Indonesia

Jaeme Indriwati, 23, from Bandung, Indonesia, is in the third year of her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance course.

MISSES... the Hari Raya atmosphere.

'In Indonesia, on Hari Raya eve, everybody goes out into the streets, walking or driving and singing songs. We get a one-week holiday, but here, Hari Raya is not as big.'

AT HOME... we relax in the countryside.

'In the holidays, we drive about an hour to the farms, which have cafes in the middle of fields. The weather is cool and we have barbecued corn and ginger tea to warm up.

'I took my Singaporean friends there to pick strawberries and ride horses. They were surprised to see that corn grows on stalks!'

SINGAPOREANS... don't talk to neighbours much.

'When I meet them in the lifts, they just stare straight ahead.'

China

Lian Hanli, 20, from Xiamen, China, is in the first year of his Diploma in Management Studies course MISSES... the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) in China.

'It is the most important holiday in China with the most activities lined up. In Singapore, Christmas is more festive than Chinese New Year.'

HUNGRY FOR... Xiamen snacks and nasi lemak .

'Xiamen snacks, like rice-flour rolls stuffed with duck, can't be found here.

'But I like nasi lemak, which we don't have in China. When I moved here, I saw many people queuing at a stall in Serangoon, so I joined the queue and tried it out of curiosity.'

AT HOME... guests sit facing the door.

'It is considered polite for the guest to take the seat across from the door while the host sits to the left or right at the round table.'

Myanmar

Aung Ko Thu, 20, from Yangon, Myanmar, is in the third year of his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance course

MISSES... the Water Festival in April.

'It's very fun. It gets very crowded in the streets for four days as people splash one another with water.The water is to 'cleanse' you of all the things you did wrong in the past year.

'My mum and grandmother will make a dessert of white balls of flour filled with brown sugar for the festival.'

HUNGRY FOR... Mohenga.

'Mohenga is noodles with fish soup and it's our national dish. I can get it in Peninsula Plaza and the taste is about the same, but it's more expensive. It's $5. Back home, it's about $1.'

AT HOME... handphone lines cost a lot.

'My friends here are shocked when I tell them a handphone line and SIM card cost about $2,000 on the market. That doesn't include the phone.'

Vietnam

Vu Dang Khoa, 20, from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is in the third year of his Bachelor of Science in Banking and Finance course

MISSES... Christmas and Chinese New Year.

'There is not much difference in the way we celebrate, but we have longer holidays in Vietnam.

'We get a week off for Christmas and three weeks off for Chinese New Year!'

HUNGRY FOR... Vietnamese food.

'There are many Vietnamese restaurants here, but the food doesn't taste the same as it does back home.

'In south Vietnam, where I live, the food has French, Cambodian and Thai influences.'

AT HOME... the military is not as modern.

'I like to watch Singapore's National Day Parade for the army, navy and air force performances.'

This article was first published in The New Paper on January 12, 2009.