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Wise Words
Go ahead and touch lives and shine. ((: |
Pump it Up, Shake it Up, Hype it Up!
Executive Committee of Student Leaders! th first batch of th school. we're one of a kind. elites of th elites! we only do three tings best! to eat, to sleep, to play excobds@hotmail.com |
Our lovely Memories{Kyushu; Japan}
Vivian Yeong
This trip has certainly broadened my insights of JAPAN! I had loads of fun participating in all the activities specially planned for us. Especially, with the company of EXCO’08! On the first day, we went to Japan’s Citizen Safety Park where we experienced trials of earthquakes and typhoon. From these, I’ve learnt more about natural disasters and how we should react to such disasters. As a leader, I have learnt that I need to predict possible problems that might arise in a project and the various solutions to counter the problems. On day 2, we had to request a local Japanese to take picture with us. I had a no trouble requesting them to take a picture with me as they were really warm and was fine with taking pictures with a stranger. During the 3rd day, we visited the traditional castles. We observed the majestic architectural of the castle. They had tall castles with steep staircases in the interior to prevent enemies to climb up to the peak as soon as possible. As a leader, I’ve learnt that I need to come up with defensive tactics to overcome any problems. On the 4th day, we visited the Nagasaki Naomi High School. After the school visit, I’ve learnt more about the way the leaders in Japan function and project themselves. It will help me improve my leadership skills better. Last but not least, on day 5, we visited the orchard. We had to ‘look after’ the fruits that we had specially plucked. It was part of our leadership training as we had to take responsibility for our own fruit. All in all, I had become a more responsible leader after going through the various leadership training that took place during the trip.I LOVE THIS TRIP!:DYong Chun Ping
Day 1: After arriving at Fukuoka airport, the impression we were given was very impressive. The warmth of the Japanese officers could be felt through their smiles. I’ve not seen any of the officers giving any of the tourists any glum looks. They were smiling all the way which gave us, visitors to their country, a very tip top impression. I’ve learnt to be vigilant during the trip to the Citizen’s Safety Centre of Fukuoka. It has taught us the basic safety measures when we encounter any form of natural disasters. At the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, the culture whereby we were introduced to was relatively new. Hence I’ve learnt to adapt to the differences and experience them.Day 2: Today, confidence was being inculcated into 2 activities which were taking a photograph with the locals and learning a Japanese Phrase. Despite the language barrier we had with the locals, we still have to have the confidence into asking them to take a photograph with us. At times, we do have to get out of our comfort zone to complete a task which we are given and learn something new. Day3: The activity of compare and contrast the Japan’s Kumamoto Castle with Singapore’s Istana enabled us to analyze every single detail and architecture we see carefully. I’ve also observed since day one the kind of respect the younger generation actually gave to the older generation. It was something whereby there is a distinct respect given to the older generation. At the Unzen hell, I’ve learnt about the history of ancient Japan and the way the King was being treated back then. Day 4: At the Nagasaki Peace Park and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum, it has taught me a very important lesson in life where people may know but have never applied it. It is to always look beneath the surface and not just what we get to see on the top. Personally, I’ve always felt that the Japanese actually deserved getting bombed by the Americans during WWII to end the war. However, it is always the people who are innocent who gets hurt rather than those who have triggered the war. Definitely, it has given me a totally new perspective of the decision to drop the atomic bomb back then. The interaction with the Japanese students this time round was totally different from what we can get from the other trips. The time for interaction was longer and we get to join them for their classes such as Kando, their tradition sports. Day 5: The visit to the Otsuku Pharmaceutical Co (Pocari) was definitely an eye opener. The level of hygiene they practice is relatively high and the amount of eyes being cracked and the machines they use totally brought me to a whole new level of experience. Picking orange was one of the new skills I’ve learnt, how to differentiate the ripe ones and the unripe ones. The trip to the District Waterworks Agency enabled us to compare between Singapore’s NEWater Plant, the processes they use to treat the ‘dirty’ water to drinkable water. The technology use was almost the same. Siti Nadhirah
Day 2:
We went to the craft center and managed to paint our own tops. It was a nice experience to paint your own top as it creates a sense of identity to your own top. Besides that, I also realise that unlike Singapore’s workforce, the Japanese’s workforce compromises of the older generation. Next, we headed for lunch although it was not as what I imagined it would be. It was different as in Singapore; I am able to eat meat freely. However, in Japan, we were only able to eat seafood and during the lunch, our food was only vegetables and more vegetables with rice. After lunch, we headed for Mt Aso. It was a breath-taking experience for me as we could see an active volcano first hand. However, the fact that the volcano is still active still eerie me.
Day 3: We started the day by visiting the Samurai Palace. It was a tall building that consisted of many rooms and many levels. It was exhausting to climb up many stairs, as the steps were steep however, it was not as steep as what I’ve went through for BIND in Cambodia. We also went to Unzen hell. It was a rocky area with fresh spring water but never judge the book by its cover as they say it cause the moment we entered the path to lead us to the end of the rocky area we were welcomed by a very strong stench. Nevertheless, all 30 of us including the teachers manage to make to the end of the path enduring the stench. We headed to Nagasaki by boat in the afternoon. It was a pleasant ride and an interesting one since most of us were awed by the fact that a bus could enter a boat together with us. Day 4: A trip to the Nagasaki Peace Park and museum made us understand how Japan and especially Nagasaki had suffered from the atomic bomb. We were affected by it as we saw how the innocent had to pay the price of the war that none of them wanted to happen. We also made new friends when we went to Minami Nagasaki High School. We had a cultural exchange programme. We forged closer bonds with some of the students there. The students there are as friendly as how the people in Japan is so, we felt really welcomed by their warmth. We attended their kendo lesson and had a lot of fun ‘fighting’ with them. They taught us new martial arts that I benefited from. Day5: We first visited a mayonnaise factory a learnt how mayonnaise in Japan was made. We then headed to fruit picking of oranges. I learnt that we shouldn’t pluck fruits we should cut them using tweezers and if the orange is orange in colour, then it’s sweet. We also had to take care of the orange as if it was our own child. It tested us on our responsibility as a leader. Since it was our last day in Japan, I was glad that the excos were given such opportunity to learn and bond more. Not only that, we also were given the opportunity to forge bonds with the Japanese students and learn more about their country and culture. I have enjoyed my days in Japan. It will be one of the most memorable trips that I’ve gone with my friends in BDS. Thus, from the bottom of my heart, I thank the school. Alfred Koh
Day 1:
When the plane landed in Fukuoka, our first destination was the Fukuoka Science Museum. I feel that the Science Museum in Fukuoka is much more interesting than Singapore’s Science Centre as they have more things that we could try out and games that we could play. We left the place and headed for our next destination.
We were headed for the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. People come to this shrine to worship the “God of Scholarship” before their exam so they could score better. We were taught the culture of washing both hands and the mouth from the shrine well. The tour guide then taught us how to pray to the god.
Next up for us was Citizen Safety Centre of Fukuoka. This centre teaches us how to put out fire with a fire extinguisher, escape from a building that is in total darkness and lets us experience how typhoons and earthquakes feel like in Japan.
The last destination for the day was the Robo Square. The Robo Square was basically a shop that is filled with robots. It has robots that have sensors. We were all amazed by the robots there. After awhile, we left the place to our HOTEL!!!
Day 2: We brought our bags down and then left for the airport to fetch the NPCC leaders that arrived a day later as they had a camp. After we fetched them, we headed to our first destination which was the Kumamoto Municipal Crafts Center. When we reached the craft centre, we were told to paint tops and the painted tops were ours to keep at the end of the day. We all did our own craft work and had a lot of fun painting the top. After that we were headed toward Mount Aso. When we reached Mt Aso, there were people complaining that it was cold. We took a lot of pictures of the scenery and of ourselves. We had a very fun time and then we had to leave soon enough. We went to the cable car and went back to where we came from and then we got on the bus to next our hotel. Day 3: Our first destination was the Kumamoto Castle. The castle had many different places that show the olden feeling and there is also a gallery that is being built to display some of the remaining pieces that was found after the war. Next we headed for ferry terminal. We had to take a ferry to Shimabara. After we reached Shimabara and then we headed for Old Samurai Street to see samurai houses. The street is very famous as it has display houses to show the olden times of Japan. When we entered the house, we were told to remove our shoes before entering. From this visit to the old samurai house, we can learn more about the Japanese olden culture. After this we headed for the Unzen Hell. The Unzen Hell is a place which contains natural hot springs that is highly looked upon by the Japanese as said in the Buddhist teaching. The are in the place has a pungent rotten egg smell. However we had to endure with the smell and walk thought the whole place. We then went to Nagasaki and then checked into a new hotel. Day 4: We were headed for Nagasaki Peace Park. The place was built to commemorate the fall of Japan during the World War 2. We then headed for the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum. It was built to let the people know how much damage has been done to the Japanese because of the atomic bomb. Next was the school visit. We visited Nagasaki Minani High School. We watch them practice judo and kendo. We were told to try out kendo as well. It was really fun as it was something that is not introduced in Singapore. Day 5: Firstly we went to the to Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Saga Factory. The factory makes mayonnaise and sells it to the world. The lady there shows us the process of how it is made and how it is bottled. Next we went to Tanushimaru and we went to a orange plantation. They taught us how to choose good oranges and then gave us time to pick oranges to bring back. we went around picking oranges and we had a lot of fun. After that we went back to Fukuoka and went to the at District waterworks agency. It shows us how Japan is able to provide the country with clean water. It shows us the process of how clean water is being made from rainwater and drainage water. Day 6: The day, which everyone has not been waiting, has arrived. We gave our final good bye to the tour guide and took the plane back to Singapore. Performing Arts
Tezella Siu
Through the whole Japan trip, I have learnt many leadership qualities, as well as achieved greater academic excellence. This is one of my most enjoyable trip I have ever had!
