Monday, June 14

Woa...I'm finally back from the camp...it has been such tiring 4 days for all of us, sleeping for only 3 hours each night but its been so so exciting...got all tanned up too...think this camp has really made this holi so much more meaningful for me...this is one of the most enriching camp that I've been in…wanted to list out all that had happened thorough the 4 days but I'm too lazy..just mention some highlights...

Camp was in pasir ris park and the volunteers get to get in a chalet in aloha loyang..it's a bungalow with four rooms..sounds big but its squeezy if u are talking abt 50 volunteers...Nothing much happened during the first day as its for us to adjust and prepare for the camp as the kids only arrive the next day...its also a day to get to know more pple, especially the group leaders since I'll be working with them for the next few days...the first day was just games and for the kids to get to know each other better...there's also field cooking and night walk too..the theme for the camp was "finding nemo, finding me" so the groups had names after a character in the movie and the grp I'm in charge of is"peach"...it's a starfish..nvm if u dun know cause its not significant...day 2 of the camp was tiring...practically out in the sun for the whole day...then that's amazing race at night..went to different places nearby lk white sands, tampines regional library and meridien jc..ended at 11+ and everyone was lk so shragged...debriefing for volunteers each night usu end at 2+ and we groups leaders have to prepare gifts and write cards for the kids and I remember I slept at 3+ on the second night and 4+ on the last night...

the kids parents came to join them on day 3 for games and watched the kids perform in talentime..well, the kids are from single-parent families so we'’ve to watch our words during that time and be extra sensitive...at the end of the debriefing at night, all of us grp leaders performed a Chinese song "dan ni gu dan ni hui xiang qi xui" for the kids...yun hui played the guitar...the 2 of us sang the first part while the rest of the grp leaders join in the chorus..its was a touching moment as we put in a close to the camp...had buffet for dinner and everyone was kinda sad that it ended so quickly cause we had to return to our normal lives the next day just when we are enjoying ourselves...

just lk to mention a few close friends whom I've made throughout the camp..you pple are such friendly and easy-going...those include grp leaders from hwa chong: yun hui, chang eng, yunhua and ivan, from Singapore poly: jac, han sheng and chin chong as well as jhong ren...the 4 from hwa chong really made me change the impression of pple from that sch..such an friendly, outgoing, enthusiastic, passionate grp of pple whom I would say are some of the best pple I've known in this camp...not forgetting pple from nj whom I’ve got to know better through this camp: peiying, jia wen, jia xuanand denise…there’s also a lot more pple whom I’ve got to know through this camp but not that close...lk huixia, esther, shi han, angeline, rui jun, teck guan, hong chuan and daniel...oh and kids from "peach":jonathan, helio, Kelvin, teng shin, Gideon, sarah and Janice..you pple didn’t disappoint me in the end...initially, this grp gave me and jac several problems and progressively became more united and cooperative and finally won the best grp! I’m so proud of you pple…and Jeremy too, I’ll always remember your smile and what you always lk to call me...such a cute and adorable child..haha..

such some things I'd lk to say to the other 11 grp leaders: you pple are the best! I’ll nv forget the special bond that we share during this camp..we are different from other volunteers cause we took part in the entire camp with the kids and share a diff experience from others..it is this special experience that makes us so attached to this camp and feel so close to one another...we are on the frontline of the camp and fought hard to make these kids feel so treasured as we present ourselves as approachable and friendly bro and sis…I guess u pple will not forget the special moments that we share tog...going out for dinner tog on the first day and shopping for the kids' present, staying up late every night for a debriefing for grp leaders as well as trying to complete the gifts although we were all tired and falling asleep, the chemistry that we share at times where we wld slip into room 3 one by one to enjoy the air-con and hide from the heat and noise outside to seek some quietness, the conversations that we had in that room after all of us came into that room...I will remember the fun and laughter we all had discussing abt everything and we wld all be reluctant to leave that room even when its mealtime till everyone start chasing us out to get the food before it finishes..it is this small times that we do that makes us feel close to one another..and other committees dun do that...not forgetting the song we put up tog for the rest of the camp as we sang tog with our hearts...

I can proudly say that among all committees, we grp leaders are the most bonded...this is a success that we shld be proud of...we are put tog from diff schs and backgrds, separated from our cliques and away from our usu friends and family...despite that, we managed to bond well after a short 4 days tog... I was very touched at the end when we shoke hands and promised to keep in contact with one another..it was said with sincerity as we really wanted to keep in contact even after the camp..at that pt of time, I really felt the bond we had…this camp really had a special meaning to me as I've gained more than what I had expected...a memory that is worth remembering...

it's a bit long but I guess its worth the mention...last but not least, thanks to jie hui for appointing me as the grp leader, putting me through all these hard days and leaving the camp with a purpose fulfilled...if there is second opportunity, I guess every grp leader, including me, wld be glad to go through all these again...the sweat and tiredness were exchanged for a wonderful time which I could not over-empahzied...

jel; 4:58 pm