Question that is going round my mind, } Should the OSLE team to Yunnan be called, SPARTANS? Denial suggested this name because the Spartans are a small group of people, and yes, although they are little in number, they still proved themselves efficient by standing up for their rights, which, ahem, includes, killing everyone. I thought it was a kinda great name, until Miss Darrell said that, well, she'll address us as Spartans if we choose that, and can you actually imagine that? For instance, in the canteen, she'll g " Spartans!" and then we'll all flee from embarrassment because Spartans seems so... I cant exactly put my finger to what it is that is embarrassing, maybe Xinyi is right, it is embarrassing because of that epic movie " meet the spartans"
Besides that, lets blog about the camp. Initially, my honest opinion was that, i planned to not go, because i forgot to bring along a sleeping bag, my jacket, and a number of other stuffs. I felt so deprived of clothing and all, i wanted so badly to go home, because i felt so tired after lessons ended at 5 plus. But then, i dont know what held me back, i didnt go home, instead i decided to stay for it. And im glad i did, because it really is a meaningful camp, and it was fun because there was Sher and Piano too. And actually, it was also because everyone in the camp is nice, really nice and friendly, and there's this sort of teamwork and jokes and all that gives this really familiar and warm feeling that was lost when i came to NYJC, and was eventually founded, back, byt the MSTERS.
The first day, when we arrived, it was already 6, so we met, wrote our names on masking tape, and stuck it on our left hand side. we got our whistles ( Piano, sher and i took the green ones). We interacted on our own accord, talking to different people, introducing ourselves, and eventually, we had a presentation by Mr Ng i think, about China. You might think it is boring, but i didnt think it is. I paid attention throughout the whole presentation, and i copied down almost every slides. I gained a very deep insight of China, and its ethnic races, as well as many controversies in it. The talk was good.
We had chicken rice for dinner, and we really wasnt antio social! Sher, piano, and i were sitting together with Mr Mark and Ms seah for dinner. We realised that although they seemed pretty harsh to us during the interview, they are really nice and caring teachers. I appreciate what they have done for us, together with Miss Darrell. Oh, which reminds me, Miss Darrell walked past, and she thought we were anti social, so she said, " mingle" ( with this funny hand gesture ) , and the three of us laughed and laughed so much, piano almost choked.
We played this game after that, some bang bang thingy. That was to know the names of one another. The game is really funny, because of the reactions of the people. I survived till there were only 3 people left, me included. and the game couldnt continue because you have to call out a person's name and that named person must squat down while the two persons beside that named person must gun each other- thus, with three people, the game obviously cannot continue. After that, we played another game which i dont like, some blow wind blow thing, and we had a talk about goals, expectations and all that. We also set the groud rules for ourselves, as a team, and if we dont abide by them, we are to carry out our own punishments that we have set.
Then we went to wash up, and we slept. I didnt sleep. I was thinking of stuffs we did in day one because i was feeling very cold. I didnt have any jacket or sleeping bag, but kind piano and sher opened up their sleeping bags and i slept in between them. I had only a cushion from the lit class, and the girls wanted their fans to be at number 5. So i was cold, and i was bitten by god knows what, mosquitoes, or are they bitten by the ants? Piano and Sher slept, not after we joked about Xinyi talking to her mickey and minnie. I couldnt sleep, man, i was wishing so badly i could have the comfort of my bed. I dont know if i can even survive in China.
Okay, lets talk about china. We'll go to Kunming- where there is a walmart and a carrefour, to stock up our supplies, and we'll then go to Lijiang, if im not wrong. Lijiang has got those really pugilistic world kinda houses, that look like temples, and i feel really lucky that we're going there, even if its only 2 days, well, this is because the living conditions in Lijiang is not that bad as Dali. I shall not drink too much water or eat too much in dali, lol. I think thats what most people will do. Daniel and Rachael shared with us, a presentation, of their recce trip there, and well, they told us of the toilet experience. There are no doors for the toilet. And there are no cubicles. It's just, okay, imagine, you walk in, and there's this long canal, a deep long stretch of hole, and then you just squat, teeter on the edge of the canal, and you do your business. Okay, and the thing is, people come in and out, and you just expose your butt and all to them.
I am freaked out, because i am a really, hygenic, and clean person. I cannot stand that the sanitary facilities there are... I dread the toilets. And i heard we'll be staying in those Army Barracks, triple storeyed- the army barracks has the same kinda canal-ish toilet. Shit. not literally.