Day 1: We got to experience natural disasters that Singapore does not have, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, and learnt the precautions that the Japanese have taken. Also, I now know that Japan has very high technology, creating machines to do simple things such as giving customers packets of tissue. I also realised that the standard of living in Japan is also very high. Day 2: We learnt how to paint tops and it was not as easy as it seemed. However, it was fun and I enjoyed it. We were tasked to take a picture with the locals, learn a Japanese phrase and also learn from them about the background of Mount Aso, an active volcano. The locals were very friendly and did not mind helping us. They taught us some phrases too. Moreover, we got to learn about Mount Aso and saw it. It was beautiful! Through that day, I felt that EXCO have been bonded 10 times more than what it already was. Day 3: I find the Japanese custom, where people have to bow to each other, very interesting. Majority of them are polite and would bow back in return. We visited the Kumamoto Castle. Comparing it to the Singapore Istana, the castle is much more majestic and traditional while the Istana is much more modern. The castle is built for defence and security for the king, but the Istana is built for the VIP to live and hold meetings. We also visited the hot spring there. It was filled with a pungent smell, produced by sulfer dioxide. It is called the Unzen Hell. Day 4: We read up on the victims/survivals of ‘Fat Man’ (Nagasaki). We were supposed to write our feelings and thoughts if we were the survivals of the attack while our families did not manage to. We then visited a Japanese School. From there, I realised that students in Singapore do not have as much stress as we claim to have. Comparing the Japanese Schools to Singapore Schools, the Japanese have to take up more subjects than Singaporeans, and they have a longer curriculum time. There have also been much more suicide cases in Japan due to their stress level. Day 5: During the journey to the fruit farm, we were tasked to get information on the health benefits of the fruits and also to keep one orange with ourselves for the whole day. We then went to the District Waterworks Agency. It is almost the same as Singapore’s NEWater and we got to taste the water that was produced. At the end of the day, during debrief, we had to present on something that we were only given 5 minutes to prepare. My group presented on leadership, and though I was nervous, the other EXCO members as well as my group members encouraged me. Day 6: All in all, I enjoyed this trip with the EXCO. We were further bonded and were really like one big, happy family, caring for each other. There were times when I did not feel well, and the EXCO members were there for me, taking care of me. I feel that not every group of leaders can be as bonded and I am very proud to be in EXCO and also, am proud of EXCO for being what it is. I enjoyed this trip much more than I expected to and hope to go on another trip with this bunch of loveable, caring, nice, and bonded family! Emily Eu
On the 1st day, I learn how Japan progresses in the ever changing world and yet hold on to its cultures, shaping and evolving around it, I also realize that as a leader, we must constantly change for the better to suit the needs to changing world yet, hold on strongly to my beliefs that have led me to being a leader, although if there is a need to change it for the better, I will do it.
On the 2nd day, as we visited Kumamoto Craft Centre, I learnt the importance of our elders and what form of importance they hold in this ageing society. As a leader, we must regard everyone as an important member and that each one, no matter how little their role is, they are still valuable for they are the ones that do the little things that helps run things smoothly. Then at Mt. Aso, as part of the BOLD programme, we were suppose to take photo with at least one Japanese under one of the strategic trust- character development and learn a phrase in Japanese from a Japanese local, under the strategic trust- active citizenry. With these two combine, we learn how effective communication is essential when working together and also how important is it to reach out to someone who is different from us. For the 3rd, I have come to realize, that as a leader, being loyal is very important. Like at Kumamoto Castle, we learnt about the war that took place there and also how the castle was built to be a fortress, to protect the people. When you want to protect someone, a sense of loyalty has to be formed. Then at the old samurai houses, we learnt that Japan was once a hierarchy society and the samurai were considered the elites. Even in today’s modern society, hierarchy is still being put in place, and as a leader, hierarchy is often practiced. I learn that even though you may be a leader, there will always be people who will be higher then you, and you must learn to humble yourself. Then, at Unzen Hell, we learnt the sad history of the Christians being prosecuted as the Japanese. In this world, there will be many kinds of people and sometimes it will be hard for us to come to accept others who are different from us, and when we do not accept others for who they are or what they are, there will be unhappiness among the people. We must be able to work with one another so that there will be peace among the community. On the 4th day, at the Nagasaki Peach Park and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum, I was able to view WW2 in a different perspective. This is essential for a leader, as we need to constantly put ourselves in other people’s shoes so that we can know how they feel or how they perceive different things. This also helps me realize that different people will feel and think differently from us and that we have to be open to other people’s idea too. Then at the high school, we interacted with the Japanese school students and also watch a Judo and Kendo demonstration. This enables us to gain knowledge on various Japanese traditional sports. We were also able to expand our abilities by learning a bit of Kendo. This made me feel, that as a leader, we will come face to face with unfamiliar circumstances and we will have to learn how to adapt to it. Interaction with the Japanese students is another learning point in this whole BOLD programme, as English is native language to them. It was quite difficult to communicate and it took a lot of patience to understand them and for them to understand us. On the 5th day, we visited the Kewpie production company, followed by going fruit picking then to their district waterworks agency. From here, I was able to see the different sides of Japan, from something rural, to how advanced she has become. It has also made me realize that Singapore is not the only country that faces problems like water shortage. It has come to my attention that I should take more initiative to help conserve the environment. Sometimes, no matter how much something is emphasized to us, we don’t really see it until we see how it affects other country. On the last day, I felt really sad to leave Japan. But nonetheless, I have brought back something to Singapore that I will forever cherish- the memories and experiences that I got from the trip. Along the way, I have also realized that I should not also focus too much on my weaknesses and that I should also focus on my strengths and build them to be even stronger. I have also realized that as a leader, we have to be able to get along well with everyone, as it is essential for the smooth running of the committee. Wong Jia Hui
Day 1--1st, we arrive at Fukuoka Science Museum. We saw many exhibitions; we learned how things work in the universe and experience them through the chance that the science museum gives. From this, I have learned how science acts in our daily life. 2nd, we went to Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine; we learned how to respect their culture by washing with their shrine water. We learned that the parent will bring their kids to the shrine to pray for a better grade for their child and to pay respect to one of the great thinkers in history – Sugawara Michizane. 3rd, Citizene’s Safety of FUKUOKA,we learned how to use a fire extinguisher. Experience their earthquake and their big wind experience. It was fun and enjoyable to experience some disasters that we cannot experience in Singapore, we learned how to face the coming disaster with the right reaction. 4th, we went to Robo square; I expected more advance robot there. However, it was fun playing with the robots there; the robots know how to react to human’s reaction and are friendly in their character. We had learned how robots are created to meet the need of the humans.
Day 2--1st, we went to Kumamoto Municipal Crafts Center to do craft work. We coloured the spinning top with 4 colours. Soon we found out that the 5colours, including the original colour of the spinning top are representing the 5 human organs. 2nd, we processed to Mt. Aso and visit Active Volcano Crater. We learned that Mt. Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan, and is among the largest in the world. We went to see the damage that the volcano eruption can cause. We went to Mt Aso by cable car. We enjoy taking picture be it in groups or by person. We even talked to some Japanese on that day to get familiarize with the Japanese. We then transfer to Hotel and had tradition local food and Onsens after the dinner. Day 3--1st, we went to Kumamoto Castle; we learned how they protect their king with the building structure of mainly stones and woods. We learned their history. 2nd, we went to Kumamoto port and were transfer to Shimabara port by Express Ferry. We played a lot of interesting games and this brought us together further. We enjoyed ourselves by taking pictures and posing, cat walking and making forfeits. 3rd, we went to the Old Samurai House Street which is a famous street which is lined with stone walls and a spring water canal running down its center. 4th, the Unzen Hell, which contain springs that are highly valued by Japanese even now as according to Buddhist teachings. We expected a place which is beautiful but out of our expectation, Unzen Hell extremely smells, however we manage to overcome it and walked all the way put of the place. Day 4--1st, we went to the Nagasaki Peace Park which was built to commemorate the city's destruction by the atomic bomb. There is a monument which marks the atomic explosion's epicenter in the nearby Hypocenter Park and stores the name list of bomb victims. We also learned that the Japanese folded paper cranes to wish luck and bring happiness to the people. 2nd, we move on to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum, we learned the history of WWII; how War affects the civilians the most, understand the effect of nuclear weapons and we witness the tragedy from the other side. 3rd, we visit SCHOOL EXCHANGE. It was quite a surprise for us that the school is still using a chalk board and we were asked to wear their school slippers. Adding more to our surprise, the Japanese student learn English only when they were in junior high school, and they were used to bring their own food to school everyday. We also joined in, in their lesson, the kedo. Day 5--1st, we went to Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Saga Factory and they explained how their mayonise are made. 2nd, we were transfer to Tanushimaru and we Experience fruit picking (Persimmon or Japanese Orange) and were allowed to bring the Japanese orange took to the home. 3rd, we were transfer to Fukuoka and we soon arrival at District waterworks agency. We learned how distillation works and how sea water is change to drinkable water. Sports and Games
Shahirah
Day 1:
Places of visit: Citzane’s Safety, Robosquare , Bridgestone Tyres, Fukuoka Science
Museum and Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
How I felt: I felt that the first day was fruitful and fun. I now can bring a few things home such as my high knowledge on natural disasters. By learning the correct way to function a fire extinguisher, experiencing the earthquake, typhoon and fire breakout, I am more confident in facing such natural disasters and I know better how to cope in difficult situations. I felt pity to those who suffered from natural disasters that happen to them. I felt that Japan has a major success technology-wise. One of the robots in the robosquare was actually made as a therapy device. I wish that Singapore would invent one in the future.
