be better suited for academia. After gaining some research experience at the University of Melbourne, I quickly became increasingly convinced that I wanted to continue in research, and my PhD and post-doc experience certainly reinforced this. It’s great to al-

ways be learning new things, and to be able to contribute new knowledge of my own ─ even if only a tiny fraction of what’s out there!

Why did you choose to pursue tenure at NUS specifically?

Naturally, I was already familiar with NUS and several of its excellent researchers, so when I saw they were hiring, I had no hesitation in applying.

I was very fortunate to receive an offer. I wouldn’t say there was any one particular reason that I accepted, but basically NUS ticked all the boxes -it’s a leading international university, it was clear that it provides an excellent research environment, and there are many good sources for acquiring research funding. Being a bit closer to my home city Melbourne is also a nice bonus!

What is the biggest difference between doing research at NUS vs Cambridge/EPFL?

They were all great places to work. At least in the groups I interacted with most, each institution certainly had fairly different key specialties, such as Bayesian inference and learning in Cambridge, information theory in EPFL, and artificial intelligence and robotics in NUS. It’s fair to say that from my own point of view, by far the main differences were more about the positions I held -- a PhD is an entry into research, a post-doc is an opportunity to become a more independent researcher, and a faculty position comes with many new responsibilities in supervision, teaching, and so on.

What is the biggest, if any, cultural differences between the different institutions?

I don’t think the cultural differences have impacted me much, though maybe others would speak differently about themselves. In all three institutions, the postgraduate students and faculty members are so diverse that there’s already a wide mix of cultures, which I think is great. Having said that, Cambridge certainly has many unique aspects, like the college life, the (friendly) rivalries between colleges and universities, and some different teaching approaches like highly personalized undergraduate supervision.

It is no secret that researchers from highly prestigious Cambridge produce many significant breakthroughs on a yearly basis. In

general, how would you say that the level of publishings at NUS compares?

There are very few places that can compare with Cambridge in terms of prestige, or even some more quantitative indicators like nobel prize numbers. But generally in terms of publishing and impact, things vary quite a lot from field to field, and of course from person to person. It’s hard to make an overall comparison, but I would certainly rate the research output of NUS very highly.

In your opinion, what field/s is the flagship/s of NUS research?

In the computer science department where I work, I would highlight artificial intelligence, including robotics and computer vision. For instance, at the most recent prestigious AAAI conference, NUS was one of the top publishers in the world, with 21 papers. We also have excellent researchers in other computing areas like security and distributed systems. Although a little less familiar to me, I also understand that NUS has other particularly strong areas like civil engineering and chemistry.

Finally, if you had to try to see into the future where do you think that the leading powers of your field will be? Will they continue to persist in the US and UK, or do you see other contenders?

Perhaps in an all-round sense, it will be hard for most international institutions to compete with places like MIT and Cambridge in the near-future in terms of reputation and prestige. On the other hand, many of the very best in their field are already outside the US and the UK. It’s not easy to predict the future, but I think the worldwide rankings are reflecting the rising reputation of institutions in countries like Singapore, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, China, and more.

WORDS AND PHOTO Lukas Nyström National University of Singapore, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Complex Adaptive Systems nlukas@student.chalmers.se

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A quick guide to Mongolia

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A perk of doing an exchange at National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan is to work at the Chalmers International Taiwan Office (CITO). As part of our work at the office, we got the opportunity to go on a business trip to a different Asian country. Me and two of my friends from CITO chose to go to Mongolia, where we both visited companies and experienced the Mongolian culture.

Mongolia is a country crammed between Russia and China. Despite being the 18th largest country by surface in the world, it only has a population of 3.3 million. This makes the country the most sparsely populated in the world. A large part of the population still lives as nomads in simple tents called gers; the way Mongolians have done for centuries. The gers consists of one round room with a fireplace for cooking and heating in the middle. Since the weather changes dramatically with the seasons, most nomads move at least four times a year.

Although the nomadic culture is still strong, the capital Ulaanbaatar has to deal with a rapid urbanization. Many nomads chose to move with their gers into areas along the outskirts of the city and as a result, over 60 % of the population in the capital live in these so called ger districts. Since the ger districts have limited access to the electricity and water supply network, most people still use wood and coal to warm their houses during the long and cold winter when temperatures often

Quick facts:

Population: 3,076,000 (2018) Largest city: Ulaanbaatar, 1,452,000 inhabitants 2018 Area: 1 566 000 km² Official language: Mongolian

drop to -40°C. This means that Ulaanbaatar is not only the world’s coldest capital, but also one of the most polluted.

Genghis Kahn was the founder of the Mongol empire and even in modern Mongolia, you cannot go far without being reminded of this. As we quickly noticed, his name or face is found on everything from products, streets, restaurant to the currency. The airport in Ulaanbaatar is named Chinggis Khaan International Airport and outside of the city, you can find a 40-meter-tall statue of him. It is clear that the modern Mongolian people still are very proud of being his ancestors.

When travelling in Mongolia, one should make sure to experience the beautiful landscape and the large wildlife. The Mongolian countryside is largely untouched, and the country offers pine forests in the north, the Gobi Desert in the south and lakes, mountains and steppes in between. When travelling through the countryside, it is not uncommon to go a day without seeing any other inhabitants. The landscapes are also appreciated by the city dwellers of Ulaanbaatar, who often go on trips to the countryside during their spare time.

Overall, I am very happy that I got to travel to this beautiful country, which is vastly different from any other I have ever visited. Mongolia is a beautiful country which is still highly affected by the traditional nomadic way of living. I would stronglyhighly recommend a visit to anyone who gets the opportunity to do so.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Anna Wiktorsson Nation Chiao Tung University, Taiwan Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of innovation anna.viktorsson@chalmers.se

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Wealth gap in Hong Kong Hong Kong is a city of high skyscrapers, rooftop bars and impressive shopping malls with luxurious boutiques. The busy shopping streets are dotted with stores from exclusive brands such as Chanel, Gucci and Rolex. All are there to please the wealthy citizens of this 7 million city.

But not everyone in Hong Kong gets to enjoy the fruits of the thriving economy, and the wealth gap is only increasing. In fact, one in seven of the Hongkongers is a millionaire but one in seven is also living below the poverty line.

In 2017 Hong Kong had one million millionaires out of a population of 7.36 million according to a study by Citibank. A millionaire was defined as someone who has liquid assets such as deposits, stocks, bonds and mutual fonds of 1 million Hong Kong dollars. Due to the rising stock and property market the number of millionaires in the city has been increasing and is likely to keep on increasing.

Meanwhile the numbers of wealthy people are increasing, so is the wealth gap, which is at its greatest in 45 years according to Oxfam.

Just around the corner from those luxurious shopping malls, a much more poor side of the city can be seen. Makeshift shelters set up from scrap wood pieces and cardboard is the home to these poor people. This is a stark contrast from the fancy shopping streets mentioned before. Many elderlies are poor, some pushing carriers through the

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city collecting trash, in order to make a living. The phenomena of elderly collecting trash in Hong Kong is the results of deficient pension policies The South China Morning Post (SCMP) writes that the most vulnerable groups in society are women, children, elderly, ethnic minorities, residents of subdivided flats and low income workers. The government faces challenges with taking care of the growing elderly population, today one in three elderly lives below the poverty line. Even though Hong Kong experienced strong economic growth, it is not reflected in the real wages which in the last decade have increased by as little as 12.3 per cent according to SCMP. The minimum wage of HK$34.50 has a lower purchasing power than eight years ago which causes the low income workers to suffer.

A common way of measuring the difference

between rich and poor in a society is by using the Gini coefficient, an index which explains how even the wealth distribution is on a scale of zero to one, zero indicating perfect equality. In 2017 the Gini coefficient for Hong Kong reached the highest number in 45 years with 0.539. Comparatively the United states and Singapore have the Gini coefficient 0.411 and 0.4579 respectively. As reported

by Oxfam the poverty in Hong Kong has worsened over the last 15 years with 1.3 million people living in poverty today. The wealthiest in the city are now making 44 times more than the poorest.

