Monday, November 06, 2006
"Mm Hm goes a little green frog one day..."
Hi people. I'm back! Just came home an hour ago. So totally shag.
4/11/06
Reached school at 7am in a blue taxi and made my grand entrance as Camp Leader! haha.
Bus came at about 8.30, boarded it and it was quite a long way to Jalan Bahtera. The campers in my bus were like so dead. But i guess it was normal cause they don't even know each other well. Isabel was like so tired in the bus and started sleepin, but the camp haven even started! 0.o
It really felt great to see jalan bahtera again. It was kinda like a magnificant camp site and it felt really cosy. Party because i really had a good time last year there too. I just screamed "I'm BACK" when i got off the bus.
The campers assembled for the first time. We met the instructors and Andrew, the AIC(Assistant-In-Charge). Didn't see Jeremy around, he's the CIC(Camp Commandant), and he met us before the camp to do some preparations.
Siraj was the CL's Camp Chief while me and isabel were the 2 Assistant chiefs. We knew that we were to run the camp with the help of the instructors. But we just did not expect the amount of stress and work that we eventually got. Andrew was a different person from Jeremy. Andrew was kinda like a 'big-boss' type of guy while Jeremy was the 'great mentor' And i must say that he really gave me alot of advice on running the camp and on my leadership skills.
First few hours of the day was alright, we began to switch our mentality to 'camp mode' and the 3 of us walked around as instructed to observed the 5 different groups. Most of them were VERY quiet. That really worried me.
Work began to pile in and i was all over the camp site. Andrew really gave us first hand experience of running a camp and we learned it the hard way by making decisions and solving problems and intructing everyone one under us INSTANTLY after entering camp. It was kinda like a cultural shock but the 3 of us began to pick up slowly. Jeremy then arrived. I felt glad, but i don't know why i felt so. Maybe because i know i always could get support and tips from him.
The rafting session was really a nightmare for the 3 of us. There was so much task in such a short time. At that point of time i really realised that Being the camp chief and his assistances, IS NOT EASY. It was also a nightmare for my 15 camp leaders. Their groups were very quiet and just clustered in their own group of frens, WHEN they were supposed to build a raft in an hour.
Awright, away from the work. Once the rafts were done we headed to the sea. It was quite a familiar sight cause with've been there.There wasn't any sand to the beach, just lots of mangrove soft mud that really sucked my watershoes into it. And not forgettin to mention the cute little orange crabs haha.
After they finished their rafting fun out at sea, we went for the shower. And OH MY GOD. ThiS WAS PROBERBLY the first time in my life me and some of my guy camp leaders(yongsiang, tatming, siraj, syahiir) bathed together in the toilet with just our underwear. There wasn't anything wrong wif that, EXCEPT that they were all DANCING and imitating HARDGAY's action and 'wooohooo', WHILE bathing together in our underwear.(btw i didn't imitate HG with them). I really laugh my ass off and nearly losen my undies 0.o' HAHA. Really enjoyed that shower. We had dinner and started the Blinds man walk after that. All lights were cut off and i realised that camp site was really dark despite the bright moon light. And i often saw lots of frogs. Saw this one in the canteen.
After that we had our supper and all 20 camp leaders of us really had a good time talking about their group. Btw, there were 15 camp leaders assigned to groups while there were 1 CIC, 2 AIC and 2 runners. AFter the campers had their supper and reflection, it was lights out for them. For us, we had a long reflection for the day.
I made some straight forward comments bout the 15 CLs as i observed them for the whole day. We were all matured enough to take them as ways to improve ourselfs cause we understand each other and have gone through lots of shit together as a team.
Here's a chance to see how me and isabel look when we were knocked tired at the end of the day.
We then went to sleep. I was a mosquito warrior. I slept with anti-mosquito cream, anti-mosquito spray and anti-mosquito patch. I wore socks, long pants, and a windbreaker. JUST to fend of mosquitoes. Wad a sissy =p
5/11/06
Rise and Shine. I had a good sleep that nite.
My Bunk. /// Isabel and Zahrah that morning
The campers had breakfast and we headed off for the Challege Rope courses, Challenge pole, Zip-line, absailing and general stations. Had Lunch in between. Nth really to talk about cause the 3 of us were just all over the place observing and making sure everything runs well.
