A Passage to India

Day 7, Bangalore : 24 June 2010

2010-07-06T15:25:00.006+08:00

Home Visit @ Malini's

2010-07-06T14:41:00.005+08:00

Home Visit @ Sudbhi's

2010-07-06T14:37:00.002+08:00

Home Visit @ Akhil's

2010-07-06T13:04:00.009+08:00

Day 6, Bangalore : 23 June 2010

2010-07-02T16:12:00.009+08:00

The day began back at VT Paradise with the telephone ringing in each room … one by one, serving as a wake-up call. The whole lot of us reluctantly left the comfort and warmth of our beds. After breakfast, we had to overcome a bumpy and long ride back to Sri Kumaran Children’s Home.

Upon arrival, we were herded to a big studio where yoga mats awaited us and thus began our meditation and stretching poses. We found the session entirely relaxing and was also tickled by the sight of lanky Mr Wee doing a butterfly pose. After yoga, we were greeted by an art teacher. “Oh dear, this can’t be happening right? Art lessons? We came all the way here for art lessons??” someone sighed.

The lesson started off with a slide presentation on Warli paintings, and we then proceeded to the art room for practical sessions. We were to draw Warli art and were quickly introduced to this new form of drawing. It was actually created by a tribe to depict folklore for those who were illiterate.

We found this new form of drawing very innovative. It was basically just a more complex stickman whose body was formed by two triangles. From this exposure, we got a glimpse of India’s culture and also our dimension for art expanded. Everyone drew perfectly and the teachers heaped praises on every one of us.

Then, we were split into three groups as we had to go to three classes - 8A, 8B and 8C. The purpose was for us to get a feel of how lessons were conducted in India. We were all amazed by how focused every single pupil was. Scanning the class, every single one would be sitting upright and focusing on whatever the teacher was teaching. We were impressed by the pupils’ hardworking mindsets. The class only erupted into a market whenever the teacher asked a question. Many pupils competed with each other just to answer that simple question. We were taken aback by their responsiveness and enthusiasm. Back home, whenever a teacher asked a question, there would be an eerie silence, everyone desperately trying to avoid the teacher’s glare. We Singaporeans were more concerned about “face” rather than learning and we would be worried and embarrassed to give the wrong answer. In short, we refrained from being the laughingstock of the class.

After the lessons, we headed down for lunch before being introduced to two different languages commonly spoken in Bangalore, namely Hindi and Kanada. Again, we were split into two groups. Everyone enjoyed the short session of getting tongue-tied and struggling to pronounce the words. I guess that was the whole fun part of going to another country - basically just to learn their language. Here is an example of some words in Kanada:

Aidu - (sounds like ‘I do’)
Enthu - (everyone laughed as ‘enthu’ is the Singaporean slang for enthusiastic)
Hadthu- (a loud guffaw was heard as it sounded like ‘had to’)
Subha madyana - Good afternoon
Dhanyavadagalu - Thanks
Ninna hesareenu - What is your name?

Cool right? The most laughable thing is that Kanada also sounds like ‘Canada’. Now we will learn some simple Hindi. It is quite commonly spoken in India and Singapore. Here are the examples:

Sekand - Second
Minat - Minute
Namak-Salt
Zamin - earth
Bahut achchha hai - very nice
Muh se ham khate haim - We eat with our mouth

I think everyone really enjoyed themselves in the language classes. After that, we were supposed to do something that all the boys were looking forward to. We were about to play sports! We approached a lawn and started playing soccer. Some of the girls were playing basketball, but some decided to watch a few people who were rehearsing for a Sports Day Ceremony. However after only 15 minutes, we had to obey nature as it decided to open the floodgates. Everyone immediately grabbed their belongings and dashed to a nearby shelter. We ran as fast as our legs could carry us and took shelter there for the time being until it was time for our home visits.

Reflections on our Visit to Thomas Children's Home

2010-07-02T11:44:00.011+08:00

Ning:
The trip to the orphanage was really meaningful and left a deep impression in me. I would in fact say that it was the best day I spent in India. I was really touched by how the children enjoyed our performance. The smiles on their faces were the best gifts I could ever get in return. I learnt how fortunate we are that we have our family members by our side, loving us and caring for us, regardless of what we do. The orphans are, on the other hand, way less fortunate, having been abandoned by their parents. I was really surprised at how our little efforts brought so much joy to the orphans. Children are gifts from God. We have to learn to treasure them and treat them like how they deserve to be treated.

Peiwern:
My buddy, Sasi, was a very kind person! When Aishah lost her camera, and was questioning everybody about its whereabouts, she tried conversing with her friends in their language, Kanada(I know because she made hand gestures and said the word “camera”). How thoughtful! But I didn’t really spend all my time with her as she was playing with her friend, Suda, who is also very sweet to offer me her Apollo Strawberry cake! She could also colour very well, and spoke English quite fluently. One of her friends, while explaining to me when her birthday was, said something to Sasi who replied, “Day after today.” Haha. I was very reluctant to leave, and even saying a hundred goodbyes didn’t help D: I hope I can come again next year! I think family is not all about blood ties, but also about whom you love and those who love you in return.

Jacqueline:
To be able to bring joy to someone who really needs it is a joy to me. The kindness and willingness to share is such a gift to behold. The way the child holds our hand to the way they play with us, their innocence and smiles cannot fail to lighten up my day. In the end, I can only say, it is not them who should thank us, but it is us who should thank them.

Jeremy Ng:
I felt a sense of joy when I gave the children the goodies and they thanked me. That touched me. It was also a rare experience to visit such an orphanage. I guess we made them happy for that whole day and that perhaps made us happy too in return. If I had the chance, I would want to go back to the orphanage again. The trip to the orphanage taught me not to take things for granted, after seeing their simple life.

Rachel Ng:
I am fortunate, happy and will not take things for granted as I realize that what I have seems more than what the orphans possess. I feel very sad for the children. Some had been abandoned since as young as 3. But I can tell that they were happy and had a fun time playing with us.

Eugene:
Upon receiving simple snacks, the children’s faces all lit up. I learnt that their daily meal consisted of rice and dhal. I realized that we should learn to treasure what we had. The smile on their faces really made my day.

Ruth:
The trip to the orphanage was the most meaningful part of the trip. The children were all very cute and energetic. My buddy, Ashwini, was very quiet at first, but she began to be more open as we spent more time playing. I promised myself that I would visit an orphanage again and take the opportunity to make the children happy.

Jannelle:
When we were on the way to the orphanage, I felt really excited as I couldn’t wait to interact with the orphans. Time passed as we were on the bus, and soon, I found myself right outside the orphanage. We walked in, and I found myself intimidated for I was staring into all their eyes. But they had looks of anticipation and as soon as we got to interact with the little kids, all intimidation was gone. They were glad to see us, to see the cameras. And in return, I was glad to see their smiles. Even though they were orphans, they showed their joy while singing songs with us. I felt that they were really happy-go-lucky. I loved that they would pull us along with them so that they got to play with us. I really missed them when we left the orphanage..

Aishah:
Personally, I enjoyed my visit to the orphanage. I was glad to have put smiles on the children’s faces. I also observed that when the boys got impatient and threw tantrums, Sister Josephine, their Principal, would tell them to pray. I was glad that we visited the orphanage.

Sze Min:
The Home made me cherish my house and my family members more. Although the circumstances surrounding the children in the Home were really pitiful, they were still very cheerful as they made many friends and formed close bonds with each other. Some of them also have relatives in their home.

Rachel Lau:
It was a pleasure to be with those kids. When I saw their smiles, I felt that all the work we put in was worth it. I was happy that through our efforts they had benefited. It was heartening to see that these orphans had a home to stay in, and they were not hungry, even for a day. Their enthusiasm touched our hearts. They caused me to treasure my family and taught me the importance of family.

Dayanara:
It really was heartening to see that we were able to put smiles on their faces simply by taking pictures with them and giving them sweets. Simple things like these were enough to make them happy. After visiting the orphanage I realized that how fortunate I was. Those children were separated from their parents at such a young age. They did not get to feel the love from their parents while I still could. And yet, I always argued with my parents over the slightest things. We often took what we had for granted> That was the main lesson that I learnt from this experience.

Sunita:
When I stepped into the orphanage for the first time, I felt very nervous because I saw a whole audience of students sitting down looking up at us. There were more than we expected. I was relieved when I found out that we were just taking about 20 of them. My buddy’s name was Sudah. Since the children there had scarce exposure to technology, they were fascinated when I took pictures of them and wanted to try my camera too.

Jeremy Lee:
When I first entered the orphanage, the kids gave us a big welcome. They were very enthusiastic about everything. When we taught them to colour the Merlion, they managed to get the hang of it almost instantly, although it was only their first time. When I gave them a chance to try my camera, they were thrilled by it. They loved the way the lens opened and closed when the camera was turned on and off. I felt a bit sad that these kids hardly ever experienced any gadgets or items. I wondered how I would survive without my hand phone. We also played football with them after that. It seemed that they hardly played any sports. They all wanted a chance to kick the ball. I felt happy to be able to bring some happiness, no matter how little, into their lives. They seemed so happy to try out the activities that we introduced to them.