Oxfam recommends the Hong Kong government to make a reduction of the wealth gap and poverty alleviations top priorities. Further they recommend the government to increase the recurrent expenditure by HK$36.7 billion. This should be used to improve public services and improve labour protection and benefits for the citizens.

But not everyone agrees with Oxfam. Leslie Tang Wai-kong, commissioner for census and statistics, fend off the accusations that the government hasn’t done enough. Tang claims that the wealth gap is growing with a slower pace thanks to government efforts to help the poor in an interview with Business insider. According to Tang, the Gini coefficient should include the effects of social benefits and taxation to more accurately reflect the economic equality of the city. Further Tang argues that by considering these factors the Gini coefficient actually is actually decreased with 0,002.

The society for Community Organisation (SoCo) were not appeased by this and insist that

the inequality is still a big concern, pointing out that the Gini coefficient still would be above the warning level at 0.4. SoCo claims that the government policies were not efficient enough to cut inequality. The rich are getting richer fast while low income workers are left behind, unable to benefit from the fruits of the growing economy.

Wealth inequality in Hong Kong is a serious problem and needs to be coped with by the government. Even though there are different opinions in how the Gini coefficient should be interpreted, there is no question that the wealth gap is real and existing. An unequal society hinders social development and leaves thousands of people trapped in poverty. However, it’s not just the poor who suffer from the wealth gap. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reports that high inequality hurts the economic growth of communities as well. For Hong Kong to continue to be a growing and prosperous city, the government need to step up and take action to reverse the inequality.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Louise Gertz City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering gertz@student.chalmers.se

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Singapore’s economical development Singapore is the small island nation that had a GDP per capita of just 428 dollars less than 50 year ago. This is less than Kongo-Kinshasa has today. But it has now grown to a staggering 57,714 dollars in last year, Surpassing a lot of the developed countries in the west, such as Sweden. But how did this nation pull off this amazing feat without any natural resources and with a landmass less than a ninth of the Swedish island Öland.

Singapore is the small island nation that had a GDP per capita of just 428 dollars less than 50 year ago. This is less than Kongo-Kinshasa has today. But it has now grown to a staggering 57,714 dollars in last year, Surpassing a lot of the developed countries in the west, such as Sweden. But how did this nation pull off this amazing feat without any natural resources and with a landmass less than a ninth of the Swedish island Öland.

It all began in on the 31st of august 1963 when Singapore was no longer a part of the British empire and 18

instead joined the Malaysian Federation. But they parted ways with Malaysia only two years later due to political differences. This was a bold move since the country lacked any kind of natural resources and the small land area meant that it needed to import a large portion of it’s food supply. At this time two thirds of the population lived in slums and half of the population was illiterate, so economic development was much needed. In order to achieve this, the then president Yusof bin Ishak tried to attract investors from overseas. This was accomplished

by creating a business environment that was free from corruption, high taxation and crippling labour unions.

To do this the citizens of Singapore had to give up some of their freedom. As an example no independent labour unions where allowed. The only union that existed was the NTUC that was controlled by the government. Singapore is also one of the few modern countries where corporal punishment is still practised.

With it’s business friendly laws and great location on the shipping route between Europe and Asia, Singapore became a perfect place for manufacturing. In 1972, 25 % of the manufacturing companies in Singapore where either foreign or joint ventures with a international investor. Due to the investments that poured in to the country, from its time of independence from Malaysia to 1972 the country experienced double digit GDP growth annually.

The changing of the business environment was just a first step. In order to keep the economy growing the government set up a lot of technical schools and paid foreign companies to train their workers in various fields. This was done since it’s only possible to grow the economy so much by low tech manufacturing. For the economy to grow more, high tech manufacturing and research and development needs to be conducted. The training of workers turned out to be a great strategy since it facilitated this. In the 1970s the main exports were garments and basic electronics but in the 1990s this had diversified into wafer fabrication, pharmaceuticals, integrated circuit design and aerospace engineering.

Another thing needed to facilitate economic growth is quality and accessible higher education. Today

31 % of the Singaporean labour force holds a university degree, this is comparable with Sweden where 27 % of the labour force has an equivalent degree. Singapore has invested a lot in its higher education to become an even more research-and-knowledge-based economy.

The result of this is that today the country has two of its universities among the 15 highest ranked in the world.

Today Singapore is a thriving country with a life expectancy of 82.8 years which is slightly more than Sweden. New industries has developed, such as the tourism industry, and with a lot of famous sights and 10 million annual visitors, it is doing well. The financial sector is another sector that’s booming. Proof of this is the fact that it has the fourth largest exchange market in the world and that it has 117 international banks and as well as six domestic ones.

The Singaporean model where freedom is exchanged for increased stability and economic growth is a controversial method but no one can argue about it’s efficiency.

WORDS AND PHOTO Johannes Lindgren National University of Singapore, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in System, Control and Mechatronics jolindgr@student.chalmers.se

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Living in a Hall

My year as an exchange student in the interesting cultural mix that is Singapore, is coming to an end. The campus of NUS (National University of Singapore) is huge, and one reason for that is because a large portion of the 40 000 students live right here on campus. When applying for student accommodation there were three options, residence, hall or college. A residence is a room with shared kitchen among 4-10 people; a hall offers a more communal living with a central dining hall, and college is something in between. I will try to explain my experience living in a hall, which comes with a lot of perks.

To choose accommodation was hard, you didn’t understand what the differences would be.I wanted to live in a social environment, which is why I choose a hall. Of course, living in a residency could also be social, if you have the right flatmates.

The hall I live in is called King Edward’s VII Hall, and the reason for choosing this particular hall was because it seemed near to the science faculty, where my courses were held. However, since NUS has its own free bus system, which offers frequent

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transportation across campus all day long until early night, it is easy to get lazy, especially when it is constantly 28+ degrees outside. Still, it’s a 5 minutes walk to my classes which is manageable in the heat. Also, you can avoid the buses that can get very crowded during the day.

King Edward’s is comprised of 8 blocks which each is a 3-4 story building accommodating about 100 people. The rooms are not the largest, there is no AC,but at least a fan, and the bathrooms are shared between about 15 people and look like airport toilets, although not the fancy ones. The room door goes directly to an outside corridor, similar to a big resort hotel.

When living in a hall, you are obliged to buy a meal-plan. This means that you get breakfast and dinner 6 days a week in the dining hall. In general, the food in Singapore is cheap and you can get a proper meal in a food court for about 4 Singapore dollars, which is about 30 kr. The hall food averages out on about half of that, but you get more food per meal. That being said, it’s not the fanciest of food, compared to a food court where you can

get anything, for example noodles, chicken rice, dumplings, Mala Hot Pot, Indian, Thai, Taiwanese, Indonesian and western food, while in hall the food gets a bit repetitive. The hall is more similar to a Middle school dining hall in Sweden, but with more options and often a refreshing fruit. Also, about once a month the hall arrange themed dinners, which offers about the same quality but from a specific culture. These meal often implies some weird sugar milk tea drink, or ice cream with bean or corn flavor. A easy way to try strange foods, even if you don’t want it!

As an exchange student, the dinners are really appreciated, because you get to eat with friends.

In my case, a few locals and all exchange students from my hall have become a big family, so it is always cozy to go to the dinning hall and always having someone there to eat and chat with. It gives a casual way of socializing in, even during the most stressful periods.

