Tags: URECA

Reflection

As the exchange comes to an end, I’ve grown used to this room as home. For the past five months, how did I feel? As I wander the streets of Fuenlabrada for the final time, there’s a sadness. I notice the fountains at random roundabouts, the grass and greenery. I’ll miss that.

What I will miss about Spain

Being humbled

The stories I grew up with in Singapore usually tell us we’re the best. I remember a former math teacher boasting about being the smartest kid on his exchange, walking out before everyone else and getting an A. That’s not the case anymore. Despite all the claims about Singapore’s superior education, I struggled badly with Carlos III material.

A key difference is the teaching style. Carlos III content is more theoretical, and there’s almost no handholding. Slides aren’t always provided, so I spent a few weeks getting used to copying notes by hand. Professors are more like advisors, and without regular exercises or continuous assessment, it’s hard to gauge how I’m doing.

As a result, I did relatively poorly here, even though I worked as hard as I did in Singapore. This taught me that the global student population is much stronger than the narrative back home suggests, and in the grand scheme, Singapore university is pretty middling.

Living by myself

For the first time, what I have is what I have. My father won’t stock the fridge or buy meals. A week before exams, I fell severely sick. For the first time, nobody was there to take care of me. I had to drag myself to class, go to the pharmacy, buy medicine. When there’s a problem, I solve it myself. Hunger or cold? I braved the cold to get food. I tried to befriend my flatmates, but conversations never went beyond small talk. I’m not sure if it’s a cultural thing or just me, but I didn’t want to push too hard and make them uncomfortable.

There are many minor things too. No reminders if I forget something. Nobody to tell me if I made a mistake. If I get injured, no one checks on me. For once, I felt what it’s like to be a minority, where my language isn’t commonly known.

It was scary at first, but I got used to it. The discomfort faded, and people were relatively friendly. Surprisingly, I didn’t miss Singapore much. I actually like the weather more. I miss my kitchen appliances more than Singapore itself. I wonder what that says about my relationship with home.

Even so, there are small things I’ve come to love here. The Popeyes near the bus stop, where I eat fairly often when I’m not cooking. The commercial square in Fuenlabrada with its huge car park, which I’ve gotten used to visiting. And the fountains at roundabouts, I’ll miss those.

Aiming for greatness

In Singapore, I’ve constantly been reminded to live within my means, not to have too much ambition, and to follow what the government says. Two years of conscription as a clerk, operating on autopilot, trained me not to question things. This trip reminded me that I do matter. It also made me challenge various slogans I now disagree with. A few:

  • “Studying is for a job.” When I heard someone studying political science because they’re interested, I short-circuited. It was so ingrained that studying is a slog for a job that this had never crossed my mind.
  • “Things will get better.” No, they don’t, not on their own. I’m not sure why therapists and others push this. Things only get better with effort. When I was sick, it took effort to make things better.

This trip has made me more ambitious. I now see there’s a bigger world beyond my home nation.

Being Curious

So I visited a lot of random places during my time overseas, from random alleyways to minor cities.

Minor Trips

  • 2025-10-25: Aranjuez. Visited the castle, saw the peacocks. Things looked nice.
  • 2025-12-06: Seville. Two weeks before final exams. I was extremely nervous the entire trip. Overall, not worth it. I went during a period of anxiety and panic, and it coloured everything.
  • 2025-12-20: Madrid Aviation Museum. After exams. All the parts looked nice, but I lacked the knowledge to truly appreciate what I was seeing.
  • 2025-12-21: Cuenca. The buildings look really old, and it was a nice trip, I really enjoyed the view from high up. I lacked the knowledge to truly appreciate what I was seeing.

So not all of them are a good idea, however I will never have known they are not a good idea if I never tried. I think Seville was the biggest mistake because it was done near exam time, so I was unable to relax despite being physically away.

In Conclusion

There are many things that I will miss about Fuenlabrada, such as 100 Montaditos and the 1 euro meals. Or Mercandona and the supermarket clearly stating the makeup of the various meat. As I return to Singapore(soon) and continue my journey, Madrid have changed me for sure.