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Yes i agree since by visiting other countries, we are able to better understand their culture by going to their historical attractions. Learning about them and their culture also lies in their characters and their hospitality towards us, foreigners. For example, i used to travel when i was younger and i once experienced going to Japan where the locals treated my family and I really warmly. Though it was obvious that we were not locals there, they still treated us like we were part of them and their warm welcome in every single shophouses, hotels and even restaurants really left a good impression of them in me. There was even once when my family and I went on a trip to Australia in 2000, I was told that my sister, who was three at that point of time, went missing. My parents were panic-stricken. However, an amicable local brought my sister around the entire place to look for my parents and eventually brought her back safely. By these experiences, i feel that it helps us to understand people from different countries better and in turns building a better society as we can learn from one another.

-Natalie

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It can be encouraged through the different cuisines around the world. Since many young people nowadays are interested in setting up cafes around Singapore, i would think that many are willing to spend their time surfing the internet to look for recipes and videos to improve their skills. In this case, young people from different countries can communicate through a website where they can share and post their different recipes and chat one another for advice. By doing so, they have already created a friendship whereby they are exchanging feedbacks and advice. Moreover, since they are from different countries, to further broaden their knowledge, they will also be interested in learning more about one another's culture to build a better friendship.

-Natalie

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Yes i do since meeting people from different countries and all walks of life gives you an opportunity to broaden your knowledge about different cultures. This in turns bring about a more harmonious society as we will be more understanding and considerate towards one another. I personally really enjoy meeting people from different countries as i am interested in the tourism industry and by getting to know them and their cultures, i will be more knowledgeable in this aspect which gives me an upper hand when i eventually step into the tourism industry

-Natalie

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I think there are many ways that friendships in young poeple from different countries can be encouraged for example, schools in Singapore do have exchange programmes for the students to go overseas or even students from other countries to come to our school, that way we can make new friends from other countries.

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Qn 1:I do enjoy meeting poeple form other countries as I can learn more about their culture and It can turn our very interesting as I may not have seen any of the traditional things that poeple from other countries do.

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Yes, I agree to a large extend as I have many personal experience on understanding the people who live in different countries. When I was in Secondary 1, I went to Vietnam. It was my first trip as a matured adult, and I noticed how different they live their lives in their country from us. In Vietnam, the first thing that you would definitely realise is the heavy, scary yet exhilarating traffic there. When I first hopped onto a taxi from the airport and headed towards the hotel, it was definitely the scariest experience on the road for me. The mirrors on the motorbikes were about to hit the mirror on the taxi any moment. However, the bikers were so experienced that despite the heavy traffic, they could still manoeuvre with such accuracy. I also realised that they often eat their food on the streets, with the vehicles moving up and down the road, day and night. I also realised that there are very very little traffic lights, and my sister told me that we should just walk across the road despite the oncoming traffic. This experience was definitely something very foreign to me as we can never experience this in Singapore. After this trip, it made me realise that people from different countries are divided by not only the culture we have, but also the way of living. Yet, we are also united in a sense that we know about how we behave in that particular country, like the example I stated before of my sister having to tell us that we should just walk.

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Recently, people tend to use social media more often. In fact, I feel that it managed to forge stronger friendships between young people from different countries. For example, when I attended a camp called Outward Bound Singapore, also known as OBS, I met many people from different schools, as well as from a different religion and even country. From this camp, I managed to forge friendships with them, and is further supported by us having to "follow" each other on social media platforms such as Instagram, showing each other how different our lives are.
I also feel that by having parents that are liberal, allowing us students to attend such camps also play a part in encouraging friendships between the young and from different countries. Without the parents consent of such activities, there would be very limited opportunities for us youths to socialise and know more about one another, needless to say meeting one from a different country.

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I feel that having to meet other people from different countries would be a meaningful experience as it would allow us to learn more about the different cultures that we have. For example, our school encourages us to host students from overseas that participated in the exchange programme that we have every year.
I also feel that having to meet people from other countries would allow us to expand our social circle. For example, my friend is an extreme gamer of the popular game Counter Strike, and he shared with us his experience on playing that game. He told us that he met a Russian girl and exchanged phone numbers. To my surprise, my friend and that Russian girl communicate in the Chinese language, as the girl learnt the Chinese Language from other people that are playing that game too. Furthermore, this would allow my friend to further improve on his Chinese language. Therefore, I feel that having to meet other people from different countries would be beneficial to some people.

