Today's the best birthday i've ever had in years. True, i spent my day travelling down to singapore from KL but the wishes i've received from all my friends were really enough to cheer any poor soul up. There were 19 msges waiting for me in my phone and plenty more from my fellow campers, email and over msn. Better still, i spent 4 great days in KL and Fraser's Hill with an energetic bunch of international sch kids, lotsa fresh air and danial, JJ, nat, jasmine, sue and taufik. And i think shamsul's powerpoint, that he made for me, deserves mentioning too. It was so sweet. Better than any present tt can be bought. Really. I would prefer handmade presents anytime. Its nice to know tt u've made tt little impact in someone's life. For the first time in a long time, i felt my parent's affection for me. Or maybe i was blind or sth before today but they really went places to get the food for me. Im gonna blow the candles later on and have my chocolate fudge cake!
Highlights of the 27th-30th sept MKIS (Mont Kiara International Sch) fraser's hill field trip:
I lovee the fresh air up there. The kids were fantastic. Their cool, cool, cool. Of course, brats were inevitable but most of them were nice ones. Their so different from their counterparts in singapore. Where sg kids are shy and quiet, they were bubbly and full of chatters. They question this and question that, it takes SKILL to get their attention and they actually look forward to leeches on them. Speaking of leeches.. they spoilt the whole experience. I was in the forest and thinking 'man im in my element' then they've gotta strike. We, the trainers, went on an endorphins pumping hike in the forest to check out locations for the kid's nightwalk. The leeches were all over, latching onto our shoes, pants and socks. The whole way, we were trekking on the narrow path at the EDGE of the mountain. We met with very steep slopES, fallen tree trunks, slippery, highly uneven ground but i got a real kick out of it. Except at the end of it, i've gotta face the leeches. Found them between my sock n the shoe, think i squashed it. but not before it sucked a whole load of blood from me, soaking my sock and shoe with blood. damn you.
Night walk was where i witnessed the kid's bravery. No lights, a pitch black forest, a choice of using the torch and a solo walk for all. Most chose to go without the torch, when i myself could hardly see where im going.
Team games: All of us headed a group of ten kids and im with the E.S. team !(elemental survivors, not named after my initials) The kids were ready for the challenges ahead, gamely finished every game, had quarrels, had smiles, had laughters and frowns together. Oh i had my share of head-banging-wall incidents. Incidentally, the two kids the teachers warned us about, were in my team. But i love them both. I realized and saw with my own eyes that actually all they needed was something to focus their energies to and they'll do it wonderfully.
Tribal dance & skit: Actors, actresses and dancers in the making here. A great deal of organisation was needed due to shortage of time. Took half of the time to settle my dance and skit team down and they came up with everything on their own. Im so proud of them! Some said this is the first time im break dancing/acting/ cart-wheeling infront of an audience. But things went so well on stage. Thanks to zaira(director of the skit) and anthony(cheorographer) for their leadership. My respect for the e.s. team grew..
Totem: Once again, it was chop chop. Half and hour to collect the plants needed and 10mins to put everthing together.
Songs: Actually this part is for us. Our knowledge of dirrtyy songs, grins, has vastly expanded after meetin taufik. And Taufik taught the kids one too. And a very very cheeky one. When he started singing tt, the trainers(us) all burst out laughing. and couldnt stop after tt. I mean the kids were happily singing along, thinking they were singing about fruits buttt... but
we know better. =D
Im gonna keep these memories with me, just like how i did cambodia's and thailand's. I've got plenty of pictures with me, they'll be up soon, I promise.
I didnt see them as grade 6s kids, i saw them as individuals for the different talents they have and were just waiting to be tapped into. Lots of freedom were given to my team. We practise democracy not dictatorship, tts why things dont really move fast sometimes but each contributed alittle of what they had to come up with a bigger picture.