The SP Scholars of Year 08/09 were in for a shocker when we checked our emails a week before the mid-semester holidays. One minute, we were all thinking of doing our favourite things during the long awaited break; shopping, meeting up with old friends, watching movies… The next minute we’re told not only do we have a string of workshops lined up for us, but also a 4D3N leadership camp at Perak, Malaysia! So before we know it, we were ‘kicked’ into the coach bus with our backpacks and mixed emotions, heading towards Malaysia on the 16th of June for our Leaders of Tomorrow Camp (LTC).
As we said our goodbyes to Singapore, we all had our reservations towards the camp. We were told that where we are heading has no hot water for us to shower with (which just sends shivers down our spines thinking about it), there would be no network reception for our handphones to work on, and the activities they have prepared for us look exhausting enough to break us into little pieces! Who would actually be comfortable with being thrown out of their own comfort zone?
But all our reservations were unnecessary as we ended up having loads of fun during our time there! Even though we didn’t get to do much when we arrived at Kelompang Resort on the first day, we got to know what it’s like living in a place surrounded by nature. The resort (which is more like a kampong village of huts with bunk beds) is set in a hard-to-get corner off Ipoh, surrounded by rainforest, with a river streaming right next to it! It was so different from what we had back in Singapore! We also had a taste of the ‘cold water treatment’ in our rooms during washing up, and as horrible as it was, we all had a laugh while screaming our heads off once the water hits our skin.
For the next two days, we all had a lot of our ‘firsts’ during the activities, from our first trek to our first flying fox session to our first attempt at jungle cooking, first go at white water rafting, and even getting up close and personal with some of the snakes and other creatures of the jungle. During these activities, many of us overcame our fears and the challenges thrown at us, be it crossing dangerous river streams, flying at a height across a jungle, climbing over high rocks during trekking, or holding onto dear life while riding the rapids during rafting. After going through everything, we all emerged victorious and wanting more! Through these experiences, we learnt that we should never be afraid to try something new, because every new experience gained is always life changing and definitely without regrets. Don’t hold back!
Through this journey, we also learnt how to work together as a group in a way that can’t be learnt in a classroom environment. You could almost say that our life depended on it! That’s because without the help of our own group mates, we wouldn’t have made it through the trekking successfully, or made it till the end for our white water rafting activity. We might not even be able to take that plunge during flying fox if it weren’t for the cheers and support from our fellow group mates! So cheers to everyone for being such great team players, brilliant leaders and most importantly, good friends!
One of the many eye-openers during this trip is when we all went to the Orang Asli Village to do our community service. We were greeted with such generous hospitality and beautiful smiles that we were all touched and filled with warmth, despite the cold due to the pouring rain that day. The Orang Asli showed us all that despite living their lives with such simplicity, they still enjoyed it to the fullest and are truly content with it. Unlike them, we constantly complain about life, never satisfied with the things we already have and always wanting more. As we leave their village to head back to our campsite, I’m sure many of us learnt to treasure and appreciate how fortunate we really are in life, and decide to face each day of our lives with a smile as bright as theirs.
On the last day, all of us can’t wait to return to our homes, to our families, to our televisions, computers and comfortable beds. But as much as I feel the same myself, a small part of me wish the camp never ended. Waking up knowing that the whole day is going to be packed with adventure. Doing almost everything with everyone; complaining together, eating together, laughing together, joking together… The bonds made during this camp would never have been made if it weren’t for this amazing journey. I, and I believe some of us as well, opened up to everyone else during this camp, which was something unexpected but nonetheless welcomed. Also, the camp wouldn’t be half as successful as it is if it weren’t for the excellent guidance of our facilitators, Mr Helmi, Mr Kwok, Mr Tan and Mdm Rohanah. Thanks for all the effort you’ve all put in, facilitators!
I’m sure that we can all agree that at the end of it all, we’ve taken more than we could ever give during this camp. The camp may have ended, but hopefully the friendships made would last on for the SP Scholars of Year 08/09!