iProject - Commitment of Hearts

Voluntourism

2007-12-24T05:45:00.000+08:00

Padro here. Not sure if anyone still reads this blog, but I read something from The Sunday Times yesterday that I think all of us can relate to. Just thought I'd share.

Volunteer at home? No thanks
Students feel voluntary work in Singapore is more demanding, but volunteering overseas is exciting
By Shuli Sudderuddin

UNDERGRADUATE Winnie Lui has been on three overseas trips to do charity work in the past three years.

In Cambodia, she conducted English lessons, and in the Philippines, she helped to renovate a youth centre and paint its walls.

But once back in Singapore, the 22-year-old did not continue with any volunteer work. Instead, she becomes like any regular youth here - spending her time attending gatherings with her friends and shopping.

'I go overseas for such trips because I get to meet different people and experience a completely different culture,' she said.

Miss Lui is just one of a growing number of young people who turn to overseas expedition projects to fulfil their desires to serve the community, but choose not to lift a finger when back in Singapore.

These overseas trips, known as 'voluntourism', span roughly three weeks and involve serving a foreign community through education or physical labour.

The new chairman of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), Mr Stanley Tan, raised this concern in a recent interview with The Straits Times.

Mr Tan, 51, urged young Singaporeans to help their country rather than engaging in 'superficial activities'. He said: 'Giving is also about helping an elderly lady to cross the road, to take photographs of events for a charity here and helping it to archive its history.'

However, it does not seem likely that more youths will start turning to home ground to spread charity.

Undergraduate Lee Nuan Xin, 21, is a member of the National University of Singapore Students Union Volunteer Action Committee (NVAC), and has been an active volunteer since junior college. She noted that she has seen the number of overseas projects increase dramatically in the past three years.

Miss Lee estimates that NUS organised seven trips to Cambodia this year, compared with one in 2005.

'Students want to see the world. At home, they feel like they are doing compulsory school work with nothing special to it,' she said.

An avid social worker, she volunteers at the National University Hospital every week.

Miss Karin Ke, 21, who spent three weeks in Bago City in the Philippines in May, agrees that community service overseas feels less commercial than activities like flag-selling in Singapore.

'It is a great way to meet like-minded people who are also interested in travelling and helping poor communities, and to see unique places,' said the student, who managed a home stay with a Filipino family, where she learnt about their lifestyle. 'That it is for a good cause is the icing on the cake,' she added.

Mr Glynsen Wong, 23, joined Miss Ke on the trip and helped fed malnourished children and painted a school.

He said: 'Overseas, there is an immediate benefit, and the results are more concrete because you can see what you build or paint.'

'Here, you visit old folks or children, and you have to give them 100 per cent commitment. You have to go for a long time before you can even tell if you are helping them.'

Parents have mixed feelings about 'voluntourism'.

Miss Ke's father, Mr Kuoh Seh Seng, 55, said: 'I told my daughter, if you want to help, help Singaporeans. But when she returned, she was more appreciative of Singapore and the privileges that she enjoys here.'

Miss Lui's mother, Ms Margaret Lui, 54, said she wanted her daughter to leave her sheltered home and learn about poverty.

'She could learn these lessons better in an environment where people are less spoilt,' she said.

Schools have also encouraged students to participate in these trips to achieve greater awareness.

National serviceman Lim Qi Han, who went to Myanmar two years ago when he was in National Junior College, said: 'I feel that my school encouraged it for the learning experience.'

The 19-year-old felt that volunteering overseas and locally were equally meaningful, but said the overseas trip was more memorable than merely selling flags.

Ms Jenny Ong, the founder of Blossom Training, which trains leaders for Youth Expedition Projects, said leaders are trained to show participants economic and social issues through their services.

'Going overseas is a great platform for character development and service-learning,' she said. 'Participants enjoy it because it is exotic.'

However, the NVPC still advocates volunteering at home as the proximity of the location facilitates sustainable engagement.

Seasoned volunteers such as Miss Lee also continue to hope for more help on the community service scene in Singapore.

'We are so well-to-do and have so many resources. We should use some of them to help our people,' she said.

Students such as Miss Ke feel inspired by committed volunteers, but admit they would have trouble following in their footsteps.

'To be effective at home, you would have to volunteer every single week, no matter what. And I just don't have the stamina to do that,' she said.

shulis@sph.com.sg

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_189488.html

MissionOPIC

2007-10-18T22:18:00.000+08:00

MissionOPIC is the third incarnation of Innova Junior College's annual overseas community involvement project after Mission45 in 2005 and iProject in 2006. They will be jetting off, with their cheesy tagline "the light they need" (which is actually cheesier than "Commitment of Hearts"), to Cambodia later this year.

Hope they'll have fun diging up ginormous boulders and going crazy with sleep depriving nightly reflections and planning. Let us wish them all the best and good luck ~~before returning to mugging for our A's~~.

I've added a link to their blog under the Links section.

Vietnam Trip - 15th Dec 2007

2007-07-19T23:38:00.000+08:00

IMPORTANT NOTES

This is the quotation, terms and conditions as well as the itinery of year end's Hanoi trip. Currently the trip date is 15th December 2007(departure time = 3.50pm) - 24th December 2007(arrival time = 2.00pm) under Vietnam Airlines ($80 cheaper then Singapore Airlines). Any objections on the date, please call me ASAP so i can think for other dates. For those who are interested and yet to confirm with me, please do so by next week to prevent the situation of unvailable tickets and to secure air tickets/hotel rooms/tours.

Guys who are going NS
Do not worry about the enlistment. Only those who are physically unfit might enlist in December. People have Silver and above will be safe and will only enlist in January. Worse come to worse, if you really got enlist in December, you can have a FULL REFUND 31 days and above before the trip (enlistment letter will be sent to you 2months before the actual enlistment). SO DONT WORRY!!

Those who are confirmed
1) Shieh Fang
2) Vivien
3) Wen Chong
4) Winston
5) You Ying
6) Wei Jean
7) Arshad
8) Hafeez
9) Ronald
10) Yusi
11) Uma
12) Peggy

* Those who are able to confirm the trip and your name is not in this list, PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP!!!

Premium Insurance
We will be getting Natasjoy Deluxe Comprehensive Travel Insurance. This insurance is much more expensive, around $20+ more but it covers alot of "unfortunate critcal situations" and is crucial as this is a self trip, without any group tour guides. We'll only have guides in SAPA! We'll be all by ourselves anywhere else. Inform your parents, and hopefully it'll make them less worry. Will pass the brochure on this to you all the next meeting.

Lunch Horrid in Tavan!!
We will not be having horrible breads with fruits/ bamboo rice with a piece of ham. Lunch in Tavan will be improved. Details are still in the mist of discussion.

Non-Member of iProject)
For this issue, i will have to need every single one of you who are going to agree. If not, we'll just stick to iProject members only.

Hotel & Room Sharing
We have to book 2/3pax per room. This is under the hotel's rules and regulations. To prevent being kickout of hotel and to be really safe, we'll not cut cost on rooms. However, we can still sleep anywhere we want regardless how many person in a room when we get there. The hotel in SAPA and Hanoi is open for discussion. We can either stick to Royal Sapa or other hotels.

Important cost that is not in this quotation

- Cost of renovation/repairs of the school (materials and labour)
* We'll try to do fund raising within our own families. I'll also try to get sponsors/funds from IJC and the Public.

- Other activies that is NOT started in the itinery of the Halong Bay trip. Other water activities will be at own expense.

Doubts and Uncertainty
Please Please Please call me/sms me if you don't understand what the hell i'm trying to say. Don't be shy. Thanks =D

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

TERMS & CONDITIONS

DATE 16 July 2007
COMPANY Innova Junior College
CONTACT PERSON Ronald
CONTACT NUMBER 98328488
EMAIL ADD Ronald_prepfree_area@hotmail.com
QUOTATION 10D9N North/South Vietnam
DEPARTURE DATE Mid Dec 2007
GROUP SIZE Minimum 10 Pax

PACKAGE PRICE Price per person
Vietnam Air
Twin/Triple $1085

FLIGHT
Daily SIN/HAN VN744 1605/1835
HAN/SIN VN745 1030-1450

TOURFARE INCLUDED
Return Air Fare by Vietnam Air
Rooms are based on twin/triple sharing
We provide return airport transfer by comfortable air-conditioned coaches
Meals & Tour as per itinerary
Tipping for tour guide & driver US$20
Sightseeing and entrance fee as per the mentioned itinerary.
Return train ticket HAN/LAO CAI/HAN (4 berth)
All Airport Taxes
Natasjoy Deluxe Comprehensive Travel Insurance
(Claims during tours are self paid and not by our Tour Managers)

EXCLUSIONS
ALL OTHER TOURS AND MEALS NOT STATED IN ITINERARY
HALAL MEALS ADD US$5 PER MEAL
Miscellaneous charges like room service, laundry service, beverages, phone bills, excess baggage and all items of personal nature and optional tour if any
Visa fees (if applicable) NOTE: Singapore PR do not hold Singapore Passport. Please call the respective embassy to ensure no visa problems during the trip. Please bring along WP/EP/SP/Exit Permits and all other necessary documents during the trip. (PLEASE INFORM RONALD)
Customers have the sole and exclusive responsibility of ensuring that any visas required by relevant countries have been obtained and Transinex Pte Ltd, in accepting bookings from customers, does not warrant that customers will be able to fulfill their bookings. Should visas be required it will be the customer's sole and exclusive duty to successfully obtain visas in a timeous manner at their cost. Transinex Pte Ltd will be pleased to accept requests for processing visa applications subject to administrative charges to be borne by the customer at a time to be stipulated by Transinex Pte Ltd. Transinex Pte Ltd's acceptance to process visa applications is not a guarantee that such applications will succeed and charges paid for visa applications will be non-refundable regardless of the success of such applications.
For clarity, Transinex Pte Ltd will not be obliged in any way whatsoever to provide any notice touching on the need for visas for travel to any destinations and it shall be the customer's duty to apprise himself of such requirements. No refunds will be allowed on any booking rendered fruitless due to visa requirements not being complied with by a customer.
Further, it is the sole and exclusive responsibility of the customer to obtain information relating to passport validity or other requirements, customs, health and other requirements and to comply with the same in respect of the transit and/or destination country. Transinex Pte Ltd will advise that all visa, passport and other applications be submitted for approval in good time and delay will be at the risk of the customer.