Hanish:
Firstly, I felt very nervous when we reached there as I did not know what their reaction would be. Upon reaching there, we got a grand welcome. I was very happy when they were clapping. I gave them the goody bags which we packed the day before. Then we started singing and playing games. I taught my partner Darshan to colour the Merlion. I was honoured to be given the garland. We were all smiles when we left. I would always remember the kids.

Joel:
I felt very happy to contribute to the Home and the happiness of the children. Seeing them with wide gleeful smiles made me happy too. I really enjoyed the session, even though I was only taking photos of everyone. Although I didn’t take part in the activities, it was a joy to see my other friends carrying out the activities with them. I was also very happy that Hakim, John, Eugene, Jeremy and I decided to buy a ball for them. We initially bought it to play on our own. However, once we took out the ball to the orphans, they instantly flocked towards it, fighting for the ball, just wanting to get a grip of the ball as if this was the first time they saw and felt a ball. We certainly did buy a blessing in the form a of new toy for them to play with. I ended the day, trudging out reluctantly. However, the children’s toothless grins would definitely be edged in my mind forever.

Johnathan:
I felt very proud of myself and the team as we had done our best to help and bring joy to the children’s lives. I felt very happy and touched at the sight of their smiles and laughter.

Hakim:
I was very much more appreciative of my family as I knew how fortunate I was to have both parents, who could and would show constant love for me.

Day 5, Bangalore : 22 June 2010

2010-07-02T11:00:00.013+08:00

After breakfast, we whizzed straight to Sri Kumaran Children’s Home and had our first taste of Vedic Math. It is a creative yet practical system of calculation strategies and can be applied in arithmetic and algebra. Although it seemed complicated, we were convinced that there would be a use for it one day. What if our calculators were damaged or run out of batteries? What if we were to forget to bring our calculators?

Next, we were taught to make terracotta jewellery. What we lacked in talent, we matched with enthusiasm. Inspired by our patient instructor who explained each and every step of the process, we produced a range of earrings, pendants, charms for bracelets.

Our afternoon was spent at Thomas Children’s Home, an orphanage at the outskirts of Bangalore colouring bookmarks, singing, playing musical games and soccer together with the orphans ranging from 5 to 11 years old. Time passed so quickly, and before we knew it, we had to say goodbye. The Home presented us with flower garlands as a show of appreciation.

Day 4, Bangalore : 21 June 2010

2010-06-23T15:28:00.006+08:00

The sun rose high on the bright blue sky with its vibrant colours warming the face of the earth. A brand new day started and a whole adventure awaited us. We awoke feeling dazed but excited to set off for Sri Kumaran Children’s Home. The school’s layout was pretty impressive. The whole entrance was allocated for sports. There was a state-of-the-art basketball court and a soccer field under construction where students were joyously playing.

Our host students warmly invited us out of the bus and led us into the school. Our presence intrigued many students. Some were more open shouting their greetings whilst others were more apprehensive, just casting curious glances at us.

Then, we were ushered into their auditorium to listen to a speech by the school’s principal. We were impressed by the activities as well as the facilities which the school provides.

We soon made friends with our hosts and became very close to each other. Their hospitality was overwhelming and we were touched by their genuine warmth.

Our hosts brought us on a tour around the school. We found out that the curricuum is similar to ours, but the school’s location and new facilities seem to give it a slight edge over us. Oh how wonderful to have a school amidst a forest and lake!

We were so close that a few of us boys even started to play soccer on a sandy pitch. The girls were so wrapped up with chatting about studies. Our teachers had a hard time coaxing us to stop to have lunch.

Once back at the hotel, we mentally and physically prepared ourselves for the Sing-along session at the Thomas Children’s Home and Cyberwellness presentation at Sri Kumaran Children’s Home. We were also busy with packing goody bags to be given to the orphans at Thomas Children’s Home. Everyone enthusiastically participated in the rehearsals, willing to sacrifice our break time knowing that this simple gesture would go a long way in making the children happy. Excitement was in the air as everyone could not wait to give their best to put a smile on the children’s faces. All the effort and energy put in would definitely be worth while when we see their smiles …

Day 3, Mysore - Bangalore : 20 June 2010

2010-06-23T13:59:00.024+08:00

We were sad to leave the breath-taking view and cool weather in Ooty. If only the weather in Singapore is like this! We headed down the mountain along hair pin bends again heading for Mysore and then Bangalore where we would be spending our remaining time with the students of Sri Kumaran Children’s Home.

On the way down, many of us witnessed the panoramic beauty of Ooty first-hand. The beautiful ridges, coupled with crystal clear streams, vegetation and mist made the place look splendid. It was double joy when we reached the Tiger Nature reserve where we observed the variety of animals in their natural habitat. It was a joy to see animals in their natural habitat within the villages. Many Singaporeans will only see animals in the zoo. Many jostled for a good angle and squealed in excitement when we spotted the deers and elephants.

Upon reaching the city, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant which had a barrel for an entrance. Yes, it was a barrel, literally! With tummies full and happy, we were pleasantly surprised when Mr Raven, our tour guide, managed to secure a street magician to entertain us. Our jaws dropped as we were enthralled by the sight of him making water come out of Hakim’s pants and made Jeremy lay an egg. He also managed to spit out around 30 nails and puffed out smoke. Obviously, he was talented and we wondered whether his takings for the day was enough to cover his daily expenses.

Next stop was the grand Maharaja Palace in Mysore. It was stunningly huge. This palace was built in 1897 when an unfortunate fire mishap during the Princess’s marriage caused the old wooden palace to be completely burnt to ashes. The palace continues to be the residence of the Mysore royal family.

We continued our journey to Bangalore, which took about 4 hours to get there. We were caught in endless traffic jams on the way there. It was very late and everyone was exhausted from the long journey. After what seemed like eons, we finally reached VT Paradise, which would be our home for the next few days. Mr. Raven described it as ‘small but cozy”, and he was very accurate about that statement. It was indeed smaller than the previous two hotels. After checking in, we had dinner and went to sleep.

Day 2, Coimbatore - Ooty : 19 June 2010

2010-06-23T11:49:00.018+08:00

“Wakey, wakey….” I bet everyone struggled to open their sleepy eyes. The beds were not exactly the most comfortable and there were several distractions - the television and the company of our friends. After breakfast, we made our way to the nearby museum named after G.D Naidu, one of India’s famous inventor. The museum is similar to our Science Centre with its numerous mathematical and science exhibits. Of particular interest were the exhibits spanning a timeline. For example, we were captivated by how much the television had improved over the years from the black and white variety to the present ones.

Also, the different types of mirrors instantly intrigued us with their different distortions of our bodies. If only we could bring our cameras along (cameras were not allowed!), we would have taken a picture of ourselves with a freaking long body and short legs. Cool! Most of the girls flocked to the first mirror as it made them appear very skinny, making them look slimmer and better!?? Girls!!

We then moved to a stationery shop to get some gifts. A few of us bought some items but the walk from the bus to the shop was the main highlight. We were bemused by the hectic lifestyles of the Indians. We were not accustomed to jostling with other pedestrians and at the same time keeping an eye for stray vehicles. The traffic lights were few and pedestrian crossings rare. We wondered whether these prompted many to jay walk.

Then, we continued to venture on to Ooty braving the hair pin bends up the mountain. There was also a change in weather with many of us donning our jackets in response to the chilly atmosphere. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant called “Quality” which was an irony. The food wasn’t really of “quality”. But then, we were exhausted and ate anyway. Those who felt rather ill on our way up the mountain felt rejuvenated and were able to participate in the tea factory tour. The aroma of the tea leaves reminded us of ‘teh halia’ back home. It was just what we needed. It is amazing that tea provides immense pleasure to the millions of tea drinkers worldwide and yet, the process of harvesting and processing the tea leaves is simple. We are reminded that there are indeed simple pleasures in life.

We were told by the tour guide to “Expect the Unexpected” but most of us were unbelievers until we were caught in the heavy rain on our way into the Botanic Gardens. The boys were hoping to sneak a game of soccer and hence brought a ball along. However, their hopes were dashed when the gloomy sky and booming thunder signalled the start of a heavy downpour and a frenzied rush for shelter. Everyone was cramped into a small shelter. We were all desperately trying to prevent our branded clothes from being soaked in the rain and shoes from being stained by the murky water intent on drowning our feet. We were such a sorry sight to the locals :)

Thankfully, we were saved by a plan B (Plan A was a stroll in the Botanic Gardens) which gave us the opportunity to sit in a Tuk-tuk, India’s form of a taxi. It was pretty fun but at the same time chilly. Everyone came back shivering in cold. Soon (thankfully) we reached our hotel and prepared ourselves for the following day. Today was a tiring day, but who knows what tomorrow will bring us.

Day 1, Chennai : 18 June 2010

2010-06-22T13:22:00.031+08:00

“Make sure you take care of yourself okay?” followed by a pause. Then, “I love you!” Famous last words uttered by many parents upon seeing off their children on overseas trips at the airport. Suddenly, the daunting task of leaving our comfortable homes and our loved ones made us reluctant to check in. However, this was the day everyone prepared for. This was the day that we were finally leaving for India …

In the morning, we all gathered at Changi Airport, with our family. Everyone was very excited as we waited to check in our luggage. Some of our families were insisting that we buy souvenirs home, while others were convincing us that it is not necessary to splurge on gifts.