Day 2: Places of visit: Kumamoto Craft Centre and Mount Aso. How I felt: This day was a very enjoyable fun for every exco member and myself. At the Kumamoto center, I felt like a dnt student within 5 minutes. We were entitled to a maximum of 10 minutes to decorate our top. It was fun. I learnt that in Japan the 5 colours meant the 5 main organs that are essential in the human body. The colours were yellow, green, red, blue and the colour of the wood itself. Then we were off to Mt. Aso . The mountain was b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l! We shouted I love exco and echos could be heard. Since Singapore does not have mountains or hills (just Mt Faber), we cherished ever second we could spend there. The weather was beautiful and we wished everyone else including our family and friends and especially our beloved principal could experience the trip we went through. Day 3: Places of visit: Kumamoto Castle. Shinbara port ferry, Old samurai house, Unzen Hell How I felt: This day was more like a history lesson for us. However, instead of the history of Singapore, we learnt more about the ‘samurai’ history in Japan. I was exhausted when I had to climb the numerous numbers of stairs in the Kumamoto Castle. I nearly puked when we walk through the Unzen Hell. We were welcomed by a stench that everyone could not stand. Although the Unzen Hell was smelly, it is actually spring water that when you bath in it, your skin will be as smooth as silk. Day4: Places of visit: Nagasaki Peace Park, Nagasaki atomic bomb memorial museum, school visit. How I felt: I was disgusted when I saw the state the Japanese was in when the atomic bomb hit them. I felt sad for those victims who had to pay the price for something they didn’t do. I can still remember the picture of a woman and her baby who were victims and how they look when they died vividly. Visiting Minami Nagasaki High School was an enjoyable visit for me as I manage to forge stronger bonds with the Japanese students there and by this way; I think I’m able to learn about their culture and tradition more. Day 5: Places of visit: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co (Pocari), fruit picking, and district waterworks agency How I felt: I was amazed on how mayonnaise was manufactured in Japan and I also learnt how to pluck an orange from its tree. I now also know that the oranger the orange is, the sweeter it is. All in all, I was so enthusiastic about it and pluck more than 15 oranges. The waterworks was similar to Singapore’s NEWater plant. It shows case on how Japan could produce its on water. Dylan Heng
Day 1 - Like most first days of any trip, the fun I had was beyond words can describe. Despite the long, late flight to Japan, most of us were still quite active during the day. When we touched down in Japan, the weather we expected was “air-con” temperature, but what got was actually like Singapore weather, but just dryer. Well, the first place we went was the Fukuoka Science Museum, something like our Science Centre. We saw many experiments involving topics like light and sound. Next, we went to the Citizen’s Safety building, which is a place to educate people about what to do in times of emergency. We were taught skills like what to do when faced with a fire. The best part was that we were given a taste of how an earthquake and a hurricane felt like. Pure comedy is all I can say about the result of this activity as the way some of us reacted was hilarious. After this, we went to the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, which is an ancient shrine that the Japanese visit to pray and ask for wishes to be fulfilled. We were given an understanding of the culture in Japan. Finally, we arrived at the Hotel and prepared for the next day.Day 2 - For me and a few others, the day started with a morning jog lead by Mr. Michael. We were really fortunate as we could catch a glimpse of a Japanese city being quiet for once, something we did not get to see the next few days. After the run was followed by definitely one of the most outstanding breakfast I ever had in my life. The large variety of cuisine is really impressive. From their own Japanese food to Italian pasta, there is something for everyone. UNFORTUNATELY, there was too little time for me to savour all the food. The first destination of this day is the airport. No, were we were not done with our trip. Instead we were there to collect the 8 people that were coming on the second day. We then head to the Kumamoto craft centre. We designed our own traditional Japanese top. We were given 4 colours. These colours according to Japanese customs, represents our vital organ. In the craft centre, we also saw many of the Japanese old folks engaged in craft work. This really showed us that the old folks there, despite their age, are still very active. We then headed to Mount Aso, which is one of Japan’s active volcanos. We went up to the summit via a cable car. The scenery from the top looking into the crater of the volcano was indeed magnificent. There was a small quarry in the crater and lots of steam getting emitted from a crevasse beside the quarry. This will definitely be one of the most memorable scenery I will have as I have never being on a real volcano. We then went to our next hotel to stay for the night. It was more traditional then the previous as we were given those kind of Japanese mattress as our beds. Not only was our hotel traditional, it also had an Onzen, which is a hot spring. Most of us used it and it was really HOT, but we got used to it after a while and were able to enjoy this traditional health remedy. Day 3 - By this day, most of us realized that the sun in Japan dawns very early. By 6:30am, it seems like a 7:30am lighting. Our first destination was the Kumamoto Castle, which is a genuine Japanese castle. It was huge and very elaborately designed. One thing we noticed was that the Japanese in the past could have been very short, as there were many rooms where the door way was like ¾ our classroom door’s height. We say many artifacts that belonged to the ancient Japanese residence of the castle and much more. After much sightseeing, we travelled to a port where we boarded a ferry to take us to the nearby Nagasaki. There, we visited many old samurai houses that were preserved. Then we went to a place called Unzen Hell. This place has many natural hot springs, and gives the impression of walking through hell when walking through this place as the hot springs give of steam and the whole place is just gray rock, coupled with the stench of sulphur. We then headed to our third hotel for this trip and ended our day there. Day 4 - The first place we visited was the Nagasaki Peace Park. We saw some of the memorials erected to remember those who were killed by the bombing and even managed to stand on where the area where the bomb exploded. We then headed to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum to experience the pain and the suffering the people had to endure, and the actual magnitude of the explosion through several pictures and artifacts. There were many pictures of corpses that were scorched beyond recognition, and artifacts that showed us how powerful the bomb was. I remember there was an artifact that showed a skeleton of a hand inside a lump of concrete as the concrete had melted around the hand due to the heat of the bomb. After going though the museum, I realized that in this political battle for supremacy, the greatest victims are the citizens of the countries. After this, we headed to a local school. We had a lot of fun there interacting and getting to know the students and their school life. We were able to observe their Ju-do training taking place and were very privileged to take part in their kendo classes. It was difficult to leave the school as we had the urge to spend more time with the Japanese students. We then went to our next hotel to stay for the night. Day 5 - Today was unofficially our last day in Japan. There was a very dissatisfied mood around us as we all knew this. But still, that did not stop us from absorbing the culture and have fun. The first destination of our last day was the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory. This place is where one of Japan’s most popular brand of mayonnaise is created. We were given a brief history of the brand from representative of the company and allowed to see the process of making it. We then went to a fruit farm to pick some oranges. These oranges were really sweet and juicy. We were allowed to take home 15 oranges, and we all diligently searched the plantation for the largest and most ripe we could find. After collecting our fruits, we headed to the District waterworks agency to see how they desalinate sea water to become drinkable water for the people. We then headed to our hotel to prepare to go home. Day 6 - We all awoke with heavy hearts, knowing that the “Time of Our Lives” was going to end. We packed the remainder of our stuff headed to the airport to head back to Singapore. This trip definitely not only bonded me closer to all the Excos, but has given me new experiences that I will treasure throughout my life. I hope that the school can allow another batch of students to be able to receive the joy we had on from this trip. Who knows? Maybe to Europe this time? Muhammad Hamdan
Day 1 : We arrived at Fukouka, Japan. It was a Saturday morning. Our first destination was the Fukouka Science Museum. This was a well known museum in japan. There were many activities in the museum. Shahirah, Lyana and myself tried the flight simulator .It was fun. Next, we headed to the Daizaifu Temangu Shrine. This was the most famous shrine among the others throughout Japan. At the shrine, I saw many people praying. There were many tourists there too. My first impression of the buildings there wasn’t a good one. I expected the buildings to be more developed and the cars to be of high-technology. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the houses there. After sight-seeing, we headed for lunch at a steamboat restaurant. There were so much nice food but unfortunately, I couldn’t eat them as they were not halal. After lunch we headed to the Robo Square. There were many cool robots on display. One of them caught my attention, it was a dinosaur. It was very fun to play with. We have already completed our tasks when evening arrived. Mr Michael brought us back to the hotel. Chisan Hotel Hakata, a four star hotel. The rooms were big and the facilities provided were good. However, they did not provide us with a fridge. At the end of the day, we had our debrief at Mr Michael’s room.Day 2 : We left the hotel with our bags and boarded the bus. Our first stop was Kumamoto Craft Centre. We were supposed to make our own spinning toys. There were six machines and we had to take turns to make our toys. We had a tour around the centre and I saw many different types of crafting machines. We spent around 2 hours at the craft centre before heading for lunch. At lunch, we had to eat vegetables again while the others got to eat the other dishes that were not halal. We took a 45 minutes bus ride to Mount Aso. We took a cable car to the higher region as the road was too steep for the bus. It was a 5 minutes ride to the peak. We were given a ticket each, if we were to lose the ticket, we would not be able to take the cable car ride back down. At the peak, we were given the freedom to explore the place. I took a picture of the tip of the volcano. The volcano had green liquid inside which is known as sulphur. At a corner of the volcano, there were smoke rising. We took a group picture with the school banner. then we headed back down to the cable car station and took the ride back down. When we reached the bus, there was a beautiful view of the other surrounding mountains. I took pictures with a couple of my friends. We boarded the bus and took the 1hour and 30 minutes bus ride back to the hotel straight. By the time we reached the hotel, it was time for dinner. The hotel we stayed in had a mixture of western and Japanese style. Half of the room was like a normal hotel room ehile the other house was like a typical Japanese house where everyone was to sleep on the floor. The room was meant for 6 people. The school only allowed 3 people per room. We had thirty minutes to settle down in our rooms. We then headed to the lounge where there were tables and chairs. This was where we were going to eat our dinner. When I arrived in the rooms with my friends, I was amazed by how neat the Japanese waiters and waitresses arranged the crockery. Everything was so simple yet it looks elegant. After two days of eating vegetables, we finally had some fish and prawns. They also provided us with udon noodles. They were very delicious. After dinner, we had our debrief again with Mr Michael. We were offered to try out the hot bath in the hotel. We were asked to bathe before entering the waters. The purpose of the hot bath was to make one sweat and also to get rid of the body odour that one has. The hotel gave us an hour to enjoy the hot waters. We were not allowed to enter the waters with our clothes. We had to be naked. I felt that I had removed all my stress when I entered the water. It was so relaxing and soothing. It enabled me to have a piece of mind. After the soak, I felt so tired, thus I went to bed. Day 3 : In the morning , we visited Kumamoto Castle. It was a very big castle. We walked to the king’s chamber and the furnishings were all made of wood. We went into this green colored building and it contained all the artefacts. They also displayed the uniforms of the warriors that protected the king. They also showed some of the weapons used. We spent half an hour exploring the area before heading to the Shimabara Port. Upon reaching the port, we were asked to stay in the bus where the bus boarded the ferry. We took a 30 minutes cruise to Nagasaki. When we reached Nagasaki we had lunch. Lunch included udon noodles. After that, we made our way to the Old Samurai House. Day 4 : We visited Nagasaki Peace Park. There, we saw the peace statue which was green in color and it was gigantic. From the park, we made our way to the atomic bomb memorial museum, I saw the famous bomb, Fat Boy. We saw the pictures of the suffering victims. It was horrible. There was a picture of an old man without an arm and his face burnt. This was the most gruesome picture I saw there. Until now, it is still vivid. I also saw the fragments of the buildings that were damaged during the bomb attack. There was this wall which showed a picture of an eye. The eye had a yellow colored splat beside the pupil. This was because the person witnessed the explosion with the naked eye. There was another picture of a mother holding the baby in her hands. After visiting the museum, we made our way to the school visit. There, we exchanged gifts with the school. We also passed them our school flag. After the ceremony ended, we made our way to the school hall. There we watched male students practicing Judo and they showed us some impressive moves which included jumping over each other. Then, we moved to the other side of the hall where there were kendo students which included both genders. I was selected to attempt to challenge one of the kendo students. After that, we made our way to the school entrance where the bus was waiting. We boarded the bus and waved good bye. We went back to the hotel in the evening. After dinner we had our debrief and it was time to rest. Day 5 : We went to the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co (Pocari). This is one of the biggest factories in Japan and it manufactures mayonnaise. We saw the process taking place and it was very unique. We went into the gift shop, there I saw many gifts. After that, we boarded the bus and headed to fruit picking farm and we were allowed to pick 15 oranges maximum. I picked all 15 oranges and picked an extra one to name it. We had lunch after that and it was an all-you-can-eat buffet. After lunch, we went to the district waterworks agency. There, we saw how Japan gets its water supply. We saw the machines that were used to desalinate the water. The process is similar to how Singapore gets its new water. We headed to our last hotel. There were no more debriefs as the next day we will be returning to Singapore. Day 6 : We packed our bags and headed for the bus and left for the airport. 6 hours later, we reached Singapore. At the airport, there were many students that came to pick us up. Norfarhana