Then came the stressest part of the camp. We were really rushing to come out for an item during campfire. Besides the 3 of us and the 2 runners busy with preparing campfire and also gettin the camp to run smoothly and ON TIME. There was just too much things to look after and manage. I understood that we were supposed to run the camp while the instructors just stayed a back line to guide us and give us help only when needed so as to build our leadership qualities. But this was the time where i really screamed for help in my mind.
We scrambled all CLs after dinner and just did a last minute preparation for the campfire. It was dance using 'Stay Alive', the oldies hit. I didn't really opened my mouth during that short period of time. Cause the 20 of us were just talking at the same time and it all felt unorganised and unfocused. At the end they agreed with the final product. I didn't say anything, cause i felt that i was rather shaky and unclear.
Us scrambling to do some last minute planning. Tatming with his belly.
I spoke to jeremy about it. He told me not to be worried bout it because he could salvage any situation during the campfire. At least that reliefed me abit, cause i knew he had lots of experience in it.
During the Campfire, jeremy really was a top class host. We laughed till we had stomach aches and it really was hilarious.He made Mr viknesh, Mr Ganesan, Mr chew and Ms poh shake their butts and slapping it infront of us. (BTW they're our teachers who stayed there with us). Mr chew acted as ROSE while Mr Viknesh acted as JACK from titanic and they acted a scene from the movie. HIlarious HAHA.
Well the campfire went well i guess. proberbly because of the way the instructors ran it.
After the campfire we did a similiar thing as last year. Music was blasting through the air and everyone dance with their lightsticks in the dark as if it was ZOUK or MOS. It was awesome. While the CLs and campers enjoyed themselfs i just sat at the steps and watch. Was just totally worn out and tired. I was happy JUST to SEE ppl enjoy rather then me myself partying along wif them too.
Made this for isabel
While i was sitting at the steps, jeremy came up to me and sat beside me. We really had a good chat about my campers and the camp and he himself as an instructor. He told me lots of things that i knew could improve myself to become a better person.We talked bout other stuffs as well. This conversation with him was proberbly the most important part of the camp for me cause i could learn alot from it. He even suggested that maybe me and isabel and some others could join his company after our O levels because of our performance and leadership qualities. I really would be delighted if that could happen someday cause i'm one 'CAMP-ish' person. Haha.
After everything was over, the campers and their CLs went for their supper and reflection for that nite (yesterday nitE) While they were doing this, the 3 of us were FINALLY free and had some time to breathe. We just sat in the canteen ourselfs with not a single soul around and talked about the day while having some hot milo.
At that point of time it really felt cozy and reliefing. And we Stoned there for a long long time..
The 3 of us stoning away, alone in the canteen (Edmund took the pic and went off)
And then back came my CLs together with jeremy and ANdrew. We had a debriefing and both of them gave each of us feedbacks. And that was it. The last nite of the camp.
That was fast. I didn't want it to be fast.
I was so tired i slept about a few minutes after lying down.
6/11/06
Ring ring went my alarm clock. It's the LASt day!
And guess wad. I caught my CLs on camera while they were doin the hardgay actions and imitations again during their Morning bath. Hahahah.
Sorry Yongsiang i can't resist posting this haha. At least u were in ur undies
After their breakfast, the campers pack their bags and spent 2 hours cleaning the ENTIRE Jalan Bahtera campsite. While i was checking on them cleaning the toilets, i was ambushed with pails of water. DAMMIT. LOL. Instructor Timothy was ambushed too Hahaha.
During the phototaking session we did something that was passed down from last year again. The campers gathered at the steps of the campfire area and prepared to take a camp group photo. During the second shot, i screamed "fire in the hole" and we poured down countless pails of water on them from above (command post balcony). All of them were stunned and i knew how they felt cause i was also a victim of it last year. Hahah.
The campers gathered for the last time for the Final Debriefing. While we waiting for the bus to come at 11am the groups did some final cheers and dance amoung themselfs.
I went over to have some last words with jeremy, andrew and timothy. All the instructors taught me lots of stuffs of a leader and i thank them for them. Not forgettin my fellow Campleaders2006. We thought each other some stuff and also got to know each other Even better despite already going through 3 camps and many courses together. Things that couldn't be learned and found out in a class room.
Last picture for the 3 of us for this camp. Siraj - me - Isabel
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Had another long ride back to sch and we went to mac for lunch after that before going home.
Yongsiang loves showing his feet to drivers while sleeping in a unique pattern. (on our way back to sch)
omg i've been bloggin this for the last 2&half hours. cya peeps. gonna get REAL sleep.
// posted by Ryan @ 5:41 PM 
