If you’re reading this, you’re probably interested in going overseas for your attachment. Lets see… what could I share with you so that it is relevant to you? I guess you’ll probably be interested to know what you should do when applying for an overseas attachment. Well, before I tell you anything on that subject, I must say that you should not be overly concerned whether you actually get to go overseas for you attachment. I believe that doing your attachment locally can give you an equally fruitful experience. Do be contented with what you have.

Now, the first thing with regards to applying for an overseas attachment is to look out for notices. These will be posted on the notice board of your school. You can probably find them on the OPA website too. There are deadlines associated with each offer of attachment so make sure you submit your forms on time. Realise that you will not be the only one to hand in the form; so, what is going to make your form stand out from among the rest? Well, there is no restriction as to whether you can attach additional information about yourself with the form. The form itself does not ask much more than some statistics about how you have performed in examinations. I’m sure the person who looks at your form is interested to know more about you, your personality, or what interesting things you have done; so, be creative. Exam results are not the only thing that the company offering the IA placement looks out for. Therfore, don’t be afraid to try. If you do get shortlisted, you will most likely have to go through an interview about which I think there is nothing much I can say to help you.

As for my experiences in my IA, I went to San Jose, California. You’ll be more familiar with the term ‘Silicon Valley’ which is actually San Jose and its surrounding area. Sounds like a pretty good thing for a Computer Engineering student to get to go to Silicon Valley, doesn’t it? Indeed it is a place where many hi-tech companies are located. It is a place where, to get technical support for a product or software, you dial a local phone number or just go to the building next to you.

Anyway, this particular attachment placement is one of the few which does not come with any arrangement on accommodation, but I would say it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It was a rather interesting experience looking for a room for rent. I ended up getting a room in a shared housing arrangement. The three other guys who I stayed with (in separate rooms that is) are also tenants, each renting a room in the house. They were Caucasians Americans, and they were really friendly people. Well, having lived with them for 5 months, I can conclude that what we’ve seen on TV is true: Americans eat pizzas ALL the time.

I’ve not worked in a Singaporean company; therefore, I am not so sure if the working environment is very much different. I would say there wasn’t anything that was way out of my expectations. I enjoyed having a five-day work week as well as the liberty of wearing jeans and T-shirts at work. I had a fantastic supervisor and a nice project to work on. Now, there’s one common thing which I think Americans are really good at, that is, interpersonal communication. They are able to express their ideas clearly, confidently and convincingly. I think that really sets them apart from typical Asians. Anyway, my colleagues consisted of people of different nationalities. Many are from India and China.  That highlights the fact that Silicon Valley is a place which currently is in great need of skilled foreign labour. People are streaming in from everywhere to find a job.

I suppose having a chance to travel during your IA is one of the highlights of an overseas attachment. There are many interesting places you can visit in California alone. Places like San Francisco, Los Angeles (which is where Hollywood and Disneyland are located), Lake Tahoe (where you go skiing) and the National Parks are not to be missed. If you are adventurous enough you should go to the east coast too to places such as New York and Washington D.C. (or vice versa, if your placement is in the east coast you should come to the west coast). I don’t think I need to elaborate on places I’ve been to. There are many travel guide books out there.

I must conclude that it has been a very fruitful experience for me - to know that the project I worked on during my attachment is deemed a valuable contribution, to get to know people and make new friends, and to get to visit places - these are going to be a part of my memory I’ll love to recall.