Day 2 - Arrived in Fukuoka Airport and were greeted by the other EXCO members and I could feel the atmosphere of us working together in Japan. We headed off to Kumamoto Craft Centre. Here, we could experience to paint our own top. I felt that it was a marvellous experience as we could also foresee our own skills in painting that maybe some of us may have not been aware of it. We also went to Mount Aso after that. This is the most memorable experience that I think every EXCO member would not forget as we really felt very grateful to have the opportunity to experience a real and active volcano that we could never found back in Singapore. After we checked in at our hotel, we had a de-brief session and it was very effective to have a de-brief session every night as we could share our experience and thoughts about the places we’ve visit on the day itself. Day 3 - During this trip, we had to move from one hotel to another every day. I think that by coincidentally, it also could widen our responsibility to take care of our own belongings at the different hotels that we stayed as we needs to keep our valuables to ourselves during the transfers. We headed off to kumamoto castle. We had the experience to take a look at the castle that was once used by the king and his people. We had a ferry ride as we transfer to Nagasaki. We went to the Old Samurai House and it was a great experience as some of the things used in the olden days was there and we could learn about it better. Unzen Hell was the last place that we visited for the day. Unzen Hell was something that we could learn about the nature as there were steams rising up from the pipes that was from the underground of the Earth. And the smell was also something that we have to endure as it wasn’t that pleasant but we managed to take a tour around and found that it was actually a nice place. After we check-in the new hotel, we had our normal de-brief session. During this de-brief, we were asked to choose a piece of paper in which it’s already have word written such as ‘unity’, ‘aspiration’ and so on. And we were asked to discuss among our group members on what we wanted to say about the word we have chose for one minute non-stop. And I think it is useful as we could know our friends different perspectives and views and also could widen our character development in communicating and also we could work together as a group. Day 4 - We went to Nagasaki Peace Park and Nagasaki Atomic Memorial Museum. When I looked at the artefacts and also the storyline in this museum, I could feel the sorrow and pain the family of the victims faced during their lost and I also do get a better understanding about the War itself. It has thought me to be mindful of others and also to treasure our loved ones, be it family, teachers or friends. We then had a school exchange with the Nagasaki- minami high school students. They were really friendly and we could forge our bonds with the students there although sometimes, it’s hard to communicate with them as they couldn’t understand. Nevertheless, it was really a great pleasure to have known them and we had a chance to know about the education system in Japan, and I felt a greater sense of belonging to Singapore as taking the education system in Japan for an example where they have to take at least 10 subjects and their school hours were officially 10 hours long excluding CCAs. We also prepared a slide presentation about Singapore and I think will make a good reputation on us as people will have the mindset that we care about our country. During our de-brief session, we paste a post-it pad at the wall of our de-brief room where it has a short reflection from each of us on how we felt after we went to the museum. We were also given around 10 minutes to go around and read up on each of our reflections. I think this is useful as we could care more about our friends and could see that we actually have the same feeling of regret to the war itself and we could feel the pain and sadness the family of the victims faced. Day 5 - Early in the morning, we headed off to a factory where they produced mayonnaise. We actually witness the process of making the mayonnaise. By this, we gained another knowledge and understanding of the process of making foods that we consume in our daily lives. Next was our journey to tanushimaru for fruit picking. Most of us enjoyed it so much as we had never seen so much oranges and we could just pluck them and bring back home to Singapore. I think having this mindset of wanting to bring the oranges back home for our family shows a sense of care and love towards our family members as most of us of course would like to share the experience we’ve gained in Japan with our family members. We had our last de-brief session and during this session, the teachers had prepared for the EXCO a slide presentation consists of our pictures during the trip itself, and we watch it as one, feeling how great to be given such opportunity to go beyond borders. Day 6 - We had our last breakfast in the hotel and off to airport. Everyone was eager to go home, seeing our family waiting for us at the airport but also sad to leave Fukuoka as most of us enjoyed so much and felt like staying for a couple more days to experience and discover about the country itself. All of us of course enjoyed the trip and felt that our friendship has widen and by this trip, it has also forge and strengthen our bonds among one another, To work together, preparing the documents needed during this trip, and most importantly sharing our views every night and taking care of one another during this trip. Having such experience and opportunity is something that EXCO won’t forget and each of us appreciates the hard works especially the teachers had put in place. Wan Aaron Shah
Day 1 - We met at the airport at 10pm. Our flight was scheduled at 1am and we had to meet first before departing. Hatanaka-san briefed us about our tour guide who would bring us around Kyushu and also told us to have fun in Japan. We took a group photo with him and said our final goodbyes to our families and headed off to the departure hall. This was the first group to go as the second group had their camp and only be arriving the next day so Exco was a bit quite but still we managed to still give our Exco spirit. The plane ride was six hours long and without fail, we slept. We reach Fukouka airport around 8 in the morning and we placed our bags in the coach and headed off to our first visit. Our tour guide name was Masako-san; she was very friendly and really explained thoroughly what and where we will be going. We went to the Fukuoka Science Museum. The museum was filled with –high-tech equipment and was very interesting as well. They had a room where children placed their small arts and crafts up for display. Next, we went to have lunch. We had a steamboat lunch. For the Muslim students and teacher, lunch was rather bland as we had only noodle, egg, vegetable and mushroom. We had no flavouring so lunch was pretty tasteless to us. After lunch, we went to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine; the shrine was very beautiful and looks very ancient. If you want to enter the praying hall, one must first wash their left hand, followed by the right then the face. It’s a sign of respect to the shrine there. They were a lot of Japanese people there as well. After visiting the shrine, we visited the Citizen’s Safety Of Fukuoka. There, we learnt how to handle disasters like, fire, earthquake and typhoon. It was very interesting and fun trying out the various activities. All of us had ample of fun while leaning how to handle this kind of situations. My favourite disaster to learn was the typhoon as, we were brought into a room then a fan blew at winds of the actual typhoon. The wind were very strong and this helps us understand how mother nature can be. Robo Square was next and there we looked at the many fascinating toys and robots created by Japan. Many toys were able to move, feel and react when being touched. No -wonder Japan is a very high-tech country. After a long day of activities, we went to the Chisan Hotel Hakata. There we rest up and debrief of today’s main learning point. I have learnt that we have to always keep up with the world and not lack behind as the world is moving fast and Singapore cannot expect to just idle in where they are now. We cannot wait for tomorrow as the second group of students will be here and Exco would be complete and our trip would be more enjoyable.Day 2 - We woke up around 6.30 and left the hotel at 8 to pick up the second group of students. They were really surprised when we greeted them in a long line and off we go to our first destination. Our first destination was the Kumamoto Municipal Crafts Center. There, we made our own tops and also learnt how Japanese art is created. In Japan, their technique of making art is handmade so it looks more elegant and grand. We also looked around the center and look at interesting but expensive art pieces. We now head off to Mount Aso. Our trip to Mt. Aso was really enjoyable. We had to ride a cable car to reach the active volcano. We explored the area and looked at the opening of the volcano. I could see smoke coming out from the volcano and the water was boiling. We spent half a day in Mount Aso then headed of to the hotel. The Hotel is very cool. Hotel Aso no Tsukasa. The theme of the hotel is a Japanese/western type. There, we are able to sleep on the bed or follow traditional Japanese culture, choosing to sleep on the floor. After we had dinner, I and a few of my friends went to the Japanese Bath. It was one of the greatest experience of the trip. We went to the bath wearing nth but underwear and our purple robe. I shall not add what happen in the bath but all f us had to be naked before entering and if you enter once, you’re bound to stand up as it is too hot. We had our debrief and today, I’ve learnt that Japan uses the elderly to work as well. Japan was an effective country so that is why they are able to boost their economy so fast. Today, all of us Exco really enjoyed the activities as while in the bus, we could all laugh, talk and also sleep as one. I feel that in only one day, Exco really bonded a lot. Day 3 - We woke up, had our breakfast, load up our luggage and headed off to our destination. We went to the Kumamoto Castle. The castle is one of the oldest and everlasting castle in Japan. Few parts of it still remain intact but some had to be reconstructed. Before entering the castle, we had to remove our shoe. We were given plastic bags to place our shoes and carry it around. I think that it is very efficient and smart way rather than leaving shoes behind and who knows they might get stolen. The castle had about 6 floors and all of the rooms very really small. It was below my height so I had to bend every time I move to one room to another. The view from the top of the castle was magnificent. The whole area of the castle was so big that it could cover ¼ of Singapore. Maybe I was over exaggerating. The, we headed of to the Old Samurai House Street. There, we explore traditional Japanese houses. The most annoying thing is that all Japanese samurai are really short and again I have to bend when going into a room. Unzen Hell was next and believe me, it was truly indeed hell. The smell was awful that one of us almost vomited. The gas was really strong and smelly. We had to endure the smell while taking picture. After experiencing hell, we went to the Chisan Grand Nagasaki Hotel where we would spend our night there. We had our debrief and I learnt that Japan really wants to keep their culture and tradition although their country is going futuristic. The culture and tradition in Japan is really strong and I think that Singapore should follow that too. I also notice that Japan does not have a dustbin anyway. There are very clean and that makes Japan one step higher than Singapore. Exco really helped each other at the Unzen Hell by providing each other with the support and also oil to go through it. Day 4 - Day 4 was really the most fantastic day of the trip. First, we went to the Nagasaki Peace Park, this is where the American dropped the Atomic bomb at to the World War 2. There was a memorial there and all the names of