Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Back from the 1 week Outdoor Education Camp that PESS organized for its trainee pe teachers. It was tiring all right but certainly not one I would want to miss out on. It only affirms my stand that I'm embarking on a career that I find very meaningful. There's nowhere else I would rather be in. Once in a while, we need to get out of our comfort zone because being Singaporeans, we really tend to take things around us for granted. Like my OC back in bmt used to tell us before the field camp started "You never know how precious the water that flows out of your tap is until you've completed this field camp". It was only apt that I didn't know what he was talking about but somehow during and after the camp, those words started to make alot of sense to me.
Likewise for this camp, our exams ended around late April and even though holidays have officially started, the mere thought of this camp have really spoilt our holidays. Many of us loathed it and the weekend before that I had to "book in", I didn't have the mood for anything. It was just the thought of spending 1 week away from my cosy bed, laptop and my favourite bak chor mee that really spoilt the weekend. Even the usually reliable soccer matches on scv couldn't do much to lift the gloom away from my face. I went to the Jurong East Chevrons e-mart to draw on some supplies for this camp. It says alot when all my credits were used up - all $113 of them and I had to pay around $3 more to top up for the stuff I've bought. People who were queuing behind must be thinking "Who is this poor chap who is enlisting soon?"
Without seeing the need to spend more than 100 bucks on a new trekker bag, I used the credits to draw the new recruit field bag and trust me, it's a damn good bag for going outdoors. Not only is it big enough for a 1 week trip but it's main draw is the fact that it can opened from the front via a zip. Like many of my friends who had to open up their field pack or duffel bags since their ord, one word can only describe this feeling - nostalgic. Army has trained the guys well in the sense that I've learnt what and how to pack. Not forgetting how to pack smart. Packing was done half a day and more or less, you know the usual supplies to get (pricky heat, zip lock, jack knife, mess tin, granola bars and toilet paper etc).
Day 1
We had a 1 day non-residential session held at MOE Labrador Adventure Centre (LAC) the friday before we had to book in and it was basically an introduction session to the camp and getting to know our group members. On the morning on the monday itself, each group had to meet at an agreed meeting point somewhere in Singapore and our group was designated to meet at Outram Park mrt station where we will try to find a way to Telok Blangah Hill where we will meet up with 2 other teams. Carrying a payload of at least 20kg on your back, it was really like a route march in the urban environment of Singapore in the hot afternoon sun. Thankfully, our team was smart enough not to walk all the way and took a bus to the PSB Academy area where we then took a short walk to the top of Telok Blangah Hill where we will have our lunch. We were the last group to arrive out of the supposed 3 and by then, Mark and Boon Hui's team had already left.
The rain threatened to dampen our day but luckily for us and for the rest of the camp, most of it were really just passing showers. It was certainly that I was thankful for. We had our lunch (mine was really the free sausage macmuffin burger that was given after my macdonalds breakfast earlier in the morning at Tiong Bahru Plaza). After walking in the hot afternoon sun for a certain period, it's really difficult to expect anyone to really be able to digest a packet of mixed curry vegetable rice for example?
The thing that really separated this camp from many of the other camps was the fact that we had alot of group sharing sessions where each of us really opened up to the rest and shared our experienes with relations to the topics mentioned. There was no cheering sessions or games that I would considered retarded. In fact, all the games that we played really meaningful and the whole aspect of this camp now that we are trainee teachers is to really pick out the important pointers that our facilitator is trying to impart to us. Stuff that we may need when as pe teachers, we will be organizing and planning camps for our students next time. They call it Outdoor Education.
Perhaps for the whole of my 22 years of life, I've either been to Telok Blangah Hill for only once or none at all. We always complain about how small Singapore is and honestly, there's alot of places out there just waiting to be discovered by us. It's whether we make the effort to do so. That place is a firm favourite with Mediacorp for their filming and a good place to bring your girlfriends the next time. Just remember to bring the mosquitoe repellent the next time. A few years ago, a teacher got badly stung by bees as he used himself as a human shield to protect his students. Such an example has really shown how important a role the teacher plays. In times of needs and a crisis, our students look up to us for guidance and it's certainly something that I've taken care of. It's not to say I'm gonna do likewise and be a hero but it's about not panicking when the going gets tough.
