Since this will be the first post for our group, i guess we should at least greet the readers who are reading our posts. So here it goes!
As seen in our profile description, we are involved in designing surgical tools so as to enhance user experience, especially those working in the operating rooms. While the main bulk of our exchange here is to fulfill that goal, there are also time allocated for each one of us to explore (and adapt to) this new environment. So, please look forward to our individual adventures amidst the updates of our project!
Today marks the end of our 4-week lessons where we all are exposed to design skills namely Photoshop (and a little sketching), Rhino and Product Design (for our class, students are paired to design and make a real chair using limited wood by the end of the module, see below!).
Though this whole exchange does not contribute to our GPA, I observed that many of the students here still do their best for homework submissions. Personally, I am thankful for these classes because they really provide us an alternative learning experience from the ones we get back at home because of the difference in design thoughts. Also, I have arranged time with a classmate before this trip to learn Photoshop from her after I return to Singapore but am pleasantly surprised to know this skill is gained here though the classes. I would say this is one of the huge rewards from the time since we touched Hangzhou.
For our Theme Project, I would say that our group is blessed with an approachable mentor and student mentors who are friendly yet objective. This project also allowed me to meet new people till now. Many of us are pretty foreign with each other (at least for me, haha..) as we had little or no interaction before, hopefully through this project we will all grow and become good friends! As for the progress of our task, we are currently still in the research stage and exploring the different options available for each of our subgroups before its execution. Specifically for the subgroup that I am in, we realised that there are quite a number of things we have to look up for, with more details of the requirements from the target audience given to us, by our student mentor this week.
Of course, many of us would not have survived till now if not for our friends. They help to make this place more like home. We plan activities to do together during the weekends where we tend to have lesser workload.
Here is a picture of the bear we saw when we made a trip to the zoo last week! Cute? This bear also shows how most of us are feeling now. It has been a month here but we are still busy exploring places with good food (because Singaporeans love to eat), good places to relax and shopping area just like how the bear is busy with its ‘toy’ because Hangzhou is so big!
So far this exchange has also allowed me to have a better understanding or a different side of them which is something I really appreciate. I would say their company compensated for the lack of my family here. Hence, am really grateful to each and everyone of them. Am already looking forward to more adventures with them!
That’s all for now! Good things are worth waiting for 
It will not be fun if all the things about Hangzhou and about us are all mentioned in this post! Oh, did I also forget to share with you guys that the food here is not only cheap but tasty!! I promise to add pictures of them here next time 
Signing off,
Natasha
(Student in the Smoke Extractor subgroup in this Theme)
