However, i was touched and amazed by how fast our team got together and consoled each other online. There was this force among us that brought us togther, everyone came together and joked about how suay we were and how lucky we were to be not on the capsized boat. It was then i felt how much we have bonded thorughout the year (esp during the week that we plan for the indo trip). We even planned an outing to sentosa in just a few minutes! (: I WANNA SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO WENT TO SENTOSA/VIVO  YTD, YOU ALL REALLY REALLY MADE MY DAY, ALL THE FUN WE HAD, SILLY STUFF WE DID, IT CHEERED ME UP ALOT. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH <3

Then today, we had meeting, everyone sat in a big circle and said their thoughts and feelings about the cancelled trip. It was today that the news and everything hit really hard on me. I hung my head low and thought and recalled about everything we did throughout the year (raising funds, SL workshops etc.. ).

We washed cars, that was the first fund rasing event we did, it wasnt really a success and we even scratched a car, but somehow it felt good. I felt that the awkward silence among us went away, we spoke to each other, washed cars with people which we dun really know, the gap between us reduced. Then, it was the sales during can marathon, everyone really did their best to sell all the stuffs we had, we sold popsicles, hotdog buns and eclairs. Although the hotdog buns din look v appealing, ( i think i still have the leftover hotdogs in my fridge! LOL ), we gave in our best effort to sell the buns,i think we approached EVERYONE in the school at LEAST THREE TIMES. We repackaged the eclairs and SOLD EVERYTHING at the guitar concert!

All the things we did together as a team flashed past my mind like a film without sound. Emotions started to set in and tears dropped from my eyes. All these emotions really meant alot to me cos im not those type who drop tears easily.  I didnt want TOOP to end like this for me, i want to go to cambodia/yunnan/tanjung balai, i want to see the  programmes we prepared so much for to happen, i want to see the children and people there, i want to see their smiles and sense their joy, i want to leave an impact in their lifes, all these are my reasons for joining TOOP. I know i am selfish to just think about all the ‘i wants’, but i just cant help it, issnt that what most of the people in our team really want??Im sorry I din voice out my thoughts and feelings cos at that moment i really dont know what to say, all those emotions made me numb.

During training today, mrs goh came over and talked to me, she comforted me and talked about the trip. She mentioned something about the smiles of the people i want to see at the trip, she asked me, what if there wasnt smiles? Wouldnt it be more disappointing if they werent pleased about our programmes? I didnt know how to answer mrs goh, i know she actually wants to make me feel better  but somehow i felt that the progammes we worked on would sure be a success, the people there would be satisfied with the programmes and with such an ‘imba/cheerful/good at coming up with lame games that actually can be quite fun’ team like us, there is no reason for me to say that the people there would be disappointed with the programmes we have for them, the people there will CONFIRM LOVE US! =D .Mrs goh also said,to see the setbacks as an opportunity or disappointment, it is up to us, we shouldnt die down bcos of all these setbacks we face, we should emerge even stronger and treat it as an opportunity for us. All these setbacks made us bond further as a team. She also asked me ‘ what is it that you really gained from all these setbacks’ and i answered her ‘the friendships that i have made and the strong bond that we have formed as a team ‘ She also mentioned some stuff about the other TOOP team and how bonded we are compared to them, which i was really really proud of! =))

I think i really have alot to say but im too tired now to continue, so i shall summarise the things i should/wanted to say this morning during the mini meeting.

‘i want to say that i am really proud of the team, despite all the setbacks we face, we still remained together, refused to give up any hope or opportunities that were given to us.Thank you all for the wonderful memories of TOOP, we are really a strong team and i really hope that the friendships we forged wun end after the local project. TEAM SHINE! SHINE ON!

ohh.. and im so sorry for being so emo today, cos i really needed time to compose my thoughts and feelings about the trip, and i also duno why today i feel very very tired and shag. SO SORRY if my gloomy face somehow affected ur day :/

Kok Wei

Halfway through the year, we faced our first major setback – Cambodia was cancelled. We were now TOOP Yunnan, and Team 2 at that. All that we had been planning had to be changed and modified. We had to make changes to programmes, plan for new logistics, be prepared to go somewhere cold, not watch the sunset/sunrise together and even not bathe for 5 days. I was definitely upset and disappointed (and I’m sure everyone was) that we were not going to Cambodia but I felt that we all took this in our stride and still planned enthusiastically. For this, I was really proud to be part of THE team.

