Next Step Connection’s Basril and Vincent: a Singapore story of transformation and connection

Next Step Connections (NEXSTEP) is an experiential learning company that offers transformative experiences across Asia. We provide customized overseas learning experiences for university students and working professionals, emphasizing life-changing, on-the-ground learning.?

Through virtual and abroad placements focusing on the APAC region, we push participants out of their comfort zones. We aim to deliver cutting-edge, invested learning opportunities in partnership with startups and corporates that have the power to change lives.

Today we follow the story of two friends and NEXSTEP representatives, Basril Zam and Vincent Tan. Passionate educational guides and mentors in Singapore, together they are dedicated to NEXSTEP's mission to empower the next generation in a melting pot of cultural, ethnical, and religious diversity.??

Basril is veteran of the tourism industry since 2005. having previously run his own travel agency with his family before working with NEXSTEP. A sales and operations manager in his day-to-day life, he became a licensed tourist guide when COVID-19 started. "That's a passion that I just cannot shake off,' admits Basril in an interview with us.?

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"[Working with NEXSTEP is] the dream job – the best thing that could ever happen, sharing the things I love about my country and the outdoors. I still do that on weekends and evenings, sometimes even leading tours with students, tourists, and corporate clients," shares Basril. For NEXSTEP, Basril curates tours in Singapore and manages everything backstage. "I am currently the spectator, but not jealous yet," Basril tells us jokingly.

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He ensures that the students have both the local perspective and the tourist one for a well-rounded idea about what the city can offer. Instead of taking buses or private vehicles, Basril always tries to come up with "slightly off-beaten path journeys," with walking at the core of the immersive experience with the city.?

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Where Basril is the creative nucleus, Vincent, is "the guy on the ground.” Having initially helped a friend of his father’s with a start-up travel agency, Vincent now has over a decade of experience in tourism. On his unexpected start at NEXSTEP, Vincent recounts, "I thought, why not? I'll give it a shot." This spontaneous decision became a fulfilling and rewarding path in his career, as he later partnered with Basril to become NEXSTEP's representative in Singapore.

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Vincent is a real “people person” whose passion shines through. He guides students on site but also mentors on their individual experiences abroad. "This is what I really want to do. It is something I truly enjoy," confesses Vincent to us candidly. "I treat [everyone] like my family, and I really take care of them. I see to it that they have their needs met. If anything were to happen, we would be there for them. And this is in addition to the business visits, site visits, and doing the actual [city] guiding."

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We spoke in depth with Basril and Vincent about the purpose of their work, and found both share inspiration in inspiring others.?

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For Basril, culture is the soul of the experiences he curates for his mentees. Basril seamlessly weaves his personal journey into immersive gastronomic adventures, transcending barriers through food. He intricately melds the cultural identity Singapore with culinary experiences, creating more than just meals. With an intricate understanding of Singapore's multicultural essence encapsulated by CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others), Basril becomes a cultural mentor. His personal journey mirrors the tapestry he guides students through a medley of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Japanese heritage.?

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In crafting cultural immersion programs and carefully curated dining occasions, Basril's nostalgia converges with the explorative spirit of the students. "Above all, it was an eye-opening experience for us because we've never done this kind of arrangement before. We're keeping it in our secret arsenal of tours to expunge out to people who are asking for something unique," says Basril.?

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For Vincent, engagement from his students is the true reward for a vibrant program. Reflecting on his first steps with NEXSTEP, Vincent recalls, "my first group was with Western Sydney University (WSU), and I found myself genuinely impressed with the students’ hard work and intelligent questions. They worked hard and played hard – a perfect blend of commitment to their academic pursuits, a desire to enjoy themselves and to explore the city, fully immersing themselves in the experiences it had to offer."

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Delivering this joy is one of Vincent’s main ambitions.?

"One of the things that really gives me great satisfaction is when I see the students really enjoying themselves. Coming into a foreign city, not really knowing anything, and for me to be? there to help them anytime, whatever it is… then for them to come back to me and say that this was the best trip ever – that does it for me.”

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The two friends agree that NEXSTEP shines not only in the rich opportunities it offers, but also in the multicultural community it encourages – reflecting the mosaic of Singapore itself. "It represents me as a person,” Basril explains. “You would probably categorize me as a Malay, but like in other countries, you have a lot of mixed heritage individuals. If you look at my eyebrow, it looks Indian; if you look at my nose, it looks Indian. My hair looks Malay. Essentially, I am Indian by race, but I'm also Chinese, I'm also Malay, and I'm also Japanese.”?

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The team’s objective is to translate the vibrancy of Singapore into the experiences they plan for students, working passionately together to craft representations of cultural diversity. Vincent focuses on the vast expanses of Chinese cuisine, whilst Basril is inspired in showcasing the Malay dining and their colleague Raj complements their work with Indian fayre.?

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“When our work with NEXSTEP came to be, I was excited,” Basril starts. “I knew the restaurants I normally would go to as a Muslim. But in Singapore, we have Muslims from all manner of different racial backgrounds. I needed to know where the Chinese Muslim food is, as well as Indian Muslim food, Malay food, and Western food as well." Basril always ensures students are taken to local places where tourists have never been. They built a rapport with the local vendors, thus transforming the program into a profoundly personal experience.?

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Indeed, personalization is central to the friends’ mission in Singapore.?

Vincent puts heart into developing relationships with his students, developing their relationships with the city and seeing them evolve as a group. Reflecting on the learning curve of travelling into the unfamiliar, Vincent recounts the progression he saw in his Australian students at WSU. "By the 4th day the whole group started being very synergized and doing everything together. I was just so happy to see that, and I like to think that I was a part of that, having them feel at home, comfortable and safe in a new environment."

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Vincent believes that NEXSTEP feeds true learning, which is to, "understand on the ground, through experiences rather than just in the classroom. The trips are a real eye-opener into how the city works: how to get around, what the corporate culture is like for companies in Singapore, what the locals are like, what the local culture is like. From there, you feel like, ‘hey, I could fit in here. I could work here. I am comfortable here.’ You can't learn that from a book, so when we travel, that is what we learn to take in."

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Vincent feels that this learning spirit applies to everyone, not just to the students. Reflecting on his own start with NEXSTEP, Vincent was struck by the cooperative environment that was fostered for everyone involved, noting, "I never really felt like I was on my own and having to figure things out. Anything I didn't know, I just reached out, and all the questions were answered."

In Singapore, we pride ourselves in the capability to be a launchpad for people who want to venture into other parts of Asia.” For those who are apprehensive to take the first step, he reassures, “I think the best thing in this era is that physical miles are just numbers." Basril proclaims that technology should embolden students to embrace transformative experiences, assured that physical distance no longer hinders connection.

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Basril and Vincent leave their students with a wish to bridge their NEXSTEP journey with the next, emblazoned with knowledge uncovered, experiences lived to the fullest, lasting communities forged and culture enriched. On the friends’ impact, Basril's words resonate with a profound sense of purpose, viewing every journey and chance interaction as conduits for change; as stepping stones on the path to self-discovery. "I always feel that the possibilities are limitless," he exclaims, underlining his belief in the far-reaching influence of these experiences.?

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The two mentors impart a lasting message: embrace opportunities, welcome life's offerings, and embrace unpredictability on your journey. Through their dedication to this interpersonal cause, Basril and Vincent are more than guides. They are anchors for those in unfamiliar surroundings, and beacons casting light on life’s next great discoveries.?

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This is NEXSTEP's ethos, distilled in the promise of a transformative student journey that shapes perspectives and horizons, nurturing future leaders to thrive - not just in classrooms, but in a diverse and dynamic world.?

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