Another opportunity you get from living in a hall is the possibility to join CCA:s - co-curricular activities. There is a band room, dance studio, a sports hall for gymnastics, squash courts, tennis courts and a basket court at the hall, with corresponding clubs that host trainings and competi-

tions. I played squash for a while and they had a semi professional trainer teaching, which was really appreciated. There is also a small gym available. Across campus there are multiple CCA:s and gyms, but using the one in the hall can give better opportunity to get to know people.

Another facility at the hall that has been highly appreciated is the common rooms; rooms with AC, sofas, tables and TV. There have been countless movie nights and chatting until dawn with fellow exchangers. It has really showed me how important a social place can be, because otherwise we would only have had our tiny rooms that gets overheated even when you are alone.

There are also events happening at the hall, like Block Suppers. About once a month some students organize food and games for their own block. It is a fun way to get more insight in the local youth culture, which I think is quite different to Sweden’s. And again, it is also an opportunity to try some weird food. Other times, there are sports events. In the beginning of the first semester there was the Inter Block Games, competitions in all the sports playable at the hall. This was very casual and no matter your skill you could join. It was also right after this when you could join the sports clubs. It begins for all levels but quickly they start pushing for the big goal; making a competitive team for the Inter Hall Games. Quite a few people here were really skilled at their sport, and in the beginning of the second semester all campus halls competed in most sports. This time it wasn’t casual, so it was really interesting to watch all highly skilled friends play.

For a classic exchange experience, a residency might be the way to go, since it incentivises you to reach out for social connections. But if you want a smaller tight social group of 20+ people and an opportunity to interact more with locals, I believe a hall accommodation is the way to go. I will always be a KEVII:an and will miss this place terribly, because of all the wonderful people.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Magnus Fries National University of Singapore, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Engineering Mathematics friesm@student.chalmers.se

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Japan, the Most Steady Society I’ve Ever Seen

“So, what do you think of Japan?” is a question I got to answer so many times during my time here in Tokyo. Thanks to these frequent opportunities, I had time to gradually develop my answer, trying to figure out what the unique feelings this country has offered me are.

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This is not my first time in Japan, but I am still equally fascinated everytime by all the contrasting characters this place has to offer. In one spring day, I could be passing by a group of ladies in kimono heading to a tea party under the sakura trees, while I myself was on my way to visit the crazy penis festival in Kanamara. I could be visiting a futuristic VR-park in Shinjuku, and in the waiting queue realize that this place takes no electronic payment at all and that I don’t have enough cash on me...

However, neither of these are the things I want to share the most about Japan. I don’t remember when it struck me, maybe when I was following the time schedule on google map and the whole transport system strictly followed the schedule by minutes; maybe when I went to shop food and noticed that all the fruits on the shelves were literally in exact same size, shape and perfect condition; or maybe just when I saw a small iron smith store that has been passed down for 7 generations within a family, producing only a specific type of gear wheel, it stroke me that everything feels so “stabilized” here in Japan.

I experience that the whole Japanese society gives out a strong feeling of stability, deriving from their urban standardization, social order as well as the strong inertia from the past, more than any other societies of my knowledge.

Like many people’s first impression, Japan’s city planning is impressively standardized, offering huge convenience. Tokyo is the most outstanding example. Here you are always surrounded by daily necessities: there will always exist a 24h kiosk within 300 meters whenever your location is, providing all the products you might need; auto vending machine with cold and hot drinks can be seen on every streets every 50 meters; next

to every express train station there will be a big shopping mall; cafes, toilets and drug stores can be found around every train station, etc. These urban standardization makes it incredibly easy to live very exquisitely here.

Great ordered is another main feature of Japan, making one able to keep a constant relaxed mood. Japan has strict etiquettes, which is for example strongly reflected by their language. The core of the Japanese language is the selection of word and honorifics depending on one’s relation with the person one speaks to. This is not unusual in other cultures, especially in Asian, but has definitely been brought to extreme in Japan. Honorifics are always used unless the speakers have very close relations, and as a result, people treat each other with great politeness all the time. Also, social rules are detailedly defined as well as strictly obeyed by a majority of the population. Taking rules on the train as an example, no phone calls are allowed, and passengers are suggested to speak in low volume. Signs reminds one to turn down their earphone volume to not disturb the neighbours. Consequently, it is usually astonishingly quiet inside the trains, even during the rush hours when the flow is breaking one’s bones. My absolute favorite part of Japan is how amazingly safe it can be here. One can easily leave one’s phone on the bench outside a cafe, without worrying that anyone will take it. This leaves the daily life here incredibly peaceful and harmonical, without almost no harassment from the surroundings.

But the strongest impression I got here, after living for 6 months, is that the Japanese society has huge inertia from past. Many things that could or should be changed still remains unchanged. For example, the majority of Japan still uses only cash system. Even in places like Tokyo,

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around half of stores and restaurants only take cash, which is very unexpected in an age when electronic payment is so popular. Many big companies also don’t have online service at all, for example my SIM card company. They seem to really prefer human custom service. Every time I want to add more surfing data, I have to email them.

Focusing down on the individuals, old traditions (in eyes from a western) about people’s life planning are still kept. This is not only a result of personal choice, but of the whole social system.

One example is that the majority of Japanese today still work for only one company in their whole life. For the students here, choosing a job is one of the biggest decision to make in their lives. Traditional Japanese companies highly value a workers loyalty, and one person with record of changing jobs can be seen as untrustable and might have trouble finding a next job. This is not the case anymore in a lot of international and modern companies, but for most of the big traditional Japanese companies it is still true. However, the company is also the biggest shelter for it’s workers. First of all, the company almost never fires its workers.

Also, in Japan, the main part of one’s and his families welfare comes from the company one works in, not from the government. Therefore, a stable job means a stable environment for the individual, and most people never intend to risk a change.

As a result of no personnel flow, working ages becomes the main promotion pathway, and strict age hierarchy is followed within the company. A common rule is that one cannot leave before his 24

or her senior leaves.

Another big phenomenon worth mentioning within the Japanese society is that the majority of women choose to become housewifes after marriage. Except personal will and traditions (saying that women should assist her husband and raise her kids), this is also mainly a result of the society. Most of the companies in Japan affords the man doubled salary if the women in the family is not working. A direct result is that the family gets even better economy if the woman doesn’t work, promoting this type of family structure.

To summarize the topic, the stability experienced from the Japanese society seems to origin from the fact that there exist a template for everything to follow here, from the city planning, one’s behaviour, to people’s life planning. People take clear roles in the society, and the boundaries between people are clearly defined. I feel very grateful to have the chance to stay in Japan for one year. It has been an amazing experience, and really opened my eyes. I guess this year will have a huge effect on my life, more than I can understand now.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Simon Wu Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Complex Adaptive system simonwu@student.chalmers.se

SINGAPORE IN

2 DAYS

Singapore might be a shock if you have a preconceived image of Singapore as just being a big city-state with fancy and shiny skyscrapers.

It definitely shocked me… Of course, Singapore has remarkable skyscrapers however, the country has a lot more to offer. Although it is just a tiny island there is an extensive array of cultures to discover, numerous things to experience and places to visit. This 2-days guide aims to point out all Singapore’s must-dos and the hidden treasures that can’t be missed.

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DAY 1

Prepare for a day full of cultural experiences!

Since Singapore historically has been a major significant trading hub, the culture is a fusion of several cultures, making it both diverse and unique.

It is influenced by Asian as well as European cultures. Furthermore, Singapore has been described as a place where “East meets West”. More than ten different religions are practiced in the country, where Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism are the biggest ones. A vast majority of the population is Chinese, Malay or Indian and there are numerous of ethnic neighborhoods.

With that said, you should start the day in Little India. Feel the bohemian vibe as you walk along the crowded streets filled with Indian restaurants, shophouses and street art. Pass the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple located in the heart of Little India. Continue to the narrow aisles in the enormous Mustafa shopping center. It is disorganized, chaotic and messy. However, that is also the charm of Mustafa. Here you can find almost anything from jewelry to fishing rod for cheap prices.