All bookings by Transinex Pte Ltd is on the customer's undertaking that Transinex Pte Ltd will not be liable or responsible for any expenses, reimbursement, refund or any other claim whatsoever whether at law and/or at equity if the customer is deported, detained and/or refused entry by immigration authorities at the point of disembarkation whether at a transit country or at the destination country or anywhere else for whatever reasons including but not limited to improper travel documents, quarantine, non-compliance with custom regulations, possession of unlawful or unauthorized items or irregularities deemed such by the relevant authorities at the relevant country.

Important Remarks & Notes
All passports must be valid for at least six months from the date of departure from Singapore.
Any cancellation will subject to cancellation charges

Kindly note that prices quoted may be subject to changes, depending on changes in event requirements or dates. All
rates are stated in Singapore Dollars. Confirmation of the above-mentioned tours is subjected to air seats & hotels rooms’ availability.

All rates quoted above are subjected to changes to due to foreign exchange fluctuations and other unforeseen occurrences. No surcharges in respect of cost or currency fluctuation will be made once deposit payment is received. This guarantee does not apply to any taxes, changes or levies imposed by any government or their agencies.

Confirmation Of Booking & Payment Procedure
To secure your booking, a deposit of 50% of the total estimated charges is payable to Transinex Pte Ltd within 7 days. Balance payment should be made no later than 14 days before departure.
Responsibility Clause
Should there be any unforeseen circumstances occur during the tour such as bad weather, road blockage etc, the company reserve the right to alter itineraries, travel arrangements or hotel reservation if it is deemed necessary or in the case of force majeures.

Cancellation Charges
Passengers have the right to cancel their booking but if they do so, notice have to be made in writing. Moreover, the following cancellation charges will apply:
31 Days & above before departure Full Deposit
15-30 clear days before departure 25 % of the tour fare] Or Full deposit whichever is higher
07-14 clear days before departure 50 % of the tour fare] Or Full deposit whichever is higher
02 -06 clear days before departure 75 % of the tour fare] Or Full deposit whichever is higher
01 day or less before departure 100 % of the tour fare] Or Full deposit whichever is higher
*Goods and Services Tax will be applicable upon any cancellation of bookings and no-show fee.

Replacement and / or amendments of confirmed booking are allowed but subjected to airline's approval and applicable charges. In addition, there will be an administrative charge of S$ 75 per replacement and / or amendments. If rejected, a fresh booking will be made. However, airline's confirmation will not be given immediately as it is subjected to seat availability.
Kindly acknowledge acceptance of the above tour package and the terms & conditions and return a copy to us duly signed. Thank you.
Accepted by:

…………………………………
Ronald
Innova Junior College

TRIP ITINERY
10D9N NORTH VIETNAM

Day 1. Arrival at Hanoi (D)
Meet and greet at Hanoi International Airport then transfer to the city centre. Have dinner in Hanoi then free till transfer to the railway station for the night train (10: 00 pm) to Lao Cai. Overnight on the train in a 4-berth compartment.

Day 2. Lao Cai - Sapa – Tavan Minority Village (B, L)
Arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning, pick up and transfer to Sapa. Breakfast at Local restaurant. It takes about one hour to get through the Sapa pass that snakes its way up the high mountains with a spectacular view of the elevated rice fields. Set off for a rather soft trek to Tavan village down the hill. You will meet the local men in their traditional costumes like the C’mon, Day, or Dzao... taste their traditional food and beverage. Overnight at Hotel

Day 3: Tavan Minority Village (B, L)
Continue with CIP program. Packed lunch. CIP then back to hotel.

Day 4.Tavan Minority Village (B, L)
Continue with CIP program. Packed lunch. CIP then back to hotel.

Day 5.Tavan Minority Village (B, L)
Continue with CIP program. Packed lunch. CIP then back to hotel.

Day 6. Fansipan Mt Trek Half way trek / Waterfall (B, L, D)
Breakfast at hotel. (Halal will be based on continental breakfast) Transfer to Heaven Gate - the highest peak of road in Vietnam. From there you will see the Fan Si Fan, the highest peak of Indochina mountains as well we enjoying the stunning view here. We will proceed with a half-day trekking to Mt Fansipan waterfall only. The trek will be relatively soft until our lunchtime. After a couple of hours of hiking, we will have a break at a nice spot in the forest for our picnic lunch. Picnic lunch (Sandwiches & a bottle of mineral drink - 1.5 L. with fruits) To include few porters’ service who will carry packed lunch & extra mineral water. To include trekking guide ratio1 trekking guide: 10 paxs Time to spend at waterfall. Start descending back to starting point. Arriving back to foothill. Transfer back to Lai CAI town. Have dinner at Lao Cai and ready for our train back to Hanoi at 21:15 (subject to change). Overnight on Train

Day 7. Hanoi -Halong Bay (B)
Arrive Hanoi, and then breakfast by Traditional Vietnamese Food "Pho", then ahead to Halong Bay to board the Bai Tho Junk at 12.00 noon. The wonderful Halong Bay is truly one of Vietnam's most impressive sights. This exciting cruise will give us a fantastic view of the picturesque seascape blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will anchor for a leisurely swim or kayaking in a secluded cove and make an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. After a seafood lunch on board we continue to cruise about in the bay going to some other islands. Seafood dinner on board. Overnight in an air-conditioned two-berth cabin on the Bai Tho Junk.

Day 8. Halong Bay-Hanoi (B)
Wave up early in the morning to enjoy the aquamarine water of the bay at its best. After breakfast, visit Bai Tu Long Bay, Teapot Island, Chopsticks Island, and Bai Tho Mountain. Have lunch on board on the way. Return to Halong City. Arrive Halong wharf. Back to Hanoi and check in hotel.

Day 9: Hanoi-Free and Easy (B)
Free and easy to explore Hanoi.

Day 10. Hanoi - Departure (B)
Breakfast free at leisure until transfer to airport for Singapore

Legends - (B)Breakfast (L)Lunch (D)Dinner
*This means that the respective meals is inclusive on the day.

Updated on : 22th July 2007 (11:40PM)

The journey that never ends…

2007-04-19T00:29:00.000+08:00

Life has never been the same for me since I stepped off the plane and back home onto Singapore. Ta van was a total life experience. I never knew what I sign up for when I joined iproject but I am glad that I had a chance to go, to make a difference and in return learn something.

Pre- trip
This was never the easiest part of the whole trip. Many people do not think of the effort that is needed to plan such a massively big trip, for that we have to thank the teachers; they put in great effort and time. Funds was raised in different ways, for e.g, through Ronald we manage to gets lots of cheese sausages which we sold like mad and also we did stuff like catering service on teacher’s day to provide classes with food. That was indeed tiring and we did stink but I am sure through raising funds together as a whole, we manage to understand and bond together as a group. Yeah sure at first, we were unsure whether any of the classes would order with us a not but in the end our fears were unfounded.

Construction
Volunteering was never meant to be an easy job. Volunteer: to offer to do something that you do not have to do, often without having been asked to do it and/or without expecting payment. That is what all of us in iproject want to achieve, we go there with dreams, goals and high hopes of helping others. However construction there is not as simple as it seems. For one, they have no machinery and we do have to rely on manual labour, for example we have concrete mixers in Singapore but over there we have to add all the ingredients and use the shovel to mix it well with water before we can get cement. Our mornings there are basically spent for construction work. We were all split into groups and each group were given task to complete. My group was in charge of digging the path to make it level as it had lots of big rocks logged within the ground. We use tools like shovels to loose the ground around the big rocks and then the guys would use sticks with sharp end to try and split the rocks. It may sound easy but in fact it was truly hard work. Most of the times, the older kids would give us a hand and it never fails to amaze us how much strength they got. It may take us 4-5 hits to dig a certain pile of soil but they can do it easily without even breaking into sweat.

In Singapore, we have wheelbarrows to help us transport stuff here and there but in Ta van we made use of gunny sacks to transport soil, rock and boy were they useful. The weather there was helpful too, though we had the sun shinning on our back, we still were quite cool. Towards the last few days, we did jobs like painting and of course repairing and washing the doors,

Arts and craft/ Games

In the afternoons, we were basically split into two groups. One for teaching arts and craft and games and the other English. I was in the arts and craft group and we did things with them like painting to the extent of even face painting. We also asked the kids there to draw a picture if their school and it really showed how creative and innocent they are, they would try and copy our actions. The drawings they drew really represented what they would try and copy our actions. The drawings they drew really represented what the really felt. One problem we faced during this segment was that, I t was hard to converse with the kids there as we could only use our hands to bring across our message and we really need to thank our translator for making our life easier. We managed to bond with the kids a lot during these few days as we interact with them by teaching them how to play games like captain ball’s and of course soccer. Of course things are not always plain sailing, there a few times during the games that some of the kids the not want to play and we had to then accompany them while they do their stuff.

At the end of the days we spent with the kids, helping them to have a better environment for learning, we managed to truly bond with the kids, tears were flowing freely when it was time to say goodbye, till now I can still remember the teary scene.

People in Hanoi were a friendly bunch too like the students from HelloHanoi who voluntarily brought us around and showed us the sights and the food, I can still remember the day Linh gave me a bracelet, she truly touch my heart, she was with us less than a day and she has truly been a inspirational person. The kids in Ta van also were a sight, you can never imagine it till you are there to see it, though they are living at a lower standard, they are still happier and they do not take things for granted.

Overall, the trip to Vietnam was fun and we truly bonded together as a team. I can never thank the teachers enough and all iproject people for celebrating my birthday with me. This small little gesture has warmth my heart.Days filled with memories of the kids in ta van, bus rides with japalang mummy and kids will always be in my mind. This trip has certainly gave me more than I sign up for.

Memoirs of iProject 2006

2007-04-04T18:51:00.000+08:00

iProject 2006 outside the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi

I had spent the better part of my youth traveling and involving myself in many youth expedition projects and outdoor adventure trips. This trip was special as I was going back to Vietnam for the second time and this time, I am a man on a mission.

