camp

Returned recently from a camp. I wasn't there as a camper though, but as an instructor. Perhaps provided me with a glimpse of what I will be getting myself into when I start teaching.

The campsite was at Amoy Quee Camp, and the environment, though not that bad, wasn't fantastic either (esp in the eyes of the students I found wondering around in the middle of the night, claiming that the accommodation was not what they were used to, thus resulting in the inability to sleep).

Coincidentally, one of the organisers there was in the same group as I was in the NIE PPT test. Glad to find out that he actually passed the test as well, and is awaiting for acceptance into NIE. Another familiar face I met at the camp was that of a bballer. He actually plays for Hong Kah North, we found out, after much discussion over where we've seen each other. Qi Hui, meanwhile, was practically coercing him into saying that he remembered seeing her as well, since he remembered me. Haha...

Met a couple of very interesting and adorable students at the camp as well. There was the one who kept saying that she was dying of hunger both nights when I stopped by her bunk for night patrol duty; the ones who were potential ah lians at their age (13 - sec 1 students); the extremely vain ladies who had to pretty themselves before a mirror for more than 15min before obliging to leave the bunk and gather; the great impersonators who weren't afraid of being laughed at, the one who calls herself "Genius" and another, "Chocolate".

Though extremely tiring, the entire camp was filled with great fun, with great students who were at times hard to control, as well as the other instructors who were wonderful companions. Miss the people at the camp actually... as well as the atmosphere. The campfire night was real fun - shouted and screamed then, well, as well as at the students as well when they misbehaved - leading to my current status of having to nurse a sore throat.

I guess the experience has double-confirmed my choice to be a teacher, esp a PE teacher. I can't wait to start in NIE... the forms are signed and all that's left is to register and I'm all set!

I realised that I've also garnered a new trait since the camp - I've become more independent ever since. I found myself enjoying 'me' time more; like yesterday, for instance, I was at taking a spontaneous hike at Fort Canning Hill, in my jeans and tank top in immense heat. I also found myself being more friendly, trying to appear more approachable. And I tried it out yesterday - on caucasians, since they are the ones who are more 'friendly', in the sense that they actually smile at strangers and greet them as well. Being the shy hermit that I am, it's quite difficult for me to try and accomplish that actually. Usually I'd walk with me head down, avoiding eye-contact. However, I actually smiled at 2 caucasians in the hill, and even greeted them in return when they said hi to me. Quite an accomplishment for a hermit, I'd say. But found myself returning to the normal shy self after that afternoon though. Maybe the heat made me delirious. Hah!

I attribute the independence to being at the camp with Dan, yet for the 3 days, we didn't even act couply and all. And I wasn't all that bothered when he sat with the other female instructors instead of me at the camp, which I would have, in the past. I think we both actually enjoyed the camp very much, even without constant companionship of one another. And I actually think that's real good. In fact, we were so uncouply, that most of the other instructors had no idea that we were an item and were shocked when they found out after the camp, when we were having a much missed McDonald's lunch.

Read in a book abt men and relationships that instead of looking for someone to 'complete you', you should be looking for someone to accompany you, someone you want to be with because you choose to. Not because you require him to fill in some gap you see in yourself. I used to think Dan completed me... but now, I am my own self and I am with him cos I choose to.

Oh, next time you're at Bugis Village, by the way, do try out this snack at one of the foodstores opposite the food centre inside - Fried Golden Mushroom. I think it sells Taiwan delights or something like that. Do tell her to lay back on the chilli powder cos the first time I had it, the person drowned it in chilli powder, so much so that Dan and I were sweating and had numb tongues after consuming them! But do have some chilli powder cos otherwise, it doesn't really taste all that great.

2:34 PM ·