12:00

Take the Singaporean metro, the MRT, to Chinatown and walk to Hawker Chan’s Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle. Line

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up to order what is known as the world’s cheapest Michelin starred food. If you desire to try something more odd and eccentric go to Wah! Kungfu and try their specialty- frog. After lunch explore the crowded busy street market, the colorful temples and culture bursting in Chinatown. There is a high possibility that you feel a strange smell almost as horrible as the Swedish “surströmming” while walking in the maze of streets in Chinatown.

The distinct smell comes from a popular fruit call Durian. If you taste the stinky fruit make sure you don’t bring it on a public transportation since it is completely banned there.

17:30

Find your way to Kampong glam for the day’s third ethnic neighbourhood which is acknowledged as the Malay-Muslim quarter. Admire the colourful tiny cute boutiques, hip and trendy cafes and the landmark Sultan Mosque’s massive golden dome. Just like Little India and Chinatown, this is a culturally vibrant district. At Haji Lane the walls are graffiti-tagged and during the evening there is live-music in every corner. Find yourself a table at a restaurant to enjoy the talented street musicians and soak in the atmosphere. A personal favourite is the Mexican restaurant Piedra Negra.

DAY 2

Begin the day by discovering the pulse on Orchard street where you have endless shopping opportunities– it is the dream for a shopaholic. You can find shopping malls wherever you lay your eyes on the 2 km long street. Internationally, Singapore is known as a shopping mecca and with its 26 595 stores in total you can’t find any country in Asia with a greater number of malls per capita.

13:00

Take the MRT to a station called City Hall.

From here you can take a short walk to Raffles Hotel and Long-bar; home to the famous cocktail Singapore Sling. Singapore Sling was created in 1915 during a time when women didn’t consume alcohol in public due to etiquette. Consequently, a bartender named Ngiam Tong Boon (who must have been a real womanizer) decided to make a cocktail with an appearance similar to fruit juice which in turn became socially acceptable for women to drink. Inside of Long bar there is an authentic atmosphere inspired by the 1920s. All guests receive a bag with unpeeled peanuts. This is probably the only place where they encourage littering since the shells are thrown directly on the floor.

Next destination is Gardens by the bay. You can purchase tickets to enter Flower Dome and Cloud Forest which in my opinion is definitely worthwhile. In Flower Dome, you will discover a diverse garden with exotic plants from five continents and Cloud Forest has a 35-metre-tall indoor waterfall. If you appreciate nature and greenery this is not the only place to enjoy it as Singapore has a vision to transform from a Garden city to a

City in a garden. There are parks, nature reserves and flowerbeds, even Singapore’s impressive architecture contains greenery with rooftop terraces and plants integrated in the house walls.

19:45

Make sure you don’t miss the stunning and magical Supertree light show in Gardens by the bay before you leave. The signature show changes every month with new lights and music compositions. Admire the dancing and dazzling light to the powerful music. Afterwards, head towards the finance district for dinner. Take a seat in the middle of the road on a plastic chair at Boon Tat Street, also called Satay Street. At 19:00 the traffic gets blocked and the hawkers offering grilled sticks with different kinds of meat open. It is truly a rare atmosphere since the street is located in the middle of one of the finest areas in Singapore.

End the day on the top of the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the place you can see on roughly 50 % of all pictures if you google Singapore. Here you will have a spectacular view over the city including the Finance district, Gardens by the bay and Marina Bay Sands area. There are several rooftops in the city however, I would say that this is the one you can’t skip.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Anna Nänzén Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management annana@student.chalmers.se

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ASIA PHOTOS

Myanmar Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

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Mongolia Photo by Anna Wiktorsson

Taiwan Photo by Anna Wiktorsson

Seoul Photo by Max Wahlstrรถm

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Seoul Photo by Max Wahlstrรถm

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Myanmar Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

Taiwan Photo by Karin Malmgren

China Photo by Kevin Chen Trieu

Mongolia Photo by Johan Johansson

Myanmar Photo by Karin Malmgren

Taiwan Photo by Fredrik Hallgren

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Taiwan Photo by Johan Johansson

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CHINA

differences and misunderstandings

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In September, 2018, I moved to Beijing, part of the People’s Republic of China. Apart from a 5 weeks trip in South East Asia, I have spent most of my time in China. During my stay, I have been visiting several cities, among them Singapore, Hong Kong and Chongqing. After touching down in Beijing, I was very overwhelmed. It felt like I just flew through the modern Great Wall of China, the “great firewall”. Neither Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook or Google worked, no one spoke English, and I could not read any signs since they all were written in Mandarin characters. These limitations, or hurdles if you like, constitute a major threshold just for sightseeing. In addition to this, the huge population, Beijing alone with its approximately 22 million inhabitants, is immense, and it is not even the largest city in the country.

After my first 8 months in PRC, I am still far away from considering myself a China expert.

However, I believe I have gained a better understanding of an extremely complex country. China is a highly versatile country. It has everything from desert to rainforest, multi billionaires to extreme poverty (according to CNBC (2018) three Chinese cities are on the list of the 10 cities with most billionaires worldwide), Mandarin (with all its dialects) to Cantonese, being one country with two systems (Hong Kong and Macao) and much more.

Despite these differences, Beijing has become something of a third home of mine, in addition to Sweden and Germany. Maybe my biggest insight and take-away is this: China is a complex country and my Swedish or European approaches can simply not be applied here.

It is crucial to bear in mind that the majority of my observations are from Beijing when reading 34

this article. Beijing is the most Chinese metropole in China. It is the centrum of power and education, it is where new tremendous communistic buildings meet old temples and Hutongs from the former dynasties. Also, the Great Wall of China is only an hour’s drive away.

Beijing is very different from the other first tier cities. Hong Kong and Shanghai in comparison are much more westernised, with the simple explanation of them being occupied by Great Britain and France. The first tier-, as well as the second-tier cities, vary very much from the countryside. In terms of technology, infrastructure and general urban planning the major cities in PRC are ahead of what I have seen in Sweden so far. However, the countryside is a whole different world. It is both underdeveloped and poor. Yet it might change drastically in the near future due to the growing Chinese middle-class. In 2020 according to McKinsey & Company (2019) over 50% of the population will belong to the growing middle class.

As a Swede it takes some time to get used to the absence of most of the, typical for Sweden, unwritten rules. Some kind of personal space which no stranger enters, not speaking too loudly in public or queuing in a proper line is completely absent. It also occurs that people spit or fart indoors, although it has decreased in recent years and now rarely can be noticed in the big cities. For people that get upset by mere trifles like this, China might be the wrong country to visit. Personally, I feel that the absence of European norms is exhausting from time to time but it’s nothing that seriously affects my quality of life, it is rather a matter of habit. Often, friends of mine and I perceive people being careless in public. For example, the frequency of

people bumping into me. I will try to explain this, in my own way, with an analogy of our digital society. We are exposed to tons of data daily. By blocking out some information, we avoid all the noise and are able to extract essential information.

According to me, living with 1.4 billion people is similar to this. With a steady flow of new impressions, it becomes necessary to block out some.

From my experience, the Chinese are not unkind per se. Once you get to know them, they are very kind. However, if you do not know them, they can come across as impolite.

The Chinese and Swedish society differ significantly. Most of the differences derive from the antecedent and contemporary political and religious beliefs. China is still characterised by Confucianism and Taoism. Confucianism with family, social rules and education composing its cornerstones.

Taoism, on the other hand, values harmony and perfection. The Chinese Civil War, leading to the People’s Republic of China, with the subsequent Great Leap and Cultural Revolution has also influenced China greatly. Although Deng Xiaoping reformed PRC and initiated the fourth attempt of industrialisation with market-economy reforms, the trend of “openness” has somewhat stagnated in recent days. (Notice that I am not referring to cross-border trade, which has not been declining.

