| Description | Interview with Ravi Manohan, a student from Singapore, who has just completed his B.Eng. (Engineering Degree) in Mechanical Engineering, recorded on the 9 July 2003. The Interviewer is Jennifer Carter.
Transcription:
JC So welcome Ravi, so nice of you to come along and tell us about your time in Aberdeen. But tell me first, what drew you particularly to Aberdeen from Singapore.
RM Well when I was working I had an engineer who was my supervisor at the time, he apparently came to Aberdeen to do his further studies, his degree in B.Eng. as well. So he recommended me to come to Aberdeen and while I was doing some research to find places to go to, Aberdeen seemed to be the right choice.
JC Good, so it was a word of mouth recommendation. It wasn't through the internet, or anything like that. So you had already by that time taken a diploma in engineering and had begun work as an engineer?
RM As an associate engineer.
JC As an associate engineer.
RM Yes that is right, I was working for three years at that time.
JC And then this chap who had come to Aberdeen recommended you to finish your degree here. Complete your degree. Does this now give you complete professional accreditation at home?
RM Yes it does.
JC As a professional engineer?
RM Yes, because the Board of Engineers in Singapore, they have a list of UK universities that is recognised by them. So in order for me to register as a professional engineer I should have a degree from one of these universities listed.
JC And Aberdeen is one of them. That's interesting. And will you go back do you think to secure employment, I mean will you step into a job straight away?
RM Yes. At first I was planning to do my Ph.D, but apparently the deadline for the Overseas Research Scholarship is over, so probably I will be going back to get employment for a year, then I will try to apply for next year.
JC To do a Ph.D.? Will you come back here?
RM Yes, this would be my first choice.
JC Oh that's interesting, it has obviously been a good experience overall. Good. Tell me then a little bit about what it felt like when you arrived from Singapore, presumably not with a great deal of knowledge of Aberdeen, or very little?
RM Yeah, the first instance it was very difficult as I had no friends, but once I got accommodated to the living quarters it was a real different experience, you know. Especially all my life my education has been focussed in Singapore, so this was my first experience outside of Singapore and the first year was really exciting. In the first few weeks I was a bit nervous, I was not sure if I could cope with the studies at all, but after time, yes it was all right.
JC The shock in the climate from the climate point of view, I assume you came from a very warm climate to a moderately cold Aberdeen.
RM The first winter was really cold.
JC Really hard. Where did you live in fact, where were you accommodated?
RM In Hillhead Halls of Residence, for both 3rd and 4th year I wanted to stay there, because at the time of enrolment there was a package by the University of Aberdeen, which includes the accommodation together with tuition fees. So it was for a 2 year period.
JC Oh that's interesting. Was it a room or a flat?
RM It was a 6-roomed flat
JC In which you had one room?
RM Yes.
JC And were you cooking for yourself or were you taking meals?
RM Self-catering.
JC How did that work out?
RM In the beginning it was just frozen food all the time, easy to cook! But then as I went along I found new shops, went to buy stuff, it was quite shocking. Along the line I picked up a few things.
JC Because many students from abroad of course have never cooked for themselves. I don't know if you had cooked for yourself at home or not.
RM Never!
JC Never, so this was a totally new experience? I am glad you didn't starve to death! And the people who had the other 5 rooms in your flat were they people you knew before hand or were they all strangers?
RM All strangers.
JC All strangers and did you get on well?
RM Yes, in fact in my doing my third year that was my first year actually, I had a Spanish flatmate, 2 Scottish, a German and a Finnish. So it was a real mixture. It was interesting as you go along you learn about their lifestyles, their culture. It was a very good experience I would say to live with students from another walk of life.
JC Yes, because given a free choice you would have probably moved in with a group of Singporeans, wouldn't you?
RM Maybe ..
JC Maybe, so you have had a very much better mix this way by being put in a flat with strangers. So far as the Hillhead living experience is concerned did you find it an easy place to live or was it difficult, from the point of view, for example, of noise. I mean you would be a fairly senior student. Did you find the young people a bit of a nuisance?
