[Uh, no we didn't get to do this. There wasn't a cliff at Ubin. How sad, NOT]
Isn't it simple to become an OBS alumni? (:
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"There's something about OBS that stays with you for life."
Very true!!!
This year's LSC isn't exactly the 'awesomely fun' kind, where everyone went high and hysterical. Unless you consider trekking 10km with a 10kg bag fun. But it really taught me quite a bit here and there and bonded 302. Though it wasn't the most enjoyable, it was definitely the most memorable. And I wasn't the kind of camps where you did what they told you to do and then tell you what you're supposed to have learned and you nod. I truly learned and was inspired a lot.
Quote YY, OBS wasn't half as terrible as some seniors said it to be. I managed to come back in one piece, zero sandfly bites and PLEASE, your boat does not turn bloody when you're having your period. Seriously scared the poop outta me but turned out I was worrying for nothing.
Can't be bothered to recount everything in chronological order. Too much to recall.
So in random points:
Instructors
Boo and Roland. Boo is a freaking cute name haha (: They were really special instructors. In the sense that they did extra things for us to make our OBS experience especially memorable. Making apple crumble, bringing us ponchos at 4am in the morning, creating that scroll for us and burning (note: BURNING, not cutting) the edges to make it look more authentic, indirectly forcing us to reach the top in rock-climbing. It would have been different had they not been our instructors. I'm really thankful that they've asked us to perform before the entire level as a forfeit, because from what I know, classes really bond when they work together for a showcase.
Did I mention 302 was known as Amundstrong? (:
Armstrong + Amundsen (some name I can never get right)
Land Expedition
This was by far the most 'limit pushing' challenge I've ever taken up. Obviously, there were times I felt like I couldn't take another 10 steps, so reaching the end was even more satisfying. Also, the singing took my mind off the ache in my shoulders and sole. And thanks Joei and Jiale for keep wanting to share my load and Cassmain for encouraging us to continue singing though we were outta breath. The singing really helped to take my mind off the ache in my shoulders and feet. Yes, "singing does wonders" (:
Climbed a hill during the 2nd checkpoint of the Land ex. The view was really spectacular and I think everyone was momentarily stunned and couldn't help muttering 'wow' under their breaths. Shouted "We love 302, we love Amundstrong, we love Boo and Roland" at the top of our voices. Felt good to scream.
Impossible is nothing. Finally understood that after Land ex. (:
Thanks Jiale haha!
Oh and I've said this many times, but I'll say it again: I'll never complain about my school bag, ever again.
Sea Expedition.
Thanks Mushu for being an extremely funny (not to mention strong) kayaking partner. Thanks Xiang Xuan and Mengting for saving us when we capsized and pulling us back into the kayaks even when we kept sliding off. I was super worried that day but everything turned out fine. So thank goodness.
Transporting those kayaks was NOT FUN. My fingers could have broke off, but it was really awesome that everyone worked together willingly. Saw the principal and LD touring Camp 2/Ubin, lol.
Our class seemed to be hit by the lizard epidemic. For some reason, many lizards, that were competent in swimming, kindly visited us during the expedition. There was one in my kayak too and it was horrifying. They had red eyes, darn.
Rock-climbing
My favourite activity! Didn't perspire much, didn't get all soaked in sea water and belaying was fun! Our instructors made us climb all the way to the top to sign on a piece of paper that had all our handprints. I think that method really helped all of us reach the top. No one liked giving up. Thanks Shuyi for cheering me on consistently and telling me where to hold on to when I was stuck.
Sleeping in tents.
Enjoyed this too, haha! Surprisingly, I slept really well though sometimes the ground was sloping and all the blood went to my head. Wonderful tent mates: Cassmain, Lydia, Yilin, Shuyi. I think we were the most efficiently group at pitching and un-pitching the tents. Oh yes, night watching with the 4 of them was fun too. At first, doubted that time would past fast. But we kept talking about random things like food and varities of animal poop and people in the class (not bitching involved!), which made it much more enjoyable. And that moment where we got scared that a wild bore was near us was damn funny (turned out to be someone snoring, hmm...). Thanks guys!
Cooking
All I have to say is that canned food really puts me off now. I feel nauseous when I think of sardines, especially. Oh, Roland's apple crumble is damn original and delicious.
Farewell Circle
Okay, I really don't wanna sound like a mushy banana here.
302 got really emotinal when we had our last circle on friday morning (oh my, the term 'last circle' sounds so terrible). More than half the people there broke down. And crap, I wanted to prove the "everyone's gonna cry before May" thing wrong. Haha, just kidding.