The six economic corridors of the BRI are constituting a good example of that.) The constant ob-

servation by the tremendous number of cameras installed everywhere is noticeable. The communist party is harnessing the information technology to increase its control of the inhabitants. However, the possibility of career development and self-realization dampens the feeling of constant surveillance, also making it easier to justify the cameras as a security necessity.

To me, my trip to China has so far been an educational experience and a great adventure. I feel like the differences between me and people I meet on a daily basis are superficial. This could be due to the differences being insignificant or me being acclimatised. I do appreciate the work ethics that I have encountered here, which could be a good example for the Swedish community. I also like the many contrasts and the complexity. In addition to that, I appreciate the honesty of my Chinese friends, not necessary something generalizable for the entire population. The perquisite of getting to know people is not something explicitly Chinese, and the difficulty of integration takes on many shapes and is as present in Sweden as it is in China. To integrate in Sweden with all its above-mentioned unwritten rules, with an extremely friendly population, while yet not correcting mistakes but rather swallowing their anger, is not easy either.

With this said, I believe China, for people entering with the right attitude, is a very exciting country.

It is very complex, and neither Swedish, nor European standards can be directly applied here. The decisive factor why I do not see myself settle down in China is its government. I believe in democracy.

However, it is inevitable to count PRC out of the global economy. With its immense domestic market, growing economic strength and geopolitical influence, we might see Chinese hegemony in the future. If this is the case or not, is hard to say. What I can say is; China is a increasing its global presence, trading with a increasing variety of countries, and that mean there is a increasing value in understanding the Chinese people.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Sören Lambrecht Tsinghua University, Beijing Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation sorenla@student.chalmers.se

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CHINA’S QR OBSESSION

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Are you still paying with cash or credit card today? If the answer is yes, then consider yourself outdated. The black and white weird looking square things known as QR codes you probably scanned a few times in your life is the future and is commonly used in the daily life of the people in the middle kingdom, China.

The widely spread use of QR codes in China is dominated by the mobile payment industry.

Two tech giants Alipay and WeChat with their respective app containing in-built QR code scanners have pushed the QR code usage in China to a world-leading position. In 2018 more than 580 million people used mobile payment in China with a forecasted increase to 950 million by 2023, according to Frost & Sullivan. Aside from mobile payment, QR codes are used in many unique ways in China ranging from public transport, authentication, bike-sharing, food ordering and marketing to the more controversial case such as putting them on tombstones to retrieve information about deceased ones.

QR codes are nothing new in the west, but they have yet to gain a strong foothold. In 2011, a Swedish based company, Seamless launched their product Seqr which is a mobile payment system based on QR code. It quickly entered many markets and soon had support in various stores but despite its wide reach, it shut down in 2018 due to low demand from customers.

How come QR codes completely failed in the western countries but not in China? Due to the wide adoption of payment cards in the west, the incentive to completely change the payment infrastructure was low. China, a country where cash has long been the ruling payment option combined with the low adoption of credit cards and the rapid increase of smartphone usage made it a perfect situation for QR code payment to pen-

etrate the market. Compared to Alipay and WeChat, the western pioneers in mobile payment, Apple, Google, and Samsung focused on the NFC technology in favour of QR codes due to its more secure and simple usage.

The brilliance of QR codes is not only due to its various use cases, but also since it barely requires any additional infrastructure. A QR code printed on a paper and a camera which every smartphone has is all that is needed. Compared to NFC which requires additional hardware in the smartphone and a point of sales terminals. The extra costs required makes the QR code a better alternative since the luxury of NFC is not always readily available. QR codes, therefore, enabled small shop owners and street vendors of China which previously relied solely on cash payments to now also accept cashless payments.

One common referred problem with QR codes is how secure it is since a QR code cannot be identified by looking at it. Legitimate QR codes can be replaced with malicious ones containing malware for fraudsters to gain access to consumers data and to steal their money. In China, this has quickly become a problem due to the rapid growth of QR codes leading to new unique ways of scams involving QR codes to surface. Alipay and WeChat are implementing safety measures and provides insurances, but there is still some work to be done.

Today the success of QR codes in China has forced western companies to reconsider adopting this technology. Apple and Snapchat have now built QR Code recognition directly into its camera apps. Alipay and WeChat payment options are showing up in stores outside of China to cater to the Chinese crowd. Although QR code usage in the west is still relatively low compared to China it is starting to make a comeback. Perhaps China was in a unique position for the adoption of QR codes. It remains to be seen if the west will be able to catch up to the lead in QR payments that China currently has.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Kevin Chen Trieu Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Computer Science kevintr@student.chalmers.se

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Being part of a laboratory in Japan

When I first went to Japan for my exchange studies I had no idea what to expect.. I had been told that I had to do some research as part of my exchange studies and also that I would be placed in a laboratory. As someone who hadn’t really done any independent research before, this was a pretty daunting task, not to mention the fact that I would have to do it in a laboratory full of Japanese people I’d never met before. I’m glad I went though, because what awaited me was an experience completely different from a Master’s education at home.

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Japanese university students studying science related subjects generally join a laboratory in their fourth and last year of their bachelor’s education, when they conduct research on their own for the first time. Usually choosing from a range of currently ongoing research subjects in the lab, they do their research whilst getting advice and help from senior labmates and professors.

When you hear the word “laboratory” you might think of a room filled with big machines or chemicals. However, this is not necessarily the case. Usually it is a regular office filled with desks and where the big machines and chemicals used for experiments, are held in a separate experiment room. These laboratories are run by professors at the school together with associate professors and other staff such as secretaries. They usually have some kind of research theme that the professor specializes in and which the research subjects are related to. For example, the laboratory I was part of was themed around Superconductors. The students can then choose to continue in the same lab for their Master’s or even Doctor’s education or switch to another lab.

The laboratory functions as the students’ “base” and is where they spend most of their time in school when they are not participating in lectures or conferences. It is actually quite common for Japanese students to quit their club activities when they enter their fourth year in favour of being at the lab.

Indeed, there can be a lot going on at a laboratory. It is necessary to point out at this point however, that the amount of activity of course depends on the size of the lab. I was lucky enough to be placed in one with about 20 students which meant there was someone there at most times of the day, not all laboratories are like that though.

An important part of the activities held at the laboratory is the regularly held seminars. Here some of the students present where they’re at with

their research and get feedback from other students and the professors. This makes sure that the students are on the right track with their research, as well as fosters the students’ academic communication skills.

There are of course activities done for leisure as well. A good example is the sport competitions held between different labs in the school, and even sometimes between labs in different schools.

These aren’t compulsory of course but if you’re in a lab with lots of active people you might just find yourself participating in one. There is even a long-distance relay race held between labs in different departments.

For the athletically un-inclined there are more relaxed activities as well. Apart from the spontaneous visits to the local ramen shop there are also events stemming from Japanese culture like the cherry-blossom viewing in spring and the semi-frequent drinking parties, so called “nomikai”. These are things that aren’t unique to just university laboratories but is rather something that’s done in most Japanese workplaces.

For the reasons listed here and many more, I think the system of being part of a laboratory is a wonderful way of spending your time at university. I’ve only been here for about five months at the time of writing this article but looking back I’ve had a great time studying abroad and I can say without a doubt that it wouldn’t have been as good without my lab mates.

WORDS AND PHOTO Andreas Tilo Tohoku University, Japan Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Electric Power Engineering tilo@student.chalmers.se

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THE MIRACLE OF

SOUTH KOREA How Korea managed to grow its economy from a devastated nation to one of the world’s most powerful economies in under 60 years.