For some of us, the trip to Chennai on Jet Airways was their first time on the plane. Thus, we were all very excited. For those who had been on the plane, we were still excited as we were taking a plane with our friends.

About 3.5 hours later, we touched down at Chennai Airport whiich is very much smaller than ours. After collecting our luggage, we squeezed our way out of the arrival hall, and received roses from our tour guide, Mr Jaffar. When we exited the airport, we could see that the streets were very chaotic. The traffic noise was alarmingly deafening with every motorist honking as often as the eye could blink. We noticed that the pedestrian crossings, unlike those in Singapore were hardly ever used. As we proceeded to town, we could see many people jaywalking seemingly unafraid of the many cars zooming past. We also saw another type of taxi, known as “auto” or “tuk tuk”, a three-wheeled vehicle.

After a sumptuous lunch which included mutton, chicken, acar, dhal, sambar, rasam, idly, poori, naan, steamed and vegetable rice, we headed to MGR Memorial House which was the official residence of late Dr. MGR, who was India’s beloved actor and Chief minister, for more than two decades.

Subsequently, we walked past a market near the Marina Beach, which is said to be famous for its 23 statues. It is also reputed to be the 2nd longest beach after Miami Beach in Florida. As the bus headed to our next destination, we passed by the area that was badly hit by the December 26th 2004’s tsunami. Many people lost their homes. The makeshift tent-like houses which could only fit one mattress in each were still there and sadly, those who could not afford new homes were living in them. There were also houses made out of straw and leftover materials and they looked very unstable and unhygienic. We saw a couple of kids playing in the dirty water and appreciated the clothes we have and the stable roofs above our heads. Looking at the torn and dirty clothes which covered these children, we are grateful for the comfortable beds and clothes we possess. It embarrassed us to think that we once moaned about how our clothes aren’t of the latest fashion!

Later we stopped by St. Thomas Mount, a Catholic church, which is one of the only three churches in the world that was built over priest remains. We also stopped by the Temple Of Knowledge. This temple was built in the 16th century. Its gates were carved out of a giant block of stone. There were many beautiful statues and admirable craftsmanship. To think that back in their days, where technology was limited, they used only simple tools to hand carve these intricate designs. We had to remove our shoes before entering the temple as a form of respect. The stone ground was warm and according to our tour guide, many people just walked around the temple premises as a form of foot reflexology.

After the visit to the temple, we headed to have tea at a local coffee shop, as dinner would be very late at night. We had copious cups of creamy coffee and masala tea which tasted delicious with vadeh and vegetable samosas. Mdm Juhariah had two cups of coffee and one cup of tea. When questioned about her dire thirst, she defended herself by insisting they were “super tiny” cups (Mrs Lim who had two super tiny cups also agreed!!), and everyone else sighed, “Yeah right!”

We traveled to Chennai Airport to catch our flight to Coimbatore. Some of the girls needed a toilet break, and took our own sweet time in the bathroom. Mrs. Lim realized we lost track of time and rushed us past the security checks to the boarding gate. The staff was panicking as most of the passengers had not checked in. We later realized that we occupied three quarters of the plane! We reached Coimbatore and as we disembarked from the plane cool air met us. The airport was so deserted that we were the only ones there. After collecting our luggage, we boarded a bus, and were introduced to a new tour guide, Mr. Sanjay.

We checked in at CAG Pride Hotel, had a quick dinner and went to our rooms which were very nice and spacious. We bathed, washed up and went to sleep …

Little India

2010-05-18T15:24:00.012+08:00

A tinge of excitement filled the room as everyone gathered, ready to head for Little India. Everyone arrived punctually, well done! And our journey started when representatives from the travel agency gave us an overview of India.

Although India is such a growing powerhouse in the economy, we were not very familiar with its rich diversity in culture. Many of the things our presenter, Mr Imraan, told us served as an eye opener. He shared with us his personal experiences in India, the etiquette and cultures of India and what to expect. We learnt that we must never use our left hand for eating as it is considered unhygienic. Everyone enjoyed his presentation and found it relevant for the trip.

Then off we went to board the bus heading to Little India to familiarize ourselves with the Indian food culture. Upon reaching, we walked past an “Indian Arcade”, which was a mini market. We proceeded to a restaurant, got seated and everyone waited impatiently for the food. Idli, masala dosa, vadeh and puri were the dishes served, together with lime juice to quench our thirst. The dishes were accompanied with delicious sauces, which enhanced the taste of the mouth-watering food.

The first dish was Idli which looked like a pancake made of rice. On its own, it tasted a little bland, but with sugar, coconut paste and dhal it was yummy. The second dish served was masala dosa, which resembled the local roti prata, just that it had potato filling, and it was slightly bigger in size. The potato filling was a little sour, but the crust was very crispy. Next was the deep fried vadeh shaped like a doughnut, with bits of vegetables and onions. It was delicious. The last dish, which was puri, had no filling, and it tasted like flour, but after dipping it into some dalcha, the taste was much better. Overall, we felt satisfied with the sumptuous meal.

We went back to school and in groups started our brainstorming session. One group worked on a presentation on Cyber Wellness that we would be delivering to our host pupils there. To demonstrate Charity which is one of our school values, another group planned an interactive activity which would involve children from an orphanage we would be visiting there. The enthusiasm was palpable and we could not wait to be on our way to India!

Seventh Day - I'm coming home, to the place where I belong ...

2008-06-12T11:40:00.005+08:00

I can't believe that seven days have flown by just like that. I guess it must be true that time flies when you are having fun.
Here I am, sitting in the Computer Lab finishing up the blog entries while the students are making Indian jewellery in the auditorium, and I can't help but feel a tinge of sadness as I recall the many amazing experiences we have all had and the good times I have spent with the wonderful and quirky students.
Today's a really short day as we need to beat the jam this evening to get to the airport on time. Everyone is slightly subdued, probably because we all know that our adventure is about to end.
Well, I just want to assure all concerned that we are all well and will be back soon.
To end, I just want to thank all the students on the trip - Jowie, Yan Han, Esther, Jeanette, Jerome, Gigg, Yue Ying, Clara, Vivian, Shi De, Jonathan, Hui Khuan, Nerissa, Jovan, Alvin, Sean Lim, Sean Yong, Jia Min, Han Jie, Nicholas, Chiuen Chou, WILSON (so sorry I left you out the first time!) - for making the trip all the more special just by being yourselves and being a part of the trip.For one, I will never forget how wide, beautiful and radiant your hearts are when you did all that you could to bless the orphans in Coorg.
As a teacher, I sometimes do too much teaching and far too little learning. I am so grateful that I have learnt so much from all the students in big and small ways throughout the trip. What an experience!
We are coming home!

Best regards,
Roy Soh

Sixth Day - Home Visits!

2008-06-12T11:37:00.000+08:00

We had art lessons shortly after arriving in school. We were each given a blank bookmark, which we had to fill up with drawings in the Madhupani style, a genre of Indian art. Later, we had a dance demonstration by 2 famous Indian dance instructors and their daughter. We were wowed by the intricacies of all the dance steps and the vivacity of the expressions on the dancer’s face. We got to join in a mass dance later, aided and abetted by the students of the school, who showed great patience and perseverance in teaching us their dances, especially when many of us had psychomotor issues! To round up the day, we had a fascinating lesson on Vedic Mathematics, which teaches us mathematical shortcuts to multiplication and subtraction. It was enlightening! We then waited in suspense to meet our hosts for the home visit.
This is an account of a group’s visit to an Indian home:
We boarded the school bus which was airy, on account of it having open windows. On the way, we interacted with the students, we had a bumpy ride as we enjoyed the “fragrance” of camel dung. On our arrival, we were given a warm welcome by the hosts. The student host’s mother offered us something for tea- vegetable cutlets and cakes. She also offered us a unique drink - minty juice with lemon and sugar. It was refreshing!
After a short break, we decided to play games with the students. We played a card game with them. It involves giving yourself a false name and cards are dealt to everyone. On the count of three, everyone shows the other players their top cards. If you have the same card as someone else, you must say their false name before the other party does. You then give your cards to the other person. The person who does not get rid of all his or her cards loses. In the end, Gigg lost the game and as a forfeit, we made him close his eyes while the girls dressed him in a sari. It was absolutely hilarious! Afterwards, we all dressed up in the traditional Indian dress- saris and dhotis. It was funny to see most of us dressed up so flamboyantly.
We then went to the terrace at the top of the apartments. It gave us a panoramic view of Bangalore as the host gave us a quick commentary on the development of her neighbourhood. We were taken next to the Sports Hall and park for recreational activities such as chess, table tennis and basketball. We really enjoyed ourselves! After all the fun and games, we took a nice stroll back to the house, where a sumptuous meal awaited us. We tucked into steaming bowls of homemade tomato soup, pasta and rice. We concluded the feast with Indian sweetmeats and a mango dessert.
After thanking our hosts for the feast, we bade them farewell and left, with fond memories of our visit fresh in our minds.

