hey guys!! thought i'll post my reflection here too. haha. forgive me for the many gramatical and spelling errors :/ too lazy to edit. hahha. enjoy! (it can get draggy and boring. sorry!)

let's start by looking back and recalling why i signed up for this Temasek Overseas Outreach (TOO) program in the first place. There was that bit of me saying "wow this is gonna be so fun and perfect for my SP!" then there's the part of me which says "i can help save this world(: i can help others" i never had the single inkling that there would be so much learning involved in the process as well.I got to understand more about the concept of Service Learning (SL). I feel that all the sessions held by the teacher mentors have been really beneficial and enriching. They have helped me develop my mind into one which thinks more deeply, eyes which see beyond the superficial.

Moving on to the time when we actually got going for the fund-raising events. I have to admit, i'm one person who really dislike going round asking my friends to danate. It was a real challenge to me but i feel that it has made me grow stronger in this aspect. I would never do it if i were not fully passionate about this whole project. Especially in selling of the notebooks and jigsaw pieces, it took much courage and thick skin to approach and pester my pals over and over again. Its quite humourous now that i'm recalling it.

Now i shall reflect on the events in Yunnan. Firstly, our time with the students in the schools. The students are wonderful people, and the teachers in most of the schools are really welcoming and warm to us. Indeed, the locals WANT to improve their standards of living. The students do know that the only way out of poverty is perhaps good, proper education. That is why they are very hardworking and studious. When asked what their favourite past time is, the common answer is STUDYING. That is really amazing especially for most of us Singaporean students who find learning a real chore. Yet, their progress in education could be hampered by the lack of infrastructure. That is where foreign aid is really required and there is a severe need in transfer of technology.

I also realised that there is still many pressing discrimination in Yunnan. The preference of boys over girls and boy dominance is prevalent there. They see no fault in a boy pushing a girl or taking over her territories for games. Secondly, they also discriminate against left-handers. While this may seem trival on its own, it speak about liberty and equality. Being a left hander, i noticed when i started writing, the students started giggling and laughing at me. Later i realised that they were all forced to use their right hands from young. So you can never find a left hander there. You are considered stupid to be using your left hand. Another distressing issue is their lack of teamwork. The students we work with are very much self-centered. They do not understand the whole concept of teamplay and how it could actually reap greater effectiveness in self-improvement. Our activities with them usually rotated about teamplay. Lastly, it is sad that most of the students were not very courtous. Minding their Ps and Qs was a huge problem. Perhaps one of the greatest impact we left with them is to clear the place of rubbish wherever we went and also to say the simple "thank you"s. Other than that, the students are an adorable buch, fun loving and simple people.

Next, the road building project. Well, i guess many felt that we were not helping out much in that anyway. What we did, one worker there could have done perhaps 10x better. However, i've learnt that it is not how much we do there or how well its done that matters, our very presence, our donated sum of money, brings attention of the china government to the village. That is what's important. Sustainability. We want the government to take notice. To step forward and help their own people. Building of that road in xun dian is especially important to the villagers there especially in terms of trading. Before, only horses are able to pass through the roads. Many crops grown in the fertile soils inland are wasted and left to whilt in the cold winter season. A huge economic waste and very much a pity, especially when there is a current shortage of food in the world.

Lastly for the trip, my group "chengmistry" did a project based on the life of our project coordinator, Zhao Bin. Through his sharing on his life experiences, i have learnt many things about his job scope and what sustains him. Well, before taking on a project, or deciding which village to help, the very first thing he needs is the support of the village head. The village head have to first WANT to help his own people, taking the initiative to approach zhao bin before anything else. Next comes the sustainability of the project. There is no point and no meaning in conducting a project which would only last a few months and the village regress and die off. They have to finally find their own feet and progress on their own. Finally comes the accessibility and the ability of foreign helpers. Zhao Bin only earns about S$20 a day when there's a group around. It shows that he does not do it for the money, but actually its his passion to help his people. So what actually sustains him is his family's support, his mentor Dr Tan, the feeling that he is important, our happiness and the smiles on the children's and the villagers' face. I am truely inspired by this man. I want to do more to be like him.

I'll end off this set of reflections with some take-aways from this trip.
1. i'm starting to understand the delicate balance in life, how some must give so others may recieve; how some fall while others stand strong
2. Learning and Growing takes place anywhere and everywhere. Be it going for a home visit or cooking or simply going to the market. Perhaps i'm learning even by typing all these(:
3. A new motto: Life is meaningful if I make it meaningful. "TOO is beneficial if time if I make it beneficial"
4. All the wonderful friendships i've made and understanding my new found friends better through breaking of ourselves in "Life Journey"

That's all. Y.E.L.L. one of the most amazing experiences in my life.

week1 of lessons.
VERY TIRING
having a flu at the same time does not help matters at all.
i had splitting headaches every single day):

then came friday. fridays are the ultimate coolest things created.
well done.
well come to JC2 (:<

well.. love my OG11. haha they rock socks.
okay i'm super random now.
lalaalaa. bye pple!

PANTHERA WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ZENITH IS OURS.
OG11 ROCKS MY BUTT. WE WON THE SKITTTTTTTTTTTT!!!
WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
*cough cough*
losing voice.. and the school stress would be kicking in real soon. starting tmr.
SIGH. goodbye kiddish life.

EMBRACE THE FUTURE!
"orientation is fun if YOU make it fun. school is fun if YOU make it fun."

tired tired but its good.
today was a good day. orientation zenith day3.
mass dance at suntec was fanatically fantastic.
but i'm TIRED!

then came the email from the teachers. truth is. time is not on my side.
i've been living in a wonderland. Reality is going to strike like an earthquake. could it be 1 day till imoending doom??

"i pray and trust God will guide and protect me through. Amen."

OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH
day 2 of orientation- Zenith and I'M SO SO SO TIRED
my legs are bursting. urgh.. voice is hanging on the line.
OH GOD HELP!

haha. but i'm having fun(:
got some super lame OGMs haha. they're WAY LAMER than me.
that's rare.
oh well. GO PANTHERA! RAHHH!!

heyy people!!!
blogging from changi airport now. haha
will be away until 26th dec late late night..
so to all my friends out there,
a very early merry merry blessed CHRISTMAS!!!
take care all :D

i'll be back.... muahahhaa

Farewell brother colin.

i'll post an eulogy of you soon right! hahaa

as for now, let's listen and reflect on colin's favourite song(:

ps: for my blog readers who do not know who i'm talking about,

this is my friend Mr Colin Kand. His story is covered in the chinese papers, the new paper and "Today" paper, on 7th/8th dec

Great Awakening

1. Lord pour out Your Spirit, on all the peoples of the earth
Let Your sons and daughters, speak Your words of prophecy
Send us dreams and visions, reveal the secrets of Your heart

Lord our faith is rising
Let all heaven sound the coming of Your day

Chorus:
There’s gonna be a great awakening
There’s gonna be a great revival in our land
There’s gonna be a great awakening
And everyone, who calls on Jesus
They will be saved

2. Lord pour out Your Spirit, on all the nations of the world
Let them see Your glory, let them fall in reverend awe
Show Your mighty power, Shake the heavens and the earth
Lord the world is waiting
Let creation see the coming of Your day

ActsII: it started with the pentacost

then came the great awakening

and they lived in a community