those who died we place in a box there. Then we visited Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum. There, we walked around the museum and looked at how life was for the Japanese after the atomic bomb dropped at them. Many died of burn and radiation. It was really horrible seeing them in pain. I really pity them as they were innocent people and they had to pay for what Japan did. Next was the most fun destination we went to. We went to the Minami High School where we interacted with the students there. I learnt that the students there only started learning English this year and their curriculum is really packed. The most thing I enjoyed was their hospitality and their sports. We did kendo and it was really fun. I learnt 3 moves of kendo, “Meh”, “Do” and “Kotek”. Although they hard difficulty teaching us, they did not give up and still taught us the moves. I really want to thank them and the school. We then left the school with new found friends. We then went to Tosu Premium Outlet mall to shop then headed to Chisun Inn Tosu where we had our debrief. I’ve learnt that we must always venture out of our comfort zone. Through this, we can make new friends and also gain more experience. Day 5 - We went to the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd to see how Japanese mayonaise were made. Kewbie was the name of the brand and the mascot is a small baby. We were also given free sample and taken to the factory shop to purchase some goodies for our families and friends. We then went to Japans so called NEWater. There we saw how water was process and renewed to drinking water. Its like the same as Singapore’s NEWater. Then we went to pick some Japanese oranges. We were given sometime and only had to pick 15 oranges. I picked those that were sour as I can’t pick fruits well so after picking and packing our oranges. It’s Shopping Time. We went to shop at Tenjin Area/Aeon Mall for around 2hrs before having our dinner and heading to our last hotel which is Chisan Hotel Hakata, our first hotel. We had our final debrief and madfe cards for each other to remind them how special they are in Exco and in our life. I really going to miss Japan but I will definitely cherish the moments. Now, back to Singapore. Day 6 - We woke up dreadfully, not wanted to leave Japan but we have to. We went to the airport and went into the departure hall. We all thanked Masako-san for all she had done for use and apologize for accidentally sleeping while she was talking. We are now going Home Sweet Home. Radin Ariff Ihsan
Day 1 - I missed out day 1 because I need to go for the Adventure Training Camp (NPCC). I missed out the Citizane’s Safety, Robo Square, Bridgestone Tyres, Fukuoka Science Museum and Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. Meet at Singapore’s Airport at 10p.m sharp to check in begs. Day 2 - I reached Fukuoka airport after 6 hour of journey from Singapore to Japan. The first stop is the Kumamoto Craft Centre. We were allowed to design our own top. The colours of the tops represent the parts of our body. The colours are wood colour, red, green, yellow and black. I felt that the elderly in Japan were given opportunities to work as they had more experience then others. Before we went to the Mount Aso we had our lunch at one of the airport in Japan. Then we went to the Mount Aso. I felt that Mount Aso is most beautiful nature I ever seen. It’s my first time to see an active volcano. We went to the cable car and went back to where we came from and then we got on the bus to our hotel. Day 3 - We woke up at 6am. We did not have the morning jog that day because time constrain. Had our breakfast we proceed to our first destination was the Kumamoto Castle. The castle had many different places that show the olden feeling and there is also a gallery that is being built to display some of the remaining pieces that was found after the war. Next we headed for ferry terminal. We had to take a ferry to Shimabara. The journey takes us 30 to 40 minutes then we headed Street to see samurai houses. The street is very famous as it has display houses to show the olden times of Japan. When we entered the house, we were told to remove our shoes before entering. From this visit to the old samurai house, we can learn more about the Japanese olden culture. Then we had our lunch at one of the restaurant. After this we headed for the Unzen Hell. The Unzen Hell is a place which contains natural hot springs that is highly looked upon by the Japanese as said in the Buddhist teaching. This place gives the impression of walking through hell when walking through this place as the hot springs give of steam and the whole place is just gray rock, coupled with the stench of sulphur. The smell of sulphur makes me vomit. However I had to endure with the smell and continue the walk with the other leaders thought the whole place. We then went to Nagasaki and then checked into another hotel. Day 4 - We woke up at around 5am to have our morning jog. The weather in the morning was almost freezing cool. The destination we visited was the Nagasaki Peace Park. The place was built to commemorate the fall of Japan during the Second World War. We also saw some of the memorials erected to remember those who were killed by the bombing and even managed to stand on where the area where the bomb exploded. Next we then headed to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum to experience the pain and the suffering the people had to endure, and the actual magnitude of the explosion. I remember there was an artifact that showed a skeleton of a hand inside a lump of concrete as the concrete had melted around the hand due to the heat of the bomb. After going though the museum, I realized how many innocent people died because of some politic purposes. After this, we headed to a local school, Nagasaki Minani High School. We had a lot of fun there getting to know the students and their school curriculum. We were able to observe their Ju-do training taking place and were told to take part in their kendo classes. I hope the school can introduce kendo to Singapore student. It was difficult to leave the school as we had the sense of belonging towards the Japanese students. We then went to our next hotel to stay for another night. Day 5 - We woke up at 6am. Our first destination of our last day was the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Saga Factory. It’s the most popular brand mayonnaise factory in Japan. We were given a brief history of the brand from representative of the company and allowed to see the process of making it. I was surprised to hear how many thousands eggs were used every single day. They also show us the process of how it is made and how it is bottled from scratch. Next we went to Tanushimaru and we went to the orange plantation. They taught us how to choose good oranges. The good oranges are big and fully orange in colour. Then they gave us time to pick oranges to bring back. We went around picking oranges and we had a lot of fun. Its difficult to find a good oranges as there have not ripe we could find. These oranges were really sweet and juicy. We were allowed to take home 15 oranges only. Then we went back to Fukuoka and went to the at District waterworks agency. It shows us how Japan is able to provide the country with clean water. It shows us the process of how clean water is being made from rain water and drainage water. We then headed to our last hotel and preparing to go home. Day 6 - We woke up as normal at 6am to get out last breakfast. The day which everyone has not been waiting has arrived. The “Time of Our Lives” was going to end. We packed the remainder of our stuff headed to the airport to head back to Singapore. “Home sweet home” The trip has given me new experiences that I will treasure throughout my life. I hope other student we given opportunities like us. Vanessa Chua
Day 1: We arrived at Fukuoka International Airport at 8am and met our tour guide named Masago-san. Soon we went to the coach and headed to our next destination. Firstly, we headed to ‘Fukuoka Science Museum’. It was rather huge and there were three floors with lots of interesting activities that we could learn from. It was very popular amongst visitors that they can learn science with full of fun throughout the scientific experiments and many more. After going to the science museum, we left for lunch at a local restaurant and we had steamboat there. After lunch, we went to ‘Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine’; it is a beautiful place and that if one wants to go in and pray, they will have to first wash their left hand, followed by the right then the mouth. It was a sign of respect to the ‘God of Scholarship’, Sugawara Michizane. After visiting the shrine, we headed to ‘Citizen’s Safety of Fukuoka’. There, we experience how to handle disasters like typhoon and earthquake and what we should do when it happens. It was very interesting and all of us had lots of fun trying out the various activities. Next, we went to ‘Robo Square’ and there were many toys and robots. After such a long day of visiting, we were then transferred to ‘Chisan Hotel Hakata’. During the debrief, we shared with each other together with the teachers what we have learnt today. As for today, I have learnt many things and that we should always look ahead of us in everything that we do.Day 2: Woke up early at around 5.30am Japan time, went for a jog with Mr Michael and others friends and it was freezing cold early in the morning. At around 6.30am, we headed back to the hotel for shower and then went down for our breakfast. The breakfast was quite filling as there was lots of food. After breakfast, took our bags and headed back to Fukuoka International Airport to pick up the rest of the EXCO members together with Mr Tan. We warmly welcome them by bowing and greeting them. After their arrival at the airport, we headed to ‘Kumamoto Crafts Centre’. When we went there, our mission involves the improvement of skills as well as the promotion and introduction of the brand products. We also aim at promoting the handicrafts industry and regional revitalization. We were also allowed to try on making our own tops and there are five colours which represent the organs in our body. After visiting the craft centre, we went straight to have our lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we went to ‘Mt Aso’ to visit the Active Volcano Crater by cable car. Mt Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan and is the largest in the world. After the visit to Mt Aso, we went to Aso Tsukasa traditional hotel with traditional food and onsens. We had our dinner in the hotel and after that we had our debrief before going to the onsens. It was so cooling although the water was super hot. So throughout the whole day, I have learnt the 5 colours represent the 5 main organs that are essential in the human body. Day 3: Had breakfast at the hotel then headed to the Kumamoto Castle. The castle was really huge and the steps were really high. After visiting the castle, we went off to the Kumamoto Port which would bring us to Shimabara Port by express ferry. Upon arriving at Nagasaki, we headed off for lunch at a restaurant. After that, we went to the Old Samurai House Street. These Samurai houses have been restored and opened as exhibits for visitors to have a look what it is like. Next, we headed to the Unzen Hell. It is the number one attraction of the Unzen. After the long day, we left for dinner at Japanese dishes and then headed to the hotel. After settling down, we then went for our debrief. During the debrief, we had to choose a piece of paper in which there are words written in it like, ‘unity’, ‘aspiration’ and so on. We had to discuss about with our group-mates and after that talk about the topic for at least 1 minute non-stop. For today, I learnt on how we can widen our views and when working as a team, there must be teamwork. Day 4: Had breakfast in the hotel then went to Nagasaki Peace Park. It had lots of statues there and there was also a water fountain. After visiting Nagasaki Peace Park, we headed to Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum. We went there to learn more about the history of WW2 and how the war affects the civilians the most. Next, we went to Nagasaki Minami High School for an exchange program. We had lunch with the local students and then participated in one of the school activities called Kando. Soon, we left the school and headed to Tosu hotel. After settling down at the hotel for a while, we went to Tosu premium outlet mall and shopped for a few hours. We had to be at the restaurant within the time given to us. For today, I learnt about how to appreciate the things we have and not to take things for granted. Day 5: Today, went to Otsuka Pharmaceutical Saga Factory. Inside, we watched a video clip on how to make mayonnaise. After the visit, we went to experience fruit picking at Tanushimaru. After picking our own fruits, we went back to Fukuoka and had lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we headed to the District waterworks agencies. We watched on how water has been purified. Next, we left for dinner. After dinner, we went to the hotel and it was finally rest time. I have learnt how to choose our own fruits and that a machine can crack 600 eggs in a minute. Day 6: Woke up quite late in the morning as it is the last day in Fukuoka and that our fight was in the morning. After breakfast, headed to the coach and back to the airport. It was finally home sweet home for most of us but we wanted to stay on and not go back to Singapore. This was the most memorable trip that I have ever been to as we could have a better bond within ourselves. Clubs and Societies
Adrian Chan
Day 1:
It has been about 4 months since I last away from my family. This has been another exciting experience after being wishing that I could go overseas again before preparing for my “O” levels. I always hope to see the culture of Japan and when I landed at 8 am, I finally saw it. We then went to Fukuoka Science Museum, we saw many Japan marvels, including the bullet train and space rockets replicas. At the end of the day I saw how far would Japan make safety of Fukuoka fun, by having earthquake experiences or firing extinguishers. I have learnt that even critical crisis can be thought through the fun way, learning can be as interesting.
