G.I.F.T. Camp

Guilty as charged for abandoning my blog - or am I? I guess I was just too busy contemplating on things most people might say is useless to think about at this stage of life - the stage of life where, how do you say it, girls just want to have fun? Oh well. It's not like you, my readers, don't know me...

I stayed in the city last weekend for the Gift Camp in Sacred Heart Canossian Convent, near DP. Here's a confession: I don't really know why but I was eager to sign up as the committee when Kath asked if I could join them. Knowing myself well, I wasn't that *kind* to children. I mean, I used to hate them, mind you. I often wondered how anyone can stand being around the noisy bunch. That was before. Not anymore now.

Okay ~ back to the event, I actually had fun esp. during the sing-along sessions. I love music and songs are the reason why I agree to follow my sister for prayer meetings on Fridays back home, although I'm not really into the whole pray-over thingy. It's just not my...field. And again, I feel pretty much alive with my own people. Of course, I don't mind mingling with all my WM friends but seriously, when you gather with your own people, it feels much more at home - and home is where I'll always want to be...

Let me simply summarize the camp for you:

July 31st, 2009
Friday
I left campus around at 10.00am, right after my IDA class and arrived in MC around 1.00pm. Kath was there at the same time, after sending her friend off so naturally, I followed her home. Rested at her house and headed off to the convent with Renna and See Ni around 4.30pm. They were going to help us as well with the sing-along. We arrived at the convent a little earlier than Harry and team. When I first saw the kids, I thought, "Oh my, what am I to do with all of them?" and "Why am I here again?"

Seeing how I am kind of fond with children lately (oh, I assure you, this has nothing to do with someone in particular), I was hoping that everything will go as planned. Of course, the first sing-along was a bit awkward but I got into the mood soon enough.

The best thing that happened tonight was the river cruise. I kept it cool but I was actually a bit excited, just like the children because, well, it's a river cruise and seeing all those lamp lights in the night was, shall I say, romantic. It was indeed. Bring your partner the next time you come down to Malacca and take the river cruise at night NOT during the day. Trust me. You'll get disappointed if you went for it in the daylight. Don't say I didn't warn you.

After all that, it was time for us to go back to the convent where the children watched "Monster House" before they were sent off to bed - which they didn't do because they were so noisy and wouldn't sleep until 2.00am the next morning! Sheesh! I wouldn't mind if they were babies... Kath and I had to sleep in the hall with them while their teachers, Gloria and (also) Kath slept in the other room. The sisters Clara and Lucy slept upstairs while Harry and his team went back. Well, Kath and I had to get up a few times and told them off for misbehaving, instead of sleeping when they should be.

August 1st, 2009
Saturday
The bell rang at 6.30am and off we were to St. Paul's hill around 7.00am+. Fresh morning air feels so good! And the moon's silhouette was red. So the day resumed with more sing-along after that, meal times, games and clearing up. We unexpectedly ended early. It was really fun actually, the camp. So we get to go home early :D which makes me happy 'cause I only had four hours of sleep and sooner or later, I might be grumpy, which is not good at all.

Today was also the first time I rode a motorcycle and frankly, I was a bit scared. Since Kath was with Harry, I followed TJ and seriously, I was scared. Dad never allowed us to ride a motorcycle and mom definitely won't allow it so yeah, imagine that. But to have the wind in your face was a bit fun...still it doesn't make me want to have a bike of my own someday.

As far as I'm concerned, the camp was fun despite of the rumours I heard among the children, which makes me uncomfortable. I mean, if they're doing that at their age, what are they going to do when they're my age?? Sheesh! Still, I'd like to thank Kath for bringing me to the camp and the sisters Clara and Lucy, teachers Gloria and Kath, Harry, Tj, Alec, Louisa and her sister Winnie for making the camp a fun event. And to TJ esp. for most of the photos when I was too busy with the sing-along :)

So here are some of the children I mostly spent my time with throughout the camp:

According to order: 1) Jessica - the cute one (2) Richard - the shy one (3) Angel - my dear helper and (4) Kerrick - the cute, active kid :D