The Secondary three camp was really a life changing experience for not only me but all of us. During the camp, a huge bond was made between our class as it was essential to apply teamwork and trust among your team. Without further ado, I shall begin on my personal recount.
On that early morning of camp, as I dragged my heavy bag into the courtyard, the frowns on my classmates faces made it evident that they were unwilling to leave for camp. I decided that I should not think badly about typical scout camps, instead be optimistic. After usual morning assembly, we were assigned our camp leaders one was a Caucasian and the other was malay Omar and Hilmi. In minutes the cohort was marching up onto the waiting buses , that would bring us to Camp Christine. Soon the bus turn in to this stretch of road filled with grave stones and a huge grassland, not a soul to be found there. It was a untenanted without inhabitants this was a bad sign for us as the campsite was nearing.
In a few minutes, we found ourselves ‘unloaded’ out of the bus, and ask to wait on this grass patch with the sun scorch beating down on our necks. The camps commandants did their administration and soon enough we were given our next task which was pitching your own tent. The instructor showed us carefully how to set it while we watched and learnt .I was surprised that this was what we were going to sleep in. I also realized that all of us had to leave our luxuries like our comfy beds and air conditioning behind. Soon after our accommodation was set up, our first mission was to find insects such as a frog a grasshopper and a cricket.
The rest of Day 1 activities were activities like crossing from one tree trunk to the other tree trunk with just three wood sticks, it was amazing how my classmates actually step out from their comfort zones to give ideas to the team. Eventually, everyone in the group made it across and this gave me a sense of belonging to this special class which I am going to spend with till I leave this village. Another one of the memorable was the night activity called, the Blind Man Trail. In this activity all of us had to put on our blindfolds and hold the person in front of you so we would not lose our way in the trail. We then had to pass down messages as there were obstacles obstructing our way, you also had to entrust your friends in telling you the right orders as you only had the sense of touch and hearing. After group discussion, it was lights out.
On the second day, we were awoken by the chatter of the cohort getting ready outside our tents. We then gathered out, lethargically on the same grass patch to start ‘the kungfu panda’ morning exercise. Sadly it was extremely tiresome and making everyone more sluggish. Omar seeing our the ‘life’ in us, enlighten us saying that today was the day we were going into the mission ‘nature rumble’ which was surprisingly the highlight of the camp as we were going to get real muddy. This activity really thought us about the jungle and it can be a very dangerous place when trekkers like us don co-operate. It really made us grow some ‘balls’ as we had to walk carefully as it was extremely slippery and muddy. We even as boys had to hold our friends as support in case we slip. As we got through different stages of the forest, we came to a mud swamp which was chest level we had to literally slip yourself inside as trainer Omar was leading the front group, despite professional help, I got the assistance of my dear classmates to get down in the swamp. It was extremely hard to walk in the river at first as our shoe constantly get trapped in the thick mud below the murky water astonishingly as we got deeper it was actually easier to walk through the swamp. Trainer Hilmi tried to scare us with objects that look like weird animals in the cloudy water! Finally we reach the end of the swamp and had to pull each other up the slippery slope, we had to entrust each other to help each other up safely. Lastly, it was rafting it was when all of us could ‘bathe’ ourselves and our shoes in the sea. Many of us did not know how to build a raft then. Thankfully there a few scouts classmates that had obtain the skill probably in their camps. We all then gave the scouts all our attention on how to construct the raft. We really enjoyed our time at the water and some of us even fall of the raft. Although it was not much of a distance but we still enjoyed it.
Soon enough it was time to bead our trainers farewell, and we thank them for this life changing camp. This camp gave me a sense of belonging from this class as we as a class have grew in to man of wisdom and stature and will stand by each other in times of need in this two prosperous years. It will definitely be etched in a big portion of my brain, for the amazing brotherhood spirit made during this camp.
Done by: Colin Chua (7)
Done by: Colin Chua (7)
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