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I would like to meet people from other countries as I can learn about different cultures in countries out of Singapore. Through meeting people from other countries, we can better understand people from other countries, such as their practices or behaviour.

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Yes, because knowing someone from a different country not only opens up one's social circle, and other than that, we can get help from other countries by one way or another :)

Mrs Chan:

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Would you like to have an exchange country programme in another country? Why or why not ?

Mrs Chan: Interesting thing to raise - universities commonly offer an exchange programme. Do you think sec sch students can cope?

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We are always exposed to the culture of the country through different ways like the Internet, magazines, television or movies. But we will never understand how is it really like to live like them until we visit the country ourself ourselves.

Mrs Chan's comment: True - especially if we stay in the country for a little while and live like a local there (rather than just being a tourist).

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If we visit countries a country's cultural and historical sites, we might understand more of the culture of how the people in that country practice their daily life routines.
If we visit the more hectic side of the country , we might understand how fast and messy is everyone else's life is like every day after work or before school.

Do you have any specific e.g. in mind?

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I think music is really changing ever youth culture in this world. Music is one of the aspects which connects one's interest to another. This increases the chance of youth meeting up with people to talk about the music itself . For example , Korean music has really made an big impact on youths nowadays. Not only in Korea but including also other countries (made accounts and websites relating to the idols) - what do you mean? This connects youths that who like that specific idol to talk with each other, sharing on their thoughts. There is are even strangers asking other people to go to the same concert so they can 'fangirl' with each others. This actually made them know more about each other . Therefore I think that music can be a really play a big part in making friendships. They may not be long lasting friendships but at leasting getting a friend.

501

Mrs Chan's comment: Interesting idea on the use of music to bring people together.

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Brainstorm: What other qtns can be asked on this topic

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Brainstorm: What other qtns can be asked on this topic

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Obviously cause we can "pokemon go" in other countries

Mrs Chan's response:
I don't know who wrote the above, but it is an interesting take on how gaming actually has changed the way we "meet" people from other countries.
I've added an attachment here on the latest Sg news on Pokemon Go for those who are clueless.

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While Singapore fans of Pokemon Go cannot wait for the game to be launched here, the Government has said that it will monitor the game's impact on society.

The game, which has taken the world by storm, uses augmented reality technology to allow players to "see" virtual Pokemon characters as they view their surroundings through their smartphone cameras.

Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim gave his comments in response to questions yesterday about whether the Government will introduce any guidelines for the game, given that it has caused problems in other countries ranging from criminal trespass to traffic accidents, as players hunt for the characters.

Japan... has already issued a safety guide warning of heat stroke, dubious strangers and other risks. Indonesian officials have even called the game a security threat, while some in Egypt and Russia have claimed that the game is a plot by spy agencies.

"We have to study very, very carefully whatever is brought into Singapore," he said, stressing that it must not harm lifestyles or the way things have been done here.

Dr Yaacob was speaking to reporters at the National Deaf Games at the Singapore Badminton Hall.

"We will monitor the situation, how this particular game is being played and... its impact on society," he added.

"And if it's really something which we should be concerned about, I think MDA (the Media Development Authority) will definitely decide on what are the things we can do best, if the game is really needed here, how... we can do it in such a way that it becomes a win-win situation."

Pokemon Go is available officially in more than 35 countries.

Japan, where it was launched last Friday, has already issued a safety guide warning of heat stroke, dubious strangers and other risks.

Indonesian officials have even called the game a security threat, while some in Egypt and Russia have claimed that the game is a plot by spy agencies.

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Singapore government to monitor impact of Pokemon Go on society

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While Singapore fans of Pokemon Go cannot wait for the game to be launched here, the Government has said that it will monitor the game's impact on society. The game, which has taken the world by storm, uses augmented reality technology to allow players to "see" virtual Pokemon characters as they view their surroundings through their smartphone cameras.

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How would you respond? What are some relevant vocabulary and expressions you can use?

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How would you respond? What are some relevant vocabulary and expressions you can use?

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Please develop your points well - elaborate and provide suitable examples.

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Do you agree that visiting other countries helps us to understand the people who live in them? Why, or why not?

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How do you think friendships between young people from different countries can be encouraged

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Do you enjoy meeting people from different countries? Why, or why not?