Jemima Dunn, a performing arts student from Edith Cowan University, is ready to embrace her New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholarship program.
Jemima says she is ready to fall in love with Singapore again, the country where she completed a theatre exchange program with the support of a New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant in 2019.
“I fell in love with Singapore, but more importantly, I fell in love with the school and the people. This passion led me to find out more about the NCP Scholarship (Program) and I started the application process almost as soon as I returned to Australia.”
Realising her NCP Scholarship journey was about to begin, Jemima felt both a giant sense of relief and joy. Anticipating this moment had motivated her during challenging times in preparing to start her program.
“I knew my passion had to come in, because the only way I would get myself through would be to envision how wonderful it would be to touch down in Singapore.”
Studying at Singapore's Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI), Jemima plans to gain international experience to achieve her goal of creating “thought-provoking theatre pieces that confront social and political issues, incorporating a team of artists from all walks of life with unique perspectives and experiences on these topics”.
Jemima developed a strong connection to Singapore and stayed in touch with her colleagues at ITI over the past 2 years, attending online workshops, and practising the techniques she learned on her first trip. She recognised that maintaining these connections was at times hard, but she was determined to not let the physical separation “get the better of her”.
Now in Singapore, looking back Jemima advises others to enjoy the departure process, accept it might be challenging and stay energised by writing a list of tasks that can be completed each day and bring you closer to the end goal.
“Remember to give yourself time to breathe and feel frustrated – it's okay to be overwhelmed. If it all becomes a bit too much, take a break and research something beautiful or exciting about your host location.”
Above all, Jemima encourages her fellow Scholars and prospective NCP participants to remember a New Colombo Plan Program is a once in a lifetime opportunity and to focus on the positives.
“When all the paperwork is complete, you'll get to travel the world again.”
Her top tips include visiting host location government websites to double-check their travel restrictions, in addition to the Smarttraveller website. Jemima also acknowledged the importance of staying virtually connected with the Indo-Pacific region and online networking.
“Whilst there are no substitutes for being physically immersed in the Indo-Pacific, it's important to maintain connections and passions for this region in any way we know how.”
With a sense of optimism, Jemima is ready to embrace the challenges of navigating a new environment, including settling into her studies, embracing Singaporean experiences like Gardens by the Bay, and planning a short trip to neighbouring Malaysia when possible.
“Now that I'm here, I'm ready to face any challenges that come my way, even wearing a mask in exercise classes!”
Jemima Dunn, NCP Scholar, at the Departure Gate at Melbourne airport. Photo credit Jemima Dunn.
The NCP is an initiative of the Australian Government. The program aims to lift knowledge of the Indo Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region.