I'm back from camp. Shacked and tired. Barely get to sleep.
The camp preparation started way before the camp commences. However, more and more things seem to be required to do only on the week on camp, which means three days before the camp. The counting down to the camp is not fun at all as we all seemed to be working day in and out for the camp preparation, including our beloved adviser, Hwee Hoon.
No one was mentally prepared for the camp (or maybe it's only me, not "No one"). The day before the camp, i slept at around 430am as i had to get the name tag design plus size out by hook or by crook. In addition to that, i still have to pack my bag for the camp.
I dragged myself out of bed early at 745am as i was supposed to meet the rest of the main committee at 9am. Busy myself with the nametags and soon time was up for me and ka hang to show face at the registration booth outside design school LT24. Thank goodness, huishan and caiyue was there to help out as there was quite a few things to take note like the submitting of indemity forms, the distributing of nametags, ribbons and instruction booklets. Things went on quite smoothly and soon, i got to see and interact with my yellow group members.
The silence breaker session was really "silent" where nobody really know each other well. However, after a short interaction, i get to see a few of them opened up. At the Bishan Home, it was an opener for me as that was my first time visiting a home, my first time interacting with intellectually disabled people. My group helped with cleaning of the chairs and followed by teaching those residents how to fold paper planes. You may think that folding paper plane is like "chicken feet". But to some of them, it is actually a challenge!
Back to tp, we had a talk by our guest speaker from National Youth Council and also a talk by our very own former president, Jia Seng, on the OCP@Yunnan. After the talk, we FAs marked an end to the first day of our camp with a debriefing session with our group members.
However, after the reflection session with our own individual groups, we had a debriefing within the main comm ourselves. Everyone was tired after such a long day and we had a debriefing session which lasted for more than an hour or two! The first day night was a terrible one for me as i was the only female main comm sleeping at the sports hall with the rest and worse still, one of my group members was having a fever. I cannot sleep throughout the night, often disturbed by noises and cannot help but to worry about percilla and her fever.
The start of the second day and i had no choice but to send percilla home as her fever was getting from bad to worse. Her temperature rose from 38.3 to 39 degree celsius. And thus, the best thing for me to do was to send her home and ask her to visit a doctor. The program went on smoothing with Adventure Learning Programme, field cooking and then basic first aid lesson. Good job Yingchee and Gek teng for the speech! I, personally feel that it was a great one. The next activity that followed up was "This-Ability" Session. The games played, such as "Handicapped soccer", "Green in Green", "Secret Code: Braille" and "Sign-me-out", were very meaningful. Most of the sub comm love the part when they were blind folded and had to experience how tough it is to be blind and have to "read" words. As for my yellow group, they enjoyed the "Sign-Me-Out" too and they find sign language to be interesting. Glad to hear from them that they have learnt something from "This-Ability" Session.
The next game followed after our dinner was the "Environmental Photo Hunt". It's super tiring! We were made to run from one end of the school to another end. However, i feel that this game is good for team bonding and through this game, i can see how well their team spirit is. =)
All the challenges for the sub comm starts on the third day of the camp.
We visited Terra Hope Home and had some interaction with the residents there. We had a walk with them around their neighbourhood. Some of them were enjoying it while some of them were complaining that it was too hot and their legs hurt and etc. (A new experience for me =P)
After our lunch, the MINDS trainees and volunteers soon arrived at Engineering School doorstep. There were two groups of them. One from West End and the other from Terra Hope. DIdn't know that though they are both from MINDS, they function differently. West End trainees call us "Teacher" or "Ms Soh"(for eg) while Terra Hope trainees call us "Kor Kor" or "Jie Jie".
A major project like these, collaborating with so many outside associations, many plannings were needed way in advance. Luckily, everything went out to be fine though having some hiccups here and there. Good job organisers, adiver and committee!! =)
The third day was the only day that i managed to rest more during the day time as i have passed most of my job to my group leader(GL). Thanks Elena!
The most memorable time was during the campfire. I had alot of fun with Kian Thong, Zi kiang's and Callen's trainee. We sang songs and "dance" around despite his disability. His smile melted my heart and made me "love" him more. Through all those small small actions, i hope that the trainees can feel the love we TP students want to give them.
On the very last night that our group spent together, we took lots and lots of pictures. And was like crazy la! haha..
Everyday without sufficient sleep, i was totally drained out on the last day. However, i told myself to stay strong since it was already the last day!
Our last day starts off with doing exercise and warm up with the trainees. I admire them and their spirit. They were able to complete running two full rounds TP track! It was quite comical to see our own TP students panting after two rounds when the trainees didn't even feel tired! (hahax!)
Next up for the trainees and TP particiipants were the dragonboat activities and telematch. I was stationed at the Bedok Reservoir where the dragonboating was held. Seeing one shacked face after another. hahax. But when i approached the trainees and asked them if it's fun, their response was, "Hao wan Hao wan!!" (chinese for - "Nice to play"). =)
After two full days of activities, we marked an end to our camp with a field-cooking session.
It was very sad when all the trainees gathered outside the squash court with their bags after they had their lunch. It's time for their departure. There is always an end to something. haiz.. so sad and cannot bear to see them leave. The moment when they boarded the bus and were about to leave, my tears were already in my eyes. Just that i was controlling hard not for it to roll down.
The whole camp just ended like this and with debriefing for the sub comms. It's then time for us to bid goodbye to our sub comms.
Now talking about them, i misses them so much!!
Takecare MINDS people.. Hope you all had fun here
and
Takecare TP sub comms.. Hope you all not only had fun, but also gained something from the camp!
Seeya soon!! =)
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