Rehearsals!
Trying to perfect each scene is always daunting.
Anyhow the main event is coming soon.
I have finally passed my driving! (my second stab at it!)
Here's what the tester said to me after my test:
"Your car was a little slanted for the vertical parking; but you can drive!"
I was dumbfounded.
But, nevermind that.
Most importantly, I passed!
I travelled more than an hour to attend a series of talks and programmes. While some are interesting; yet others are just mind-boggling.
Don;t get me wrong. I ain't confused by the happenings in the talks and discussions. In fact, I think I am pretty much still saint in spite of the long arduous torture. I am rather confused by the things people say and often wonder is it due to naivety or idealistic. Well, in any case, I wasn't in the pink of health either.
I think the best programme was the cooking cum life skills lesson held at RGS where I actually managed to oven-bake a chicken and eat it thereafter. Quite yummy I must say.
Nonetheless, I think I wouldn't mind considering dabbling into public policies!
So I am finally back from OBS and may I say that it was indeed a stupendous moment!
Day One - 7 July 2007
My trusty alarm clock sounded at 6.30am though my sleep was not really an uninterrupted one. Somehow, I just woke up a couple of times during my sleep, thinking that it was time to wake up and prepare for departure. Excitement? More like a deja vu of anxiety I guess.
Drank a cup of hot milo (there was no farmhouse milk!), boarded the buses but only to encounter an unexpected downpour. When I finally reached the bus stop near Punggol Jetty, it was sardined-packed with people (mostly MOE scholars), cuddling each other (thankfully no one started to embrace each other!), trying their utmost best to avoid being further drenched by the rain. Moments later, disposable raincoats were dished out to us and that was also when we started to board the ferry to bring us to Pulau Ubin where the OBS course was to be conducted.
One startling observation while waiting for the programme to commence was how the local scholars just almost instantaneously grouped together and started to sing in seemingly rehearsed voices accompanied by appropriate hand gestures. It almost seemed that the camp fire had already begun though we were confined to the MPH and the sun was still smiling brightly. To me, this sight was indeed an eye-opener! Yet, perhaps for us overseas scholars, we have been meeting up countless times prior to OBS that such contrite camaraderie was unnecessary. Nonetheless, it was indeed a well-received prelude to the next 3 days at OBS.
A quick tour of the place (didn't really pay much attention though) and we were then settled into our respective groups. Washington - that was my group name, comprising of 15 people in total. Some ice-breaker games, the usual 'which jc were you from,' 'what course are you studying,' and 'where are you studying', the typical after-self-introduction conversations... the fun finally commenced.
My first accomplishment - I managed to successfully scale the rock wall and reach the peak. The climb was somewhat arduous especially nearer the top when the rocks started to get a little further apart but overall enjoyable!
The meals provided were palatable (and yes we had to wash our own dishes thereafter) but forgettable. The sleep on the first night was pretty much a sound one, probably owing to the lack of it the night before.
Oh yes, I was made the leader for the sea expedition...(my heart wrenched with new found fear)
Day Two - 8 July 2007
6.30am - That was the time to meet with all of our belongings. Washington was late - very late to be more specific. To put it in a nice manner, I think the girls could have organised their packing a little better. But, lets not go into a blaming game!
Kayaking. My first experience where I was also looking forward to it. Partnering with Sophia, we kayaked on the lettman where I was the starboard. Initially, the coordination between a physics and chemist was somewhat lacking however, with the right elements and sparks, things eventually worked out!
I must say that I am proud of Reuben for holding the fort and navigating the fleet of kayaks through the terrain, especially during the 2 potages (first over the swampy land through the forest where we encountered a heavy downpour and second over a bridge) where in both instances, we had to physically lift and carry our kayaks over land. Though we were somewhat lost, and this chemist could only assure him of his directions based on intuition, I think we did very well. Hey, at least we reached our destination on time!
The sleep in the tents was uncomfortable. Half the time, I slept sitting upright owing to the lack of space and the wet surface. I think I also lost some blood that night to the mosquitoes and sand flies.
Oh yes, I was sun burnt! So much for the sunblock.
Day Three - 9 July 2007
Land expedition - Trekking round Ubin with our backpacks to reach 3 checkpoints and to reach base camp by 2.30pm.
I carried a backpack with 1 tent, 2 wet ponchos, 2 life jackets, 3 sets of personal belongings from the start to the end of the land expedition. My shoulders ached; my back was sore and to make matters worst, my left hand was red and swelling and the mosquitoes didn't spare me from their onslaught either.
2.30pm - Washington arrived at base camp. How punctual can we get!
Caving - A series of tunnels in pitch darkness where 7 of us had to manoeuvre our way out of it. I was at some point claustrophobic; but the experience was thought-provoking.
The day was long and both physically and mentally draining.
At 9.30pm, we had to build a trebuchet within one hour. The task was to build a simple catapult to launch an egg over the longest distance possible without breaking it. Based on the credits we had, we purchased the necessary items but failed to materialise our envisioned idea of the trebuchet. On the spur of the moment when Xin Wei started to play with the sticks, I and him came up with a really crappy trebuchet and decided to call it a night. We were indeed desperate, for unlike the rest of the other 6 teams, we had yet to have our shower.
Shower (a real long one I must emphasise), a visit to the medical centre to have some cream applied to my left hand, and a good inviting sleep.
Oh yes, I was officially a red lobster!
Day Four - 10 July 2007
Home-coming! However not before attempting a last obstacle which required me to climb to a high ground and walk across a thin metal wire, supporting myself with ropes spaced at broad intervals dangling above.
The journey back home was indeed sweet.
The memories deeply ebbed in my head; each scene unfolding in a different light, a different perspective.