Day 2: After being impressed by the past dinner and hotel experiences, we set of to meet the other 7 EXCO members. We then see a craft center and went to Mt. Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan. What makes me experience in Japan is to have real courage to enter the hot springs, this is very special to me as I have never done such a thing before. Usually I would be even afraid to change my attire during my Primary school life, it is a feat for me to do such a thing. As a leader, I have learnt to have courage to do things that I fear, face it, and achieve something, and get away from my comfort space when necessary. Day 3: We began the morning at the Kumamoto castle where we learn its famous history and went to see an olden Samurai house street to see its culture. After that we enjoyed some sightseeing scenery on an Express Ferry to Nagasaki. Before the day ended we went to Unzen Hell when we had to experience a perseverance of a new kind by going through an area of sulphuric gases filling the area, through hardship, we made it through and I felt that it is another feat of my trip to Japan. As a leader, I have learnt to be prepared for anything that will affect you and persevere through. Day 4:We went to several Nagasaki war memorial locations to see the artefacts of the Nagasaki’s atomic bomb. I was shocked to see how many people were affected and clocks that broke exactly at 11:02, the time America droped the bomb onto Nagasaki. After that we went to a Japanese school and talk with several students. I have learnt to view both side of a problem as I used to belief that Japan deserved being bombed, but I realised how much has Nagasaki suffered. Day 5: We went to see a Mayonnaise factory that is famous world wide, including Singapore. We then experience the extent of being hygienic. To our surprise it was simply a walk through a tray that has scrubs to clean your shoes and a spray of alchohol. Another Japan’s marvel is Fukuoka’s District Waterworks Agency, it is an innovative method to purify seawater and making it drinkable, and like NEWater, it uses R.O. process. I have learnt many special innovations in order to maintain Japan’s water and income supply. We also went to pluck some oranges, I have learnt how to observe for the most favourable orange that I like, not the best. As a leader I learnt that I have to pick those that will be able to suit and cooperate with me, not picking the best of the best but are not to my liking. Lum Wai Teng
Day 1-We visited Robo Square, the Science Centre and had a chance to experience natural disasters. We learnt what we should do when we experience natural disasters and how it would feel like. First, we learnt how to put out a fire. All of us had hands –on-experience on putting out a fire. Next, we learnt about how earthquakes can damage the earth. We had the chance to experience earthquakes, all of us were sitting at the dining table and once we felt the shake, we have to hide under the table. It was very interesting as it was my first time experiencing earthquake. While some of us were experiencing the earthquake, there were others brought into a room where they experienced typhoon. The wind was super strong and everyone’s faces were feeling cold. Lastly, we learnt what to do when we were trap in a building, filled with poisonous gas. I think these experiences were very useful to us as we’ve learnt things that cannot be learnt in Singapore. I also felt sad as natural disasters killed many innocent lives and made a lot of animals and people homeless.
Day 2-We visited the craft centre and an active volcano called Mt. Aso. At the craft centre, we were all given tops to colour. There were only 5 colours given to us, including the colour of the top itself. Red, green, yellow, black and light brown (colour of the top). All these colours represented the 5 major organs of a human being. Everyone showcased their creativity done on the top, and we were allowed to bring back our own designed top. In the craft centre, I realized that the people working there were mostly elderly. Unlike Singaporeans, the elderly there were very dedicated to their work and enjoyed working when they still had the chance. It was a cool experience. Day 3-We took a ferry to Nagasaki. It was my first time taking a ferry. This ferry could transport vehicles too. It was very huge and looked very grand. Some of us went out to view the scenery and enjoy the breeze. Strong winds were blowing al the girls’ hair everywhere. Mostly everyone went back with their hair messy. When we reached Nagasaki, we went to a place call Unzen Hell. The place is extremely smelly and there was pungent smell. Some of us could not take it, but luckily someone had medicated oil and all of us were using it. I will never forget this unpleasant smell. Day 4-We went to Nagasaki Peace Park and a high school. There were a lot of colourful paper cranes at the Nagasaki Peace Park. These paper cranes were said to bless the people who lost their lives due to the bombs of WWII. At the high school, the students and teachers greeted us in a friendly manner. They were very polite and neatly dressed. Although Japan is a very developed country, their classrooms are very poorly advanced with the current technology. They use blackboards instead of whiteboards and they do not have visualizes. The students had different sports to play , of which one is male students only and the other were of both genders, called the Judo and Kudos. I found it very interesting and different from our sports played in Singapore’s school’s Physical Education. Day 5-We went to a factory that made Mayonnaise and visited a place that allowed us to pluck oranges. The factory was very big and they were very crucial about the cleanliness. In the factory we saw how Mayonnaise was made and it was very educational for us. In the later part of the day, we went to pluck our own oranges. We had a lot of fun and it was very enjoyable. The best part of the trip there was that we get to bring back the oranges we plucked! Sean Tay
Day 1-The first day was successful as we got to experience Japan’s culture when we visited the Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine to pay respect to one of the great thinkers in history- Sugawara Michizane. Through this visit to the shrine, I have learn how to respect other people and their cultures. I have also learnt about Japan’s safety measures.
Day 2-The following day, we went to the Kumamoto Municipal Crafts Center and there I saw many of the elderly in the craft center helping craft goods, where they have shown that they wanted to help out in Japan’s economy. From them I learnt to be more hardworking and be more useful to the Exco. Day 3-Next day, I have learnt how to be more responsible by carrying around the first aid bag throughout the day. I learnt more about Japan’s culture and history by visiting Kumamoto Castle and Old Samurai House Street. Day 4-On the fourth day, we went to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum where I learnt the history of World War II, how the survivors of the bombing suffered and the destruction caused by the bomb. We also went to a Japanese school where I learnt how to be more sociable and interact more with others and to also have more self-confident in myself. Day 5-The second-last day, I have learnt how to make decisions better by experiencing fruit picking. We also went to the district waterworks agency where we learnt how Singapore’s system and Japan’s system differs from each other. Uniform Groups
Trevor Wong
Day 1 - We set out by visiting the Fukuoka Science Museum. As we went round the exhibits, I have come to see what we have always taken for granted at our Singapore Science Centre. In contrast, Singapore Science Centre boasts a great variety of appealing exhibits with new technologies. Moving on, we visited the Dazaifu Shrine. What amazed me was how the people worshipped their gods. However, I learnt that though they may have a different way of worshipping their gods, we should always respect their beliefs. Following that, we went on to RoboSquare. Through their robot exhibits, I found out that the makers of the robots were indeed creative and yet daring to think of ideas revolving around the same subject of innovation.Day 2 - We begin our day by visiting the Handicraft centre. We were required to paint tops with different colors each representing part of the organs found in a human body. I finally realized how exhausting it could be to get an excellent piece of handicraft. Obviously, I learnt through that lesson that for a leader to succeed, one certainly has to be mentally focused on the task as well as being patient throughout any circumstances. Day 3 - We started off our day by visiting the Kumamoto Castle and the Old Samurai House. The guide was of course very informative and gave us an insight to the Samurais’ culture and history. The insight to the Samurais’ culture and history was really meaningful and useful since my only memory of Samurais sadly was from the movie “The Last Samurai”. Day 4 - Our first destination was Nagasaki Peace Park and Nagasaki Museum. At the Museum, we were able to see the effects on ornaments, pictures as well as videos of what exactly took place after the Americans decided to drop the bombs on them. The effect of the bombs dropped by the Americans had really evoked me about the responsibility of a leader. Personally, I learnt that a leader should always take into consideration on the possible consequences that occur if he makes a major decision. Hence, I think the need to seek the views of other leaders is important in making sure no reckless decisions should be made. Our next stop was the Nagasaki Minami High School where we were given a clear insight of their school compound and schedule. Looking into their schedule, I am thankful that Singapore’s education system is comparatively less stressful than Japan’s education system. Day 5 - On our last day, we visited the Mayonnaise Factory QP. As we were being briefed on the process of making mayonnaise, I learnt that the reason why QP’s mayonnaise in Japan was so popular. The Japanese company was always looking out for new methods and formulas to improve the quality of their mayonnaise. Likewise, to be a popular leader, one must also be able to find different ways to improve and at the same time accept criticisms given to him. Day 6 - Overall, the trip to Japan was undoubtedly beneficial as I believed that it has brought our leadership to an elevated learning ground. This October, the Exco embarked on an unforgettable trip to Japan. No doubt the trip was fun but the lessons and skills I have learnt to know were indeed essential to make me a better, capable leader. Priscilla Lim
Day 1 - First up was Fukuoka Science Museum. As we were walking through the place, I realized they had many games and activities for us to try out. I learn that we could learn science through an educational, fun and interactive way. At the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, I observed that the buildings and structures are all very traditionally built and expressed the arts of the Japanese. We also went to the Citizen Safety Centre where the people there taught us the safety precautions the Japanese take in times of danger. It showed me how ready the Japanese are in times of danger and that I should be thankful that we Singaporeans are living in a country so safe. Lastly at Robo square I’ve realized that they’re very creative by using today’s technology to create games and toys for children. Day 2 - At Kumamoto Municipal Crafts Center I learn how to paint spinning tops and that Japan has given the older generation the opportunity to showcase their talents and capabilities by doing beautiful craftwork. Mount Aso; we were amazed by the beauty of the scenery and got to take a lot of photographs. We were also able to enjoy the coolness of the atmosphere. Day 3 - We visited the Kumamoto Castle and were mesmerized by the castle’s tall and beautifully detailed structure. I realized the houses at the Old Samurai Houses street were very traditional and special and captured the feeling of living in a Japanese house. Day 4 - At the Nagasaki Peace Park, I was enlightened by the fact that people believed in the tradition to fold paper cranes as a form of peace offering for the dead. The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum learn about the cause and effects of the bombings.At school exchange program with one of the most prestigious schools in Nagasaki, I found out that also Japan is known for its high technology, schools there still bid by the traditional ways and most school facilities do not work on advanced technology. Their educational system is a lot different from Singapore’s and we were taken aback by their stressful schedule. Day 5 - By going to the factory visiting, I learn how the machines work and how the finalized products come about. It was very interesting to be able to watch the whole process. Going Fruits picking allowed me to observe the kind of fruits I wanted to pick and how I was going to pick it. I finally realized choosing the right fruit isn’t as easy as how I once thought it was. The trip to the Waterworks Agency showed me how they used the process of reverse osmosis to produce desalinated water. And it is something like Singapore’s NEWater. Day 6 - All in all, I’ve learn a lot about Japan through the trip. Perry Tan