Fund-raising and planning still continued even though the danger of another cancelled trip hung in the air. To be honest, I really did not expect the trip to be cancelled even though there were a lot of warnings from our principal. I actually thought that the school would still allow the trip to continue. How can they cancel something that we had been planning so hard for? I really firmly believed that this time, we could go to Yunnan together. As for any other school trip, I was starting to imagine the fun that we would have during the two weeks, cooking, eating and not bathing together.

Then we faced our second setback just one week before departure. We were TOOP Yunnan no more. Even though both Yunnan teams’ trips were cancelled, I felt that our team faced the larger disappointment. After all, this was our second disappointment in the same year. Furthermore, I had thought that there was little hope of going on another trip as there were no other TOOP destinations available. We were told to start planning for a local CIP project while the teachers tried to get us on another trip – TOOP Tanjung Balai. I tried not to get my hopes up about another trip, thanks to the warnings from the teachers. I don’t know about the rest of the team but I was prepared to carry out the local CIP project within that week.

So when TOOP Tanjung Balai was approved, I was veryvery surprised (pleasantly ). Although this meant more re-planning, I didn’t mind at all. In fact, I was happier to be able to spend more time with THE team, even if it meant more work (really!). Again, I started thinking of what would happen in the ferry on our way there and more importantly what would happen in Balai itself. I thought that this time, Balai was going to be for real; it was approved, no H1N1, no nothing. We took flu jabs, bought malaria pills, dictionaries, change currencies, prepared teaching material, bought a lot of snacks and started packing our bags. For me, I constantly reminded myself to remind you guys to bring your passports. The preparation period for Balai, together with the major setbacks, brought us closer together like never before.

The night before we were to leave for Balai, I was already mentally prepared to spend 4 days and 3 nights with Team SHINE. I sent out the message to remind everyone to bring passports at about 7 in the evening. Then, I was wondering why the teachers had not reminded me to remind you guys yet. I worried that I had sent out the message too early though I was sure that no one would forget. (Trivial, as it may seem, I really thought so!) I was doing some last-minute packing and even smiling to myself while realising that half of my luggage (backpack and daypack) were filled with snacks. Then when Ms Koh called at 10.02pm, I was still packing. I thought it was for some last-minute instructions and to remind me to remind the team to bring passports.

Then she said, “The trip’s cancelled.” and I started laughing. Like really “hahahahahahahaha are you joking?” into the phone. I honestly thought that she was joking. Then after I put down the phone. I didn’t know what to think. I went online. There were mixed reactions but the main thing that we all felt was Disappointment with a capital “D”. Ms Koh told me, “Really! You can go check the news!”. So I did. And all that I felt after reading the online articles was that “I’M STILL ALIVE. The 26 of people who died from the accident could easily have included all of us.” *Touch wood*, but that was reallyreally what I thought. I meant it when I said that I’m just thankful that we are all alive and safe.

I felt really happy and proud at the same time to have a team that was so optimistic and open-minded to be planning for another day trip of our own so soon after Balai was cancelled. Time and venue were quickly settled. We even had a logistics list That Sunday night and the whole day after, I felt superduper proud of our fantabulous team

I am very happy and thankful of my decision to join TOOP Cambodia (as we were called at first), to meet every single one of you and for this very special bond among us. If not for TOOP which joined us all together, I would not have met such wonderful people and gotten to know every one so well. Thank you for giving me such an amazing experience the past few months. Given that I could go back in time, I can confidently say that I would have chosen to join TOOP. Actually, I wish that I COULD go back in time, to experience all that we have over and over again I hope for ALL OF US to join the alumni team and plan for a trip over again and to go on a trip that belongs to only us Sincerely, I could not have asked for better people to work with. Up till the beginning of this year, I have not gotten the good luck to work with such an amazing and cooperative and fun and enthusiastic and enjoyable team.

So THANK YOU!

(Team = Teachers + Students)

On a side note, the news today said that the last ferry to leave Singapore for Balai was 1.30pm on Sunday. Imagine what we looked like in the eyes of the Cruise Center people.

But in my eyes, we looked just great

(Thanks, Jia Jun )

Next, we spent about 15minutes at the Singapore Gallery, to learn more about Singapore’s history. There were really many facts that I did not know of!

Thereafter, we visited the China Gallery and had to find an artefact that best represents the adjective that we had thought of earlier i.e. indirectly best represents ourselves. I think it was good that the teachers had us think of an adjective first before telling us that we had to look for an artefact. If it had happened the other way around, I am sure that most of us would not have thought of an adjective that best represents ourselves but more along the lines of an adjective that best represents an artefact, which would have been rather pointless. We also had to think of three questions that we wanted to find out about the artefact.

