…Which will most likely last till after the big examinations.
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World Youth Choral Festival [WYCF]
Recently I have been attending this festival known as the World Youth Choral Festival for long, WYCF for short.
I have been selected by my teacher IC of my school schoir to be part of this festival. The training sessions have been long and tedious but really fun. I can appreciate all the songs when they have been combined. Some times the Tenor parts of the songs I sing sound weird on its own but when we combine it as a whole, the piece of music becomes truly beautiful. I will be going for practice tomorrow and the day after too. I hope that this experience will be enriching and fun. =) I might write a more detailed entry on this in time.
Trip to Manila November ’08
Recently, I just came back from a trip to Manila. It was a huge eye opener for me and I really really enjoyed it a whole lot. It is truly an unforgettable experience and well worth missing a week worth of time on the computer!
1) What were the highlight/s on the tour for you and why?
There were many highlights on the tour for me. If I think back to the trip, I can remember firstly all the class united
in mind and purpose. A class which laughs together, plays together, and works together and takes care of each other. As this is the first time flying budget airlines, it is considered another highlight for me. I did not know that cup noodles could cost up to 5SGD! Another highlight will be the warm reception that our tour group received when we first stepped into Balara High School. The tour group had necklaces of shells put on them, girls screaming at us in delight, all smiles of the students and teachers at the school. We were allowed into the classes being attended at the school where I saw 60 or so students sitting in a classroom about half the size of our own, with a chalkboard. When I entered the class, I noticed that all the students were way more receptive in class than our own students, including me. They all participated actively in the lessons when the teacher was teaching. I also found that the buddies me and my group paired with were very friendly and cool. Another highlight at Balara High School would also be the computer lab at the school. The computers and technology found at the lab was way below our standard, but all the students did not complain and waited for the computers to load. I also find the basketball match between our class and the students of St Anthony’s High School a highlight. It was very fun watching it. Games that we played in the conference room at the Partnership Centre were also very fun. Like Hunters and Werewolves. When you play Hunters and Werewolves, you get to understand a new side of people. Shopping was also very fun. I got to know a lot of friends better, and I actually managed to see some intimate moments of some of my friends lives! I also managed to take a look at some of the slums of Philippines. It was basically boards of zinc, made to form some cover, and a small shelter used to house many people. Also, when we gave to the people at Brookside, I saw how happy the people were and felt that great joy inside of me having done something good for people. At the blind center, I met many blind people who had really really good voices and talents. We played games and paired up. I was paired up with a 17 year old who conversed with me and also gave me a full arm massage which I felt was really good. We sang songs, we clapped, we cheered, and I felt the same way I did giving to the people at Brookside. It was a really great feeling. Another time I felt it would be at the orphanage we visited on the second last day of the trip. That day, we traded performances played games and basically had fun. When I saw the orphans so happy that they were receiving something and when some of them came up to give me Welcome cards, and when they asked for my name to put it in their notebooks they were given, I felt touched to the bottom of my heart. When we were on the bus, we waved and waved ever so strongly at each other until we finally pulled away…
That should be all the highlights.
2) What were your feelings/emotions from tour preparation moving into the tour
I felt slightly reluctant to go on the trip as this was the holidays, and I wanted my time to rest and to play. I felt that I rather spend the time on the internet rather than on the trip. Yes the preparation was tedious and tiring, more than once did I feel the urge to go home early and let my work fall into the hands of another in the same team as me. I pulled though in the end. Before we went for the tour, as I sat in the aeroplane headed for the Philippines, I felt, anxious, excited, eager, scared and hopeful for the trip ahead. Into the tour, I had fun, I played, I laughed, I felt exhaustingly tired, I felt grateful for everything I was given, and how fortunate I was for having a good family, house, and school.
3) Who will you like to commend on his contribution/effort and why?
I would like to commend the whole class for making this trip possible and all chipping in to make this tour possible. I would like to thank Ms Seah for her guidance, Mr Ho, for his fun, enthusiasm, and his easy killing nature in Hunters and Werewolves. Mr Ng, for everything, particularly, Adam and Mervin for your bathroom lending, Alex for his joking nature, Bing Hui for keeping the class entertained, the people at the Partnership Center for their hospitability, all the people we met at the Philippines for making this trip what it was, Group 3 for being such ownage and fun, Chin Yan for accompanying me on the plane flghts, all the people who played any form of card games with me and keeping me entertained.
4) What are the lessons you take away? How you are going to realize it in your life?
Make 3 personal goals that you will want to achieve next year
Lessons I take away will be to be ever grateful for what I have and what I am given and for my life. To recognize that giving is just as good as receiving. Knowing that you have played a part in making someone else’s life better is really a priceless feeling.
1) Have a positive outlook towards my life and to stop complaining about small things.
2) To be grateful for what I have and how I have been brought up.
3) To be able to say that all my friends will trust and help me if I need it and put their lives on the line for it.
My Home away from Home
This live space is my Home away from home. It makes me feel cozy, to have a personal place where I can access easily as long as I have a computer with internet access. In other words, this home is as good as portable. This theme is also perfect as it represents part of who I am. This space is also very edit friendly and user friendly. Which is also partly why I love it so much.
Exams nearing
Time to sit down and study for the Final Year Exams. Its been a busy year, but fun. Time passed way too fast personally but who am I to say right?
Work time.
Musical Nights
The musical that our school put up was a very very tiring affair. It was all like…shh! Quiet! Sit down! And all sorts of other ways to get the boys to ssh and get in order. There was also a lot of you go there, you stay here too. xD Some lines were fogotten and there was problems here and there..but it went smoothly enough. I came back home after the last night of the musical at about 12 plus in the morning. I watched Troy which had already shown halfway before turning in for a goodnight sleep. The next day, I had to do ushering at church…
Away from Home – With the family, but missing the friends.
Today was another tiring. and thoroughly exhausting day. After coming back to my Auntie’s house which I am currently staying over in from Chemistry class, I was met with my cousins, which are all younger than me. I must admit that I admire them alot. I also admit that I find that they are as mature as me and work hard to please me and help me enjoy my stay. I have been helping them build a Lego base. Which is coming along really well, I must admit. I have been doing some of my homework amidst the chaos as well. xD Now, retreating to the study, I log on to this beautiful iMac Leopard, which is huge by the way to write this post.
Yours truly,
Ethaneo
Terminal 3
Today, after waking up late and rushing to church to usher, for the first time with my youth cell named T7.
After church, after significant waiting, we left for T3. Upon arriving, we ate at Burger King at T2. After finishing my meal and some extra onion rings donated from my cell mate, we went to take the sky train to T3. On the way there, I looked up at the sky and actually realised how big it was. God’s Creation. Beautiful. We walked around T3 for awhile and sadly I had to leave for tuition…
Busy Schedule
Sorry guys, but I have been very busy lately and have not gotten the chance to post. I apologise.
Things have been going well.
I got a new bowling highscore of 129.
I will be singing the hymn at morning assembly in front of the school on Friday.
I have found my homework file which I lost sometime ago.
I am an assistant group leader in my churches youth cell group.
I shall try to update again soon =p
Ethaneo's Live Space 