RM No, I wouldn't say so. There was times when they were a bit noisy but that is part and parcel of life, student life, so I wouldn't say noise was much of a botherance, but it was really nice to live with students in student accommodation. With all the facilities, like the shops nearby, so it was very convenient.
JC Doing your own washing in the washing machines. That must have been a very novel experience also! And as far as making friends was concerned, obviously you start with the nucleus of your flat but did you find it easy to move beyond that?
RM Yes, because each of the flatmates had their own group of friends so you tend to mix about everybody here and there and slowly you get more and more.
JC Ripples go outwards. Did you find other networks, besides your flatmates? For example did you join Societies or did you meet more people through engineering?
RM Yes, I did join the Singapore Society but even in the Singapore Society there are a lot of foreign students not just Singaporeans, so that was one way of getting new friends. Then I did get a job working as a catering assistant in the Hillhead Halls itself, that is for catered students, so I was working there and down there I think I met the most number of students.
JC That is where you would have seen all the 1st and 2nd year students coming through with their trays and plates. Were you serving behind the counter?
RM Yes, behind the counter. That's right, Hotplate.
JC It was one way to keep warm in the evening! What struck you about the kind of lives that the average Scottish student led. I mean I imagine it is very different from the Singaporean culture, in terms, for example, of the very heavy drinking one often hears is a student problem. Were you aware of that difference?
RM Not that much of a difference. I would say that the number of Singaporean students that I know they don't mingle with the rest of the students here. That's .. they just keep to themselves, they go out in groups, but as for Scottish … I mean, yes, they tend to go out more often as compared to the Asian students.
JC The Asian students are more serious in their studies.
RM Yes, they more keep to their timetables. And even moving on, they tend to keep together in groups.
JC So what sort of thing did you do with your own spare time, apart from your academic studies and the paid work you took? Did you join societies and things, apart from the Singapore one.
RM Yes, I did, that was the only one as I was doing a part time job as well.
JC How many hours did you do the part time job?
RM It was 12 hours a week.
JC That is quite a big commitment.
RM I just found enough time to do my studies and work and socialising. The only time I go out is on Friday or Saturday nights.
JC So what sort of thing did you do on your nights out?
RM We usually go clubbing.
JC And Aberdeen is good for that?
RM It's not too bad, the only thing, they shut too early the pubs. But is pretty much alright for night scenes.
JC Did you through the clubbing, or otherwise, manage to meet any people who were not students. Any Aberdeen people, who were just local residents.
RM The local residents, the only people that I met were those that were working with me in the catering, in the kitchen. They were people who stayed here from Aberdeen. Just the only group of people I know who are not students.
JC That is a bit of a shame in a way, isn't it, that you saw nobody's ordinary home as it were. What did you do at Christmastime for example?
RM Oh, Christmastime is quite depressing in Hillhead, because most of the students would have left by then, so I didn't have much things to do.
JC There is a scheme whereby overseas students can go and stay in people's homes over Christmas, if they want to, but obviously that never came to your notice. Maybe it ought to be publicised more. I was speaking to a very nice Chinese girl who had gone and stayed with some people in the south of England and had a very good Christmas, but I am sorry, perhaps if you came back, you will be able to sign up for the Christmas scheme! It seems like you led a fairly, it wasn't constrained, is perhaps the wrong word, but a fairly university focussed life. How did you get on with the classes, were they much as you expected, was the standard higher or lower? Or was the work easy or difficult?
RM I think, generally speaking, I think the work was quite easy, it was not generous or overloaded at all. I think it was pretty much okay.
JC The programme was quite well worked out and I suppose you had an advantage having actually done some practical work.
RM Yes, in certain aspects yes, but as you know, most of the studies are purely theoretical. The practical essence came in towards the end of the final year project, when we really had to do some research.
JC What did you research on, what was your project?
RM My project was on simulation software. I was doing a modelling of a simulation for an experiment.
JC I wouldn't have thought of that as mechanical engineering. Shows my ignorance.
RM Nowadays there is a thin line between mechanical and electronic, it is getting closer and closer! You can't see the line that separates.