We have been waiting for the civilian government to bring back order to the country. The Prime Minister and Ministers, however, are mired in corruption, leading the country to the verge of collapse. We shall rise up against the government to save the country. We can accomplish our goals without bloodshed. Let us join in this Revolutionary Army to save the country.�

- Park Chung-Hee 40

After living in Seoul for seven months and having had the privilege of listening to professors at Seoul National University praising their country’s success story, I want to share some of the secrets to what is sometimes called one of the biggest mysteries in modern time. Beware that everything can not fit into this short article, and know that I am no expert on the fundamental historical and economic changes that Korea have been through. Keeping that in mind, I hope the following read will at least bring some clarity or interest for the subject!

It all started in 1961, seven years after the Korean war, a war that divided the country in North and South Korea, and before that, 30 years of brutal Japanese occupation. Under the midst of darkness on May 16, 1961, 3000 Korean soldiers, led by major general Park Chung Hee, entered the city of Seoul in a military coup that would last in some form until 1993. At the time of the coup, South Korea was the poorest of 120 nations in the UN. The succeeding military leadership can definitely be seen as autocratic and, at times, repressive, but it managed to bring an average annual growth rate of nearly 9(!)% for over three decades.

So what happened during these 30 years?

What were the major causes transforming South Korea into an industrial powerhouse? I here shed light on three major areas. These three are, firstly, a very strong and economy-focused leadership, secondly, a sacrifice of weak industrial sectors and lastly the emerge of a highly educated and skilled population.

The very strong and economy-focused military leadership is without question a great part of South Korea’s success. Even if most of the Koreans I have interacted with, have expressed negative opinions of president Park’s rule, they all acknowledge the fundamental role he played economically. Park’s government created for example effective economic development plans called the Five-Year Plans. More than five of these plans were created, and all of the plans contributed tremendously in enlarging the South Korean economy. Since South Korea is without natural resources and constantly suffering from overpopulation, the focus was put on being export-oriented and open to foreign markets.

A sacrifice of weak industrial sectors came as a result of these plans, with the creation of Korean

“Chaebols”. Huge industrial conglomerates, run and controlled by South Korean families, who had constant and effective communication with the president. Many people know that Samsung is one of the largest mobile phone manufacturers, but I don’t think many know that the chaebol Samsung Group’s market cap accounts for over 28% of Korea’s total market cap. Today, the Korean government is trying to reduce the power of the enormous conglomerates, but are at the same time grateful for the development they brought to the country in the past.

The last factor I will discuss is the emerge of a highly educated and skilled population. Firstly, after being suppressed and denied proper education during the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), a surge for learning existed among the Korean people. Together with considerable government involvement, South Korea managed to move all the way to the top of every list ranking countries educational levels. Also, the working force improved rapidly. “Reverse engineering” advanced technology and products from Japan, which was a very effective strategy and something that required a skilled and hard-working personnel. Many policies were set in motion to drive this and it enabled the catch-up of many much more advanced countries.

So doing all this and much more, The South Korean Miracle was achieved and the country is seen as a benchmark for today’s less developed countries. A lot of learnings can be drawn, but I am personally most happy about the fact that I had the opportunity to see such an amazing and interesting country. Signs of growing pains are evident, such as hard working conditions for the younger generation and gender inequalities, but at the same time they are accompanied by a strong positivity for the future of South Korea.

WORDS Hampus Larsson Seoul National University, Seoul Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Management and Economics of Innovation hamlar@student.chalmers.se

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The Supertrees of Gardens by the Bay A true representation of Singapore’s beauty and sustainability

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The sun sets in Singapore. It is getting darker and darker in the park Gardens by the Bay. But contrary to what one might think, the park still fills up with people full of anticipation. They are coming from from all directions and are walking towards one specific place in the park. They are following signs that say “Supertree Groove”. Their pace slows down as they arrive under the tall Supertrees. They made it in time. A few minutes later, music starts. People lie down ready to witness one of the must-see attractions in Singapore, the light show at Gardens by the bay, also known as Garden Rhapsody. A themed mixture of tunes plays while the colours of the trees change to fit the beat as well as the style of the music. Spontaneous applause sound when the music finishes as people start walking away with smiles on their faces.

The Supertrees in the park Gardens by the Bay have become an iconic landmark of Singapore. There is a total of 18 Supertrees in Gardens by the Bay, 12 of which stand grouped together at the area called Supertree Groove. The trees are between 25 and 50 m tall and are made up of a large steel structure, wrapped around a concrete core.

At the top of one of the trees there is a restaurant and there is also a walkway between two of the trees where visitors can stroll around, 22 meters above the ground. For the people on the ground, the trees are a place for visitors to relax. The large canopy spreads out at the top of the Supertrees’ tree-structure, providing shade during the many hot and sunny days in Singapore.

But the Supertrees are more than cool-looking steel constructs that light up at night. Singapore is the most sustainable city in Asia and in the top 5 of sustainable cities in the world according to Arcadis’ Sustainable Cities Index (SCI) in 2018. It is thereby fitting that the Supertrees have been designed with various environmentally sustainable functions, which goes hand in hand with the city they are in.

The Supertrees are hosts to more than 158 000 plants of over 700 species planted on the tree trunks. They are major contributors to the diverse collection of plants in the garden and are also homes to a variety of insects. But besides being pleasant and interesting to look at there are many more functions that may not be seen by a visitor strolling around among the trees.

Some of the Supertrees are equipped with the ability to harvest solar energy. These trees have photovoltaic solar cells at the very top of the trees.

The power from these photovoltaic cells can be used to light up the Supertrees and other sights within the Gardens at night.

At the top of some trees there are rainwater collection tanks. The rainwater that is collected is used to water the many plants on the trunks of the Supertrees as well as other plants in the garden. But the water also generates electricity. The water collected flows down from the top of the tree inside the tree’s hollow trunk. Inside the tree it passes through a turbine which creates electricity from the water flow. This electricity is also used to power the sights and can also be used during night to, for example, power the lightshow.

One other function that the trees have is that they act as an exhaust for hot air that comes from the cooling systems of the large conservatories which are also situated in the park. The Supertrees are like chimneys for this hot air. The hot air rises on the inside of the Supertree and at the same time as the hot air moves up it draws in external air with it. When the hot air reaches the top of the tree it is released into the atmosphere. The movement of external air due to the rise of hot air creates a small breeze for the visitors to enjoy at the bottom of the trees.

All these functions make the Supertrees environmentally sustainable components in the Gardens by the Bay while still being one of the iconic symbols of the city. Apart from representing the beauty and architecture of Singapore, the Supertrees are in fact a symbol of the environmentally sustainable efforts made by the country. An aspect of Singapore that might easily be overshadowed by the flashing lights of a light show.

WORDS AND PHOTO Elin Westroth National University of Singapore, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Materials Chemistry elinwes@student.chalmers.se

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Studying Mathematics at the National University of Singapore

This article will attempt to give a brief overview of some of the differences between studying at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and studying at Chalmers. Particularly, I will compare studying mathematics at the Engineering Physics programme of Chalmers to choosing freely among the mathematics courses of NUS. One of the possibly largest differences, is the time span of the courses. Usually, NUS courses will run over an entire semester, which corresponds to 13 normal study weeks as well as two self-study weeks or roughly two study periods in Chalmers.

This comes with the advantage of a longer time to process particularly tough concepts, but also has the drawback of making some of the earlier parts of the course seem dauntingly distant when the exam draws near.

Another difference seems to be that the courses at NUS often include a slightly larger collection of topics than the corresponding courses at Chalmers. Nevertheless, most courses still only comprise six ECTS, which means that full-time studies 44

would require the student to take five courses per semester. These two factors come together to make sure that a large selection of topics can be covered each semester. It should, however, be noted that a longer list of topics doesn’t necessarily imply that the learning outcome is greater. Personally, I’ve found that sufficient time to reflect on the course material can greatly increase my understanding. I think that the NUS style of a broader range of topics can be advantageous to some students while it might overwhelm others, who prefer a deeper look at each part of the course.