Our group detoured to this place called Telok Blangah Mall, it's really just a quiet housing estate where we stopped to buy some cold drinks and sat down for a while before we continued on our journey towards LAC. At the moment, I was thinking that it could be our last brush with civilisation before we head into the camp. I can tell many of us were feeling down at the thought of having to spent our hols in a camp and Praba kept my spirits up by pointing to this sign "Blangah Mall". It's just that the trees were blocking out the other words and thought it's really nothing much, it managed to bring a smile to our faces.
We had team building games in the evening and we learnt rope tying skills, belaying and we climbed our first rock wall. Compared to many of my peers, I don't really have much experience when it comes to outdoor education. You can have group members who are obs veterans or those who have gone on countless trekking, kayaking and climing expeditions overseas. Here am I with my miserable experience. It just goes to show how much I have to learn from this camp. I'm a sucker for adventure and thrill-seeking and luckily for me, I don't have a height phobia so rock climbing is quite a fun event. It really helps alot though if you have stronger arm power and good climing techniques. People who have climbed will know what I'm talking about, it's not so much about using your arm but really using your legs to project yourself further up and your arms should always be in a straightened position. Your centre of gravity should always be close to the wall as well.
Day 2
Since we had quite a large group of students, half of the group (including mine) was diverted to the Dairy Farm Adventure Centre to do our high elements. It was my first time attempting all these stations (flying fox, abseil tower, all the little different stations where you have to walk on just 1 or 2 wires with nothing supporting you but your belay ropes. It's instances like these that you learn to trust your teammates and you realize how big a responsibility you have over the lives your group members. It was really hard work and sweating it out trying to belay that particular individual as he/she was attempting the challenge ropes course. The most terrifying moment was perhaps the flying fox station. It was really freefall for that 1.5 seconds as you jump off the tower before you fly off at high speed towards the other end of the tower. It was really experiencing the effects of gravity at its maximal force. Overall, it was a good end to Day 2 because when you're having fun, time really passed by so fast. While waiting for the coach to bring us back to LAC, I received a call from Marvin regarding soccer. Sadly, I had to decline him but it affirms one thing - I had something to look forward to when this 1 week camp is up.
Day 3
I guess fate really like to play a joke on me as it was the 3rd time running that I spent my birthday in camp. I didn't tell anyone of my classmates about my birthday because I didn't see the need to. It was no real big issue because once you get past the 21st mark, other birthdays somehow seemed just like any other day. I woke up in the morning silently wished myself a happy 22nd birthday and went on my work. You're only as old as you think you're by taking a leaf out of my friends' book. Some of my colleagues are in their late 20s but they really behave younger than they look. That is something I have got to constantly remind myself of as I get older and older. Yes, at the age of 22 years old, I'm considered the baby of my group because the rest of my group members are postgraduate students while me, Praba and Junwen are the only degree students around.
It was really packing up and getting ready for our bus trip to Changi Village before we boarded the bum boat to Pulau Ubin ( for our land and sea expedition). It was really a trip down memory lane everytime I pass by that area because it was really where I spent the majority of my NSF days. It was pitifully seeing those rps on duty when my coach passed by the entrance of the camp. Like them, I've done my share and it's just a matter of time before their duty to the nation is up. While on the bumboat towards Ubin, the mood was pretty solemn. I guess everyone is tired and not knowing what lies ahead of us. What was on my mind was the fact that there's just 2.5days more to go before I'll be on my way back to the mainland once again.
Upon reaching Ubin, it was a 4km route march with our heavy trekker bags and rations towards the NPCC Camp Resilience situtated on the northern side of the island. I'll tell you that long sleeve shirts, insect repellent, sunblock and my trusty jungle hat are really the lifesavers throughout the duration of this camp. Day 3 itself was pretty slack because it was just admin and orientation matters in the npcc campsite itself. As the guys didn't bother bringing any tents, we had to draw out the tents from the camp site itself. No prizes for guessing, it was literally a basha tent meant for 5 guys. Like Praba said, he was hoping to get away from army in this camp but the stuff he did (being the leader for the land expedition with all the related cartogragphy and topography), it was difficult for him not to remember his recce days.