Fifth Day - Sri Kumaran, Shopping & ... Slurp!

2008-06-11T10:56:00.002+08:00

Short relaxation session
Keeping an eye on light
Getting hooked on the language
Group pic
Bright and early in the morning, we headed back to the school for another fascinating day of school immersion. To start things off, we had a small yoga lesson conducted by a doctor and were taught little relaxation techniques.
We then went for a chemistry lesson and a physics lesson, one after the other. In the chemistry laboratory, the teacher had an interesting lesson all planned out for us. First, we were showed the reaction of zinc with hydrochloric acid. The test-tube containing the hydrochloric acid and zinc turned hot. To end off, they mixed vinegar with sodium bicarbonate in a film container to demonstrate how a fire extinguisher works. The cap was supposed to pop off once the chemical reaction takes place. However, something was wrong with the container and it did not work. They then mixed 2 chemicals together and lit it up. It looked exactly like a volcano spewing molten lava!
Moving on, during the physics lesson, we were taught that a ray of light actually bends when it passes through a different medium. The teacher showed us a experiment to prove this and we got to try it out as we managed to plot the path of light as it bent. We found it highly interesting and useful in terms of our conceptual knowledge.
Next up, we had lunch after the science lessons. We then had lesson in basic Kannada and we learnt how to say simple praises and recite numbers. We learnt how to say basic greetings too. It was a really engaging session and we really got our teeth into the language, with many of us seeking out the local students after the actual session, keen to learn more phrases and words.
As we had some free time in the afternoon, we went shopping after the programme at our school and we bought stuff like coffee, tea and tidbits. (It seemed as though they had just emerged from some jungle or lost civilization! – Mr. Soh) We bought some locally-manufactured cotton products like shirts, towels and dresses too.
We went back to the hotel and we had some rest before our debrief session. There was a real treat in store for us at the end of the day. We had Domino’s Pizza for dinner! Before we head for bed, we had a song and Reader’s Theater practice session.

Fourth Day - Our First Day @ Sri Kumaran!

2008-06-11T10:54:00.004+08:00

Ice-breakers @ Sri Kumaran Children's Home
Ice-cream stall @ the Canteen
Library
Ascendas Information Technology Park
Group pic
Today we finally paid a visit to our partner in the Twinning Programme, Sri Kumaran Children's Home (Central Board Of Secondary Education). We found out that Sri Kumaran is different from TK as Sri Kumaran have primary, middle and high school levels all in one compound while TK is just a secondary school. There are 36 classes in total, 33-34 students per class. They also have Extra-Curricular Activities, or Co-Curricular Activities as we call them in Singapore.
Like us, C.C.A in Sri Kumaran is compulsory and they also have student councilors. Students are allowed to choose their own hobby classes like the CHOICES programme in TK and they get to choose one subject of their own interest every year for four years. They also use the same exam system as Singapore, much to our surprise.
In keeping with the warm hospitality that has characterized the Indian people since we first set foot in India, we were given cookies and tea during a scheduled tea break. Thereafter, we played some soccer, basketball and netball.
After lunch, we went to Ascendas Information Technology Park, approximately 92% of which is owned by the Singapore Government. It is a multi-facility area which has a shopping centre, offices, apartments, its own electricity generator and water treatment plant located all in an area of 69 acres. There is even a hotel opening soon in the compound itself! We were given a small tour around the main complex and the park’s very own shopping mall, which consisted of 28 shops, even a gym and banks. We were very impressed to see such a modern place located in Bangalore as it was a futuristic, self-sufficient and very advanced city within a city.
In the evening, we had a sumptuous dinner at a popular restaurant called Mainland China, which had delicious Chinese-fusion food. We were told that the chefs were actually trained by Singaporean chefs.
Finally, we went back to the hotel for our daily debrief session. Mr Soh emphasized that he was very impressed by our work in the orphanage as he talked about the significance of what we have done and the implications of having a service-minded orientation. We learnt that we are a blessed generation as we are made aware of the importance of service learning, and are given the opportunities to serve in practical and meaningful ways. Lastly, he also gave us little elephants (symbols of strength, solidarity and courage) which he meant to give us after our trip. He gave Han Jie and Nicholas, the two students who are overall in-charge, bigger elephants. We think that they truly deserve it for what they have done in the build-up to the trip and during the trip itself.

Third Day - The Highlight of Our Trip

2008-06-10T11:46:00.004+08:00

Heart-warming scenes

Today was truly the highlight of the trip for all of us. What we did, felt and experienced were truly priceless and would soon constitute sweet memories that will stay tucked in our hearts forever.
In the morning, we took a trip to the Coorg Boys’ Home. The orphans greeted us warmly with their eyes and smiles when they first caught sight of us while peeping through the windows.
Before we could interact with the very adorable children with wide smiles and even broader hearts, we were introduced to the superintendent of the orphanage and briefed about how the orphans had ended up there. The majority were abandoned, rescued from tricky home conditions or lost their parents at a young age.
Immediately, we felt very lucky indeed to have parents, and to be living such an easy life back home in Singapore. The orphans sang a folk song for us and it was a tremendous welcome even though we had no idea what they were singing to us.
After the initial awkwardness that accompanies first meetings, we started to warm up and resolved to do our best to be a blessing to the orphans as best we could. We played some ice breakers with them and gave them toy cars as prizes. It brought great pleasure to all of us to see the smiles on their faces. We had great fun teaching them Chinese greetings and numbers. We also sang Singapore folk songs and performed two Readers’ Theatre performances.
Although most of the orphans only understood simple English at best, they still participated actively in all our activities. We were filled with joy and a tingly satisfaction to see them smiling throughout our time there. We felt glad and well pleased to be able to have such fun with the orphans. To be honest, we wanted to stay on for a longer time, but time constraints and workers waiting to repair some parts of the orphanage meant that we had to say goodbye.
It warmed our hearts to see that the children were also very contented with the toys we had given them. After all, it is not often that people visit these orphanages and give the children toys or daily necessities. Our mission, as discussed in our debrief session the day before, was to help them forget their misery and experience joy. We felt that we had accomplished that with room to spare.
After we left the orphanage, with a tinge of reluctance and sadness, we made a long eight-hour trek back to Bangalore. At least we had a good dinner awaiting us at the end of it. We were treated to steaming hot pizzas (with a local twist) at Pizza Hut before checking in to VT Paradise, the hotel that would be our home for the next four days.

Second Day- Coorg

2008-06-09T13:23:00.001+08:00

Windflower Spa Resort
Lunch time!
fun shot
Coffee factory

This morning, Jeanette and Esther were late for breakfast because they thought that they were supposed to meet at 7.45am when it was actually 7.30am. Well, they had to report for dinner earlier as the rule is that we have to come 15 minutes earlier for the next meeting if we are late.
After breakfast, we went to the silk farm and learnt that a lot of work is required to make final product. It takes about 90 to 200 hours. The winding of the silk thread, with the help of modern machinery, is done at a high speed of 800km/h. Then the threads are weaved into a piece of silk cloth and patterns are made with the help of wooden pecks. The factory was very noisy and some workers chose to wear ear plugs to reduce the noise. Interestingly, we also learnt that silkworms eat only mulberry leaves.
During lunch, we received the disappointing news that the visit to the orphanage would be postponed to the next day. However, that also meant that we have more time to prepare!
Next, we went to the coffee factory. We found out that there are actually four different types of coffee beans which are kept in sacks and stacked up. These coffee beans are then graded. They are washed to remove the skin that covers the fruit. The final product is then exported to other places around the world.
On our long journey to Coorg, Mr Soh took a video of a group of us sleeping on the bus. It took about three hours for us to get to our hotel, so many of us were fast asleep, which made for really funny viewing. One of us was even drooling a river!
We made it to our hotel, Coorg International, close to dinner-time. After our showers, we played table tennis and carrom. Some of us were definitely better players than the others! Thereafter, we ate dinner and rehearsed our songs and skits for the last time. Finally, we had our nightly debrief session before heading to our rooms for some well-deserved shut-eye.

First Day- Mysore

2008-06-09T13:09:00.005+08:00

To our relief, the new airport was much better than the old airport. We had learnt from Han Jie, who visited Bangalore last year as well, that the old airport was chaotic and noisy. We also heard that if we did not rush to our luggage, people would take them for us and ask for money in return. The old airport was also very messy and people had to wait very long just to get out. Thus, we were very glad that everything was very organized upon arrival and we cleared customs in less than twenty minutes.
As we headed towards Mysore we saw a farm, an empty plot of land and several older buildings next to one another. Some parts of Bangalore reminded some of us of some parts of Malaysia and Thailand. On the roads, traffic was frenetic and interestingly, they have three-wheeled cabs known as “Autos”, also known as “Tuk Tuk” in Thailand.
After hours of traveling, we arrived in Mysore and visited the Maharaja Palace there. It was magnificent and opulent as the Royal family was very rich. It also boasted rich cultural heritage and history, with a mixture of Eastern and Western styles clearly evident. The sight was spectacular. Clearly, it is very well preserved as it looks new, although it is actually 96 years old.
We also stopped by the sandalwood factory and learnt that sandalwood can be made into incense and oil. The guide ran through how sandalwood oil is made. Firstly, the wood is chipped. It is then stored and compressed. Water is then sprayed in, before steam is added into the storage compartment. Steam and oil vapour is collected. Cold water is then run along the side of the collection pot to condense the vapour. Oil, being less dense, is collected at the top. 5ml of oil costs 650 rupees, so it is quite a lucrative trade for the locals.
Finally, at the end of the day, we went to our hotel, Sandesh the Prince, and checked in. After a good dinner, we rehearsed the skits and songs we would be performing at the orphanage. When we were done with the debrief session that followed, we headed straight to bed as we were bushed.
We can’t wait for tomorrow!