There is also another factor that comes into play, which most likely is a difference between studying a precomposed programme like Engi-

neering Physics and selecting your own courses each semester. What I’m referring to, is that the students of a NUS course will come from different backgrounds and hence, have varying knowledge in fields directly related to the specific course.

This can be a great advantage, especially in courses with a focus on discussion, where a nuanced set of perspectives may enhance the experience of the participants. In some courses it could also have a negative effect. For example, there are certain notions which are important in many parts of mathematics but don’t belong to a specific course. Since the lecturer of each course can’t be sure that every student knows about a certain notion, they will have to introduce it from the ground up in case they would like to discuss it. However, since the notion will be well-known to most students, the time spent reintroducing it to the entire class will be wasted for many of the students. This can be counteracted to some degree by specifying prerequisites of each course but then, one runs the risk setting unrealistic demands.

In the process of examination, there are also notable differences. Since many courses stretch halfway across an academic year, there is usually some form of examination during the course to complement the final exam. This can be in the form of a midterm exam, a smaller project and/or weekly assignments.

The typical length of a final exam will be about two hours and a midterm exam might last for an hour or a bit longer. Compared to four hours which a typical Chalmers exam will span - two hours can seem to go by very quickly. Furthermore, the NUS exams can comprise as many and sometimes even more questions than a Chalmers exam. I think the difference in time span of exams reflects the focus on studying a large body of material throughout the course. One of the differences

of taking this kind of exam is that there will be a large possibility that you won’t finish every single question.

However, you still might get a top grade. A partial reason for this is that the grading is based on a normal distribution, at least for courses with a sufficient amount of students. This means that the grade you obtain directly depends on the performance of the other students in your class. Having very few students obtain the maximum amount of marks on a paper and using a normal distribution to decide the grade allows each student to be graded in very precise correlation with their performance relative to others but can also lead to a very competitive educational environment. Another consequence of having less time to finish as many, or more, questions is that the complexity of the questions can’t reasonably be as high as if the students had more time to finish the exam. This disallows the examiner to test the student’s ability to bring together different concepts from the course to draw conclusions, exceeding what was covered during the course.

Overall, I would say that the largest difference is that there is more focus on learning a large amount of material at NUS. As described above, this has both pros and cons and I think that the different types of education fit different types of people.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Jack Thein af Ekenstam National University of Singapore, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Engineering Mathematics ekenstam@student.chalmers.se

45

HASH RUNNING

A DRINKING CLUB WITH A RUNNING PROBLEM

It all started when my friend invited me to my first hash run on a Sunday afternoon somewhere on Hong Kong island. Getting to the starting point was an adventure on its own ,and I needed to take one of Hong Kong’s minibuses. These minibuses connect all of Hong Kong almost 24 hours a day, but if you don’t speak Chinese finding them can be a true challenge.

After a rather quick ride with the minibus, we got of in a residential area and quickly found the hash group. It was a mixed group with both young and old people from multiple different ethnicities and places, all greeting each other with strange names. Later, I learned that each runner is given a name that reflects something that they have done during a run. Before starting I was given a crash course in hash running. Essentially telling me to

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follow the marked trail on the ground and if I encountered an unmarked junction I had to search for the next path and mark its direction. That was all the instructions I got before a guy with a trumpet tooted and off we went.

Once the trumpet had signalled, people started running and as a lost newbie I could do little else than follow suit, all while shouting “trail” each time we saw one of the marks. In the beginning the shouting seemed very stupid and felt kind of weird as a Swede, but these feelings soon disappeared when I realised how quickly we got spread out along the trail with no way to see each other. Occasionally I would hear the trumpet sound helping me stay on the right track as I continued up the slopes. Afterwards, my friend told me about when he got lost in the woods because he was running

along the wrong trail, luckily that did not happen to me this time.

After about forty minutes two other runners and I reached the peak for the first time. On the peak we had a stunning view of the greenery and the skyscrapers surrounding the area, but there was no time to waste. Continuing the trail included running up a dried up river, through forests to then return to the peak two more times before eventually returning to the starting point just short of two hours later.

Although hash running is fun and refreshing compared to just running along a fixed trail, the real fun is saved for the rest of the evening. This I realised quickly as I was handed both beers and sodas while joining what’s collectively referred to as “the circle”. In the circle anyone can joke about the trail or things that people have both done or said during the run, all while drinking. As a new

runner I was obviously called into the circle multiple times both for jokes and to be cheered on, something that really creates a feeling of kinship.

After having a good time finishing all the beer and sodas, we eventually continued in smaller groups for food to later meet up in a bar. This is where you can really get to know the people running and be introduced by local expats to the central areas of Hong Kong. Often learning about good restaurants and sometimes even creating valuable connections. During the meal my friend managed to convince me that joining the yearly beauty competition in this hash group would be great fun!

Having had a blast, I obviously said yes without thinking and we quickly left for the bar.

Once there the girls from the hash group help us prepare and we quickly got dressed up and both makeup and wigs were put on before being pulled up on stage.

All in all, hash running is more than just running. It’s more than just drinking, it’s a bunch of small groups spread around the globe that you can join, both when you’re passing by or where you’re staying long term. It’s a great way to get to see lessknown parts of the city and its vicinity while also meeting new people to workout with. So next time you’re out of town for a couple of days, try joining one! I doubt you’ll regret it.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Johan Laberg Nilsson The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Systems, Control and Mechatronics nilssojo@student.chalmers.se

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CHANGI

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AIRPORT ON EARTH.

A butterfly garden, a spa, a rooftop swimming pool, orchids and cleanliness to an obsessive degree. Welcome the world’s most beautiful airport: Changi Airport in Singapore.

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First impressions matter. For most travelers, the first impression of a new country starts to form as soon as the landing gear hits the ground and the captain welcomes you to your new destination. Upon exiting the aircraft you are in contact with a new, alien, country and culture. Although the quality of an airport isn’t necessarily indicative of the beauty of it’s accompanying city (looking at you Arlanda), any strong early impressions will tinge all later experiences.

Singapore has embraced this idea wholeheartedly. The country prides itself as one of the most well-run, safe and clean places in the world; the 53-year-old country has risen out of poverty in just one generation. Presenting these traits to newcomers as they arrive is a point of national interest. The three pillars of Singaporean tourism are all represented in their fullest form at Changi Airport: the famous food, the audacious architecture, and the ease of living.

Changi Airport is a symbol of Singapore’s aspirations as a country, combining bleeding-edge architectural design with the modern operations management theory to facilitate the flow of 65 million passengers a year. Changi Airport has been ranked as the world’s best airport by Skytrax, an aviation industry consultancy, for the past seven years, ahead of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Seoul’s Incheon Airport. Beyond smooth operations and courteous staff, the terminals all feature lush green spaces — the most notable being the beautiful Orchid Garden in Terminal 2 and the indoor Butterfly Garden in Terminal 3. The reason for Singapore’s nickname being the Garden City is on full display.

Singapore’s lifeblood has always been its central location in south-east Asia — it thrives as a major logistics hub for both people and goods in the region. A 2017 report from Oxford Economics estimated that the air transport industry rep-

resented 6.6% of Singapore’s total GDP. To stay competitive against other growing transportation hubs in south-east Asia, most notably the airports at Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, major investments are being made to increase capacity.

The most audacious part of this expansion is the newly opened and appropriately named Changi Jewel. Changi Jewel is a high-end mall with shops, hotels and restaurants built in connection with Terminal 1. In typical Singaporean fashion the main attractions of Changi Jewel follow the overarching theme of the Garden City: a park of beautiful well-kept greenery with the centerpiece being the world’s largest indoor waterfall, named the Rain Vortex. This crazy complex cost approximately $1.5 billion SGD to build and expands the arrival hall of Terminal 1 by 70%. The Changi Jewel is designed by Moshe Safdie, the same architect behind arguably the most recognizable building in Southeast Asia and a defining part of Singapore’s skyline, the Marina Bay Sands resort.

