Friday, June 10, 2005

back from camp. and despite all the nerve-wrecking planning and execution and logistical nightmares it was all worth it. =)

being chirf programmer is not easy. and this was just a 3 day 2 night camp. i wonder how chief programmers for 6 day 5 night FOC survive...maybe they had more time...yeah~

hmm..this position i didn't run for and wanted. same goes for the position of centre head for volunteers at the boys hostel. but i am flattered that my seniors had the faith in me that i could carry on what they did. during the camp i was one of the very very few year ones. there were only at most 5. the rest of the group leaders and my programmers were all year 2s, 3s, 4s and graduated alumni. it was amazing to see their dedication towards their cause. coming back to attend hostel camp year after year.

the hostel staff showed their appreciation to us by getting the boys to write thank you cards to us and presented them to us during the prize presentation on the 2nd night of the camp. one of the boys wrote...

"why do you all bother wasting your time on us?"

and that really got me thinking.

i thought about the boys. and whether this whole hostel thing actually works. do they come out to be better people? or do they revert back to their old ways and break the law again? my boys, whom i've gotten to know through the weekly tuition sessions for about 6 months now, all seem "normal". just normal teenage boys. they love soccer, they dislike studying but they still do study. they like to crap with their friends. only sometimes a string of vulgar words in all sorts of language and dialect escapes and we break it up. only sometimes racial tensions arise. other than that, some of them are actually really nice. they smile and greet you as they walk pass, they crap with you if you're willing to crap back. they banter in their unique language, very much like boys and bengs, but when you take an effort to go down to their level and understand them...it's not too bad. i've always been apprenhensive about it. not able to communicate with them. but it turns out that i could. and it makes me happy. that they're mixing with better company and learning. and when we talk about school and their hobbies and CCAs, they do get excited. they do have a life. they have interests. just like you and me. one is an accomplished gymnast and helped to set up that CCA in his sec school. on top of that he plays the trumpet in the band and much more. sounds familiar? hmm...so the only thing is to not give up on them.

so i thought about the people helping them. volunteers and the hostel staff. we're not wasting our time. we're trying to make a difference in their lives. to let them know there are people who care and who can help. that they are not alone despite their past. that all that matters is what they do with their lives. and i'm so proud of the volunteers and my seniors. they're in this for so long. and as i read the thank you cards from the boys, i'm so so happy they enjoyed themselves. cheering and playing beach games and frisbee and 3-legged soccer and all. putting up hilarious skits on responsibility. cleaning up the campsite.

i had a wonderful time. my only grouse is the mosquitoes that attacked me through the night...till i couldn't sleep on the 1st night. was real bad. other than that, the company was great. had a good time with my programmers as well. they were a fun bunch of seniors. because we had time to kill we ended up playing frisbee and captain's ball and all...was so fun.

tomorrow there's a pohpiah extravaganza at church! so exciting. then got choir. didn't lose my voice despite all the briefing and screaming.

looking fwd to hongkong trip. hopefully i get good bargains. realised so many people went bangkok! seems like everyone's going bangkok. so if you're heading there..do look out for s'porean young people. they may just be my friends, or boyfriend.

i got back my hostel room! hostel here means hall 7 at ntu. haha~ so happy. now hopefully louisa can be my roomie again. and i got my lovely neighbours back too...good. =) and we're moving to new halls in dec! aircon and all.... payment by meter reading! must save electricity....or else bill's gonna go up. actually i think this meter reading thing is a very good move. rather than paying a flat fee. now u pay-as-you-use.

terrific.

This girl posted at 11:35 PM