Bringing 30 noisy and excited Singaporean kids together with 3 other teachers, I embarked on a specific objective in mind. I wanted my students to come back feeling enriched, stronger, more independent, empathetic and passionate about helping others and the community. On the other hand, I had hoped that the students in Vietnam will benefit greatly from the resources we are providing not forgetting the cultural and social interaction that will happen in the next 10 days.

Rather than talk about the activities or scenery like all other entries did, I am going to tell you what I learnt about these kids and teachers I hung out with.
Disclaimer - There are too many of you who did a fantastic job and I can’t really write about everyone. (Read: lazy) so some of you will be mentioned but not in great detail. Anyway if you feel aggrieved, come and let me know and I will write a one page special for you.

(from left: Ginger, Da Wei)
Ginger was always enthusiastic and hardworking but she had often lacked that soft touch not only to the Vietnam students but also to her friends. She had shown so much maturity and compassion during this trip. I think she has grown tremendously and had become more aware of other people’s feelings making herself more in touch of her own. Da Wei was often quiet and withdrawn. He was the silent worker who mostly conversed with his circle of friends. The last day was a breakthrough for him. His shouts of “In my soul!” reverberated through the alley as the kids bid him a tearful farewell stripping this cold wall of aloofness, revealing his compassion and humanity.

(from left: Yeow Sheng, Winston, Wen Chong, You Ying)
Yeow Sheng was a figure of calmness and stability. Always ready to lend a helping hand, his confidence grew stronger during the trip and his potential as a true leader was revealed. Winston was a strong and hard worker who earned the praises and respect of his peers. He grew day by day and finally understood that with self confidence and strong empathy, good relationships with his peers naturally occurred. You Ying seemed shy and reserved during the first few days. Soon, we got to know that he had a hardworking and serious side to him. He silently toiled while showing care and concern for his fellow peers and shared a special bond with many of the kids there causing much tears to be shed when it was time to leave. Wencong showed that one will always be stronger when learning from mistakes. He “stumbled” a few times during the trip but he never gave up. He showed me what determination and maturity he had garnered from the experience of this trip.

(from left: Marsha, Raidah, Yee Ling)
Marsha showed an inner strength when put through her tasks and her cheerful and sunny nature brightened up the lives of the kids till the day we left.
Raidah works her socks off and never gives up in whatever task she was set. Her chirpy spirit and never ceasing smile warmed the hearts of every single Vietnamese kid there.
Yeeling was always making kids smiling and laughing. The students were seen often surrounding her, peppering her with gifts and request for games. She showed a sense of maturity beyond her age.

(from left: Jazimin, Faris)
Jazimin is the perfect model of the OCIP student. He brought the term of Service Learning to a new height. He provided a high level of service to the school and the students and yet at the same time remains humble and polite. He was always reflecting and doing things in different manners to adapt to his new environment. A very strong personality indeed he is.
Faris was the cool and collected joker of the pack. He is constantly communicating and playing with the children. His perseverance at picking up the Vietnamese language so that he could communicate better with the kids was commendable.

(from left: Me, Daniel, Wan Yin, Pearlene , Jeffery)
Jeffery was always on the look out for our students. Being the caring teacher, he forged strong rapport not only with our students but also with the local kids there. Often leading the way when work needed to be done, Jeffery was truly a role model for students to follow.

Daniel and I led the charge as we old horses rode into Sapa with the two spirited young guns Jeffery and Wan Yin in tow. Daniel worked tirelessly and had the talented gift of noting, taking down and tackling every administrative issue or challenge that came our way. He was the perfect complement for me as I busied myself with the Learning aspect of the students while he got his hands dirty taking care of the Service component. Wan Yin was a newbie to OCIP but it did not show at all throughout the trip. Strong and resilient, she was always there when there was hard work to be done. She often counseled and advised our students when they encountered difficulty or challenges in their tasks. She indeed paid tribute to the phrase “Some leaders are born and not made."

Too many names to fit into this short entry and I will try to mention all. All these faces in this photograph contributed to the success of iProject 2006. Ronald, our strong and dedicated project leader who grew from strength to strength brought out the best in his deputy Jing Wei. Jing Wei showed strong resilience and dedication in the planning and execution of the project. We also had Hui Min who was a pillar of strength and laughter, Yu Si was the joker and kept the spirits of everyone up, Jie Ying was our local Lin Daiyu who worked herself ill. There were Nisa, Arshad and Hafiz who worked tirelessly despite the difficulties faced in terms of culture and food. We also had You Ying, Wei Jean, Jac, Peggy who were proactive, friendly and reflective in their tasks and interaction. The tears shed by their Vietnamese counterparts were proof of the strong bonds which were forged by them. Uma learnt a valuable lesson and left Vietnam with not only new relationships but with a new found confidence. Last but not least, we had the "garang" ladies Abigail, Vivien, Shieh Fang and Cindy who showed that women were definitely not the weaker sex during this trip. They worked their socks off without a single word of complaint and Shieh Fang even braved tears through a Vietnamese remedy for her sprained ankle. Bravo!

iProject was a huge success. No doubt IJC will have many more OCIP projects in the coming years but I doubt they will ever match up to the standard of service and the level of learning these enthusiastic and dedicated people in the photo above. Therefore, I want to express my deepest admiration and respect for all the Innovians and teachers of iProject2006. Kudos to all!

Experience

2007-04-01T14:47:00.000+08:00

This was my first OCIP trip in Innova Junior College. I seriously wonder if we were making mess out of their life (Vietnamese) or helping them. Too much of formality involved in this trip. But I am glad that I made a difference to them through the students (Innovians). At least we brought fun and laughter to them. But I really hope the students will not stop after the trip but rather bring back what they have learnt in Vietnam to their home. Thanks to everyone (both the teachers and students, Singaporeans & Vietnamese) for the experience.

TavaNova – Not just a portmanteau

2007-03-26T00:44:00.000+08:00

TavaNova, a portmanteau of TaVan (secondary school) and Innova (junior college) is not just a fusion of 2 words. It’s the union of 2 different countries and their uniquely different cultures, the merger of souls, the bonds of friendships. It represents our blood (for some) and sweat, our commitment of hearts, our fun and laughter, our journey, and the sweet memories that are etched in our hearts for all eternity.

I had always wanted to help, to make a difference, to do something significant during my holidays instead of lazing around doing practically nothing during my spare time. Thus when I got the call from Ronald last July informing me that I was on the team, I was naturally elated.

I envisioned myself in Vietnam, helping the unfortunate, giving, instead of taking, for once. Looking back, I realised that in fact, Vietnam, and iProject as a whole, have given me more than I had contributed.

iProject set many milestones of my life, with me having my virgin attempt at many tasks I never had the chance to do. Sure, there were challenges abound, and you would have read from the articles from my fellow iProjectians how we trudged on, giving no regard to the blazing hot sun and the fatigued, previously under-worked muscles of ours, to lay the bricks and level the ground. How we surmount the language barrier to teach the kids English and arts-and-crafts, how we realised that games are a universal language which transcends geographical boundaries, without the actual need for verbal words to get the message across.

Several events which I witnessed during the trip gave me food for thought and made me feel unexpectedly inferior amongst the Vietnamese who were supposed to have a lower standard of living, a lower quality in almost all aspects of life as compared to us Singaporeans. Almost all aspects of life. Almost. At least they are superior to us in compassion, in being contented with what they have, in spirit and passion of such colossal magnitude that dwarfs us all.

Once, I stayed back in the classroom to clean up after the arts-and-crafts while the rest of my group took the kids out to play games. There I was, alone, or so I thought, in the classroom, keeping the left-over paint and picking up scraps of paper littered on the tables and floor. To my surprise and awe, a girl, a few years younger than I, entered the classroom and assisted me in cleaning up the place. I asked her, restricting myself to the simplest of English vocabulary, why she wasn’t joining her friends in the games. She replied, with apparent difficulty, in English, that she wanted to help clean up the place and that she can always join her friends later. I was speechless. Instantly, I felt mediocre in-front-of this girl in faded clothes and slippers identical to most of her friends, and possibly carrying the same UNICEF bag.

Another time, we were wrapping up our English lesson, and gave out a pack of colour pencils to a student for her attentiveness in class. She received her prize with a huge grin on her face and immediately opened her pack of colour pencils and distributed them to her friends. The smiles on her and her friends’ faces were incredible. The looks of admiration on OUR faces were priceless. There we were, supposedly the teachers, looking at each other with a stab of inferiority, having learnt more in this one minute than we had thought them the past hour.

Sure, we have made an impact on TaVan Secondary School. We have refurbished their school compound, taught them new English words and games. But the impact they have on us is so much more. I will always remember the times we had together and how hard it was to leave them. How the most notorious boys cried the hardest, and the most hardened guy fighting to keep back his tears. I will never forget the boy who hugged me and grabbed my hand, refusing to let go, and the girl who tied a friendship band around my wrist.

TavaNova – Not just a portmanteau.

iProjectians are more than meets the eye (think TRANSFORMERS)

2007-03-25T23:36:00.000+08:00

This is my second attempt at organizing an Overseas Community Involvement Programme (OCIP). Last year’s trip to Chiang Mai was fruitful, but I realized that something was lacking—commitment of hearts. No doubt I had a wonderful majority who were very focused in getting our tasks accomplished, I did not see compassion spilling or that passion to volunteer seeping through the cracks and crevices of our stay there. However, I see that vividly in our iProjectians. To help or not to help, is not the question. Rather, the questions commonly overheard are… ‘Eh! I want to do this leh!’, ‘You have been digging so long. Let me take over leh.’ , ‘What else can I do huh?’, ‘ Aiyah! I feel so useless sitting here and can’t help.’, etc. To tell the truth, I was happy inside.

I knew we have chosen the right people.

Of course, not every one of us talks about wanting to help others all the time. Let me peek into my memory jar:
I see some resilient souls quietly helping their friends lug the rocks to and fro, help to dig the school grounds, etc.
I see some who continued to contribute whatever they can despite being injured on the leg, face, etc.
I see some who were bent on finishing up their share of work before going for lunch.
They never talked about why they wanted to help. But they did, and did it very well indeed.

I am proud of you.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who were excited about iProject and went on to tell the world what we have been doing. YES! PLEASE CARRY ON DOING SO! Spread the good words—not necessarily only about iProject, but what it means to volunteer and the ups and downs of being one. Be brutally honest about it. You might just be surprised how people around you can be inspired to volunteer, in big or small ways, when you talk to them sincerely.