Day 4
Land expedition was quite a good trip outdoors for me because we managed to secure a good camping side facing out to sea and it was in area that didn't really have much of a problem with mosquitoes. I saw alot of wildlife that I wouldn't have a chance to see on mainland Singapore. Hornbills, monkeys, cotton bugs, spiders that you'lll see in tekong and the list goes on and on. My first trip to Chek Jawa and it was heartening to see nature so close up. You've got the fiddler crabs, mudskippers, horseshoe crabs (Even my instructor had gone on an horseshoe crab conservation trip before), nipah trees, mangroves, the tallest tree in Ubin etc.
On our way to the Mamam for cold drinks was also where I got the most number of mosquitoes bites on both of my legs while bashing through the jungle blindfolded. I chose not to wear pants because it's gonna be damn hot and sweaty. Basically, it's a situation where you have to give and take. I can still remember I had more than 15 bites just walking through that path that's slightly less than 100 metres. I had like 6 to 8 mosquitoes feeding on my blood and it was really pointless trying to swat them away. Mr Free Frag I was at that moment.
It was at Mamam that we managed to purchase our cold drinks and I topped up my water supply with another 1.5 litres of mineral water from the old couple that lives there. They kept this damn big wild boar that had grown to a considerable size and you probably will be laughing behind your laptop upon hearing this. It's called Jack. That was the name given to the wild boar by the uncle that had reared it since young. We met up with 3 tourists from Alsaka and California and in my mind I was thinking "If Singaporeans like us are dying like mad from the heat, I wonder how is the Alsakan guy taking to it" We had a good chat with them before setting off for our campsite near the jetty. They were amazed and liked the fact that we were pe teachers who are involved in a training camp and even complimented us on the fact that we have a good job.
Arrived at camp site and pitched our basah for the night. We managed to find a spot close to the sea where the guys can smoke and for me, just to enjoy the sea breeze and take in the view. It was really a sight that money cannot buy.
Day 5
Woke up at 5am the next morning and began a fast march towards the npcc campsite for our sea expedition. It was so dark and we were walking at quite a fast pace and once again, it felt like army all over again. We didn't stop till we reached the camp site. Had a fast breakfast and hydrated before we got ready for our sea expedition. This day would be one that I'll remember for life. I've never paddled non-stop for 8 hour from morning to evening in the hot afternoon sun. I thought trench digging was worse but at least you get to rest when you want to. However, resting when you're kayaking in the open sea is a big no no. You only get pulled further out to the open sea and find yourself drifting further away from the main cohort of canoes.
There were times I had wanted to give up but it's times like these you gotta tell yourself to push on. If I had wanted to give up, my teammates will suffer and I can't afford to let that happen. Towards the end point, my arms were paddling non-stop like it was on auto-mode. Had my lunch out at sea (just jam with bread and a packet of oreos). Amazingly, I'm very prone to motion sickness and luckily for me, I never once got seasick out there. Simon lost his sunglasses while bending down to carry the rubber boat meant for 4 people. I lost a new box of ricola out to the sea.
My thighs are pretty burnt like a red lobster together with a fingers but compared to many of my friends, I'm considered quite lucky. My face is intact and though the thighs still hurt, time will make it heal. It was a rest time of less than 30 mins before we embarked on the river expedition where we had to navigate around the river to find the exit or mouth of the river towards the sea. The waters were really dirty but paddling-wise it was pretty smooth as compared to the sea. We didn't have to fight against the currents and the river drift helped us alot. Reached a barn where we have get out of our rubber boats and stepped onto the slippery mudbanks to carry our boat across before we could continued. I stepped into this dangerous pithole in the mud and for once, I asked myself what am I doing out here in this river filled with dangerous obstacles?
I guessed the answer was found when we reached the mouth of river and paddled our hearts out towards the end point. The point where we started. We saw sights like the majestic sea eaagle, squid, jellyfish and the very shy monitor lizard. Chris even managed to take photos of a dead and pretty big monitor lizard. I've never been more glad to touch solid ground when we reached the finishing point. Cooled ourselves in the sea and it was really a fitting end to this tough but rewarding sea expedition. I learnt so much about myself and the others.
Day 6
Presentation by our group with regards to the poems that we had came up with before we booked out. Pulau Ubin has been a good host to us during our stay there and most importantly of all, we are all safe and sound. Made a promise to come here again to savour the seafood with my friends.
Very long post indeed and there's more to come. In the meantime, it's time to take a break. The island getaway memories will forever be etched in my mind.
