A New Year, But Let’s Reminisce….

I know it’s a new year and all, but I’ve just got so much to share from December! Was too busy to blog with me running around and all, especially now since my computer has gone kaputs..And oh, if you’re wondering, the gibbon had read my last post and now I’m writing to all of you from his latest girlfriend aka the iMac (dum dum dum)..

Just wanted to share with you guys the volunteering stint that I had signed up for last month. I had heard about it from a good friend of mine..So what was the organization and cause you ask? The organization is InspireSEA, it was set up by the Victoria Malaysian Student Association (MASCA) arm. What they had set out to do, was to inspire non intercity schools by exposing them to the wonders of learning in english and what their potential could be if they were to push a bit harder with their studies. So to put it simply, InspireSEA were out to INSPIRE!

Granted, I am an Australian graduate but it wasn’t from a university located in Victoria, Australia..but I doubt that mattered anyway, the cause resonated with me and I wanted in! Health wasn’t on my side in December, from sore throat to high fever, to cough and gastric..I tell you, luck wasn’t very much on my side the early portions of December..I barely got myself healthy enough to participate..

Basically, it was a 4 day 3 night camp out to teach the kids how fun learning in English could be! They had activities like wet and wild, the amazing race and other sessions too..the group comprised of form 1 and form 2 students from Sekolah Menengah Pulau Indah, Klang. So what was my role in the whole scheme of things? I was their facilitator! I was assigned to one of the kid’s groups and I took care of stations in most of the activities. Let me tell you one thing, this is one fun way of giving back, lol. I think the volunteers had just as fun as the kids, if not more!

Here are my campers!

Despite all the fun and learning we did throughout the 4 days we (the volunteers) had with the kids, I’ll share with you guys the one amazing thing that had struck me. My favourite session throughout the whole camp was the English Diary Session we had them do every night. They were each given a diary that they were to write in (every night) about how their day went and how they were feeling..But of course, they had to write it in english which most of them aren’t quite that comfortable to write it in. What struck me as amazing was that they were eager to learn as we sat down with them, teaching them the rules of English, translating words that they were having difficulty in grasping. They were proactive in asking questions, but most of all they were determined to absorb everything that were given to them. So I did my best to teach them as much as I could in as much time as I had.

The kids weren’t all that got absorbed into all the fun, and yeah, I’m not talking about us volunteers too..But it was the APD kids that I’m talking about..The form 5 kids that had to help us out with the speakers and mic and stuff. At first they seemed to have thought that it was just a bunch of kiddy stuff we were doing, but let me tell you..on day 3, they were doing the cheers just as loudly as we were! And they got t-shirts too, to remind them of the days they had went through with us..I had hoped they were inspired too!

Not only the kids and the APD crew, what ceased to have amazed me was that, I came there to maybe inspire a few to reach a little bit further and to give all they can in a hope to reach their own dreams..But by day 3, I was the one who was inspired! Their determination and their will had given me a new perspective, it was like a breath of fresh air..And it was definitely the kind of jolt I needed to start of the new year. So kids, if any of you are reading this..I would like to thank you, each one of you have given me a new sense of energy to reach even further, to aim a little bit higher. So study hard, and study smart!

It wasn’t easy parting with them on the last day, but I think the camp was a success as it had given everyone the motivation and inspiration that all of us needed ever so often. So I’m leaving all of you with some of the pics that I had managed to snap while I was there (I’m warning you, its not many). So that was one amazing adventure I had in December, till next time!