RE: Final Push, People!

2008-05-29T16:22:00.003+08:00

Yo peeps,

Just want to say how proud I am of all your effort and time spent on the intensive preparations for the trip. Although many of you must be tired, I think we are pretty well prepared and ready for the journey to India. One more week so push on, folks!

Regards,
Roy Soh

Fifth Training Session

2008-05-16T20:48:00.006+08:00

Yesterday was our fifth training session. We packed up the sweets we had bought for the orphans into gift packs. Each gift pack consists of a packet of Oreos, two packets of Toberone chocolate and two different types of sweets and mashmallows. We are planning to tie them up with ribbons so that they wil look more presentable. We also packed the bags, toys, umbrellas and the packet of sweets into different boxes. Then, we practised our songs and the different phrases and words in the languages that we are going to teach them there. We decided that one person will say the English word and then another will say the Malay or Chinese translation, and that half-way through, we can ask them what the word in Malay or Chinese is withdout refering to the small booklet we are giving them. Most of us did not know how to sing the songs and when some of us are singing, the rest were laughing as it was really very hilarious as their voices were very low or out of tune or just simply funny.

Fourth Training Session

2008-05-14T18:41:00.007+08:00

Today, the CIP Committee together with the Programmes Committee worked together to complete the skit so that we would be able to start rehearsing the Reader's Theatre performances during the next training session. Some of the Sec 2s in the Programmes Committee continued with the booklet today. Unfortunately, they were unable to complete it. They learnt that they must be FOCUSED and do work seriously or else nothing can be done.
The logistics committee also gave more suggestions on the icebreaker games.
Meanwhile, Mrs Lim gave some of our passports back as some of us may need to travel overseas before this twinning trip. Mr Roy Soh was beside her and kept peeping at our passport photos. It was embarrassing!

Third Training Session

2008-05-14T15:35:00.007+08:00

Today is our third training cum preparation session for our Bangalore Twinning Programme. We had to choose our t-shirt sizes and we decided to adopt the old design which is the black shirt with orange trimmings. Then we split into our respective groups to discuss and prepare for the trip. The Logistics Committeee sorted out the toys and packed the ones in good condition . The CIP Committee thought of icebreaker games - Simon Says and Numbers. They also practised singing some Malay songs. We learnt that we must take more initiative to help and that we must organise our work efficiently.

Second Training Session

2008-05-09T20:34:00.010+08:00

Some of us brought toys and bags to donate to the orphans in Bangalore. We packed most of them into A4-sized boxes. The Logistics Committee helped to tie up the boxes. We also received our itinerary and the pack list for the trip.

On the first day in Bangalore, we will be going to a silk farm in Mysore for an educational tour before departing for Coorg. Then, on the second day, we will continue on our learning journey. We will be going to a cocoa,tea and coffee plantation, a spice garden and to see some waterfalls. We will also be learning things beyond our textbooks. On the third day, we will be going to an orphanage to donate some toys, books and bags to them and also teach them some simple Chinese and Malay. There will be two Reader's Theatre performances - the stories of Sang Nila Utama and the Bukit Merah. Through these skits, we hope that they will get to know some of Singapore's culture. Then, on the other days, we will be embarking on our school immersion experience.

The CIP group worked on the booklets on Singapore's language and some traditional Singapore songs whereas the programmes group worked on the skits and the programme for this trip. Some of us continued to learn to use the tablets so that when we are in Bangalore we would be able to post posts efficiently on the blog.

We chose our T-shirt colour combination and also recorded down our T-shirt size. When we were doing on our work, we had some visitors. A group of professors and students from a university in Thailand came in and Han Jie briefly explained to them the purpose of this trip to Bangalore.

On the whole, we have completed some work but we still have lots more to do and also please be reminded that the next training would be on 13 May, this coming Tuesday from 2.30pm to 4pm in the PCCG room.

The First Training Session

2008-05-08T21:35:00.010+08:00

Today was our first training session as we prepare to head off to Bangalore for our overseas twinning programme.
Firstly, we were introduced to Indian culture by good-humoured parent volunteers who talked to us about the food in South India, which is where Bangalore is. Indian food is seperated into North and South India food. We learned that roti prata in Singapore is called parota there, and also that vegeterian Indian food is not all about vegetables. There are a lot of other varieties too. A lot of South Indian food that we learnt today are made of flour(eg. rice flour) and the food we learnt about today all come with Indian sambar. Chapatti, which looks like Singapore's roti prata, is also called roti in India. So, when you are India, do not say you want roti prata or they will be confused about whether you want roti or parota.

Then we went to Little India to try out the food and expand our dietary dimensions. The food was very delicious and the masala dosa is a definite must-try. The food there had myriad flavours - sour, spicy, sweet, salty in an explosion of taste, but nonetheless, delicious. It is also very colourful as there are a lot of different spices which are all different in colour.

After that, we proceeded back to school for our very first training session. We learnt how to use a tablet pc and also tried to anticipate the problems that will surface there so that we are better prepared for any contingencies. We also decided who will design the trip t-shirt and finished up some preparation for the Singapore Day (a cultural event to showcase Singapore's vibrant and unique mish-mash of cultures)at the orphanage and hosting school before we were able to go home.
All in all, a memorable day as our tastebuds will never be the same again.

What's Happening?

2008-03-27T18:54:00.004+08:00

This year, we are planning to bring some of the cultures found in Singapore to Bangalore like our ethnic costumes, traditional games, food, languages, and folk tales etc. We have come out with some ideas and plans on how we're going to share with them on our culture.

Also, we plan to raise funds again, but this time, for an orphanage in Bangalore. I hope we raise enough funds to buy the items that they need! : D

- H.

Once Again...

2008-03-26T21:00:00.012+08:00

This year, we are going to raise funds for a orphanage in Bangalore. They are in need of things like rain clothes and rain shoes. So we are going to use the money to help them. Hope we can raise lots of money from the donation.

This year, we are split into 3 committees to separate the work among ourselves. The 3 committees take charge of different things. There are the programme committee, CIP committee and the logistic committee. We are going to organise a Singapore Day there at Bangalore and we are now preparing for it. We are learning a lot of things as we go along planning for things and such. Learning to think of the conditions and so on.

-J.M.

Hello 2008!

2008-03-19T11:34:00.002+08:00

This year, the learning journey to Bangalore continues, more updates coming soon!

Dance Dance :D

2007-06-19T23:56:00.000+08:00

OKAYY. so today we had a really fun programme at Sri Kumaran.
Like, first we had this split-group thing again, the boys did pottery, girls did art.
AND ART WAS FUN ~
We had to put this gauze thingy that people put when they want to make a cast, yup, and we must dab it with water first then put on our hand to make a mould of our hand. SO FUN.
then must put some vaseline petroleum jelly first, so that it won't stick. we had a choice to do face or hand la, but we all saw the vaseline, so we were like, 'OKAY. LET'S DO HANDS INSTEAD.'
i dont know what the boys did, though. But girls had pottery later that day too.
The teachers were all very very nice and helpful. And the pottery teacher has loads of snake bites and encounters with snakes so he was telling us about them. SO COOL OKAY.
ANYWAYYYYYYY, after art (girls) and pottery (boys), we all went to the auditorium to watch Indian dance performance and learn some steps too.
They all danced really well, and i only found out now that in the Indian dance steps, there is actually a lot of meaning. Like, there's this whole list of hand gestures which are so looooong, but i guess as a dancer they have to memorise it?
Yeah, but the dance was interesting. Different from any dance I've seen before.
Then we were asked to join in and learn some basic steps, which was pretty interesting and yeah, even the teachers joined in!

Then we got Mr Raven to dance as well. FUNFUNFUNFUN:D
Uh, after that, girls went for pottery lessons, while the boys played soccer.
Sand did not fly when they kicked the ball, btw.
Then when it was time for us to go, we all took loads of pictures, exchanged emails and hugs, and they wrote Have A Safe Trip in Chinese for us!
AWWWW.
Yeah, but they directly translated it so it said like 'Zou Hao' which directly translated to English is... Walk Good.
BUT WE WERE STILL VERY VERY TOUCHED AND STUFF.