JC So in a way it is foolish that we keep it in separate boxes, mechanical, civil, etc.etc.,
RM It is very interdisciplinary. You have to have knowledge in every aspect.
JC So I imagine that is some advantage in having a small faculty of engineering like the one here, that there are probably more crossing of boundaries than there would be in a bigger engineering school.
RM That's true, that's very true.
JC What did… how did you get on with the people who were teaching you and were there any outstanding teachers you would like to mention? Or any very bad ones?
RM Like my projects adviser Dr. Dubravka. She was very helpful during my project . She had never lectured me but she was my projects adviser on my final year project.
JC Where does she come from?
RM She is from Belgrade.
JC So that is another form of mixing among the staff as well as the students. Any of the other people who taught you that you particularly remember. Favourably or otherwise?
RM Yes I would say Dr. Tom O'Donoghue, he lectured me for fluid mechanics and fluid dynamics in fourth year. In fact after going for his lectures I had more interest in fluid dynamics than I would have done before and my final year project was pertaining to fluid dynamics and now my interest is so much so that I would like to continue with my Ph. D. in that.
JC Is that something you can use in a practical sense?
RM Yes it is most definitely.
JC It is an important part of engineering practice.
RM That's true.
JC Among the engineering students with whom you were taught what sort of proportion were overseas students, because at one time there were very many Singaporeans. I think there are fewer now.
RM Yes, I think from the mechanical side there are still a lesser number of foreign students, compared to local students, but for electronics and the electric side there percentage of foreign students is higher. Very high as compared to local students. That is very true.
JC You obviously are very fluent in English. Were you as fluent as this when you started or did you have to struggle a bit?
RM Well my first language was English.
JC Your first language is English! Well I didn't realise that, that is interesting. I didn't know it was anybody's first language in Singapore.
RM That is because my dad is an English teacher and my mom is an English teacher..
JC So they made you bi-lingual as it were. What would have been your mother-tongue?
RM My mother-tongue would have been Tamil. I am able to speak and write it a little but ..
JC In practice you have always been brought up to speak English. I thought your English was exceptionally good!
RM The other thing is that in Singapore you have to have a second language and my second language was Malay, so basically I speak three different languages, but the main language that I converse in is in English.
JC Thinking again of the social impact of a foreign country, I mean, what differences did you principally observe when you came to Aberdeen from what you had been used to at home? I realise you home experience is individual it is not "all Singaporeans are like this", but sort of things struck as being different or strange?
RM I would say the attitude of the lecturers here. It is very different here. It is an entirely different world if you compare it to the Asian education system, in the sense that lecturers here are more approachable and less hierarchical.
JC That's interesting.
RM Yeah, there is no distinction with the student, you know, that you have to keep a distance. That is what really interested me in there is so much of a difference in the way they behave and the attitude towards the students.
JC Did they use first names? Did you call Tom O' Donoghue - Tom?
RM Yes.
JC You did. And was that common amongst all of the staff?
RM Yes, most of them.
JC It was all first name stuff. And what about the technicians who are also important in engineering, did you get on well with them?
RM No problems at all, they are really friendly people.
JC Friendly people and again on first name terms with students?
RM Yes, also them.
JC That is interesting because that is different from students on the Arts side who would not on the whole use staff first names, that is quite an interesting observation. So apart from that more open attitude among your teachers what about social differences in the way people behave commonly? For example looking round at the students whom you knew well, were you struck by people behaving in ways which were different in what would happen in Singapore?
RM You mean among the students?
JC Yes, among the students you knew and observed.
RM Yes they are more easy going and they are not too stressed out all the time and they have a balance between time to study and time to enjoy, instead of concentrating on books all of the time because I know a lot of Asian students who barely go out, they just sit in their room and focus on studies.
JC Because it is important to them.
RM Yes. I believe there should be a balance between having a time to enjoy for yourself and I see that most of the students here, Scottish students, local students, who are able to do that. They will strike a balance between studying and enjoying themselves and still produce results in the exams.
JC I suppose it is probably truer that the students that you probably saw less of, the first year ones, because you of course were a relatively senior student, probably don't get the balance quite right at the beginning.