You know, I’m always an advocate of youth volunteerism. I believe that volunteering can change lives—both the beneficiaries’ and the volunteers’. It has significantly changed mine since 17, and coincidentally, exactly the same age of those who are in iProject! Never too tender, never too late. 17 is a good time to start. Mature-- if not maturing, independent--if not pending or desiring independence. Students are game to try anything.

What’s more—great friends, empowered to make decisions, working in an unfamiliar environment and satisfaction 120% (be it on top of the world or just humbly)!

My hope for my iProjectians is that, after iProject, after Innova, please continue to volunteer for a good cause, It doesn’t have to take a lot of time and cash, it doesn’t have to be elaborate, glamorous or held overseas, you don’t necessarily need to be at the frontline being involved directly with the beneficiaries.

But you know you are volunteering, you are helping someone, somewhere, somehow, and it is all that matters.

Pass the iProject spirit on!

A journey to remember

2007-03-25T23:08:00.000+08:00

Post Trip
I had never imagined that I would ever be on an overseas school trip. What more an Overseas Community Involvement Programme (OCIP), by plane to Vietnam. I was even more overjoyed when I learnt that I was accepted into the group and my parents are willing to pay for the trip.

First stop was to get to know the various people who were involved in OCIP. As I am a very quiet person, and it took me quite awhile to start speaking up to them and being comfortable with them. We had to raise funds to buy things need for the Vietnamese children and for our trip. This was done by having a catering service for the classes on Teachers’ Day celebration. My main role was to pack the cooked food properly before they are delivered to the different classes that had placed their order. However that morning, when I reached there, I was asked to be in the kitchen and helped to do the cooking. I panicked! Never in my life had I attempted to fry such a large number of fish balls and French fries. Lucky for me, the stall holder taught me a few basic skills of cooking to survive through the session. I never thought that I would learn a new skill even before the trip. Nowadays I am confident to lend a hand whenever my aunty cooks for a wedding.

The Construction
This was something totally new to me. I had never tried doing any construction work. Most of the digging that I had done is due to gardening. Therefore, building the toilet on the first day of construction work proved to be both physically demanding and yet quite satisfying. Although we did not complete the toilet, we managed to contribute to the building of the toilet. That was satisfying enough considering the fact that I had never done it before. However I did wish that I could have completed the toilet and see it actually functioning. That would indeed be more satisfying.

The second day, I was tasked to collect sand near the river. This task was not that demanding but rather an enjoyable one with lots of laughter. It was also interesting to work near such a beautiful clear river. We also manage to dip our legs into the cool and refreshing river water for a moment before heading back to the school when we were done. It is near impossible to find such a river in Singapore. Singapore River just doesn’t cut it. The view from the river was also breathtaking and a picture perfect one.

On the third day of the construction work, I did some stone picking to line the pathway at the back of the school so that it would not so muddy. The stone had to pick from a nearby empty ground and carried to the back of the school. It was not a long distance away, but after multiple trips of transporting the stone, it was physically tiring. One good thing about doing construction work in Vietnam is that although we were under the sun, we did not sweat at all. After those 3 days of doing construction work, my old leg injury took its toll from doing too much construction work. It was sad considering the fact that I would not be able to experience this again. So I had to rest my leg for the next 2 days to keep it from getting worse. But I made myself useful by preparing for the lessons for the day while the rest did the construction work.

On the last day, although my leg was slightly painful, I decided to do a bit of construction work which was scooping sand that the boys had loosened. Overall, I never knew that I could even do 3 long day of construction work since I was on long term MC. So it was an achievement for me personally. Although there was a period of time which I could not do any more construction work, it made me realize more of my limitations and that there are other ways that I can contribute when I’m not physically fit.

The English Lessons
I started the first 3 days with English lessons. I wasn’t really involved in the teaching process. It was more of helping the students to understand and standing at one corner of the classroom with a few of the Vietnam students. For the first 3 days, our class was not as vibrant or exciting as the class next door. It could be because we did not know how to teach them effectively and it was harder to get their attention if they did not understand fully what we are saying. So that was our challenge that we didn’t managed to fully overcome within the first 3 days.

When it was time to switch over, a few others and I decided to stay and continue with the English lessons. So the new group of people and I who switched over from the games group decided to come up with a proper lesson plan so that things are much better. We came up with our own materials to aid our teaching and at the same time got help from the group in charge of the other class. We asked them how they managed to make their class more active and tried to adopt their approach. Fortunately, things made a turn for the better during the following 3 days of English lessons. We and the Vietnam students had so much fun running around and learning English at the same time. What was more satisfying was that, they used some of the new words that we have taught them. That shows that we did manage to contribute to making their life a better one although it was in such a small way.

Overall
There were quite a few challenges that I faced such as being physically unfit to contribute continuously throughout the trip as well as finding the best way to contribute so that the Vietnam students can benefit the most. One thing that I learned was that it is quite impossible to change their lives totally for the better when we are only there for a week. But that doesn’t not mean we can’t make that week that we spent with them a memorable and benefiting one. Hopefully I will be able to go back there and contribute some more and impact their lives in the long term instead of in the short term. As for me, one of the major impacts was how the children there was appreciative of the things we did for them, and here I am mostly feeling that I’m lacking of some things. Despite all the difficulties they faced, they still continued to work hard and never gave up. That is one thing I could learn from them. Even though I could get help from the people around me and did get help, I sometimes do feel like giving up. Who would ever think that they could also teach us something as we helped them?

Fulfilling, memorable and emotional

2007-03-25T23:07:00.000+08:00

After months and months of planning for the trip, raising funds and such, it wasn’t long before my friends and I gathered at the airport excitedly waiting to hop on the plane. The moment we touch down on Hanoi, we were greeted by the cool climate, the kind of temperature that we would dream of having in Singapore. Haha.

We were full of excitement and were confident of what we had planned and prepared for the kids. We were quite sure that the kids and the iProject team would learn and enjoy the six days of commitment, and sure enough we did.

I was with the arts and crafts group. Every night, we would decide on the activities to do with the kids on the next day. The kids had painting and drawing lessons and origami ‘lessons’ where we had to learn from them instead of us teaching them. At the end of the lesson, they would have something such as pencils and notebooks to bring back as souvenirs. This small little gesture left a smile on their face for the day and as long as I can remember and it occurred to me how easily contented they are. Often, such things are always within our reach and we or at least I took them for granted.

They are also very punctual for classes (something that is a rarity in our school). The moment the drum was struck to signal the start of lessons, they would stop whatever they are doing and make their way for their classes. The kids’ perseverance is also something that is commendable. I remembered that the kids were asked to draw their school and Shieh Fang was this boy’s facilitator or something. He insisted in completing the drawing even though it was time for games and very intent in completing his drawing. Shieh Fang and I were like in admiration for the small little guy.

The food that they had was simple, no fried chickens and such. Their methods of cooking were restricted to stir-frying and steaming. They are easily satisfied as long as they have something to eat and wear.

All in all, I enjoyed thoroughly from the morning van ride with my ‘flowers’ and our ‘grass’ manager Mr Lim, to the construction, to the arts and crafts lessons. This trip certainly taught me the beauty of simplicity, the art of perseverance and concentration. The friendships bonded with my members and with the children. The majority of us were even thinking of going back at the end of the year. I am sure all the iProject members had a very fulfilling, memorable and emotional trip. :) cheers!!!

Learning Moments

2007-03-25T23:00:00.000+08:00

I have gained invaluable experiences when I went for the OCIP trip to Vietnam. These experiences include how to deal with unforeseen circumstances such as lost passport. These experiences reminded me that we have to constantly keep a lookout for our students and their safety is always ours utmost priority.

Looking back, there were some challenges along the way. One challenge was to be sensitive and respect the Vietnamese culture. Vietnamese believed that a child’s soul will be captured in the photo if his/her photo was taken. Hence, we had to ask for their parents’ or siblings’ permission before taking any photos. This made me realize that an action viewed as common to us may be viewed as a sign of disrespect to the Vietnamese.

As we made our way to TaVan from our hotel, we passed by children, ages ranging from about 5 years old to about 14 years old. They were walking along the road barefooted and some of them, as young as 10 years old, had to carry their younger siblings on their back. My heart went out to them as I realized that the heavy responsibility of taking care of their siblings was placed upon these young and small shoulders. In addition, these tribal children had to walk barefooted for a few hours from their homes to the hotels to earn a living. Their source of income is to persuade and coax foreigners into buying the souvenirs. Despite having no formal education, they were well aware of the value of money due to the arrival of visitors.

One of our contributions to TaVan School was to build concrete pavements, toilets and to paint a building. These were done in the morning and teaching was done in the afternoon. One challenge I faced here was to withhold my teacher-self in correcting my students on how to conduct a lesson. There were times that I felt an urge to enter the room and teach my students how to carry out a more effective lesson. However, I managed to hold myself back and let the students take charge and learn. There are times that as teachers, we had to let go of their hands and let them stand on their own feet. And these are one of the few times that we had to do so.

My students grew up and became more matured after the trip to Vietnam. They do not take things for granted and have learnt to value things in life such as the food they get to enjoy in Singapore. And with that, I hope that my students will continue to grow and be a better person tomorrow than today!

The merging of souls: TaVaNova

2007-03-25T22:18:00.000+08:00

I swear the whole experience of this Vietnam trip was unforgettable and I can definitely say it is the most meaningful thing I have ever done. I guess it’s no use describing how it feels because it’s simply out of this world. You have to be there to feel it. It gives me such a sense of achievement and self fulfilment that suddenly, for once, I felt my life was meaningful.

So we stepped into TaVan School, not knowing what to expect but I know all of us were filled with excitement and enthusiasm. We received a really warm welcome by the students and teachers alike. Their smiles were genuine and sincere and it made us feel at home all at once. They had a performance for us and although it was nothing like what we always see back in Singapore, we can really see that they’ve put in a lot of effort into bringing everything together.