At first, I thought that it was going to be difficult to look for a “happy ” artefact. But as I walked through the gallery, I found out that there are actually quite a number of ways in which “happy ” could be expressed in an artefact! For example, I had at least three artefacts in mind — 1) Family Rose Bowl; because the colours were happy colours, 2) Bowl with five copper red bats; representing the Five Blessings: longevity, wealth, health, love of virtue and peaceful death and 3) Two performers on Elephant; performers were representative of entertainment and humour. Later, I decided on the second one, Bowl with five copper red bats, as I thought that the Five Blessings were in some ways or other, necessary for happiness.

Bowl with five copper red bats

After we spent about half an hour walking around the gallery, we got into our sub-groups and shared with our groups and teachers the artefacts that we had chosen and the questions that we were supposed to have thought of. For me, there were a few objectives to this activity.

Firstly, I learnt how to ask questions. It may seem like quite a “duh” objective (who doesn’t know how to ask questions right?) but then we have to think of the right questions to ask, questions with perspective and a certain level of depth. This would be very important when we are in Yunnan, when we have to know what questions to ask in order to gain the most out of our trip, especially under time constraints.

Secondly, I gained new perspectives through listening to our friends present their artefacts and ask their questions. As the teachers have mentioned, it would be impossible for just one person to take in all of his/her surroundings. Therefore, it would be beneficial for everyone to listen and learn from each other to maximise learning.

Thirdly, I learnt what to look our for when in Yunnan. During our trip, there would definitely be many things to see but there are only some things that are worth looking out for. When I was walking through the gallery, my main goal was to find an artefact that best represents “happy ” and the same goes for the rest of the team — to find the artefact that best represents our adjective. Therefore, everyone would be looking for different artefacts. If everyone had been looking out for an artefact that represents only one adjective, the activity would have been quite meaningless. Therefore, in Yunnan, everyone would be looking out for different things as well. This is where sharing sessions come in again I foresee manymanymany sharing sessions in Yunnan!

All in all, I felt that this activity certainly prepared me better for our trip
(though I am veryvery sad that Mrs Ang will not be joining us ): )

Good luck for PW!
Yunqi

However, much to my surprise, my 3rd visit to ACM was somewhat different compared to the other 2 instances, especially with the China museum. The previous 2 times, I entered the museum with the intent to quickly finish the task given by my tutors and complete the worksheets and tasks asap, and did not had the time and the mindset to actually look around and read the descriptions. This time, it proved to be an eye-opener as I had the freedom to look around at my own pace and learn more about the different artefacts, showcasing the different aspects of China. Although I was handed a task to find an object that suited my adjective, this time, I could actually enjoy my time in the museum without being bogged down by the task.

I especially enjoyed the time when we revealed our adjectives and the questions regarding the artefacts. It allowed us to know each other better and it also presented a deeper level of thought in all of us. Instead of simply looking at things on the surface, most of us asked deeper questions pertaining to the object. It’s especially interesting how 2 different people can have different interpretations of the same object.

All in all, this trip was a really fruitful one. (:

Organising the entire food sale was easier said than done. Our Logistics Committee had to make several changes ever so often that we even had trouble keeping up with the newest amendments.

Firstly, we had to postpone the sales because we had trouble getting sufficient orders. Also, the sale of Jolly Shandy was not allowed by the Principal and Vice-Principals. When we asked Mr Chang for permission to set up the various booths, he told us that we cannot sell unhealthy food in our school, causing quite a bit of chaos.

When we finally had all the details confirmed, the eclairs which were supposed to come on Wednesday DID NOT. Some miscommunication led to the company thinking that we wanted it on Thursday instead. So, after some negotiation, we managed to get two free trays of eclairs and handled the problem pretty well

With these challenges thrown at us, we were able to think on the spot for solutions and learnt to work under pressure. It was a hectic week, but the overwhelming response made up for it. Many students wanted eclairs and donuts even after they were all sold out.

These are some learning points to summarise our event:

+ Food items were popular

+ There were students who were willing to donate

+ Gave TOOP Cambodia a chance to publicise our cause and build a good reputation for our team

- It was very messy during the sale itself [students should be asked to queue up]

- Pre-Order Forms did not work, many were unaware of our sale until the day itself [posters/other forms of publicity can be used to promote our event]

- Money for the delivery personnel was not prepared until the day itself [it should be set aside earlier]

- Eclairs did not arrive on the stipulated date [we should double-check with the vendors the day before to make sure]
On behalf of the Logistics and Fund-Raising Committee, I would like to thank each and every one of you TOOPers for helping out in any way. Thanks for making the event a success =D

Enjoy your June Holidays!

Ashley Tong

Enjoy reading!