So the instructors got us to sit in a circle, and pen down our thoughts on the three most important lessons of OBS. Mine were: Other before self, never take things for granted and impossible is nothing. Sound cliche I know, but they were sincere. I think it was the first time I felt so sincere in my journal writing. Then Boo and Roland got us to clamp the journal in our hands and raise them up, to "uphold our goals". In a circle, we took turns to share about the most memorable moment in OBS and what we aim to achieve after that, maybe years and months later. Bear in mind, our hands were still raised, and continued to be raised for the next 10 minutes till everyone shared.
When it got to my turn, I was trying hard to keep my emotions from pouring out (like someone ahem haha). I talked about putting others before self. Honestly, I was not exactly the most selfless person among our class. I thought everyone was really generous and was willing to put others before self. If I had to put myself in their shoes, I'm not sure if I would have done the same things. So, that's something I'll work towards to, being more selfless. And that's the most important lesson I took away from OBS.
On a lighter note, I was suddenly inspired to do community work. HAHA. But as everyone knows, saying it is easy but not so much when you get to doing it.
After the sharing, we put our hands together. Roland read us something that we all did not expect to hear (I guess?), and definitely did not expect to moved to tears by. Quote Lydia, I think our class is crazy
It was story about departure and it went something like this:
(Nah, I didn't memorise it lol)
... "When you were saying good-bye I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?" He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone."
He paused for a moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more. "When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with enough good things to sustain them," he continued and then turning toward me he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.
"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Good-bye.."
... and Boo and I wish you enough love
By the time he finished reading the story, I was desperately trying to use my free hand to dab the tears. However, soon enough everyone was tearing and weeping and hugging, so heck, let them flow. It was really... quite amazing to see everyone being moved to such an extent. Something like this wouldn't have happened in 202. Another difference between 202 and 302. To sum it all up, I thought it was a perfect enough ending to the entire OBS experience, better than jetty jumping, better than ringing some insignificant bell, and I knew from that moment that I'll never forget that scene.
After that was, oh no, the performance (in front of the entire level) we owed the instructors. Though it's nothing compared to drama fest or talent time, it was a stepping stone towards a more bonded class. Mengting and I can't wait to get a class tee, haha (:
So yeah, that's all I have to say about OBS. I definitely do not regret going to Ubin and tryng to survive there for a week. The hygiene standard isn't horrendous and if you apply insect repellent/sun block diligently, everything will be fine (;
But like Hq said, I'll never wanna go back for another try. These kind of experiences are better off undergone once. (:
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Some random thoughts I had yesterday:
1. I really hate it when I'm in a good/bad mood, sitting in the car listening to the radio, and some shitty trash song comes on. It's so bad that I feel like listening to a chinese channel ~.~ Just yesterday, XY.Z FM (Don't get me wrong, I love the channel) played this really disgusting song, where this rapper, who didn't even have a rapping good voice, kept shouting in the mike. And I couldn't even hear what he was blabbering about?
"Aiyaladeezoonalonelenight" And so he kept chanting this line. What is that supposed to mean?
2. I really hate it when I'm at a restaurant trying to enjoy a meal with my family and the adjacent table just keeps staring over at us. As if we didn't have pants on or something.
Sit down, they stare at you.
Order food, they stare at you.
Drop a spoon, they stare at you.
Order more food, they stare at you.
Get up to use the restroom, they stare at you.
EAT, THEY STARE AT YOU.
Like, MYOB man.
3. Why do Korean, Chinese and Japanese songs have English words and English songs not have... let say, Malay or Tamil sentences?
Okay that question makes me sound really shallow :O
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Hh tomorrow *a million exclamations*. I can't wait to step into the dance studio and lie there forever.
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I feel like pitching tents!! But no, I do not feel like eating canned food from a mess tin, yuck.
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Happy Belated Birthday Chew En Ning!!!
I know you don't read my blog often now. But wanna say I really enjoyed the times last time with Jermaine and Rachel, where we would roam the grounds of Novena haha! Okay, that made us sound like scavengers (x
Happy Belated Birthday Chen Li Houng!!!
Or Li Hound? :P Glad to have you in NYMD. You really brighten up the atmosphere (: Let's all rock I.D. 2010 together and set the stage on fire and make the audience get heat stroke!! Wahaha.
Still feeling OBS nostalgic )x
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This december holidays, I'll take up photography if I'm free. Key words are if I'm free.
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Ending my very long (I think) post.
I don't wanna do homework! No!
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It makes the blog look so naked.
I couldn't stand it haha