RM It tends to happen after coming from school, the first year at university is like there is no supervision.
JC Were you struck by the lack of discipline in public behaviour, for example, I mean, I know in Singapore public behaviour is very disciplined isn't it. You know on public transport, on the trains, there is this tremendous drive not to drop litter and this kind of thing. Did the difference here strike you, or were you just expecting it?
RM No, not too much, it is just that sometimes in town you can see some people who behave badly, you don't get to see that kind of things back home, but that doesn't mean that it .. everybody is behaving in such a way.
JC No, I wasn't being judgemental, but perhaps just noticing a difference. And what about the levels of drunkenness amongst students, which one gathers are often quite high, particularly among 1st and 2nd year. Would that be true in Singapore? Probably not.
RM The percentage would be much lower in Singapore. There are cases, but as you can see the difference in percentage, there are more of this kind of cases here than in Singapore.
JC Presumably because of what you said before that Asian students are very focussed on their work. Thinking in a different direction now of your experience in the University,have you found the facilities good. I am not thinking of where you lived, but of the Library, computing facilities, that kind of thing?
RM Yes, I think as far as facilities are concerned there was no problem at all. All the computer rooms were open 24 hours and when you needed to type out a report or anything you always had a computer to do your work on, so facilities wise there was no problem at all.
JC And thinking of the other kinds of facilities, the University has quite a big welfare network, advisors, counsellors, student health, student dentist, chaplaincy, student societies, were you conscious of that being a supportive network or didn't it matter to you at all?
RM Not too much, but like I say I didn't have too much trouble getting along here.
JC You never had to see a counsellor, you never had to see a doctor, you never had to have your teeth fixed? No, right. Another thing that is often said about British students as compared with Asian ones is that they are much less political. Do you think that is true that you at home as perhaps as a student would have been much more into politics in the sense being interested in what was happening, than your contemporaries here?
RM That would be a matter of choice I would say, because personally I have met a few locals who are actually interested in politics, they keep up to date with the political happenings here.
JC Who are quite committed, that is interesting, good.
RM Even back home I have friends who are totally not interested in politics at all, so it doesn't kind of reflect overall..
JC So it doesn't make much of a cultural difference at all. You would, of course, would have been here during the period of the Iraq war. Was that spoken about much among students?
RM Yes.
JC There was debate, was there?
RM Yes, especially about 6 months ago there was really, in fact this time round, where I was staying, most of my flatmates were Asians..
JC This is your second year at Hillhead
RM Most of them were Asians, there were no Scottish in my flat that year.
JC So they were very much interested in following up the world news.
RM Yes, definitely.
JC Were any of them Islamic people, were any of them Muslims?
RM Not in my flat. No, but I have a few friends who are from Malaysia, they are Muslims, and they were up to date as well, but there was not much of a debate on ..
JC Interesting. Any other things that happened during the time you were here that you think are interesting or important? Did you for example ever get out of Aberdeen, or were you here all the time?
RM Oh yes I did. I went down to London for a few weeks last year and then after the exams in February I did go to Amsterdam. So, just to get a view of how things are.
JC A good opportunity to travel. You presumably did not go home during the summer vacation?
RM I did, for a month. Just to get some change, because during the summer if I were to stay in the Hillhead is really very depressing. Everybody has already left.
JC It is like a ghost town. So when are you leaving after graduation?
RM Probably I will be leaving in August.
JC So you have a little time still.
RM Yes.
JC What are you planning to do between now and then?
RM Probably I will be going for a tour of Europe, probably maybe towards the end of this month.
JC Great! Will you see anything of Scotland?
RM Yes, definitely. Maybe in two weeks time I will be going to the Highlands just for a three or four days.
JC Just to see what it looks like. See if you can spot the Loch Ness Monster!
RM Yes!.
JC Anything that we haven't talked about that you think we ought to have talked about, or that you would like to put on the record?
RM No, I don't think there is anything.
JC Fine, well it has been very nice chatting to you and I wish you well in your studies and maybe we will see you back again. Who knows, when you next do your Ph.D.
RM Yes, hopefully so.
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