'Tis done, 'tis over
my own, outdoor language camp
relief..can smile now.

Not much of a Haiku eh?

The English language camp is over. Years of talk of actually doing one finally came to fruition on Friday. The committee helped make this camp a reality. But kudos really go to Kala for doing the paper chase. Sending the letters, doing follow ups, rounding up the participants..
I do realise that having connection with the Kem helped. Since I was so much familiar with the workings in the Kem, I had no trouble at all organizing the outdoor activities. Being a friend of the caterer was a double bonus. Food was commendable, not at complaint at all from the participants as well as the teachers. Compliments are due to the cooks, and the boss was very generous with the portions too. Ah...bliss..
Small bumps and grinds along the way were easily rectified...(if it weren't pun, kasi boleh saja!)
Out of the 50 selected participants, we finally set off to camp at 2.30pm with just 43. It was slightly drizzling during the drive up to Kiulu. Dyah called me on my cell asking me were I was and prepared me on the possibility of the students setting up tents under the canopy. But I had a good feeling, after sending a quiet prayer for a good weekend, that the weekend would be ours to keep.
About one hour later, the bus and van carrying all participants and some teachers reached Kem. I drove, bringing with me some equipments/stationery and two upper six girls as urusetia. Another school was still in the main hall, not finished yet with their program. Not to worry.. I instructed the students to take all their belongings and go to the rest huts which were along the fences.
The drizzle had cleared up by then. The students of the other school had proceeded to the main field for the flag down ceremony. So I had my students move into the hall. I also formally introduced myself as the Camp Commandant. As I was giving the camp briefing, the drizzle resumed. Poor SMK Tun Said students got showered. Thank goodness it wasn't a downpour. My boys and girls were given their color coded name tags (name and group name printed) and based on their tags, they swiftly moved into their own group.
Next was the Craft Camp. Sites were allocated, tents were handed out and participants worked together to put up their tents. Jafora was there to hand out the tents. I handled the camp craft. I guess the students enjoyed themselves.
Too many details to write here and not enough time..
They regrouped in the main hall after tents were pitched. Each were handed a file which contained a log book, a few pieces of foolscap papers and a pen. I emphasised each of the rules mentioned.
Anyways...a few highlights..
There was Night Walk on the first night. Language activity was about descriptive writing, finding words to describe what they would feel, see, hear during the walk. There was also focus on the element of prediction here. I also briefed them about some safety precautions..mentioning especially the spiritual aspect of it. Better be safe than sorry.
The walk was of course supervised by some trainers in Kem. Without them, this walk would not have been possible. Most of the students had never done this kind of walk at night and I bet the walk through the villages, being growled and barked at by sentry dogs, walking on suspension bridges, through muddy paddy fields, walking pass dark orchards, to name a few, will be a walk to remember. About one hour later, they returned to the campsite tired but being teens, still talkative.
The next day, I also handled the Flying Fox. Did I feel nervous giving the briefing? I guess not. I only hoped I had covered enough necessary information. My other fellow trainers had decided to just let me do the briefing since it was to be done fully in English. So, while they were stationed on the tower and as brakers, I was on the ground level, doing the safety briefings, giving demos on proper gears and putting the lanyard + tandems for participants before going up the tower. Students were mostly excited. A few cried out of fear but all, including later some teachers, went down. I was the last to go down, but I brought along with me a passenger. Bethany, Florah's 10 year old daughter, had gotten a case of the fright just before take-off and adamantly refused to go down. When I reached the top, I casually told her I'd bring her along so that we could go down together. That made her so happy she agreed. So, we were strapped together when we descended the cable. Hurrah..
After this activity ended, I could then breathe a bit. My share of acvities were more of outdoor type. I had left the other language activities for my other colleagues.
Let's see, there was Haiku, HAM Radio, Cooperative games and the managing of the English Night.
I felt relatively well until after lunch. My back started to hurt more than usual. I had pulled a back muscle two weeks ago during a course in Kem. It had hurt a bit when I did certain movements like bending down and I guess (on looking back) did not make time for it to heal. I was so in pain that I decided to go for a lie down at the office sofa. I had taken some panadols a few minutes earlier and I immediately fell asleep seconds after lying down on the sofa. Gosh! I'd never done this before.
I managed to get some rest, felt a bit better, and later rejoined my colleagues and the participants in their activities. I'm glad they were there to conduct the activities.
I enjoyed the students' performances immensely. I laughed so much at their antiques. I was quite amused at how they poked fun at whatever activities that they had gone through and made them into short sketches. I was more amused when I heard a lot of myself incorporated into their dialogues. It showed that at least they were paying attention.
The closing ceremony was done this morning. I think it was the briefest of ceremony ever conducted. The speeches was short and not long-winded. Our VIP? Only among ourselves, the Ketua Bidang only. Wah.. I think it was only about half an hour! Full protocol, speech from students' rep, certs give-away, officiating of closing ceremony, giving of token of appreciation, and that's it. Hahah...my camp, my style.
And then there was group photo. As I sat on the chair with the hullabaloo of boys and girls around, it occured to me..this was my camp. My brain-child, coming to a close. It was all so surreal.
After lunch, the participants went to put away their belongings inside the bus. Before going off, they were allowed a short visit to see the river and play with the water for a while. Water activities was a no-no for them since we had direct orders from the school admin not to do any water activities.
By 1pm everybody had gone back. As I brought my car out from the compound of Kem, up the slope and turned into the main road back to home, I finally allowed myself to laugh and whoop in relief. It is over. It's done. Time to go home.

And it didn't rain...not a-tall. (yea..it showered..but not enough to do any dent in the activities).