Then we went to this supermarket, which looked quite like the ones back in Singapore. We stocked up on candy and of course, CHEWING GUM:D... AND FOOD.:D
Yup, so uh, after stocking up we went up, where there was this clothes store, selling the traditional clothing, i think.
Some other stuff that could be used as souvenirs also, like soaps, scarves... etc.
We did our last minute shopping before heading back to the hotel.
We had free time until 6, (6.30 for upper sec) and we (lower sec) had to talk about the RH day and brainstorm on what to present.
Ate dinner, drived to the airport.
WHOOSH. LOADS OF PEOPLE. AND HONKING.
HONKHONKHONK. oh well, at least not as bad as the day we landed. THAT WAS FBHDSDIFBEKBSAU.
yup, we saw our buddies and we chatted with them while we queued to get into the airport.
PEOPLE TRIED TO CUT QUEUE.
inside the airport it was still very messy.
Our buddies couldn't come in, so we could only say goodbye through a window.
like, WAVE then mouth BYEBYE. SAD :(.
UH, we had to wait a long long time to board the plane.
LONG LONG FLIGHT.
then we were back in Singapore.
Missed us? :D

Inspiring Bomb? :D - 14.6

2007-06-15T15:14:00.000+08:00

Today we went to Sri Kumaran and did some lab experiments in Chem, Bio and Physics. The chem practical was the most fun. The teacher made elements, substances, plus plus, catch fire, (chemical reactions) and change colour, (chemical reactions). The teacher did a good job overall. Fantastic man! AHAHAHA. Ok.

We had to go and conduct the surveys la. All of them super enthu!~

Then after school we met the principal of the PUBLIC, school. WE had to introduce ourselves and one of the teachers told me that actually, in (ok wait, i type this in caps ;p)

"IN INDIA WE CONSIDER CHILDREN TO BE GODS BECAUSE THEY CAN BE FIGHTING AT ONE POINT, BUT THE NEXT THEY CAN BE FRIENDS. CHILDREN ARE AS INNNOCENT AND PURE AS GOD."

You, reading this, whoever you are, MUST BE GOOD TO CHILDREN AH!!

We went to the Trust and played games. But before that they led us into a small room and talked to us. They even got a blind girl to introduce herself, (Renuga, who is pursuing a Masters in Arts). Oh yeah, then before THAT, a blind man (who participated in the world cup) AHHAHA, ok no, it's a competition for the blind. (Cricket). Yup, then he typed a few sentences on the braille machine and passed the paper around.

The braille words (letters) are actually made up of six dots, just in different positions, etc. After that, we went to the rooftop where most of the people were waiting for US. WOW MAN!! FOR UUUUUSSSSS. I feel soooo happy. Haha. Ok. Then one of the visually handicapped girls sung a hindi song to us with another v. handicapped guy on the drums. Really cool. =D

**************************************************************************************************************

All of us (sec 1s and 2s) had to stand around the perimeter to make sure they don't fall down and the floor was very very very hot.

uh, yeah, Dwayne explained the game rules then Kavya translated it to Kanada for them to understand. Sec 3s weren't really participating la. 2nd game was more fun though.

Like, all of us had to go and sit in this spiral/loop shape thing and then when the music is played, we have to pass this ball. And if the music stops and the person has the ball in his hands then he has to either dance/sing. First person to get the ball was :O Keith. then yah, he sang twinkle twinkle little star.

Very fun la, because they can dance very well. They all also can sing very well. JEALOUSSSSSS:O

Everyone thought that Dwayne had sabotaged them. then they were all thinking of sabotaging some people. but before they could, the game stopped.

we distributed the gifts and they all seemed very happy with them, especially with the CANDYYYYYYYYYYYY~

so uh, after that we left the trust and then we took about an hour just to reach Commercial Street.

it was like Orchard Road in Singapore. Just. abit.

Different.

we split into 2 groups based on gender.

The sec 3 girls went to the jewellery shops, and the sec 1 girls were bored, so we joined the boys.

There were many disabled people, trying to beg for money.

there was a 5 year-old girl carrying her 1 year old sister, begging for money.

we felt sorry for them. D:

Someone said that he/she really wanted to donate some money to them but did not as we do not know if it was a syndicate or a genuine case of need.

but it was a sad scene D:

after shopping we went back to the hotel, had dinner, de-brief session and fell asleep :D

Special edition: 4-IN-1

2007-06-14T13:59:00.001+08:00

13th Jun

This is a special edition as we had a common session in the morning but parted 3 ways in the afternoon for the home visits to our buddies' homes. It was definitely an unforgettable experience for all of us including the teachers & even our ever cool, brilliant and energetic hero, Mr Raven.

Morning started a little jerky with Mr Fu, the other hero, succumbing to the flu bug. Thankfully, we had 'Dr Lim' to diagnose and dispense the needful medication.

Programme for the morning was packed as the school engaged 3 trainers to introduce us to the finer points in public speaking, journalism and theatre. It was very inspiring to listen to our buddies speak on prepared topics. There was also an impromptu segment where Timothy, Kim hai and Gwen volunteered themselves, thus saving the rest of us from anxiety pangs. Gwen's speech on 'what the world would be like without her' was so short and succinct that it became the 'tagline' for the day!

Let the Pro speak (:
"spell-bound audience"

Kavya's Hosting:
The group following Mdm So had to depart early, so the remaining of us had to create a song about our experiences in India. We managed to get extra time and some of us used whistling as a background music thing. my group did it okay. fun:D

then one group didnt finish yet so they had to dance or something to the song thing.

We were separated into our groups. Kavya was very enthusiastic and hospitable. So were her friends.
MEGHNA IS SO CHIO (PRETTY). Even Gavin and Afiq say so.
So we got the hotel bus! :D
we got air-con and stuff, but we realised that the air-con at Hanjie's spot was so much stronger than ours. UNFAIR D:
but like, yeahhhhhhhhhhh. still got air-con :D
the bus dropped us off at some place and we walked to her house. her house was so PRETTYYYYYYYYY. with nice cars:D
then uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, we were just chatting.
THEN MR RAVEN CAME UP WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY IDEA TO GET US ALTOGETHER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*********************

He flapped his wings and flew off, thirty minutes later, he came back with hamburgers!! We were all very happy. =D
Noo lah, okay he thought up a game he played with his friends normally during chalet parties. [x Yup, then we played his fun game called, 'mafia'. It is sort of like the long version of murderer. Totally, seriously, AWESOME!! WHOOO!! Mr Raven, you rock man!

yups, this is how to play the game;

1. Explain the rules, 'You have to close your eyes when the narrator says, 'Town sleep, (or whatever)'.. Etc,

2. You have 3 mafias, (M1 and M2).

3. You have 1 police, to catch the mafias. (P)

4. You have 1 doctor, to bring to life one villager at a time. (D)

5. You have n-4 villagers, also known as civilians, (C)

6. Yups, so you have to.. umm, okay,, Continue reading,,. =D

Narrator: Okay.. Town (ALL OF YOU) sleep (Basically close your eyes,)
Mafia 1 wake up.. (M1 opens eyes)
Mafia 2 wake up.. (M2 opens eyes)
Two mafias acknowledge each other.. (M1 and M2 look at each other)
Okay, both mafias go to sleep (Both M1 and M2 close your eyes)
Police wake up.. (P opens eyes)
Okay police go to sleep.. (P close eyes)
Doctor wake up.. (D opens eyes)
Okay, doctor go to sleep.. (D close eyes)
Okay town wake up.. (Everybody opens eyes)

Town: (Discuss who you think is who) (Think about if you want to kill off any villagers that you think are the mafias)

Then repeat the Narrator part lah, but got a bit of difference,

Narrator: Okay.. Town (ALL OF YOU) sleep (Basically close your eyes,)
Mafia 1 wake up.. (M1 opens eyes)
Mafia 1 who do you want to kill? (Point to the person you wanna kill)
Okay, mafia 1 go to sleep.. (M1 closes eyes)
Mafia 2 wake up.. (M2 opens eyes)
Mafia 2 who do you want to kill? (Point to the person you wanna kill)
Okay, mafia 2 go to sleep.. (M2 closes eyes)
Police wake up.. (P opens eyes)
Police who do you think is the mafia? (P points to his/her suspected person)
Okay police go to sleep.. (P close eyes)
Doctor wake up.. (D opens eyes)
[if there are any dead people]; Doctor do you want to heal anyone? (D point to the dead guy/girl)
Okay, doctor go to sleep.. (D close eyes)
Okay town wake up.. (Everybody opens eyes)

Right so, you have to make sure that both mafias point to the same person. If not nobody dies. xD

So this game, proven by Mr Raven and his buddies, that it can last for very long. We lasted for a short while though.. That was very sad, so some of us went downstairs and sat around to talk and watch Tv. =)
They had a really nice Sony plasma Tv. =D

Yups, the grandmother and Mdm Mala were very busy in the kitchen cooking with Mrs Lim. Hey! That should be a show. 'Cooking with Mrs Lim' =P. Mrs Lim watched carefully and learnt how to cook 'healthy' chapati and tomato soup. By healthy I mean, they used fresh oil every time they cooked the chapati.

Dinner was fabulous and delicious, the atmosphere there was very homely and warm. It was like the remedy for homesickness.

