Upper School Girls Explore Chinese Culture in Singapore

“This trip fostered cultural appreciation, broadened perspectives, and created lasting memories for everyone involved,” said upper school Chinese teacher Lynn Tian, who chaperoned the trip.
Our upper school spring break trip to Singapore, organized by the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, was an enriching and memorable experience for our girls. Singapore is a melting pot of Chinese, Malay, English, and Indian cultures. Our students gained insight into the country’s rich and culturally diverse history and heritage by exploring landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, venturing into neighborhoods such as Chinatown and Little India, and visiting various museums and temples including the Asian Civilization Museum and the Thian Hock Keng Temple.

“It was a culture shock in the best way possible. I learned so much about many different ethnic groups and religions that I had no idea about before,” Maggie Higginbotham ’25 said.

Our girls who study Chinese had the opportunity to test and sharpen their language skills. Students enjoyed recognizing Chinese characters and reading signs along the way, and several girls spoke to people in Mandarin.

“It’s fun to see people’s faces light up when you show interest in their language as a non-native speaker. It also helped me get over the anxiety of trying. People appreciate you practicing more than not making an effort at all,” Maggie said.

Our girls’ adventures included a Chinese calligraphy lesson, a cooking class, a Batik workshop, and trying many different foods at hawker stalls. Caroline Kim ’24 said the trip taught her to take on new challenges and to embrace the unknown. “Hutchison offers these trips because they want students to explore the world and get to know themselves,” she said. “I learned a lot about myself and who I want to be in the world. In Singapore, I got a better understanding of my values, my morals, and what I want to continue to do, especially in college.”

Through these trips and experiences, the Institute for Responsible Citizenship’s goal is to help our girls grow and prepare for a world full of international opportunities by giving them a taste of what it’s like to traverse the world.

“Hutchison’s global travel program is intended to connect our students with histories, cuisines, and languages that are different from their own. This truly was the trip of a lifetime,” said Nick Simpson, director of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship. “Whether exploring a water recycling plant, navigating Singapore's MRT metro system, enjoying a tea ceremony, or dining on soup dumplings in a family-owned hawker stall, our girls were curious and enthusiastic about this fascinating country and its diverse people.”

“It’s a great opportunity to expand your horizons. Learning about different cultures makes you understand your own in a different light. It opens your eyes to the reality of the world at large,” Chloe Simpson ’25 added.
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Memphis, Tennessee 38119
Phone: (901) 761-2220

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Hutchison is the leading private girls school in Memphis for ages 2 years old through twelfth grade.