On a personal note, the beauty of Changi Airport has become especially clear for us as visiting exchange students. We have had the incredibly fortunate opportunity to use Singapore’s location as a springboard to explore the whole of south-east Asia. Coming back to Changi after each adventure truly feels like coming home. Changi is a beautiful portal, emblematic of Singapore as a whole.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Johan Ramne Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Engineering Mathematics and Computational Science ramnej@student.chalmers.se

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My failed attempt to get scammed in Shanghai

Keep the purse tight to your body and never leave your credit card out of sight. Every ten minutes, I need to check my pockets to make sure that wallet and phone are still in there. It has become a habit, a mantra that constantly repeats itself in my mind when visiting unfamiliar, crowded places. Although, when in Shanghai, it is not the pick-pocketers I should be careful about, it is in fact the friendly faces. ”Hello, there! Take my photo?” This is how it begins. A smiling 20-something girl or guy will trustingly hand over their phone to you, usually accompanied by a friend. They will pose in front of Shanghai’s main tourist attractions and have their photo taken. ”So where are you from? How long in Shanghai?” Their english is pretty good, and the questions keep coming. After a few minutes of small talk, they will explain that they are tourists in Shanghai, just like you. Students or workers from an other Chinese city, excited to explore the great city of Shanghai. And then they drop the question - ”Do you want to see a Chinese tea ceremony?”.

Hoping that your curiosity and excitement for the opportunity to have an authentic cultural experience, will outweigh your suspiciousness.

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The so-called Tea Scam is modern Shanghai’s most notorious con. Meet a friendly young English speaker at a touristy spot, join them for some tea, and end up with a bill as high as a few thousand RMB (1000 RMB ≈ 150 USD). Even though the scam is well documented and mentioned in nearly every guide book, hotel and hostel, it is still big business. Leading up to Expo 2010, the police tried to stop the scam as part of the campaign ”Better city, better life” - but with all the tourists pouring in to the city, the scam flourished as ever before.

Reading all these stories from people who experienced the scam themselves, had me intrigued.

These people describe themselves as well experienced with traveling and not normally naive.

Most of them did not realize that they were in on a scam until the very end of the tea ceremony, which in fact is real. The tea tasting is real and usually very nice, the problem is that you will get charged twenty times more than you should pay.

I decided that I wanted to see it with my own eyes. On a Saturday afternoon, I headed out to the most touristy area I could think of, Nanjing road.

The main pedestrian street which leads up to The Bund, the riverfront where you will have a view

of the skyscrapers forming the skyline of the financial center of the megacity, Shanghai. A cold, foggy day in February ended up not being the best day for my purpose, though. Unfortunately, I will have to wait for a few more months before the tourist season starts, and all the scammers emerge.

Disappointed, and maybe a little bit relieved, I thought to myself that I should at least try to get a nice photo of a teapot, to tell the story about other peoples experiences. A few days later, I headed out again, this time with a different mission and in my own neighborhood. My neighborhood is still in the city center, in a less touristy area, but to find a nice teapot in the right setting was not as easy as I expected.

Finally, I found this cute little teashop on a street corner. Through the window I could see a table, nicely set up with tea tasting cups and seats for four people. A young woman was preparing the tea and I decided to step inside. The walls were covered from the floor all the way to the ceiling with different kinds of tea, and in the back of the room was a young man sitting at a traditional looking desk in front of his computer. Since I was the only person in the store I did not want to just

snap a photo of the nicely set table and head out again, so I walked up to the man at the desk and said ”nǐ hǎo”. The man said he could speak a little bit of english and I asked if they did tea tastings and if I could have some information about it. He nodded intensely, pointed to the table and asked if I wanted to try some. I said sure, and sat down at the table. Suddenly it struck me - did I just voluntarily step in to the Tea Scam?

It turned out, I had no reason to be worried.

The young couple sat down with me and the tea was the best tea I have ever had. Conversation took place over a translation app, since neither of the two appeared to have more vocabulary than ”hello”, ”little bit” and ”tea” in english and my Chinese is still limited to ”nǐ hǎo”. They were super friendly and impressed by the fact that I was a student at Tongji University, ”every students dream” according to them. They told me that the tea shop had been there for 11 years, which is a very long time for a business in Shanghai. A good 30 minutes later, when I asked to pay for the tea, they wouldn’t let me. They were just happy to share their tea time with a curious foreigner. Stepping out from the tea shop I was in a really good mood, deciding that I had to let the article take a turn from the planned route of ”watch out for friendly faces”. Instead, the lesson I would like to mediate from this experience is - don’t stop looking for the authentic cultural experience when traveling to Shanghai, just don’t look for it by the main tourist attractions.

WORDS AND PHOTOS Johanna Larsson

Tongji University, Shanghai Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Architechture and Urban Design lajohann@student.chalmers.se

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Want to study in Asia?

WELCOME!

In your hand you are holding the latest issue of Asia Magazine, a joint effort carried out by Chalmers students in Asia. The magazine is meant to be

informative and entertaining regarding

current topics of Asia as well as a source of inspiration for students curious about exchange studies. With this dynamic

region in focus, it features articles on CHALMERS INTERNATIONAL TAIWAN OFFICE

Part of the Chalmers’ World Wide Programme cultural, political, economical and social Over the recent decades the economies of East Asia have shown a remarka-

ble development. China and Japan are two of the world’s largest economies subjects.

The magazine is coordinated and many more show great promise. The region is vibrant, interesting, dynamic and somewhat challenging. Among those with a background in tech-

nical education professional contacts and cooperations with at this region and compiled by students thewill continue to increase. Considering this, Chalmers has developed a unique

Chalmers International study in and gain experience from these economies. Taiwan Office. exchange programme, based in Taiwan, giving students an opportunity to

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The programme is called The Asia Programme and is located at the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU). The university is among the foremost technical universities in Taiwan and is especially profiled towards electrical engineering and information technology. However, in collaboration with the neighbouring National Tsing Hua University, the exchange programme covers all engineering programmes at Chalmers. Courses held in both English and Mandarin Chinese can be chosen.

Contents of The Asia Programme • Intensive course in Mandarin, 4 weeks in July to August at NCTU in Hsinchu, Taiwan • Full academic year of engineering or architectural studies at NCTU • Maintenance of the Chalmers International Taiwan Office at NCTU • Company visits throughout East Asia Students of Chalmers operate the Chalmers International Taiwan Office (CITO). The operations of CITO include arranging events of representation for Taiwanese students at NCTU as well as visiting companies and representing Chalmers throughout East Asia.

HOW TO APPLY FOR WORLD WIDE You apply for nomination to NCTU and all of the other universities in Asia through the MoveOn-portal before the 2:nd of December 2019. Attach a motivational cover letter in Swedish with your application. If you are student of Architecture or Architecture and Technology you also need to submit an additional portfolio.

Choose two universities but do not forget to find courses that match you master programme and check these with the coordinator of your master programme.

Main Requirements for World Wide • You have reached your third year of studies at an engineering or architecture programme.

• You have the minimum grade point average of 3.7 credits.

• You have finished at least 60 hp by the first of December.

The selection of students to be nominated for the universities within the World Wide programme is based on the grade point average and study pace of the applying 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 university. If you are not nominated you still have a chance to study abroad by applying to the second selection for the universities that still have vacancies to fill.

Asia Magazine aims to be entertaining and informative regarding current topics of Asia as well as a source of inspiration for students curious about exchange studies. The magazine is a joint effort of Chalmers students in Asia.

Chalmers International Taiwan Office is the result of a bilateral exchange between Chalmers University of Technology and National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan.

The office is operated by Chalmers students and acts as a hub between Chalmers and East Asia.