Rahul's Hosting:
Today, some of us went with Rahul and followed his plan.
First, we went to the IT sector, Infosys, at Electronic City.
We took the school bus from Sri Kumaran.
How disappointed we felt when we realized the bus had no air-conditioning.
And to make things worse, the ride was over an hour.
Rahul made the driver go through a shortcut.
Apparently, the shortcut was not a proper road, but just sand.
Rocks and pot holes were everywhere!
So, in order not to feel nauseous, we thought of it as a roller coaster ride!
Up and down and left and right….
It was so fun
Finally, we reached the IT sector.
We were taken around the VERY VERY VERY VERY huge area using
A small tram.

Infosys at Electronic City

The sector had many facilities:
-swimming pools
-mini golf
-many cafeterias
-table tennis places
-billiards
-shops
-and many more!

The place is so huge, they even have roads for bicycles!
It was very very interesting.
Then, we watched a small slide presentation and we left the sector.
The tour finished long before the time expected so we decided to go to THE FORUM, a shopping centre.
The roads were very busy with many vehicles driving recklessly.
Many of us took the opportunity to catch up with some REAL shopping.
Some went to Adidas, Nike and some girls went to buy accessories.
We were supposed to meet at 5.20,
However, all only gathered at 5.40.
WHAT A MESS.

Next, we took a short ride to Rahul’s home.
Apparently, many other Sri Kumaran students live there too.
Rahul’s parents were very hospitable.
We learnt how to make pappadems.
Then, we went to another student’s house then to another.
They seemed like one big family.
The boys played soccer, and the girls had a tour around the apartment.

Warm Hosts (:

Then, we took the same hot bus to dinner.
Wow. It was very tiring even before we ate dinner.
The food was spicy and some couldn’t take it.
Finally, we left for our hotel.

OMG. After many turns and rounds, we realized we had lost our way!!!!!
Oh dear, dear,dear.
we thought we were very lucky when Mr Nigel thought he knew
the way
So we followed him, and ended up getting more lost.
We had to ask about 3 pupils before we found our hotel!
Thank goodness.
Then, we bade goodbye to the Sri Kumaran students and went up to the hotel to find out that we were the last group to arrive.

We felt very lucky to have found our way back, and to enjoy the comforts of our bed=)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vedhas's Hosting:
We were the last to set off.
11 of us were packed into a jeep.
then we headed to Vedhas' place.
it was very big; like a dream home. maybe abit more than that.
it has 3 levels and a basement. you can see all sorts of things;
from antiques, puppets to dart boards.
there was even a roof-top garden.
there were swings and ponds.
Vedhas' sister served us nachos with cool toppings.
yum.
the hot chocolate was fantastic.
some of us even took 2 cups.
Vedhas' family was very hospitable.
His father specially went to hire 2 camels and a bullock cart.
we had a ride of our time.
sitting on the camels, we were around 2m high, overlooking everything.
we went past a school and the students looked at us as if we were aliens from Mars.
the bullock cart ride was somewhat, exciting too.
with the bull dropping "bombs" in such circumstances :D
Keith received "special touches" from the bull's tail every now and then.
naughty naughty.
after the rides, we headed to Forum to relieve some of our "shopping itch".
we spent about an hour there before heading back to Vedhas' place.
we went down to the basement for an intriguing puppet show performed by Vedhas, his sister and friend.
despite attacks from the mosquitos, we really enjoyed the performance.
dinner was served immediately, with Vedhas' mum personally doing the cooking.
it has been some time since anyone of us had home cooked food, just that we were eating it "Indian" style this time.
dinner was simply great.
yum.
then we took a few group photos before leaving.
Mr Fu gave Vedhas' mother a gift of appreciation and the hosts gave each of us a gift.
we were touched by their hospitality (:
the journey home was very eventful.
the driver left the car suddenly in the middle of the road,
to ask for directions =.=
we were lost in the middle of a place which was bigger than Singapore.
the journey should only take 20 min.
we spent 40 min, 20 min extra for finding the way.
but at least, we had a glimpse of the night life in Bangalore.
all of us had a short debrief before sleeping.
(:

Time For Business- 12/6

2007-06-13T13:12:00.001+08:00

today's breakfast menu:
Scrambled egg
prata
Vadai
Chutney
omelette
bread
spreads
coffee

after breakfast, we visited the Heritage and Aerospace Museum.
We went there because there was extra time to visit other places before heading to Dell headquarters.
The museum housed real aircrafts.
These include fighter planes, trainer planes, helicopters and even rockets.
we took many photographs.

outside the museum building, there were planes, helicopters, radar and rocket parts displayed
The planes were mostly military planes, both old and rather recent unmanned planes.
The helicopters were utilitarian types like the 'Sea King', which were used for various operations.
The radar was just a rotating radar dish, commonly used in military camps, painted red and white.

Even more interesting was the rocket part displayed at a small part of the compound.
It was a heat shield for a satellite.
A heat shield is something used to protect the satellite from heat produced.
from the friction between the air and the satellite when exiting the earth's atmosphere.

Finally, it was time to head off to the Dell headquaters.
Though no cameras were allowed, we had a good experience in the building.

The speaker gave us an introduction of what Dell does
and the critical factors that made Dell a successful multi-billion company.

Dell actually has a range of products that could be specifically tailored to customers' demands
This is achieved by manufacturing the product only when the customers have ordered the product.
By doing it this way, they also get rid of the 'middlemen' to sell their products, thus saving much of the cost.
This also reduces the cost needed for various costs and ultimately saving both the custommer's and their money.
Besides this saving on cost, there are many other benefits achieved through this way.

The critical factors of Dell's success were selecting a location that provides:
A stable infrastructure, government support, good surroundings, scalability and communication.

after a long talk, we headed for lunch at Domino's Pizza.
We enjoyed our surprise lunch with soft drinks.
yum.

we then headed for the International Tech Park owned and managed by Singapore's Ministry of Industry and Trade. the moment we stepped into the park, we immediately felt a Singapore "air" as the whole place had a typical Singapore feel with names of buildings such as Discoverer, Innovator and Navigator.
we watched a short clip about the park.
it is a very well-planned place with many facilities.
although Singapore is a very small country, we felt very proud that our very own Singaporeans are able to craft, create and build up an important industry outside Singapore.

we went back that night very much enriched.
all of us felt very proud of our own country :D

2007-06-13T12:50:00.000+08:00

SRI KUMARANNNNNNNNNNNNNNN:D-11th June 2007777777777777777777777

Keith and Gavin were late.
They didnt eat breakfast.
serve them right.
we were lost.
we cant find our way to school.
we took very long and made our hosts wait very long.
The school is very big
but we did not expect to find a school in a middle of the jungle
they were very sociable and,
they were very friendly,
and they made us feel at ease at once
We had a ice breaker game
the rules were quite confusing
because the game is called "Confusion". =.=
Biology for year 7 was nice.
we "dissected" a flower,
and we learnt the different parts of a flower
Yoga was very nice and relaxing.
the best part was library period.
everyone enjoyed themselves.
they had fun.
the books were very interesting
and there were two levels.
then we went to the the biscuit factory.
it was very big.
all of us liked the biscuits.
and all of us were very full.
we had dinner in a chinese restaurant.
we had a very sumptuous dinner.
we enjoyed our dinner.
especially the ice cream.
some sec 3 boys were very playful.
they took the lift without permission.
in the end, the lift jammed.
they had a wonderful "meet-the-Wonder Woman-session" =.=
we were all tired in the end.
so bye bye.

photos for sri kumaran

2007-06-11T15:22:00.002+08:00

WE ARE THE KINGS (: - 10th June

2007-06-11T15:17:00.001+08:00

we woke up at 6, sadly.
everyone was very tired.
BOO~~~ D:
there was cereal, french toast, toast. scrambled egg that looked like rice =S
everyone ate before going back to the rooms and some people changed. yadayada.
when we went down, the hosts were waiting for us.
then we began our 3 hour ride to MYSORE.
we saw a lot of cows, dogs, camels even, sheep, goats and horses on the street.
it was like a showcase of a zoo.
we stopped at places, to take toilet breaks and stretch our legs.
first stop we went to this toy shop and we looked around. some of us purchased stuff as well.
but Mr Raven said to buy it later as these prices were slightly higher than the toy shop we were going to afterwards.
got back onto the bus. most of us were sleeping already.
the sec 3s got along VERYVERYVERY well with the hosts:D
we got there and got off at the Mysore Palace where we went on a tour around the palace.
we had to take off our shoes before going inside and it felt like thaipusam, we being part of the fire-walking procession.
then we had to deposit the cameras. 5 rupees/camera.
after the tour we went to have lunch at this hotel, Sundesh the Prince.
IT SEEMED A LOTT BETTER THAN V.T PARADISE. FOOD WAS NICER TOO:D
then we went to a shop by the hotel.
then we went to the garden place.
and climbed a lot of stairs.
then we went to other places.
when going back, (somebody) got the whole bus to stop the bus for him as a joke.
got to the hotel... went back to the room, dropped off our bags and went for dinner.
EVERYONE WAS VERRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY TIRED:D

HERE COMES THE MAIN CHARACTERS :D - 9th of June

2007-06-11T15:02:00.001+08:00

TADDA.
WE'VE ARRIVED :D
EEESH.
take a look at the Bangalore Airport and you'll know why Singapore's Changi Airport is considered World Class (:
Time to GO GL GH
the moment we stepped out of the airport and what do we hear??
BEEEEEEP ~~
BOOOOOOB ~~
the cars just won't stop honking!!
ARGH!!
like what Mr. Raven said : "we will be dreaming of the honking tonight."
First Impression:
THE PLACE was MESSY everywhere.
it was a 40 minutes ride from the airport to a new paradise =.=
V.T Paradise.
Sorry.
Dead Tired.
Sleep.
GOOD NIGHT.