Day 2 : On the second day of the trip, we went to the Kumamoto Craft Centre and the Mount Aso. It was really fun and exciting as it was the first day since I had joined the group. I was allowed to paint a small little toy that they had manufactured using a special kind of machine that is in a spinning motion. This spinning motion allows me to paint the side and the top of the toy with minimum mistakes. Through this activity, besides fun and interesting, steadiness and concentration is also quite essential. We also went to the crater of Mount Aso. It erupted 13000 years ago and now, the huge crater has definitely left a wonderful impression on me. The significant scenery from Mount Aso was truly an Astonishment and amazement to me. It was really an eye opener to me! Day 3 : We headed to the Kumamoto Castle on the third day. The castle is very huge and magnificent. Compared to Singapore Istana, the castle is like 3 times bigger! However the structure of kumamoto castle is very traditional and was built in a way that it is difficult for invaders to attack the castle. Through this visit, I was able to compare the differences of the castle and the Istana. This allowed me to have a better understanding of the traditions and cultures in Japan and in Singapore. Day 4 : We visited the Nagasaki Peace Park and memorial Museum. Nagasaki was bombed in Aug 9, 1945 and had killed thousands of innocent lives. I really felt sorry and pitiful for all the innocent citizens and I must really say that it is unfair that the government was the one who had conflicts with other countries but the ones that had suffered or dead were the citizens of Nagasaki. Innocents lives were gone just because of the political conflicts that resulted in war. Seeing all the dead, burnt bodies of the people after the bombed, my heart sank with extreme sorrowfulness. However, I slowly brightened up upon arriving at the Nagasaki Minami High School. We were warmly welcomed by a group of students and teachers. The students over there were very friendly and polite. We interacted with the students and I had a better understanding of their education system and their school’s lifestyle. Personally, I feel that Singapore students need to try to be as polite and respectful as the students in Japan so that our school will be peaceful and free of conflicts. The school has definitely left a good impression on me and I would never forget the friendliness and politeness that the students had portrayed during our visit. Day 5 : We visited the district waterworks agency and I found out that it was very much alike to the Singapore Newater centre. I had tried their distilled water and personally, I prefer their distilled water than the Newater in Singapore. I had also learnt the making of their distilled water and the differences of the system in making the water in Singapore and in Japan. Through this visit, I understand more about the differences between the distilled water in Japan and in Singapore. I had surely gained some knowledge on that! Farzanah
Day 2 - First stop we went to Kumamoto Handy Craft Centre. We were each given a top to paint and eventually take home as a souvenir. After spending exhausting amount of time on perfecting the color of my top, I finally came to realize the importance of being patient in getting things done perfectly. Likewise, leaders have to spend large amount of time to ensure that bonds with others are to be well maintained. Along the way to the next destination, we had certain activities to keep us engaged. Well; I feel that today’s activity has made us come closer as a whole and I strongly believe that as a leader, one has to plan.Day 3 - Went kumamoto castle. It was a nice place. Also i realized that it was built on the mountain. Then we were being transferred to shimbara by ferry. The ferry ride was the best! I love the wind. i really feel as if i were at the titanic ship. It was a really romantic trip. Then we went to old samurai house.There were spider webs around. Yes it was kinda disgusting. The drain water was really clean.Then flowers were beautiful too. After the house we went to unzen hell. That was the most horrible place ever. It was so smelly. You can't even smell your on perfume. Omg! It was so terribly. Then we were being transfered to nagasaki. we went shopping and backed to the hotel. Exco was really great today.We worked together especially when we were at the unzen hell. We support each other to continueour journey no matter what type of smell it came out. Day 4 - Morning breakfast. We then headed of to nagasaki peace park, followed by nagasaki memorial musuem. After going to the musuem, i had a better understanding bout the war that point if time.Then, we went to nagasaki-minami high school.We had a school ex-change programme. It was a memorial one. We did their CCA. Also, we make quite alot of friends there. One of them is Shoku. a beautiful and a sweet girl. She is very friendly. We then had shopping followed by dinner and then transfered to tosu and stayed there. Day 5 - Morning breakfast. Headed to a factory that produce mayo. then, went to tamashiharu to pluck orange then we transfered to fukuoka, straight to district water works. Then we were transfered to tenjin, we went shopping and back to hotel. Today really tells us how bonded are we day by day. We really worked hard together in this trip. Day 6 - Overall i learnt alot in this trip. EXCO '08 are now really bonded. It shows that this trip really makes us work together and make us closer. We are now a better leader and not a follower anymore. Exco gonna pump it out, shake it out, hype it out. Nuriati
Day 2 - When I reached Japan the weather was cold and relaxing compared to Singapore .We went to Kumamoto Craft Centre and there we did our own craft by using our creativity we paint it according to the colours that we like. There’s 5 colours and each of it represent the 5 organs in our body. Besides that at the Kumamoto Craft the majority of peoples who are working there is elderly peoples by doing such craft jobs this can help the elderly peoples to be active and the Japan government does not need to take in foreign workers to work for them. After lunch we went to the Mount Aso; which lies almost in the center of the island of Kyushu, is an active composite volcano. Day 3 - headed to Kumamoto Castle;b it was build by Samurai lord Kiyomasa between 1601 to 1607.The castle walls both inside and outside were constructed of enormous stone blocks which fit together like pieces of puzzle. After which we took a ferry to Shimbara. When we reached Shimbara we went to the Old Samurai House. We went to three samurai houses, the Yamamoto residence, Shinozuka residence and Torita residence. Next destination was Unzen Hell it had an unpleasant smell. Due to the unpleasant smell some of us complained about it but we give encouragement to one another so that we can continue our journey. Day 4 - First destination was the Nagasaki Peace Park, Large statue in the Nagasaki Peace Park. We were told that specific details of the statue signify issues related to the Nagasaki Bombing. The Second destination was the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum there it explain what’s the causes of the war and display the showcase apart from that disease that was faced by the Japanese peoples who was affected due to the War was also shown. After visiting there, we went to The High School us and are welcomed by the Students and Teachers there and interacted with the students. The students took us to look around their school it was a big school but their facilities are not as good as ours. We also try some of their sports when it was interesting because back then at Singapore we can’t try those sports Day 5 - our first destination was the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. they produced Mayonnaise and they show us the way how it was produced which mainly used egg as the main ingredients. The workers was aware while doing their jobs as they can spot which egg was not yet being crash by the machine. After seeing how it is being produced we proceed to the next destination which was the Fruit Picking .Every one of us is allowed to pick only 15 oranges. I learnt that the sweeter the fruit depended on the colour. We had fun picking up the oranges as it was my first time doing it. Done with picking up oranges we headed to District Waterworks Agency .Over there we are brief about how the agency produced clean drinking water and how much water is needed for the whole city of Fukuoka. We also got the chance to taste the water that was produced by the agency. Day 6 - Throughout my 5days in Japan, friendships were strengthened. Now, I’m much closer with them than before. I know such experienced can never be forget. I know I will miss the fun that we had together. Chua Qing Wei
Day 1, we visited the Fukuoka Science Museum. When I compared this to Singapore’s Science Centre, I realized that the Singapore Science Centre had more interesting exhibits and advanced technology as compared to the Museum. This has made me more appreciative of what Singapore has. After that, we visited the Dazaifu Shrine. Here, I saw many Japanese worshipping their gods in a unique way. I have learnt that we must always respect other people’s thinking wherever we are and if possible, pay respect to the gods they worship in. Then, we visited Robo Square. At the Square, I found out that the Japanese who made the robots were very technological-savvy and experimental. This enabled them to come up with so many different types of gadgets. From this, I have learnt to be more flexible and as a leader, I must learn how to accept other people’s ideas and not just stick to one. Finally, at the Citizens’ Safety of Fukuoka, I understand the importance of going for courses and learning basic first-aid to prepare for any emergency. Similarly, leaders must always have a back-up plan ready in case of any setback.Day 2, we started off by visiting the Craft Centre. There, we painted tops with colours which symbolize the organs of humans. I have learnt that a leader must be patient with his work in order to get it done in ‘high quality’. After that, we visited Mount Aso. It is an active volcano which rapidly emits fumes from its crater. At the volcano, I realize that although Singapore might be developed, there are some things Singapore still does not have, such as a volcano. Therefore, going to other countries to explore the world is important as it broadens my horizons. Day 3, we visited Kumamoto Castle and the Old Samurai House. I learnt about their history from our tour guide and I feel that the history is very meaningful. Similarly, as a leader, I should not reject other people’s ideas if they are logical and meaningful. We also visited Unzen Jigoku. Here, I learnt that a leader must learn to punish those who are in the wrong and he must take responsibility for any actions he has done wrong as well. Day 4, we visited Nagasaki Peace Park and the Museum in the morning. There, I saw many melted ornaments from the heat of the blast and many more pictures of the disfigured Japanese. From what I saw at those places, I have learnt that sometimes, as a leader, scolding my team members might not change their attitude, but instead talking to them nicely might work better at times. It is just like in the war - to bomb or to negotiate. Then, we visited Nagasaki High School. After knowing about the Japanese education system, I have learnt to appreciate Singapore’s education system more as it is less stressful. Day 5, at the Mayonnaise Factory, we learnt about the different types of ingredients needed to make the Mayonnaise. Similarly, leaders must always learn new things to improve themselves. After that, we went to an orchid where we could pluck oranges. There, I learnt that we must not be choosy about which orange to pluck or I would never pluck one. The same goes for the team members. If leaders are choosy about their team members, then how can one improve oneself? Leaders must be experimental – that is how they learn. Day 6, All in all, this trip has definitely groomed me into a better leader as it has made me realize the importance of so many things. I would like to thank the school for organizing the Exco Committee as well as for the opportunity to travel abroad to improve myself as a leader. Nur Lyana
