msuCatalyst →

by Reed Kalso 

Sam Singh has literally seen the world. Over the last couple of years, he has traveled to dozens of locations across all seven continents. He wasn’t on assignment or confined to a schedule; he took a hiatus from his career and set out entirely on his own terms. Which is not to say it was a sightseeing vacation: Sam ran half-marathons, engaged in volunteer work, and generally tried to learn as much as he could from the various cultures he interacted with. He was particularly interested in others’ political views- because prior to his travels, Sam was both a member of East Lansing City Council and the city’s mayor.

Sam came to MSU in 1989, graduating in ’94 with a bachelor’s degree in History. As a student, he was a volunteer board member for several organizations. He even made a bid for East Lansing City Council prior to graduation. While this effort was unsuccessful, he did get elected to the council the year after he received his degree. After 10 years on the council, he successfully ran for mayor.

Sam took special care to plan ahead with his political career. “I knew I wasn’t going to be running for re-election,” Sam said, adding that he was very “thoughtful and specific” with his plans in office. He set out with three major tasks in mind: He wanted to strengthen the relationship between East Lansing and MSU, strengthen the relationship between East Lansing and Lansing, and improve environmental policy.

During his time as mayor, Sam arranged regular meetings between the university staff and his own. He also made efforts to tour student activities and social gatherings. He placed emphasis on keeping the state’s graduating talent within Michigan, and with recent economic troubles, this has become an even greater priority.

Between East Lansing and the capital, Sam pushed for more services for the cities to provide jointly, as well as arranging more frequent meetings between their respective staffs.

Perhaps most noticeable to MSU students is the effort Sam made on the environmental front, something that he said could not have progressed the way it has without a strong student presence. “Student activists help move (green policy) along,” he noted.

Setting Out

Sam’s global travels began as simple desires to see certain places and events around the world at some point in his life: a “Worldlist,” as he calls it. After his time as mayor concluded, he determined that he was financially secure enough to be able to afford such a trip, initially setting off with a friend of his in a similar situation. They traveled together for about six months, then Sam traveled for an additional 11 alone.

Sam’s goal was to interact with local people and experience local culture as much as possible. His time in politics and working with nonprofits did not go forgotten, either. He engaged in Habitat for Humanity projects, spoke at conferences, and advised local nonprofits.

Sam said the most striking aspect of his experience was how closely the rest of the world followed American politics, particularly the 2008 presidential election. “There were lots of questions about the primary process in particular, such as why it was so long and drawn out,” said Sam. “It’s a reminder that people around the world watch our process very closely.” For instance, he noted that even a “small village” was very critical of President Obama’s decision to rehire Robert Gates as the Secretary of Defense.

“If you ask people around here, I wonder if they’d even know who the Secretary of Defense is,” he stated.

Another incident he spoke of was spending time in Hong Kong in the summer of ’08, when the US economic downturn really took hold. He had met an investor in Hong Kong who was very concerned and carefully monitoring several major American companies. “It really showed me that decisions that we make in the US have ramifications on the rest of the world,” Sam said. “It helped me define what our role as a country is.”

A Briefing

One would imagine that a 17-month trip would take a massive amount of planning. This was true for Sam, but it was not entirely planned out before it began. Sam brought a laptop along for the ride, making use of wireless connections and Internet cafes to research and book upcoming destinations. This organic method of travel allowed Sam a lot of flexibility, but it was not without its downside. Sam was reportedly interviewed for about three hours when visiting Israel, since he had previously visited a few Arabic countries.

To aspiring world travelers, Sam said a study-abroad experience is essential. “One of my only regrets during my time at MSU was not having an overseas study experience,” he said. “While they’re there, I always recommend that people kinda leave the overseas study program if they have the opportunity to travel on their own or in a smaller group.” He explained that you are more likely to have unique experience and truly feel immersed in a culture if you aren’t constantly part of a large, familiar crowd, so if there is a chance where the group is allowed to split up, you should take advantage of it.

Sam also advised students not to be discouraged by cost or time if they were really longing to see another country. “There are lots of ways to do travel and have it meet your level of comfort and your pocket,” he said. “It’s as expensive or cheap as you want it to be.”

Since Sam’s return, he has resumed his focus on nonprofit companies, working as a consultant. His current project includes working with companies based in several communities in southeastern Michigan. But he’s confident his trip will stay with him for a long time.

“It was a fantastic experience,” he said. “It was the right thing for me to do; it helped me expand my world view. I’ll always look back on it with fondness.”

For more information (and pictures!) about Sam and his travels, check out his blog, www.Singharoundtheworld.com.

Michigan State University has fantastic study aborad options, visit the Study Abroad wesite for more information. And be sure to check out other msuCatalyst stories about being abroad.