Soon, we started on our objectives, that is to help with the construction of the school, teach the kids English and, the most enjoyable segment, to play games with them! There was a slight reservation among some of us on the construction at first as most of us have never done something like this before. Therefore when we were allocated with jobs to complete, we weren’t really sure of what to do and needed the guidance of the local teachers and staff. However, I daresay all of us put in our 100% into doing the job and even though some of the tasks were physically challenging for some, no one complained about anything. We just gave everything we had and were enthusiastic about doing the work, not forgetting to relax and have fun at some point in time. At the end of it, we saw what difference we made and were proud and definitely had a great sense of self accomplishment. Through this, we learnt how to work together and that we must help each other out and always be on the lookout for one another.

The other part of our objective was to play games with the kids and to interact with them. The first difficulty we all faced was the language barrier. Their command of English language was very poor. Therefore, we had a hard time communicating with them. However, apparently, games are an international language. We did some demonstrations to let them get the gist of the game and they picked up the game real fast after that. It was really heart warming to see them participating so much more enthusiastically, as compared to kids in Singapore, who are much harder to pacify. They are very competitive and are all very eager to win. In the process I learnt that communication is important, and it’s not necessary that we share a common language to communicate. We just have to put in a little effort to understand each other.

To conclude, I think that this whole experience is going to have a long lasting impact on me. I learnt not to take things for granted and I’m thankful for having such a comfortable life here in Singapore. Although we may not have a permanent impact on the kids and that after we’re gone, their life would most likely revert back to normal, I can be certain that I’ve made a difference. Not a big difference which would change their life, but just enough to change one small part of their journey in life, and for that, I’m grateful and contented.

Smiles, Warmth, Love

2007-03-25T20:47:00.000+08:00

Committing myself to this OCIP trip to Vietnam was the best thing I did in year 2006.
I had done much voluntary work in different ways, however doing voluntary work overseas in a foreign place with the presence of a language barrier was something new to me.

On the day when we were leaving Singapore for Vietnam, I felt excited, anxious and was looking forward to what await us at Vietnam. I didn't have the slightest idea that this journey would turn out to be so beautiful and memorable....

Upon reaching the airport at Hanoi, we were immediately faced with a totally different setting. We were subjected to different temperature, environment, people, culture; a totally different way of life, which was pretty interesting.

We arrived at Sapa on Day 2 and received a warm welcome at Tavan Secondary School.
There were a few performances by the students. The performances were not grand but simple and heart-warming, which we greatly appreciated. Each of us received a lovely rose before leaving the classroom where the speeches and performances were held.

Of course! The spectacular view which surrounded us at Sapa was something I was never sick of. Clear blue sky with fluffy white clouds, awesome mountains, streams and not forgetting the various animals; dogs, cats, pigs, chickens, ducks, horses, mountain goats, water buffalos - some of which you would only see in a farm or a zoo, were what we see moving around in the open everyday =)

The journey to Tavan was never dull with these girls around. We sang songs that were often not completed and sometimes went out of tune. We joked about anything and talked about everything, laughter filled the van every morning. Our friendship developed through the days and I'll always cherish it.

The unforgettable pathway we took to the school.
I got to know that some of the children studying in the school lives far away and have to travel on foot for an hour or so to reach the school.
Some of them would stay in school and go only home during the weekends.
It is impressive that they are willing to go the distance to learn.

We engaged in construction work during the day and started our activities with the students in the noon time. I was in the group which was in charge of teaching English to children who were about 14 or 15.

On the first day, it was not easy to bring the message across to the children even though they had some prior knowledge of English; we needed the translator to convey our message frequently.
However, as the children open up to us, we were able to communicate more efficiently with the use of simple language and hand gestures.
They were always eager to learn and took things seriously.
Reflecting upon myself, I felt guilty for not being as determined as them although I have the opportunity and comfort to study in a good environment.

Learning was bidirectional, not only did we impart our knowledge to them, we learnt and gained a lot from the children as well.
They taught us some simple Vietnamese words and phrases and also brought about much joy and laughter to us.

There was once they were given stickers as prize for doing well in the English game we played with them, they were elated upon receiving the stickers and even shared them with their friends who were from other classes.
Their sincerity and big-heartedness is as pure and magnificent as a crystal.
Little things could really bring great happiness to them.

Out of the school, we got to see things which are not seen in Singapore and also learnt from these sights.

Looking at these children, I thought about my own living condition and I'm reminded of how fortunate I am.
These children may not be having as much comfort as many of us do, but they are contented.
They live in harmony and are able to find happiness within themselves.
Many a time, we do not realize how blessed we are and complain about things being not good enough. Maybe exposure to these environments would allow us to feel more contented and appreciative of what we have.

Do the arrangements of the bricks look familiar?
The children were using bricks to play domino. They do not have the luxury of having nice plastic toys which would decrease their chances of getting injured, but they enjoyed themselves.

She is one of the children whom I'll always remember.
She was playing hop-scotch alone when I saw her for the first time.
I joined her and even though we seldom talked, I enjoyed playing with her. She was friendly and bubbly, a very lovely child. After school, she would follow her mum around, selling items to earn some money. It is a responsibility she has to uphold even though she is still young. I think she is much more mature than me when I was her age.

This bamboo game was what they frequently played.
They were practising for their performance which will be showcased during the farewell party.
It was interesting to see how they danced to the rhythm.

Tavan Secondary School has indeed given me an insight to the lives of children who are living in a place not very far away from me.
The smiles and warmth of the children gave me the drive to continue with the amazing journey at Sapa, at the same time leaving heartfelt memories in me.

Through this trip, I've learn that
Life can be simple and still beautiful.
Happiness and Love can be shared and will be returned double the amount.
Language Barrier can be overcomed by Sincerity.

Tavanova, an unforgettable journey.

Once-in-a-lifetime experience

2007-03-23T23:53:00.001+08:00

It’s been exactly 5 months since we arrived at Vietnam. We had much to do before the trip, packing the goodies for the school, planning the itinerary for the days when we were going to the school, the games we were going to teach the children, etc. And finally, the day arrived when we met at Changi to go over to Hanoi. Since we’d reached, every time without fail, excitement will fill the air as we clamour up the buses wherever we were supposed to go. That kind of energy never seems to be present in Singapore.

It was a culture shock when we reached Vietnam, and most importantly, TaVan, as we finally understood how privileged we were. The village was rundown, there weren’t any proper roads, there were animals walking alongside humans, and they were just making use of whatever they have around them to pass time. The many challenges are seen when we found difficulties in communicating with the locals, the lack of tools, and feeling tired as the days went by. It was not easy keeping the spirits up when there was much to plan at night and the scorching Sun at our backs when we laboured on in the day. We might have actually experienced a communication breakdown between our groups as well, so it was difficult to carry out certain tasks.

Though it was tiring, it was pretty heart-warming to see the Vietnamese students coming forward to help whenever they have a break. To see their smiles and hear their giggles when you tease them while working, just magically adds energy back into us again.

As the old saying goes, “No man is an island”. This is true indeed. No one can lift a sack of sand on his own, this calls for teamwork. Teamwork allows time, as well as energy, to be conserved, and one will realize that that is the correct way to work. I hope this can be a stepping-stone for those out there who are still contemplating on joining an Overseas Community Involvement Programme. Hesitate no longer, this experience is definitely once-in-a-lifetime, and I guarantee that you will never regret it, ever.

Lessons taught and learnt

2007-03-09T23:32:00.000+08:00

When I first heard about iProject 8 months back, I was determined to join the group and be a part of this family. Knowing this could be once-in-a-lifetime experience, I volunteered and soon become a part of the group, planning and preparing for the Vietnam trip.

Looking back, it had been really tough juggling both our academics and iProject preparation, especially when our promotional exams were around the corner, but we did it, and our hard work paid off. The smiles on the Vietnamese kids were the best reward for all the hardship and preparation we went through.

I have learnt many valuable lessons from the people in Vietnam. Sometimes I felt that I have learnt even more than what I have taught them.

When I first stepped foot on Vietnam, I was "welcomed" by the non-stop horning of the vehicles. Coming from a country that horning was generally regarded as rude, I was irritated by the constant horning and could not appreciate this culture of theirs. However as days go by, I began to have a change in attitude. I learnt to appreciate their culture and soon began to LOVE the culture of theirs. Unlike Singapore, horning is used as a form of warning and not as a rude way of expressing unhappiness. Now thinking back, I miss the sound of the horns, which would always be heard at every turn.

The first and last days in Tavan Secondary School were the most unforgettable time. On the first day, we marched into the school with two rows of children neatly lined up clapping and cheering for us, welcoming us into their school. We were then given a flower each and invited to see their performance. Although their performance were simple and I could not understand their language, I could feel the warmth in their welcome for us. It was heart-warming to see their delighted face. However being unable to understand their language, I was unable to know if our presence were being appreciated. On the last day at TaVan, the children cried and hugged us. we spend very long a time before picking our courage to leave the school. That was when I realised, we were really being appreciated. I was touched.

During the full 6 days, we did construction work every morning and conducted lessons in the afternoon. I found that I have learnt a lot through the lessons conducted. Looking at the children’ actions, it made me reflect on my own actions back in Singapore. I remember one of the encounter brought up by the team members that when a box of colour pencil was given to one girl as a prize. Instead of keeping it for her own, she open up the box of pencils and distributed them to the whole class. This little girl had taught me that only when you are willing to share your happiness, will you be able to experience true happiness. =)

iProject -100% satisfaction

2007-03-05T03:45:00.000+08:00

I was one of the last members to join iProject and I did not regret AT ALL. Seriously, I thoroughly enjoyed the vegetarian food, the teaching of English, playing of games, the sceneries and the priceless experience as a whole.

I remember we were all very eager to go to Vietnam that we planned the whole trip thoroughly. Some of my friends even had to forsake their sleeping time just to plan for the next day. Well actually everyone had to cut down on their sleeping time as we adopted the day by day approach. This means that we would adjust the plan for the next day on the night before just after we had our nightly meetings. We had to adopt this approach as we would have encounter the different problems as days pass by. In order to prevent such problems from arising and disrupting the flow, we had to prognosticate and adjust from our original plan.

For me, I was part of the team in charge of teaching English. We were supposed to teach English for 2 days and later conduct games and arts & crafts for another 2 days. However from the 'addiction' of teaching English from the first 2 days, my team decided to continue to teach the Vietnamese kids the language. Some might argue that we should try conducting games and arts & crafts in order to gain valuable experiences. BUT I say that I would rather ensure that the language proficiency of the kids be heighten.