Day 1 - We were brought to the fukuoka science museum to see experiments . It was a great experience. Tried experiments. Then we went to Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine. I saw a different culture there that has different practices. Learnt how they cleanse themselves before they step into the shrine and also how they pay respect to their god. We then went to citizen’s safety place. This is where we learnt fire safety and also experience typhoon and earthquake. It was a fun and fruitful place to educate us so that we will appreciate Singapore better. Lastly, it was the Robo square. We saw many types of robots that can be of use in our daily lives. Some can also accompany us when we feel lonely. Day 2 - We went to the Kumamanto craft centre. Saw many old people doing hand made crafts. We were given the opportunity to paint our own top using a machine that spins the top continuously. Then, we went to Mt Aso for sight seeing. We rode up Mt Aso using a cable car. As soon as we reached up the mountain, it was very cold. We walked and we could see a volcano at the top. It was an amazing view for us. We took many pictures with the school banners too. Day 3 - First, we went to the kumamoto castle. It was huge and tall. We had to climb a lot of steps to go from one place to another. It was also tall and we could see everything from the top of the castle. Then we took a ferry to Nagasaki. Our bus was also transported at the same time and it was parked at the lowest deck. It was a fun ride as we could go anywhere in the ferry. We played a game at the top deck together and had forfeits. It was very fun and it bonded us even closer. Then off to samurai house. It was where samurais live in ages ago. it was small but it had many rooms and very spacious. There were statues of samurai people in the house too. Then to the unzen hell. It was very smelly there and one of us fell sick. There was smoke all over due to the high temperatures. Day 4 - We headed to Nagasaki peace park. There was a statue that represented peace and it was build during the war. The place was quite small for a park but it also had a big fountain in it. The walk through the park was short and we then headed to the Nagasaki Bomb Memorial Museum. We visited the place where the bomb dropped. We could see the remaining of buildings and also a memorial where names who had died was written there. Then we visited this place that told us more about the after effects of the bomb. I felt lucky to be safe in my country, Singapore. Through the walk in the museum, I saw pictures and things that are damaged by the explosion. I felt a sense of sympathy towards those who got killed. Then there was a school visit. We visited their library, their judo training and their kendo training. We got to try the kendo fight. It was very fun indeed! Day 5 - Firstly, we visited the place where they made mayonnaise. We went around looking at the factory that made products like mayonnaise, biscuits and many more. Bought some of their products and we were also given a sample of their products. Then we went to pick oranges! There were many types of fruits like grape and oranges. But we were only given to pick oranges in a limited amount of time. I had fun picking oranges and I also learnt how to pick fruits carefully. We went to the district waterworks agency after that. Learnt how Japan produces their drinking water through various processes Day 6 - I felt really sad to leave Japan as I really had a great time there. Exco created a stronger bond among each other and we would really miss spending time together as a family! I have definitely gained a lot of experience from the Japan trip. Mark Lim
Day 1 - Day 1 was quite interesting as it is the first time I go Japan. The moment I step out of Fukuoka airport, Japan is quite different from Singapore.e.g. weather. On the way for our lunch, look out of the bus and I found out that Fukuoka it has a lot of land for farming , it difference from my point of view to Japan, high in technology. Visiting of the citizen’s safety, I experienced how to put out fire, earthquake and typhoon and how to escape from building when there is fire. Because in Singapore we will not get earthquake or typhoon, I find that this experience interesting. Robo square, I’m sure people who like robot will also like that place, robo square showcase quite a number of robots. Day 2 - Visited Kumamoto craft centre where we had to make our own top. Enjoyed the whole session. Mt Aso, an active volcano. At the top of Mt. Aso, the weather over there is quite cold. View from Mt. Aso is really beautiful and it can never be seen in Singapore. Day 3 - Kumamoto Castle, it very difference compare to Singapore Istana, I find that inside the castle the staircase is very steep and the ceiling is quite short. Old samurai house, samurai they live in wooden house and the inside of the house is very simple, I visited 2 samurai and the structure is almost the same. Unzen hall, hot spring water came out of the ground. During the bus ride to Unzen hall I was thinking how nice the place will be, but the moment I reach the unzen hall, there is a strong horrible smell, make people feel like vomiting. Day 4 - Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum, I really had a different mind set after touring the whole museum. Before touring the museum, my mind set for the Atomic bomb was , Japan deserve to be bomb as they had been attacking many country and many people had suffer. But after the tour I found out that people who die or suffer from the atomic bomb were the innocent people. And the damage cause by the atomic bomb was very serious. Many people had die and suffer from side effect of the atomic bomb. During the school visit, I get to know more about the school in Japan, how they function and how the student feels about their school. Education in Japan is harder than in Singapore, Japan student, they take more subjects than students in Singapore and they have longer schooling hours. This makes me more appreciate Singapore education. Day 5 - Went fruit picking. This is the first time I went to pick fruit. In Singapore we can get fruits at super market, and it is so easy and convenient. I actually did not know that it is so hard to pick fruit. It is really tiring and at the same time exciting. After this experience I will appreciate fruit as it is really hard to get. District waterworks agency. It function almost the same as Singapore new water factory. The difference is they used sea water to produce desalinated water. Day 6 - This Japan trip make me understand more about Japan, it history, their culture and it education system Nur Syirene
Day 2 - we went to a place where they made tops. The toy tops. All of us got a chance to paint our own tops using a swirling machine. I found it really cool. We also went to Mount Aso. The scenery was really nice and I enjoyed the cool breeze. Day 3 - We went to see the Kumamoto Castle, where the samurais used to reside. I loved the architecture. The structure was really amazing. We got to enter the castle. The doors were pretty small, I guess the Japanese were really short in ancient times compared to the generation now. And as we went up to the higher levels in the castles, it got smaller. It was really cool. Next stop was Nagasaki. We took a ferry there. We saw houses being buried by a volcano’s lava. It was scary. We also went to visit samurai houses and also the Unzen Hell. Day 4 - We visited the Peace park to pay our respects to the lives that were lost when the atomic bomb Fat Man was dropped in Nagasaki. We went to the spot where the bomb was dropped. It made me realise how lucky I am to be alive and in Singapore now. We then went to the museum to learn more about World War II in the Japanese eyes. It was sad to know that there were many innocent lives taken. And most of the people in Nagasaki didn’t have anything to do with the war about politics at that time. Next, we went to Nagasaki Minami High School for the school exchange programme. I had a great time there! Making new friends and learning more Japanese. The students there are really well mannered. I even got to learn a bit of Kendo. It was awesome. Day 5 - We went fruits picking that morning after breakfast! I have never plucked an orange before. So it was a new experience to me. I learnt how to pick sweet ones. We also had to test our responsibility by picking an orange and naming it and take care of it wherever we went. I had lots of fun doing that activity Day 6 - So, in conclusion, it was a really fruitful trip for me. I built stronger bonds with my beloved EXCO siblings and learnt valuable lessons about all the qualities and values of a good leader. I also learnt a lot about myself and how I work with my peers. |
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05 April 2009
Hello!
3:11 PM
09 March 2009
GOOD BYE EXCO 08
5:42 PM
hey guys...we have passed down already huh... the year has passed so fast.. im sure we had enjoyed alot.. even though there are downs too.. it is still a good thing that EXCO has been form.. many many thanks to MA... good luck with ur O and N levels... do well... get into JC/Poly of ur choice and get back to sec 5 for those N level ones... dont forget that CP still owes us a movie treat.. haha.. EXCO is one of the best things that happened to me... hope it is for u all too.. many thanks to every1 for contributing your time... and everything.. hahas.. takecares.. alfred 22 February 2009
LAST 2 MEETINGS...
12:20 AM
hey guys,as u know we will be handing over to the 09 batch in less than a mths time.. precious time and memories will be with us all the time.. hahas.. but we are still the current EXCO... WE HAVE NOT PASS DOWN... EVEN IF WE HAD... WE ARE STILL A FAMILY!!! first of all... there will be a meeting on the 27 Feb... which is also this coming friday.. individual appointment holder in EXCO are suppose to prepare a gift... if u dont know about it... please ask ma... another thing to add.... on that that will be one of our sisters birthday.. so if u have presents to give to her.. please get give it to her during the meeting.. hahas... secondly... HANDING DOWN OF EXCO 08 to 09 it will be held during 7 March... all EXCO 08 are suppose to bring your black EXCO shirt and ur couple shirt.. for all UGs, PLEASE BRING YOUR FULL UNIFORM... Ma wants to take a picture of us together with her(GG uni) all in UNIFORM... and we can do our thing on that day too.. to SPORTS... PLEASE PREPARE UR THING ON THAT DAY TOO.. THATS THE PRESENTATION DATE... and take note... please bring some home clothes to bath... haha... to end of.. i shall say this... THIS LAST 2 MEETINGS ARE COMPULSORY!!! U WILL REGRET IT IF U NEVER COME... P.S. This is not some form of treat... It is the fact.. Takecares... Alfred 25 January 2009
updates!!!
1:46 AM
HEY PEOPLE!!!its been awhile since i posted... the first things up would be....(dumb roll) HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL... GONG XI FA CAI!!! EVEN IF U ARE NOT CELEBRATING... CHINESE NEW YEAR TO U TOO!!! IF U ARE MARRIED... COME FIND US AND GIVE US SOME ANG PAO!!! hahas... next up would be.. hmm... how about some birthday... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO I NEVER WISH... FOR THOSE WHO I WISHED 30++ times... HAPPY BELATED TO YOU TOO!!! hahas... the person will know who is it... k i shall end it here... wondering y i leave a spacing??? i dont know why too... just felt like it... hahas... once again... HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ONE AND ALL!!! takecares... alfred 01 January 2009
holla.
11:11 AM
Happy New Year Mummy and Siblings! :D may 2009 be a better year ahead for all of us. Strive hard for " N" and "O" Levels. I know you guys can do it. And we'll look forward for 3rd January. Tadaaaa.. Love love you all. oh btw, 15 days to my birthday. Do take note of that. :D Labels: 2009. 02 November 2008
EXCO camp.
7:54 PM
HELLO EXCOS.announcement: Tuesday's(4 Nov) meeting is at the scrabble corner at 10.30am. All of you are to have your plans ready so that you can present it to us. As per normal, latecomers will get something special from Vivian. And, remember to eat before going to the meeting as we are most probably not gna have lunch, so better come w a full stomach ya? see ya ther:) 30 September 2008
HARI RAYA!!!
11:42 PM
SELAMAT HARI RAYA TO ALL OUR MUSLIM FRIENDS AND TEACHERS!! HOPE YOU WILL ALL ENJOY UR HOLIDAY! TAKECARES EXCO! | |||
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