Shocking revelation to us teachers the next morning - the boys did not go to bed immediately but stayed up to watch POWER PUFF GIRLS?????

Today is the BIG Day :D - 9th of June

2007-06-11T14:35:00.000+08:00

IT WAS A DAY OF LOST-AND-FOUND

Part 1: MIA
it was 5.45pm
everyone's anxious..
heart pumping...
we are leaving tonight..
all of us gathered at Terminal 2, Row 1, Changi Airport.
oh no..
someone's missing..
WHERE'S KH??
cheh...
sleeping outside Mc Donald's =.=
KH found - case solved -
after giving him a big "whacking" ,, we left for the departure hall.
the procedure was very tedious.
had to queue was very long. wasted like... 2 hours.

Part 2: where's my shoe bag???
EEESH.
Our very own Ticket Boy lost his shoe bag =.=
luckily Mr. Raven, our alert and cool and handsome guide , found it.
OUR HERO OF THE DAY~~
- case solved -

Part 3: I can't FLY!!
OMGosh
we are in deep trouble.
first, Mrs Lim gave us a big shock when she said her Visa was wrongly dated.
again,, our cool, handsome and alert Mr. Raven helped her to double check.
then, our tall, hansome, muscular,but blur (censored) lost his boarding pass!!
and AGAIN, our cool, handsome and alert Mr Raven went to his rescue :D
-case solved-

OKAY
TIME TO GO~
BYE PEOPLE!
WE ARE LEAVING NOW!
WE KNOW YOU'LL MISS US.

p.s. We lost all our hair gel, deodorant spray, hand sanitiser to the dust bin =.=
Here to remind everyone not to bring more than 100ml of liquid on board.

2007-06-06T13:01:00.000+08:00

We've raised a total of about $1300:D

Last Minute Touch Up-6th June

2007-06-06T12:56:00.000+08:00

A few of us gathered in the library. Adam and Nadira were taking more pictures, Hanjie and Keith were analysing the survey results and I did blogging.
Mr Teh, our PSG Chairman, taught Nadira and Adam some photography taking skills. Keith and Hanjie didn't save their data and now they have to redo it :O

Taking Pictures-4th June

2007-06-06T12:54:00.000+08:00

Only 2 students came. We went around taking pictures.
Then went back to the library and listed out the things we wanted to show the people in Bangalore.

PHOTOS:D

2007-06-06T12:43:00.000+08:00

A student donating

Preparation for skit

Student donating

Programme Prepping-1st June

2007-06-06T12:39:00.000+08:00

We tried to do the skit, but it was rejected.
We spent some time choosing whether to sing or act.
Yup.

Preperation of things to show-29th May & Packing of things-30th May

2007-06-06T12:25:00.000+08:00

On the 29th we were still cutting out the greeting notes before pasting the things onto a harder piece of paper and cutting some extra hearts to make it look nicer.
On the 30th we were laminating the greeting cards.
We sort of messed up one because we didn't really know how to use the laminating machine.
Then I melted 2 together by accident. But it all turned out quite nicely.
Then we went out for lunch before returning to get our shirts and packing lists.
The Sec 1s and 2s then stayed and packed everything. Packed and packed. then had to tape the whole boxes together.
Refer to the first post for the details. :D

End of Donations-24th May

2007-06-06T12:15:00.000+08:00

This time Adam went up to tell that now the donations were opened to all, including non-teaching staff and teachers.
We set up our booth again and this time we raised more money.
Our final sum was 1000+ then, and we were sorting out the donations of stationary once more.
We passed out a survey to each class and asked them to write donation cards as well.
While collecting the donations, we also collected the survey forms.
At first we were supposed to collect it in the morning (the students had FT contact time so they could use that time to do the survey) but many of them didnt complete it so we told them to hand it to us in the booth during recess. We also collected the greeting cards so we had to sort them out as well.

Visit to SAVH & Collection of Donations-23rd May

2007-06-06T12:03:00.000+08:00

That day the Sec 1s had a beach clean-up, so when we came back, some of us set up a booth in front of the bookshop while the girls went around asking for donations.
Some students were generous, donating 10 dollars, some donated 10 cents, but it was still a donation, so we just left it in the box. There was this guy whom we went to 3 times and he donated every time.
We figured out that people actually donated more if they saw more notes in the box, so we hid all the coins under the notes ($2, $5, $10) and they donated more.
:D
We raised over 400 dollars, which was quite a feat, considering we raised that sum only in 2 recesses.
We sorted out the stationary that some people donated.
Adding from our sum before, we have about 600 dollars.
:D
The trip to SAVH was fun. We learnt a lot more on how the visually handicapped read, eat, walk.
We were introduced to some computer softwares that help them to use the computer, but they are super expensive.
We were also allowed to try some walking sticks and deciding for ourselves which one was the best.
Then we were brought to the Braille production place and the person, Ben, who only had about 10% of his vision explained to us about producing Braille.
They had some Braille produced textbooks, the same as ours, only it was using Braille.
We could touch some Braille things they had on display and we also learned about another type of alphabets for the blind called Moon alphabets, which has some similarity with our normal-day alphabets.
It was for the peple who became blind at a more older stage and that Braille was too hard for them to learn, they turn to the Moon alphabets as an alternative.
After that we went to the library where everything was either Braille or in a form of a voice cassette.
We then went to the working place, where they basically threaded the ropes for shopping bags.
We left the place, after thanking our guide and on the bus back we were de-briefed again.

Starting of Donations-21st May

2007-06-06T11:49:00.000+08:00

The donation was from 21st to 24th. That morning we divided ourselves into 4 groups and each group went to a level and collected the stationary/cash.
We raised a total of 200+ dollars.
Some stationary were not suitable for donations (either broken or old)
There were some very generous classes.:D
So we just sorted out everything.

Publicity to TK-17th May

2007-06-06T11:37:00.000+08:00

We sorted out some postcards to make this draft thing for the TKP students to follow.
Hanjie got them to just make a few greeting cards but we wanted to show them a draft on how its supposed to look like.
Quite fun to sort out the postcards. Then we went home while Hanjie went to TKP for the greeting cards.
Gwen went to give a speech that morning to ask the TK students to donate whatever cash they could, as well as stationary. The donation will be from the next Monday to Thursday.

Finalising Operation Plans-16th May

2007-06-06T11:32:00.000+08:00

We finally decided on the T-Shirt design.
Spent the whole time trying to decide.
So we had to just decide on the colour combo.

Designing the Service-Learning Project-15th May

2007-06-06T11:29:00.000+08:00

Mr Foo hosted this briefing and we talked a little bit more on what the people in the Samarthanam Trust would like and we came up with a list.
We were still discussing on our T-Shirt design; we couldn't agree on one.

Intro to Service-Learning-14th May

2007-06-06T11:21:00.000+08:00

We learnt about the Service-Learning and what its mainly about.
Like, Service cannot be come without Learning, and vice versa.
We also discussed a bit on what the people in the Samathanam Trust would need.
Like, they need materialistic things as well as non-materialistic things (e.g. more care)
Ms Wong taught us a bit more and we were still discussing about our T-Shirt design. After it we were de-briefed and also were told on a bit of what to bring on the trip.

PICTURES FOR LITTLE INDIA :D

2007-06-06T11:09:00.000+08:00

The briefing before setting off.

Explanation of foods.

Everyone trying to taste the food.

Little India Trip- 11th May :D

2007-06-06T10:43:00.000+08:00

We went to Little India for lunch.
Objectives were to taste the food and see if its suitable for our stomach.
The Sec 1s came at 10.30 and we just brainstormed about the T-Shirt design and we had to do this quiz thing to see how much we knew about Bangalore/India.
Sec 2s came a bit later cos they had the Math Olympiad thing.
Then at about 12+ the Sec 3s joined us.
The parent volunteers briefed us on the things we'll see there and there was a Bangalore-borned lady so she also told us some things about Bangalore.
We boarded the bus and it dropped us off at some mall.
We walked a bit to the restaurant to see a bit of the street stuff.
We ate differrent stuff then we went to one of malls and we were allowed to walk for 20 minutes.
The mall had interesting things.
Got back to school and the teachers de-briefed us a bit before letting us go home.

The post by Keith

2007-05-30T10:44:00.001+08:00

Packing is done.
Fund-raising is done.
Greeting card is done.
Survey for school is done.
hmm...
what else?
what are we forgetting?

uh oh...

the GAMES!
the SKIT!
the BLOG!

-------------------------------------

the BLOG is right here,
the SKIT preparation is not ready.
the GAMES are being taught outside

:O yes. so why are we cooped inside here??
-------------------------------------

yesterday we did packing. it was veryvery fun.

/yeah!!! then we packed up and stuff.

nothing fun.
okay BYE!!