That’s me teaching English. Topic: family =)
The main problem in teaching English was the communication barrier. We overcame this by taking advantage of the translator on the first day. On the consecutive days, we had to literally act out the meaning. I remember making sounds of the different animals and chasing Arshad to illustrate 'the dog is chasing the cat'.

I also enjoyed constructing, or rather improving the physical conditions of the school especially when this was my first time. I was so engrossed in my job that I decided to skip my breaks just to complete my task as quickly as possible. In all, I dug the ground, transported earth, dug for sand, laid bricks, cemented the floor, 'destroyed' beds, scraped the window grills and of course more digging. Haha. The part I enjoyed the most was laying the bricks and digging the ground. It certainly takes a lot of skills and strength. Not as easy as it seems.

That’s me. Look at my shirt. It suits the whole event! Haha.
I was tired at times but I pushed myself to move on and work harder. This had benefited me in that it has taught me how to persevere and move on even if I'm tired

Talking about shirts, I had purposely worn shirts that are related to the whole trip. Here’s a list of what I wore and the description

Red Cross shirt captioned 'many hands, one world': we must work as one in order to complete our mission
J1 orientation t-shirt captioned 'the journey begins here': everyday is a new day. The journey starts anew
NUS OCIP shirt captioned 'give yourself a...pat in the back': praise yourselves and each other as a form of motivation to continue

After the trip, I was moved to join more overseas community involvement programme trips organise by various organisations. This would mean going to the neighbouring ASEAN countries to contribute to society. I remembered doing a mini CIP when I was in Brunei Darussalam in 2004.

In my soul

2007-03-04T23:27:00.000+08:00

Memories thought beautifully captured will be something of the past.
You'll never know what the future holds for you.
You should look back at your journey, smile, because no matter what happens along the way, you'll just have to learn and continue on.

It was an incredible trip to journey to a far away land just to help someone out there. We may have just merely walked or played a small role in their lives while they left foot prints that cannot be washed away. I have learnt that being a friend is more important than being friendly. Genuinely truly being a friend for others.

It was enjoyable to simply live peacefully up in the mountains, away from the stressful environment or urban stress I call it. It was indeed a time to slow down your pace, take a deep breath, and really think about your life. You will notice that you start to appreciate life better, how many things you have taken for granted now, would be a thing that others can only yearn for. No doubt you might be living a better than others but have you wondered whether others deserve it more than you do? I questioned myself, many of times I concluded that others deserve it more than I do, truth be known, I have made many mistakes, weights have been my burden, I was lazy and not living the life I ought to be living. Although we are all but humans and humans err, or humans are simply imperfect creature falling short of the glory that was supposed to be. We tried so hard to redeem ourselves, however, only through the blood that was shed before us, can we only have a new self. The constant renewing of mind is very important, in order to remain in tune to the ultimate plan. It is because the state of your mind is a reflection of the state your life. Simply put, your mind determines your life.

I would like to share some discovery I have made during this incredible Vietnam trip:

*Vietnamese do not have a habit of carrying bags around (that include the ladies)

*Do not fear crossing the road because the cars would not stop for you (who do you think you are some big-shot that everyone needs to wait for you? In other words, your time is not that precious compared to theirs after all) . So move on with life.

*One point to really note and to make Singaporeans like me envious is that Vietnamese do not seem to have people wearing spectacles because they all seem to have perfect eyesight. So if you do spot a person wearing spectacles in Vietnam, highly like it is not a Vietnamese. The same goes for locating a spectacles shop, too rare to be located. It must be their environment or may be we are just watching too much television.

*Let me talk about the hill tribes. Some hill tribe people have blonde hair, and it is natural, talk about dying your hair. I concluded that either is due to over exposure under the sun or might be malnutrition. It might not be or just it's genetics. Research anyone?

*Regarding the buildings in Vietnam, only the front of the house is painted because the price of the house is calculated by the width of the house. Therefore the houses are very long and compacted.

*Their language is influenced by the Chinese, French and the Thai. Recently, English is making its presence felt. So who's lacking behind? In the long run, it might be us I guess.

*The potential for growth in Vietnam will outstrip that of many countries, I have a few shallow feel of what it might become. They may put the cables underground to ensure better quality of communication and definitely more sky scrapers, so just how high can the tallest scraper go? Reason being that there are not many tall buildings around, may be one can really scrap the clouds out of the sky, who knows but I believe it will happen eventually, question is how soon?

Alright, here is a short part taken out of my journal written there and then in Sapa, Vietnam on the 25 November 2006:

The roosters woke me up at 6.00am sharp to see the first light. The sun is rising behind the tall mountains on the far horizon as far as the eye can see. Mist clouds drifting at the valley. I’m being surrounded by huge, strong looking green mountains. The people here are awake and getting ready to work, tribeswomen gathering their stuff to sell. It’s freezing writing out here in the balcony. Now the clouds are orange-red in colour. The view is breath-taking together with the farmland and peaceful environment. So calm and relaxing, not in a hurry to do anything.

It is only a small part of what I have written. This experience was indeed wonderful. It showed me that there are so many things you have yet to learn. However, you can always try...

Tavanova - The Sole Reason

2007-03-04T22:33:00.000+08:00

It was my class who initiated iProject, led by Ronald. I just rendered my support as I was also interested in the idea of going overseas and helping others who are less fortunate and need more attention. Our destination was Sapa, Vietnam. We were to help a school called TaVan School. We were supposed to help improve school conditions & environments and teach what we learnt in Singapore. Many meetings were done and lots of preparations were done to ensure we would have as successful a trip as possible. Days before the trip, we were feeling excited and the anxiety was unimaginable. We were already thinking what would happen there at Vietnam, how is the environment there, how can we adapt to their busy situation there and many-many more.

It was really a change in climate and environment when we reached Hanoi airport. The currency in Vietnam is Dong. I really felt like a millionaire when I changed a hundred of my US dollars. It was a certainly good feeling. We were greeted by students from HelloHanoi. They were really nice and a great help to us as we were very new to Vietnamese people and their language. This was the first challenge we faced, the language barrier. However, as pro-active students of Innova Junior College, we learnt how to speak Vietnamese language and communicate with the people there, slowly. Although one challenge is being overcome, we knew another challenge would come and we would not know if it is at a higher level to overcome, but we know we can handle them as a whole iProject team.

We reached TaVan School on the 2nd day after a long ten hour ride on the train. We felt energized and wanting to start our work at that moment but we still have to break the ice and know the people first before jumping to any work. We were introduced to the teachers and students there. They were really kind and generous towards us. They greeted us politely and made us feel like we were at home. This showed me that although they have a lower standard of living, they have basic courtesy and manners towards foreign people. I was more inspired to help the school, so that the students can study in a comfortable environment and the teachers could teach in a suitable environment. We worked hard and everyone really put in a lot of effort in upgrading the school and interacting with the teachers & especially the students. We found out that the students were a lot younger than us, and it was very difficult for us to connect because of different level of maturity and different frequency. This was the second challenge we faced, age group. Although they were a lot younger, I still felt that we are the same because we share the same qualities & status as STUDENTS. Both groups want to achieve something from school and I feel we, both, really did it. This creates something very special, “Tavanova”, a combination of two schools with big dreams.

We learnt Vietnamese dance steps and I’m really proud I have mastered it. And I now can speak Vietnamese better. I can count one to ninety-nine if you want me to.

Overall, I learnt something important from the Vietnamese people, never to take things for granted. In Singapore, I do not usually do the house chores and even make my bed as I have a maid. However, the students there did their own house chores and even make their own bed. I felt somewhat ashamed. Although, they were not as high class as us, they really have the values of high classed people. This really motivates me to improve myself on basic things and be to self reliant and not dependent on others.

We took a lot of photos of course. This was to show our friends and families back in Singapore what we done in Vietnam and what iProject is all about. In addition, the photos will always be kept to cherish the memories and remember the moments that we have at Vietnam as an iProject team. I just remembered it is the first time I went overseas with friends and teachers instead of my family. The overall experience was different as I really learnt how to be self reliant and not depend on my parents for safety and money-wise. I am really grateful that I am one of the iProjectors. And our slogan “Commitment of Hearts” will always be in me as I will like to continue this momentum of helping people that are less fortunate and need more attention after I graduate from Innova Junior College. iProject really opened my eyes and defined ‘volunteerism’ deeper. I hope the next batch of Innovians will continue our momentum of OCIP, just as we continued Mission 45’s momentum. This iProject impact makes me want to do something better for the present and the future as volunteerism will never stop for me. Hence, that is why I can state, “Tavanova – The Sole Reason”.

Volunteering At Ta Van, an Awesome Experience!

2007-03-04T21:02:00.000+08:00

It was only a few months ago that I found myself anxiously packing and getting ready for an experience of a lifetime! I have been to a couple of OCIP trips during my secondary school days. Thus, I knew that I was already optimistic about this CIP to Vietnam. However, I did not expect myself to love this trip to such a large extent. I can now safely say that this trip to Sapa, Vietnam was indeed one of the best moments of my life, something that I would never forget.

I was unable to go to TaVan Secondary School the very first day because I had lost my passport. So, I had to stay in Hanoi City for a day longer than the other iProject members. I might have missed out on the warm welcome received from the teachers and students of the school, but I still appreciate the other moments spent at TaVan. They have helped me to learn and grow as a person.

Some of the activities we engaged in were to help to construct the toilet, the kitchen and refurnish the hostel room meant for the students. There was a point where I had to go down to the river to pick up the stones and rocks needed to lay the foundation of cement on the ground. We had to use the shovel which was quite a physically tiring task for me. But with the motivation of my fellow iProject friends, I was able to push myself to accomplish the task.

Some of us also got the opportunity to teach the students English language. It was a very fun and enlightening experience. The students we taught were around 12 to 14 yrs old. Though language barrier was a slight problem, but they were all still very attentive and highly engaged in the lesson. I felt so pleased when the students responded to almost every single question we asked them.

Their active participation made me ponder about why we as Singaporean students, who have the luxury of a conducive learning environment, fans, sometimes even having tablet PCs with lecture notes on it and not stay engaged in the lesson? While these students who feel discomfort sitting on uneven wooden benches with splinters not get distracted by that and pay full attention. Sometimes, when we have all the opportunities laid out right in front of us, we fail to make full use of it and take it for granted. Only when it is gone, then we feel the pain and regret, telling ourselves ‘if only I had not taken it for granted...’ I have benefited from this. As now, I try my best to appreciate the people around me, the things I have and my experiences, be it good or bad.