2 weeks in dali, im so gonna faint. Plus, we are gonna build biogas tanks for the villagers, for them to be able to encrypt methane for their daily uses. I shall give it my all, do my best.
Second day? we had physical training, the usual warm up, and running 2 rounds, and after that we played basketball. Jiarong, Denial, Emo kid aka Mr Chee aka Yi jie ( i think) , youyu ( the taiwan guy) , Eunice, and a few others are really good basketballers - Luzhi ( gravy) included too. For day 2's activity, we went to chinatown, after a talk/presentation by Miss Darrell on Service- learning ( which was funnily interrupted by the testing of the PA system, and the sudden playing of Apologize over the PA system! (; ) There was also a service learning that we did. We were tasked to buy a bottle of mineral water,and go up to someone in chinatown who is in need of water, and he must take it. My entire group, consisting of Jiarong, Lu zhi, Xinyi, Yi jia, Nabihah, Eunice, as well as i, we all did it.
I felt traumatized, disturbed, and was on the verge of tearing, when i saw this silver- haired old lady sitting on the floor, so frail, trying to reach out for discarded pieces of cardboard to eke a living. She smiled with so much appreciation when Xinyi handed her that bottle of water. I felt like crying, a woman as old as her, struggling to support herself, seriously, i am not melodramatic, and she didnt doubt us, didnt ask if we poison the water or what, but accept the water with all her heart. This made me guily, and i felt that, hey! a bottle of water could make someone so happy, and me? i have so much water at home, a comfortable home, a bed and everything, and i really think i dont deserve it. I will cherish all that i have from today onwards. I swear.
We walked around chinatown, saw many landmarked areas, and that trip really opened my eyes to the beauty of the conservation of the chinese culture. It's as though i was viewing Chinatown in another person's eyes. It was enriching, i went to places i have been to, but never really seen them from a backpacker's point of view, but there to casually window shop.
We went to a tea house - tea chapter, after that. Miss darrell treated us to it. We occupied 4 tables, and our group discussed on our feelings, the reflectons of our trip to Chinatown. We were shown the ways to serve, smell and drink the tea. It was definitely an eye opener, i was really amazed that there's such a thing. The waitress showed us how to serve the tea, and i translated what she said to Nabihah , because she was the only malay. After she finished showing us, Jiarong served us tea. He's so funny when serving, because he couldnt balance the teapot, and you have to pour the water into the pot in a clockwise direction as part of the chinese culture. we all laughed heartiily, and talked so much, i was having so much fun. the tea was fragrant, and smelled sweet, however, it tasted bitter! Nabihah had to swish the tea down with water, hahas.
Went to maxwell food centre to eat, then went back to school. I saw Karen, and Jiaxin! We bathed, then had a talk on the recce trip again, shared reflections then we went to sleep. We talked so much nonsense, and piano kept camwhoring herself, taking really spastic photos, and we laughed at the photos she took. I wanted to wait till 2 to see if Sher's rash is better, but she fell asleep at 1 plus, and i slept a little later than her, with the earphone in my right ear, as i was sharing my mp3 with piano. Thanks sher and piano! thank you all for your sleeping bags, and the warmth!
We were supposed to go to the Kranji Mudflat today, but the tide was too high. So we had PT in the morning, breakfast, and then ice breakers. The ice breaking games were really fresh ideas, and i thoroughly enjoyed having fun with my group! They rock! they are really humorous people! We had a debrief and we went home.
It was, a really fun camp, i enjoyed it. And i also made many new friends. thanks people!
I will start to cherish every single thing i have right this moment.
Im laughing at something with my sister right now. Ip Yin Cheong Instant messaged me at MSN. He asked me if i have any problem. So i said, no thanks for asking. Then he asked me if i have any unhappiness with him right now, and i should voice it out. I was like huh? And he said , many people wanna know blah blah. So i was like, he didnt wanna tell me who are the people who wanna know, and he didnt wanna say anything. I was already getting pissed at him for disturbing me when i was blogging. So i said, " hahas. my only problem is - fuck off. " He said, " thx you slut." I said welcome.
People like him, i dont bother. Its a waste of time. All good things come to an end, especially sad for the OSLE camp. but you know something, the relationshipwith him- im glad it came to an end.
Goodnight people, im going to sleep now. It is 1708 now.
the centipede game, i am so short! bleah!
From left to right : Eileen, Eunice, Nabihah, Yi Jia, Xin yi, Lu Zhi and Jiarong. (:
thanks to Daniel and rachael, Miss darrell, Ms Seah, and Mr goh for the camp, it was hell loadsa fun. (: