Embedded Files
Day 1: Arrival + The Lume
After arrival early in the morning, we had time to explore the surroundings near our hotel and have some free time to get familiar to the environment. I remember being surprised by the unexpectedly windy weather.
Our first scheduled activity was to visit The Lume, where we were all given around 2 hours to freely explore the exhibition that heavily focused on impressionists, including Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne. The display was visually very appealing with aesthetic colors and detailed graphics, and I personally thought that the classical music that went along in the background was very suitable for each part of the gallery. Although I was tired due to the early start to the day, the Lume was one of the most impactful activities during the entire course of the trip.
Day 2: Melbourne Street Art Tour + Graffiti Workshop + St Kelda Festival
On the second day, we were split into two groups and guided through the street art work in Melbourne. The guided tour helped me learn the meaning behind each artwork and nroms of street artists, which was very intriguing to me. Since this started early in the morning, the weather was still a little cold, but it was a great experience to walk around and view the various artworks.
The guided street art tour was followed by a graffiti workshop where we were able to design unique stencils of our choice and spray paint them, making valuable art pieces of our very own.
After the workshop, we were given free time at the St Kilda Festival. The weather was extremely hot and it was fairly crowded, which made us really feel the festival spirit in Melbourne. The various music performances and food trucks added fun to the event and we were able to go on the flyer, which provided us with a beautiful ocean view.
Day 3: Yarra River Kayaking Tour + Smartphone Photography Workshop at RMIT
On the third day, we got to kayak in the Yarra River and get to know a little better about Melbourne and its development. I was partnered with the guide, so he provided me with much more information about each building and useful tips for the remainder of my trip in Melbourne.
Then, we moved to a more central area in Melbourne, near RMIT University and partcipated in the smartphone photography workshop. It was interesting to listen to how the university buildings used to be prisons back in time.
During the smartphone photography workshop, we were introduced to an app called Snap Seed, which helped use creative features to photoshop the photos we took. The image on the right is one of the photos I took at the photography workshop with tiny figures and learned more about how to zoom and focus into small objects.
Day 4: The Arts Centre Melbourne Backstage Guided Tour + Puppetry Workshop + Alexander McQueen Exhibition @ National Gallery of Victoria
In the morning, we headed to the Art Centre Melbourne and listened about how the theaters worked, including backstage stories about how pianists are granted the privilege to choose their piano before performance, but cannot change it once selected as part of their contract. As someone who has minimal experience with technical theater, viewing such a large scale theater was very insightful to me.
After the backstage guided tour, we immediately headed to the puppetry workshop, where we were introduced to various types of puppets and could work as small teams to put together a short 2 minute performance using the puppet we had made. I learned a lot regarding how to make movement more natural and human-like for puppets (by adjusting their joints, and head-body coordination), and what elements are important when delivering emotion to the audience.
We also visited the Alexander McQueen exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. It was the first time entering a fashion exhibition, and learning about Alexander McQueen's story as a designer and viewing the varying clothing and fashion pieces was very memorable.
Day 5: Healesville Sanctuary + Chocolate Factory
It was the first time exploring a place outside of Melbourne, and we had to take a 1-2 hour bus ride to Healesville. During the bus ride, I was able to see the nature aspect of Australia, which was absent in the urban area in Melbourne. In the Healesville Sanctuary, I saw many animals that I have barely seen in Singapore, like kangaroos, platypus, koalas, and many of the Australian birds. Lunch took place in a local bakery near the sanctuary, which helped me learn about the local culture of Australia. Then, we visited the chocolate factory shortly, which was located in a very rural area, where I could once again see the beautiful scenery of Australia.
Day 6: Victoria Market + National Gallery of Victoria Guided Tour + NGV Guided Tour + Mary Poppins Musical
We visited Victoria Market, where I could buy some souvenirs for my family members left in Singapore such as magnets, stuffed toys, hats, and shirts. After lunch, we headed to the National Gallery of Victoria once again. This time, we had a guided tour where we viewed many art pieces from different countries. In the NGV guided tour, the most memorable piece would probably be the one done by the indigenous, which had unique lines and colors that really showed their own unique tradition.
In the evening, we watched the musical Mary Poppins in Her Majesty's Theatre. This was my favorite experience in Melbourne, since the songs and dance were very moving to me. It was interesting to see the different style of dances they incorporated into the show, such as tap dancing, jazz, and contemporary. The music and storyline also reminded me a lot of my childhood when I used to really adore the original movie. With the knowledge gained from the backstage tour we did a few days prior to the musical, I was also paying attention to lighting, sound effects, and how the stage set was working. Overall, I would say this was the best musical I've watched so far :)
Day 7: NIDA Costume/Improv Workshop + Blindside Exhibition + Moonlight Cinema
At NIDA, I participated in the improv class, where we got to do a lot of activities and games that required us to stay active. It was my first time doing improv, so it was daunting in a way, but this workshop really helped me learn how safe and welcoming the environment is. It also made me learn that it is okay to move by instinct in a such setting and always be confident with the actions you make as part of a performance.
Next, we went to the blindside exhibition, where we learned about how galleries work (process of submitting artists' work, going through applications, how visitors find the exhibitions, etc.)
After dinner, we watched Avatar 2 in the Moonlight Cinema in the botanical gardens. I remember it having a lot of flies and bugs, but watching the stars in the cool weather was a healing experience that I could not have in Singapore.
Day 8: Departure
On the last day, we left for departure to return back to Singapore.
Overall, I would say I most definitely formed valuable memories and have great takeaways from this trip. Not only was I able to learn more about a different culture while staying in Melbourne, but also learn a lot of the other aspects with regard to character, responsibility, and maturing as a student. This trip would be one of the most unforgettable moments of my journey in highschool and I wish to continue bonding with the students who were part of our group even after the trip has ended.
Page updated
Report abuse