One thing that has really touched me during the trip was the generosity and hospitality of the Vietnamese people. I remember my friend Marsha and I were just talking a stroll around the village area outside the school during our lunch break. Then a tribal lady greeted us and invited us into her small house shaped like a hut. She offered us a traditional Vietnamese tea and asked her son to take some stools from the attic for us to sit on. This made me realise that though they may literally have very little, they have a lot of compassion. From this, I’ve learnt to be more conscious of the people around me and treat them with the respect and compassion they deserve.

Thank you teachers, iProject-ians and everyone else who have played a role in making this service a success for everyone! The precious smiles of the Vietnamese kids, the beauty of leading a simple yet meaningful life and the lessons I’ve learnt will always be kept in my heart. I would not have traded this experience for anything else. Now I just can’t wait to go back to Vietnam and see the students of TaVan Secondary School again (:

A milestone of my life, Vietnam.

2007-03-04T20:32:00.000+08:00

We stepped into TaVan School, welcomed by the smiles and joy of TaVan students and teachers lined up and I felt so much like a big star. I enjoyed their welcoming performance, nice roses for all and local tea which they served. It sparks off my thought that what may seem an insignificant thing to join this OCIP actually means a lot to the local school. I felt so appreciated and I’m ensured that I did the right thing to join iProject.

We basically provide manpower for constructions to help improve the school condition and also some interaction with the kids there by teaching simple English and arts. I recalled this incident where I snatched a friend’s job and upset her. I’m so sorry. It makes me realized that such simple things can actually lead to unhappiness and eventually misunderstanding. I now know the importance of this word ‘Sorry’ in daily life which can determine your friendship in case of misunderstandings. Btw, I made a few Vietnam girl friends and guys too and I can feel their sincerity about being friends just by communicating. Yup, I got a few of their email and do keep in contact in times. Friendships made there are indescribable!

My main takeaway for this trip is this we CANNOT judge other people from our point of view. Though we may conclude that Vietnam is a country of low standard of living, probably after learning economics or geography, but I, or rather, we can sense that the local Vietnamese are very much happier than we Singaporeans. I can sense the love for siblings just by looking at how they protect each other and the concern for family when they have their communal eating. These simple yet important values are gradually fading away here. Although I felt that the conditions there seems bad compared to here, the locals seem so much happier and contented with their limited resources. I told myself I will not regret staying in Lao Cao for all my life when I feel the local stress less, limited pollution and breathtaking scenery of the area. Maybe I will retire there. Who knows? Lastly, I really hope to be back there after A’s this year to reunion with my friends again!

Pursuit of happiness

2007-03-04T19:13:00.000+08:00

The word nonpareil in French is taken to mean "non + equal". The experiences gleaned from this OCIP trip is just that, a nonpareil, and any other experience just cannot compare.

The short 6 days spent helping these children was enough to leave a lasting impression on me. I’m trying to avoid any clichés that might have been used to describe this trip but really, I know, this trip had a huge, and I daresay, similar impact on all of us (:

Vietnam was... interesting, and exhausting. But the whole experience was indescribable, in a good way. For the first time in my life when I went overseas, I didn't really feel like taking many pictures with my own camera, just wanted to enjoy every moment.

And enjoy I did. From building the walkway, paving stones like one fits puzzles. Carrying rocks on makeshift "stretchers", cleaning out the dusty "kitchen", playing games with the kids, dancing the mass dance with the unforgettable soundtrack that someone would just break out humming and everyone joins in.

It wasn't completely easy. Most of us can safely say we have never touched a spade before. Yet we chipped in cheerfully to help in anyway we can, be it shifting rocks or painting window grilles and walls. The language barrier made it almost impossible for us to communicate effectively with them but with their relatively simple lifestyles and our simple hand gestures, we managed it. Of course, having natives proficient in Vietnamese and English helped, like our tour guide, the pe teacher, and other kids.

I love playing with them, being in the group taking charge of the games segment. Games are universal, a common language to all. With just a ball, we interacted with them in ways that the language barrier could never have allowed. Dancing with them also was an amazing experience. It was deceptively difficult but once we learnt it, it was so fun to do, simple, and addictive indeed! Our feet just couldn't stop moving along with the beat. Vietnamese techno workout music is something out of this world altogether :D

Looking back, I’ve learnt so much, of which a majority cannot be expressed in words, but I believe the iprojectors would agree with me and feel the same way. often, an experience is based as much on what happens as well as the people who went through it with you, and I must say we are an awesome bunch (: nothing would have been possible without each and every one of us. even though conflicts arose here and there, we managed to solve them on the whole and progress on with a better understanding of each other.

This trip to Vietnam really gave me a paradigm shift. I used to think (rather apathetically) that I could not do anything about the poverty that is so prevalent in the world today. Now I know that I can, even if it is a small difference, at least I have made a difference in some kids' lives (: and that's all that matters.

The Moments Shared and Learnt

2007-03-04T17:15:00.000+08:00

I can never forget the day when we first stepped into TaVan. We received such a warm welcome! The welcome performance was really simple, but I can really feel their efforts.

We spent the following days constructing a pavement and painting in the morning. And in the afternoon, taught the children English and played games with them.
I was in charge of the teaching group.

Of course, life isn't always smooth sailing and the group faced difficulties on the way. The children were not as responsive in the first day then we thought they would be. Moreover, there was a slight communication breakdown between each other. However, the group worked together and we managed to involve the children! We had serious fun in the process of learning once the children warmed up to us.

The process of construction was also physically taxing for some of us, but we managed to overcome this problem by working together as a team. For example, we loaded the sand and mud by forming a human chain instead of loading it in pairs.

Everyone was sad during our last day in TaVan, and most of us cried all the way till we reached our buses that were to send us back to the hotel.

I would never forget the moment where each and every one of my "students" came and hugged me with tears in their eyes. Our hands were held tightly during the descent and I somehow wished that we would never have to let go of each other.

Although we only spent 6 days together, they taught me more than I had ever learnt in school. Their unselfishness, their innocence and the happiness they had touched me deeply. Just like how Yeow Sheng had told me, "take a memory picture", I stored every one of them into my memory. Before I knew it, they were long part of me.

My impact on them might be short-lived, but to me, theirs would be an eternal impact.

I know that our first encounter might very well be the last one, and I might be forgotten someday, but I still want to say that TaVan, You will always be in my heart!

Thank You iProject for such a wonderful experience!
:)

A special part of me

2007-03-04T15:53:00.000+08:00

Vietnam will always hold a special part in me. Volunteering to me initially was to want to do something out of my means, usually like cleaning the whiteboard or something mundane along that line. This included beaching cleaning and community service in old age homes where I really never saw the meaning of really giving to the society.

I joined iProject out of curiosity. It was a mix of wanting to travel and to truly help a community. My knowledge of Vietnam could be said to be very limited. I associated Vietnam with Laos a lot, for some weird reason and a producer of rice (I’m a geography student). Very random things that didn't give much character to the country. I was so wrong about that.

The ten days opened my eyes to the wonderful world out there. The cultures I was exposed to, the people I met and the experiences I went through was all part of something very precious to me now.

First and foremost, one of the obvious difficulties was during the initial stages of planning and organising of iProject as a team. There were weekly meetings and certain sacrifices had to be made in order for all of us to be there, actively discussing fund raising or other activities that can be done with the Vietnamese children.

Second on the list would be the fact we were heading into unknown territory. We didn't know how many children there were going to be, what the environment will be like, the language and if our plans for teaching, games and arts & crafts would work out. It was an uphill struggle which we had to provide alternatives for, just in case.

However, the positive things simply outweigh the negativity.

We had to do some construction. 'Some' would be an understatement. We had to do many things we would have never done in Singapore. The first hurdle was to dismantle a bed frame with bare hands. Totally not meant for the urbanised noobs (meaning newbies). It was a shock. Shock because there was this young boy of maybe 8 years of age, tearing it up happily. It was like the bed frame was made out of paper or something. The construction aspect also included us getting our hands and legs dirty levelling the bumpy ground, mixing cement, painting, derusting and the actual construction of a pavement. The lack of machinery meant everything was done with sheer muscle power (and shovels and backaches and hand cramps).

We also had a component where we taught the kids basic English. We incorporated songs and drawings into our lessons and the children were... well, like kids. Some of them were shy and did not participate much. Some, however were really outgoing and even though there were a lot of gesturing taking place, it was enriching both for them and for us. We learnt while we taught and this was very very significant as we saw how community service is much more.

Arts & crafts and games were taught. I saw how truly lucky we are from them when they had balloons in their hands. The look of happiness was at its ultimate and it was just a balloon! Or so it might seem. To them, the balloon could be like something rare and not see much in Sapa. I felt truly appreciative of what we had in Singapore.

I have learnt so much on this trip and it's not just about the Vietnamese people but also about myself, my friends and working as a team. I have made great friends (TPF!) and made greater discoveries about myself. OCIP is not a one-off event and will never be. The hillside terraces, cool weather, sunny smiles of the kids and crazy non-stop honking of vehicles will stay deeply rooted in my mind.

Unforgettable experience

2007-03-04T11:19:00.000+08:00

This OCIP trip to me was such an unforgettable experience.

I cannot forget how warmly the school welcomed us.
I cannot forget the simple fun we had on the daily van ride to school, with the 7 flowers and Mr Lim.
I cannot forget the fun, which the Vietnam school kids enjoyed in learning with us.
I appreciated the simple Vietnamese fare we had,

like how the Vietnamese children did.

I cannot forget the time we spent together.

Through these experiences, I've learnt to appreciate the simple things in life, as well as appreciating the friends around me more. I have also learnt to persevere in whatever I do; this perseverance was learnt from the children in the art classes, where they would skip the games just to finish up what they are drawing. What is most important is that everyone realizes that we should not take things for granted. Hopefully, we can go back to Vietnam again, and relive our experiences.

My 2 cents worth

2007-03-03T10:00:00.000+08:00

The trip was the first time I took a plane ride and it was an enjoyable process. Before I boarded the plane, near the channel which linked the plane to the departure hall, Mr Sim asked me if I was feeling better or not because I was a first-time flyer at that time. I replied with a Yes and that sparked off a mindset that this trip would definitely be a memorable one. With continuous care and concern, it certainly motivated the whole group of iProject.

We arrived late at Vietnam, yet were welcomed warmly by the Vietnamese volunteers from HelloHanoi. Among the Vietnamese volunteers, I met this girl, Linh who was very thoughtful, kind and friendly. She led a group of us around the busy street at Old Quarters and guided us whether the pricing was acceptable or negotiable. She was really nice to us throughout the trip and we could chat anything under the sun. Till now, we still stay in contact via MSN and by E-mail.

At TaVan School, I had seven Vietnam students and I named them my "rainbow students", each a different colour. They were the ones who gave me the determination to carry on with tasks assigned whenever I felt lethargic. Initially, I could not talk things out with them. They would always refuse or ignore my presence, like a stranger. However, things started to change when I got to know them better. We got along well with jokes and stuff. They were a bunch of innocent kids who brought joy to me at Tavan and it was their smiles that I brought along with me back to Singapore to remember with. Not the values or experiences that I learnt. In fact, I believe that it is the memories that will change each and every part of my life. The simplicity of life is what a person ever yearns for. French loaves, an egg and milk yoghurt for lunch everyday, might be what I ask for in the end. They were easily contented with just a piece of origami paper and would value it.

During the teaching session, we had problems trying to get ideas across to the students there. It was never an easy task due to language barrier. We had to find appropriate actions or drawings just to make them understand. We did not succumb to such situation, but persevered to obtain their understanding. Of course, the students also never fail to comprehend our teaching. Now I realised the difficulty a teacher experiences just trying to control 25 students in a class. Compared to us, with merely seven iProject-ians to control 25 students in a class. I must say that the teachers were very noble.

Simple games like dog'n'bone and soccer displayed the TaVan students' sportsmanship and enthusiasm. They were very competitive throughout the games and hold no grudge against each other after every game. It was so disappointing to see them having talents that could hardly able to make use of.

In a nutshell, if given another opportunity to return back to TaVan School to help them, I will second the idea and go back there without much thought. The trip was definitely a fruitful one. Thank you iProject-ians and the teachers-in-charge for the support in such programme because it was a SUCCESS! =). Cheers!

TavaNova!

Jac's thoughts

2007-03-03T00:21:00.000+08:00

It's been a couple of months since the OCIP trip. If anyone remembers, I guess I would be the one everyone associates as the nutty fella who calls out every animal she sees or the one who doesn't know how to do anything and yet dares to admit that she is pampered. Well, for one, I am positive that despite my usual ‘mean’ attitude towards charity, I have never regretted OCIP.

When I first embarked on this trip, my first thought was that we were just there to help them, but what I never expected was that I would pick up a few learning points myself. One of it would be that I learnt never ever to take the goods and services that we consumed for granted. I got that from construction. Appreciate the banglas! Ok... that was a little too extreme but yea, I do have respect for these people after I got back because I experienced the hardship of digging the ground, picking up stones, etc. I used to term these people as ‘low class’ or foreigners who snatch the jobs of locals but, oh well, that’s in the past.

I also learnt something really interesting, that actually the simple things in life do and can keep you happy. Sweets, pencils, a star keeps these children happy; so unlike us where happiness means the latest ipod, converse jacket, etc. So that has changed my outlook in life. So that's a couple of what I learnt.

Challenges. For me, OCIP was really a far cry from my comfort zone. I was taking one step further than what I would usually do for charity (don’t donate/slack), and that step was a big one. I had difficulties getting used to construction because I just didn't know how to do it! But eventually, I got used to shoving sand, digging and throwing stones. And if anyone knows, I didn't have the courage to visit the school's toilet until the last few days, not because I was afraid that it was dirty but rather I had this fear that the toilet would be so small and dark that I would fall into the loo. Call me pampered or spoilt, but that's true.

OCIP allowed me to discover myself as a person. It allowed me to feel a sense of satisfaction when I see the happiness the children exhibited when they see us. And a lot more, words simply cannot describe my feelings and experiences during OCIP. Despite the challenges that I faced, I grew to love the school and its people or rather its kids. Poor, but happy. Shy, but yet friendly. That's Tavan which will always be in my heart. I miss it and someday, I hope to return to this place which holds great memories of friendships between 2 different cultures, brought about by fate and her helpers.

the EVENT that has great impact on my life

2007-03-02T20:57:00.000+08:00

I miss Vietnam and the kids over there. What I want to say is that I never regretted my decision to embark on this mission to help the people over in Vietnam. I never thought that we could actually learn from the people there too, what I thought was that we will only be providing aid to them and that is all. From this trip, I have learnt the importance of being happy and contented in life. It is not about owning a huge house, a car or even lots of money but about doing things you like and being happy. I have learnt independence and how to survive on my own for the 10 days in Vietnam. Most importantly, I have learnt more about my friends, understood them more and fostered stronger bonds during this trip.

The trip was not one without hiccups. We, as a team, faced many problems during our planning and also when we carried out the activities. Communication was a problem as the command of English of the students there were limited, making it difficult to bring our ideas through to them. However, we worked around it using actions, or simply using basic Vietnamese/English language to communicate. We also faced another problem of confirming the activities we were going to carry out during the five days at the school as conditions and plans of the school were not known to us. Therefore, we held daily debriefing sessions to discuss the activities we would carry out and the back up plan if that plan fails. I feel that our iProject team had done well in managing the challenges we faced.

During the five days there, we did construction work, teaching and also played games. During the construction, I did things that I would never get to try out in Singapore, like picking up stones near a river, or using simple equipment to transport sand and stones. The sessions were tiring but also satisfying. From the construction work, I learnt to appreciate the work the construction workers in Singapore had been doing, not thinking that what they do are low class jobs. The construction has allowed me to know that I can push my limits and do things that I have never done before.

Teaching to me, can be counted as the most difficult and tedious task we carried out during our trip. We were supposed to teach them simple English through the aid of nursery rhymes and pictures. From all this, we taught them simple sentence structuring and greetings which they can use. This task has taught me to think on my feet as we had to react to the responses of the students and use different ways of teaching to capture their attention and interest.

Carrying out of the games was fun as every student was competitive and gave their all during the proceedings of the game. Their competitiveness is one to be commendable about. I have learnt that during competitions friends become competitors but after that friendships still continues.

Overall, the trip has allow me to gain a lot of experience, if one is given the chance to go for this trip, he or she should accept this opportunity without any hesitation.

Presentation Videos

2007-02-13T21:53:00.000+08:00

Here are the videos used in our iProject presentation.

iProject Advertisement

iProject picture slideshow

1st draft 9 minutes long. Lots of pictures of the kids.

2nd draft Emphasis on the construction and teaching. 6 minutes long.

final draft Condensed version of the 2nd draft. 4 minutes long.

Day 1

2007-01-31T22:57:00.000+08:00

24th November.
Today was the first day we visited the school. We were warmly received by the teachers and students there. I was really surprised as students were lined in straight lines and we were to walk through all of them as if we were some kind of superstar. The Innova banner was hung right in front of the school. The students cheered as we walked pass. Some how it made me feel that what we are doing may be very little to us, but to them it means a lot.

We were directed to a small class room where the benches were clearly old and broken. The teachers still use a chalkboard to teach. There was barely enough light to see as the only source of light was a small light bulb. Nevertheless the conditions weren’t as bad as I thought it would be. However, the enthusiasm of the students overshadowed the blemishes of the classroom. We were greeted by a lady teacher who didn’t know how to speak English and our tour guide had to do the translation. It was then I realised that even the teachers themselves do not know how to speak the lingua franca of the world. We were served traditional Vietnam tea and every one of us received a flower each. I was really very touched as they were really very thoughtful and hospitable.

We proceeded to the construction work! I was very excited about it. I was designated to the "building of toilets" group. Basically we had to dig a hole which is 1m by 1 m by 1 m. Some of us used the shovel to dig while others carried the sand to an empty ground. By the rate we were going I thought we wouldn’t even finish one toilet in one month! Then a construction worker came to help us. His one blow to the soil is almost equivalent to us digging 5 times! Look at the disparity! I’ve come to realise that we were only there for the experience of trying to be a construction working, and doing like 1 over 100 percent of the job and claim that we were actually helping the students there. When in fact what really helps them is the money that we sent. They have no lack of skilled workers to carry out the job. Sometimes what we do may result in more trouble than help. We were there for less than 3 hours but I was already dead tired. It really made me appreciate construction workers in Singapore more! Imagine having to stand under the sun for the whole day doing manual work.

Later in the day, we had a chance to interact with the kids! They were really friendly and shy at first. But as we spoke and played with them, they opened up to us! Most of them were amazed by a digital camera and would crowd around whenever someone took a picture of them. It was really heart wrenching to see them not having new clothes to wear and the dirty conditions they live in. It’s a far cry compared to Singapore. I'm really lucky to be born here! I had the strong feeling of wanting to help them have a better standard of living, but yet there's nothing that I could do. We went to Vietnam for an objective that is to help the students there. But with what we did, I don’t think that we've done a lot for them.

Finally, I think we shouldn’t judge them based on their attire or looks or anything that is only on the surface. This is because they live a carefree life with no worries or care. If the village globalizes, they may not be happy even though they achieve a higher standard of living. Honestly, if I were to choose, I would rather stay in that type of environment. The life there is so carefree. There is little pollution; the air there is so fresh. There’s rustic scenery to view everyday compared to the high rise buildings here. The trip has many learning points and the most important thing is to cherish and appreciate what you have. Don’t compare and always be contented with what you have.

=)

Missing Vietnam

2007-01-31T21:31:00.000+08:00

I miss Vietnam, I miss Hanoi, I miss Lao Cai, and I miss TaVan.
It's like a hole in my heart, and can never be filled.

At least, we've had fun and the moments shared can never be replaced!

iProject

2007-01-27T02:53:00.000+08:00

In 2005, Innova Junior College organised an overseas community trip dubbed Mission 45, where student volunteers went to Chiang Mai, Thailand. The tradition was sustained in 2006 when Innova JC sent another group of students and teachers under the name of iProject to Sapa, Vietnam, for yet another overseas outreach trip...